Apparatus and method for reducing perceived color shift

• US 7,928,928 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2005
• Issued: 04/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm MEMS Technologies Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gally, Brian J., Kothari, Manish
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIMNHUNG T
• Application Number:
  US11/077,974
• Publication Number:
  US 20060077122A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,230 Days
• Field of Search: 345 76- 83, 345/204, 345/32, 359/291
• US Class Current: 345/32
• 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: G02B 5/20 Filters polarising elements G02B5/30

Abstract

An apparatus and method for reducing perceived color shift as a function of viewing angle is disclosed. One embodiment is a display device that includes a color light modulator and a color filter. The filter is configured to filter wavelengths of light that would be perceived as color shifted light when reflected by the modulator at an off-axis viewing angle. Another embodiment includes a color light modulator and a color light source configured to provide light having a spectral content that lacks the wavelengths that would be perceived as color shifted light by a view of the display at an off-axis viewing angle. Another embodiment are methods of making such display devices.

Claims

1. A display device comprising:

at least one light-modulating element configured to output colored light, said light-modulating element comprising first and second reflective surfaces that define an optical cavity, said second surface being movable with respect to said first surface so as to adjust an optical path length of said optical cavity, wherein the at least one light-modulating element comprises an interferometric modulator; and

a filter comprising a layer of material that selectively transmits certain visible wavelengths and substantially filters other visible wavelengths when illuminated with white light, said filter positioned to filter light modulated by said light-modulating element so as to reduce variation of color of said output colored light with angle of view.

2. The display device of claim 1, wherein said filter is positioned to filter incident light modulated by said light modulating element.

3. The display device of claim 1, wherein said filter is positioned to filter light output by said light modulating element.

4. The display device of claim 3, wherein said filter is positioned to filter incident light modulated by said light modulating element.

5. The display device of claim 1, wherein said filter has at least one red, green or blue transmission peak that selectively transmits at least one of red, green, or blue light.

6. The display device of claim 1, wherein said light selectively transmitted by said filter has a color substantially corresponding to said output colored light of said light-modulating element.

7. The display device of claim 1, wherein said light selectively transmitted by said filter comprises at least red and green light, red and blue light, or green and blue light.

8. The display device of claim 1, wherein said light selectively transmitted by said filter comprises at least red, green, and blue light.

9. The display device of claim 1, wherein said interferometric modulator is configured to selectively output said colored light based on selective movement of said movable second surface which adjusts said optical path length of said optical cavity.

10. The display device of claim 1, further comprising a transmissive substrate positioned between said first reflective surface and said filter.

11. The display device of claim 1, wherein said material comprises a light absorbing material.

12. The display device of claim 11, wherein said material comprises dyed material.

13. The display device of claim 12, wherein said dyed material comprises dyed photoresist.

14. The display device of claim 1, wherein said filter forms part of a filter array comprising different filter elements configured to transmit at least two different colors respectively.

15. The display device of claim 14, wherein said filter array comprises red, green, and blue color filter elements.

16. The display device of claim 1, wherein the at least one light-modulating element is configured to receive incident ambient light and modulate said received ambient light thereby outputting said color light and said filter is positioned to transmit a portion of said incident ambient light received by said light-modulating element and transmit at least a portion of said modulated ambient light output by said light-modulating element so as to reduce variation of color of said output colored light with angle of view.

17. The display device of claim 1, wherein said interferometric modulator and filter are included in a reflective display.

18. The display device of claim 1, wherein the filter is configured to provide a band pass response characterized by a particular color, whereby the filter selectively transmits visible wavelengths associated with said particular color and substantially filters other visible wavelengths.

19. The display device of claim 1, further comprising electronics configured to drive the second reflective surface such that light reflected by said first and second reflective surfaces can be modulated so as to form part of an image viewable on a display.

20. The display device of claim 19, wherein the display is configured to form the image by selectively modulating ambient light.

21. The display device of claim 1, wherein said display device comprises a display element included in an array of display elements of a display such that light reflected by said first and second reflective surfaces forms part of an image produced by said array of display elements.

22. A method of fabricating a display, comprising:

forming a light-modulating element configured to output colored light, said color light-modulating element comprising first and second reflective surfaces that form an optical cavity, said second surface being movable with respect to said first surface so as to adjust an optical path length of said optical cavity, wherein the at least one light-modulating element comprises an interferometric modulator; and

positioning a filter comprising a layer of material with respect to said light-modulating element such that said filter filters light modulated by said light-modulating element, said layer of material selectively transmitting certain visible wavelengths and substantially filtering other visible wavelengths when illuminated with white light so as to reduce variation of color of said output colored light with angle of view.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein positioning said filter comprises positioning said filter to filter incident light modulated by said light modulating element.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein positioning said filter comprises positioning said filter to filter light output by said light modulating element.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein positioning said filter comprises positioning said filter to filter incident light modulated by said light modulating element.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein said light selectively transmitted by said filter comprises at least one of red, green, or blue light.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein said light selectively transmitted by said filter comprises a color substantially corresponding to said output colored light of said light-modulating element.

