Pixel buffer circuits for implementing improved methods of displaying grey-scale or color images

• US 6,369,832 B1
• Filed: 08/15/2000
• Issued: 04/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: The Board of Regents of the University of Colorado (University of Colorado System)
• Inventors: McKnight, Douglas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHANG, KENT WU
• Application Number:
  US09/638,867
• Time in Patent Office: 602 Days
• Field of Search: 345/163, 345/589, 345/593, 345/600, 345/603, 345/604, 345/690-693
• US Class Current: 345/691
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/40 Scaling of whole images or parts thereof, e.g. expanding or contracting
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0809 Several active elements per pixel in active matrix panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0814 used for selection purposes, e.g. logical AND for partial update
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0823 used to establish symmetry in driving, e.g. with polarity inversion
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0828 forming a digital to analog [D/A] conversion circuit
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0842 forming a memory circuit, e.g. a dynamic memory with one capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0847 being a dynamic memory without any storage capacitor, i.e. with use of parasitic capacitances as storage elements
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0857 Static memory circuit, e.g. flip-flop
• 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 2320/0233 Improving the luminance or brightness uniformity across the screen
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0247 Flicker reduction other than flicker reduction circuits used for single beam cathode-ray tubes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0266 Reduction of sub-frame artefacts
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0633 by amplitude modulation of the brightness of the illumination source
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/064 by time modulation of the brightness of the illumination source
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/20 for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2011 by amplitude modulation
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2014 by modulation of the duration of a single pulse during which the logic level remains constant
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2018 by time modulation using two or more time intervals
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2022 using sub-frames
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2033 : with splitting one or more sub-frames corresponding to the most significant bits into two or more sub-frames
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2037 : with specific control of sub-frames corresponding to the least significant bits
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3406 : Control of illumination source illumination devices structurally associated with liquid crystal cells G02F1/1336
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3648 : using an active matrix G09G3/367 - G09G3/3696 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3659 : the addressing of the pixel involving the control of two or more scan electrodes or two or more data electrodes, e.g. pixel voltage dependant on signal of two data electrodes

Abstract

A device such as a display device or a spatial light modulator can store pixel data in a plurality of small circuits coupled to pixel mirrors and simultaneously drive these pixel mirrors a frame at a time. This device is particularly beneficial for implementing improved image quality techniques which can convert binary images to grey-scale images and/or separate red, green and blue images into color images and displaying those images using the natural process of integration which occurs when a person views images at sufficiently high rates.

Claims

1. A method for displaying a color image on a display unit with a plurality of pixels, comprising the steps of:

receiving a Red frame, a Green frame, and a Blue frame comprising the color image to be displayed within a first time period corresponding to a first frame display rate; and

repeatedly and interspersedly displaying said Red frame, said Green frame and said Blue frame within the first time period at a higher rate than said first frame display rate.

2. The method for displaying a color image as claimed in claim 1, wherein said repeatedly and interspersedly displaying step comprises interspersedly displaying said Red frame, said Green frame and said Blue frame two times each, within said first time period.

3. The method for displaying a color image as claimed in claim 1, wherein said repeatedly and interspersedly displaying step comprises interspersedly displaying said Red frame, said Green frame and said Blue frame three times each, within said first time period.

4. The method for displaying a color image as claimed in claim 1, wherein said repeatedly and interspersedly displaying step comprises interspersedly displaying said Red frame, said Green frame and said Blue frame N times each, within said first time period, where N is an integer which is greater than or equal to two.

5. The method for displaying a color image as claimed in claim 1, wherein said receiving step comprises receiving the Red frame, Green frame, and Blue frame comprising the color image to be displayed within a first time period which is less than or equal to about {fraction (1/30)} of a second.

6. The method for displaying a color image as claimed in claim 1, further comprising repeating said receiving step followed by said repeatedly displaying step for a subsequent color image.

7. The method for displaying a color image as claimed in claim 1, further comprising repeating said receiving step followed by said repeatedly displaying step for each color image within a series of subsequent color images.

8. The method for displaying a color image as claimed in claim 1, wherein said repeatedly and interspersedly displaying step comprises repeatedly and interspersedly displaying said Red frame, said Green frame, and said Blue frame in any order.

9. A method of displaying a color image on a display unit with a plurality of pixels, comprising the steps of:

receiving a first color frame, a second color frame, and a third color frame comprising the color image to be displayed within a first time period corresponding to a first frame display rate; and

repeatedly and interspersedly displaying said first color frame, said second color frame and said third color frame within the first time period at a higher rate than said first frame display rate.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said first, second and third color frames are each displayed on at least a row of pixels.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said first, second and third color frames are each displayed on at least two rows of pixels.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein said repeatedly and interspersedly displaying step comprises interspersedly displaying said first color frame, said second color frame and said third color frame N times each within said first time period, where N is an integer greater than or equal to two.