CONVERSION OF A SUB-PIXEL FORMAT DATA TO ANOTHER SUB-PIXEL DATA FORMAT

• US 20090046108A1
• Filed: 10/16/2008
• Published: 02/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Higgins, Michael Francis, BROWN ELLIOTT, Candice Hellen
• Granted Patent: US 7,889,215 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/603
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/4015 Image demosaicing, e.g. colour filter arrays [CFA] or Bayer patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/4069 by subpixel displacements
• 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 2320/0276 for the purpose of adaptation to the characteristics of a display device, i.e. gamma correction
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0407 Resolution change, inclusive of the use of different resolutions for different screen areas
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0414 Vertical resolution change
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0421 Horizontal resolution change
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0457 Improvement of perceived resolution by subpixel rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0492 Change of orientation of the displayed image, e.g. upside-down, mirrored
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2003 Display of colours specific for liquid crystal displays G09G3/3607
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/006 Details of the interface to the display terminal specific for a display terminal using a CRT G09G1/167; using a flat panel G09G3/2096; circuits for interfacing with colour displays G09G5/04
• 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

Abstract

A method of determining implied sample areas for each data point of each color in a source pixel data specified in a first sub-pixel format is used for sub-pixel rendering an image on a display specified in a second sub-pixel format. Each of the first and second sub-pixel formats comprises a plurality of colored sub-pixels. The method comprises determining a geometric center of each colored sub-pixel of the first format to define a sampling point; and defining each implied sample area by forming lines that are substantially equidistant between the sampling point of one colored sub-pixel and the sampling point of another neighboring same color colored sub-pixel. A similar technique may be used for determining resample areas for computing color values for rendering an image specified in a first sub-pixel format on a display substantially comprising a plurality of colored sub-pixels arranged in a second sub-pixel format.

Claims

1-6. -6. (canceled)

7. A color display for displaying color images, the display comprising:

a plurality of substantially identical pixel units tiled across a face of the display

where each pixel unit includes a first plurality of independently drivable first subpixel elements that can emit light of a first wavelength,

where each pixel unit includes a second plurality of independently drivable second subpixel elements that can emit light of a second wavelength,

where each pixel unit includes an independently drivable third subpixel element that can emit light of a third wavelength,

said third wavelength being shorter than the second wavelength and said second wavelength being shorter than the first wavelength;

wherein said third subpixel elements are uniformly spaced apart from each other across the face of the display,

wherein between each spaced-apart pair of neighboring third subpixel elements as taken along a horizontal direction, as taken along a vertical direction and as taken along a diagonal direction, there are disposed at least one each of the independently drivable first and second subpixel elements.

8. A color display for receiving source image data representing color images and for displaying color images corresponding to the source image data, the display comprising:

a plurality of substantially identical pixel units tiled across a face of the display

where each pixel unit includes a first plurality of independently drivable first subpixel display elements that can emit light of a first wavelength,

where each pixel unit includes a second plurality of independently drivable second subpixel display elements that can emit light of a second wavelength,

where each pixel unit includes an independently drivable third subpixel display element that can emit light of a third wavelength,

said third wavelength being shorter than the second wavelength and said second wavelength being shorter than the first wavelength;

wherein said first, second and third subpixel display elements are spatially distributed within their respective display pixel units according to a spatial distribution pattern different from an implied spatial distribution of implied first, second, and third color sensing elements that implicitly sampled an implied source image, where the implied samplings of the first, second, and third color sensing elements were implicitly used to generate said source image data,

wherein for respective first, second, and third color sensing arrays defined by respective ones of said first, second, and third color sensing elements there are implied image source sampling areas,

wherein for respective first, second, and third color display arrays defined by respective ones of said first, second, and third subpixel display elements there are implied image output resampling areas; and

where said display further comprises;

a sample areas to resample areas contributions mapper for each of the first, second, and third color display arrays, where the respective mapper of each respective one of said color display arrays maps luminance contributions from hypothetically overlying ones of the implied image source sampling areas to hypothetically underlying ones of the implied image output resampling areas for the respective one color display array and thereby defines luminance signals that are generated and used to drive the independently drivable first, second, and third subpixel display elements of the display.

