Method and system for controlling the output of a diffractive light device

• US 20060022966A1
• Filed: 07/29/2004
• Published: 02/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Mar, Eugene J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,436,389 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/204
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/023 Display panel composed of stacked panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0251 Precharge or discharge of pixel before applying new pixel voltage
• 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 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 3/3466 based on interferometric effect
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/312 Driving therefor driving of electronic spatial light modulators in displays other than projection devices G09G3/34, G09G3/36; control of liquid crystal elements G02F1/133; control of micromechanical modulators G02B26/08

Abstract

A method and system for controlling a color of light output by a diffractive light device (DLD device). The color is determined by a gap voltage applied to the DLD device. During each of a number of time frames, one of a number of control bits in a control word is sent to bit line logic corresponding to the DLD device. Each of the control bits represents a gap voltage level. The applied gap voltage is then adjusted to the gap voltage level represented by the one of the number of the control bits.

Claims

1. A method for use within an electromechanical system having at least one controllable light diffracting mechanism, said method comprising:

receiving an initial portion of a multi-bit control signal, said multi-bit control signal corresponding to a gap voltage level, said gap voltage level configured to cause a desired wavelength of light to be output by said controllable light diffracting mechanism when illuminated by a light source; and

prior to receiving a remaining portion of said multi-bit control signal, adjusting a gap voltage applied to said light diffracting mechanism based on said received initial portion of said multi-bit control signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said electromechanical system includes a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said controllable light diffracting mechanism includes a diffractive light device (DLD).

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said initial portion of said multi-bit control signal includes at least a most significant bit (MSB).

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said remaining portion of said multi-bit control signal includes at least a least significant bit (LSB).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said initial portion of said multi-bit control signal is received during a first time frame and said remaining portion of said multi-bit control signal is received during a second time frame that is subsequent to said first time frame.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after receiving said all of said multi-bit control signal, completing adjustment of said gap voltage applied to said light diffracting mechanism based on said received multi-bit control signal.

8. A method of controlling a color of light output by a diffractive light device (DLD device), said color determined by a gap voltage applied to said DLD device, wherein, during each of a number of time frames, said method comprises:

sending one of a number of control bits in a control word to bit line logic corresponding to said DLD device, each of said control bits representing a gap voltage level; and

adjusting said applied gap voltage to said gap voltage level represented by said one of said number of said control bits.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said number of control bits is two.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said color is black, red, green, or blue.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein said step of adjusting said applied gap voltage comprises charging a bit line corresponding to said DLD device to said gap voltage level represented by said one of said number of control bits.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein said step of adjusting said applied gap voltage comprises decreasing a charge on a bit line corresponding to said DLD device to said gap voltage level represented by said one of said number of control bits.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein said number of control bits includes a most significant bit (MSB), wherein said number of time frames includes a first time frame, and wherein said MSB is sent to said bit line logic during said first time frame.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said number of control bits further includes a least significant bit (LSB), wherein said number of time frame further includes a last time frame, said last time frame subsequent in time to said first time frame, and wherein said LSB is sent to said bit line logic during said last time frame.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said gap voltage level represented by said MSB is a most frequently used gap voltage level by said DLD device.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein said number of time frames is one.

17. A method of displaying a pixel having a final color, said method comprising:

outputting a first beam of light having a first color with a first DLD device and a second beam of light having a second color with a second DLD device;

applying a first gap voltage to said first DLD device, said first gap voltage determining said first color;

applying a second gap voltage to said second DLD device, said second gap voltage determining said second color;

generating a control word, said control word comprising a number of control bits each representing a gap voltage level; and

combining said first and second beams of light to produce said pixel having said final color;

wherein, during each of a number of time frames, a first bit of said number of control bits is sent to bit line logic controlling said first DLD device, a second bit of said number of control bits is sent to bit line logic controlling said second DLD, said first gap voltage is adjusted to said gap voltage level represented by said first bit, and said second gap voltage is adjusted to said gap voltage level represented by said second bit.

18. A system for controlling a light diffracting mechanism, said system comprising:

bit line logic configured to receive an initial portion of a multi-bit control signal, said multi-bit control signal corresponding to a gap voltage level, said gap voltage level configured to cause a desired wavelength of light to be output by said light diffracting mechanism when illuminated by a light source; and

wherein, prior to receiving a remaining portion of said multi-bit control signal, said bit line logic adjusts a gap voltage applied to said light diffracting mechanism based on said received initial portion of said multi-bit control signal.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said light diffracting mechanism includes a diffractive light device (DLD).

20. The system of claim 18, wherein said initial portion of said multi-bit control signal includes at least a most significant bit (MSB).

21. The system of claim 18, wherein said remaining portion of said multi-bit control signal includes at least a least significant bit (LSB).

