Method and system for driving a bi-stable display

• US 7,920,135 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2005
• Issued: 04/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm MEMS Technologies Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mathew, Mithran, Sampsell, Jeffrey B., Tyger, Karen
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisen; Alexander
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mandeville; Jason M
• Application Number:
  US11/096,547
• Publication Number:
  US 20060066595A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,195 Days
• Field of Search: 345204-206, 345 82- 90, 345/55, 345/76, 345/108, 345/97, 345/100, 345/104, 345/690, 345/214, 359/198, 359/224, 359247-295, 359/318, 359/320, 359/359, 359578-589
• US Class Current: 345/204
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/04 Partial updating of the display screen
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/021 Power management, e.g. power saving
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2007 Display of intermediate tones
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3466 based on interferometric effect
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/395 Arrangements specially adapted for transferring the contents of the bit-mapped memory to the screen G09G5/399 takes precedence

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed for providing video data and display signals. In one embodiment, a system is configured to display video data on an array of bi-stable display elements, where the system includes a processor, a display comprising an array of bi-stable display elements, a driver controller connected to the processor and configured to receive video data from the processor, and an array driver configured to receive video data from the driver controller and display signals from the processor, and to display the video data on the array of bi-stable display elements using the display signals. In another embodiment, a method of displaying data on a bi-stable display includes transmitting display signals from a processor to a driver of an array of bi-stable display elements, and updating an image displayed on the array of bi-stable display elements, wherein the updating is based on signals from the driver and performed on a periodic basis that is based at least in part upon the transmitted display signals.

Claims

1. A system configured to display video data on an array of bi-stable display elements, the system comprising:

a processor configured to receive video data;

a display comprising an array of bi-stable display elements;

a driver controller separate from and in data communication with the processor and configured to receive the video data from the processor wherein the driver controller is not specifically configured for driving the array of bi-stable display elements; and

an array driver directly connected to the driver controller and configured to receive the video data from the driver controller, the array driver further being directly connected to the processor and configured to receive display signals directly from the processor, the connection between the array driver and the processor being different from the connection between the array driver and the driver controller, the array driver being further configured to display the video data on the array of bi-stable display elements using the display signals, wherein the display signals reduce a refresh and/or update rate of displaying the video data on the array of bi-stable display elements from a refresh and/or update rate corresponding to the configuration of the driver controller, and in accordance with the display features of the array of bi-stable display elements.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the array of bi-stable display elements comprise interferometric modulators.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the display signals comprise instructions that are used by the array driver to control a drive scheme for the array of bi-stable display elements.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the array driver is configured to partition the array into one or more regions based on the display signals.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the array driver receives region information from the processor that identifies a group of bi-stable display elements of the array of bi-stable display elements, and wherein the display signals are used to control a refresh rate for the identified group of bi-stable display elements.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the array driver is further configured to display the video data in an interlaced format.

7. A method of displaying data, comprising:

transmitting video data from a processor directly to a driver controller, wherein the driver controller is separate from the processor;

transmitting the video data from the driver controller directly to an array driver through a first connection, the array driver being connected to an array of bi-stable display elements, and wherein the driver controller is not specifically configured for driving the array of bi-stable display elements;

transmitting display signals directly from the processor to the array driver through a second connection, the second connection directly connecting the processor and the array driver to allow data communication between the processor and the array driver, the second connection being different from the first connection;

executing at least part of the transmitted display signal, wherein the executed display signals operate to control the frequency that the image displayed by the array of bi-stable display elements is updated by reducing a refresh and/or update rate of displaying the video data on the array of bi-stable display elements from a refresh and/or update rate corresponding to the configuration of the driver controller, and in accordance with the display features of the array of bi-stable display elements; and

updating an image displayed on the array of bi-stable display elements, wherein the updating is based on the transmitted display signals.

8. The method of claim 7, additionally comprising:

determining a display rate of video data; and

generating display signals based at least in part upon the determined display rate.

9. The method of claim 7, additionally comprising partitioning the array into one or more groups of bi-stable display elements using partition information contained in the display signals, wherein updating an image displayed comprises updating an image displayed on the one or more groups of bi-stable display elements of the array, wherein each of the one or more groups is updated at a refresh rate that is specified by information contained in the display signals.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the array of bi-stable display elements comprises a plurality of interferometric modulators.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein updating an image displayed on the array comprises displaying the image in an interlaced format.

12. A system for displaying video data on a bi-stable display, comprising:

first means for directly coupling a processor to a driver controller and transmitting video data from the processor to the driver controller, wherein the driver controller is separate from the processor, and the driver controller is not specifically configured for driving the bi-stable display;

second means for directly coupling the processor to an array driver of an array of bi-stable display elements and transmitting display signals directly from the processor to the array driver, the second coupling and transmitting means being different from the first coupling and transmitting means;

means for transmitting the video data from the driver controller directly to the array driver;

means for executing at least part of the transmitted display signals, wherein the executed display signals operate to control a frequency which the image displayed by the array of bi-stable display elements is updated by reducing a refresh and/or update rate of displaying the video data on the array of bi-stable display elements from a refresh and/or update rate corresponding to the configuration of the driver controller, and in accordance with the display features of the array of bi-stable display elements; and

means for updating an image displayed by the array of bi-stable display elements, wherein the updating is based on the transmitted display signals.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the array of bi-stable display elements comprise interferometric modulators.

14. The system of claim 12, additionally comprising:

means for determining a display rate of video data; and

means for generating display signals based at least in part upon the determined display rate.

15. The system of claim 12, additionally comprising:

means for transmitting region information identifying a group of the bi-stable display elements; and

wherein updating the image that is displayed is performed for the group of bi-stable display elements.