Single wire interface for LCD calibrator

• US 7,050,027 B1
• Filed: 01/16/2004
• Issued: 05/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc. (Analog Devices, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc. (Analog Devices, Inc.)
• Inventors: Macrae, Calum
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisen, Alexander
• Assistant Examiner(s): Harris, Monica
• Application Number:
  US10/759,927
• Time in Patent Office: 858 Days
• Field of Search: 345 87-104, 345211-213, 324/770
• US Class Current: 345/87
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0693 Calibration of display systems
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3655 Details of drivers for counter electrodes, e.g. common electrodes for pixel capacitors or supplementary storage capacitors

Abstract

A calibration circuit and related method for adjusting a common electrode voltage Vcom of a liquid crystal display (LCD) in response to commands received by way of a single-wire interface. The calibration circuit includes a controller to receive and interpret commands in the form of positive and negative pulses for respectively increasing and decreasing Vcom by a predetermined amount per pulse. The calibration circuit also includes a counter for generating a count related to Vcom, wherein the controller causes the count to decrement and increment in response to the positive and negative command pulses. The calibration circuit further includes a non-volatile memory for storing the count, wherein the controller causes the count to be stored into the non-volatile memory in response to another command in the form of a voltage above a predetermined threshold. This voltage is also used for programming the non-volatile memory.

Claims

1. A calibration circuit for adjusting a common electrode voltage Vcom for a liquid crystal display (LCD), comprising a controller to receive a first command for changing said common electrode voltage Vcom by way of a single-wire interface, and to cause said common electrode voltage Vcom to change in response to said first command, the controller having a counter to generate a count related to said common electrode voltage Vcom, and a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) to generate an intermediate voltage related to said count.

2. The calibration circuit of claim 1, further comprising a current-steering circuit to steer a current related to said common electrode voltage Vcom in response to said intermediate voltage.

3. The calibration circuit of claim 2, wherein said current-steering circuit comprises:

a field effect transistor (FET) including a drain, a gate, and a source;

an operational amplifier including a first input to receive said intermediate voltage, a second input coupled to the source of said FET, and an output coupled to the gate of said FET.

4. The calibration circuit of claim 3, further comprising a current-setting resistor coupled to the source of said FET.

5. The calibration circuit of claim 4, further comprising a voltage divider including an intermediate node coupled to a drain of said FET.

6. The calibration circuit of claim 5, further comprising a buffer coupled to said intermediate node of said voltage divider.

7. The calibration circuit of claim 1, further comprising a non-volatile memory for storing said count.

8. The calibration circuit of claim 7, wherein said non-volatile memory comprises an electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM).

9. The calibration circuit of claim 7, wherein said controller causes said count of said counter to be rewritten into said non-volatile memory in response to a second command received by way of said single-wire interface.

10. The calibration circuit of claim 9, wherein said second command comprises a voltage greater than a predetermined threshold.

11. The calibration circuit of claim 10, further comprising a comparator to compare said second command voltage to said threshold, and to generate a signal for said controller if said second command voltage is greater than said threshold.

12. The calibration circuit of claim 10, wherein said non-volatile memory is configured to receive said second command voltage for use in storing said count into said non-volatile.

13. The calibration circuit of claim 1, wherein said controller includes an enable input for receiving a second command which causes said controller to ignore said first command.

14. The calibration circuit of claim 1, further comprising a low power mode circuit to reduce a power consumption of said calibration circuit.

15. A method of adjusting a common electrode voltage Vcom of a liquid crystal display (LCD), comprising:

generating a count related to said common electrode voltage Vcom;

receiving a first command to change said count in a first direction to increase said common electrode voltage Vcom by way of a single-wire interface;

increasing said common electrode voltage Vcom in response to said count;

receiving a second command to change said count in a second direction to decrease said common electrode voltage Vcom by way of said single-wire interface; and

decreasing said common electrode voltage Vcom in response to said count;

receiving a third command to store said count in a non-volatile memory by way of said single-wire interface;

storing said count in said non-volatile memory in response to said third command.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising decrementing said count in response to said first command.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising incrementing said count in response to said second command.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein said first command comprises a pulse.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein a maximum amplitude of said pulse is above a predetermined amplitude threshold to indicate that said first command is for increasing the common electrode voltage Vcom.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein a width of said pulse is above a predetermined width threshold to indicate that said pulse is not to be ignored.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein said second command comprises a pulse.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein a minimum amplitude of said pulse is below a predetermined amplitude threshold to indicate that said second command is for decreasing the common electrode voltage Vcom.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein a width of said pulse is above a predetermined width threshold to indicate that said pulse is not to be ignored.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein said third command comprises a voltage above a predetermined voltage threshold.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising using said voltage to program a storing of said count into said non-volatile memory.

26. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving a pulse by way of said single-wire interface; and

ignoring said pulse if a width of said pulse is below a predetermined width threshold.

27. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving a fourth command to disable a processing of said first and second commands;

receiving a fifth command to increase or decrease said common electrode voltage Vcom by way of said single-wire interface; and

ignoring said fifth command in response to said fourth command.

28. A calibration circuit for use in adjusting a common electrode voltage Vcom for a liquid crystal display (LCD) comprising:

a controller to receive commands by way of a single-wire interface;

an up/down counter coupled to the controller;

electrically reprogrammable nonvolatile storage coupled to the controller and to an output of the up/down counter;

a digital to analog converter (DAC) having an input coupled to the output of the up/down counter, an output of the DAC being coupled to provide a calibration circuit output;

the up/down counter having a power on reset for resetting the counter to a count stored in the nonvolatile storage on application of power to the calibration circuit;

the controller being responsive to a first command from the single wire interface to cause the counter to increase its count;

the controller being responsive to a second command from the single wire interface to cause the counter to decrease its count;

the controller being responsive to a third command from the single wire interface to cause the nonvolatile storage to store a count from the up/down counter.

29. The calibration circuit of claim 28 wherein the first and second commands are voltage pulses in first and second directions, respectively, of at least a predetermined duration.

30. The calibration circuit of claim 29 wherein the first command is sensed by sensing a voltage from the single wire interface relative to a threshold voltage.

31. The calibration circuit of claim 29 wherein the second command is sensed by sensing a voltage from the single wire interface relative to a threshold voltage.

32. The calibration circuit of claim 29 wherein the first and second commands are each voltage pulses of decreased and increased voltages, respectively.

33. The calibration circuit of claim 32 wherein the third command comprises a programming voltage pulse for the nonvolatile storage.

34. The calibration circuit of claim 33 wherein the third command is a positive going programming voltage pulse of greater amplitude than the second command, the controller being configured to distinguish between the second and third commands by sensing a positive pulse rising to a voltage above a second command voltage in less than the predetermined duration.

35. The calibration circuit of claim 34 wherein the predetermined duration is 200 μ

sec.

36. The calibration circuit of claim 29 wherein the third command comprises a programming voltage pulse for the nonvolatile storage.

37. The calibration circuit of claim 36 wherein the electrically reprogrammable nonvolatile storage is an EEPROM.

38. The calibration circuit of claim 29 wherein the first and second commands are each voltage pulses of decreased and increased voltages, respectively, relative to a threshold voltage.

39. The calibration circuit of claim 28 wherein the calibration circuit output is configured to provide an adjustable output current sink.

40. The calibration circuit of claim 39 wherein the adjustable output current sink is configured to sink more current responsive to an increase in the count in the up/down counter.

41. The calibration circuit of claim 28 wherein the controller is responsive to the first, second and third commands only when a controller enable signal received on a controller enable terminal enables the controller.

42. The calibration circuit of claim 28 wherein the calibration circuit is a single integrated circuit.

43. A calibration circuit for use in adjusting a common electrode voltage Vcom for a liquid crystal display (LCD) comprising:

a controller coupled to receive commands by way of a single-wire interface;

an up/down counter coupled to the controller;

electrically reprogrammable nonvolatile storage coupled to the controller and to an output of the up/down counter;

a digital to analog converter (DAC) having an input coupled to the output of the up/down counter, an output of the DAC being coupled to provide an adjustable calibration circuit current sink output;

the up/down counter having a power on reset for resetting the counter to a count stored in the nonvolatile storage on application of power to the calibration circuit;

the controller being responsive to a first pulse of reduced voltage from the single wire interface relative to a threshold voltage for at least a predetermined time to cause the counter to increase its count;

the controller being responsive to a second pulse of increased voltage from the single wire interface relative to a threshold voltage for at least a predetermined time to cause the counter to decrease its count;

the controller being responsive to a programming voltage pulse from the single wire interface to cause the nonvolatile storage to store a count from the up/down counter, the controller being configured to distinguish between the programming voltage pulse and the second pulse by sensing the rise in voltage above a voltage exceeding the voltage of a first pulse in less than the predetermined time.

44. The calibration circuit of claim 43 wherein the predetermined duration is 200 μ

sec.

45. The calibration circuit of claim 43 wherein the electrically reprogrammable nonvolatile storage is an EEPROM.

46. The calibration circuit of claim 43 wherein the adjustable output current sink is configured to sink more current responsive to an increase in the count in the up/down counter.

47. The calibration circuit of claim 43 wherein the controller will be responsive to the first, second and third commands only when a controller enable signal received on a controller enable terminal enables the controller.

48. The calibration circuit of claim 43 wherein the calibration circuit is a single integrated circuit.