US Patent 8174772 Display device with integrated photovoltaic layer

A display device with a plurality of electrofluidic display cells may be used to display images to a viewer. The electrofluidic display cell could include a transparent electrowetting electrode and a fluid pathway that includes a viewable fluid channel and a fluid reservoir. The viewable fluid channel in each electrofluidic display cell can be controllably filled with a first or second fluid so as to modulate the viewable contrast, reflectance, and/or color of the cell. A photovoltaic device can be integrated within each electrofluidic display cell directly under the viewable fluid channel. Thus, when ambient light is transmitted through the viewable fluid channel, the photovoltaic device could convert at least some of the ambient light into electrical energy. This electrical energy could be used to power the display device or other devices.