Method and device for a display having transparent components integrated therein

• US 7,349,136 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2005
• Issued: 03/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: IDC, LLC
• Inventors: Chui, Clarence
• Primary Examiner(s): Ben; Loha
• Application Number:
  US11/139,108
• Publication Number:
  US 20060077151A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,033 Days
• Field of Search: 359/290, 359/291, 359/295, 359/298, 359/321, 359/223, 359/224, 359/237, 359/276, 359/277, 359/245, 359/286, 345/33, 345/84, 345/85, 349/10, 349/122, 349/185, 348/196, 348/197, 385/40, 385/131, 385/147, 250/370.08, 250/370.09, 250/214.1, 250/389
• US Class Current: 359/237
• 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

Abstract

A display panel includes an array of interferometric modulators arranged over a transparent substrate and a transparent electrical device arranged between the array of interferometric modulators and the transparent substrate. The transparent electrical device may be electrically connected to the array of interferometric modulators or to other parts of the display panel. Examples of suitable transparent electrical devices include capacitors, resistors, inductors and filters. The use of such transparent electrical devices may provide various advantages, such as increased design flexibility, by allowing the electrical devices to be included in various parts of the array, including the viewing regions.

Claims

1. A display panel comprising:

an array of interferometric modulators arranged over a transparent substrate; and

a transparent electrical device arranged between the array of interferometric modulators and the transparent substrate, the transparent electrical device being electrically connected to the array of interferometric modulators.

2. The display panel of claim 1 in which the transparent electrical device is selected from the group consisting of a capacitor, a resistor, an inductor and a filter.

3. The display panel of claim 2 in which the transparent electrical device is a capacitor.

4. The display panel of claim 3 in which the capacitor is a storage capacitor.

5. The display panel of claim 2 in which the transparent electrical device is a resistor.

6. The display panel of claim 2 in which the transparent electrical device is an inductor.

7. The display panel of claim 2 in which the transparent electrical device is a filter.

8. The display panel of claim 7 in which the filter comprises a capacitor and a resistor.

9. The display panel of claim 8 in which the filter further comprises an inductor.

10. The display panel of claim 1 in which the array of interferometric modulators comprises at least a first interferometric modulator, the first interferometric modulator comprising a first electrode, a first mirror mechanically coupled to the first electrode, a second electrode, and a second mirror mechanically coupled to the second electrode.

11. The display panel of claim 10 in which the transparent electrical device is electrically connected to the first electrode.

12. The display panel of claim 10 in which the second mirror is moveable relative to the first mirror.

13. The display panel of claim 12 in which the first minor is a reflective surface of the first electrode.

14. The display panel of claim 1 in which the transparent electrical device is a passive electrical device.

15. A display device comprising:

the display panel of claim 1;

a processor that is in electrical communication with the display panel, the processor being configured to process image data; and

a memory device in electrical communication with the processor.

16. The display device of claim 15 further comprising:

a first controller configured to send at least one signal to the display panel; and

a second controller configured to send at least a portion of the image data to the first controller.

17. The display device of claim 15 further comprising:

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

18. The display device of claim 17 wherein the image source module comprises at least one of a receiver, a transceiver, and a transmitter.

19. The display device of claim 15 further comprising:

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

20. A display device comprising:

a substrate comprising an array region;

a first interferometric modulator attached to the substrate in the array region, the first interferometric modulator comprising an interferometric cavity; and

a transparent passive electrical device attached to the substrate in the array region.

21. The display device of claim 20 in which the transparent passive electrical device is configured to transmit light to the first interferometric modulator from a viewing side of the substrate in the array region.

22. The display device of claim 20 further comprising a second interferometric modulator attached to the substrate in the array region.

23. The display device of claim 22 in which the transparent passive electrical device is arranged between the substrate and the second interferometric modulator in the array region.

24. The display device of claim 22 further comprising a row line in the array region electrically connected to the first interferometric modulator and to the second interferometric modulator.

25. The display device of claim 24 in which the transparent passive electrical device is electrically connected to the row line.

26. A method of making a display device, comprising:

forming a transparent electrical device on a substrate;

depositing an insulating layer over the transparent electrical device;

forming an interferometric modulator over the insulating layer; and

forming an electrical connection between the transparent electrical device and the interferometric modulator.

27. The method of claim 26 in which forming the transparent electrical device comprises depositing a conductive layer and a dielectric layer.

28. The method of claim 27 in which forming the transparent electrical device further comprises depositing a second conductive layer.

29. The method of claim 27 further comprising patterning at least one of the conductive layer and the dielectric layer.

30. The method of claim 26 in which forming the electrical connection comprises forming a via in the insulating layer.

31. The method of claim 26 in which forming the interferometric modulator comprises forming a first electrode.

32. The method of claim 31 in which the first electrode is insulated from the transparent electrical device by the insulating layer.