Fast and Interruptible Drive Scheme For Electrosphoretic Displays

• US 20080198184A1
• Filed: 05/19/2006
• Published: 08/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Schellingerhout, Nicholaas W., Huitema, Edzer A.
• Application Number:
  US11/913,938
• Publication Number:
  US 20080198184A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/692
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1454 involving copying of the display data of a local workstation or window to a remote workstation or window so that an actual copy of the data is displayed simultaneously on two or more displays, e.g. teledisplay
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0251 Precharge or discharge of pixel before applying new pixel voltage
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0252 Improving the response speed
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2022 using sub-frames
• 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 5/34 for rolling or scrolling

Abstract

An image update scheme for an electrophoretic display reduces driving delays while allowing display of a reduced quality image when driving is interrupted. A first portion (605) of image data is transmitted to a display device (500) such as from a mobile network device (400). The first portion may include the MSB of a data word for each pixel. Each pixel (2) is driven to an associated first optical state (632) that is defined by the first portion. A second portion (606, 607) of the image data is subsequently received at the display device, and each pixel is driven to an associated second optical state (636) that is defined by the first and second portions. In another approach, the second portion includes a substantially complete representation of the image, and each pixel is driven to an associated second optical state (636) that is defined by the second portion.

Claims

1. A method for displaying an image on a bi-stable display device based on image data received thereat, the method comprising:

receiving a first portion (605) of the image data at the display device (500);

driving each of a plurality of pixels (2) of the display device to an associated first optical state (632) that is defined by the first portion;

receiving a second portion (606, 607) of the image data at the display device; and

driving each of the plurality of pixels to an associated second optical state (636) that is defined by the first and second portions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

for each of the plurality of pixels, the first portion comprises a most significant bit of a multi-bit word of the image data.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein:

for each of the plurality of pixels, the associated first optical state is the highest or lowest optical state in an optical scale based on a value of the associated most significant bit.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein:

for each of the plurality of pixels, the second portion comprises at least one less significant bit of the multi-bit word of the image data.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving at least one remaining portion (608) of the image data at the display device; and

driving each of the plurality of pixels to an associated final optical state (640) that is defined by the associated first, second and remaining portions.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

each of the plurality of pixels is driven to the associated second optical state from the associated first optical state.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first and second portions are received at the display device via a low power, wireless link.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first and second optical states comprise at least one of greyscale levels and color levels.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first portion comprises a dithered representation (434) of an image.

10. A bi-stable display device, comprising:

means (540) for receiving a first portion (605) of the image data at the display device (500);

means (530, 534) for driving each of a plurality of pixels (2) of the display device to an associated first optical state (632) that is defined by the first portion;

means (540) for receiving a second portion (606, 607) of the image data at the display device; and

means for driving each of the plurality of pixels to an associated second optical state (636) that is defined by the first and second portions.

11. A method for transmitting image data to a bi-stable display device, comprising:

transmitting a first portion (605) of the image data to the display device (500);

wherein the first portion defines an associated first optical state (632) to which each of a plurality of pixels (2) of the display device is to be driven; and

transmitting a second portion (606, 607) of the image data to the display device;

wherein the first and second portions define an associated second optical state (636) to which each of the plurality of pixels is to be driven.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein:

for each of the plurality of pixels, the first portion comprises a most significant bit of a multi-bit word of the image data.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein:

for each of the plurality of pixels, the first optical state is the highest or lowest optical state in an optical scale based on a value of the associated most significant bit.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein:

for each of the plurality of pixels, the second portion comprises at least one less significant bit of the multi-bit word of the image data.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

transmitting at least one remaining portion (608) of the image data to the display device;

wherein the first, second and at least one remaining portion define an associated final optical state (640) to which each of the plurality of pixels is to be driven.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the first and second portions are transmitted to the display device via a low power, wireless link.

17. An apparatus for transmitting image data to a bi-stable display device, comprising:

means (450) for transmitting a first portion (605) of the image data to the display device (500);

wherein the first portion defines an associated first optical state (632) to which each of a plurality of pixels (2) of the display device is to be driven; and

means (450) for transmitting a second portion (606, 607) of the image data to the display device;

wherein the first and second portions define an associated second optical state (636) to which each of the plurality of pixels is to be driven.

18. A method for displaying an image on a bi-stable display device based on image data received thereat, the method comprising:

receiving a first portion (605) of the image data at the display device (500);

driving each of a plurality of pixels (2) of the display device to an associated first optical state (632) that is defined by the first portion;

receiving a second portion (606, 607) of the image data at the display device; and

driving each of the plurality of pixels to an associated second optical state (636) that is defined by the second portion.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein:

the first portion comprises a dithered representation (434) of an image; and

the second portion comprises a substantially complete representation of the image.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein:

the first portion comprises a partial representation of an image; and

the second portion comprises a substantially complete representation of the image.

21. A method for transmitting image data to a bi-stable display device, comprising:

transmitting a first portion (605) of the image data to the display device (500);

wherein the first portion defines an associated first optical state (632) to which each of a plurality of pixels (2) of the display device is to be driven; and

transmitting a second portion (606, 607) of the image data to the display device;

wherein the second portion defines an associated second optical state (636) to which each of the plurality of pixels is to be driven.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein:

the first portion comprises a dithered representation (434) of an image; and

the second portion comprises a substantially complete representation of the image.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein:

the first portion comprises a partial representation of an image; and

the second portion comprises a substantially complete representation of the image.