US Patent 7532386 - MEMS offset voltage modification

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7532386.html

This patent from Iridigm Display Corp. (acquired by Qualcomm) includes some very basic claims to a manufacturing process of MEMS devices including an offset voltage correction step. Claim 1 reads:

1. A process development method, comprising:

identifying at least one processing parameter for manufacturing a MEMS device that results in a non-zero offset voltage for the MEMS device; and

modifying the processing parameter to shift the non-zero offset voltage closer to zero.

US Patent 7489428 - Variable threshold MEMS array actuator

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7489428.html

For multi-gradation effects it is difficult to implement MEMS-based micromirrors formed from interferometric ribbons in an analog mode. This patent from IDC (now being developed by Qualcomm) teaches an alternative solution based on a halftone method. Claim 1 reads:

1. A MEMS device, comprising:

a plurality of elements having differing values of at least one of a time-based activation threshold for a select voltage and a voltage-based activation threshold for a select time; and

addressing lines configured to provide signals of at least one of selectable voltage and selectable time to the elements such that different numbers of elements activate in a selectable manner, according to the voltage and time of the signals.

US Patent 7446926 - Regenerating protective coating for optical MEMS

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7446926.html

Iridigm Display Corporation is one of a few companies developing MEMS-based display devices. This patent teaches including a self-repairing monolayer protective layer for the micromechanical pixels in which the self-repair is induced by a heating element. Claim 1 reads:

1. An interferometric light modulating device, comprising:

a transparent substrate;

an interferometric modulator array disposed on said transparent substrate, wherein said array comprises a transmissive layer and a reflective layer;

a protective coating disposed between at least a portion of said transmissive layer and said reflective layer; and

a heater configured to increase the temperature of said protective coating.