Methods for driving electro-optic displays

• US 9,513,743 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2013
• Issued: 12/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: E Ink Holdings Incorporated
• Original Assignee: E Ink Holdings Incorporated
• Inventors: Sjodin, Theodore H., Ben-Dov, Yuval, Crounse, Kenneth R., Lin, Jason, Amundson, Karl Raymond, Almon, Michael Patrick, Enxing, Hugh M., O'Malley, Timothy J. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): Quiles, Ivelisse Martinez
• Application Number:
  US13/898,592
• Publication Number:
  US 20130321278A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,295 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/005 based on electrowetting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/02 Input arrangements using manually operated switches, e.g. using keyboards or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/06 Details of flat display driving waveforms
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/344 based on particles moving in a fluid or in a gas, e.g. electrophoretic devices electrophoretic devices per se G02F1/167
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/348 based on the deformation of a fluid drop, e.g. electrowetting

Abstract

A touch screen electro-optic display is arranged such that upon a touch being detected on the display surface, the display surface surrounding the touch “blinks” by being driven to a different optical state, then back to its original state. A second method uses a display having a pen or stylus which can draw lines upon the display. A first line segment is detected and its area updated using a first drive scheme having short waveforms. The area of a second line segment is updated using the first drive scheme. Thereafter, the areas of both line segments are updated using a second drive scheme different from the first drive scheme.

Claims

1. A method of driving an electro-optic display having a display surface, the method comprising:

detecting a touch upon the display surface;

driving a portion of the electro-optic display surrounding the touch from its previous optical state to a different optical state; and

automatically driving the portion of the electro-optic display surrounding the touch from the different optical state to its previous optical state,

wherein an overall drive scheme for driving the portion of the electro-optic display surrounding the touch from its previous optical state to the different optical state and back to its previous optical state is direct current (DC) balanced,

wherein the overall drive scheme for driving the portion of the electro-optic display surrounding the touch from its previous optical state to the different optical state and back to its previous optical state is between 60 milliseconds (ms) and 250 ms in total length, and

wherein the electro-optic display comprises an electrophoretic material comprising a plurality of electrically charged particles disposed in a fluid and capable of moving through the fluid under the influence of an electric field.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the portion of the electro-optic display surrounding the touch is substantially cruciform and has a form of two rectangles intersecting at a point that corresponds to the touch.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the electrically charged particles and the fluid are confined within a plurality of capsules or microcells.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the electrically charged particles and the fluid are present as a plurality of discrete droplets surrounded by a continuous phase comprising a polymeric material.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the fluid is gaseous.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein its previous optical state is a white state or a black state, and the different optical state is a gray state.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein its previous optical state is a gray state and the different optical state is a white state or a black state.