28. The method of claim 22, wherein said light selectively transmitted by said filter includes at least two colors selected from the group comprising red, green, and blue color light.

29. The method of claim 22, wherein forming said light-modulating element comprises forming said light-modulating element on a transmissive substrate positioned between said first reflective surface and said filter.

30. The method of claim 22, wherein said material comprises a light absorbing material.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein said material comprises dyed material.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein said dyed material comprises dyed photoresist.

33. The method of claim 22, wherein positioning said filter comprises positioning a filter array comprising at least two different filter elements configured to transmit at least two different colors respectively.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein said filter array comprises red, green, and blue color filter elements.

35. A display device formed by said method of claim 22.

36. The method of claim 22, wherein the light-modulating element is configured to receive incident ambient light and modulate said received ambient light thereby outputting said color light and said filter is positioned to transmit a portion of said incident ambient light received by said light-modulating element and transmit a least a portion of said modulated ambient light output by said light-modulating element so as to reduce variation of color of said output colored light with angle of view.

37. The method of claim 22, wherein said interferometric modulator and filter are included in a reflective display.

38. The method of claim 22, wherein said filter is configured to provide a band pass response characterized by a particular color, whereby the filter selectively transmits visible wavelengths associated with said particular color and substantially filters other visible wavelengths.

39. The method of claim 22, further comprising providing electronics configured to drive the second reflective surface such that light reflected by said first and second reflective surfaces can be modulated so as to form part of an image viewable on the display.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the display is configured to form the image by selectively modulating ambient light.

41. The method of claim 22, wherein said display comprises a display element included in an array of display elements of said display such that light reflected by said first and second reflective surfaces forms part of an image produced by said array of display elements.

42. A display system comprising:

a light-modulating element configured to output colored light having at least one spectral peak within the visible spectrum, said light-modulating element comprising first and second reflective surfaces that define an optical cavity, said second surface being movable with respect to said first surface so as to adjust an optical path length of said optical cavity, wherein the light-modulating element comprises an interferometric modulator; and

a light emitter that outputs visible light having at least one spectral peak within the visible spectrum, said light emitter configured to illuminate said first and second reflective surfaces of said light-modulating element so as to reduce variation of color of said output light with angle of view.

43. The display device of claim 42, wherein said light emitter comprises a color light emitter that outputs colored light.

44. The display device of claim 43, wherein said colored light outputted by said light emitter comprises at least one of red, green, or blue light.

45. The display device of claim 42, wherein said light provided by said light emitter comprises colored light substantially corresponding to said colored light output by said light-modulating element.

46. The display device of claim 42, wherein said light provided by said light emitter comprises at least red and green, red and blue, or green and blue light.

47. The display device of claim 42, wherein said light provided by said light emitter comprises at least red, green, and blue.

48. The display device of claim 42, further comprising a plurality of light emitters.

49. The display device of claim 48, wherein said light emitters comprise red, green, and blue color light emitters.

50. The display device of claim 49, wherein said red, green, and blue light emitters produce light at a range of wavelengths that are respectively centered at about 650, 550, and 450 nm.

51. The display device of claim 42, wherein said spectral peak of said light emitter substantially overlaps a spectral peak of said light-modulating element.

52. The display system of claim 42, wherein said interferometric modulator is included in a reflective display.

53. The display system of claim 42, further comprising electronics configured to drive the second reflective surface such that light reflected by said first and second reflective surfaces can be modulated so as to form part of an image viewable on a display.

54. The display system of claim 42, wherein said display system comprises a display element included in an array of display elements of a display such that light reflected by said first and second reflective surfaces forms part of an image produced by said array of display elements.

55. A method of fabricating a display device comprising:

providing a light-modulating element configured to output colored light having at least one spectral peak within the visible spectrum, said light-modulating element comprising first and second reflective surfaces that form an optical cavity, said second surface being movable with respect to said first surface so as to adjust an optical path length of said optical cavity, wherein the light-modulating element comprises an interferometric modulator; and

positioning a light emitter with respect to said light-modulating element to illuminate said first and second reflective surfaces of said light-modulating element, said light emitter outputting visible light having at least one spectral peak within the visible spectrum so as to reduce variation of color of said output light with angle of view.

56. A display device fabricated by the method of claim 55.

57. The method of claim 55, wherein said interferometric modulator is included a reflective display.

58. The method of claim 55, further comprising providing electronics configured to drive the second reflective surface such that light reflected by said first and second reflective surfaces can be modulated so as to form part of an image viewable on a display.

59. The method of claim 55, wherein said display device comprises a display element included in an array of display elements of a display such that light reflected by said first and second reflective surfaces forms part of an image produced by said array of display elements.

