Multithreshold addressing of a twisting ball display

Patent 5739801 Issued on April 14, 1998. Estimated Expiration Date:

December 15, 2015. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

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Inventor

Sheridon, Nicholas K.

Assignee

Xerox Corporation

Application

No. 572775 filed on 12/15/1995

US Classes:

345/84, Light-controlling display elements345/85Electroscopic (e.g., movable electrodes or electrostatic elements)

Examiners

Primary: Hjerpe, Richard
Assistant: Tran, Vui T.

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Silverman; Alexander G.

International Class

G09G 003/34

Abstract

A multithreshold electrical twisting ball display device. The device is composed of electrically and optically anisotropic spheroidal balls of at least two different rotation thresholds, disposed in an elastomer substrate, together with an addressing electrode assembly. The addressing electrode assembly allows a preferred region of the substrate to be selected in which at least one ball of the first set and at least one ball of the second set are disposed, and first and second electric field to be applied to the preferred region thus selected, each of the first and second electric fields extending throughout the preferred region. The first field facilitates a contemporaneous rotation of balls of both the first and second sets rotatably disposed in the preferred region. The second electric field facilitates a rotation of balls of the second set rotatably disposed in the preferred region, without facilitating a rotation of any ball of the first set rotatably disposed in the preferred region. Also disclosed are the substrate material and electrode assembly for the device, and a method of using the device.

Other References

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