Holographically displaying three-dimensional objects
Methods, apparatus, devices, subsystems, and systems for holographically displaying three-dimensional objects are provided. In one aspect, a device includes a plurality of elements arranged in rows and columns and a controller coupled to the plurality of elements, the controller comprising a plurality of driving circuits and a plurality of row scanners. Each of the plurality of elements is coupled to a respective driving circuit of the plurality of driving circuits. The plurality of row scanners include a row scanner having a series of selectors that are arranged in a column between two adjacent columns of elements, each selector of the series of selectors being configured to select a corresponding row of elements through corresponding driving circuits coupled to the corresponding row of elements.
1. A device, comprising:
a plurality of elements arranged in rows and columns; and
a controller coupled to the plurality of elements, the controller comprising a plurality of driving circuits and a plurality of row scanners,
wherein each of the plurality of elements is coupled to a respective driving circuit of the plurality of driving circuits,
wherein the plurality of row scanners comprise a row scanner having a series of selectors that are arranged in a column between two adjacent columns of elements, each selector of the series of selectors being configured to select a corresponding row of elements through corresponding driving circuits coupled to the corresponding row of elements, and
wherein the plurality of elements comprise a column of elements arranged on the series of selectors of the row scanner, the column of elements being between the two adjacent columns of elements.
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of elements comprises a respective electrode, and
wherein an electrode of an element of the column of elements is coupled to an electrode of a corresponding element in one of the two adjacent columns of elements.
3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the column of elements comprises a first element and a second element adjacent to the first element along the column of elements,
wherein an electrode of the first element is coupled to an electrode of a first neighboring element in a first column of the two adjacent columns of elements, and an electrode of the second element is coupled to an electrode of a second neighboring element in a second column of the two adjacent columns of elements, and
wherein the first element and the first neighboring element are in a same first row, and the second element and the second neighboring element are in a same second row adjacent to the same first row.
4. The device of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of elements comprises a respective electrode, and respective electrodes of the column of elements are coupled together to a driver configured to set a fixed value or randomized values for each refresh of the column of elements.
5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of elements form an irregular pattern.
6. The device of claim 1 , wherein a row of elements extends along a first direction, and a column of elements extends along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction,
wherein the row scanner is a first row scanner coupled to a first plurality of elements coupled to a plurality of first driving circuits in a first panel, and wherein the plurality of row scanners comprises a second row scanner coupled to a second plurality of elements coupled to a plurality of second driving circuits in a second panel,
wherein the first panel and the second panel are arranged along the second direction.
7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the controller comprises control circuits arranged on a peripheral area adjacent to the plurality of elements,
wherein the control circuits comprise a first control circuit and a second control circuit that are on opposite sides of the plurality of elements, and
wherein the first control circuit is adjacent to and coupled to the plurality of first driving circuits in the first panel, and the second control circuit is adjacent to and coupled to the plurality of second driving circuits in the second panel.
8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the first control circuit comprises:
a digital circuit configured to receive digital data for modulating the first plurality of elements, and
an analog circuit comprising:
one or more digital-analog-converter (DAC) s coupled to the digital circuit and configured to convert the digital data into corresponding analog voltage signals, and
one or more drivers coupled to the plurality of first driving circuits and configured to drive each of the analog voltage signals to a respective first driving circuit of the plurality of first driving circuits to modulate a corresponding element of the first plurality of elements.
9. The device of claim 1 , wherein a row of elements extends along a first direction, and a column of elements extends along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and
wherein the controller comprises control circuits that are stacked together with the plurality of driving circuits and the plurality of row scanners along a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction.
10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of driving circuits and the plurality of row scanners are arranged in a first layer, and the control circuits are arranged in a second layer, and the first layer and the second layer are stacked along the third direction.
11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of elements comprise a common electrode, and each of the plurality of elements comprises a respective metallic electrode,
wherein the driving circuit comprises:
a selection switch, a transfer switch, a reset switch that are coupled in series between a first input and a second input of the driving circuit, wherein the driving circuit is configured to receive a first input voltage at the first input and a second input voltage at the second input,
a first capacitor having a first terminal coupled between the transfer switch and the reset switch and a second terminal coupled to the second input, the first terminal of the first capacitor being coupled to a metallic electrode of a corresponding element associated with the driving circuit, and
a second capacitor having a first terminal coupled between the selection switch and the transfer switch and a second terminal coupled to an output of the driving circuit, and
wherein a voltage at the metallic electrode of the corresponding element is identical to a voltage at the first terminal of the first capacitor, and a change of the voltage at the first terminal of the first capacitor is based on a change of the first input voltage, a capacitance of the first capacitor, and a capacitance of the second capacitor.
