Display device with an addressable movable electrode

• US 7,733,558 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2009
• Issued: 06/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation, Silicon Quest Kabushiki-Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation, Silicon Quest Kabushiki-Kaisha
• Inventors: Maeda, Yoshihiro, Sugimoto, Naoya, Arai, Kazuma, Ishii, Fusao
• Primary Examiner(s): Sugarman; Scott J
• Assistant Examiner(s): PINKNEY, DAWAYNE
• Application Number:
  US12/383,620
• Publication Number:
  US 20090185085A1
• Time in Patent Office: 440 Days
• Field of Search: 359290-292, 359/295, 359223-225, 359/245, 359260-263, 359/298, 359/198, 359301-303, 359317-318, 359/237, 359/242
• US Class Current: 359/290
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0841 the reflecting element being moved or deformed by electrostatic means

Abstract

A display device implemented with a spatial light modulator (SLM) comprising a plurality of pixel elements arranged in array to modulate incident light and display an image, wherein each of the pixel elements comprises a movable electrode and a stationary electrode; a drive circuit connected to the movable electrode and receives image data for applying a voltage applied to control the movable electrode in accordance with image data, and a voltage application circuit for applying and controlling a voltage applied to the stationary electrode to control a moving speed of the movable electrode.

Claims

1. A display device implemented with a spatial light modulator (SLM) comprising a plurality of pixel elements arranged in array to modulate incident light and display an image, wherein:

each of the pixel elements comprises a movable electrode and a stationary electrode;

a drive circuit comprises a memory cell connected to the movable electrode and receives image data for applying a voltage to control the movable electrode in accordance with image data, and a voltage application circuit for applying and controlling a voltage applied to the movable electrode or the stationary electrode to control a moving speed of the movable electrode.

2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein:

the voltage application circuit is connected to the stationary electrodes of a plurality of the pixel elements.

3. The display device according to claim 2, wherein:

the plurality of pixel elements connected to a voltage application circuit are disposed along a ROW direction.

4. The display device according to claim 2, wherein:

a set of the stationary electrodes of the plurality of pixel elements comprise a combined electrode combined as one electrode.

5. The display device according to claim 1, wherein:

the pixel element comprises a plurality of stationary electrodes and the voltage application circuit is connected to at least two of the stationary electrodes of the pixel element.

6. The display device according to claim 1, wherein:

the voltage application circuit applies at least three different electric voltages to the stationary electrode.

7. The display device according to claim 1, wherein:

the voltage application circuit applies a pulse of an intermittent voltage to the stationary electrode.

8. The display device according to claim 7, wherein:

a pulse width of the pulse of the intermediate voltage is smaller than a control period of the mirror electrode for displaying a minimum intensity of light defined a gray scale resolution.

9. A display device implemented with a spatial light modulator (SLM) comprising a plurality of pixel elements arranged in array to modulate an incident light and display an image, wherein:

each of the pixel elements comprises a movable electrode and at least a stationary electrode;

a drive circuit comprises a memory cell connected to the movable electrode and receives image data for applying a voltage applied to control the movable electrode in accordance with image data, and a voltage application circuit connected to the moveable electrode or stationary electrode for adjusting a voltage applied to the moveable electrode and the stationary electrode for preventing a sticking between the movable electrode and the stationary electrode.

10. The display device according to claim 9, wherein:

the voltage application circuit is connected to the stationary electrodes of a plurality of the pixel elements.

11. The display device according to claim 10, wherein:

the plurality of pixel elements connected to a voltage application circuit are disposed along a ROW direction.

12. The display device according to claim 10, wherein:

a set of the stationary electrodes of the plurality of pixel elements comprise a combined electrode combined as one electrode.

13. The display device according to claim 9, wherein:

the pixel element comprises a plurality of stationary electrodes; and

the voltage application circuit is connected to at least two of the stationary electrodes of the pixel element.

14. The display device according to claim 9, wherein:

the voltage application circuit applies at least three different electric voltages to the stationary electrode.

15. The display device according to claim 9, wherein:

the voltage application circuit applies a pulse of an intermittent voltage to the stationary electrode.

16. The display device according to claim 15, wherein:

a pulse width of the pulse of the intermediate voltage is smaller than a control period of the movable electrode for displaying a minimum intensity of light defined a gray scale resolution.

17. The display device according to claim 9, wherein:

the voltage application circuit control at least a voltage applied to either the movable electrode or the stationary electrode to decrease a voltage different between the movable electrode and stationary electrode during at least a part of a frame cycle period for when holding the movable electrode at a fixed deflection angle.

18. A micromirror device implemented with a spatial light modulator (SLM) comprising a plurality of mirror elements arranged in an array to deflect an incident light for displaying an image, wherein:

each of the mirror elements comprises a mirror electrode and two stationary electrodes disposed on both sides of a deflection axis of the mirror electrode

an elastic hinge for supporting and deflecting the mirror electrode, a drive circuit comprises a memory cell connected to a mirror electrode through the elastic hinge wherein the drive circuit comprises the memory cell receives image data to apply and control a voltage applied to the mirror electrode; and

a voltage application circuit for controlling a voltage applied to the mirror electrode or the stationary electrode for generating an imbalanced electrostatic force between each stationary electrode and mirror electrode.

19. The micromirror device according to claim 18, wherein:

each of the mirror elements comprises a second voltage application circuit for independently applying and controlling a voltage to the mirror electrode.

20. The micromirror device according to claim 19, wherein:

the second voltage application circuit controls and adjusts the deflection states of the mirror electrode by controlling a voltage applied to the mirror electrode.

21. The micromirror device according to claim 18, wherein:

The voltage application circuit further controls the mirror electrode to operate in at least an oscillation state with the mirror electrode oscillates.

22. The micromirror device according to claim 19, wherein:

the second voltage application circuit applies at least three different electric voltages to the stationary electrode.

23. The micromirror device according to claim 19, wherein:

the second voltage application circuit applies a pulse of voltage to the mirror electrode.

24. The micromirror device according to claim 23, wherein:

a pulse width of the pulse of the intermediate voltage is smaller than a control period of the mirror electrode for displaying a minimum intensity of light defined a gray scale resolution.

25. A micro electromechanical system (MEMS)device implemented with a spatial light modulator (SLM) comprising a plurality of pixel elements arranged in an array to modulate an incident light for displaying an image, wherein:

each of the pixel elements comprises a moveable electrode and a stationary electrode;

a drive circuit comprises a memory cell connected to the moveable electrode and receives image data for applying a voltage to control the moveable electrode in accordance with the image data; and

a voltage application circuit for applying and controlling a voltage applied to the moveable electrode or the stationary electrode.