Devices having MEMS displays

• US 20060209012A1
• Filed: 02/23/2006
• Published: 09/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Pixtronix, Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hagood, Nesbitt W. IV
• Application Number:
  US11/361,294
• Publication Number:
  US 20060209012A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/109
• 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 2360/144 the light being ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3406 Control of illumination source illumination devices structurally associated with liquid crystal cells G02F1/1336
• 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

Improved portable hand held devices having bright, high resolution MEMS display panels with shutters and optionally optical cavities having both front and rear reflective surfaces. Light-transmissive regions are formed in the front reflective surface for spatially modulating light.

Claims

1. A portable handheld device, comprising

a housing,

a display panel seated within the housing and having a light modulating layer with a plurality of transversely moveable shutters capable of modulating light by transversely moving the respective shutter through a path of a propagating ray of light to set a respective pixel in an on condition or an off condition,

a control matrix coupled to the display panel for providing control over respective ones of the transversely moveable shutters for moving said transversely moveable shutters to modulate light, and

a power source disposed within the housing and coupled to the light source and the controller.

2. A portable handheld device according to claim 1, further comprising

a display controller coupled to the control matrix for controlling the moveable shutter elements to display an image.

3. A portable handheld device according to claim 2, wherein the display controller includes a color image generator capable of determining a sequence of on and off conditions for the moveable shutters and for driving respective moveable shutters through the determined sequence to display a color image.

4. A portable handheld device according to claim 1, further comprising

at least one color filter disposed within the display panel.

5. A portable handheld device according to claim 2 wherein the display controller includes

a sync controller coupled to the display panel and generating a sync pulse to move a group of moveable shutters to a selected state at predetermined intervals.

6. A portable handheld device according to claim 1, further comprising

an image memory having storage for an image signal and being coupled to the controller.

7. A portable handheld device according to claim 1, further comprising a removable memory storage device.

8. A portable handheld device according to claim 1, further comprising

a transparent substrate joined to a lower surface of the light modulating layer, and

a light source disposed beneath the transparent substrate.

9. A portable handheld device according to claim 8, wherein the light source comprises a plurality of light sources each capable of generating a selected color.

10. A portable handheld device according to claim 9, further comprising

a light controller for sequentially activating the plurality of light sources to display a color image.

11. A portable handheld device according to claim 1, further comprising

a light source disposed within the housing and arranged above the light modulating layer for directing light toward the moveable shutters.

12. A portable handheld device according to claim 1, further comprising

a user interface device coupled to the housing and capable of generating input signals responsive to user commands.

13. A portable handheld device according to claim 1, further comprising

a touch sensitive screen disposed over an upper surface of the display panel and capable of generating signals representative of a location on the display panel being pressed by a user.

14. A portable handheld device according to claim 1, wherein the display panel further comprises a fluid material surrounding the moveable shutters.

15. A portable handheld device according to claim 2, wherein the display controller a color bit controller for controlling the number of color bits employed for generating an image.

16. A portable handheld device according to claim 1, wherein the display panel further comprises

a transparent cover plate disposed over the light modulating substrate, and

a seal placed around a perimeter wall of the display panel and having a support surface to support a peripheral edge of the transparent cover plate.

17. A portable handheld device according to claim 16, wherein the transparent cover plate has a thickness selected to limit an inwardly directed deformation in response to an exterior pressure.

18. A portable handheld device according to claim 1, further comprising

a support disposed between the light modulating substrate and a cover plate and arranged to butt against and support the cover plate.

19. A portable handheld device according to claim 1, wherein the light modulating layer includes a plurality of apertures associated with respective ones of the moveable shutters, and further comprising

a reflective layer disposed beneath the light modulating layer and having a reflective surface facing the light modulating layer.

20. A portable handheld device according to claim 19, wherein the reflective layer includes a light transmissive medium disposed above the reflective surface, whereby a light reflective cavity is formed underneath the light modulating layer.

21. A portable handheld device according to claim 1, wherein

the control matrix includes an active matrix having a plurality of control circuits each being associated with a respective moveable shutter.

22. A portable handheld device according to claim 1, further comprising

a power controller coupled to the power source and having a plurality of operating modes for selectively regulating power drawn from the power source.

23. A portable handheld device according to claim 22, further comprising

wherein the power controller couples to a light source and includes a timer for changing the amplitude at which the light source is driven after a selected period of time.

24. A portable handheld device according to claim 22, wherein

the power controller couples to a light source to control at least one of amplitude or timing at which the source switches.

25. A portable hand held device according to claim 22, further comprising

a light source having a plurality of light sources for generating light of different colors, and

the power controller controls timing at which at least one of the light sources switches to generate colors that draw less power from the power source.

26. A portable handheld device according to claim 22, wherein

the power controller controls a light source to generate monochromatic light with a non-switched light source.

27. A portable handheld device according to claim 22, further comprising

a level detector coupled to the power controller for measuring a light external to the housing and for selectively regulating power drawn from the power source at least in part based on the measure.

28. A portable handheld device according to claim 1, include a device selected from the group of game consoles, cell phones, audio players, video players, watches, e-books, digital cameras, televisions, GNSS receivers, and laptop computers.

29. A portable handheld device according to claim 1, further comprising

a moveable contact formed on the light modulating layer and coupled to the control matrix and arranged for moving toward a respective moveable shutter to thereby reduce a voltage applied to move the shutter.

30. A portable handheld device, comprising

a housing,

a display panel seated within the housing and having transparent substrate with a light modulating layer formed on and bonded to the transparent substrate and having a plurality of moveable elements arranged for modulating light passing through the transparent layer,

a control circuit coupled to said moveable elements for controlling movement of said elements to modulate light,

a light source disposed within the housing beneath the transparent substrate to direct light through the transparent layer, and

a power source disposed within the housing and coupled to the light source and active matrix.

31. A portable handheld device, comprising

a housing,

an active matrix display panel seated within the housing and having a light modulating substrate formed on and bonded to the transparent substrate and having a plurality of moveable elements arranged for modulating light, and having a plurality of control circuits associated with respective ones of said moveable elements for controlling movement of the element to modulate light,

a light source disposed within the housing, and

a power source disposed within the housing and coupled to the light source and active matrix.