Tiled flat panel displays

• US 6,262,696 B1
• Filed: 01/06/1999
• Issued: 07/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hanger Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Rainbow Displays, Inc.
• Inventors: Seraphim, Donald P., Li, Che-yu, Krusius, J. Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIMNHUNG T
• Application Number:
  US09/226,803
• Time in Patent Office: 923 Days
• Field of Search: 345/1, 345/5, 345/87, 345/88, 345/94, 345/73
• US Class Current: 345/1.3
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1333 Constructional arrangements; Manufacturing methodsG02F1/135, G02F1/136 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13336 Combining plural substrates to produce large-area displays, e.g. tiled displays

Abstract

A large flat panel display having a plurality of tile display modules with capability in the range of 12 or more lines per inch, being precisely manufactured and aligned such that the interpixel spacing between two adjacent tiles maintains the uniformly periodic spacing of the interpixel spacing within tiles. The display is addressed as a single monolithic display, without reference to the plurality of individual tiles making up the display. All of the interconnections between tiles are located between tiles in the “shadow area”, unless all tiles can have an edge around the periphery of the display. Also disclosed are methods of making and assembling the tiles and the displays.

Claims

1. A large flat panel display comprising:

a) a plurality of tile display modules, each tile display module comprising a field emission display module having a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix having uniformly periodic interpixel spacing, and each tile display module having electrical interconnection means for addressing said pixels so that each pixel may be selectively controlled through said electrical interconnection means, and pads for interconnecting with said electrical interconnection means, each of said tile display modules further comprising a ledge formed on the edge of at least one layer of said tile display module between the layers thereof, in which said ledge is inset into one of said layers, the edge of said layers being coterminous; and

b) a back plate for supporting and interconnecting said tile display modules, having at least one layer of interconnection lines for connection to said electrical interconnection means of a plurality of said tile display modules, said interconnection lines having pads for electrical connection thereto;

said tile display modules being mounted upon said back plate, with said pads of said tile display modules being electrically connected to said pads of said interconnection lines of said back plate, aligning said tile display modules thereon, and located so that the interpixel spacing between two of said adjacent pixels on two adjacent tile display modules maintains the uniform periodicity of interpixel spacing between adjacent pixels within said tile display modules, said tile display modules comprising layers bonded together by an adhesive and said pixels of said large flat panel tile display being addressed via said interconnection means of said back plate as if said large flat tile display, comprising a plurality of tile display modules, were a single monolithic large display.

2. A large flat panel display comprising:

a) a plurality of tile display modules, each tile display module comprising a light-emitting diode display module having a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix having uniformly periodic interpixel spacing, and each tile display module having electrical interconnection means for addressing said pixels so that each pixel may be selectively controlled through said electrical interconnection means, and pads for interconnecting with said electrical interconnection means, each of said tile display modules further comprising a ledge formed on the edge of at least one layer of said tile display module between the layers thereof, said ledge being inset into one of said layers, the edge of said layers being coterminous; and

b) a back plate for supporting and interconnecting said tile display modules, having at least one layer of interconnection lines for connection to said electrical interconnection means of a plurality of said tile display modules, said interconnection lines having pads for electrical connection thereto;

said tile display modules being mounted upon said back plate, with said pads of said tile display modules being electrically connected to said pads of said interconnection lines of said back plate, aligning said tile display modules thereon, and located so that the interpixel spacing between two of said adjacent pixels on two adjacent tile display modules maintains the uniform periodicity of interpixel spacing between adjacent pixels within said tile display modules, said pixels of said large flat panel tile display being addressed via said interconnection means of said back plate as if said large flat tile display, comprising a plurality of tile display modules, were a single monolithic large display.

3. A large flat panel display comprising:

a) a plurality of tile display modules, each tile display module comprising an electroluminescent display module having a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix having uniformly periodic interpixel spacing, and each tile display module having electrical interconnection means for addressing said pixels so that each pixel may be selectively controlled through said electrical interconnection means, and pads for interconnecting with said electrical interconnection means, each of said tile display modules further comprising a ledge formed on the edge of at least one layer of said tile display module between the layers thereof, said ledge being inset into one of said layers, the edge of said layers being coterminous; and

b) a back plate for supporting and interconnecting said tile display modules, having at least one layer of interconnection lines for connection to said electrical interconnection means of a plurality of said tile display modules, said interconnection lines having pads for electrical connection thereto;

said tile display modules being mounted upon said back plate, with said pads of said tile display modules being electrically connected to said pads of said interconnection lines of said back plate, aligning said tile display modules thereon, and located so that the interpixel spacing between two of said adjacent pixels on two adjacent tile display modules maintains the uniform periodicity of interpixel spacing between adjacent pixels within said tile display modules, said tile display modules comprising layers bonded together by an adhesive and said pixels of said large flat panel tile display being addressed via said interconnection means of said back plate as if said large flat tile display, comprising a plurality of tile display modules, were a single monolithic large display.