Device, system and method for color display

• US 20040174389A1
• Filed: 12/11/2003
• Published: 09/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Genoa Color Technologies Limited
• Inventors: Roth, Shmuel, Ben-Chorin, Moshe, Ben-David, Ilan
• Granted Patent: US 7,268,757 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/694
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/201 in the form of arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133514 Colour filters
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134309 characterised by their geometrical arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134345 Subdivided pixels, e.g. for grey scale or redundancy
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/52 RGB geometrical arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0452 Details of colour pixel setup, e.g. pixel composed of a red, a blue and two green components
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0235 Field-sequential colour display
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0407 Resolution change, inclusive of the use of different resolutions for different screen areas
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0457 Improvement of perceived resolution by subpixel rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/06 Colour space transformation
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/20 for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2003 Display of colours specific for liquid crystal displays G09G3/3607
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3406 Control of illumination source illumination devices structurally associated with liquid crystal cells G02F1/1336
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3413 Details of control of colour illumination sources
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3607 for displaying colours or for displaying grey scales with a specific pixel layout, e.g. using sub-pixels display of colours in flat matrix panels other than liquid crystal displays G09G3/2003; grey scales specific for television H04N3/127
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/02 characterised by the way in which colour is displayed details of colour display specific for CRTs G09G1/28; specific for flat matrix panels other than liquid crystal displays G09G3/2003; specific for liquid crystal displays G09G3/3607
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/67 for matrixing camera processing pipelines for matrixing of colour signals H04N23/85

Abstract

A color Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) device for displaying a color image using at least four different primary colors, the device including an array of Liquid Crystal (LC) elements (214), driving circuitry (218) adapted to receive an input corresponding to the color image and to selectively activate the LC elements (214) of the LC array to produce an attenuation pattern corresponding to a gray-level representation of the color image, and an array of color sub-pixel filter elements (216) juxtaposed and in registry with the array of LC elements (214) such that each color sub-pixel filter element is in registry with one of the LC elements, wherein the array of color sub-pixel filter elements comprises at least four types of color sub-pixel filter elements, which transmit light of the at least four primary colors, respectively.

Claims

1. A color Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) device for displaying a color image using at least four different primary colors, the device comprising:

an array of Liquid Crystal LC) elements;

driving circuitry adapted to receive an input corresponding to said color image and to selectively activate the LC elements of said LC array to produce an attenuation pattern corresponding to a gray-level representation of said color image; and

an array of color sub-pixel filter elements juxtaposed and in registry with said array of LC elements such that each color sub-pixel filter element is in registry with one of said LC elements,

wherein said array of color sub-pixel filter elements comprises at least four types of color sub-pixel filter elements, which transmit light of said at least four primary colors, respectively.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein said at least four primary colors comprise red, green, blue, and yellow.

3. A device according to claim 1 wherein said at least four primary colors comprise at least five primary colors and wherein said at least four types of color sub-pixel filter elements comprise at least five types of color sub-pixel filter elements, which transmit light of said at least five primary colors, respectively.

4. A device according to claim 3 wherein said at least five primary colors comprise red, green, blue, yellow, and cyan.

5. A device according to claim 3 wherein said at least five primary colors comprise at least six primary colors and wherein said at least five types of color sub-pixel filter elements comprise at least six types of color sub-pixel filter elements, which transmit light of said at least six primary colors, respectively.

6. A device according to claim 5 wherein said at least six primary colors comprise red, green, blue, yellow, cyan, and magenta.

70. A device according to any of claims 1-26 wherein the wavelength ranges of said at least four primary colors are selected to provide an optimal over-all brightness of the displayed images.

71. A device according to any of claims 1-26 wherein the wavelength ranges of said at least four primary colors are selected to provide an optimal color gamut width of the displayed images.

7. A color Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) device for displaying a temporally-integrated color image comprising a sequence of at least four primary color images, the device comprising:

an array of Liquid Crystal (LC) elements;

driving circuitry adapted to receive an input corresponding to each of said at least four primary color images and to selectively activate the LC elements of said LC array to produce an attenuation pattern corresponding to a gray-level representation of each of said at least four primary color images, respectively, and

an illumination system adapted to sequentially back-illuminate said LC array with light of at least four different primary colors to sequentially produce said at least four, respective, primary color images,

wherein said driving circuitry and said illumination system are synchronized such that each said attenuation pattern is illuminated with light of the primary color corresponding to the respective primary color image.

8. A device according to claim 7 wherein said at least four primary color images comprise red, green, blue, and yellow images.

