Intermingling subpixels in discrete level displays

• US 5,805,136 A
• Filed: 06/20/1997
• Issued: 09/08/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia, Naylor, William Clark Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): WU, XIAO MIN
• Application Number:
  US08/879,894
• Time in Patent Office: 445 Days
• Field of Search: 345/147, 345/149, 345/87, 345/89, 345/100, 345/103, 345/43, 345/50, 345/63, 345/64, 345/67, 345/76, 345/84, 349/77, 349/78, 349/79, 349/84, 349/85
• US Class Current: 345/695
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134336 Matrix
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/302 characterised by the form or geometrical disposition of the individual elements
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/041 Temperature compensation
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0407 Resolution change, inclusive of the use of different resolutions for different screen areas
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0457 Improvement of perceived resolution by subpixel rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/045 using multiple communication channels, e.g. parallel and serial
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2074 using sub-pixels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3607 for displaying colours or for displaying grey scales with a specific pixel layout, e.g. using sub-pixels display of colours in flat matrix panels other than liquid crystal displays G09G3/2003; grey scales specific for television H04N3/127
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3681 suitable for passive matrices only
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3692 suitable for passive matrices only

Abstract

The design of a single pixel in a discrete level display is replicated a large number of times, often over a million times. The design of the pixel arrangement has substantial consequences in the quality of any image reproduced utilizing the pixel arrangement. In reducing unwanted artifacts, many factors must be considered. The present invention discloses a superior form of pixel arrangement for a discrete level display having optically balanced properties in addition to an intermingling of illumination areas at higher intensities and an irregular format of illumination.

Claims

1. A pixel layout arrangement for a discrete level display, said arrangement comprising a multiplicity of pixels, each said pixel comprising a plurality of independently illuminable areas each adapted to display a respective one of a multiplicity of discrete illumination levels, each said illuminable area being a member of a group of like intensity, said intensity being substantially proportional to the size of each said illuminable areas, each said pixel having at least three of said groups wherein at least one of the more intense ones of said groups has a plurality of said illuminable areas, and the illuminable areas of said one group are irregularly spaced apart and are substantially non-concentrically interspersed amongst the illuminable areas of at least one other of the more intense ones of said groups.

2. A pixel layout arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said illuminable areas of at least the more intense ones of said groups have substantially the same centre of illumination.

3. A pixel layout arrangement as claimed in claim 2, wherein the illuminable areas of lower intensity ones of said group have substantially different centres of illumination.

4. A pixel layout as claimed in claim 1, wherein said independently illuminable areas are substantially asymmetrically arranged within the pixel.

5. A pixel layout arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said pixel comprises no more than one axis of symmetry with respect to the arrangement of said illuminable areas.

6. A pixel layout arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the more intense ones of the groups comprises a plurality of said illuminable areas.

7. A method of laying out a discrete level pixel arrangement wherein each pixel of the arrangement comprises a plurality of independently illuminable areas, each illuminable area being a member of a group of illuminable areas of like intensity, there being at least three of the groups, said method comprising the steps of:

irregularly spacing about the pixel the illuminable areas of at least one of the more intense ones of the groups; and

non-concentrically interspersing the irregularly spaced illuminable areas amongst illuminable areas of at least one other of the more intense ones of the groups.

8. A method of laying out a discrete level pixel arrangement as claimed in claim 7, further comprising the step of laying out the illuminable areas of said more intense ones of the groups to have substantially the same centre of illumination.

9. A method of laying out a discrete level pixel arrangement as claimed in claim 7 or 8, further comprising the step of laying out the illuminable areas of the less intense ones of the groups to have substantially different centres of illumination.

10. A method of laying out a discrete level pixel arrangement as claimed in claim 7 or 8, further comprising the step of laying out the illuminable areas asymmetrically.

11. A pixel layout arrangement for a discrete level display, said display comprising a multiplicity of pixels, each of said pixels having a plurality of independently illuminable areas configured to permit said pixel to display a multiplicity of discrete illumination levels each of increasing intensity by enabling predetermined combinations of one or more of said areas, whereby certain ones of said areas corresponding to those enabled in at least a plurality of the more intense combinations are irregularly spaced amongst one another and non-concentrically intermingled with other ones of said areas enabled in at least the more intense combinations.

