Color image display panel and driving method thereof

• US 7,859,512 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2004
• Issued: 12/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Yuasa, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Kevin M
• Application Number:
  US10/543,018
• Publication Number:
  US 20060061530A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,489 Days
• Field of Search: 345/84, 345/87, 345/88, 345/107, 349/97, 349/110, 349/115, 349/129, 359/267, 359/242, 359/281, 359/282
• US Class Current: 345/107
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1347 Arrangement of liquid crystal layers or cells in which the final condition of one light beam is achieved by the addition of the effects of two or more layers or cells
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13475 in which at least one liquid crystal cell or layer is doped with a pleochroic dye, e.g. GH-LC cell G02F1/13476 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/023 Display panel composed of stacked panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2003 Display of colours specific for liquid crystal displays G09G3/3607
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/344 based on particles moving in a fluid or in a gas, e.g. electrophoretic devices electrophoretic devices per se G02F1/167
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/36 using liquid crystals
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3607 for displaying colours or for displaying grey scales with a specific pixel layout, e.g. using sub-pixels display of colours in flat matrix panels other than liquid crystal displays G09G3/2003; grey scales specific for television H04N3/127

Abstract

An image display panel of the reflection type includes, in a multilayer structure, a first layer including a periodic planar arrangement of a plurality of electrophoretic elements, each showing one of an opaque black state and a transparent state in response to an input signal, and a second layer including a periodic planar arrangement of a plurality of electrophoretic elements, each showing at least a first color state and a second color state in response to an input signal. An arrangement period of the electrophoretic elements included in the first layer is smaller than an arrangement period of the electrophoretic elements included in the second layer.

Claims

1. An image display panel of the reflection type comprising, in a multilayer structure:

a first layer including a periodic planar arrangement of a plurality of electrophoretic elements, each of the plurality of electrophoretic elements included in the first layer showing one of an opaque black state and a transparent state in response to an input signal; and

a second layer including a periodic planar arrangement of a plurality of electrophoretic elements, each of the plurality of electrophoretic elements included in the second layer showing at least a first color state and a second color state in response to an input signal,

wherein each of the plurality of electrophoretic elements has a drive electrode and a common electrode, and a display state is controlled by an input signal given between the drive electrode and the common electrode,

wherein drive electrodes for the electrophoretic elements included in the first layer are smaller in surface area than drive electrodes for the electrophoretic elements included in the second layer, and

wherein the electrophoretic elements included in the first layer and the electrophoretic elements included in the second layer are respectively individually controlled.

2. The image display panel of the reflection type according to claim 1, wherein the second layer includes a first electrophoretic element and a second electrophoretic element, the first electrophoretic element having a green state and a red state, and the second electrophoretic element having a blue state.

3. The image display panel of the reflection type according to claim 1, wherein each of the electrophoretic elements in the first layer is modulated with a high spatial frequency.

4. The image display panel of the reflection type according to claim 1, wherein each of the electrophoretic elements in the second layer is modulated with a low spatial frequency.

5. An image display panel of the reflection type comprising, in a multilayer structure:

a first layer including a periodic planar arrangement of a plurality of electrophoretic elements, each of the plurality of electrophoretic elements included in the first layer showing only one of an opaque black state and a transparent state in response to an input signal; and

a second layer including a periodic planar arrangement of a plurality of electrophoretic elements, each of the plurality of electrophoretic elements included in the second layer showing at least a first color state and a second color state in response to an input signal,

wherein the electrophoretic elements included in the first layer are smaller in area than the electrophoretic elements included in the second layer.

6. An image display panel of the reflection type according to claim 5, wherein each of the electrophoretic elements in the first layer is individually controlled with an input signal.

7. The image display panel of the reflection type according to claim 6, wherein each of the electrophoretic elements in the first layer is modulated with a high spatial frequency.

8. An image display panel of the reflection type according to claim 5, wherein each of the electrophoretic elements in the second layer is individually controlled with an input signal.

9. The image display panel of the reflection type according to claim 8, wherein each of the electrophoretic elements in the second layer is modulated with a low spatial frequency.

10. The image display panel of the reflection type according to claim 5,

wherein each of the plurality of electrophoretic elements has a drive electrode and a common electrode, and a display state is controlled by an input signal given between the drive electrode and the common electrode, and

wherein drive electrodes for the electrophoretic elements included in the first layer are smaller in surface area than drive electrodes for the electrophoretic elements included in the second layer.