9. A device according to claim 7 wherein said at least four primary-color images comprise red, green, blue, yellow, and cyan images.

10. A device according to claim 7 wherein said at least four primary color images comprise red, green, blue, yellow, cyan, and magenta images.

11. A device according to any of claims 7-10 wherein said illumination system comprises:

a light source having an output path;

a filter switching mechanism which sequentially interposes at least four different primary color filters in the output path of said light source to produce said light of at least four different primary colors, respectively; and

an optical arrangement which guides said light of at least four different primary colors from said filter switching mechanism to said LC array thereby to back-illuminate said LC array.

12. A device according to claim 11 wherein said light source comprises a substantially white light source.

13. A device according to any of claims 7-10 wherein said illumination system comprises:

an array of Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs);

illumination control circuitry adapted to selectively activate said plurality of LEDs to produce a sequence of at least four illumination patterns corresponding to said light of at least four different primary colors, respectively; and

an optical arrangement which causes the at least four illumination patterns produced by said array of LEDs to back-illuminate said LC array with a generally spatially homogeneous light of said at least four, respective, primary colors.

14. A device according to claim 13 wherein said array of LEDs comprises at least three different color LEDs.

15. A device according to claim 14 wherein said at least three different color LEDs comprise red, green, and blue LEDs.

16. A device according to claim 14 or claim 15 wherein at least one of said at least four different illumination patterns corresponds to a primary color other than the colors of said at least three different color LEDs.

17. A device according to claim 15 or 16 wherein at least one of said at least four illumination patterns is produced by simultaneously activating at least two of said at least three different color LEDs.

18. A color display device for displaying an n-primary image, wherein n is greater than three, comprising an array of color sub-pixel elements including sub-pixel elements of each of at least four different primary colors arranged in an array of periodically repetitive super-pixel structures covering substantially the entire n-primary image, each super-pixel structure comprising a predetermined, fixed, number of n-primary pixels, each n-primary pixel comprising one color sub-pixel element of each of said at least four different primary colors, wherein no fixed combination of n-primary pixels covering only part of said super-pixel structure can be periodically repeated to cover substantially the entire n-primary image.

19. A color display device according to claim 18 comprising an n-primary color Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) device, wherein said array of color sub-pixel elements comprises an array of color sub-pixel filter elements, ad wherein each n-primary pixel of each super-pixel comprises one color sub-pixel filter element transmitting light of each of said at least four different primary colors.

20. A device according to claim 18 or claim 19 wherein said at least four different primary colors comprise red, green, blue and yellow.

21. A device according to any of claims 18-20 wherein said at least four different primary colors comprise at least five different primary colors.

22. A device according to claim 21 wherein said at least five different primary colors comprise red, green, blue, yellow and cyan.

23. A device according to claim 21 or claim 22 wherein said super pixel structure comprises a substantially rectangular arrangement including five sequences of four sub-pixel elements, each sequence including a different combination of sub-pixel elements of four of said five primary colors.

24. A device according to claim 21 or claim 22 wherein said at least five different primary colors comprise at least six different primary colors.

25. A device according to claim 24 wherein said at least six different primary colors comprise red, green, blue, yellow, cyan and magenta.

26. A device according to claim 24 or claim 25 wherein said super pixel structure comprises a substantially rectangular arrangement including three sequences of four sub-pixel elements, each sequence including a different combination of sub-pixel elements of four of said six primary colors.

27. A method of displaying an n-primary color image, wherein n is greater than three, on an n-primary color display comprising an array of color sub-pixel elements including sub-pixel elements of each of at least four different primary colors arranged in an array of periodically repetitive super-pixel structures covering substantially the entire n-primary image, each super-pixel structure comprising a predetermined, fixed, number of n-p pixels, each n-primary pixel comprising one color sub-pixel element of each of said at least four different primary colors, wherein no fixed combination of n-primary pixels covering only part of said super-pixel structure can be periodically repeated to cover substantially the entire n-primary image, the method comprising:

receiving an input representing three-component color image data including a plurality of three-component pixels and having a first resolution;

scaling said three-component color image data to produce scaled three-component color image data having a second resolution different from said first resolution;

converting said scaled three-component color image data into corresponding n-primary color pixel data representing said n-primary color image; and

generating an n-primary input signal corresponding to said n-primary color pixel data.

