Method and system for driving a pixel
First Claim
1. A method for displaying eight-bit color on a plurality of pixels on a monitor comprising:
- for each pixel;
receiving a value indicative of one of a plurality of possible values for the level of intensity desired to be displayed on the pixel, the value representable by eight binary bits including a least significant bit;
during a given time frame, providing an on state for the pixel for a continuous fractional portion of the given time frame, the fractional portion being indicative of the received value, the given time frame comprising a fixed portion equal to approximately 224/255 of the given time frame followed by a variable portion equal to approximately 31/255 of the given time frame, wherein providing an on state for the pixel for a continuous fraction portion of the given time frame comprises, during the fixed time portion, changing the on or off state of the pixel, if at all, only at time intervals corresponding to approximately 32/255 of the time frame, the on or off state of the pixel based solely on the three most significant bits of the value and independent of the least significant bit of the value; and
further comprising determining whether to turn the pixel off during the variable portion, including, during the variable time portion, turning the pixel off, if at all, only at each of a plurality of predetermined time intervals during the variable time portion, the time intervals during the variable time portion having a duration approximately equal to the time frame divided by 255.
2 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
According to one embodiment of the invention, a method for displaying N-bit color on a plurality of pixels on a monitor includes, for each pixel, receiving a value indicative of one of a plurality of possible values for the level of intensity desired to be displayed on the pixel. The value is representable by N binary bits including a least significant bit. During a given time frame, the method includes providing an on state for the pixel for a continuous fractional portion of the given time frame. The fractional portion is indicative of the received value. The given time frame includes a fixed portion followed by a variable portion. For any of the possible values for the level of intensity, the time at which the pixel is turned on during the fixed portion, if at all, is independent of the least significant bit.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. A method for displaying eight-bit color on a plurality of pixels on a monitor comprising:
for each pixel; receiving a value indicative of one of a plurality of possible values for the level of intensity desired to be displayed on the pixel, the value representable by eight binary bits including a least significant bit; during a given time frame, providing an on state for the pixel for a continuous fractional portion of the given time frame, the fractional portion being indicative of the received value, the given time frame comprising a fixed portion equal to approximately 224/255 of the given time frame followed by a variable portion equal to approximately 31/255 of the given time frame, wherein providing an on state for the pixel for a continuous fraction portion of the given time frame comprises, during the fixed time portion, changing the on or off state of the pixel, if at all, only at time intervals corresponding to approximately 32/255 of the time frame, the on or off state of the pixel based solely on the three most significant bits of the value and independent of the least significant bit of the value; and further comprising determining whether to turn the pixel off during the variable portion, including, during the variable time portion, turning the pixel off, if at all, only at each of a plurality of predetermined time intervals during the variable time portion, the time intervals during the variable time portion having a duration approximately equal to the time frame divided by 255.
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2. A method for displaying ten-bit color on a plurality of pixels on a monitor comprising:
for each pixel; receiving a value indicative of one of a plurality of possible values for the level of intensity desired to be displayed on the pixel, the value representable by ten binary bits including a least significant bit; during a given time frame, providing an on state for the pixel for a continuous fractional portion of the given time frame, the fractional portion being indicative of the received value, the given time frame comprising a fixed portion equal to approximately 896/1023 of the given time frame followed by a variable portion equal to approximately 127/1023 of the given time frame, wherein providing an on state for the pixel for a continuous fraction portion of the given time frame comprises, during the fixed time portion, changing the on or off state of the pixel, if at all, only at time intervals corresponding to approximately 128/1023 of the time frame, the on or off state of the pixel based solely on the three most significant bits of the value and independent of the least significant bit of the value; and further comprising determining whether to turn the pixel off during the variable portion, including, during the variable time portion, turning the pixel off, if at all, only at each of a plurality of predetermined time intervals during the variable time portion, the time intervals during the variable time portion having a duration approximately equal to the time frame divided by 1023.