9. A color display for receiving source image data representing color images and for displaying to an average human observer color images corresponding to the source image data, the display comprising:

a plurality of substantially identical pixel units tiled across a face of the display

where each pixel unit includes a first plurality of independently drivable first subpixel display elements that can emit light of a first wavelength,

where each pixel unit includes a second plurality of independently drivable second subpixel display elements that can emit light of a second wavelength,

where each pixel unit includes an independently drivable third subpixel display element that can emit light of a third wavelength,

said third wavelength being shorter than the second wavelength and said second wavelength being shorter than the first wavelength;

wherein said first and second wavelengths contribute significantly to perception of luminance by the average human observer while the third wavelength does not contribute significantly to perception of luminance by the average human observer;

wherein said first, second and third subpixel display elements are spatially distributed within their respective display pixel units according to a spatial distribution pattern different from an implied spatial distribution of implied first, second, and third color sensing elements that implicitly sampled an implied source image, where the implied samplings of the first, second, and third color sensing elements were implicitly used to generate said source image data,

wherein for respective first, second, and third color sensing arrays defined by respective ones of said first, second, and third color sensing elements there are implied image source sampling areas,

wherein for respective first, second, and third color display arrays defined by respective ones of said first, second, and third subpixel display elements there are implied image output resampling areas; and

where said display further comprises;

a sample areas to resample areas luminance contributions mapper for each of the first and second color display arrays that maps luminance contributions from hypothetically overlying ones of the implied image source sampling areas of the first and second wavelengths to hypothetically underlying ones of the implied image output resampling areas and thereby determines generated luminance signals that are used to drive the independently drivable first and second subpixel display elements of the display.

10. A method of converting source pixel data signals corresponding to a first spatial distribution format of differently colored source subpixels to output pixel data signals corresponding to a different second spatial distribution format of differently colored output subpixels, the method comprising:

implicitly assigning implied source sample areas to the source subpixels of the first format and implicitly assigning to each implied source sample area a data value corresponding to an implied luminance output from the corresponding subpixel of said first format in accordance with said source pixel data;

implicitly assigning implied resample areas to the output subpixels of the second format in accordance with the spatial distribution of the output subpixels as defined by the second format;

for each color plane, implicitly overlaying a scaled or not scaled version of the implied source sample areas of the corresponding color over the implied resample areas of the same corresponding color;

in accordance with said implicit overlaying of the source sample areas over the resample areas, automatically selecting respective contribution weighting parameters to be applied to the assigned data values of the source sample areas of each color plane for purpose of generating area overlap related drive signals for each color plane;

for each output resample area of a given color plane, multiplying the data values of implicitly overlying and contributing source sample areas by their respectively selected contribution weighting parameter and adding the weighted data values to thereby define a respective output pixel data signal for each said resample area.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said automatically selectable weighting parameters are defined within display driving hardware.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said automatically selectable weighting parameters are defined within display driving software.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein said automatically selectable weighting parameters are defined within display driving firmware.

14. The method of claim 10 and further comprising driving a color display having subpixels organized according to said second format with said defined output pixel data signals.

15. The method of claim 10 and further comprising storing said defined output pixel data signals.

16. The method of claim 10 and further comprising transmitting said defined output pixel data signals.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein said first and second formats each include blue subpixels but the second format has one-half as many blue subpixels distributed across corresponding rows or columns thereof as does the first format for corresponding rows or columns of said first format.

18. The method of claim 10 and further comprising using said defined output pixel data signals to drive a display is selected from the group consisting of:

liquid crystal displays, subtractive displays, OLEDs, electrophoretic displays, field emitter displays, discrete light emitting diode displays, plasma panel displays, EL displays, projectors, and cathode ray tube displays.

