Signal processing device, signal processing method, liquid crystal device, and electronic apparatus

• US 9,411,182 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2013
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Wakabayashi, Junichi, Nishimura, Haruhiko, Iisaka, Hidehito
• Primary Examiner(s): Lao, Lun-Yi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lau, Johny
• Application Number:
  US13/917,428
• Publication Number:
  US 20130335650A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,153 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13306 Circuit arrangements or driving methods for the control of single liquid crystal cells G02F1/132, G02F1/133382 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0209 Crosstalk reduction, i.e. to reduce direct or indirect influences of signals directed to a certain pixel of the displayed image on other pixels of said image, inclusive of influences affecting pixels in different frames or fields or sub-images which constitute a same image, e.g. left and right images of a stereoscopic display
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0285 using tables for spatial correction of display data
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3648 using an active matrix G09G3/367 - G09G3/3696 take precedence

Abstract

A signal processing device, on the basis of signals that control voltages to be applied to pixels, a boundary between a first pixel corresponding to a first signal that applies a first voltage and a second pixel adjacent to the first pixel and corresponding to a second signal that applies a second voltage different from the first voltage at least by a predetermined threshold. The first signal is corrected to a third signal that applies a third voltage higher than the first voltage, and the second signal is corrected to a fourth signal that applies a fourth voltage higher than the second voltage. The second voltage is higher than the first voltage, the fourth voltage is higher than the third voltage, and a potential difference between the first voltage and the third voltage is larger than a potential difference between the second voltage and the fourth voltage.

Claims

1. A signal processing device comprising:

a detection unit that detects, on the basis of a signal that controls a voltage to be applied to each of the plurality of pixels, a boundary between (i) a first pixel corresponding to a first signal that applies a first voltage and (ii) a second pixel adjacent to the first pixel and corresponding to a second signal that applies a second voltage different in potential from the first voltage at least by a predetermined threshold; and

a correction unit that corrects the first signal to a third signal that applies a third voltage higher than the first voltage, and the second signal to a fourth signal that applies a fourth voltage higher than the second voltage,

wherein the second voltage is higher than the first voltage,

the fourth voltage is higher than the third voltage, and

a potential difference between the first voltage and the third voltage is larger than a potential difference between the second voltage and the fourth voltage.

2. The signal processing device according to claim 1,

wherein the detection unit compares between:

(i) a first integral value of transmittance of the first pixel and the second pixel obtained when the first voltage based on the first signal is applied to the first pixel and the second voltage based on the second signal is applied to the second pixel; and

(ii) a second integral value of transmittance of the second pixel and the first pixel obtained when the first voltage based on the first signal is applied to the second pixel and the second voltage based on the second signal is applied to the first pixel, and

detects, out of boundaries between the first pixel and the second pixel, a boundary where the first integral value becomes smaller than the second integral value.

3. The signal processing device according to claim 1,

wherein the detection unit compares between:

(i) an integral value of transmittance of the first pixel and the second pixel obtained when the first voltage based on the first signal is applied to the first pixel and the second voltage based on the second signal is applied to the second pixel; and

(ii) an average value of (a) a first transmittance obtained when the first voltage based on the first signal is applied to the first pixel and the second pixel and (b) a second transmittance obtained when the second voltage based on the second signal is applied to the first pixel and the second pixel, and

detects a boundary between the first pixel and the second pixel where the integral value is smaller than the average value.

4. A signal processing method for controlling a voltage to be applied to each of a plurality of pixels, in a liquid crystal device including a first substrate on which a plurality of pixel electrodes are provided, a second substrate on which a common electrode associated with the plurality of pixel electrodes is provided, a liquid crystal interposed between the plurality of pixel electrodes and the common electrode, and the plurality of pixels each composed of one of the plurality of pixel electrodes, the liquid crystal, and the common electrode, the signal processing method comprising:

detecting, on the basis of a signal that controls a voltage to be applied to each of the plurality of pixels, a boundary between (i) a first pixel corresponding to a first signal that applies a first voltage and (ii) a second pixel adjacent to the first pixel and corresponding to a second signal that applies a second voltage different in potential from the first voltage at least by a predetermined threshold; and

correcting the first signal to a third signal that applies a third voltage higher than the first voltage, and the second signal to a fourth signal that applies a fourth voltage higher than the second voltage,

wherein the correcting of the first signal and the second signal includes;

making the second voltage higher than the first voltage; and

making the fourth voltage higher than the third voltage,

such that a potential difference between the first voltage and the third voltage becomes larger than a potential difference between the second voltage and the fourth voltage.