60. A display device comprising:

a plurality of light-modulating elements configured to output colored light, said light-modulating elements comprising first and second reflective surfaces that define an optical cavity, said second surface being movable with respect to said first surface so as to adjust an optical path length of said optical cavity, wherein the plurality of light-modulating elements includes an interferometric modulator; and

a filter array comprising a plurality of filter elements that selectively transmit certain visible wavelengths and substantially filter other visible wavelengths when illuminated with white light, at least two of said filter elements having different transmission spectrums, said filter array positioned to filter light modulated by said light-modulating elements so as to reduce variation of color of said output colored light with angle of view.

61. The display device of claim 60, wherein the plurality of light-modulating elements are configured to receive incident ambient light and modulate said received ambient light thereby outputting said color light and said filter elements are positioned to transmit a portion of said incident ambient light received by said light-modulating elements and transmit at least a portion of said modulated ambient light output by said light-modulating elements so as to reduce variation of color of said output colored light with angle of view.

62. The display device of claim 60, wherein plurality of interferometric modulators and filter array are included a reflective display.

63. The display device of claim 60, further comprising electronics configured to drive the second reflective surfaces such that light reflected by said first and second reflective surfaces can be modulated so as to form part of an image viewable on a display.

64. The display device of claim 63, wherein the display is configured to form the image by selectively modulating ambient light.

65. A method of fabricating a display, comprising:

forming a plurality of light-modulating elements configured to output colored light, said color light-modulating elements comprising first and second reflective surfaces that form an optical cavity, said second surface being movable with respect to said first surface so as to adjust an optical path length of said optical cavity, wherein the plurality of light-modulating elements includes an interferometric modulator; and

positioning a filter array comprising a plurality of filter elements with respect to said light-modulating elements such that said filter array filters light modulated by said plurality of light-modulating elements, at least two of said filter elements having different transmission spectrums, so as to reduce variation of color of said output colored light with angle of view.

66. The method of claim 65, wherein the plurality of light-modulating elements are configured to receive incident ambient light and modulate said received ambient light thereby outputting said color light and said filter elements are positioned to transmit a portion of said incident ambient light received by said light-modulating elements and transmit at least a portion of said modulated ambient light output by said light-modulating elements so as to reduce variation of color of said output colored light with angle of view.

67. The method of claim 65, wherein the plurality of light-modulating elements and the filter array are included in a reflective display.

68. The method of claim 65, further comprising providing electronics configured to drive the second reflective surfaces such that light reflected by said first and second reflective surfaces can be modulated so as to form part of an image viewable on the display.

69. The method of claim 68, wherein the display is configured to form the image by selectively modulating ambient light.

70. A display device comprising:

means for interferometrically modulating incident light so as to output colored light, said means comprising an interferometric modulator; and

means for selectively transmitting certain visible wavelengths and substantially filtering other visible wavelengths when illuminated with white light, wherein said means for selectively transmitting reduces perceived color shift of said output colored light so as to reduce variation of color of said output colored light with angle of view.

71. The device of claim 70, wherein said modulating means comprises a plurality of light-modulating elements configured to output colored light, said color light-modulating elements comprising first and second reflective surfaces that form an optical cavity, said second surface being movable with respect to said first surface so as to adjust an optical path length of said optical cavity or said selectively transmitting means comprises a plurality of filter elements disposed with respect to said modulating means such that said plurality of filter elements filters light modulated by said modulating means so as to reduce variation of color of said output colored light with angle of view.

72. The display device of claim 70, wherein the interferometrically modulating means are configured to receive incident ambient light and modulate said received ambient light thereby outputting said color light and said selectively transmitting means is positioned to selectively transmit said incident ambient light received by said interferometrically modulating means and selectively transmit said modulated ambient light output by said interfometrically modulating means so as to reduce variation of color of said output colored light with angle of view.

73. The display device of claim 70, wherein said interferometric modulator and selectively transmitting means are included in a reflective display.

74. The display device of claim 70, further comprising electronics configured to drive the interferometrically modulating means such that light reflected by said interferometrically modulating means can be modulated so as to form part of an image viewable on a display.

75. The display device of claim 74, wherein the display is configured to form the image by selectively modulating ambient light.

76. A display device, comprising:

means for interferometrically modulating incident light so as to output colored light having at least one spectral peak within the visible spectrum, said means comprising an interferometric modulator; and

means for illuminating said means for interferometrically modulating with visible light having at least one spectral peak within the visible spectrum so as to reduce variation of color of said output light with angle of view.

77. The device of claim 76, wherein said modulating means comprises a light-modulating element configured to output light having at least one spectral peak within the visible spectrum, said light-modulating element comprising first and second reflective surfaces that form an optical cavity, said second surface being movable with respect to said first surface so as to adjust an optical path length of said optical cavity or said illuminating means comprises a light emitter disposed with respect to said modulating means to illuminate said modulating means.

78. The display device of claim 76, wherein said interferometric modulator is included in a reflective display.

79. The display device of claim 76, further comprising electronics configured to drive the interferometrically modulating means such that light reflected by said interferometrically modulating means can be modulated so as to form part of an image viewable on a display.

80. The display device of claim 76, wherein said display device comprises a display element included in an array of display elements of a display such that light reflected by said interferometrically modulating means forms part of an image produced by said array of display elements.