Display device control method

• US 9,589,530 B1
• Filed: 06/30/2014
• Issued: 03/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Novoselov, Pavel, Aubert, Jozef Elisabeth
• Primary Examiner(s): Olson, Jason
• Application Number:
  US14/319,737
• Time in Patent Office: 981 Days
• Field of Search: 345/55
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2310/0267 Details of drivers for scan electrodes, other than drivers for liquid crystal, plasma or OLED displays
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0219 Reducing feedthrough effects in active matrix panels, i.e. voltage changes on the scan electrode influencing the pixel voltage due to capacitive coupling
• 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 3/348 based on the deformation of a fluid drop, e.g. electrowetting
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3674 Details of drivers for scan electrodes

Abstract

The patent application relates to a method of controlling a display device including display elements arranged in a matrix with n rows of display elements. The method includes: driving a first row of display elements, with a first output of a driving system being connected to the first row and disconnected from at least one further row of display elements.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a display device comprising display elements arranged in a matrix with n rows of display elements, the method comprising:

selecting one of the n rows as a first row of display elements to be driven;

generating a first row driving voltage pulse;

transmitting the first row driving voltage pulse from a first output of a row driving system to at least one switching element associated respectively with at least one display element of the first row of display elements;

during the transmitting the first row driving voltage pulse, a second output of the row driving system providing a high impedance state;

after the transmitting the first row driving voltage pulse;

disconnecting the first output of the row driving system from the at least one switching element associated respectively with at least one display element of the first row of display elements;

selecting one of the n rows, different from the first row of display elements, as a second row of display elements to be driven;

connecting the second output of the row driving system to the at least one switching element associated respectively with at least one display element of the second row of display elements;

generating a second row driving voltage pulse;

transmitting the second row driving voltage pulse from the second output of the row driving system to the at least one switching element associated respectively with at least one display element of the second row of display elements; and

during the transmitting the second row driving voltage pulse, the first output of the row driving system providing a high impedance state.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising:

selectively switching a first driving element to one of;

a driving mode to enable the transmitting the first row driving voltage pulse from the first output of the row driving system;

or

a high impedance mode for the providing the high impedance state during the transmitting the second row driving voltage pulse, and

in dependence on the selectively switching the first driving element, selectively switching a second driving element to one of;

a high impedance mode for the providing the high impedance state during the transmitting the first row driving voltage pulse;

or

a driving mode to enable the transmitting the second row driving voltage pulse.

3. The method according to claim 1,

a first driving element having the first output of the row driving system;

and

a second driving element having the second output,

the first driving element and the second driving element each capable of selectively providing, respectively, the high impedance state, a low voltage level output, and a high voltage level output, the high voltage level output being higher than the low voltage level output,

the first driving element and the second driving element each independently controllable to respectively provide;

the generating and transmitting the first row driving voltage pulse, and

the generating and transmitting the second row driving voltage pulse, by;

providing the respective low voltage level output;

providing the respective high voltage level output for a time period corresponding to a duration of the respective one of the first row driving voltage pulse and the second row driving voltage pulse; and

providing the respective low voltage level output after the providing the respective high voltage level output.

4. The method according to claim 1, comprising, during the transmitting the first row driving voltage pulse, connecting the first output of the row driving system to the at least one switching element associated respectively with at least one display element of the first row of display elements.

5. The method according to claim 4, comprising transmitting a first row selection voltage pulse to a first switching element associated with the first row of the n rows of display elements, to provide the connecting the first output of the row driving system to the at least one switching element associated respectively with at least one display element of the first row of display elements.

6. The method according to claim 1, comprising:

removing a first row selection voltage pulse from a first switching element associated with the first row of display elements, to provide the disconnecting the first output of the row driving system from the at least one switching element associated respectively with at least one display element of the first row of display elements; and

transmitting a second row selection voltage pulse to a second switching element associated with the second row of display elements, to provide the connecting the second output of the row driving system to the at least one switching element associated respectively with at least one display element of the second row of display elements.