12. A liquid crystal display having a pixel layout arrangement, said arrangement comprising a multiplicity of pixels, each said pixel comprising a plurality of independently illuminable areas each adapted to display one of a multiplicity of discrete illumination levels, each said illuminable area being a member of a group of areas of like intensity, each said pixel having at least three of said groups, wherein the illuminable areas of at least one of the more intense ones said groups are irregularly spaced and are non-concentrically interspersed among the illuminable areas of at least one other of the more intense ones of said groups.

13. A ferroelectric liquid crystal display having a pixel layout arrangement, said arrangement comprising a multiplicity of pixels, each said pixel comprising a plurality of independently illuminable areas each adapted to display one of a multiplicity of discrete illumination levels, each said illuminable area being a member of a group of areas of like intensity, each said pixel having at least three of said groups, wherein the illuminable areas of at last one of the more intense ones said groups are irregularly spaced and are non-concentrically interspersed among the illuminable area of at least one other of the more intense ones of said groups.

14. A plasma type display having a pixel layout arrangement, said arrangement comprising a multiplicity of pixels, each said pixel comprising a plurality of independently illuminable areas each adapted to display one of a multiplicity of discreet illumination levels, each said illuminable area being a member of a group of areas of like intensity, each said pixel having at least three of said groups, wherein the illuminable areas of at least one of the more intense ones of said groups are irregularly spaced and are non-concentrically interspersed among the illuminable areas of at least one other of the more intense ones of said groups.

15. A pixel layout arrangement for a discrete level display, said arrangement comprising a multiplicity of pixels, each said pixel comprising a plurality of independently illuminable areas each adapted to display a respective one of a multiplicity of discrete illumination levels, wherein at least one of the less intense ones of said illuminable areas is centrally located and concentrically arranged within at least one other of said less intense one of said illuminable areas, and wherein the more intense ones of said illuminable areas are interspersed one amongst another and are substantially concentrically arranged around a center of said pixel.

16. A pixel layout arrangement as claimed in claim 15, wherein the independently illuminable areas of at least one of said more intense ones are irregularly spaced apart from at least one other of the more intense ones of said illuminable areas.

17. A pixel layout arrangement as claimed in claim 16, wherein no two said illuminable areas are the same size.

18. A pixel layout arrangement as claimed in claim 15, wherein said pixel comprises no axis of symmetry with respect to the arrangement of said illuminable areas.

19. A pixel layout arrangement for a discrete level display, said arrangement comprising a multiplicity of pixels, each said pixel comprising a plurality of independently illuminable areas each adapted to display a respective one of a multiplicity of discrete illumination levels, wherein each illuminable area has a shape that is different from any other one of said illuminable areas, and wherein at least one of said illuminable areas is centrally located and concentrically arranged substantially within at least one other of said illuminable areas, and wherein said other illuminable areas are asymmetrically arranged around a center of said pixel.

20. A pixel layout arrangement as claimed in claim 19, wherein no two said illuminable areas are of the same size.

21. A pixel layout arrangement as claimed in claim 20, wherein said pixel comprises no axis of symmetry with respect to the arrangement of said illuminable areas.

22. A pixel layout arrangement as claimed in claim 20, wherein each said pixel has no more than two groups of areas of like intensity.

23. A pixel layout arrangement as claimed in claim 22, wherein each said pixel comprises no more than one axis of symmetry with respect to the arrangement of said illuminable areas.

24. A pixel layout arrangement for a discrete level display, said arrangement comprising a multiplicity of pixels, each said pixel comprising a plurality of independently illuminable areas each adapted to display a respective one of a multiplicity of discrete illumination levels, wherein at least one of said less intense ones of said illuminable areas is non-concentrically arranged with respect to at least one other of said less intense ones and wherein the more intense ones of said illuminable areas are non-concentrically interspersed and are arranged so as to partially surround at least one of the less intense ones of said illuminable areas.