28. A method according to claim 27 further comprising, before generating said n-primary input signal:

collecting the n-primary color pixel data of all n-primary pixels of each super-pixel; and

distributing the collected data representing each super-pixel structure into a plurality of sub-pixel data segments, each data segment representing one sub-pixel of each said super-pixel,

wherein generating said n-primary input signal comprises generating a gray-level value for each of said sub-pixels.

29. A method according to claim 27 or claim 28 wherein said n-primary color display comprises an n-primary color Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) device, wherein said array of color sub-pixel elements comprises an array of color sub-pixel filter elements, and wherein each n-primary pixel of each super-pixel comprises one color sub-pixel filter element transmitting light of each of said at least four different primary colors.

30. A method according to any of claims 27-29 wherein said at least four different primary colors comprise red, green, blue and yellow.

31. A method according to any of claims 27-30 wherein said at least four different primary colors comprise at least five different primary colors.

32. A method according to claim 31 wherein said at least five different primary colors comprise red, green, blue, yellow and cyan.

33. A method according to claim 31 or claim 32 wherein said super-pixel structure comprises a substantially rectangular arrangement including five sequences of four sub-pixel elements, each sequence including a different combination of sub-pixel elements of for of said five primary colors.

34. A method according to claim 31 wherein said at least five different primary colors comprise at least six different primary colors.

35. A method according to claim 34 wherein said at least six different primary colors comprise red, green, blue, yellow, cyan and magenta.

36. A method according to claim 34 or claim 35 wherein said super-pixel structure comprises a substantially rectangular arrangement including three sequences of four sub-pixel elements, each sequence including a different combination of sub-pixel elements of four of said six primary colors.

72. A method according to any of claims 27-36 wherein the wavelength ranges of said at least four primary colors are selected to provide an optimal over-all brightness of the displayed images.

73. A method according to any of claims 27-36 wherein the wavelength images of said at least four primary colors are selected to provide an optimal color gamut width of the displayed images.

37. A method of displaying an n-primary image, wherein n is greater than or equal to six, on an n-primary display comprising an array of color sub-pixel elements including color sub-pixel elements of each of at least six different primary colors, including at least a first set of primary colors and a second set of primary colors, arranged in a periodically repeating arrangement comprising at least one color sub-pixel element of each of said at least six different primary colors, the method comprising:

receiving an image input representing image data including a plurality of pixels, each pixel including one sub-pixel of each of said first set of primary colors;

separating said image data into a first image component, including a first group of said pixels, and a second image component, including a second group of said pixels, wherein each pixel in said first group is substantially adjacent to a respective pixel in said second group;

converting the pixels in said second group into corresponding, converted pixels, each pixel including one sub-pixel of each of said second set of primary colors; and

generating an n-primary input signal representing data corresponding to each of said converted color pixels in said second group and the respective, substantially adjacent, pixel in said first group.

38. A method according to claim 37 wherein said at least six different primary colors comprise red, green, blue, yellow, cyan and magenta, wherein said first set of primary colors comprises red, green and blue, and wherein said second set of primary colors comprises yellow, cyan and magenta.

39. A method according to claim 37 or claim 38 comprising, before generating said n-primary input signal, combining each of said converted pixels in said second group with the respective, substantially adjacent, pixel of said first group, to produce a corresponding n-primary pixel including one sub-pixel of each of said at least six primary colors, wherein generating said n-primary input signal comprises generating a signal representing data corresponding to each said n-primary pixel.

40. A method according to claim 37 or claim 38 wherein said image input comprises a color image input representing three-component color image data, wherein said at least first and second sets of primary colors comprise first and second sets of three primary colors, and wherein each color pixel of said n-primary image is reproduced by either the first or second set of three primary colors.

41. A method according to claim 37 or claim 38 wherein said image input comprises a black-and-white image input representing black-and-white image data including a plurality of black-and-white pixels.

42. A method according to claim 41 wherein said at least first and second sets of primary colors include first and second sets of three, complementary, primary colors, and wherein each black-and-white pixel of said n-primary image is produced bit either the first or second set of primary colors.

43. A method according to claim 41 wherein said at least first and second sets of primary colors include first, second and third pairs of complementary primary colors, and wherein each black-and-white pixel of said n-primary image is produced by one of the first, second and third pairs of primary colors.

68. A method according to any of claims 37-43 wherein said n-primary display device comprises an n-primary Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) device, and wherein said array of color sub-pixel elements comprises an array of color sub-pixel filter elements including filter elements transmitting light of each of said at least six different primary colors.

74. A method according to any of claims 37-43 wherein the wavelength ranges of said at least six primary colors are selected to provide an optimal over-all brightness of the displayed images.

