An optical switch includes a plurality of micro-grooves, a micro-fluid disposed in each micro-groove of the plurality of micro-grooves, and a driving electrode disposed corresponding to the micro-fluid in each micro-groove. The driving electrode is configured to provide a voltage to a corresponding micro-fluid to control light transmittance of a region where the micro-fluid is located.

A pixel unit, a display method thereof and a display panel are provided. The pixel unit includes a display region and a non-display region, further includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a fluid layer and a control structure, the fluid layer is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, a fluid is disposed in the fluid layer, a flow of the fluid is controllable, and the control structure is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate and configured to control the flow of the fluid.

A drive circuit and its drive method, and a panel and its drive method are provided. The drive circuit includes a step-up unit, a plurality of signal input terminals and a signal output terminal, which are electrically connected with each other. The step-up unit includes a first module, a second module, a third module and a first capacitor, which are electrically connected with each other. The first module is configured to transmit a signal of a third signal input terminal to a first electrode of the first capacitor. The second module is configured to transmit a signal of a fourth signal input terminal to a second electrode of the first capacitor. The third module is configured to transmit a signal of the third signal input terminal to the second electrode of the first capacitor, which further increases the signal of the first electrode of the first capacitor.

Methods and systems for driving an active matrix electrowetting on dielectric device including thin-film-transistors to increase the switching frequency of the propulsion electrodes beyond what is typical for line-by-line active matrix driving. By using a latching circuit, it is possible to selectively switch specific propulsion (pixel) electrodes between an “on” and an “off” state, wherein a propulsion electrode in an “on” state can be driven by a time varying drive voltage on the top electrode that is a much higher frequency than is typically possible with amorphous silicon thin-film-transistor arrays. The faster drive frequency improves the performance of electrowetting devices, especially when used with aqueous droplets having a high ionic strength.

A method of driving an active matrix electrowetting on dielectric device including thin-film-transistors to increase the switching frequency of the propulsion electrodes beyond what is typical for line-by-line active matrix driving. By grouping gate lines and simultaneously driving those gate lines as a gate block, a frame update can be completed much faster and, as a consequence, the overall drive frequency at the propulsion electrodes can be increased substantially. The faster drive frequency improves the performance of electrowetting devices, especially when used with aqueous droplets having a high ionic strength.

A display unit includes a display panel that includes a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix. Each of the pixels includes one of an optical modulator and a self-luminescent element, and one of an electrochromic element, an electrophoretic element, and an electrowetting element. Each of the pixels further includes a pixel circuit that is configured to selectively drive the one of the optical modulator and the self-luminescent element, and selectively drive the one of the electrochromic element, the electrophoretic element, and the electrowetting element.

An electronic device has an electrically adjustable shutter. The shutter may be placed in a transparent state or a nontransparent state. The shutter may overlap a portion of a display, may overlap a liquid contact indictor or a structure with text in a device, or may overlap an optical component such as an optical proximity sensor, ambient light sensor, visible light-emitting diode or laser, infrared light-emitting diode or laser, visible light image sensor, or infrared light image sensor. Control circuitry in the electronic device may place the shutter in an opaque state to hide an overlapped component from view or may place the shutter in a transparent state to allow the overlapped component to transmit or receive light. The adjustable shutter may exhibit changes in its transmission spectrum in different modes of operation and may be used as a camera filter or neutral density filter.

Provided is a bistable driving method for an electrowetting display, comprising: setting a non-selected voltage for one or more writing rows; switching a row voltage of the one or more writing rows from the non-selected voltage to a selected voltage; applying the digital voltage on at least one column of digital electrodes to be written; switching the row voltage of the one or more writing rows from the selected voltage to the non-selected voltage, and decreasing the digital voltage applied to the at least one column to a voltage less than the opening voltage minus the selected voltage; and applying the steps above to next one or more writing rows until an entire display screen is written.

An active matrix electrowetting on dielectric (AM-EWoD) device including a top substrate with driving electrodes and capacitive sensing. As depicted herein the bottom substrate includes a first plurality of electrodes to propel various droplets through a microfluidic region, while the top substrate includes a second plurality of electrodes that are configured to interrogate the droplets with capacitive sensing. In some embodiments, the top substrate has zones of high-resolution sensing and zones of low-resolution sensing.

An AM-EWOD device includes a plurality of array elements arranged in an array of rows and columns, each of the array elements including array element circuitry, an element electrode, and a reference electrode. The array element circuitry includes actuation circuitry configured to apply actuation voltages to the element and/or reference electrodes for actuating the array element, and impedance sensor circuitry configured to sense impedance at the array element electrode to determine a droplet or device property at the array element, the impedance sensor circuitry comprising a sensor capacitor and a sensor readout transistor that outputs an output current for sensing. The sensor capacitor is electrically connected to a gate of the sensor readout transistor such that during a sensing phase a voltage perturbation is coupled through the sensor capacitor (and possibly other circuit elements) to the gate of the sensor readout transistor. The impedance sensor circuitry further comprises a pre-charging element that operates to turn on the sensor readout transistor during the sensing phase in combination with coupling of the voltage perturbation, thereby increasing the effect of the voltage perturbation on the output current.