5. A liquid crystal device comprising:

a first substrate on which a plurality of pixel electrodes are provided;

a second substrate on which a common electrode associated with the plurality of pixel electrodes is provided;

a liquid crystal interposed between the plurality of pixel electrodes and the common electrode;

a plurality of pixels each composed of one of the plurality of pixel electrodes, the liquid crystal, and the common electrode; and

a signal processing unit that controls a voltage to be applied to each of the plurality of pixels,

wherein the signal processing unit includes;

a detection unit that detects, on the basis of a signal that controls a voltage to be applied to each of the plurality of pixels, a boundary between (i) a first pixel corresponding to a first signal that applies a first voltage and (ii) a second pixel adjacent to the first pixel and corresponding to a second signal that applies a second voltage different in potential from the first voltage at least by a predetermined threshold; and

a correction unit that corrects the first signal to a third signal that applies a third voltage higher than the first voltage, and the second signal to a fourth signal that applies a fourth voltage higher than the second voltage,

the second voltage is higher than the first voltage,

the fourth voltage is higher than the third voltage, and

a potential difference between the first voltage and the third voltage is larger than a potential difference between the second voltage and the fourth voltage.

6. An electronic apparatus comprising the liquid crystal device according to claim 5.

7. A signal processing device comprising:

a detection unit that detects, on the basis of a signal that controls a voltage to be applied to each of the plurality of pixels, (i) a first pixel being applied a first voltage on the basis of a first signal and (ii) a second pixel adjacent to the first pixel and being applied a second voltage on the basis of a second signal different in potential from the first voltage at least by a predetermined threshold; and

a correction unit that corrects the first signal to a third signal that applies a third voltage higher than the first voltage, and the second signal to a fourth signal that applies a fourth voltage higher than the second voltage,

wherein the second voltage is higher than the first voltage,

the fourth voltage is higher than the third voltage, and

a potential difference between the first voltage and the third voltage is larger than a potential difference between the second voltage and the fourth voltage.

8. The signal processing device according to claim 7,

wherein the detection unit compares between:

(i) a first integral value of transmittance of the first pixel and the second pixel obtained when the first voltage based on the first signal is applied to the first pixel and the second voltage based on the second signal is applied to the second pixel; and

(ii) a second integral value of transmittance of the second pixel and the first pixel obtained when the first voltage based on the first signal is applied to the second pixel and the second voltage based on the second signal is applied to the first pixel, and

detects the first pixel and the second pixel that make the first integral value smaller than the second integral value.

9. The signal processing device according to claim 7,

wherein the detection unit compares between:

(i) an integral value of transmittance of the first pixel and the second pixel obtained when the first voltage based on the first signal is applied to the first pixel and the second voltage based on the second signal is applied to the second pixel, and

(ii) an average value of (a) a first transmittance obtained when the first voltage based on the first signal is applied to the first pixel and the second pixel and (b) a second transmittance obtained when the second voltage based on the second signal is applied to the first pixel and the second pixel, and

detects the first pixel and the second pixel that make the integral value smaller than the average value.

10. A signal processing method for controlling a voltage to be applied to each of a plurality of pixels, in a liquid crystal device including a first substrate on which a plurality of pixel electrodes are provided, a second substrate on which a common electrode associated with the plurality of pixel electrodes is provided, a liquid crystal interposed between the plurality of pixel electrodes and the common electrode, and the plurality of pixels each composed of one of the plurality of pixel electrodes, the liquid crystal, and the common electrode, the signal processing method comprising:

detecting, on the basis of a signal that controls a voltage to be applied to each of the plurality of pixels,

(i) a first pixel corresponding to a first signal that applies a first voltage and

(ii) a second pixel adjacent to the first pixel and corresponding to a second signal that applies a second voltage different in potential from the first voltage at least by a predetermined threshold; and

correcting the first signal to a third signal that applies a third voltage higher than the first voltage, and the second signal to a fourth signal that applies a fourth voltage higher than the second voltage,

wherein the correcting of the first signal and the second signal includes;

making the second voltage higher than the first voltage; and

making the fourth voltage higher than the third voltage,

such that a potential difference between the first voltage and the third voltage becomes larger than a potential difference between the second voltage and the fourth voltage.

11. A liquid crystal device comprising:

a first substrate on which a plurality of pixel electrodes are provided;

a second substrate on which a common electrode associated with the plurality of pixel electrodes is provided;

a liquid crystal interposed between the plurality of pixel electrodes and the common electrode;

a plurality of pixels each composed of one of the plurality of pixel electrodes, the liquid crystal, and the common electrode; and

a signal processing unit that controls a voltage to be applied to each of the plurality of pixels,

wherein the signal processing unit includes;

a detection unit that detects, on the basis of a signal that controls a voltage to be applied to each of the plurality of pixels, (i) a first pixel corresponding to a first signal that applies a first voltage and (ii) a second pixel adjacent to the first pixel and corresponding to a second signal that applies a second voltage different in potential from the first voltage at least by a predetermined threshold; and

a correction unit that corrects the first signal to a third signal that applies a third voltage higher than the first voltage, and the second signal to a fourth signal that applies a fourth voltage higher than the second voltage,

the second voltage is higher than the first voltage,

the fourth voltage is higher than the third voltage, and

a potential difference between the first voltage and the third voltage is larger than a potential difference between the second voltage and the fourth voltage.

12. An electronic apparatus comprising the liquid crystal device according to claim 11.