75. A method according to any of claims 37-43 wherein the wavelength ranges of said at least six primary colors are selected to provide an optimal color gamut width of the displayed images.

44. A color display device for displaying an n-primary image, wherein n is greater than or equal to six, comprising an array of color sub-pixel elements including color sub-pixel elements of each of at least six different primary colors, including at least a first set of primary colors and a second set of primary colors, arranged in a periodically repeating arrangement comprising at least one color sub-pixel element of each of said at least six different primary colors, wherein each sub-pixel in the periodically repeating arrangement is adjacent at least one sub-pixel of a complementary primary color.

45. A device according to claim 44 wherein said at least six different primary colors comprise red, green, blue, yellow, cyan and magenta, wherein said first set of primary colors comprises red, green and blue, wherein said second set of primary colors comprises yellow, cyan and magenta, wherein each red sub-pixel element is adjacent at least one cyan sub-pixel element, wherein each green sub-pixel element is adjacent at least one magenta sub-pixel element, and wherein each blue sub-pixel element is adjacent at least one yellow sub-pixel element.

46. A device according to claim 44 or claim 45 wherein said periodically repeating arrangement comprises a first sequence of sub-pixel elements of each of said first set of primary colors and a second sequence of sub-pixel elements of each of said second set of primary colors, wherein each sub-pixel element in the first sequence is adjacent a sub-pixel element of a complementary primary color in the second sequence.

47. A device according to claim 46 wherein said periodically repeating arrangement comprises first and second, adjacent, rows of sub-pixel elements, the first row including one sub-pixel element of each of said first set of primary colors and the second row including one sub-pixel element of each of said second set of primary colors, and wherein each sub-pixel element in the first row is adjacent a sub-pixel element of a complementary primary color in the second row.

48. A device according to any of claims 44-47 wherein each row of said array of sub-pixel elements includes only sub-pixels of said first set of primary colors.

49. A device according to any of claims 44-47 wherein each row of said array of sub-pixel elements includes sub-pixels of both said first and second sets of primary colors.

69. A device according to any of claims 44-49 wherein said n-primary display device comprises an n-primary Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) device, and wherein said array of color sub-pixel elements comprises an array of color sub-pixel filter elements including filter elements transmitting light of each of said at least six different primary colors.

76. A device according to any of claims 44-49 wherein the wavelength ranges of said at least six primary colors are selected to provide an optimal over-all brightness of the displayed images.

77. A device according to any of claims 44-49 wherein the wavelength ranges of said at least six primary colors are selected to provide an optimal color gamut width of the displayed images.

50. A system for displaying an n-primary color image, where in n is greater tan three, comprising:

an n-primary color display device comprising an array of color sub-pixel elements including sub-pixel elements of each of at least four different primary colors arranged in an array of periodically repetitive super-pixel structures covering substantially the entire n-primary image, each super-pixel structure comprising a predetermined, fixed, number of n-primary pixels, each n-primary pixel comprising one color sub-pixel element of each of said at least four different primary colors, wherein no fixed combination of n-primary pixels covering only part of said super-pixel structure can be periodically repeated to cover substantially the entire n-primary image;

means for receiving an input representing three-component color image data including a plurality of thee-component pixels and having a first resolution;

a scaling unit which scales said three-component color image data to produce scaled three-component color image data having a second resolution different from said first resolution;

a converter which converts said scaled three-component color image data into corresponding n-primary color pixel data representing said n-primary color image; and

means for generating an n-primary input signal corresponding to said n-primary color pixel data.

51. A system according to claim 50 further comprising:

a collection unit which collects the n-primary color pixel data of all n-primary pixels of each super-pixel; and

a distribution unit, which distributes the collected data representing each super-pixel structure into a plurality of sub-pixel data segments, each segment representing one sub-pixel of each said super-pixel,

wherein said means for generating said n-primary input signal generates a gray-level value for each of said sub-pixels.

52. A system according to claim 50 or claim 51 wherein said n-primary display device comprises an n-primary Liquid Crystal Display (CD) dice, wherein said array of color sub-pixel elements comprises an array of color sub-pixel filter elements, and wherein each n-primary pixel of each super-pixel comprises one color sub-pixel filter element transmitting light of each of said at least four different primary colors.

53. A system according to any of claims 50-52 wherein said at least four different primary colors comprise red, green, blue and yellow.

54. A system according to any of claims 50-53 wherein said at least four different print colors comprise at least five different primary colors.

