Apparatuses, systems, and methods for dimming displays

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024257762-A1
Application number	US-202418608283-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 18, 2024
Priority date	Jun 1, 2020
Publication date	Aug 1, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and methods are used to dim an emissive display such as an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display. A dimming level setpoint signal is received. At least one dimming process is selected from four dimming processes based on a magnitude of the dimming level setpoint signal. A first dimming process selects a subrange of pixel illumination levels from a range of pixel illumination levels. A second dimming process adjusts a VCOM voltage for the pixel array. A third dimming process selects between rolling shutter and global shutter. A fourth dimming process selectively utilizes one or more subpixels from an emissive display pixel based on the magnitude of the dimming level setpoint signal. The selected dimming process or processes are applied to the emissive display, there by dimming the display. The display can be an OLED display.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A segmented organic light emitting diode (OLED) display pixel comprising:
at least a first emissive area; at least a second emissive area; and a non-emissive area, the non-emissive area is disposed between the at least the first emissive area and the at least the second emissive area.

2 . The segmented OLED display pixel of claim 1 , wherein the at least the first emissive area is larger than the at least the second emissive area, in operation in an ON state, a first brightness of the at least the first emissive area is larger than a second brightness of the at least the second emissive area.

3 . The segmented OLED display pixel of claim 1 , wherein in operation when the at least the first emissive area is in an ON state and the at least the second emissive area is in an ON state, a third brightness is provided and the third brightness is greater than either of the first brightness or the second brightness.

4 . The segmented OLED display pixel of claim 1 , wherein a write device is used to provide common pixel illumination information for the at least the first emissive area and the at least the second emissive area.

5 . The segmented OLED display pixel of claim 4 , wherein the write device is a CMOS device.

6 . The segmented OLED display pixel of claim 1 , wherein a storage device is used to provide common pixel illumination information for the at least the first emissive area and the at least the second emissive area.

7 . The segmented OLED display pixel of claim 6 , wherein the storage device is a capacitor.

8 . The segmented OLED display pixel of claim 4 , wherein a first switch line is used to place the at least the first emissive area in and out of an ON state and a second switch line is used to place the at least the second emissive area in and out of an ON state.

9 . The segmented OLED display pixel of claim 1 , wherein one major axis of the at least the first emissive area and one major axis of the at least the second emissive area are substantially collinear.

10 . The segmented OLED display pixel of claim 1 , wherein two major axes of the at least the first emissive area and two major axes of the at least the second emissive area are substantially collinear.

11 . The segmented OLED display pixel of claim 1 , wherein neither major axis of the at least the first emissive area and neither major axis of the at least the second emissive area is substantially collinear.

12 . A computer-readable storage medium storing program code for causing a data processing system to perform the steps comprising:
receiving as an input a dimming level setpoint signal; and selecting a subrange of pixel illumination information from a range of pixel illumination information, wherein the range spans a greater range of brightness levels than the subrange spans, the selecting is based on a magnitude of the dimming level setpoint signal; and driving an OLED display pixel using the subrange.

13 . A computer-readable storage medium storing program code for causing a data processing system to perform the steps comprising:
receiving as an input a dimming level setpoint signal; and adjusting a VCOM voltage for an OLED display pixel based on the dimming level setpoint signal.

14 . A method for dimming an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display comprising:
receiving as an input a dimming level setpoint signal; establishing a selected duty cycle based on the dimming level setpoint signal; utilizing rolling shutter to dim the OLED display when the selected duty cycle is in a range from a first low limit to a duty cycle of 100 percent; and utilizing global shutter to dim the OLED display when the selected duty cycle is in a range from a second low limit to a minimum duty cycle for the OLED display.

15 . A method for dimming an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display comprising:
receiving as an input a dimming level setpoint signal; selecting at least one dimming process from the following four dimming processes based on a magnitude of the dimming level setpoint signal: 1. selecting a subrange of pixel illumination levels from a range of pixel illumination levels; 2. adjusting a VCOM voltage for the OLED display; 3. selecting between rolling shutter and global shutter; 4. utilizing one or more subpixels from each OLED display pixel; and applying the at least one dimming process to the OLED display, there by dimming the OLED display.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
selecting at least two dimming process from the four dimming processes based on a magnitude of the dimming level setpoint signal.

17 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
selecting at least three dimming process from the four dimming processes based on a magnitude of the dimming level setpoint signal.

18 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
selecting all four dimming process, wherein a magnitude of the dimming level setpoint signal is used to configure the four dimming processes.

19 . A computer-readable storage medium storing program code for causing a data processing system to perform the steps comprising:
receiving as an input a dimming level setpoint signal; selecting at least one dimming process from the following four dimming processes based on a magnitude of the dimming level setpoint signal: 1. selecting a subrange of pixel illumination levels from a range of pixel illumination levels; 2. adjusting a VCOM voltage for the OLED display; 3. selecting between rolling shutter and global shutter; 4. utilizing one or more subpixels from each OLED display pixel; and applying the at least one dimming process to the OLED display, there by dimming the OLED display.

20 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 , further comprising:
selecting at least two dimming process from the four dimming processes based on a magnitude of the dimming level setpoint signal.

21 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 , further comprising:
selecting at least two dimming process from the four dimming processes based on a magnitude of the dimming level setpoint signal.

22 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 , further comprising:
selecting all four dimming process, wherein a magnitude of the dimming level setpoint signal is used to configure the four dimming processes.

Assignees

• Kopin Corp

Inventors

• Herrmann Frederick P

Classifications

• H10K59/80515

  characterised by their shape · CPC title

• G09G3/3258 Primary

  with pixel circuitry controlling the voltage across the light-emitting element · CPC title

• G09G3/3233 Primary

  with pixel circuitry controlling the current through the light-emitting element · CPC title

• G09G3/3208

  organic, e.g. using organic light-emitting diodes [OLED] · CPC title

• G09G2320/0686

  with two or more screen areas displaying information with different brightness or colours · CPC title