Fresh Patents Online showed that UDC has been granted a new patent (US2017/0062531) for a hybrid MEMS/OLED display that uses a blue LED backlight layer and ‘at least’ one shutter between the backlight and the backplane.
UDC’s Patent makes a complex device, but solves a problem.
Analyst Comment
Of course, having a patent doesn’t mean a device would get made, but this is an interesting idea. Blue brightness and lifetime remain the key weaknesses of OLED. Replacing the blue with an LED backlight in a three or four sub-pixel concept would solve both problems. However, using an LED for the blue would solve both the efficiency and brightness issues. On the other hand, having to develop a MEMs architecture as well as making an OLED would not be simple and would find it hard to hit the kind of costs needed in the market. (BR)
