METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR UPDATING OF DISPLAYS SHOWING DETERMINISTIC CONTENT

• US 20070200839A1
• Filed: 02/09/2007
• Published: 08/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm MEMS Technologies Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sampsell, Jeffrey
• Granted Patent: US 8,004,514 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/204
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0473 Use of light emitting or modulating elements having two or more stable states when no power is applied
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/04 Partial updating of the display screen
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/021 Power management, e.g. power saving
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/02 Handling of images in compressed format, e.g. JPEG, MPEG
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/16 by control of light from an independent source
• 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 3/3466 based on interferometric effect
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/18 Timing circuits for raster scan displays specially adapted for television H04N ; synchronisation between the display unit and other display units, videodisc player G09G5/12

Abstract

A method and apparatus for displaying image data is disclosed. The method includes receiving one of a plurality of sets of stored image update data to be displayed on a display device, wherein each set corresponds to one image in a sequence of images and wherein the plurality of sets of image update data comprise information identifying pixels that change from a previous image in the sequence of images, wherein the display device comprises an array of bi-stable display elements. The method further includes updating a portion of the display device, the portion containing the pixels identified in the received set of stored image update data.

Claims

1. A method of displaying image data, comprising:

receiving image update data to be displayed on a display device comprising an array of bi-stable display elements, the image update data corresponding to a following image in a sequence of images and identifying pixels in the following image that differ from a preceding image in the sequence of images; and

displaying the following image by changing a portion of the preceding image, wherein the portion includes the pixels identified in the image update data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving image data corresponding to the preceding image, the image data corresponding to the preceding image identifying all of the pixels in the preceding image.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

displaying the preceding image prior to displaying the following image.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving image data corresponding to the preceding image, the image data corresponding to the preceding image identifying fewer than all of the pixels in the preceding image.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an interrupt command; and

displaying the following image in response to receiving the interrupt command.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an interrupt command; and

receiving the image data in response to receiving the interrupt command.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an interrupt command;

receiving the image update data in response to the interrupt command; and

displaying the following image in response to the interrupt command.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an interrupt command; and

receiving image data corresponding to a refresh image, the image data corresponding to the refresh image identifying all of the pixels in the refresh image.

9. The method of claim 8, receiving the interrupt command after displaying the following image, further comprising:

displaying the refresh image in accordance with the image data corresponding to the refresh image.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining the state of at least one element in the array during the change from the preceding image to the following image.

11. The method of claim 1, the image update data excluding identification of pixels in the following image that do not change from the preceding image.

12. The method of claim 1, the preceding image immediately preceding the following image.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying an intermediate image after the preceding image and prior to displaying the following image.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an interrupt command; and

identifying a set of image update data to be received from a memory in response to the received interrupt command.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising receiving a memory address identifying a memory space containing the identified set of image update data to be received from memory in response to the received interrupt command.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the memory address is contained in a memory map, the memory map further comprising data indicating that image update data stored at the received memory address corresponds to the identified set of image update data to be received in response to the received interrupt command.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising run length decoding the received set of image update data, wherein the received set of image update data is run length coded.

18. A method for storing a sequence of images to be displayed on a display device, comprising:

having a preceding image in the sequence of images;

calculating, for a following image subsequent to the preceding image, a following set of image update data identifying pixels that changed from the preceding image to the following image; and

storing the following set of calculated image update data to a memory.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

calculating, for an intermediate image, an intermediate set of image update data identifying all of the pixels in the intermediate image; and

storing the intermediate set of calculated image update data to the memory.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein calculating the intermediate set of image update data occurs in response to an interrupt command.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein calculating the following set of image update data occurs in response to an interrupt command.

22. The method of claim 18, the following set of image update data excluding identification of pixels in the following image that do not change from the preceding image.

23. The method of claim 18, the following image being immediately subsequent to the preceding image.

24. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

creating a memory map containing a memory address identifying a location in the memory where at least one of the following sets of stored image update data is stored and further containing data identifying the following image at the identifying memory address.

25. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

run length coding the image update data prior to storing.

26. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

creating the sequence of images, wherein the sequence of images depicts one of advancing time on a digital watch, advancing time on a digital watch that displays analog-watch-type hand movement, and motion on a map.

