Data loading circuit for digital micro-mirror device
First Claim
1. A spatial light modulator (SLM), comprising:
- an array of pixel-generating elements, each pixel-generating element being individually addressable with data, said array of pixel-generating elements having an associated array of memory cells for storing said data;
at least one bit-line associated with each column of said memory cells for delivering said data to said column of memory cells;
a row of shift registers for receiving portions of rows of said data from an external source for delivery to said memory cells, said shift register row having a total number of shift registers that is less than the number of said memory cell columns;
a number of latches, wherein each output line of said shift registers is connected to a subset of at least two of said number of latches, wherein each latch is in data communication with a different bit-line of said array;
a row decoder for generating a write signal for selecting which row of said memory array is to receive each said row of data; and
a write line in data communication with each row of said memory cells.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A digital micro-mirror device (20) for imaging applications, having an array (21) of mirror elements for forming the image, and having data loading circuitry (22, 23) for loading data for addressing the mirror elements. The data loading circuitry (22, 23) has a row of shift registers (23), which receive data and pass the data to latches (22). Each output of the shift registers (23) is connected to a number of latches (22). For loading a row of data, the row is divided into portions, and the shift registers (23) receive the row of data in sequential portions. It delivers each portion to a different set of latches, each set comprised of a latch from each shift register output. Each set of latches holds its portion of the row of data on bit-lines while the remaining portions of the row are input to the shift registers (23) and passed to other sets of latches (22).
-
Citations
19 Claims
-
1. A spatial light modulator (SLM), comprising:
-
an array of pixel-generating elements, each pixel-generating element being individually addressable with data, said array of pixel-generating elements having an associated array of memory cells for storing said data; at least one bit-line associated with each column of said memory cells for delivering said data to said column of memory cells; a row of shift registers for receiving portions of rows of said data from an external source for delivery to said memory cells, said shift register row having a total number of shift registers that is less than the number of said memory cell columns; a number of latches, wherein each output line of said shift registers is connected to a subset of at least two of said number of latches, wherein each latch is in data communication with a different bit-line of said array; a row decoder for generating a write signal for selecting which row of said memory array is to receive each said row of data; and a write line in data communication with each row of said memory cells. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A method of loading data for a row of pixel-generating elements of a spatial light modulator, comprising the steps of:
-
loading a first portion of a row of data into a row of shift registers, said first portion being comprised of a number of 1-bit data values; transferring said first portion into a first set of latches, each bit being transferred to a different latch and each latch in data communication with an associated column of said pixel-generating elements; loading a next portion of said row of data into the same registers of said row of shift registers, said next portion being comprised of 1-bit data values; transferring said next portion into a second set of latches, each bit being transferred to a different latch and each latch in data communication with an associated column of said pixel-generating elements; repeating said loading and transferring steps until all of said row of data is loaded into said latches via said row of shift registers. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A spatial light modulator (SLM), comprising:
-
an array of pixel-generating elements, each pixel-generating element being individually addressable with data; at least one bit-line associated with each column of said pixels for delivering said data to said column of pixels; a row of shift registers for receiving portions of rows of said data from an external source for delivery to said pixels, said shift register row having a total number of shift registers that is less than the number of said pixel columns; a number of latches, wherein each output line of said shift registers is connected to a subset of at least two of said number of latches, wherein each latch is in data communication with a different bit-line of said array; a row decoder for generating a write signal for selecting which pixel row of said array is to receive each said row of data; and a write line in data communication with each row of said pixels. - View Dependent Claims (19)
-
Specification