Patent · US6177921B1 · B1 · US

Printable electrode structures for displays

(11) Publication number

US6177921B1

(21) Application number

09/141,103

(22) Filing date

1998-08-27

(30) Priority date

1997-08-28

(43) Publication date

2001-01-23

(45) Date of grant

2001-01-23

(51) IPC

B41J 3/407; G02B 26/02; G02F 1/1343; G02F 1/1345; G02F 1/135; G02F 1/167; G04G 21/04; G06F 3/14; G06F 3/147; G09F 9/302; G09F 9/37; H01L 27/12

(52) CPC

H10D Inorganic electric semiconductor devices: 86/00
B41J Typewriters; selective printing mechanisms, i.e. mechanisms printing otherwise than from a forme; correction of typographical errors: 3/4076
G02B Optical elements, systems or apparatus: 26/026
G02F Optical devices or arrangements for the control of light by modification of the optical properties of the media of the elements involved therein; non-linear optics; frequency-changing of light; optical logic elements; optical analogue/digital converters: 1/133305, 1/13336, 1/1334, 1/1343, 1/1345, 1/1365, 1/167, 2202/12, 2202/28
G06K Graphical data reading; presentation of data; record carriers; handling record carriers: 19/07703
G09F Displaying; advertising; signs; labels or name-plates; seals: 9/302, 9/372
G09G Arrangements or circuits for control of indicating devices using static means to present variable information: 3/2074, 3/344
H10K Organic electric solid-state devices: 10/462

(73) Assignee

E Ink Corp

(72) Inventors

Barrett Comiskey; Paul Drzaic

(54) Title

Printable electrode structures for displays

(57) Abstract

Novel addressing schemes for controlling electronically addressable displays include a scheme for rear-addressing displays, which allows for in-plane switching of the display material. Other schemes include a rear-addressing scheme which uses a retroreflecting surface to enable greater viewing angle and contrast. Another scheme includes an electrode structure that facilitates manufacture and control of a color display. Another electrode structure facilitates addressing a display using an electrostatic stylus. Methods of using the disclosed electrode structures are also disclosed. Another scheme includes devices combining display materials with silicon transistor addressing structures.

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Claims (15)