27. A system for displaying image data, comprising:

a display comprising an array of bi-stable display elements;

a memory storing a plurality of sets of image update data corresponding to a plurality of images in a sequence of images and wherein the plurality of sets of image update data comprise information identifying pixels to be changed from a previous image in the sequence of images; and

an array driver in electrical communication with the memory and the display, the array driver being configured to receive, from the memory, one of the stored set of image update data, and to update a portion of the display, the portion containing the pixels identified in the received set of image update data.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the array driver is further configured to receive an interrupt command and to identify a set of image update data to be received from the memory in response to the received interrupt command.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the interrupt command comprises a signal to advance an integer number of images in the sequence of images to be displayed on the display device.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the received interrupt command signals a display update rate, the system further comprising:

a timer in electrical connection with the array driver; and

the array driver is further configured to set a timer interrupt rate to a value corresponding to the display update rate signaled by the received interrupt command, the array driver being further configured to receive the stored image update data and to update the display at the set timer interrupt rate.

31. The system of claim 28, wherein the portion of the display to be updated in response to the interrupt command is the entire display.

32. The system of claim 28, wherein the array driver is further configured to receive, from the memory, a memory address identifying a memory space containing the identified set of image update data to be received from the memory in response to the received interrupt command.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the memory stores a memory map, the memory map comprising the received memory address and data indicating that image update data stored at the received memory address corresponds to the identified set of image update data to be received in response to the received interrupt command.

34. The system of claim 27, wherein the array driver is further configured to run length decode the received set of image update data, wherein the received set of image update data is run length coded.

35. The system of claim 27, wherein the pixel identifying information comprises data identifying the portion of the display containing the pixels to be changed.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the portion of the display containing the pixels to be changed is one of a line, a row, a column and a sub-frame.

37. The system of claim 27, wherein the portion of the display containing the pixels to be changed is a next portion in a sequence of update portions.

38. The system of claim 27, wherein the plurality of sets of image update data further comprise multiple sets of information identifying pixels to be changed from the same previous image in the sequence of images.

39. The system of claim 27, wherein the sequence of images depicts one of advancing time on a digital watch, advancing time on a digital watch that displays analog-watch-type hand movement, and motion on a map.

40. The system of claim 27, further comprising a processor that is configured to communicate with the display and the memory, the processor being configured to process the image update data.

41. The system of claim 40, further comprising a driver controller configured to send at least a portion of the image update data to the array driver.

42. The system of claim 40, further comprising an image source module configured to send the image update data to the processor.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the image source module comprises at leas one of a receiver, transceiver, and transmitter.

44. The system of claim 40, further comprising an input device configured to receive input data and to communicate the input data to the processor.

45. The system of claim 28, the array driver comprising the memory storing a plurality of sets of image update data.

46. A system for displaying image data, comprising:

a display;

a memory storing a plurality of sets of image update data, each set corresponding to one image in a sequence of images and wherein the plurality of sets of image update data comprise information identifying pixels that change from a previous image in the sequence of images;

a frame buffer;

a display controller in electrical communication with the memory and the frame buffer, the display controller being configured to receive one of the sets of image update data from the memory and to store the received set of image update data in the frame buffer; and

an array driver in electrical communication with the frame buffer and the display, the array driver being configured to receive the frame buffer data and to update the display based on the received frame buffer data.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein the display controller is further configured to receive an interrupt command, and to identify a set of image update data to be received in response to the interrupt command.

48. The system of claim 47, further comprising:

a user interface in electrical communication with the display controller, the user interface configured to transmit the interrupt command to the display controller.

49. The system of claim 46, the memory contained within at least one of the array driver, the frame buffer and the display controller.

50. A system for displaying image data, comprising:

means for bi-stably displaying image data;

means for storing a plurality of sets of image update data corresponding to a plurality of images in a sequence of images and wherein the plurality of sets of image update data comprise information identifying pixels to be changed from a previous image in the sequence of images;

means for receiving from the storing means one of the stored sets of image update data; and

the receiving means for updating a portion of the display means, the portion containing the pixels identified in the received set of image update data.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein the displaying means comprises an array of interferometric modulators.

52. The system of claim 50, wherein the storing means comprises memory.

53. The system of claim 50, wherein the driver means comprises an array driver.

54. A method of displaying image data, comprising:

identifying a next image state in a sequence of images to be displayed on a display device;

receiving, at an array driver, a stored set of image update data corresponding to the identified next image state, wherein the received set of stored image update data is one of a plurality of sets of stored image update data, wherein the plurality of sets of stored image update data comprise information identifying pixels that change from another image in the sequence of images; and

updating a portion of the display device, the portion containing the pixels identified in the received set of stored image update data.

