Patent US6620012 - Method for testing a light-emitting panel and the components therein

Illllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

US006620012B1

(12) United States Patent ao) Patent No.: us 6,620,012 Bi

Johnson et al. (45) Date of Patent: Sep. 16,2003 Page 2

(54) METHOD FOR TESTING A LIGHTEMITTING PANEL AND THE COMPONENTS THEREIN

(75) Inventors: Roger Laverne Johnson, Encinitas, CA
(US); Albert Myron Green,
Springfield, VA (US); Edward Victor
George, Lake Arrowhead, CA (US);
Newell Convers Wyeth, Oakton, VA
(US)

(73) Assignee: Science Applications International
Corporation, San Diego, CA (US)

( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 34 days.

(21) Appl. No.: 09/697,498

(22) Filed: Oct. 27, 2000

(51) Int. CI. 1101.1 9 24

(52) U.S. CI 445/3; 445/24

(58) Field of Search 445/24, 25

(56) References Cited

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

3,559,190 A 1/1971 Blitzer et al 340/173

3,646,384 A 2/1972 Lay 313/109.5

3,704,052 A 11/1972 Coleman 316/17

(List continued on next page.)

FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS

JP 4-287397 10/1992 H05K/9/00

JP 10-3869 1/1998 H01J/31/12

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

International Search Report for Application No. PCT/US01/

42803, dated Dec. 9, 2002 (mailing date).

Alien Technology Corporation's Technology Overview;

technology.com/d/technology/overview.html.

Anonymous, Alien Technology Corporation White Paper— Fludic Self Assembly, Alien Technology Corp., Oct. 1999, pp. 1-7.

Rauf, S., Kushner, M.J., Operation of a Coplanar—Electrode Plasma Display Panel Cell, IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science, vol. 27, No. 1, Feb. 1999, pp. 10-11.

(List continued on next page.)

FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS

JP 4-287397 10/1992 H05K/9/00

JP 10-3869 1/1998 H01J/31/12

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

International Search Report for Application No. PCT/US01/

42803, dated Dec. 9, 2002 (mailing date).

Alien Technology Corporation's Technology Overview;

technology.com/d/technology/overview.html.

Anonymous, Alien Technology Corporation White Paper—

Fludic Self Assembly, Alien Technology Corp., Oct. 1999,

pp. 1-7.

Rauf, S., Kushner, M.J., Operation of a Coplanar—Electrode Plasma Display Panel Cell, IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science, vol. 27, No. 1, Feb. 1999, pp. 10-11.

(List continued on next page.)

Primary Examiner—Kenneth J. Ramsey

(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Kilpatrick Stockton LLP

(57) ABSTRACT

An improved light-emitting panel having a plurality of micro-components sandwiched between two substrates is disclosed. Each micro-component contains a gas or gasmixture capable of ionization when a sufficiently large voltage is supplied across the micro-component via at least two electrodes. A method of testing a light-emitting panel and the component parts therein is also disclosed, which uses a web fabrication process to manufacturing lightemitting panels combined with inline testing after the various process steps of the manufacturing process to produce result which are used to adjust the various process steps and component parts.

29 Claims, 19 Drawing Sheets

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

3,755,027 A 8/1973 Gilsing 156/67

3,848,248 A 11/1974 Maclntyre, Jr. 340/324 M

3,969,651 A 7/1976 Greeson, Jr.

3,990,068 A 11/1976 Mayer et al 340/324 M

3,998,618 A 12/1976 Kreick et al 65/105

4,027,246 A 5/1977 Caccoma et al 235/151.1

4,035,690 A 7/1977 Roeber 335/169 TV

4,303,433 A 12/1981 Torobin 65/21.4

4,393,326 A 7/1983 Kamegaya et al 313/582

4,429,303 A 1/1984 Aboelfotoh 340/701

4,534,743 A 8/1985 D'Onofrio et al 445/24

4,554,537 A 11/1985 Dick 340/775

4,563,617 A * 1/1986 Davidson 313/522

4,591,847 A 5/1986 Criscimagna et al 340/776

4,654,561 A 3/1987 Shelton 315/111.71

4,697,123 A 9/1987 Shinoda et al 315/169.4

4,728,864 A 3/1988 Dick

4,833,463 A 5/1989 Dick et al.

4,843,281 A 6/1989 Mendelsohn 313/587

4,887,003 A 12/1989 Parker 313/634

4,912,364 A 3/1990 Hollo et al 313/623

5,019,807 A 5/1991 Stapleton et al 340/718

5,030,888 A 7/1991 Salavin et al.

5,062,916 A 11/1991 Aufderheide et al 156/269

5,068,916 A 11/1991 Harrison et al 455/39

5,075,597 A 12/1991 Deschamps et al.

