Patent ID: 7116467

Claim:
An electronically addressable display, comprising: (a) a transparent upper front sheet; (b) a lower sheet that is essentially parallel to and spaced from the upper front sheet; (c) a structured electrophoretic suspension substantially filling the space between the sheets which structure is controlled by the composition of the suspension, wherein the composition comprises a low refractive index liquid; a light absorbing particles; particles which are not light absorbing; and at least one additive selected from the group consisting of a dispersant, a charging agent, a surfactant, a flocculating agent, a polymer, and combination thereof; and (d) a means for applying a voltage across the suspension for controllably compressing the suspension away from the inward surface of the front sheet to either form a thin particle free liquid layer to allow total internal reflection or a layer with a higher concentration of particles to frustrate total internal reflection at the inward surface of light rays passing through the front sheet.