7. The method according to claim 1, comprising, during the transmitting the first row driving voltage pulse, connecting the first output of the row driving system to the at least one switching element associated respectively with at least one display element of the first row of display elements, without connecting the first output of the row driving system to at least one switching element associated respectively with at least one display element of further rows of display elements of a first plurality of rows of display elements of the n rows, the first plurality of rows of display elements comprising the first row of display elements and the further rows of display elements but not the second row of display elements.

8. The method according to claim 7, comprising, after the transmitting the first row driving voltage pulse:

selecting one of the first plurality of rows of display elements, different from the first row of display elements, as a different row of display elements to be driven;

generating a different row driving voltage pulse; and

transmitting the different row driving voltage pulse from the first output of the row driving system to at least one switching element associated respectively with at least one display element of the different row of display elements, and

during the transmitting the different row driving voltage pulse, maintaining the second output of the row driving system providing the high impedance state.

9. The method according to claim 8, comprising, during the transmitting the different row driving voltage pulse:

disconnecting the first output of the row driving system from the at least one switching element associated respectively with at least one display element of the first row of display elements; and

connecting the first output of the row driving system to the at least one switching element associated respectively with at least one display element of the different row of display elements.

10. The method according to claim 1, comprising,

during transmitting of a row driving voltage pulse to at least one switching element associated respectively with at least one display element of any row of display elements of a first plurality of rows of display elements of the n rows, comprising the transmitting the first row driving voltage pulse, and the any row of display elements comprising the first row of display elements;

at least one further output of the row driving system providing a high impedance state, the at least one further output being for transmitting a further row driving voltage pulse to at least one switching element associated respectively with at least one display element of at least one row of a further plurality of rows of display elements of the n rows of display elements.

11. The method according to claim 1, the second output being connectable to any row of a second plurality of rows of display elements of the n rows of display elements, for the providing the high impedance state by the second output, the second plurality of rows of display elements comprising the second row of display elements but not the first row of display elements.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the selecting one of the n rows as the first row of display elements to be driven is based on one or more of:

data indicative of changing a display state provided by at least one display element of the first row of display elements, or data indicative of a sequence for driving at least some of the n rows of display elements.

13. The method according to claim 1,

a first driving element having the first output, and

a second driving element having the second output,

the first and second driving elements each capable of selectively providing, respectively, the high impedance state, a low voltage level output, and a high voltage level output, the high voltage level output being higher than the low voltage level output,

the first driving element and the second driving element each independently controllable to respectively provide:

the generating and transmitting the first row driving voltage pulse, and

the generating and transmitting the second row driving voltage pulse, by;

providing the respective low voltage level output;

providing the respective high voltage level output for a time period corresponding to a duration of the respective one of the first row driving voltage pulse and the second row driving voltage pulse; and

providing the respective low voltage level output after the providing the respective high voltage level output.

14. A display apparatus comprising:

a display device comprising a matrix with n rows of display elements, the n rows of display elements comprising;

a first row of display elements, and

a second row of display elements;

a row driving system comprising;

a first output for transmitting a first row driving voltage pulse to at least one switching element associated respectively with at least one display element of the first row of display elements; and

a second output for transmitting a second row driving voltage pulse to at least one switching element associated respectively with at least one display element of the second row of display elements,

the row driving system configurable for one or more of the first output or the second output to respectively provide a high impedance state; and

a row selection system comprising;

a first switching element associated with the first row of display elements, the first switching element switchable to selectively connect the first row of display elements to the first output of the row driving system; and

a second switching element associated with the second row of display elements, the second switching element switchable to selectively connect the second row of display elements to the second output of the row driving system.

15. The display apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the row driving system is configurable for the first output to provide the high impedance state during the transmitting the second row driving voltage pulse by the second output, and the row driving system is configurable for the second output to provide the high impedance state during the transmitting the first row driving voltage pulse by the first output.