An electrostatically addressable encapsulated electrophoretic image display comprising: a film including at least one capsule containing an electrophoretic suspension, said at least one capsule dispersed in a binder, one side of said film providing a viewing surface through which said display can be viewed; and at least one pair of electrodes, each of said at least one pair of electrodes disposed adjacent said film, said electrodes comprising printable conductive ink, both of said pair of electrodes disposed on the opposed side of said film from said viewing surface; wherein application of electrostatic charge to said film modulates the optical qualities of said electrophoretic systems.
The display of claim 1 wherein both of said pair of electrodes are opaque.
The display of claim 2 wherein at least one of said pair of electrodes comprises a material selected from the group consisting of metallic ink and graphite ink.
An electrostatically addressable encapsulated electrophoretic image display comprising: a film including at least one capsule containing an electrophoretic suspension, said at least one capsule dispersed in a binder, one side of said film providing a viewing surface through which said display can be viewed; and at least one pair of electrodes, said electrodes comprising printable conductive ink, one of said at least one pair of electrodes comprising a clear electrode disposed adjacent said viewing surface of said film, said clear electrode comprising a material selected from the group consisting of semiconducting colloids, organic conductors and electroconductive powders, and a second of said at least one pair of electrodes disposed adjacent the opposed side of said film from said viewing surface; wherein application of electrostatic charge to said film modulates the optical qualities of said electrophoretic systems.
The display of claim 4, wherein said clear electrode comprises a material selected from the group consisting of indium tin oxide, antimony-doped tin oxide, polyanilines, polythiophenes, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene), polypyrroles, polyphenylenevinylenes, and conductive derivatives of naphthalene, phthalocyanine and pentacene.
An electrostatically addressable encapsulated electrophoretic image display comprising: a film including at least one capsule containing an electrophoretic suspension, said at least one capsule dispersed in a binder, one side of said film providing a viewing surface through which said display can be viewed; and at least one pair of electrodes, said electrodes comprising printable conductive ink, one of said at least one pair of electrodes comprising a clear electrode disposed adjacent said viewing surface of said film, and a second of said at least one pair of electrodes disposed adjacent the opposed side of said film from said viewing surface, wherein said second electrode is opaque and comprises a material selected from the group consisting of metallic ink and graphite ink; wherein application of electrostatic charge to said film modulates the optical qualities of said electrophoretic systems.
An electrostatically addressable encapsulated electrophoretic image display comprising: a film including at least one capsule containing an electrophoretic suspension, said at least one capsule dispersed in a binder, wherein one side of said film provides a viewing surface through which said display can be viewed; and at least one pair of electrodes, each of said at least one pair of electrodes disposed adjacent said film, said electrodes comprising printable conductive ink, wherein both said pair of electrodes are clear and are disposed adjacent said viewing surface; wherein application of electrostatic charge to said film modulates the optical qualities of said electrophoretic systems.
The display of claim 7 wherein said clear electrodes comprise a material selected from the group consisting of semiconducting colloids, organic conductors and electroconductive powders.
The display of claim 8 wherein said clear electrodes comprise a material selected from the group consisting of indium tin oxide, antimony-doped tin oxide, polyanilines, polythiophenes, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene), polypyrroles, polyphenylenevinylenes, and conductive derivatives of naphthalene, phthalocyanine and pentacene.
An electrostatically addressable, encapsulated electrophoretic image display comprising: a film including at least one capsule containing an electrophoretic suspension, said at least one capsule dispersed in a binder; and a clear electrode disposed adjacent a first side of said film, said electrode comprising a printable substance, said clear electrode comprising a material selected from the group consisting of semiconducting colloids, organic conductors and electroconductive powders; wherein an electrostatic charge applied to a second side of said film modulates the optical qualities of said electrophoretic suspension.
The display of claim 10 wherein said clear electrode comprises a material selected from the group consisting of indium tin oxide, antimony-doped tin oxide, polyanilines, polythiophenes, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene), polypyrroles, polyphenylenevinylenes, and conductive derivatives of naphthalene, phthalocyanine and pentacene.
An electrostatically addressable, encapsulated electrophoretic image display comprising: a film including at least one capsule containing an electrophoretic suspension, said at least one capsule dispersed in a binder; a clear electrode disposed adjacent a first side of said film, said electrode comprising a printable substance; and an opaque electrode adjacent the opposed side of said film from said clear electrode, said opaque electrode comprising a material selected from the group consisting of metallic ink and graphite ink; wherein an electrostatic charge applied to a second side of said film modulates the optical qualities of said electrophoretic suspension.
The display of claim 6, wherein said metallic ink comprises a silver-bearing ink.
The display of claim 12, wherein said metallic ink comprises a silver-bearing ink.
The display of claim 12, wherein said clear electrode comprising a printable substance comprises a material selected from the group consisting of indium tin oxide, antimony-doped tin oxide, polyanilines, polythiophenes, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene), polypyrroles, polyphenylenevinylenes, and conductive derivatives of naphthalene, phthalocyanine and pentacene.

Description

The present invention relates to addressing apparatus and methods for electronic displays and, in particular, to addressing apparatus and methods for encapsulated electrophoretic displays.

Traditionally, electronic displays such as liquid crystal displays have been made by sandwiching an optoelectrically active material between two pieces of glass. In many cases each piece of glass has an etched, clear electrode structure formed using indium tin oxide. A first electrode structure controls all the segments of the display that may be addressed, that is, changed from one visual state to another. A second electrode, sometimes called a counter electrode, addresses all display segments as one large electrode, and is generally designed not to overlap any of the rear electrode wire connections that are not desired in the final image. Alternatively, the second electrode is also patterned to control specific segments of the displays. In these displays, unaddressed areas of the display have a defined appearance.

Electrophoretic display media, generally characterized by the movement of particles through an applied electric field, are highly reflective, can be made bistable, and consume very little power. Encapsulated electrophoretic displays also enable the display to be printed. These properties allow encapsulated electrophoretic display media to be used in many applications for which traditional electronic displays are not suitable, such as flexible displays. The electro-optical properties of encapsulated displays allow, and in some cases require, novel schemes or configurations to be used to address the displays.

