Display devices comprising of interferometric modulator and sensor
View Patent ↗An Interferometric Modulator (IMod) is a microelectromechanical device for modulating light using interference. The colors of these devices may be determined in a spatial fashion, and their inherent color shift may be compensated for using several optical compensation mechanisms. Brightness, addressing, and driving of IMods may be accomplished in a variety of ways with appropriate packaging, and peripheral electronics which can be attached and/or fabricated using one of many techniques. The devices may be used in both embedded and directly perceived applications, the latter providing multiple viewing modes as well as a multitude of product concepts ranging in size from microscopic to architectural in scope.
1. A system for responding to a mode of use of a product, comprising:
a sensor configured to detect a change in a mode of use of a product; and
a display device comprising an interferometric light modulator, wherein said display device is configured to display a selected image in response to a changing mode of use detected by said sensor,
wherein said interferometric light modulator comprises a movable reflecting layer, and
wherein said product comprises a product selected from the group consisting of: a shoe, a ski, a thermometer, an automobile, a motorcycle, a sailboat, a bus, a billboard, an airplane, a building, a piece of jewelry, a watch, a compact disk player, an appliance, and an article of clothing.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is located within the product.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mode of use corresponds to a state of process performed by the product.
4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a device configured to play recorded media.
5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the recorded media comprises a compact disk.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein said sensor is part of a control device configured to respond to a selection made by a user.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein said sensor is a piezoelectric sensor.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mode of use corresponds to an internal status of the product or the result of a completed internal process.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor detects a change of use that is internal to the product.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor detects a change of use that is external to the product.
11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is external to the product.
12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a control element configured to receive a user selection of appearance of the product.
13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the selected image comprises information relating to the mode of use.
14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mode of use is a vibration or a temperature.
15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mode of use is a speed of use of an athletic device or strength of stride.
16. The system of claim 1 , wherein said product comprises a shoe.
17. The system of claim 1 , wherein said product comprises a ski.
18. The system of claim 1 , wherein said product comprises a thermometer.
19. The system of claim 1 , wherein said product comprises an automobile.
20. The system of claim 1 , wherein said product comprises a motorcycle.
21. The system of claim 1 , wherein said product comprises a sailboat.
22. The system of claim 1 , wherein said product comprises a bus.
23. The system of claim 1 , wherein said product comprises a billboard.
24. The system of claim 1 , wherein said product comprises an airplane.
25. The system of claim 1 , wherein said product comprises a building.
26. The system of claim 1 , wherein said product comprises a piece of jewelry.
27. The system of claim 1 , wherein said product comprises a watch.
28. The system of claim 1 , wherein said product comprises a compact disk player.
29. The system of claim 1 , wherein said product comprises an appliance.
30. The system of claim 1 , wherein said product comprises an article of clothing.
31. A system for responding to a mode of use of a product, comprising:
a sensor configured to detect a change in a mode of use of a product; and
a display device comprising an interferometric light modulator, wherein said display device is configured to display a selected image in response to a changing mode of use detected by said sensor,
wherein said interferometric light modulator comprises a movable reflecting layer, and
wherein said sensor is a piezoelectric sensor.
32. A system for responding to a mode of use of a product, comprising:
a sensor configured to detect a change in a mode of use of a product; and
a display device comprising an interferometric light modulator, wherein said display device is configured to display a selected image in response to a changing mode of use detected by said sensor,
wherein said interferometric light modulator comprises a movable reflecting layer, and
wherein said sensor is part of a control device configured to respond to a selection made by a user.
33. The system of claim 32 , wherein the selected image selection made by a user comprises one or more graphical patterns.
34. The system of claim 32 , wherein the selection made by a user comprises an external appearance of the product.
35. The system of claim 32 , further comprising a power supply and a display circuitry configured to provide a plurality of exterior appearances when the power is supplied.
36. A system for responding to a mode of use of a product, comprising:
a sensor configured to detect a change in a mode of use of a product; and
a display device comprising an interferometric light modulator, wherein said display device is configured to display a selected image in response to a changing mode of use detected by said sensor,
wherein said interferometric light modulator comprises a movable reflecting layer, and
wherein the mode of use corresponds to an internal status of the product or the result of a completed internal process.