5,126,632 A 6/1992 Parker 313/634

5,150,007 A 9/1992 Andreadakis 313/586

5,315,129 A 5/1994 Forrest et al 257/21

5.396.149 A 3/1995 Kwon 313/486

5,500,287 A 3/1996 Henderson 428/403

5,501,871 A 3/1996 Henderson 427/160

5,510,678 A 4/1996 Sakai et al 315/58

5,514,934 A 5/1996 Matsumoto et al 313/607

5,674,351 A 10/1997 Lovoi 156/629.1

5,675,212 A 10/1997 Schmid et al 313/422

5,686,790 A 11/1997 Curtin et al 313/493

5,703,436 A 12/1997 Forrest et al 313/506

5,707,745 A 1/1998 Forrest et al 428/432

5,721,160 A 2/1998 Forrest et al 438/28

5,725,787 A 3/1998 Curtin et al 216/25

5,746,635 A 5/1998 Spindt et al 445/24

5,747,931 A 5/1998 Riddle et al 313/581

5,755,944 A 5/1998 Haven et al 204/486

5,757,026 A 5/1998 Forrest et al 257/40

5,757,131 A 5/1998 Tsuchiya 375/582

5,757,139 A 5/1998 Forrest et al 315/169.3

5,777,782 A 7/1998 Sneddon 359/296

5,788,814 A 8/1998 Sun et al 204/297 R

5,793,158 A 8/1998 Wedding, Sr 313/493

5,798,604 A 8/1998 Duboc, Jr. et al 313/495

5,808,403 A 9/1998 Clerc 313/336

5,811,833 A 9/1998 Thompson 257/40

5,815,306 A 9/1998 Sheridon et al 359/296

5,837,221 A 11/1998 Bernstein et al 424/9.52

5,844,363 A 12/1998 Gu et al 313/506

5,853,446 A 12/1998 Carre et al 65/17.3

5,862.054 A * 1/1999 Li 700/108

5,865,657 A 2/1999 Haven et al 445/24

5,897,414 A 4/1999 Bergeron et al 445/3

5,898,266 A 4/1999 Spindt et al 313/495

5,913,704 A 6/1999 Spindt et al 445/24

5.914.150 A 6/1999 Porter et al 427/77

5,917,646 A 6/1999 Sheridon 359/296

5,920,080 A 7/1999 Jones 257/40

5,945,174 A 8/1999 Shaw et al 427/509

5,953,587 A 9/1999 Forrest et al 438/99

5,964,630 A 10/1999 Slusarczuk et al 445/25

5,965,109 A 10/1999 Lohrmann 424/9.52

5,967,871 A 10/1999 Kaake et al 445/24

5,969,472 A 10/1999 Kisner 313/484

5,984,747 A 11/1999 Bhagavatula et al 445/24

5,985,460 A 11/1999 Wang et al 428/426

5,986,409 A 11/1999 Farnworth et al 315/169.4

5,990,614 A 11/1999 Spindt 313/495

5,990,620 A 11/1999 Lepselter 313/585

6,002,198 A 12/1999 Spindt et al 313/292

6.013.538 A 1/2000 Burrows et al 438/22

6,017,584 A 1/2000 Albert et al 427/213.3

6,019,657 A 2/2000 Chakvorty et al 445/24

6,022,652 A 2/2000 Haven et al 430/26

6,023,259 A 2/2000 Howard et al 345/76

6,025,097 A 2/2000 Drumm 430/7

6,030,269 A 2/2000 Drumm 445/52

6,030,715 A 2/2000 Thompson et al 428/690

6,033,547 A 3/2000 Trau et al 204/622

6,037,710 A 3/2000 Poole et al 313/422

6,037,918 A 3/2000 Hansen et al 345/74

6,038,002 A 3/2000 Song 349/43

6,039,619 A 3/2000 Kang et al 445/24

6,045,930 A 4/2000 Thompson et al 428/690

6,046,543 A 4/2000 Bulovic et al 313/504

6,048,630 A 4/2000 Burrows et al 428/690

6,049,366 A 4/2000 Hakemi et al 349/86

6,069,443 A 5/2000 Jones et al 313/504

6,072,276 A 6/2000 Okajima 313/581

6,080,606 A 6/2000 Gleskova et al 438/151

6,087,196 A 7/2000 Sturm et al 438/29

6,091,195 A 7/2000 Forrest et al 313/504

6,091,380 A 7/2000 Hashimoto et al 345/60

6,097,147 A 8/2000 Baldo et al 313/506

6,130,655 A 10/2000 Lammers 345/72

6,137,553 A 10/2000 Izumi et al 349/49

6,201,518 Bl 3/2001 Kane et al 345/60

6,255,777 Bl 7/2001 Kim et al 313/582

6,262,706 Bl 7/2001 Albert et al 345/107

6,265,826 Bl 7/2001 Miyazaki 313/586

6,281,863 Bl 8/2001 Sasaki et al 345/60

6,285,129 Bl 9/2001 Park et al 313/586

6,288,488 Bl 9/2001 Amemiya 313/582

6,288,693 Bl 9/2001 Song et al 345/68

6,291,925 Bl 9/2001 Jacobson 310/319

6.292.159 Bl 9/2001 Someya et al 345/60

6.292.160 Bl 9/2001 Mikoshiba et al 345/60

6,295,040 Bl 9/2001 Nhan et al 345/60

6.296.539 Bl 10/2001 Awaji et al 445/24

6,297,590 Bl 10/2001 Nanto et al 313/586

6,300,152 Bl 10/2001 Kim 438/30

