Color liquid crystal display device and image display method thereof

• US 7,068,255 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2005
• Issued: 06/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Hirakata, Yoshiharu
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Xiao
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kevin M.
• Application Number:
  US11/036,330
• Publication Number:
  US 20050122320A1
• Time in Patent Office: 525 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-183
• US Class Current: 345/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3648 using an active matrix G09G3/367 - G09G3/3696 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/022 using memory planes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/36 characterised by the display of a graphic pattern, e.g. using an all-points-addressable [APA] memory

Abstract

There is disclosed a color liquid crystal display (LCD) device capable of displaying color images in response to direct entry of input data and/or instructions through operation of an associated coordinate pointing tool. Typically, this tool is a pen-like input device known as the “input pen” for use in determining the individual position for color display on the screen of a built-in LCD panel. A coordinate detector operates to recognize the position as designated by the input pen, generating and issuing an output signal indicative of the corresponding coordinate data. A color designator circuit designates a color as presently selected for color display. A memory device stores therein color data representative of the color designated. A memory controller is responsive to receipt of an address issued from the selected coordinate data for controlling the color data to be written into and read out of the memory. An output controller allows the color data read from the memory to be supplied to the LCD display screen as video data.

Claims

1. A display device for displaying a color image comprising:

a display panel comprising a plurality of pixels located in a matrix, where each of the plurality of pixels has a switching element;

a pointing device for pointing to identify a first portion in a color selecting portion on the display panel so as to select a color and for pointing to identify a second portion on the display panel after selecting the color on the display panel so as to select a locus for the selected color;

a coordinate detector for outputting first data derived from X-coordinate data and Y-coordinate data corresponding to the identified first portion and second data derived from X-coordinate data and Y-coordinate data corresponding to the identified second portion;

a color designator for setting, using the first data, color data corresponding to the selected color;

a memory device including storage regions for storing the color data;

a memory controller for generating an address corresponding to the second data, the address identifying the second portion on the display panel where the color is to be output; and

an output controller for outputting video data to the display panel, wherein the video data is generated by using the color data and the address.

2. The display device according to claim 1, further comprising at least one coordinate recognition sensor,

wherein the coordinate recognition sensor is at least one selected from the group consisting of a pressure sensor, an electrostatic sensor and a heat sensor.

3. The display device according to claim 1,

wherein each of the plurality of pixels includes a thin film transistor as the switching element.

4. The display device according to claim 1,

wherein the output controller operates to provide retiming, digital/analog conversion and level shift operations of the video data and display control signals.

5. The display device according to claim 1,

wherein the pointing device is a pen pointer.

6. A liquid crystal display device having the display device according to claim 1.

7. The display device according to claim 1,

wherein the number of the storage regions in the memory device is N;

wherein each of the N storage regions has a number of addresses equal to a number of pixels; and

wherein 2^N colors are addressed for the display panel.

8. A display device for displaying a color image comprising:

a display panel comprising a plurality of pixels located in a matrix, wherein each of the plurality of pixels has a switching element;

a color selecting menu in a color operation mode for selecting a color, wherein the color selecting menu is provided on the display panel;

a pointing device for pointing to identify a portion on the display panel after selecting the color;

a coordinate detector for outputting data derived from X-coordinate data and Y-coordinate data corresponding to the identified portion;

a color designator for converting the color into color data;

a memory device including storage regions for storing the color data;

a memory controller for generating an address corresponding to the data, the address corresponding to the identified portion on the display panel where the color is to be output; and

an output controller for outputting video data to the display panel, wherein the video data is generated by using the color data and the address.

9. The display device according to claim 8, further comprising at least one coordinate recognition sensor,

wherein the coordinate recognition sensor is at least one selected from the group consisting of a pressure sensor, an electrostatic sensor and a heat sensor.

10. The display device according to claim 8,

wherein each of the plurality of pixels includes a thin film transistor as the switching element.

11. The display device according to claim 8,

wherein the output controller operates to provide retiming, digital/analog conversion and level shift operations of the video data and display control signals.