12. The device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of elements comprise a common electrode, and each of the plurality of elements comprises a respective metallic electrode,
wherein the driving circuit is a differential circuit that comprises a capacitor having a first terminal coupled to a first circuit portion of the driving circuit and a second terminal coupled to a second circuit portion of the driving circuit, the first terminal being coupled to a metallic electrode of a corresponding element associated with the driving circuit, and
wherein a voltage at the metallic electrode of the corresponding element is identical to a voltage at the first terminal of the capacitor, and a change of the voltage at the first terminal is based on a difference between a first input voltage of the first circuit portion and a second input voltage of the second circuit portion.
13. A device comprising:
a plurality of elements, wherein the plurality of elements comprises a common electrode, and each of the plurality of elements comprises a respective metallic electrode, metallic electrodes of the plurality of elements being isolated from one another; and
a controller coupled to the plurality of elements, wherein the controller comprises a plurality of driving circuits, wherein each of the plurality of elements is coupled to a respective driving circuit of the plurality of driving circuits,
wherein a driving circuit of the plurality of driving circuits comprises a capacitor having a first terminal coupled to a first circuit portion of the driving circuit and a second terminal coupled to a second circuit portion of the driving circuit, the first terminal being coupled to a metallic electrode of a corresponding element associated with the driving circuit, and
wherein a voltage at the metallic electrode of the corresponding element is identical to a voltage at the first terminal of the capacitor, and a change of the voltage at the first terminal is based on a difference between a first input voltage of the first circuit portion and a second input voltage of the second circuit portion.
14. The device of claim 13 , wherein the corresponding element is configured to be modulated based on a difference of a common voltage applied on the common electrode and the voltage at the first terminal,
wherein the driving circuit is configured to drive the corresponding element during a refresh time period having a negative period and a positive period,
wherein the common voltage applied on the common electrode is set to a first fixed voltage during the negative period and to a second fixed voltage during the positive period, the first fixed voltage being higher than the second fixed voltage,
wherein the first input voltage is configured to vary from a first higher input voltage to a first lower input voltage during the negative period and to vary from the first lower input voltage to the first higher input voltage during the positive period, and
wherein the second input voltage is configured to vary from a second lower input voltage to a second higher input voltage during the negative period and to vary from the second higher input voltage to the second lower input voltage during the positive period.
15. The device of claim 13 , wherein the driving circuit comprises a first input as an input of the first circuit portion configured to receive the first input voltage, a second input as an input of the second circuit portion configured to receive the second input voltage, and a third input configured to receive a third input voltage,
wherein the second terminal of the capacitor is coupled to the third input of the driving circuit and configured to receive the third input voltage, and
wherein a sum of the first input voltage and the second input voltage is identical to twice of the third input voltage.
16. The device of claim 13 , wherein the capacitor is a first capacitor, and the driving circuit comprises a second capacitor, and
wherein a first terminal of the second capacitor is coupled to a node between an input for the first circuit portion and the first terminal of the first capacitor in the first circuit portion, and a second terminal of the second capacitor is coupled to a node between an input for the second circuit portion and the second terminal of the first capacitor in the second circuit portion.
17. The device of claim 16 , wherein the change of the voltage at the first terminal is based on a capacitance of the first capacitor and a capacitance of the second capacitor,
wherein the change of the voltage at the first terminal satisfies an expression as below:
Δ
vPe
=
2
Cs
Cs
+
Ce
*
Δ
vDat
,
where ΔvPe represents the change of the voltage at the first terminal, Ce represents the capacitance of the first capacitor, Cs represents the capacitance of the second capacitor, ΔvDat represents the difference between the first input voltage and the second input voltage.
18. The device of claim 16 , wherein the first circuit portion comprises a first selection switch and a first transfer switch coupled in series between the input of the first circuit portion and the first terminal of the first capacitor, the first terminal of the second capacitor being coupled between the first selection switch and the first transfer switch, and
wherein the second circuit portion comprises a second selection switch and a second transfer switch coupled in series between the input of the second circuit portion and the second terminal of the first capacitor, the second terminal of the second capacitor being coupled between the second selection switch and the second transfer switch.
19. The device of claim 18 , wherein the first selection switch and the second selection switch are configured to receive a same selection signal to be simultaneously turned on or off, and
wherein the first transfer switch and the second transfer switch are configured to receive a same transfer signal to be simultaneously turned on or off.
20. The device of claim 19 , wherein the driving circuit further comprises a reset switch coupled between the first terminal of the first capacitor and the second terminal of the first capacitor,
wherein the reset switch is configured to receive a reset signal to reset the voltage at the metallic electrode.
