Spatial light modulator

• US 7,973,994 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2008
• Issued: 07/05/2011
• 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: Sugimoto, Naoya, Ishii, Fusao
• Primary Examiner(s): Mack; Ricky L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thomas; Brandi N
• Application Number:
  US12/291,921
• Publication Number:
  US 20090080059A1
• Time in Patent Office: 964 Days
• Field of Search: 359290-292, 359/298, 359/237, 345 30- 32, 345/40
• US Class Current: 359/237
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0841 the reflecting element being moved or deformed by electrostatic means
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0876 Supplementary capacities in pixels having special driving circuits and electrodes instead of being connected to common electrode or ground; Use of additional capacitively coupled compensation electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0262 The addressing of the pixel, in a display other than an active matrix LCD, involving the control of two or more scan electrodes or two or more data electrodes, e.g. pixel voltage dependent on signals of two data electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/027 Details of drivers for data electrodes, the drivers handling digital grey scale data, e.g. use of D/A converters
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/08 Details of timing specific for flat panels, other than clock recovery
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2014 by modulation of the duration of a single pulse during which the logic level remains constant
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2077 by a combination of two or more gradation control methods
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/346 based on modulation of the reflection angle, e.g. micromirrors micromirrors devices per se G02B26/0833
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/312 Driving therefor driving of electronic spatial light modulators in displays other than projection devices G09G3/34, G09G3/36; control of liquid crystal elements G02F1/133; control of micromechanical modulators G02B26/08

Abstract

The present invention provides a spatial light modulator, comprising: a plurality of pixel units configured as a pixel array wherein each of the pixel units further comprises a memory circuit. The spatial light modulator further includes a bit line for transmitting a data signal to the memory circuit. The spatial light modulator further includes a word line for selecting and writing the data signal to the selected memory circuit. The spatial light modulator further includes a plate line for controlling the memory; and an address decoder for selecting the plate line, wherein the address decoder comprises an address judgment unit constituted by a plurality of first judgment units and further includes a second judgment unit for changing an output from the second judgment unit depending on a result generated by the first judgment unit.

Claims

1. A spatial light modulator, comprising:

a plurality of pixel units configured as a pixel array;

each of the pixel units further comprises a memory circuit;

a bit line for transmitting a data signal to the memory circuit;

a word line for selecting and writing the data signal to the selected memory circuit;

a plate line for controlling the memory circuit; and

a plate line address decoder for selecting the plate line for selectively enabling the memory circuit to receive the data signal transmitted from the bit line, wherein the address decoder comprises a plurality of first judgment units and a plurality of second judgment units for generating an output from the second judgment units depending on a result generated by the first judgment units in decoding and selecting the plate line in transmitting the data signal to the memory circuit through the bit line and selected by the word line.

2. The spatial light modulator according to claim 1, wherein:

the plate line address decoder comprises more or the same number of said first judgment units than said plate lines.

3. The spatial light modulator according to claim 1, wherein:

the plate line address decoder further comprise a plurality of third judgment units for generating an output from the third judgment units depending on a result generated by the second judgment units.

4. A spatial light modulator, comprising:

a plurality of pixel units configured as a pixel array;

each of the pixel units comprises a memory circuit ;

a bit line for transmitting a data signal to the memory circuit;

a word line for selecting and writing the data signal to the selected memory circuit; and

a word line address decoder for selecting the word line, wherein the word line address decoder comprises a plurality of first judgment units, each comprises an EXOR (exclusive-or) logic circuit, and plurality of second judgment units, each comprises an NOR (not-or) logic circuit for generating an output from the second judgment units depending on a result generated by the first judgment units.

5. The spatial light modulator according to claim 4, wherein:

the word line address decoder comprises more or the same number of said first judgment units than said word lines.

6. The spatial light modulator according to claim 4, wherein the word line address decoder further comprise a plurality of third judgment units, each comprises an OR logic circuit, for generating an output from the third judgment units depending on a result generated by the second judgment units.

7. A spatial light modulator, comprising:

a plurality of pixel units configured as a pixel array;

each of the pixel units comprises a memory circuit ;

a bit line for transmitting a data signal to the memory circuit;

a word line for controlling the memory circuit; and

a word line address decoder, wherein the word line address decoder comprises a plurality of first, second and third digital circuits implemented with a plurality of EXOR (exclusive-or) logic circuits, a plurality of NOR (not-or) logic circuits and a plurality of OR logic circuits for selecting or resetting a word line.