Patent ID: 8049954

Claim:
A multi-color rotating element display comprising: (a) a back plane comprising a plurality of electrodes distributed in two dimensions on the backplane, wherein each electrode allows control of a discrete region of the display; and (b) a front plane comprising: a first side connected to or proximate said back plane; at least one electrode on a second side of the front plane opposite said back plane; a matrix comprising a plurality of cells in a tightly packed monolayer arrangement, wherein the matrix is not a plastisizable elastomer, and wherein the matrix is a container configured for hosting a plurality of rotable elements in a single layer in said monolayer of cells; the plurality of rotatable elements disposed in the matrix cells in a single layer, wherein the rotatable elements are of more than one type, and wherein rotatable elements of a first type have optical properties and electromagnetic response properties that are distinct from optical properties and electromagnetic response properties of rotatable elements of the second type wherein the distinct optical properties are selected from the group consisting of distinct colors, distinct diffuse reflection properties, distinct specular reflection properties, distinct retroreflection properties distinct light-emission properties and distinct luminescence properties, and wherein the distinct electromagnetic response properties are selected from the group consisting of distinct rotational responses of the elements to a specific voltage, distinct rotational responses of the elements to a specific frequency, and distinct rotational responses of the elements to a specific waveform; a fluid provided in said cells, such that said elements can rotate from a first orientation to a second orientation within their respective cells when an electromagnetic field is applied to the cells.