16. The display apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the row driving system comprises:

a first driving element having the first output; and

a second driving element having the second output, the first driving element and the second driving element each being capable of selectively providing, respectively, the high impedance state, a low voltage level output and a high voltage level output, the high voltage level output being higher than the low voltage level output, each of the first driving element and the second driving elements being independently controllable to respectively generate and transmit the first row driving voltage pulse and the second row driving voltage pulse by;

providing the respective low voltage level output;

providing the respective high voltage level output for a time period corresponding to a duration of the respective one of the first row driving voltage pulse and the second row driving voltage pulse; and

providing the respective low voltage level output after the providing the respective high voltage level output.

17. The display apparatus according to claim 14, comprising a controller configured to selectively switch the first switching element and the second switching element, wherein, for the transmitting the first row driving voltage pulse, the controller is configured to:

switch the first switching element to connect the first output to the at least one switching element associated respectively with at least one display element of the first row of display elements; and

switch the second switching element to disconnect the second output from the at least one switching element associated respectively with at least one display element of the second row of display elements.

18. The display apparatus according to claim 14, the n rows of display elements comprising:

a first plurality of rows of display elements comprising the first row of display elements; and

a second plurality of rows of display elements comprising the second row of display elements,

the display apparatus comprising a row selection system comprising;

a first plurality of switching elements associated respectively with the first plurality of rows of display elements, the switching elements of the first plurality of switching elements being independently switchable to connect any row of the first plurality of rows of display elements to the first output of the row driving system; and

a second plurality of switching elements associated respectively with the second plurality of rows of display elements, the switching elements of the second plurality of switching elements being independently switchable to connect any row of the second plurality of rows of display elements to the second output of the row driving system.

19. The display apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the display apparatus is an electrowetting display apparatus and the display elements are respectively electrowetting display elements each comprising a first fluid and a second fluid substantially immiscible with the first fluid, each of the display elements being configurable to provide a display effect by controlling a configuration of the first and second fluids.

20. Apparatus for controlling a display device comprising display elements arranged in a matrix with n rows of display elements, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory comprising computer program instructions,

the at least one processor, the at least one memory and the computer program instructions being configured to cause the at least one processor to perform a method of controlling the display device, the method comprising;

selecting one of the n rows as a first row of display elements to be driven;

generating a first row driving voltage pulse;

transmitting the first row driving voltage pulse from a first output of a row driving system to at least one switching element associated respectively with at least one display element of the first row of display elements,

during the transmitting the first row driving voltage pulse, a second output of the row driving system providing a high impedance state;

after the transmitting the first row driving voltage pulse;

disconnecting the first output of the row driving system from the at least one switching element associated respectively with at least one display element of the first row of display elements;

selecting one of the n rows, different from the first row of display elements, as a second row of display elements to be driven;

connecting the second output of the row driving system to the at least one switching element associated respectively with at least one display element of the second row of display elements;

generating a second row driving voltage pulse;

transmitting the second row driving voltage pulse from the second output of the row driving system to the at least one switching element associated respectively with at least one display element of the second row of display elements; and

during the transmitting the second row driving voltage pulse, the first output of the row driving system providing a high impedance state.

21. The apparatus according to claim 20, the n rows of display elements comprising:

a first plurality of rows of display elements of the n rows, comprising the first row of display elements, and

a second plurality of rows of the n rows, comprising the second row of display elements but not the first row of display elements,

the second output of the row driving system being connectable to each row of the second plurality of rows of the n rows, for the providing the high impedance state.

22. The apparatus according to claim 21, the method comprising, during the transmitting the first row driving voltage pulse, connecting the first output of the row driving system to the at least one switching element associated respectively with at least one display element of the first row of display elements, without connecting the first output of the row driving system to at least one switching element associated respectively with at least one display element of further rows of the first plurality of rows of the n rows.