19. A color display for displaying color images, the display comprising:

a plurality of substantially identical pixel units tiled across a face of the display,

where each pixel unit includes a first plurality of independently drivable first subpixel elements that can emit light primarily of a first wavelength,

where each pixel unit includes a second plurality of independently drivable second subpixel elements that can emit light primarily of a second wavelength,

where each pixel unit includes an independently drivable third subpixel element that can emit light primarily of a third wavelength,

where said third wavelength is shorter than the second wavelength and said second wavelength is shorter than the first wavelength;

wherein said third subpixel elements are uniformly spaced apart from each other across the face of the display, and

wherein between each spaced-apart pair of neighboring third subpixel elements as taken along a horizontal direction, as taken along a vertical direction and as taken along a diagonal direction, there are disposed at least one each of the independently drivable first and second subpixel elements.

20. The color display of claim 19 wherein said first wavelength is perceived as a red color, said second wavelength is perceived as a green color, and said third wavelength is perceived as a blue color.

21. A color display adapted to receive source image data representing color images and to display color images corresponding to the source image data, the display comprising:

a plurality of substantially identical pixel units tiled across a face of the display

where each pixel unit includes a first plurality of independently drivable first subpixel display elements that can emit light primarily of a first wavelength,

where each pixel unit includes a second plurality of independently drivable second subpixel display elements that can emit light primarily of a second wavelength,

where each pixel unit includes an independently drivable third subpixel display element that can emit light primarily of a third wavelength,

where said third wavelength is shorter than the second wavelength and said second wavelength is shorter than the first wavelength;

wherein said first, second and third subpixel display elements are spatially distributed within their respective display pixel units according to a spatial distribution pattern different from an implied spatial distribution of implied first, second, and third color sensing elements that implicitly sampled an implied source image, where the implied samplings of the first, second, and third color sensing elements were implicitly used to generate said source image data,

wherein for respective first, second, and third color sensing arrays defined by respective ones of said first, second, and third color sensing elements there are implied image source sampling areas,

wherein for respective first, second, and third color display arrays defined by respective ones of said first, second, and third subpixel display elements there are implied image output resampling areas; and

the display further comprises

a respective sample areas to resample areas contributions mapper at least for each of the first and second color sensing arrays respectively, where each respective mapper maps luminance contributions from hypothetically overlying ones of the implied image source sampling areas of the respective color sensing array to hypothetically overlaid ones of the implied image output resampling areas of the respective subpixel display elements and thereby determines generated luminance signals that are used to respectively drive the independently drivable first and second subpixel display elements of the display.

22. The color display of claim 21 wherein said first wavelength is perceived as a red color, said second wavelength is perceived as a green color, and said third wavelength is perceived as a blue color.

23. The color display of claim 21 wherein the display further comprises:

a respective sample areas to resample areas contributions mapper for the third color sensing array, where said respective mapper for the third color sensing array maps luminance contributions from hypothetically overlying ones of the implied image source sampling areas of the respective third color sensing array to hypothetically overlaid ones of the implied image output resampling areas of the respective third subpixel display elements and thereby determines generated luminance signals that are used to respectively drive the independently drivable third subpixel display elements of the display.

24. The color display of claim 23 wherein said first wavelength is perceived as a red color, said second wavelength is perceived as a green color, and said third wavelength is perceived as a blue color.

25. A color display configured to receive source image data representing color images and to displaying to an average human observer color images corresponding to the source image data, the display comprising:

a plurality of substantially identical pixel units tiled across a face of the display

where each pixel unit includes a first plurality of independently drivable first subpixel display elements that can emit light primarily of a first wavelength,

where each pixel unit includes a second plurality of independently drivable second subpixel display elements that can emit light primarily of a second wavelength,

where each pixel unit includes an independently drivable third subpixel display element that can emit light primarily of a third wavelength,

where said third wavelength is shorter than the second wavelength and said second wavelength is shorter than the first wavelength;

wherein said first and second wavelengths contribute significantly to perception of luminance by the average human observer while the third wavelength does not contribute significantly to perception of luminance by the average human observer;

