USPatentGranted
B2Method and structure capable of changing color saturation
Granted 21 May 2013 · no office action yet
Current assignee: Snaptrack, Inc. · originally Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.
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Attorney: Attorney · Log in to unlock
Inventors: Jian Liu, Kostadin Djordjev, Marc Maurice Mignard · Examiner: Joseph P Martinez · AU 2872 · TC 2800
Application
12/910,694
filed 22 Oct 2010
Publication
US 20110286072
published 24 Nov 2011
Patent· this page
US 8,446,674
granted 21 May 2013
44
Claims
6 independent
110
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20-year term
term adjustment not held
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Litigation
checked
2
Classifications
G02B1/10
105
Citations
105 cites · 0 cited by
Life of the patent
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Abstract
Various embodiments include an interferometric modulator device configured to provide improved saturation. In some embodiments, saturation is improved by optically matching the impedance of two materials with different refractive indices using a multilayer having a refractive index gradient. In various embodiments, the thickness one or more of the layers in the multilayer are selected to provide increased saturation. Accordingly, in various embodiments the multilayer having a refractive index gradient helps to narrow the resonance of a pixel such that the band of wavelengths that are reflected from the pixel is smaller. In turn, a device including a combination of red, green and blue pixels may expand the spectrum of colors that are reflected by the device in operation. Additionally, there may be better contrast between whites and blacks, as darker blacks with less hue are produced.
Claims
44 · 6 independent · depth 744 granted claims
›1.independentA device for modulating light, the device comprising:na movable reflector;a partial reflector positioned at a first distance from said movable reflect…+20
›2.↳ 1The device of claim 1, wherein the index of refraction of the partial reflector is greater than the index of refraction of the substrate.d2
›3.↳ 1The device of claim 1, wherein at least one dielectric layer included in the multilayer forms a color filter.d2+3
›4.↳ 3The device of claim 3, wherein the color filter is a red color filter that substantially suppresses light wavelengths associated with cyan hues.d3
›5.↳ 3The device of claim 3, wherein the color filter is a blue color filter that substantially suppresses light wavelengths associated with yellow hues.d3
›6.↳ 3The device of claim 3, wherein the color filter is a green color filter that substantially suppresses light wavelengths associated with magenta hues.d3
›7.↳ 1The device of claim 1, further comprising a dielectric layer between the movable reflector and the partial reflector.d2
›8.↳ 1The device of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises glass.d2
›9.↳ 1The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the dielectric layers in the multilayer comprises aluminum oxide.d2
›10.↳ 1The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the dielectric layers in the multilayer comprises silicon dioxide.d2
›11.↳ 1The device of claim 1, wherein said device forms part of a display.d2+6
›12.↳ 11The device of claim 11, further comprising:na processor that is in electrical communication with said display, said processor being configured to proc…d3+5
›13.↳ 12The device of claim 12, further comprising a driver circuit configured to send at least one signal to said display.d4+3
›14.↳ 13The device of claim 13, further comprising a controller configured to send at least a portion of said image data to said driver circuit.d5+2
›15.↳ 14The device of claim 14, further comprising an image source module configured to send said image data to said processor.d6+1
›16.↳ 15The device of claim 15, wherein said image source module comprises at least one of a receiver, transmitter and transceiver.d7
›17.↳ 12The device of claim 12, further comprising an input device configured to receive input data and to communicate said input data to said processor.d4
›18.↳ 1The device of claim 1, wherein the respective indices of refraction of the at least two dielectric layers are configured to provide a plurality of red…d2
›19.↳ 1The device of claim 1, wherein the respective indices of refraction of the at least two dielectric layers are configured to provide at least three red…d2
›20.↳ 1The device of claim 1, wherein the respective indices of refraction of at least three dielectric layers in the multilayer are configured to provide at…d2
›21.↳ 1The device of claim 1, wherein metal layers are excluded from the multilayer and from between the multilayer and the substrate.d2
›22.independentA device for modulating light, the device comprising:na movable reflector;a partial reflector positioned at a first distance from said movable reflect…+6
›23.↳ 22The device of claim 22, wherein the index of refraction of the partial reflector is larger than the index of refraction of the substrate.d2
›24.↳ 22The device of claim 22, wherein the presence of the dielectric layer suppresses light wavelengths associated with cyan hues and selectively transmits …d2
›25.↳ 22The device of claim 22, wherein the presence of the dielectric layer suppresses light wavelengths associated with yellow hues and selectively transmit…d2
›26.↳ 22The device of claim 22, wherein the presence of the dielectric layer suppresses light wavelengths associated with magenta hues and selectively transmi…d2
›27.↳ 22The device of claim 22, further comprising a second dielectric layer between the movable reflector and the partial reflector.d2
›28.↳ 22The device of claim 22, wherein the substrate comprises glass.d2
›29.independentA device for modulating light, the device comprising:nmeans for reflecting, said reflecting means being movable;means for partially reflecting positio…+3
›30.↳ 29The device of claim 29, wherein:nthe movable reflecting means comprises a movable reflector; orthe partially reflecting means comprises a partial refl…d2
›31.↳ 29The device of claim 29, wherein said supporting means comprises a means for supporting during fabrication of the device.d2+1
›32.↳ 31The device of claim 31, wherein said means for supporting during fabrication of the device comprises a substrate.d3
›33.independentA device for modulating light, the device comprising:nmeans for reflecting, said reflecting means being movable;means for partially reflecting, said p…+3
›34.↳ 33The device of claim 33, wherein:nthe movable reflecting means comprises a movable reflector; orthe partially reflecting means comprises a partial refl…d2
›35.↳ 33The device of claim 33, wherein said supporting means comprises a means for supporting during fabrication of the device.d2+1
›36.↳ 35The device of claim 35, wherein said means for supporting during fabrication of the device comprises a substrate.d3
›37.independentA method of making a device for modulating light, the method comprising:nproviding a movable reflector;providing a partial reflector, said partial ref…
›38.independentA method of making a device for modulating light, the method comprising:nproviding a movable reflector;providing a partial reflector, the partial refl…+6
›39.↳ 38The method of claim 38, wherein the index of refraction of the partial reflector is larger than the index of refraction of the substrate.d2
›40.↳ 38The method of claim 38, wherein the dielectric layer is configured to serve as a red color filter that substantially suppresses light wavelengths incl…d2
›41.↳ 38The method of claim 38, wherein the dielectric layer is configured to serve as a blue color filter that substantially suppresses light wavelengths inc…d2
›42.↳ 38The method of claim 38, wherein the dielectric layer is configured to serve as a green color filter that substantially suppresses light wavelengths in…d2
›43.↳ 38The method of claim 38, further comprising including a second dielectric layer between the movable reflector and the partial reflector.d2
›44.↳ 38The method of claim 38, wherein the substrate comprises glass.d2
Classifications
2 codesIPC · International Patent Classification
Section G — Physics
- G02B1/10
USPC · US Patent Classification
359/586
Claim changes
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Pendency
2.6 y
942 days filing → grant
Office actions
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Responses
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4 RCE
Examiner
Joseph P Martinez
art unit 2872 · TC 2800
Law firm
Citations: 105 back · 0 forward
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2 priority documentsPriority
20 May 2010
earliest claimed
›Priority documents — 2
| Type | Document | Date |
|---|---|---|
| provisional | US 61346846 | 20 May 2010 |
| related publication | US 20110286072 A1 | 24 Nov 2011 |
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