Citations (83)

US3892568A
US3850627A
US3806893A
US4045327A
US4041481A
US4149149A
US4126854A
US4123346A
US4088395A
US4068927A
US4071430A
US4104520A
US4203106A
JPS5596922A
US4218302A
US4430648A
US4305807A
US4418346A
US4450440A
US4522472A
EP0186710A1
US4655897A
US4648956A
US4741604A
JPS6258222A
US4686524A
JPS6486116A
US5250932A
EP0361420A2
US5302235A
US5460688A
EP0404545A2
US5105185A
US5254981A
US5077157A
EP0443571A2
US5565885A
US5250938A
US5233459A
US5223823A
WO1992017873A1
WO1992020060A1
US5315312A
US5575554A
WO1992021733A1
EP0525852A1
US5689282A
WO1993002443A1
WO1993004459A1
US5304439A
WO1993004458A1
WO1993005425A1
WO1993007608A1
US5499038A
US5174882A
US5293528A
US5359346A
WO1993017414A1
US5412398A
JPH0689081A
US5345251A
US5402145A
US5561443A
JPH0736020A
WO1995006307A1
WO1995007527A1
US5627561A
US5467107A
WO1995010107A1
US5684501A
EP0684579A2
DE4431441C1
DE19500694A1
JPH0931453A
GB2306229A
US5650199A
US5729663A
US5717515A
US5739801A
US5786875A
US5930026A
JPH10149118A
US5961804A

