Electrofluidic chromatophore (efc) display apparatus

Abstract

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a display apparatus comprising a plurality of electrofluidic chromatophore (EFC) pixel cells. Each pixel cell comprises a fluid holder for holding a polar fluid and a non-polar fluid having differing display properties, the fluid holder comprising a reservoir with a geometry having a small visible area projected in the direction of a viewer onto the polar fluid, and a channel with a geometry having a large visible area projected in the direction of a viewer onto the polar fluid. The channel is connected to the reservoir so as to enable free movement of the polar fluid and non-polar fluid between the channel and the reservoir. At least part of a surface of the channel comprises a wetting property responsive to a supply voltage over the pixel cell and defining (i) a stable region wherein the supply voltage stabilizes polar fluid in the channel; (ii) a fill region that controls filling of polar fluid in the channel and (iii) a retract region that controls retracting of polar fluid in the channel. At least two pixel cell terminals are configured to supply the supply voltage to at least part of the surface of the channel comprising the wetting property for supply voltage controlled channel movement of polar fluid. The display further comprises a driver operative to provide controlled column voltages and any of a predefined row select or non-select voltage. A circuit board comprises a row electrode and a column electrode each directly connecting the driver to the pixel cell terminals for supplying the supply voltage to the pixel cell terminals as a voltage difference between the row and column electrodes in a passive matrix configuration.

Description

technical field [0001] The invention relates to the field of a display, in particular to a display with electrofluidic cells. Background technique [0002] So far, in the field of some display technologies, electrophoretic electro-optical mediums are often used, especially flexible displays. However, electrophoretic optoelectronic media have many limitations. The pixel response speed of electrophoretic photomedia is relatively slow, so it is a challenge for image display, and the relative brightness of electrophoretic photomedia is lower than that of paper. [0003] Displays utilizing electrowetting electro-optical media can compensate for the limitations mentioned above. Using this principle to form specific variations, such as documents WO2004068208 and US4,583,824. These variants have higher height dimensions than liquid crystal or electrophoretic displays, and thus cannot be applied to flexible displays. [0004] A variation example of a display developed based on el...

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