Low-power semi-reflective display

• US 9,502,449 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2015
• Issued: 11/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Novasolix, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Novasolix, Inc.
• Inventors: Cooke, Laurence H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sherman, Stephen
• Application Number:
  US14/840,128
• Publication Number:
  US 20150372029A1
• Time in Patent Office: 449 Days
• Field of Search: 345/55
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/02 for controlling the intensity of light G02B26/004 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/17 based on variable-absorption elements not provided for in groups G02F1/015 - G02F1/169
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/19 based on variable-reflection or variable-refraction elements not provided for in groups G02F1/015 - G02F1/169
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/32 Means for saving power
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/08 Active matrix structure, i.e. with use of active elements, inclusive of non-linear two terminal elements, in the pixels together with light emitting or modulating elements
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0626 for control of overall brightness
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/02 Details of power systems and of start or stop of display operation
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/08 Power processing, i.e. workload management for processors involved in display operations, such as CPUs or GPUs
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/144 the light being ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2003 Display of colours specific for liquid crystal displays G09G3/3607
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3433 using light modulating elements actuated by an electric field and being other than liquid crystal devices and electrochromic devices using liquid crystal devices G09G3/36; using electrochromic devices G09G3/38
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/36 using liquid crystals
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/142 Energy conversion devices photovoltaic modules or arrays of single photovoltaic cells comprising bypass diodes integrated or directly associated with the devices H01L31/0443; photovoltaic modules composed of a plurality of thin film solar cells deposited on the same substrate H01L31/046
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/156 two-dimensional arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/1085 the devices being of the Metal-Semiconductor-Metal [MSM] Schottky barrier type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries

Abstract

A semi-reflective display and a method for fabricating and assembling a semi-reflective display are presented, where the display may be comprised of visible light rectifying antenna arrays tuned to four different colors, which when forward biased may use electric power to amplify reflected colored light, and when reversed biased may generate electric power by absorbing light. TFT-tunnel diode logic may be used to control each sub-pixel.

Claims

1. A display, comprising:

an array of sub-pixels, wherein a respective sub-pixel comprises an array of light frequency antennas,

wherein in a first mode, the respective sub-pixel rectifies visible light into electric power using MOM diodes, and

wherein in a second mode, the respective sub-pixel converts electric power into visible light using the same MOM diodes.

2. The display as in claim 1, further comprising a control circuit configured to individually control the mode of a respective sub-pixel.

3. The display as in claim 2 wherein the control circuit comprises at least one latch.

4. The display as in claim 3, wherein the latch is a tunnel diode latch.

5. The display as in claim 1, wherein the array of light frequency antennas is a collinear array.

6. The display as in claim 1, wherein the respective sub-pixel comprises perpendicular arrays of light frequency antennas.

7. The display as in claim 6, wherein the antennas in each array of light frequency antennas are tuned to a particular light frequency of a set containing plural light frequencies.

8. The display as in claim 7, wherein the set containing plural light frequencies comprises light frequencies corresponding to:

red, green, blue and yellow.

9. A display comprising:

an array of sub-pixels, the sub-pixels comprising light frequency antennas; and

control logic configured to independently control a respective sub-pixel, the control comprising thin film transistors and tunnel diode latches.