A micromirror device with at least one intermediate state is disclosed in
this invention with the reflecting mirror placed at an angular position
between a fully on angle and fully off angle. The micromirror device
includes a reflecting element supported on a hinge for oscillating and
positioning at least three angular positions. The micromirror device
further has a control circuit for receiving a series of control words of
different number of bits as a time modulation signal to control the
reflecting element for controlling a gray scale of display wherein the
control circuit further receiving an oscillation signal for superimposing
on the time modulation signal for oscillating the reflecting element for
further controlling the gray scale of display. The series of control
words further includes a sequence of control words of a least number of
bits to a maximum number of bits of a least number of bits to a maximum
number of bits with a time gap between each of the control words. The
oscillating signal may be inserted optionally into a gap between the
control words, into every control word, into a control word of the MSB,
or into a control word of the LSB, In a preferred embodiment, the
oscillating signal is applied to dispose the reflecting element at an
intermediate state with a zero degree relative to an incident light.