Method and device for manipulating color in a display

• US 20060066641A1
• Filed: 08/19/2005
• Published: 03/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm MEMS Technologies Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gally, Brian J., Cummings, William J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,102,407 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/690
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/001 based on interference in an adjustable optical cavity interference filters G02B5/28; devices or arrangements using multiple reflections in spectrometry or monochromators G01J3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3413 Details of control of colour illumination sources
• 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

Abstract

Embodiments include methods and devices for controlling the spectral profile and color gamut of light produced by an interferometric display. Such devices include illuminating a display with selected wavelengths of light. Embodiments also include a display comprising separate sections that output different predetermined colors of light. Other embodiments include methods of making the aforementioned devices.

Claims

1. A display comprising separate sections, comprising:

a first plurality of pixels in a first section of said display configured to display a first image; and

a second plurality of pixels in a second section of said display configured to display a second image,

wherein said first plurality of pixels is different from said second plurality of pixels such that said first plurality of pixels output light of a different color than said second plurality of pixels.

2. The display of claim 1, wherein said first plurality of pixels form a first monochrome region and said second plurality of pixels form a second monochrome region.

3. The display of claim 1, wherein each of said pixels in said first section of said display comprise a first plurality of subpixels, wherein each of said first subpixels output light of a first color.

4. The display of claim 3, wherein each of said pixels in said second section of said display comprise a second plurality of subpixels, wherein each of said second subpixels output light of a second color, wherein said first and second colors are different.

5. The display of claim 4, wherein said pixels of said first plurality of pixels form a first monochrome region and wherein said pixels of said second plurality of pixels form a second monochrome region.

6. The display of claim 1, wherein said first section is adjacent to said second section.

7. The display of claim 1, wherein said first and second sections share at least one common border.

8. The display of claim 1, wherein said pixels are configured to reflect light.

9. The display of claim 1, wherein each of said pixels comprises at least one interferometric modulator.

10. The display of claim 1, wherein each of said first plurality of pixels comprises a plurality of subpixels each of which is configured to output the same first color and each of said second plurality of pixels comprises a plurality of subpixels each of which is configured to output the same second color.

11. The display of claim 10, wherein each of said subpixels comprises at least one light modulator.

12. The display of claim 1, wherein each of said first plurality of pixels comprises a single light modulator configured to output a first color and each of said second plurality of pixels comprises a single light modulator configured to output a second color.

13. A display, comprising:

a first plurality of light modulators located in a first region of said display, each of said light modulators comprising a reflective surface configured to be positioned at a distance from a partially reflective surface, wherein said distance is selected so as to produce a first color, wherein said first plurality of light modulators is configured to display a first image; and

a second plurality of light modulators located in a second region of said display, each of said light modulators comprising a reflective surface configured to be positioned at a distance from a partially reflective surface, wherein said distance is selected so as to produce a second color, wherein said second plurality of light modulators is configured to display a second image,

wherein said first and second regions of said display are non-overlapping regions.

14. The display of claim 13, further comprising a third plurality of light modulators located in a third region of said display, wherein said third plurality of light modulators is configured to display a third image in at least two colors.

15. The display of claim 13, wherein at least said first plurality of modulators is configured to display text.

16. The display of claim 13, wherein each of said first and second plurality of light modulators comprises at least one interferometric modulator.

17. The display of claim 13, further comprising:

a processor that is in electrical communication with at least one of said first and second plurality of light modulators, said processor being configured to process image data; and

a memory device in electrical communication with said processor.

18. The display of claim 17, further comprising:

a driver circuit configured to send at least one signal to at least one of said first and second plurality of light modulators.

19. The display of claim 18, further comprising:

a controller configured to send at least a portion of said image data to said driver circuit.

20. The display of claim 17, further comprising:

an image source module configured to send said image data to said processor.

21. The display of claim 20, wherein said image source module comprises at least one of a receiver, transceiver, and transmitter.

22. The display of claim 17, further comprising:

an input device configured to receive input data and to communicate said input data to said processor.

23. A display, comprising:

a first means for displaying a pixel of a first image in a first section of said display; and

a second means for displaying a pixel of a second image in a second section of said display,

wherein said first means is different from said second means such that said first means outputs light of a different color than said second means.

24. The display of claim 23, wherein said first means for displaying a pixel of said first image comprises a pixel in said display.

27. The display of claim 23, wherein said second means for displaying a pixel of said second image comprises a pixel in said display.

28. The display of claim 27, wherein said display pixel comprises a plurality of interferometric modulators.

29. The display of claim 27, wherein said display pixel comprises a single interferometric modulator.

30. The display of claim 23, wherein said first and second sections are monochrome.

31. The display of claim 23, wherein said first and second sections are non-overlapping.

25. The display of claim 25, wherein said display pixel comprises a plurality of interferometric modulators.

26. The display of claim 25, wherein said display pixel comprises a single interferometric modulator.

32. A method of making a display comprising separate sections, comprising:

forming a first plurality of pixels in a first section of said display, each of said first plurality of pixels comprising at least one light modulator; and

forming a second plurality of pixels in a second section of said display, said second plurality of pixels comprising at least one light modulator,

wherein said second plurality of pixels is different from said first plurality of pixels such that said first plurality of pixels output light of a different color than said second plurality of pixels.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising forming a third plurality of pixels in a third section of said display such that said third plurality of pixels is different from the first and second plurality of pixels and said first and second plurality of pixels each output light of a different color than said third plurality of pixels.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein forming each of said first plurality of pixels comprises forming a movable reflective layer and a partially reflective layer separated by a first distance and each of said second plurality of pixels comprise a movable reflective layer and a partially reflective layer separated by a second distance.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein said first distance is different from said second distance.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein said at least one light modulator comprises a single interferometric modulator.

37. The method of claim 32, wherein said at least one light modulator comprises a plurality of interferometric modulators.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein each of said interferometric modulators in said first plurality of light modulators output light of substantially the same color and wherein each of said interferometric modulators in said second plurality of light modulators output light of substantially the same color.

39. The method of claim 32, wherein forming said first plurality of pixels further comprises including at least one color filter.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein forming said second plurality of pixels further comprises including at least one color filter.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein said at least one color filter for said first plurality of pixels is different from said at least one color filter for said second plurality of pixels.

42. A display formed by the method of claim 32.