Instructions controlling light modulating elements

• US 8,089,431 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2006
• Issued: 01/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Syndiant Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Syndiant Incorporated
• Inventors: Guttag, Karl M., Guttag, Alvin
• Primary Examiner(s): Dharia, Prabodh M
• Application Number:
  US11/382,776
• Publication Number:
  US 20060208963A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,063 Days
• Field of Search: 345/57, 345/84, 345/85, 345/87, 345/90, 345/92, 345/100, 345/103, 345/108, 345/204, 345/205, 345/545, 345/611, 345690-693, 348/771, 348/750, 382/252, 382/275, 382/276, 708/191, 708/835, 708/7, 708/607, 708/300, 708/316
• US Class Current: 345/84
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0809 Several active elements per pixel in active matrix panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0857 Static memory circuit, e.g. flip-flop
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0221 with use of split matrices G09G3/3644 and G09G3/3666 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0275 Details of drivers for data electrodes, other than drivers for liquid crystal, plasma or OLED displays, not related to handling digital grey scale data or to communication of data to the pixels by means of a current
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2014 by modulation of the duration of a single pulse during which the logic level remains constant
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2022 using sub-frames
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/34 by control of light from an independent source
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/346 based on modulation of the reflection angle, e.g. micromirrors micromirrors devices per se G02B26/0833
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/10 Intensity circuits

Abstract

The present invention provides a various methods, systems and devices for controlling light modulating elements and/or spatial light modulators. In some embodiments of the present invention, a recursive feedback method is used to control light modulating elements and/or spatial light modulators.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a two-dimensional array of light modulating elements;

a controller for reading pixel values for a one-dimensional array of light modulating elements of said two-dimensional array of light modulating elements; and

an array of processing elements for computing a one-dimensional array of control signals for output bits that control each of said light modulating elements, wherein said one-dimensional array of control signals is computed based on one or more sets of one-bit positions of said pixel values, wherein said control signals are used to control a next value of each of said output bits to thereby control each of said light modulating elements and wherein said next value can be conditionally set or reset.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said control signals control the setting or resetting of each of said output bits.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein each of said output bits is based on said control signals.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising pixel value control means for controlling addressing of said one bit position of pixel values.

5. The device of claim 1, further comprising output bit control means for controlling addressing of each of said output bits.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising computing control means for controlling said computing means.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising a visual display apparatus including said light modulating elements.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein said visual display apparatus is an LCoS device and wherein said visual display apparatus includes pH indicating means indicating when a liquid crystal and/or the environment surrounding said liquid crystal of said visual display apparatus is damaged.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the processing elements are bit serial processors.

10. A method comprising the following steps:

(a) inputting partially or fully encoded pixel values for an array of light modulating elements into a spatial light modulating device including said array of light modulating elements; and

(b) controlling digital processing on the spatial light modulating device using a series of instructions to thereby convert said pixel values into a one-dimensional array of control signals for a plurality of light modulating elements of said array of light modulating elements, wherein said digital processing comprises recursive feedback digital processing.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein step (b) is performed in a series of stages.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein each stage is controlled by said series of instructions.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein there are a different number of instructions for at least some of said stages.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein a different subset of bits of said pixel values are used to determine an output control for each stage.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein results from said digital processing are saved in a buffer prior to step (b).

16. The method of claim 10, wherein said method is implemented in a computer system.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein step (b) comprises controlling one or more pulse widths on each of the light modulating elements.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein said digital processing comprises bit serial processing.

19. A method comprising the following steps:

(a) inputting partially or fully encoded pixel values for an array of light modulating elements into a spatial light modulating device including said array of light modulating elements; and

(b) controlling digital processing on said spatial light modulating device using a series of instructions to thereby convert said pixel values into a one-dimensional array of control signals for a plurality of light modulating elements of said array of light modulating elements, wherein said digital processing comprises bit serial processing.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein step (b) is performed in a series of stages.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein each stage is controlled by said series of instructions.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein there are a different number of instructions for at least some of said stages.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein a different subset of bits of said pixel values are used to determine an output control for each stage.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein results from said digital processing are saved in a buffer prior to step (b).

25. The method of claim 19, wherein said method is implemented in a computer system.

26. A spatial light modulating device comprising:

a SIMD controller for controlling digital processing by multiple data paths to thereby convert pixel values to a plurality of control signals; and

mirrors/electrodes for controlling a plurality of light modulating elements of an array of light modulating elements based on said plurality of control signals.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the plurality of control signals control one or more pulse widths on each of the light modulating elements.

28. A method comprising the following steps:

(a) providing an array of mirrors/electrodes; and

(b) controlling said array of mirrors/electrodes using a recursive feedback process, wherein said recursive feedback process is performed using bit serial processing.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said array of mirrors/electrodes is a two-dimensional array.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein said bit serial processing is performed by one or more one-dimensional arrays of bit serial processing elements.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein said recursive feedback process uses pulse widths to control said array of mirrors/electrodes.

32. A system comprising:

an array of mirrors/electrodes; and

an array of memory bits for controlling said array of mirrors/electrodes using a recursive feedback process, said recursive feedback process being performed using bit serial processing.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein said recursive feedback process uses pulse widths to control said array of mirrors/electrodes.