22. The system of claim 18, wherein said initial portion of said multi-bit control signal is received during a first time frame and said remaining portion of said multi-bit control signal is received during a second time frame that is subsequent to said first time frame.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein, after receiving said all of said multi-bit control signal, said bit line logic is further configured to complete adjustment of said gap voltage applied to said light diffracting mechanism based on said received multi-bit control signal.

24. A system for controlling a color of light output by a diffractive light device (DLD device), said system comprising:

bit line logic configured to apply a gap voltage to said DLD device, said gap voltage determining said color of light output by said DLD device; and

an image processing unit configured to generate a control word to control said bit line logic, said control word comprising a number of control bits each representing a gap voltage level;

wherein, during each of a number of time frames, said image processing unit sends one of said number of control bits to said bit line logic and said bit line logic adjusts said applied gap voltage to said gap voltage level represented by said one of said number of said control bits.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein said number of control bits is two.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein said color is black, red, green, or blue.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein said bit line logic is further configured to charge a bit line corresponding to said DLD device to said gap voltage level represented by said one of said number of control bits.

28. The system of claim 24, wherein said bit line logic is further configured to decrease a charge on a bit line corresponding to said DLD device to said gap voltage level represented by said one of said number of control bits.

29. The system of claim 24, wherein said number of control bits includes a most significant bit (MSB), wherein said number of time frames includes a first time frame, and wherein said image processing unit is configured to send said MSB to said bit line logic during said first time frame.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein said number of control bits further includes a least significant bit (LSB), wherein said number of time frame further includes a last time frame, said last time frame subsequent in time to said first time frame, and wherein said image processing unit is further configured to send said LSB to said bit line logic during said last time frame.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein said gap voltage level represented by said MSB is a most frequently used gap voltage level by said DLD device.

32. The system of claim 24, wherein said number of time frames is one.

33. A system for displaying a pixel having a final color, said system comprising:

a first diffractive light device (DLD device) configured to output a first beam of light having a first color;

a second DLD device configured to output a second beam of light having a second color;

a first bit line logic configured to apply a first gap voltage to said first DLD device, said first gap voltage determining said first color;

a second bit line logic configured to apply a second gap voltage to said second DLD device, said second gap voltage determining said second color;

an image processing unit configured to generate a control word and to control said first and second bit line logic, said control word comprising a number of control bits each representing a gap voltage level;

wherein said first and second beams of light are combined to produce said pixel having said final color;

wherein, during each of a number of time frames, said image processing unit sends a first bit of said number of control bits to said first bit line logic and a second bit of said number of control bits to said second bit line logic, wherein said first bit line logic adjusts said first gap voltage to said gap voltage level represented by said first bit and said second bit line logic adjusts said second gap voltage to said gap voltage level represented by said second bit.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein said number of control bits is two.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein said color is black, red, green, or blue.

36. A system for controlling a color of light output by a diffractive light device (DLD device), said color determined by a gap voltage applied to said DLD device, wherein, during each of a number of time frames, said system comprises:

means for sending one of a number of control bits in a control word to bit line logic corresponding to said DLD device, each of said control bits representing a gap voltage level; and

means for adjusting said applied gap voltage to said gap voltage level represented by said one of said number of said control bits.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein said means for adjusting said applied gap voltage comprises means for charging a bit line corresponding to said DLD device to said gap voltage level represented by said one of said number of control bits.

38. A system for displaying a pixel having a final color, said system comprising:

means for outputting a first beam of light having a first color with a first DLD device and a second beam of light having a second color with a second DLD device;

means for applying a first gap voltage to said first DLD device, said first gap voltage determining said first color;

means for applying a second gap voltage to said second DLD device, said second gap voltage determining said second color;

means for generating a control word, said control word comprising a number of control bits each representing a gap voltage level; and

means for combining said first and second beams of light to produce said pixel having said final color;

wherein, during each of a number of time frames, a first bit of said number of control bits is sent to bit line logic controlling said first DLD device, a second bit of said number of control bits is sent to bit line logic controlling said second DLD, said first gap voltage is adjusted to said gap voltage level represented by said first bit, and said second gap voltage is adjusted to said gap voltage level represented by said second bit.

39. A system for use within an electromechanical system having at least one controllable light diffracting mechanism, said system comprising:

means for receiving an initial portion of a multi-bit control signal, said multi-bit control signal corresponding to a gap voltage level, said gap voltage level configured to cause a desired wavelength of light to be output by said controllable light diffracting mechanism when illuminated by a light source; and

prior to receiving a remaining portion of said multi-bit control signal, means for adjusting a gap voltage applied to said light diffracting mechanism based on said received initial portion of said multi-bit control signal.