Image signal generating apparatus, liquid crystal display apparatus, method of generating image signal and storage medium storing image signal generating program

• US 9,734,774 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2015
• Issued: 08/15/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kurosawa, Teppei
• Primary Examiner(s): Karimi, Pegeman
• Application Number:
  US14/970,689
• Publication Number:
  US 20160180794A1
• Time in Patent Office: 608 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0232 Special driving of display border areas
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0233 Improving the luminance or brightness uniformity across the screen
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0257 Reduction of after-image effects
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0261 in the context of movement of objects on the screen or movement of the observer relative to the screen
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0686 with two or more screen areas displaying information with different brightness or colours
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0693 Calibration of display systems
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/106 Determination of movement vectors or equivalent parameters within the image
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/16 Calculation or use of calculated indices related to luminance levels in display data
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/002 to project the image of a two-dimensional display, such as an array of light emitting or modulating elements or a CRT
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3607 for displaying colours or for displaying grey scales with a specific pixel layout, e.g. using sub-pixels display of colours in flat matrix panels other than liquid crystal displays G09G3/2003; grey scales specific for television H04N3/127

Abstract

The image signal generating apparatus for a liquid crystal display element. A corner detector detects, when an input image signal contains multiple frame images each of which includes a first image area having a first tone and including a corner portion and a second image area having a second tone higher than the first tone and being adjacent in vertical, horizontal and oblique directions to the corner portion, the corner portion in each frame image, a tone provider generates an output image signal by providing a third tone lower than the second tone to one specific pixel adjacent in the oblique direction to a vertex of the corner portion in at least one of the multiple frame images. The tone provider provides the third tone to the specific pixel when the input image signal is a moving image signal.

Claims

1. An image signal generator configured to generate, from an input image signal, an output image signal for image display by a liquid crystal display element, the image signal generator comprising:

a corner detector configured to detect, when the input image signal contains multiple frame images each of which includes (a) a first image area having a first tone and including a corner portion and (b) a second image area having a second tone higher than the first tone and being adjacent in vertical, horizontal and oblique directions to the corner portion, the corner portion in each frame image;

a tone provider configured to generate the output image signal by providing a third tone lower than the second tone to one specific pixel adjacent in the oblique direction to a vertex of the corner portion in at least one of the multiple frame images; and

a determiner configured to determine whether the input image signal is a moving image signal or a still image signal,

wherein the tone provider is configured to provide the third tone to the specific pixel when the input image signal is determined to be the moving image signal.

2. The image signal generator according to claim 1, wherein the tone provider is configured to provide the third tone to the specific pixel in a case where, between a previous frame image and a subsequent frame image among the multiple frame images included in the moving image signal, the corner portion moves in an opposite direction to a convex direction of the corner portion in the previous frame image, the opposite direction being other than the vertical and horizontal directions.

3. The image signal generator according to claim 1, further comprising a motion detector configured to detect a motion of the corner portion between a previous frame image and a subsequent frame image among the multiple frame images included in the moving image signal,

wherein the tone provider is configured to provide the third tone to the specific pixel in at least one of a case where a direction of the motion, which is other than the vertical and horizontal directions, is an opposite direction to a convex direction of the corner portion in the previous frame image and a case where an amount of the motion between the previous and subsequent frame images is one pixel per frame.

4. The image signal generator according to claim 1, wherein the corner detector is configured to detect the corner portion including at least two pixels in both the vertical and horizontal directions.

5. An image signal generator configured to generate, from an input image signal, an output image signal for image display by a liquid crystal display element, the image signal generator comprising:

a corner detector configured to detect, when the input image signal contains multiple frame images each of which includes (a) a first image area having a first tone and including a corner portion and (b) a second image area having a second tone higher than the first tone and being adjacent in vertical, horizontal and oblique directions to the corner portion, the corner portion in each frame image; and

a tone provider configured to generate the output image signal by providing a third tone lower than the second tone to one specific pixel included in a third image area in at least one of the multiple frame images, the third image area being a rectangular area that includes (a) at least three pixels in both the vertical and horizontal directions, (b) a vertex pixel adjacent in the oblique direction to a vertex of the corner portion and (c) other pixels than the vertex pixel which are not adjacent to the first image area.

6. The image signal generator according to claim 5, further comprising a determiner configured to determine whether the input image signal is a moving image signal or a still image signal,

wherein the tone provider is configured to provide the third tone to the specific pixel when the input image signal is determined to be the moving image signal.

7. An image signal generator configured to generate an image signal for image display by a liquid crystal display element,

the liquid crystal display element having a characteristic that,

when displaying multiple frame images which are contained in the image signal and each of which includes (a) a first image area having a first tone and including a corner portion and (b) a second image area having a second tone higher than the first tone and being adjacent in vertical, horizontal and oblique directions to the corner portion, and between a previous frame image and a subsequent frame image among the multiple frame images, a direction of a motion of the corner portion, which is other than the vertical and horizontal directions, is opposite to a convex direction of the corner portion in the previous frame image,

in each of first liquid crystal pixels adjacent in vertical and horizontal directions to the corner portion, disclination in which directions of liquid crystal molecules become a specific direction is generated, and

in one second liquid crystal pixel adjacent in an oblique direction to a vertex of the corner portion, a state occurs in which directions of liquid crystal molecules are unfixed,

the image single generator comprising:

a tone provider configured to generate the image signal by providing a third tone lower than the second tone to a pixel that is included in at least one of the multiple frame images and corresponds to the second liquid crystal pixel; and

an image outputter configured to output the generated image signal.