12. The display device according to claim 8,

wherein the pointing device is a pen pointer.

13. A liquid crystal display device having the display device according to claim 8.

14. The display device according to claim 8,

wherein the number of the storage regions in the memory device is N;

wherein each of the N storage regions has a number of addresses equal to a number of pixels; and

wherein 2^N colors are addressed for the display panel.

15. A display device for displaying a color image comprising:

a display panel comprising a plurality of pixels located in a matrix, wherein each of the plurality of pixels has a switching element;

a pointing device for pointing to identify a first portion in a color selecting portion on the display panel so as to select a color and for pointing to identify a second portion on the display panel after selecting the color on the display panel so as to select a locus for the selected color;

a coordinate detector for outputting first data derived from X-coordinate data and Y-coordinate data corresponding to the identified first portion and second data derived from X-coordinate data and Y-coordinate data corresponding to the identified second portion;

a color designator for converting, using the first data, the color into N bit color data, wherein the N is a natural number;

a memory device including storage regions for storing the corresponding N bit color data,

wherein an i-th bit of the N color data corresponds to an i-th storage region of the memory device; and

wherein the i is a natural number not less than 1, and not greater than the N;

a memory controller for generating an address corresponding to the second data, the address identifying the second portion on the display panel where the color is to be output; and

an output controller for outputting video data to the display panel, wherein the video data is generated by using the N bit color data and the address.

16. The display device according to claim 15, further comprising at least one coordinate recognition sensor,

wherein the coordinate recognition sensor is at least one selected from the group consisting of a pressure sensor, an electrostatic sensor and a heat sensor.

17. The display device according to claim 15,

wherein each of the plurality of pixels includes a thin film transistor as the switching element.

18. The display device according to claim 15,

wherein the output controller operates to provide retiming, digital/analog conversion and level shift operations of the video data and display control signals.

19. The display device according to claim 15,

wherein the pointing device is a pen pointer.

20. A liquid crystal display device having the display device according to claim 15.

21. The display device according to claim 15,

wherein the number of the storage regions in the memory device is N;

wherein each of the N storage regions has a number of addresses equal to a number of pixels; and

wherein 2^N colors are addressed for the display panel.

22. A display device for displaying a color image comprising:

a display panel comprising a plurality of pixels located in a matrix, wherein each of the plurality of pixels has a switching element;

a color selecting menu in a color operation mode for selecting a color, wherein the color selecting menu is provided on the display panel;

a pointing device for pointing to identify a portion after selecting the color on the display panel;

a coordinate detector for outputting a data derived from X-coordinate data and Y-coordinate data corresponding to the identified portion;

a color designator for converting the color into N bit color data, wherein the N is a natural number;

a memory device including storage regions for storing the corresponding N bit color data,

wherein an i-th bit of the N color data corresponds to an i-th storage region of the memory device; and

wherein the i is a natural number not less than 1, and not greater than the N;

a memory controller for generating an address corresponding to the data, the address corresponding to the identified portion on the display panel where the color is to be output; and

an output controller for outputting video data to the display panel, wherein the video data is generated by using the N bit color data and the address.

23. The display device according to claim 22, further comprising at least one coordinate recognition sensor,

wherein the coordinate recognition sensor is at least one selected from the group consisting of a pressure sensor, an electrostatic sensor and a heat sensor.

24. The display device according to claim 22,

wherein each of the plurality of pixels includes a thin film transistor as the switching element.

25. The display device according to claim 22,

wherein the output controller operates to provide retiming, digital/analog conversion and level shift operations of the video data and display control signals.

26. The display device according to claim 22,

wherein the pointing device is a pen pointer.

27. A liquid crystal display device having the display device according to claim 22.

28. The display device according to claim 22,

wherein the number of the storage regions in the memory device is N;

wherein each of the N storage regions has a number of addresses equal to a number of pixels; and

wherein 2^N colors are addressed for the display panel.