21. The device of claim 20 , wherein the driving circuit is configured to operate in a series of states comprising:
i) a waiting state, during which the first selection switch, the second selection switch, the first transfer switch, the second transfer switch, and the reset switch are turned off,
ii) a sampling state, during which the first selection switch and the second selection switch are turned on to receive the first input voltage at the first terminal of the second capacitor and the second input voltage at the second terminal of the second capacitor, and the first transfer switch, the second transfer switch, and the reset switch are turned off,
iii) a resetting state, during which the first selection switch, the second selection switch, the first transfer switch, and the second transfer switch are turned off, and the reset switch is turned on to reset the voltage at the metallic electrode to be same as a reset voltage of the driving circuit, and
iv) a transferring state, during which the first selection switch, the second selection switch, and the reset switch are turned off, and the first transfer switch and the second transfer switch are turned on, such that the voltage at the first terminal of the first capacitor is identical to a voltage at the first terminal of the second capacitor, and the voltage at the second terminal of the first capacitor is identical to a voltage at the second terminal of the second capacitor.
22. The device of claim 21 , wherein the corresponding element is configured to be modulated based on a difference of a common voltage applied on the common electrode and the voltage at the first terminal,
wherein the driving circuit is configured to drive the corresponding element during a refresh time period having a negative period and a positive period,
wherein the common voltage applied on the common electrode is set to a first fixed voltage during the negative period and to a second fixed voltage during the positive period, the first fixed voltage being higher than the second fixed voltage, and
wherein the common voltage is changed from the first fixed voltage to the second fixed voltage during the resetting state and before the transferring state.
23. A device comprising:
a first integrated structure comprising a plurality of elements extending in rows along a first direction and in columns along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and
a second integrated structure comprising control circuits for the plurality of elements,
wherein the first integrated structure and the second integrated structure are stacked together along a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction,
wherein the plurality of elements form an irregular pattern, and
wherein the control circuits comprise:
digital circuits configured to receive digital data for modulating the plurality of elements, and
analog circuits each comprising:
one or more digital-analog-converter (DAC) s coupled to a corresponding digital circuit and configured to convert corresponding digital data into corresponding analog voltage signals, and
one or more drivers coupled to corresponding driving circuits and configured to drive each of the analog voltage signals to a respective driving circuit of the corresponding driving circuits to modulate a corresponding element of the plurality of elements.
24. The device of claim 23 , wherein the first integrated structure comprises a plurality of driving circuits, each of the plurality of driving circuits being coupled to a respective element of the plurality of elements.
25. The device of claim 24 , wherein the first integrated structure comprises a plurality of row scanners, and
wherein the plurality of row scanners comprise a row scanner having a series of selectors that are arranged under a column of elements between two adjacent columns of elements, each selector of the series of selectors being configured to select a corresponding row of elements through corresponding driving circuits coupled to the corresponding row of elements.
26. The device of claim 24 , wherein the first integrated structure comprises a plurality of row scanners coupled to the plurality of driving circuits, and
wherein the plurality of row scanners and the plurality of driving circuits are stacked together along the third direction.
27. The device of claim 24 , wherein the plurality of elements comprise a common electrode, and each of the plurality of elements comprises a respective metallic electrode,
wherein a driving circuit of the plurality of driving circuits comprises a capacitor having a first terminal coupled to a first circuit portion of the driving circuit and a second terminal coupled to a second circuit portion of the driving circuit, the first terminal being coupled to a metallic electrode of a corresponding element associated with the driving circuit, and
wherein a voltage at the metallic electrode of the corresponding element is identical to a voltage at the first terminal of the capacitor, and a change of the voltage at the first terminal is based on a difference between a first input voltage of the first circuit portion and a second input voltage of the second circuit portion.
28. The device of claim 23 , wherein the first integrated structure and the second integrated structure are integrated together by bonding.
29. A device comprising:
a first integrated structure comprising a plurality of elements extending in rows along a first direction and in columns along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and
a second integrated structure comprising control circuits for the plurality of elements,
wherein the first integrated structure and the second integrated structure are stacked together along a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction,
wherein the plurality of elements form an irregular pattern,
wherein the first integrated structure comprises a plurality of driving circuits, each of the plurality of driving circuits being coupled to a respective element of the plurality of elements, and
wherein the first integrated structure comprises a plurality of row scanners coupled to the plurality of driving circuits, and wherein the plurality of row scanners and the plurality of driving circuits are stacked together along the third direction.
30. The device of claim 29 , wherein the first integrated structure comprises a plurality of row scanners, and
wherein the plurality of row scanners comprise a row scanner having a series of selectors that are arranged under a column of elements between two adjacent columns of elements, each selector of the series of selectors being configured to select a corresponding row of elements through corresponding driving circuits coupled to the corresponding row of elements.