8. A liquid crystal display apparatus comprising:

a liquid crystal display element;

an image signal generator configured to generate, from an input image signal, an output image signal for image display by the liquid crystal display element; and

a driver configured to drive the liquid crystal display element depending on the output image signal,

wherein the image signal generator comprises;

a corner detector configured to detect, when the input image signal contains multiple frame images each of which includes (a) a first image area having a first tone and including a corner portion and (b) a second image area having a second tone higher than the first tone and being adjacent in vertical, horizontal and oblique directions to the corner portion, the corner portion in each frame image;

a tone provider configured to generate the output image signal by providing a third tone lower than the second tone to one specific pixel adjacent in the oblique direction to a vertex of the corner portion in at least one of the multiple frame images; and

a determiner configured to determine whether the input image signal is a moving image signal or a still image signal,

wherein the tone provider is configured to provide the third tone to the specific pixel when the input image signal is determined to be the moving image signal.

9. A liquid crystal display apparatus comprising:

a liquid crystal display element;

an image signal generator configured to generate, from an input image signal, an output image signal for image display by the liquid crystal display element; and

a driver configured to drive the liquid crystal display element depending on the output image signal,

wherein the image signal generator comprises;

a corner detector configured to detect, when the input image signal contains multiple frame images each of which includes (a) a first image area having a first tone and including a corner portion and (b) a second image area having a second tone higher than the first tone and being adjacent in vertical, horizontal and oblique directions to the corner portion, the corner portion in each frame image; and

a tone provider configured to generate the output image signal by providing a third tone lower than the second tone to one specific pixel included in a third image area in at least one of the multiple frame images, the third image area being a rectangular area that includes (a) at least three pixels in both the vertical and horizontal directions, (b) a vertex pixel adjacent in the oblique direction to a vertex of the corner portion and (c) other pixels than the vertex pixel which are not adjacent to the first image area.

10. A liquid crystal display apparatus comprising:

a liquid crystal display element;

an image signal generator configured to generate, from an input image signal, an output image signal for image display by the liquid crystal display element; and

a driver configured to drive the liquid crystal display element depending on the output image signal,

wherein the liquid crystal display element has a characteristic that,

when displaying multiple frame images which are contained in the image signal and each of which includes (a) a first image area having a first tone and including a corner portion and (b) a second image area having a second tone higher than the first tone and being adjacent in vertical, horizontal and oblique directions to the corner portion, and between a previous frame image and a subsequent frame image among the multiple frame images, a direction of a motion of the corner portion, which is other than the vertical and horizontal directions, is opposite to a convex direction of the corner portion in the previous frame image,

in each of first liquid crystal pixels adjacent in vertical and horizontal directions to the corner portion, disclination in which directions of liquid crystal molecules become a specific direction is generated, and

in one second liquid crystal pixel adjacent in an oblique direction to a vertex of the corner portion, a state occurs in which directions of liquid crystal molecules are unfixed,

wherein the image signal generator comprises;

a tone provider configured to generate the image signal by providing a third tone lower than the second tone to a pixel that is included in at least one of the multiple frame images and corresponds to the second liquid crystal pixel; and

an image outputter configured to output the generated image signal.

11. A method of generating, from an input image signal, an output image signal for image display by a liquid crystal display element, the method comprising:

detecting, when the input image signal contains multiple frame images each of which includes (a) a first image area having a first tone and including a corner portion and (b) a second image area having a second tone higher than the first tone and being adjacent in vertical, horizontal and oblique directions to the corner portion, the corner portion in each frame image;

generating the output image signal by providing a third tone lower than the second tone to one specific pixel adjacent in the oblique direction to a vertex of the corner portion in at least one of the multiple frame images; and

determining whether the input image signal is a moving image signal or a still image signal,

wherein the method provides the third tone to the specific pixel when determining that the input image signal is the moving image signal.

12. A method of generating, from an input image signal, an output image signal for image display by a liquid crystal display element, the method comprising:

detecting, when the input image signal contains multiple frame images each of which includes (a) a first image area having a first tone and including a corner portion and (b) a second image area having a second tone higher than the first tone and being adjacent in vertical, horizontal and oblique directions to the corner portion, the corner portion in each frame image; and

generating the output image signal by providing a third tone lower than the second tone to one specific pixel included in a third image area in at least one of the multiple frame images, the third image area being a rectangular area that includes (a) at least three pixels in both the vertical and horizontal directions, (b) a vertex pixel adjacent in the oblique direction to a vertex of the corner portion and (c) other pixels than the vertex pixel which are not adjacent to the first image area.

13. A method of generating an image signal for image display by a liquid crystal display element,

the liquid crystal display element having a characteristic that,

when displaying multiple frame images which are contained in the image signal and each of which includes (a) a first image area having a first tone and including a corner portion and (b) a second image area having a second tone higher than the first tone and being adjacent in vertical, horizontal and oblique directions to the corner portion, and between a previous frame image and a subsequent frame image among the multiple frame images, a direction of a motion of the corner portion, which is other than the vertical and horizontal directions, is opposite to a convex direction of the corner portion in the previous frame image,

in each of first liquid crystal pixels adjacent in vertical and horizontal directions to the corner portion, disclination in which directions of liquid crystal molecules become a specific direction is generated, and

in one second liquid crystal pixel adjacent in an oblique direction to a vertex of the corner portion, a state occurs in which directions of liquid crystal molecules are unfixed,

the method comprising:

generating the image signal by providing a third tone lower than the second tone to a pixel that is included in at least one of the multiple frame images and corresponds to the second liquid crystal pixel; and

outputting the generated image signal.