6,300,932 Bl 10/2001 Albert 345/107

6.304.031 Bl 10/2001 Wani et al 313/582

6.304.032 Bl 10/2001 Asano 313/582

6,304,238 Bl 10/2001 Tsuchida 345/87

6,307,319 Bl 10/2001 Lee 313/590

6,312,304 Bl 11/2001 Duthaler et al 445/24

6,312,971 Bl 11/2001 Amundson et al 438/99

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

Shin, Y.K., Lee, J.K., Short, C.H., Two-Dimensional Breakdown Characteristics of PDP Cells for Varying Geometry, IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science, vol. 27, No 1, Feb. 1999, pp. 14-15.

Kurihara, M. Makabe, T, Two-Dimensional Modeling of a Micro-Cell Plasma in Xe Driven by High Frequency, IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science, vol. 27, No. 5, Oct. 1999, pp. 1372-1378.

Page 3

"Electronics & Telecommunications" [online], LG Electronics, Copyright 2001 [retrieved on Nov. 7, 2001], 1 p., Retrieved from the Internet: http://www.lg.co.kr/English/ company/electronic/index .j sp ?code=A3. "New Product" [online], LG Electronics, Copyright 2001 [retrieved on Nov. 7, 2001], 1 p., Retrieved from the Internet: http://www.lge.com.

"Monitor" [online], LG Electronics, Copyright 2001 [retrieved on Nov. 7, 2001], 2 pp., Retrieved from the Internet: http://www.lgeus.com/Product/Monitor/newmonitors.asp. "LG Electronics Introduces 42-Inch Digital PDP TV" [online], LG Electronics, Copyright 2001 [retrieved on Nov. 7, 2001], 2 pp., Retrieved from the Internet: http://www.pdp

display.com/eng/news/e read.as?nSeqno=22.

Internet: http://www.pdpdisplay.eom/eng/news/e read.asp

?nSeqno21.

http://www.pdpdisplay.eom/eng/news/e read.asp?nSe

qNo=19&type=&word=.

.com/eng/news/e read.asp?nSeqNo=16&type=&word=.

www.pdpdisplay.com/eng/news/e read.asp?nSeqNo=

14&type=&word=.

Internet: http://www.pdpdisplay.eom/eng/news/e read.asp

?nSeqNo=13&type=&word.

"Runco PlasmaWall Pl-50c" [online], Copyright 2001 [retrieved on Jan. 17, 2002], 2 pp., Retrieved from the Internet: http://www.runco.com/Products/Plasma/PL50c.htm. "Runco PlasmaWallTM PL-61cx" [online], Copyright 2002 [retrieved on Jan. 17, 2001], 2 pp., Retrieved from the Internet: http://www.runco.com/Products/Plasma/ PL61.htm.

International Search Report for Application No. PCT/US01/

42782, dated Apr. 11, 2002 (mailing date).

International Search Report for Application No. PCT/US01/

42807, dated May 20, 2002 (mailing date).

International Search Report dated Sep. 23, 2002.

Written Opinion for Application No. PCT/US01/42782,

dated Dec. 31, 2002 (mailing date).

Preliminary Examination Report for Application No. PCT/
US01/42807, dated Dec. 8, 2002 (mailing date).
Written Opinion for Application No. PCT/US01/42807,
dated Sep. 17, 2002 (mailing date).

Jacobson, et al., "The Last Book" [online], IBM Systems Journal, vol. 36, No. 3, 1997 [retrieved on Dec. 4, 2002], 6 pp., Retrieved from the Internet: http://www.research.ibm .com/journal/sj/363/Jacobson.html.

Peterson, "Rethinking Ink" [online], Science News, vol. 153, No. 25, Jun. 20, 1998 [retrieved on Dec. 4, 2002], 7 pp., Retrieved from the Internet: http://www.sciencenews.org/ sn_arc98/6_20_98/bob2.htm.

Franjione, et al., "The Art and Science of Microencapsulation" [online] Technology Today, Summer, 1995 [retrieved on Dec. 4, 2002], 10 pp., Retrieved from the Internet: http://www.swri.edu/3pubs/ttoday/summer95/microeng.htm.

"Rolltronics" [online], Feb. 20, 2000 [retrieved on Mar. 12, 2000], 13 pp., Retrieved from the Internet: http:www.rolltronics.com.

Preliminary Examination Report for Application No. PCT/ US01/42787, dated Jun. 4, 2003 (mailing date).

* cited by examiner

« FöregåendeFortsätt »