Analog micromirror devices with continuous intermediate states
First Claim
1. A method for controlling a micromirror in an image display system comprising:
- applying a first voltage and a second voltage respectively on two electrodes near said micromirror to control an adjustable angle of a central axis of oscillation between a fully-ON angle and a fully-OFF angle by controlling said micromirror to continuously oscillate to two substantially constant angles symmetrically over two opposite directions relative to said central axis of oscillation for a controlled time period to adjust and control an image display brightness reflecting from a micromirror during the controlled time period corresponding to said adjustable angle of said central axis of oscillation.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An image display system includes an array of movable micromirrors each controlled by a mirror control system to oscillate between a fully ON and fully OFF positions. The mirror control system further includes at least electrode for applying voltages thereon according to an analog scale for controlling each of the micromirrors to oscillate substantially around a central angle of oscillation varying between the fully-On and fully-OFF angular positions, according to an analog angular scale corresponding to the analog scale of the voltage applied to the electrode(s). The brightness of a reflection from each of these micromirrors are therefore controllable according to an analog scale to generate a corresponding grayscale substantially according to an analog scale.
50 Citations
26 Claims
-
1. A method for controlling a micromirror in an image display system comprising:
applying a first voltage and a second voltage respectively on two electrodes near said micromirror to control an adjustable angle of a central axis of oscillation between a fully-ON angle and a fully-OFF angle by controlling said micromirror to continuously oscillate to two substantially constant angles symmetrically over two opposite directions relative to said central axis of oscillation for a controlled time period to adjust and control an image display brightness reflecting from a micromirror during the controlled time period corresponding to said adjustable angle of said central axis of oscillation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 16)
-
11. A method for controlling a micromirror in an image display system comprising:
-
applying a voltage on a single electrode near said micromirror to control an adjustable angle of a central axis of oscillation to control said micromirror to continuously oscillate to two substantially constant angles symmetrically over two opposite directions relative to said central axis of oscillation in a controlled time period; and adjusting said voltage to generate a correspondent brightness reflecting from a micromirror during the controlled time period corresponding to said adjustable angle of said central axis of oscillation.
-
-
12. An image display system comprising an array of movable micromirrors each controlled by a mirror control system to oscillated between a fully-ON and fully-Off angular positions wherein:
said mirror control system further includes two electrodes for applying a first and a second voltages respectively thereon for controlling each of said micromirrors to continuously oscillate to two substantially constant angles symmetrically over two opposite directions relative to an adjustable angle of a central axis of oscillation between said fully-On and fully-OFF angular positions in a control time period to generate a corresponding image display brightness reflecting from said micromirrors corresponding to said first and second voltages applied to said electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
-
24. The image display system of 15 wherein:
said projection lens having an aperture with an F-Value to project an image for adjusting a reflectance of said reflection light from said micromirror during the controlled time period depending on said adjustable angle of said central axis of oscillation.
-
25. The image display system of 19 wherein:
said micromirror is controlled to contact an insulation layer covering said first and said second electrodes having a mirror-electrode gap for generating a hold voltage Vhold with said Vhold voltage substantially equal to or higher than or equal to 60% of said pull-in voltage Vpull-in.
-
26. An image display system comprising an array of movable micromirrors each controlled by a mirror control system to oscillated between a fully-ON and fully-Off angular positions wherein:
said mirror control system further includes a single electrode for applying an adjustable voltage thereon for controlling an adjustable angle of a central axis of oscillation for each of said micromirrors to continuously oscillate to two substantially constant angles symmetrically over two opposite directions relative to said central axis of oscillation in a controlled time period between said fully-On and fully-OFF angular positions corresponding to said adjustable voltage applied to said single electrode whereby a correspondent adjustable brightness is reflected during the controlled time period from each of said movable micromirrors corresponding to said adjustable angle of said central axis of oscillation.
Specification