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3. A method for displaying N-bit color on a plurality of pixels on a monitor comprising:
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for each pixel; receiving a value indicative of one of a plurality of possible values for the level of intensity desired to be displayed on the pixel, the value representable by N binary bits including a least significant bit; during a given time frame, providing an on state for the pixel for a continuous fractional portion of the given time frame, the fractional portion being indicative of the received value, the given time frame comprising a fixed portion equal to approximately m/2N−
1 of the given time frame followed by a variable portion equal to approximatelyof the given time frame, wherein providing an on state for the pixel for a continuous fraction portion of the given time frame comprises, during the fixed time portion, changing the on or off state of the pixel, if at all, only at time intervals corresponding to approximately of the time frame, the on or off state of the pixel independent of the least significant bit of the value; further comprising determining whether to turn the pixel off during the variable portion, including, during the variable time portion, turning the pixel off, if at all, only at each of a plurality of predetermined time intervals during the variable time portion, the time intervals during the variable time portion having a duration approximately equal to the time frame divided by 2N−
1; andwherein m is between one and 2N and m/2N−
1 is between about ½ and
1.- View Dependent Claims (4, 5)
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6. A method for displaying N-bit color on a plurality of pixels on a monitor comprising:
for each pixel; receiving a value indicative of one of a plurality of possible values for the level of intensity desired to be displayed on the pixel, the value representable by N binary bits including a least significant bit, the plurality of possible values including at least sixteen consecutive possible values; for any of the at least sixteen consecutive possible values of the level of intensity, during a given time frame, providing an on state for the pixel for a single continuous portion of the given time frame, the given time frame comprising a fixed portion followed by a variable portion; and wherein, for any of the at least sixteen consecutive possible values for the level of intensity, the time at which the pixel is turned on during the fixed portion, if at all, is independent of the least significant bit. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for driving a pixel, comprising:
providing a logic operable to, receive an indication of a desired level of light intensity and storing the indication as one of a plurality of binary numbers, the binary numbers each having at least four bits and representing a particular level of light intensity during a frame time period, wherein each binary number has a plurality of most significant bits and a plurality of least significant bits, each of the most significant bits and each of the least significant bits associated with a particular time duration, the plurality of binary numbers comprising at least sixteen consecutive binary numbers, generate, for each of at least twelve of the consecutive binary numbers, a plurality of continuous pulse chains each corresponding to a particular one of the binary numbers and having a designated start time within the frame time period, each of the continuous pulse chains having a duration represented by the most significant bits of the particular one of the binary numbers and concluding at a stop time, wherein any of the generated continuous pulse chains shorter in duration than another one of the generated continuous pulse chains has a later start time within the frame time period than the start time of the another one of the generated continuous pulse chains, and wherein the later start time is later than the start time by a time interval, the time interval equal to an integer multiple of the particular time duration of the least significant one of the most significant bits, and generate a plurality of variable timing pulses each corresponding to the particular one of the binary numbers and having a start time within the frame time period that is immediately after the stop time of a corresponding one of the continuous pulse chains, the each of the plurality of variable timing pulses generated according to a time duration represented by the least significant bits of the particular one of the binary numbers; receiving the indication at the logic; storing the indication as the binary number; and generating a single pulse having a duration indicative of the desired level of light intensity to drive the pixel to the particular level of light intensity. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method for driving a pixel, comprising:
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receiving an indication of a desired level of light intensity and storing the indication as one of a plurality of binary numbers, the plurality of binary numbers each having at least four bits and representing a particular level of light intensity during a frame time period, wherein each binary number has a plurality of most significant bits and a plurality of least significant bits, each of the most significant bits and each of the least significant bits associated with a particular time duration, the plurality of binary numbers comprising at least sixteen consecutive binary numbers; generating, for any of at least twelve of the consecutive binary numbers, a plurality of continuous pulse chains each corresponding to a particular one of the binary numbers and having a designated start time within the frame time period, each of the continuous pulse chains having a duration represented by the most significant bits of the particular one of the binary numbers and concluding at a stop time, wherein any of the generated continuous pulse chains shorter in duration than another one of the generated continuous pulse chains has a later start time within the frame time period than the start time of the another one of the generated continuous pulse chains, and wherein the later start time is later than the start time by a time interval, the time interval equal to an integer multiple of the particular time duration of the least significant one of the most significant bits; and generating a plurality of variable timing pulses each corresponding to the particular one of the binary numbers and having a start time within the frame time period that is immediately after the stop time of a corresponding one of the continuous pulse chains, the each of the plurality of variable timing pulses generated according to a time duration represented by the least significant bits of the particular one of the binary numbers. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A system for driving a pixel, comprising:
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a display unit having a display screen, the display screen comprising a plurality of pixels; a logic unit coupled to the display screen and operable, when executed, to; receive an indication of a desired level of light intensity and storing the indication as one of a plurality of binary numbers, the plurality of binary numbers each having at least four bits and representing a particular level of light intensity during a frame time period, wherein each binary number has a plurality of most significant bits and a plurality of least significant bits, each of the most significant bits and each of the least significant bits associated with a particular time duration, the plurality of binary numbers comprising at least sixteen consecutive binary numbers; generate, for each of at least twelve of the consecutive binary numbers, a plurality of continuous pulse chains each corresponding to a particular one of the binary numbers and having a designated start time within the frame time period, each of the continuous pulse chains having a duration represented by the most significant bits of the particular one of the binary numbers and concluding at a stop time, wherein any of the generated continuous pulse chains shorter in duration than another one of the generated continuous pulse chains has a later start time within the frame time period than the start time of the another one of the generated continuous pulse chains, wherein the later start time is later than the start time by a time interval, the time interval equal to an integer multiple of the particular time duration of the least significant one of the most significant bits; and generate a plurality of variable timing pulses each corresponding to the particular one of the binary numbers and having a start time within the frame time period that is immediately after the stop time of a corresponding one of the continuous pulse chains, the each of the plurality of variable timing pulses generated according to a time duration represented by the least significant bits of the particular one of the binary numbers. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38)
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Specification