Method and system for controlling the output of a diffractive light device

• US 7,436,389 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2004
• Issued: 10/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Mar, Eugene J
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, MY CHAU T
• Application Number:
  US10/903,537
• Publication Number:
  US 20060022966A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,538 Days
• Field of Search: 345/84, 345/87, 345/104, 345/105, 345/106, 345/204, 345/205, 345/214, 348/744, 348/759, 348/770, 348/771
• US Class Current: 345/108
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/023 Display panel composed of stacked panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0251 Precharge or discharge of pixel before applying new pixel voltage
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/027 Details of drivers for data electrodes, the drivers handling digital grey scale data, e.g. use of D/A converters
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2003 Display of colours specific for liquid crystal displays G09G3/3607
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3406 Control of illumination source illumination devices structurally associated with liquid crystal cells G02F1/1336
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3466 based on interferometric effect
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/312 Driving therefor driving of electronic spatial light modulators in displays other than projection devices G09G3/34, G09G3/36; control of liquid crystal elements G02F1/133; control of micromechanical modulators G02B26/08

Abstract

A method and system for controlling a color of light output by a diffractive light device (DLD device). The color is determined by a gap voltage applied to the DLD device. During each of a number of time frames, one of a number of control bits in a control word is sent to bit line logic corresponding to the DLD device. Each of the control bits represents a gap voltage level. The applied gap voltage is then adjusted to the gap voltage level represented by the one of the number of the control bits.

Claims

1. A method for use within an electromechanical system having at least one controllable diffractive light device, said method comprising:

receiving an initial portion of a multi-bit control signal, said multi-bit control signal corresponding to a gap voltage level, said gap voltage level being specific to a desired wavelength of light and configured to cause said desired wavelength of light to be output by said controllable diffractive light device when illuminated by a light source; and

prior to receiving a remaining portion of said multi-bit control signal, adjusting a gap voltage applied to said controllable diffractive light device based on said received initial portion of said multi-bit control signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said electromechanical system includes a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said initial portion of said multi-bit control signal includes at least a most significant bit (MSB).

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said remaining portion of said multi-bit control signal includes at least a least significant bit (LSB).

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said initial portion of said multi-bit control signal is received during a first time frame and said remaining portion of said multi-bit control signal is received during a second time frame that is subsequent to said first time frame.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after receiving said all of said multi-bit control signal, completing adjustment of said gap voltage applied to said diffractive light device based on said received multi-bit control signal.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein said adjusting said gap voltage prior to receiving said remaining portion of said multi-control bit signal and said completing adjustment of said gap voltage are performed sequentially, but rapidly enough that a human viewer perceives only wavelength our output light corresponding to said gap voltage level specified by said complete multi-bit control signal.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting each bit of said multi-bit control signal separately and in sequence; and

incrementally adjusting said gap voltage upon receipt of each said bit.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

ordering a series of gap voltage levels, each corresponding to a separate wavelength of light to be output; and

assigning two of said gap voltage levels to a most significant bit (MSB) of said multi-bit control signal.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising two different gap voltage levels of said series of gap voltage levels to a least significant bid (LSB) of said multi-bit control signal.

7. A system for controlling a diffractive light device, said system comprising:

bit line logic configured to receive an initial portion of a multi-bit control signal, said multi-bit control signal corresponding to a gap voltage level, said gap voltage level being specific to a desired wavelength of light and configured to cause said desired wavelength of light to be output by said diffractive light device when illuminated by a light source; and

wherein, prior to receiving a remaining portion of said multi-bit control signal, said bit line logic adjusts a gap voltage applied to said diffractive light device based on said received initial portion of said multi-bit control signal.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said initial portion of said multi-bit control signal includes at least a most significant bit (MSB).

9. The system of claim 7, wherein said remaining portion of said multi-bit control signal includes at least a least significant bit (LSB).

10. The system of claim 7, wherein said initial portion of said multi-bit control signal is received during a first time frame and said remaining portion of said multi-bit control signal is received during a second time frame that is subsequent to said first time frame.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein, after receiving said all of said multi-bit control signal, said bit line logic is further configured to complete adjustment of said gap voltage applied to said diffractive light device based on said received multi-bit control signal.

12. A system for use within an electromechanical system having at least one controllable diffractive light device, said system comprising:

means for receiving an initial portion of a multi-bit control signal, said multi-bit control signal corresponding to a gap voltage level, said gap voltage level being specific to a desired wavelength of light and configured to cause said desired wavelength of light to be output by said controllable when illuminated by a light source; and

prior to receiving a remaining portion of said multi-bit control signal, means for adjusting a gap voltage applied to said diffractive light device based on said received initial portion of said multi-bit control signal.