55. A system according to claim 54 wherein said at least five different primary colors comprise red green, blue, yellow and cyan.

56. A system according to claim 54 or claim 55 wherein said super-pixel structure comprises a substantially rectangular arrangement including five sequences of foul sub-pixel elements, each sequence including a different combination of sub-pixel elements of four of said five primary colors.

57. A system according to claim 54 wherein said at least five different primary colors comprise at least six different primary colors.

58. A system according to claim 57 wherein said at least six different primary colors comprise red, green, blue, yellow, cyan and magenta.

59. A system according to claim 57 or claim 58 wherein said super-pixel structure comprises a substantially rectangular arrangement including three sequences of four sub-pixel elements, each sequence including a different combination of sub-pixel elements of four of said six primary colors.

78. A system according to any of claims 50-59 wherein the wavelength ranges of said at least four primary colors are selected to provide an optimal over-all brightness of the displayed images.

79. A system according to any of claims 50-59 wherein the wavelength ranges of said at least four primary colors are selected to provide an optima color gamut width of the displayed images.

60. A system for displaying an n-primary image, wherein n is greater than or equal to six, comprising:

an n-primary display device comprising an array of color sub-pixel elements including color sub-pixel elements of each of at least six different primary colors, including at least a first set of primary colors and a second set of primary colors, arranged in a periodically repeating arrangement comprising at least one color sub-pixel element of each of said at least six different primary colors;

an image collector which receives an image input representing image data including a plurality of pixels, each pixel including one sub-pixel of each of said first set of primary colors;

means for separating said color image data into a first image component, including a first group of said pixels, and a second image component, including a second group of said pixels, wherein each pixel in said first group is substantially adjacent to a respective pixel in said second group;

means for converting the pixels in said second group into corresponding, converted pixels, each pixel including one sub-pixel of each of said second set of primary colors; and

means for generating an n-primary input signal representing data corresponding to each of said converted color pixels in said second group and the respective, substantially adjacent, pixel in said first group.

61. A system according to claim 60 wherein said at least six different primary colors comprise red, green, blue, yellow, cyan and magenta, wherein said first set of primary colors comprises red, green and blue, and wherein said second set of primary colors comprises yellow, cyan and magenta.

62. A system according to claim 60 or claim 61 further comprising a pixel combiner which combines each of said converted color pixels in said second group with the respective, substantially adjacent, pixel of said first group, to produce a corresponding n-primary pixel including one sub-pixel of each of said at least six primary colors, wherein said means for generating said n-primary input signal generates a signal representing data corresponding to each said n-primary pixel.

63. A system according to claim 60 or claim 61 wherein said image input comprises a color image input representing three-component primary color image data, wherein said at least first and second sets of primary colors comprise first and second sets of three primary colors, and wherein each color pixel of said n-primary image is reproduced by either the first or second set of three primary colors.

64. A system according to claim 60 or claim 61 wherein said image input comprises a black-and-white image input representing black-and-white image data including a plurality of black-and-white pixels.

65. A system according to claim 64 wherein said at least first and second sets of primary colors include first and second sets of three, complementary, primary colors, and wherein each black-and-white pixel of said n-primary image is produced by either the first or second set of primary colors.

66. A system according to claim 64 wherein said at least first and second sets of primary colors include first, second and third pairs of complementary primary colors, and wherein each black-and-white pixel of said n-primary image is produced by one of the first, second and third pairs of primary colors.

67. A system according to any of claims 60-66 wherein said n-primary display device comprises an n-primary Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) device, and wherein said array of color sub-pixel elements comprises an array of color sub-pixel filter elements including filter elements transmitting light of each of said at least six different primary colors.

80. A system according to any of claims 60-66 wherein the wavelength ranges of said at least six primary colors are selected to provide an optimal over-all brightness of the displayed images.

81. A system according to any of claims 60-66 wherein the wavelength ranges of said at least six primary colors are selected to provide an optimal color gamut width of the displayed images.

82. A color display device for displaying an n-primary image, wherein n is greater than three, comprising an array of color sub-pixel elements including sub-pixel elements of each of at least four different primary colors arranged in an array of periodically repetitive super-pixel structures covering substantially the entire, n-primary image, each super-pixel structure comprising a predetermined, fixed, number of n-primary pixels, each n-primary pixel comprising one color sub-pixel element of each of said at least four different primary colors, wherein the sub-pixel elements in each super-pixel structure are arranged in a rectangular sub-array having an average aspect ratio sufficiently close to one.