DIRECT-VIEW MEMS DISPLAY DEVICES AND METHODS FOR GENERATING IMAGES THEREON

• US 20120320113A1
• Filed: 08/29/2012
• Published: 12/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Pixtronix, Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hagood, Nesbitt W. IV, Gandhi, Jignesh, McAllister, Abraham, Malzbender, Rainer M., Lewis, Stephen R.
• Application Number:
  US13/597,983
• Publication Number:
  US 20120320113A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/690
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/004 based on a displacement or a deformation of a fluid
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/02 for controlling the intensity of light G02B26/004 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0809 Several active elements per pixel in active matrix panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0235 Field-sequential colour display
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0251 Precharge or discharge of pixel before applying new pixel voltage
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/08 Details of timing specific for flat panels, other than clock recovery
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0247 Flicker reduction other than flicker reduction circuits used for single beam cathode-ray tubes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/064 by time modulation of the brightness of the illumination source
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/066 for control of contrast
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/021 Power management, e.g. power saving
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/144 the light being ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2003 Display of colours specific for liquid crystal displays G09G3/3607
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2022 using sub-frames
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2081 with combination of amplitude modulation and time modulation space and time error diffusion G09G3/2066
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3413 Details of control of colour illumination sources
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/346 based on modulation of the reflection angle, e.g. micromirrors micromirrors devices per se G02B26/0833
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/06 using colour palettes, e.g. look-up tables
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/363 Graphics controllers
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/393 Arrangements for updating the contents of the bit-mapped memory

Abstract

A direct-view display includes an array of MEMS light modulators and a control matrix formed on a transparent substrate, where each light modulator can be driven into at least two states, and a controller for controlling the states of each light modulator in the array. The control matrix transmits data and actuation voltages to the array. The controller includes an input, a processor, a memory, and an output. The input receives image data encoding an image frame for display. The processor derives a plurality of sub-frame data sets from the image data, where each sub-frame data set indicates desired states of light modulators in multiple rows and multiple columns of the array. The memory stores the plurality of sub-frame data sets. The output outputs the plurality of sub-frame data sets according to an output sequence to drive light modulators into the states indicated in the sub-frame data sets.

Claims

1. An electromechanical device comprising:

an array of light blocking elements having at least two positions;

at least one light source;

a controller for controlling the position of the light blocking elements, and for controlling illumination of the at least one light source, and for

obtaining from a memory a plurality of sub-frame data sets corresponding to an image frame; and

processing the sub-frame data sets according to an output sequence to drive the light blocking elements into the positions indicated in the sub-frame data sets, and illuminate the at least one light source according to the sub-frame data sets to form an image; and

a sequence parameter calculation module for determining changes to the output sequence to alter the image.

2. The electromechanical device of claim 1, wherein the controller identifies data within a respective image frame and the sequence parameter calculation module determines changes to the output sequence based on the identified data.

3. The electromechanical device of claim 2, wherein the sequence parameter calculation module adjusts a frame rate.

4. The electromechanical device of claim 2, wherein the sequence parameter calculation module adjusts a number of sub-images to be displayed for the image frame.

5. The electromechanical device of claim 1, wherein the sequence parameter calculation module changes a timing value associated with a light blocking element movement event.

6. The electromechanical device of claim 1, wherein the sequence parameter calculation module changes a timing value associated with a light source illumination event.

7. The electromechanical device of claim 1, wherein the sequence parameter calculation module changes an intensity value for the at least one light source.

8. The electromechanical device of claim 1, wherein the controller identifies a characteristic of a respective image frame and the sequence parameter calculator changes at least one of the plurality of sub-frame data sets based on the identified characteristic.

9. The electromechanical device of claim 1, comprising a memory for storing the output sequence.

10. The electromechanical device of claim 1, wherein the light blocking elements are electromechanical shutters formed on a transparent substrate, the electromechanical shutters moving transverse to the transparent substrate to modulate light.

11. A method for displaying an image, comprising:

obtaining from memory a plurality of sub-frame data sets corresponding to an image frame, the respective sub-frame data sets indicating positions of light blocking elements in an array;

processing the plurality of sub-frame data sets according to an output sequence to drive the light blocking elements into the positions indicated in the respective sub-frame data sets; and

changing the output sequence to alter the displayed image.

12. The method of claim 11, comprising identifying data within the image frame and changing the output sequence based on the identified data.

13. The method of claim 11, comprising changing timing values stored in relation to at least one light blocking element movement event included in the output sequence.

14. The method of claim 11, comprising changing timing values stored in relation to at least one light source illumination event included in the output sequence.

15. The method of claim 11, comprising changing at least one light source intensity value stored in relation to at least one light source illumination event included in the output sequence.