Backlight displays

• US 8,023,167 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2008
• Issued: 09/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm MEMS Technologies Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sampsell, Jeffrey B.
• Primary Examiner(s): PINKNEY, DAWAYNE
• Application Number:
  US12/146,383
• Publication Number:
  US 20090323153A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,182 Days
• Field of Search: 359237-238, 359/220, 359223-224, 359/260, 359290-292, 359/295, 359/298
• US Class Current: 359/238
• 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 transmissive backlit display is disclosed. In one aspect, the backlit display comprises a backlight and an array of transmissive interferometric modulators. Each interferometric modulator comprises a fixed and moving dielectric mirror stack. The interferometric modulators cause light within the desired wavelength range to be transmitted while reflecting at least a portion of the remaining light.

Claims

1. A transmissive display device, comprising:

a transparent substrate;

a partially transmissive fixed first layer deposited on the substrate;

a partially transmissive movable second layer connected to the substrate, the second layer being movable between a first and second position;

a cavity defined by the first layer and the second layer;

a ring-shaped first electrode connected to the first layer; and

a ring-shaped movable second electrode connected to the second layer such that the second layer moves along with the second electrode when a voltage difference is applied between the first and second electrode;

wherein light incident to the display device is interferometrically modulated by the first and second layer, wherein the first and second layers collectively block out a substantial amount of visible light while the second layer is in the second position, and pass through light of a particular wavelength range while the second layer is in the first position.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second layers comprises dielectric material.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second electrodes comprises metal or metal oxide.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second electrodes comprises absorbing metal or absorbing metal oxide.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the second layer is movable between the first and second position.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the second layer is movable in response to variable voltage difference applied across the first and second electrode.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein the second layer is further movable to a third position.

8. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a display;

a processor that is configured to communicate with said display, said processor being configured to process image data; and

a memory device that is configured to communicate with said processor.

9. The device of claim 8, further comprising a driver circuit configured to send at least one signal to the display.

10. The device of claim 9, further comprising a controller configured to send at least a portion of the image data to the driver circuit.

11. The device of claim 8, further comprising an image source module configured to send said image data to said processor.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the image source module comprises at least one of a receiver, transceiver, and transmitter.

13. The device of claim 8, further comprising an input device configured to receive input data and to communicate said input data to said processor.

14. A transmissive display device, comprising:

a substantially transparent substrate;

a partially transmissive fixed first layer deposited on the substantially transparent substrate;

a partially transmissive movable second layer connected to the substrate, the second layer being movable between a first and second position;

a cavity defined by the first layer and the second layer, wherein the first and second layers collectively block out a substantial amount of visible light while the second layer is in the second position, and pass through light of a particular wavelength range while the second layer is in the first position; and

means for actuating the second layer, the actuating means comprising

a fixed ring-shaped first actuating means operatively connected to the first layer, and

a movable ring-shaped second actuating means operatively connected to the second layer such that the second layer moves along with the second actuating means.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the first actuating means is operatively connected to the first layer and the second actuating means is operatively connected to the second layer.

16. A method of making a transmissive display device, comprising:

forming a cavity defined by a fixed first layer deposited on a substantially transparent substrate and a movable second layer connected to the substrate, the first and second layers each being partially transparent and partially reflective, wherein the second layer is movable between a first position and a second position, and wherein the first and second layers collectively block out a substantial amount of visible light while the second layer is in the second position, and pass through light of a particular wavelength range while the second layer is in the first position; and

forming a ring-shaped first electrode operatively connected to the first layer; and

forming a ring-shaped movable second electrode operatively connected to the second layer such that the second layer moves along with the second electrode.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein each of the first and second layers comprises dielectric material.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein each of the first and second electrodes comprises metal or metal oxide.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein each of the first and second electrodes comprises absorbing metal or absorbing metal oxide.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the second layer is movable between the first and second position.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the second layer is movable in response to variable voltage difference applied across the first and second electrode.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the second layer is further movable to a third position.