23. A method of controlling a display device comprising display elements arranged in a matrix with n rows of display elements, the method comprising:

selecting one of the n rows as a first row of display elements to be driven;

generating a first row driving voltage pulse;

transmitting the first row driving voltage pulse from a first output of a row driving system to at least one switching element associated respectively with at least one display element of the first row of display elements;

during the transmitting the first row driving voltage pulse;

a second output of the row driving system providing a high impedance state;

connecting the first output of the row driving system to the at least one switching element associated respectively with at least one display element of the first row of display elements, without connecting the first output of the row driving system to at least one switching element associated respectively with at least one display element of further rows of display elements of a first plurality of rows of display elements of the n rows, the first plurality of rows of display elements comprising the first row of display elements and the further rows of display elements but not a second row of display elements;

after the transmitting the first row driving voltage pulse;

selecting one of the first plurality of rows of display elements, different from the first row of display elements, as a different row of display elements to be driven;

generating a different row driving voltage pulse;

transmitting the different row driving voltage pulse from the first output of the row driving system to at least one switching element associated respectively with at least one display element of the different row of display elements; and

during the transmitting the different row driving voltage pulse, maintaining the second output of the row driving system providing the high impedance state.

24. The method according to claim 23, comprising, during the transmitting the different row driving voltage pulse:

disconnecting the first output of the row driving system from the at least one switching element associated respectively with at least one display element of the first row of display elements; and

connecting the first output of the row driving system to at least one switching element associated respectively with at least one display element of the different row of display elements.

25. The method according to claim 23, comprising:

during the transmitting the first row driving voltage pulse, connecting the first output of the row driving system to the at least one switching element associated respectively with at least one display element of the first row of display elements; and

transmitting a first row selection voltage pulse to a first switching element associated with the first row of the n rows of display elements, to provide the connecting the first output of the row driving system to the at least one switching element associated respectively with at least one display element of the first row of display elements.

26. A display apparatus comprising:

a display device comprising a matrix with n rows of display elements, the n rows of display elements comprising;

a first plurality of rows of display elements comprising a first row of display elements, and

a second plurality of rows of display elements comprising a second row of display elements;

a row driving system comprising;

a first output for transmitting a first row driving voltage pulse to at least one switching element associated respectively with at least one display element of the first row of display elements; and

a second output for transmitting a second row driving voltage pulse to at least one switching element associated respectively with at least one display element of the second row of display elements,

the row driving system configurable for one or more of the first output or the second output to provide respectively a high impedance state; and

a row selection system comprising;

a first plurality of switching elements associated respectively with the first plurality of rows of display elements, the switching elements of the first plurality of switching elements being independently switchable to connect any row of the first plurality of rows of display elements to the first output of the row driving system; and

a second plurality of switching elements associated respectively with the second plurality of rows of display elements, the switching elements of the second plurality of switching elements being independently switchable to connect any row of the second plurality of rows of display elements to the second output of the row driving system.

27. The display apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the row driving system is configurable for the first output to provide the high impedance state during the transmitting the second row driving voltage pulse by the second output, and the row driving system is configurable for the second output to provide the high impedance state during the transmitting the first row driving voltage pulse by the first output.

28. The display apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the row driving system comprises:

a first driving element having the first output; and

a second driving element having the second output,

the first driving element and the second driving element each being capable of selectively providing, respectively, the high impedance state, a low voltage level output and a high voltage level output, the high voltage level output being higher than the low voltage level output, each of the first driving element and the second driving elements being independently controllable to respectively generate and transmit the first row driving voltage pulse and the second row driving voltage pulse by;

providing the respective low voltage level output;

providing the respective high voltage level output for a time period corresponding to a duration of the respective one of the first row driving voltage pulse and the second row driving voltage pulse; and

providing the respective low voltage level output after the providing the high voltage level output.

29. The display apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the display apparatus is an electrowetting display apparatus and the display elements are respectively electrowetting display elements each comprising a first fluid and a second fluid substantially immiscible with the first fluid, each of the display elements being configurable to provide a display effect by controlling a configuration of the first and second fluids.