Patent ID: 7977130

Claim:
A method of forming a display, comprising: a) introducing a first set of display elements, each having a first shape, size or surface characteristic and including a light-modulating element of a first type, onto a substrate; b) inducing relative motion in said display elements in said first set and said substrate sufficient to cause at least a portion of said display elements in said first set to distribute into a first plurality of receptacles on said substrate, said first plurality of receptacles having a first complementary shape, size or surface characteristic that is complementary to said first shape, size or surface characteristic; c) removing display elements in said first set that have not distributed into receptacles in said first plurality of receptacles; d) introducing a second set of display elements having a second shape, size or surface characteristic and including a light-modulating element of a second type onto said substrate, wherein said second type of light-modulating element is configured to emit light that differs from light emitted by said first type of light-modulating element by one or more parameters including wavelength band envelope, spectral width, power, emission pattern, polarization, pulse format, response speed, or linearity; e) inducing relative motion in said display elements in said second set and said substrate sufficient to cause at least a portion of said display elements in said second set to distribute into a second plurality of receptacles on said substrate, said second plurality of receptacles having a second complementary shape, size or surface characteristic that is complementary to said second shape, size or surface characteristic; f) removing display elements in said second set that have not distributed into receptacles in said second plurality of receptacles; and g) connecting display elements distributed into receptacles on said substrate to said substrate, wherein each said display element includes a unique identifier, and wherein each said display element includes a radio signal receiver and logic circuitry configured to activate said light-emitting element in response to a control signal containing said unique identifier.