Record as JSON

{
  "publication_number": "US6177921B1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B1",
  "title": "Printable electrode structures for displays",
  "abstract": "Novel addressing schemes for controlling electronically addressable displays include a scheme for rear-addressing displays, which allows for in-plane switching of the display material. Other schemes include a rear-addressing scheme which uses a retroreflecting surface to enable greater viewing angle and contrast. Another scheme includes an electrode structure that facilitates manufacture and control of a color display. Another electrode structure facilitates addressing a display using an electrostatic stylus. Methods of using the disclosed electrode structures are also disclosed. Another scheme includes devices combining display materials with silicon transistor addressing structures.",
  "claims": [
    "1. An electrostatically addressable encapsulated electrophoretic image display comprising: a film including at least one capsule containing an electrophoretic suspension, said at least one capsule dispersed in a binder, one side of said film providing a viewing surface through which said display can be viewed; and at least one pair of electrodes, each of said at least one pair of electrodes disposed adjacent said film, said electrodes comprising printable conductive ink, both of said pair of electrodes disposed on the opposed side of said film from said viewing surface; wherein application of electrostatic charge to said film modulates the optical qualities of said electrophoretic systems.",
    "2. The display of claim 1 wherein both of said pair of electrodes are opaque.",
    "3. The display of claim 2 wherein at least one of said pair of electrodes comprises a material selected from the group consisting of metallic ink and graphite ink.",
    "4. An electrostatically addressable encapsulated electrophoretic image display comprising: a film including at least one capsule containing an electrophoretic suspension, said at least one capsule dispersed in a binder, one side of said film providing a viewing surface through which said display can be viewed; and at least one pair of electrodes, said electrodes comprising printable conductive ink, one of said at least one pair of electrodes comprising a clear electrode disposed adjacent said viewing surface of said film, said clear electrode comprising a material selected from the group consisting of semiconducting colloids, organic conductors and electroconductive powders, and a second of said at least one pair of electrodes disposed adjacent the opposed side of said film from said viewing surface; wherein application of electrostatic charge to said film modulates the optical qualities of said electrophoretic systems.",
    "5. The display of claim 4, wherein said clear electrode comprises a material selected from the group consisting of indium tin oxide, antimony-doped tin oxide, polyanilines, polythiophenes, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene), polypyrroles, polyphenylenevinylenes, and conductive derivatives of naphthalene, phthalocyanine and pentacene.",
    "6. An electrostatically addressable encapsulated electrophoretic image display comprising: a film including at least one capsule containing an electrophoretic suspension, said at least one capsule dispersed in a binder, one side of said film providing a viewing surface through which said display can be viewed; and at least one pair of electrodes, said electrodes comprising printable conductive ink, one of said at least one pair of electrodes comprising a clear electrode disposed adjacent said viewing surface of said film, and a second of said at least one pair of electrodes disposed adjacent the opposed side of said film from said viewing surface, wherein said second electrode is opaque and comprises a material selected from the group consisting of metallic ink and graphite ink; wherein application of electrostatic charge to said film modulates the optical qualities of said electrophoretic systems.",
    "7. An electrostatically addressable encapsulated electrophoretic image display comprising: a film including at least one capsule containing an electrophoretic suspension, said at least one capsule dispersed in a binder, wherein one side of said film provides a viewing surface through which said display can be viewed; and at least one pair of electrodes, each of said at least one pair of electrodes disposed adjacent said film, said electrodes comprising printable conductive ink, wherein both said pair of electrodes are clear and are disposed adjacent said viewing surface; wherein application of electrostatic charge to said film modulates the optical qualities of said electrophoretic systems.",
    "8. The display of claim 7 wherein said clear electrodes comprise a material selected from the group consisting of semiconducting colloids, organic conductors and electroconductive powders.",
    "9. The display of claim 8 wherein said clear electrodes comprise a material selected from the group consisting of indium tin oxide, antimony-doped tin oxide, polyanilines, polythiophenes, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene), polypyrroles, polyphenylenevinylenes, and conductive derivatives of naphthalene, phthalocyanine and pentacene.",
    "10. An electrostatically addressable, encapsulated electrophoretic image display comprising: a film including at least one capsule containing an electrophoretic suspension, said at least one capsule dispersed in a binder; and a clear electrode disposed adjacent a first side of said film, said electrode comprising a printable substance, said clear electrode comprising a material selected from the group consisting of semiconducting colloids, organic conductors and electroconductive powders; wherein an electrostatic charge applied to a second side of said film modulates the optical qualities of said electrophoretic suspension.",
    "11. The display of claim 10 wherein said clear electrode comprises a material selected from the group consisting of indium tin oxide, antimony-doped tin oxide, polyanilines, polythiophenes, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene), polypyrroles, polyphenylenevinylenes, and conductive derivatives of naphthalene, phthalocyanine and pentacene.",
    "12. An electrostatically addressable, encapsulated electrophoretic image display comprising: a film including at least one capsule containing an electrophoretic suspension, said at least one capsule dispersed in a binder; a clear electrode disposed adjacent a first side of said film, said electrode comprising a printable substance; and an opaque electrode adjacent the opposed side of said film from said clear electrode, said opaque electrode comprising a material selected from the group consisting of metallic ink and graphite ink; wherein an electrostatic charge applied to a second side of said film modulates the optical qualities of said electrophoretic suspension.",
    "13. The display of claim 6, wherein said metallic ink comprises a silver-bearing ink.",
    "14. The display of claim 12, wherein said metallic ink comprises a silver-bearing ink.",
    "15. The display of claim 12, wherein said clear electrode comprising a printable substance comprises a material selected from the group consisting of indium tin oxide, antimony-doped tin oxide, polyanilines, polythiophenes, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene), polypyrroles, polyphenylenevinylenes, and conductive derivatives of naphthalene, phthalocyanine and pentacene."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates to addressing apparatus and methods for electronic displays and, in particular, to addressing apparatus and methods for encapsulated electrophoretic displays.\n\nTraditionally, electronic displays such as liquid crystal displays have been made by sandwiching an optoelectrically active material between two pieces of glass. In many cases each piece of glass has an etched, clear electrode structure formed using indium tin oxide. A first electrode structure controls all the segments of the display that may be addressed, that is, changed from one visual state to another. A second electrode, sometimes called a counter electrode, addresses all display segments as one large electrode, and is generally designed not to overlap any of the rear electrode wire connections that are not desired in the final image. Alternatively, the second electrode is also patterned to control specific segments of the displays. In these displays, unaddressed areas of the display have a defined appearance.\n\nElectrophoretic display media, generally characterized by the movement of particles through an applied electric field, are highly reflective, can be made bistable, and consume very little power. Encapsulated electrophoretic displays also enable the display to be printed. These properties allow encapsulated electrophoretic display media to be used in many applications for which traditional electronic displays are not suitable, such as flexible displays. The electro-optical properties of encapsulated displays allow, and in some cases require, novel schemes or configurations to be used to address the displays.",
  "cpc": [
    "H10D 86/00",
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    "G02B 26/026",
    "G02F 1/133305",
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    "G02F 1/1334",
    "G02F 1/1343",
    "G02F 1/1345",
    "G02F 1/1365",
    "G02F 1/167",
    "G02F 2202/12",
    "G02F 2202/28",
    "G06K 19/07703",
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    "G09G 3/2074",
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    "H10K 10/462"
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  "ipc": [
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    "G02F 1/1343",
    "G02F 1/1345",
    "G02F 1/135",
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    "G04G 21/04",
    "G06F 3/14",
    "G06F 3/147",
    "G09F 9/302",
    "G09F 9/37",
    "H01L 27/12"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "E Ink Corp"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Barrett Comiskey",
    "Paul Drzaic"
  ],
  "filing_date": "1998-08-27",
  "publication_date": "2001-01-23",
  "grant_date": "2001-01-23",
  "priority_date": "1997-08-28",
  "application_number": "US-14110398-A",
  "family_id": "27586906",
  "cited_by_count": 690,
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    "US3892568A",
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    "US3806893A",
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    "US4041481A",
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    "US4126854A",
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}

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