Methods for driving electro-optic displays, and apparatus for use therein

• US 10,319,314 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2015
• Issued: 06/11/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: E Ink Corporation (E Ink Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: E Ink Corporation (E Ink Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Danner, Guy M., Amundson, Karl R., Arango, Alexandros Cosmos, Ewing, Jay Britton, Zehner, Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harris, Dorothy
• Application Number:
  US14/816,226
• Publication Number:
  US 20150339983A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,408 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/167 by electrophoresis
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/08 Active matrix structure, i.e. with use of active elements, inclusive of non-linear two terminal elements, in the pixels together with light emitting or modulating elements
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/02 Addressing, scanning or driving the display screen or processing steps related thereto
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0254 Control of polarity reversal in general, other than for liquid crystal displays
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/027 Details of drivers for data electrodes, the drivers handling digital grey scale data, e.g. use of D/A converters
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/04 Partial updating of the display screen
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/06 Details of flat display driving waveforms
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/061 for resetting or blanking
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/063 Waveforms for resetting the whole screen at once
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/068 Application of pulses of alternating polarity prior to the drive pulse in electrophoretic displays
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0204 Compensation of DC component across the pixels in flat panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0214 with crosstalk due to leakage current of pixel switch in active matrix panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0247 Flicker reduction other than flicker reduction circuits used for single beam cathode-ray tubes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0252 Improving the response speed
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0285 using tables for spatial correction of display data
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/041 Temperature compensation
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/043 Preventing or counteracting the effects of ageing
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/021 Power management, e.g. power saving
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/16 Determination of a pixel data signal depending on the signal applied in the previous frame
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2007 Display of intermediate tones
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2011 : by amplitude modulation
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2014 : by modulation of the duration of a single pulse during which the logic level remains constant
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2018 : by time modulation using two or more time intervals
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2074 : using sub-pixels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2077 : by a combination of two or more gradation control methods
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/344 : based on particles moving in a fluid or in a gas, e.g. electrophoretic devices electrophoretic devices per se G02F1/167
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3453 : based on rotating particles or microelements

Abstract

A method for addressing a bistable electro-optic display having at least one pixel comprises applying an addressing pulse to drive the pixel to a first optical state; leaving the pixel undriven for a period of time, thereby permitting the pixel to assume a second optical state different from the first optical state; and applying to the pixel a refresh pulse which substantially restores the pixel to the first optical state, the refresh pulse being short relative to the addressing pulse.

Claims

1. A method for addressing a bistable electro-optic medium, the electro-optic medium being an encapsulated dual particle opposite charge type medium comprising two different types of particles bearing opposite charges, the method comprising:

(a) applying to the medium a first alternating current pulse having a first voltage, a first frequency and a first duty cycle, for a period sufficient to cause the medium to display a substantially constant first gray level; and

(b) applying to the medium a second alternating current pulse having the first voltage and the first frequency but a second duty cycle different from the first duty cycle, for a period sufficient to cause the medium to display a substantially constant second gray level different from the first gray level.