IP Library Granted Patent US 8,089,452
Granted Patent B2
US 8,089,452 · App. 11/467,647 · Granted Jan 3, 2012

Electrophoresis device, electronic apparatus, and driving method of electrophoresis device

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,089,452
App. No.
11/467,647
Granted
Jan 3, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

An electrophoresis device includes a first substrate having a plurality of pixel electrodes formed on a surface thereof, a second substrate having a common electrode formed on a surface thereof and disposed to face the pixel electrodes, and an electrophoretic layer disposed between the pixel electrodes and the common electrode. The electrophoresis device makes electrophoretic particles migrate by keeping the potential of each pixel electrode constant and changing a voltage to be applied to the common electrode. The device also includes a voltage control means which supplies a voltage whose minimum voltage is not less than V 3 and whose maximum voltage are not more than V 4 to the common electrode, in a case where a potential which appears in each pixel electrode when a minimum voltage V 1 is supplied to a voltage supply means to each pixel electrode is set to V 3 and a potential which appears in each pixel electrode when a maximum voltage V 2 is supplied to the voltage supply means is set to V 4.

Claims (21)

1. An electrophoresis device which includes:

a first substrate having a plurality of pixel electrodes formed on a surface thereof,

a second substrate having a common electrode formed on a surface thereof and disposed to face the pixel electrodes, and

an electrophoretic layer disposed between the pixel electrodes and the common electrode, and

which makes electrophoretic particles migrate by keeping the potential of each pixel electrode constant and changing a voltage to be applied to the common electrode,

the device comprising:

a voltage control means which supplies first and second voltages V 1 and V 2 to the pixel electrodes, and in response to the first and second voltages V 1 and V 2 shifting to third and fourth voltages V 3 and V 4 , respectively, supplies a voltage pulse that varies between fifth and sixth voltages V 5 and V 6 to the common electrode, wherein V 1 <V 3 <V 5 and V 6 <V 4 <V 2 .

2. The electrophoresis device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first substrate further comprises a thin film semiconductor circuitry layer.

3. An electronic apparatus comprising the electrophoresis device according to claim 1 .

4. A method of driving an electrophoresis device which includes:

a first substrate having a plurality of pixel electrodes formed on a surface thereof,

a second translucent substrate having a common electrode formed on a surface thereof and disposed to face the pixel electrodes, and

an electrophoretic layer disposed between the pixel electrodes and the common electrode, and

which makes electrophoretic particles migrate by keeping the potential of each pixel electrode constant and changing a voltage to be applied to the common electrode,

the method comprising:

supplying first and second voltages V 1 and V 2 to the pixel electrodes, and in response to the first and second voltages V 1 and V 2 shifting to third and fourth voltages V 3 and V 4 , respectively, supplying a voltage pulse that varies between fifth and sixth voltages V 5 and V 6 to the common electrode, wherein V 1 <V 3 <V 5 and V 6 <V 4 <V 2 .

5. The method of driving an electrophoresis device according to claim 4 ,

wherein the voltage to be applied to the common electrode is a pulse voltage of 50% duty ratio.

6. The method of method an electrophoresis device according to claim 4 ,

wherein the voltage to be applied to the common electrode is changed at a pulse period of 50 to 1000 milliseconds.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 13, 2018
From: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
To: E INK CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 047072/0325 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 28, 2006
From: KAWAI, HIDEYUKI
To: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 018179/0656 →