37. The system of claim 36 , wherein the mode of use corresponds to an internal status of the product.
38. The system of claim 36 , wherein the mode of use corresponds to the result of a completed internal process.
39. A system for responding to a mode of use of a product, comprising:
a sensor configured to detect a change in a mode of use of a product; and
a display device comprising an interferometric light modulator, wherein said display device is configured to display a selected image in response to a changing mode of use detected by said sensor,
wherein said interferometric light modulator comprises a movable reflecting layer, and
wherein the sensor detects a change of use that is internal to the product.
40. A system for responding to a mode of use of a product, comprising:
a sensor configured to detect a change in a mode of use of a product; and
a display device comprising an interferometric light modulator, wherein said display device is configured to display a selected image in response to a changing mode of use detected by said sensor,
wherein the sensor detects a change of use that is external to the product.
41. A system for responding to a mode of use of a product, comprising:
a sensor configured to detect a change in a mode of use of a product; and
a display device comprising an interferometric light modulator, wherein said display device is configured to display a selected image in response to a changing mode of use detected by said sensor,
wherein the sensor is external to the product.
42. A system for responding to a mode of use of a product, comprising:
a sensor configured to detect a change in a mode of use of a product; and
a display device comprising an interferornetric light modulator, wherein said display device is configured to display a selected image in response to a changing mode of use detected by said sensor,
wherein said interferometric light modulator comprises a movable reflecting layer, and
wherein the sensor comprises a control element configured to receive a user selection of appearance of the product.
43. The system of claim 42 , wherein the selected image comprises one or more graphical patterns.
44. The system of claim 42 , wherein the user selection comprises an external appearance of the product.
45. The system of claim 42 , further comprising a power supply and display circuitry configured to provide a plurality of exterior appearances when the power is supplied.
46. A system for responding to a mode of use of a product, comprising:
a sensor configured to detect a change in a mode of use of a product; and
a display device comprising an interferometric light modulator, wherein said display device is configured to display a selected image in response to a changing mode of use detected by said sensor,
wherein the mode of use is a vibration or a temperature.
47. The system of claim 46 , wherein the mode of use is a vibration.
48. The system of claim 46 , wherein the mode of use is a temperature.
49. A system for responding to a mode of use of a product, comprising:
a sensor configured to detect a change in a mode of use of a product; and
a display device comprising an interferometric light modulator, wherein said display device is configured to display a selected image in response to a changing mode of use detected by said sensor,
wherein the mode of use is a speed of use of an athletic device or strength of stride.
50. A system for responding to a mode of use of a product, comprising:
a sensor configured to detect a change in a mode of use of a product; and
a display device comprising an interferometric light modulator, wherein said display device is configured to display a selected image in response to a changing mode of use detected by said sensor,
wherein said interferometric light modulator comprises a movable reflecting layer, and
wherein the selected image comprises information relating to the mode of use.
51. A system for responding to a mode of use of a product, comprising:
means for detecting a change in a mode of use of a product; and
means for displaying a selected image in response to a changing mode of use detected by said means for detecting a change in a mode of use of a product, wherein said displaying means comprises at least one interferometric modulator, said interferometric modulator comprising a movable reflecting layer.
52. The system of claim 51 , wherein said product comprises a product selected from the group consisting of: a shoe, a ski, a thermometer, an automobile, a motorcycle, a sailboat, a bus, a billboard, an airplane, a building, a piece of jewelry, a watch, a compact disk player, an appliance, and an article of clothing.
53. The system of claim 51 , wherein said detecting means comprises at least one of the following: a user interface, a sensor, an interferometric modulator.
54. A system for responding to a mode of use of a product, comprising:
a sensor configured to detect a change in a mode of use of a product; and
a display device comprising an interferometric light modulator, wherein said display device is configured to display a selected image in response to a changing mode of use detected by said sensor,
wherein said interferometric light modulator comprises a movable reflecting layer, and
wherein the mode of use corresponds to a state of progress in the internal process of the product.
55. The system of claim 54 , wherein the state of progress in the internal process of the product comprises the completed internal process.
56. A system for responding to a mode of use of a product, comprising:
a sensor configured to detect a change in a mode of use of a product; and
a display device comprising an interferometric light modulator, wherein said display device is configured to display a selected image in response to a changing mode of use detected by said sensor,
wherein said interferometric light modulator comprises a movable reflecting layer, and
wherein the mode of use corresponds to mechanical power of movement.
57. The system of claim 56 , wherein the movement comprises walking.
58. The system of claim 56 , wherein the movement comprises ski flexing.
59. The system of claim 56 , wherein the product comprises a shoe.
60. The system of claim 56 , wherein the product comprises a ski.