Circuits for controlling display apparatus

• US 9,087,486 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2011
• Issued: 07/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Pixtronix, Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gandhi, Jignesh, Steyn, Jasper Lodewyk, Fijol, John J., Barton, Roger W., Lewis, Stephen R., McAllister, Abraham, Hagood, Nesbitt W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mishler, Robin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Said, Mansour M
• Application Number:
  US13/019,215
• Publication Number:
  US 20110148948A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,631 Days
• Field of Search: 345/55, 345 83- 84, 345 87- 88, 345/90, 345/92, 345 95- 96, 345/100, 345108-109, 345/214, 359/198, 359/214, 359/224, 359/227, 359/290, 359/295, 359/298, 315/169.3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0232 using shutters
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/027 Control of working procedures of a spectrometer; Failure detection; Bandwidth calculation
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/001 based on interference in an adjustable optical cavity interference filters G02B5/28; devices or arrangements using multiple reflections in spectrometry or monochromators G01J3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/004 based on a displacement or a deformation of a fluid
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/04 by periodically varying the intensity of light, e.g. using choppers shutters, diaphragms for cameras G03B9/00; devices for eliminating or reducing the effect of flicker in projection systems G03B21/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/08 Active matrix structure, i.e. with use of active elements, inclusive of non-linear two terminal elements, in the pixels together with light emitting or modulating elements
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0814 used for selection purposes, e.g. logical AND for partial update
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0842 forming a memory circuit, e.g. a dynamic memory with one capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0857 Static memory circuit, e.g. flip-flop
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0885 Pixel comprising a non-linear two-terminal element alone in series with each display pixel element
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0235 Field-sequential colour display
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0251 Precharge or discharge of pixel before applying new pixel voltage
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0254 Control of polarity reversal in general, other than for liquid crystal displays
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0262 The addressing of the pixel, in a display other than an active matrix LCD, involving the control of two or more scan electrodes or two or more data electrodes, e.g. pixel voltage dependent on signals of two data electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/063 Waveforms for resetting the whole screen at once
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0646 Modulation of illumination source brightness and image signal correlated to each other
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/021 Power management, e.g. power saving
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/144 the light being ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2011 by amplitude modulation
• 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 3/2081 : with combination of amplitude modulation and time modulation space and time error diffusion G09G3/2066
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3406 : Control of illumination source illumination devices structurally associated with liquid crystal cells G02F1/1336
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3413 : Details of control of colour illumination sources
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3433 : using light modulating elements actuated by an electric field and being other than liquid crystal devices and electrochromic devices using liquid crystal devices G09G3/36; using electrochromic devices G09G3/38
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3473 : based on light coupled out of a light guide, e.g. due to scattering, by contracting the light guide with external means
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/348 : based on the deformation of a fluid drop, e.g. electrowetting

Abstract

A method of operating a display including loading image data to pixels in multiple rows of pixels in an array of pixels during a data loading phase, actuating the pixels in the multiple rows during an update phase, and illuminating at least one lamp during an lamp illumination phase to illuminate the actuated pixels to form an image on the display, in which each of the loading, actuating and illuminating phases partially overlap in time.

Claims

1. A method of operating a display comprising:

loading image data to an array of pixels during a data loading phase;

actuating a light blocking element in pixels of at least two rows and at least two columns during an update phase; and

illuminating at least one lamp during a lamp illumination phase to direct light toward the pixels to form an image on the display, wherein the update phase partially overlaps with the data loading phase to increase a lamp duty cycle, and wherein the update phase comprises a first sub-phase corresponding to a first transition of a light blocking element, and a second sub-phase corresponding to a second transition of the light blocking element, and wherein image data is loaded during at least a portion of the first sub-phase.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the lamp illumination phase overlaps with the data loading phase for a duration of the data loading phase.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the update phase comprises transmitting a plurality of update signals.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein a first update signal of the plurality of update signals further comprises a first signal phase and a second signal phase corresponding to the first and second sub-phases, and wherein the data loading phase overlaps with the transmission of the first signal phase of the first update signal.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising a second update signal of the plurality of update signals having a first signal phase and a second signal phase corresponding to the first and second sub-phases, wherein the lamp illumination phase overlaps the transmission of both the second signal phase of the first update signal and the first signal phase of the second update signal.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the data loading phase partially overlaps with the first sub-phase.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the first sub-phase corresponds to an electrical setting sub-phase for setting an electrical state of at least one latch circuit, and the second sub-phase corresponds to a mechanical reaction sub-phase for moving at least one light blocking element.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the data loading phase overlaps with the mechanical reaction sub-phase.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the lamp illumination phase partially overlaps with the electrical setting sub-phase.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein the first sub-phase corresponds to a time period for actuating the respective light blocking elements in a plurality of pixels to move into a position to block light;

and the second sub-phase corresponds to a time period for actuating the respective light blocking elements in a plurality of pixels to move into a position indicated by the image data.

11. The method of claim 3, wherein the lamp illumination phase partially overlaps with at least one of the first sub-phase and the second sub-phase.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising moving a light blocking element during a transition phase, wherein the lamp illumination phase partially overlaps the transition phase.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the lamp illumination phase overlaps the transition during a reset phase.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the data loading phase overlaps the end of the update phase and the beginning of the lamp illumination phase.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the loading, update and illumination phases all at least partially overlap each other.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the display is built upon a transparent substrate.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the display comprises an array of MEMS light modulators.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the display comprises an array of shutter-based light modulators.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the update phase partially overlaps with the lamp illumination phase.