wherein said first, second and third subpixel display elements are spatially distributed within their respective display pixel units according to a spatial distribution pattern different from an implied spatial distribution of implied first, second, and third color sensing elements that implicitly sampled an implied source image, where the implied samplings of the first, second, and third color sensing elements were implicitly used to generate said source image data,

wherein for respective first, second, and third color sensing arrays defined by respective ones of said first, second, and third color sensing elements there are implied image source sampling areas,

wherein for respective first, second, and third color display arrays defined by respective ones of said first, second, and third subpixel display elements there are implied image output resampling areas; and

a respective sample areas to resample areas contributions mapper for each of the first, second and third color sensing arrays respectively, where each respective mapper maps luminance contributions from hypothetically overlying ones of the implied image source sampling areas of the respective color sensing array to hypothetically overlaid ones of the implied image output resampling areas of the respective subpixel display elements and thereby determines generated luminance signals that are used to respectively drive the independently drivable first, second and third subpixel display elements of the display.

26. The color display of claim 25 wherein said first wavelength is perceived as a red color, said second wavelength is perceived as a green color, and said third wavelength is perceived as a blue color.

27. A color display configured to receive source image data representing color images and to displaying to an average human observer color images corresponding to the source image data, the display comprising:

a plurality of substantially identical pixel units tiled across a face of the display

where each pixel unit includes a first plurality of independently drivable first subpixel display elements that can emit light primarily of a first wavelength,

where each pixel unit includes a second plurality of independently drivable second subpixel display elements that can emit light primarily of a second wavelength,

where each pixel unit includes an independently drivable third subpixel display element that can emit light primarily of a third wavelength,

where said third wavelength is shorter than the second wavelength and said second wavelength is shorter than the first wavelength;

wherein said first and second wavelengths contribute significantly to high resolution perception of imagery by the average human observer while the third wavelength does not contribute as significantly to perception of high resolution perception of imagery by the average human observer;

wherein said first, second and third subpixel display elements are spatially distributed within their respective display pixel units such that along a hypothetical line drawn through the first subpixel display elements of neighboring display pixel units and also through the third subpixel display elements of the same neighboring display pixel units, the third subpixel display elements repeat less often spatially relative to the spatial frequency of the first subpixel display elements.

28. The color display of claim 27 and further wherein:

said first, second and third subpixel display elements are spatially distributed within their respective display pixel units such that along a hypothetical line drawn through the second subpixel display elements of neighboring display pixel units and also through the third subpixel display elements of the same neighboring display pixel units, the third subpixel display elements repeat less often spatially relative to the spatial frequency of the second subpixel display elements.

29. The color display of claim 28 wherein said first wavelength is perceived as a red color, said second wavelength is perceived as a green color, and said third wavelength is perceived as a blue color.

30. A machine implemented method of rendering a color image on a display, the method comprising:

receiving source image data representing a color image where the source image data represents co-incident sample points on three hypothetically overlaid source color planes;

automatically generating display driving data signals representing a re-rendering of said color image onto a target display having three hypothetically overlaid display color planes where color sample points of said target display are not coincident with one another and not one-for-one re-scaled mappings of the co-incident sample points on the respective source color planes; and

prior to said generating of the display driving data signals, for each color plane, automatically determining luminance value contributions made from the sample points on the respective source color plane to each color sample point of the respective color plane of said target display.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein said three hypothetically overlaid source color planes are respectively implied to be perceived as a red color sampling plane, as a green color sampling plane, and as a blue color sampling plane.

32. The method of claim 30 wherein said three hypothetically overlaid display color planes of the target display correspond to the target display being populated by tessellated tiles each having a first plurality of independently drivable first subpixel display elements that can emit light primarily of a first wavelength, a second plurality of independently drivable second subpixel display elements that can emit light primarily of a second wavelength, and a centrally located and independently drivable third subpixel display element that can emit light primarily of a third wavelength, where said third wavelength is shorter than the second wavelength and said second wavelength is shorter than the first wavelength;

and the spatial repetition frequency of the third subpixel display elements across the target display is less than the spatial repetition frequency of the first subpixel display elements across the target display.