Mixed Sequential Color Display

• US 20120162270A1
• Filed: 12/23/2010
• Published: 06/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Fleck, Rod G., Knee, Derek Leslie
• Granted Patent: US 9,280,938 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/690
• 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 2310/0235 Field-sequential colour display
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0242 Compensation of deficiencies in the appearance of colours
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0261 in the context of movement of objects on the screen or movement of the observer relative to the screen
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/021 Power management, e.g. power saving
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3413 Details of control of colour illumination sources
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3611 Control of matrices with row and column drivers

Abstract

In embodiments of mixed sequential color display, a light source sequentially generates different colors of light in a timed sequence. A display panel is implemented with multiple sub-pixel combinations, where each pixel of the display panel is a combination of sub-pixels that emit a color based on a color of the light that illuminates a sub-pixel combination. The emitted color from a sub-pixel combination is generated as a product of the color of the light and a combination of sub-pixel colors (to include clear and/or colored sub-pixels). The clear and/or different colored sub-pixels in a sub-pixel combination are a spatial aspect of the emitted color, and the sequentially generated different colors of light are a temporal aspect of the emitted color. The pixel combination and the light source together enhance the luminescence of the emitted color over the chrominescence of the emitted color.

Claims

1. A display device, comprising:

a light source configured to sequentially generate different colors of light in a timed sequence; and

a display panel of multiple pixels that are each a combination of sub-pixels, each of the sub-pixel combinations configured to emit a color based on a color of the light that illuminates a sub-pixel combination, the emitted color generated as a product of the color of the light and a combination of sub-pixel colors.

2. A display device as recited in claim 1, wherein the sub-pixel combinations each include at least one of two different colored sub-pixels, or a clear sub-pixel and a colored sub-pixel.

3. A display device as recited in claim 1, wherein the sub-pixel combination includes three sub-pixels each configured for a percentage of illumination that is combined to emit the color based on the color of light that illuminates the sub-pixel combination.

4. A display device as recited in claim 3, wherein the sub-pixel combination includes at least one of three different colored sub-pixels, or a clear sub-pixel and two different colored sub-pixels.

5. A display device as recited in claim 3, wherein the sub-pixel combination includes a clear sub-pixel and two different colored sub-pixels, the clear pixel comprising approximately 50% of the illumination to emit the color.

6. A display device as recited in claim 1, wherein the sub-pixel combination and the light source are further configured to enhance the luminescence of the emitted color over the chrominescence of the emitted color.

7. A display device as recited in claim 1, wherein the sub-pixel colors of the sub-pixel combination are a spatial aspect of the emitted color, and wherein the sequentially generated different colors of light are a temporal aspect of the emitted color.

8. A display device as recited in claim 1, wherein the display panel is an LCD panel, and wherein the sub-pixel combinations are each driven at a display rate along with the sequentially generated different colors of light to mask color breakup.

9. A display device as recited in claim 1, wherein the light source comprises at least two different colors of LEDs that generate the different colors of light.

10. A display device as recited in claim 1, wherein the light source comprises LEDs that sequentially generate green light and white light, and wherein the sub-pixel combination includes a clear sub-pixel, a red sub-pixel, and a blue sub-pixel, and wherein a total illumination from the three combined sub-pixels emit the color based on the color of light that illuminates the sub-pixel combination.

11. A display device as recited in claim 1, wherein the light source comprises LEDs that sequentially generate a combination of red light and blue light, and then green light, and wherein the sub-pixel combination includes a yellow sub-pixel and a cyan sub-pixel.

12. A device, comprising:

a light source configured to sequentially generate different colors of light in a timed sequence;

a display panel of multiple pixels that are each a combination of sub-pixels, each of the sub-pixel combinations configured to emit a color based on a color of light that illuminates a sub-pixel combination; and

a memory and a processor to implement a display controller configured to generate control signals to control a display rate of the display panel, and to activate the timed sequence of the light source to sequentially generate the different colors of light.

13. A device as recited in claim 12, wherein the sub-pixel combination and the light source are further configured to enhance the luminescence of the emitted color over the chrominescence of the emitted color.

14. A device as recited in claim 12, wherein the sub-pixel colors of the sub-pixel combination are a spatial aspect of the emitted color, and wherein the sequentially generated different colors of light are a temporal aspect of the emitted color.

15. A device as recited in claim 12, wherein the sub-pixel combinations each include at least one of two different colored sub-pixels, or a clear sub-pixel and a colored sub-pixel.

16. A device as recited in claim 12, wherein the sub-pixel combination includes at least one of three different colored sub-pixels, or a clear sub-pixel and two different colored sub-pixels.

17. A device as recited in claim 12, wherein the light source comprises at least two different colors of LEDs that generate the different colors of light.

18. A method, comprising:

sequentially generating different colors of light in a timed sequence;

illuminating multiple sub-pixel combinations of a display panel that includes multiple pixels, where each pixel is a combination of sub-pixels; and

emitting a color from each sub-pixel combination based on a color of light that illuminates a sub-pixel combination, the emitted color generated as a product of the color of the light and a combination of sub-pixel colors.

19. A method as recited in claim 18, further comprising generating control signals to activate the timed sequence of the light source to sequentially generate the different colors of light.

20. A method as recited in claim 18, further comprising controlling a display rate of the display panel to illuminate the multiple sub-pixel combinations with the sequentially generated different colors of light.