Controller and driver features for bi-stable display
View Patent ↗An interference modulator (Imod) incorporates anti-reflection coatings and/or microfabricated supplemental lighting sources. An efficient drive scheme is provided for matrix addressed arrays of IMods or other micromechanical devices. An improved color scheme provides greater flexibility. Electronic hardware can be field reconfigured to accommodate different display formats and/or application functions. An IMod's electromechanical behavior can be decoupled from its optical behavior. An improved actuation means is provided, some one of which may be hidden from view. An IMod or IMod array is fabricated and used in conjunction with a MEMS switch or switch array. An IMod can be used for optical switching and modulation. Some IMods incorporate 2-D and 3-D photonic structures. A variety of applications for the modulation of light are discussed. A MEMS manufacturing and packaging approach is provided based on a continuous web fed process. IMods can be used as test structures for the evaluation of residual stress in deposited materials.
1. A display system, comprising:
at least one driving circuit configured to provide signals for displaying video data; and
a display comprising an array having a plurality of bi-stable display elements, the array being configured to display video data using signals received from the driving circuit,
wherein the array is partitioned into one or more fields, each field including at least one bi-stable display element and wherein the driving circuit is configured to refresh each of the one or more fields in accordance with a refresh rate associated with each field, and
wherein the plurality of bi-stable display elements comprise interferometric modulators, and wherein the one or more fields comprise a first field comprising a first set of interferometric modulators and a second field comprising a second set of interferometric modulators.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the driving circuit is configured to partition the array.
3. The display system of claim 1 , further comprising an input device configured to receive a user selection, wherein the driving circuit is configured to partition the array based on the user selection.
4. The display system of claim 1 , further comprising a network in communication with the display system, and wherein the driving circuit is configured to partition the array based on instructions from the network.
5. The display system of claim 1 , wherein the driving circuit is configured to receive at least a portion of the video data from a network in communication with the display system.
6. The display system of claim 1 , wherein the driving circuit is configured to receive at least a portion of the video data from a process running on the display system.
7. The display system of claim 1 , wherein the first set of interferometric modulators is refreshed at a first refresh rate and the second set of interferometric modulators is refreshed at a second refresh rate.
8. The display system of claim 1 , wherein the first set of interferometric modulators is arranged in the shape of a polygon.
9. The display system of claim 7 , wherein the second refresh rate is different than the first refresh rate.
10. The display system of claim 7 , wherein the first refresh rate is predetermined.
11. The display system of claim 1 , wherein the first field and the second field have different resolutions.
12. The display system of claim 1 , wherein the first field and the second field have different bit depths.
13. The display system of claim 1 , wherein the first field comprises at least one color interferometric modulator and the second field comprises at least one black and white interferometric modulator.
14. A method of displaying data on a display of a device, the method comprising:
partitioning a bi-stable display of the device into one or more fields;
displaying video data in the one or more fields; and
refreshing each of the one or more fields in accordance with a refresh rate that is associated with each of the one or more fields,
wherein the bi-stable display comprises an array of interferometric modulators, and wherein the one or more fields comprise a first field comprising a first set of interferometric modulators and a second field comprising a second set of interferometric modulators.
15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising receiving at least a portion of the video data at the device from a network.
16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising updating one or more fields using one or more update schemes.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein at least one of the one or more update schemes is selected using a program associated with the received data.
18. The method of claim 14 further comprising receiving display information that indicates a characteristic of the display, and selecting an update scheme using the display information.
19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first field and the second field have different resolutions.
20. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first field and the second field have different bit depths.
21. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first field comprises at least one color interferometric modulator and the second field comprises at least one black and white interferometric modulator.