System and method for driving LCD displays

• US 6,618,327 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2001
• Issued: 09/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fossil Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Fossil Incorporated
• Inventors: Brewer, Donald R., Chun, Lee Tak
• Primary Examiner(s): Martin, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lindinger, Michael L.
• Application Number:
  US09/847,203
• Publication Number:
  US 20020163859A1
• Time in Patent Office: 861 Days
• Field of Search: 345/55, 345/84, 345/94, 345/95, 368/82, 368/84, 368/242, 368/239
• US Class Current: 368/84
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 9/0082 by building-up characters using a combination of indicating elements and by selecting desired characters out of a number of characters or by selecting indicating elements the positions of which represents the time, i.e. combinations of G04G9/02 and G04G9/08
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 9/06 using light valves, e.g. liquid crystals
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/06 Details of flat display driving waveforms
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/18 using liquid crystals
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2007 Display of intermediate tones

Abstract

A system and method for driving a liquid crystal display (LCD) having at least one segment. The system includes an LCD driver connected to a segment of the LCD. A processor may be selectively configured into any of at least two multiplexing modes, where the at least two multiplexing modes produce at least three voltage levels for driving the at least one segment of the LCD.

Claims

1. A system for driving a liquid crystal display (LCD) having at least one segment, said system comprising:

an LCD driver connected to a segment of the LCD;

a processor connected to said driver;

said processor being selectively configured into any of at least two multiplexing modes, the at least two multiplexing modes producing at least three voltage levels for driving the at least one segment of the LCD; and

a selector means connected to said processor, wherein the selector means initiates at least one of the following patterns in selecting the multiplexing mode;

fixed, ramped, predetermined, random, and pseudo-random.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said selector means is an external selector connected to said processor.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein said external selector is at least one of the following:

a push-button, a dial, a knob, a wheel, a contact sensor, and a temperature sensor.

4. The system according to claim 2, where in said external selector selectively instructs said processor to a multiplexing mode.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said selector means is an internal selector operating within said processor for selecting the multiplexing mode.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system maintains time-of-day.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system is included into at least one of the following:

a clock, a watch, a garment, a component of a garment, jewelry, and display.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the LCD utilizes a reflective polarizer.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the LCD includes at least one of the following:

a gray scale LCD, a color selectable LCD, and a reflective LCD.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein said driver and said processor are contained within a single integrated circuit package.

11. A system for driving a liquid crystal display (LCD), having at least one segment, said system comprising:

means for driving a segment of the LCD; and

means for selecting any of at least two multiplexing modes, the at least two multiplexing modes producing at least three voltage levels for driving the at least one segment of the LCD, and wherein said means for selecting initiates at least one of the following patterns in selecting the multiplexing mode;

fixed, ramped, predetermined, random, and pseudo-random.

12. A method for driving a liquid crystal display (LCD), having at least one segment, said method comprising:

connecting an LCD driver to said at least one segment of the LCD;

connecting a processor to said driver;

said processor having at least two configurations of multiplexing modes,

selecting any of the at least two configurations of multiplexing modes, wherein said selecting step includes initiating at least one of the following patterns in selecting the multiplexing mode;

fixed, ramped, predetermined, random, and pseudo-random; and

producing a signal, having a predetermined duty cycle based on the selected multiplexing mode, to drive the at least one segment of the LCD, wherein said signal includes at least three voltage levels.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the selecting step is manually actuated.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the selecting step is automatic.

15. The method according to claim 12, further comprising maintaining the time-of-day.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein the method operates within at least one of the following:

a clock, a watch, a garment, a component of a garment, jewelry, and display.

17. The method according to claim 12, wherein the LCD utilizes a reflective polarizer.

18. The method according to claim 12, wherein the LCD includes at least one of the following:

a gray scale LCD, a color selectable LCD, and a reflective LCD.

19. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon sequences of instructions, the sequences of instructions including instructions, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform:

selection of any of at least two multiplexing modes, wherein said selection includes an initiation of at least one of the following patterns in selecting the multiplexing mode;

fixed, ramped, predetermined, random, and pseudo-random;

creation of a signal having a predetermined duty cycle based on the selected multiplexing mode, wherein said signal includes at least three voltage levels; and

direction of said signal to at least one segment of an LCD driving the at least one segment of the LCD to a display level corresponding to the predetermined duty cycle.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the computer-readable medium operates within at least one of the following:

a clock, a watch, a garment, a component of a garment, jewelry, and display.

21. A timekeeping device, comprising:

a display area;

an LCD display having at least one segment located on said display area; and

an LCD driving means connected to the at least one segment of the LCD display for driving the at least one segment of the LCD display to one of at least three display levels, wherein said LCD driving means includes a selector means which initiates a predetermined pattern to selectively configure the driving means into any of at least two multiplexing modes, the at least two multiplexing modes producing at least three voltage levels.

22. The timekeeping device according to claim 21, wherein the predetermined pattern comprises a time period which is an integer between and including one and sixty.

23. The timekeeping device according to claim 21, wherein the at least one segment is a time division indicator located at equidistant locations on said LCD display.

24. The timekeeping device according to claim 23, wherein the time division indicator is a whole number between and including zero and sixty.

25. The timekeeping device according to claim 21, wherein said LCD driving means drives the at least one segment from a first display level to a second display level in five transition cycles.

26. The timekeeping device according to claim 21, wherein said LCD display includes an integer fraction of sixty segments for indicating a unit of time.

27. The timekeeping device according to claim 26, wherein the number of segments are consecutively arranged.

28. The timekeeping device according to claim 27, wherein said LCD driving means sequentially drives the consecutively arranged segments.

29. The timekeeping device according to claim 21, wherein at least two segments are consecutively arranged, the at least two segments being simultaneously driven to a display level different from a level of said LCD display of the timekeeping device.

30. The timekeeping device according to claim 21, wherein the LCD display is at least one of the following:

a gray scale LCD, a color selectable LCD, and a reflective LCD.

31. The timekeeping device according to claim 21, wherein said LCD driving means comprises a processor connected to an LCD driver, the LCD driver connected to the at least one segment of the LCD display.

32. The timekeeping device according to claim 21, wherein said LCD driving means comprises a processor having an embedded LCD driver.

33. The timekeeping device according to claim 21, wherein said selector means is an external selector connected to said LCD driving means.

34. The timekeeping device according to claim 33, wherein said external selector is at least one of the following:

a push-button, a dial, a knob, a wheel, a contact sensor, and a temperature sensor.

35. The timekeeping device according to claim 21, wherein said external selector selectively configures said LCD driving means to a multiplexing mode.

36. The timekeeping device according to claim 21, wherein said selector means is an internal selector operating within said LCD driving means for selecting the multiplexing mode.

37. The timekeeping device according to claim 21, wherein the device is included into at least on of the following:

a clock, a watch, a garment, a component of a garment, jewelry, and display.

38. The timekeeping device according to claim 21, wherein the LCD display utilizes a reflective polarizer.