Patent ID: 8194056

Claim:
A method of writing data to a display device comprising a set of MEMS display elements configured as an array of rows and columns of MEMS elements, said method comprising: generating a first voltage level, a second voltage level, a third voltage level, and a fourth voltage level to be applied to the rows and columns; and writing display data to the array by applying no more than the first, second, third, and fourth voltage levels to the columns and rows of the array so as to apply first and second actuation potential differences, first and second hold potential differences, and first and second release potential differences, and wherein the first and second hold potential differences are of opposite polarity and are symmetric about a non-zero offset δV, wherein the MEMS elements are characterized by a preferred set of drive potential differences comprising preferred positive and preferred negative actuation potential differences, preferred positive and preferred negative hold potential differences, and a preferred release potential difference, wherein the preferred set of drive potential differences is symmetric about the non-zero offset δV and wherein drive potential differences are applied to each MEMS element as a difference between a column voltage and a row voltage, and wherein no more than two of the first, second, third, and fourth voltage levels are applied to the columns and no more than three of the first, second, third, and fourth voltage levels are applied to the rows, and wherein the no more than three voltage levels voltages and the no more than two voltage levels share one common voltage level.