55. The method of claim 54, further comprising:

receiving an interrupt command; and

identifying the next image state in response to the received interrupt command.

56. The method of claim 55, further comprising receiving a memory address identifying a memory space containing a set of image update data corresponding to the identified next image state to be received from memory in response to the received interrupt command.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein the memory address is contained in a memory map, the memory map further comprising data indicating that the image update data stored at the received memory address corresponds to the identified next image state to be received in response to the received interrupt command.

58. The method of claim 54, wherein the display device comprises an array of bi-stable display elements.

59. The method of claim 54, wherein the plurality of sets of stored image update data further comprise multiple sets of information identifying pixels to be changed from the same previous image in the sequence of images.

60. An electronic device for displaying image data, the electronic device configured to receive one of a plurality of sets of stored image update data to be displayed on a display device, wherein each set corresponds to one image in a sequence of images and wherein the plurality of sets of image update data comprise information identifying pixels that change from a previous image in the sequence of images, and the electronic device further configured to update a portion of the display device, the portion containing the pixels identified in the received set of stored image update data, wherein the display device comprises an array of bi-stable display elements.

61. The electronic device of claim 60, the electronic device being further configured to receive an interrupt command, and identify a set of stored image update data to be received from memory in response to the received interrupt command.

62. The electronic device of claim 61, wherein the electronic device is further configured to receive a memory address identifying a memory space containing the identified set of image update data to be received from memory in response to the received interrupt command.

63. The electronic device of claim 60, wherein the memory address is contained in a memory map, the memory map further comprising data indicating that image update data stored at the received memory address corresponds to the identified set of image update data to be received in response to the received interrupt command.

64. The electronic device of claim 60, wherein the electronic device is further configured to run length decode the received set of image update data, further wherein the received set of image update data is run length coded.

65. The electronic device of claim 60, wherein the electronic device comprises one or more of firmware, an application specific integrated circuit, a microprocessor, software, a driver circuit, and memory.

66. The electronic device of claim 60, wherein the plurality of sets of stored image update data further comprise multiple sets of information identifying pixels to be changed from the same previous image in the sequence of images.

67. A machine readable medium comprising instructions that upon executing cause a machine to:

receive image update data to be displayed on a display device comprising an array of bi-stable display elements, the image update data corresponding to a following image in a sequence of images and identifying pixels in the following image that differ from a preceding image in the sequence of images; and

display the following image by changing a portion of the preceding image, wherein the portion includes the pixels identified in the image update data.

68. The machine readable medium of claim 67, further comprising instructions that upon executing cause the machine to receive image data corresponding to the preceding image, the image data corresponding to the preceding image identifying all of the pixels in the preceding image.

69. The machine readable medium of claim 68, further comprising instructions that upon executing cause the machine to display the preceding image prior to displaying the following image.

70. The machine readable medium of claim 67, further comprising instructions that upon executing cause the machine to receive image data corresponding to the preceding image, the image data corresponding to the preceding image identifying fewer than all of the pixels in the preceding image.

71. The machine readable medium of claim 67, further comprising instructions that upon executing cause the machine to:

receive an interrupt command; and

display the following image in response to receiving the interrupt command.

72. The machine readable medium of claim 67, further comprising instructions that upon executing cause the machine to:

receive an interrupt command; and

receive the image data in response to receiving the interrupt command.

73. The machine readable medium of claim 67, further comprising instructions that upon executing cause the machine to:

receive an interrupt command;

receive the image update data in response to the interrupt command; and

display the following image in response to the interrupt command.

74. The machine readable medium of claim 67, further comprising instructions that upon executing cause the machine to:

receive an interrupt command; and

receive image data corresponding to a refresh image, the image data corresponding to the refresh image identifying all of the pixels in the refresh image.

75. The machine readable medium of claim 74, wherein the interrupt command is received after displaying the following image, the machine readable medium further comprising instructions that upon executing cause the machine to display the refresh image in accordance with the image data corresponding to the refresh image.

76. The machine readable medium of claim 67, further comprising instructions that upon executing cause the machine to maintain the state of at least one element in the array during the change from the preceding image to the following image.

77. The machine readable medium of claim 67, the image update data excluding identification of pixels in the following image that do not change from the preceding image.

78. The machine readable medium of claim 67, the preceding image immediately preceding the following image.

79. The machine readable medium of claim 67, further comprising instructions that upon executing cause the machine to display an intermediate image after the preceding image and prior to displaying the following image.