Method and apparatus of controlling a liquid crystal display viewing area

• US 20060038742A1
• Filed: 07/23/2003
• Published: 02/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Robinson, James A., Lowles, Robert J., Young, Brian A.
• Application Number:
  US10/521,798
• Publication Number:
  US 20060038742A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/1.300
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0232 Special driving of display border areas
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/145 related to small screens
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/00 Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes
• 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 3/3611 Control of matrices with row and column drivers

Abstract

An LCD with a viewing area, which comprises a first area and a second area, whereby the first area can be set to indicate event changes. Event changes, such as message received, urgent message received, new application in use, backlight turned on, and backlight turned off, can be indicated with different colours or different patterns within the first area of the viewing area. The second area is used for displaying images. There is also provided for a method for indicating event changes in a first area of a viewing area, the viewing area being part of a liquid crystal display (LCD), comprising the steps of providing control information, determining a first drive signal for said event change based on said control information, and supplying a first group of pixels in said first area with said first drive signal, said first group of pixels comprising at least one pixel, thereby controlling a colour of said first group of pixels with said first drive signal

Claims

1. A method for indicating an event change in a first area of a viewing area of a liquid crystal display (LCD), the LCD viewing area having a second area, surrounded by said first area, for displaying images, the method comprising the steps of:

providing control information;

determining said event change from a list of event changes based on said control information;

determining a first drive signal for said event change; and

supplying a first group of pixels in said first area with said first drive signal, said first group of pixels comprising at least one pixel, thereby controlling a colour of said first group of pixels with said first drive signal.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of providing control information comprises the steps of:

inputting said control information to an electronic device; and

sending a signal with said control information to an LCD drive circuit from a controlling element of an electronic device housing said LCD.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of providing control information comprises the steps of:

using a software program with control information resident on an electronic device; and

sending a signal with said control information to an LCD drive circuit from a controlling element of an electronic device housing said LCD.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, which comprises the further steps of:

supplying a second drive signal to a second group of pixels in said first area, said second group of pixels comprising at least one pixel; and

controlling a colour of said second group of pixels with said second drive signal, thereby creating a pattern within said first area.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the colours of said first and second groups of pixels are dynamically controlled based on images displayed in said second area of said viewing area.

6. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein said control information is provided at the time of manufacturing an electronic device housing the LCD, or selected by a user during operation of the electronic device.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first drive signal is set to a certain value if an event change has taken place.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein said event change is selected from group consisting of:

message received, urgent message received, new application in use, backlight turned on, and backlight turned off.

9. An apparatus for controlling a viewing area of a liquid crystal display (LCD) comprising:

a liquid crystal display (LCD) having a first area for indication of at least one event change and a second area, surrounded by said first area, for displaying images;

a controlling element for determining said at least one event change from a set of event changes and for creating control information corresponding to said at least one event change; and

an LCD driver circuit for transmitting signals to said first area based on said control information for indicating said at least one event change.