Circuits for controlling display apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9530344-B2
Application number	US-201514749176-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 24, 2015
Priority date	Feb 23, 2005
Publication date	Dec 27, 2016
Grant date	Dec 27, 2016

Abstract

A method of operating a display including loading image data to pixels in multiple rows of pixels in an array of pixels during a data loading phase, actuating the pixels in the multiple rows during an update phase, and illuminating at least one lamp during an lamp illumination phase to illuminate the actuated pixels to form an image on the display, in which each of the loading, actuating and illuminating phases partially overlap in time.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A display comprising:
an array of pixels, each of the pixels having a corresponding light blocking element;
one or more light sources to direct light toward the pixels to form an image on the display; and
a controller circuit capable of providing data to:
actuate the light blocking elements during a first update phase comprising a first sub-phase corresponding to a first transition of a light blocking element and a second sub-phase corresponding to a second transition of the light blocking element,
illuminate one or more of the light sources during a first lamp illumination phase, and
load image data to the array of pixels during a first data loading phase, wherein:
the first update phase overlaps at least partially in time with the first lamp illumination phase, and
the image data is loaded during at least a portion of the first sub-phase of the first update phase.

2. The display of claim 1 , wherein the first update phase corresponds to a first transition of the pixels to a reset state.

3. The display of claim 2 , wherein the first transition of the pixels to the reset state includes positioning the light blocking elements of the pixels to a reset position.

4. The display of claim 2 , wherein the controller circuit is further capable of providing data to actuate the light blocking elements during a second update phase, the second update phase occurring after the first update phase, the second update phase corresponding to transitioning one or more of the pixels to a second state from the reset state.

5. The display of claim 4 , wherein the controller circuit is further capable of providing data to illuminate one or more of the light sources during a second lamp illumination phase, wherein the second update phase overlaps at least partially in time with the second lamp illumination phase.

6. The display of claim 5 , wherein the controller circuit is further capable of providing data to load image data to the array of pixels during a second data loading phase, the second data loading phase overlapping at least partially in time with the second lamp illumination phase.

7. The display of claim 6 , wherein the controller circuit is further capable of providing data to actuate the light blocking elements during a third update phase to transition the light blocking elements of the pixels to the reset state, the third update phase overlapping at least partially in time with one or both of the second data loading phase and the second lamp illumination phase.

8. A method of operating a display, the method comprising:
loading, by a controller, image data to an array of pixels during a first data loading phase, each of the pixels having a corresponding light blocking element;
actuating, by the controller, the light blocking elements of the pixels during a first update phase comprising a first sub-phase corresponding to a first transition of a light blocking element and a second sub-phase corresponding to a second transition of the light blocking element; and
illuminating, by the controller, one or more light sources of the display to direct light towards the pixels to form an image on the display during a first lamp illumination phase, wherein:
the first update phase overlaps at least partially in time with the first lamp illumination phase, and
the image data is loaded during at least a portion of the first sub-phase of the first update phase.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first update phase corresponds to a first transition of the pixels to a reset state.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first transition of the pixels to the reset state includes positioning the light blocking elements of the pixels to a reset position.

11. The method of claim 8 , the method further comprising:
actuating the light blocking elements during a second update phase, the second update phase occurring after the first update phase, the second update phase corresponding to transitioning one or more of the pixels to a second state from the reset state.

12. The method of claim 11 , the method further comprising:
illuminating one or more of the light sources during a second lamp illumination phase, wherein the second update phase overlaps at least partially in time with the second lamp illumination phase.

13. The method of claim 12 , the method further comprising:
loading image data to the array of pixels during a second data loading phase, the second data loading phase overlapping at least partially in time with the second lamp illumination phase.

14. The method of claim 13 , the method further comprising:
actuating the light blocking elements during a third update phase to transition the light blocking elements of the pixels to the reset state, the third update phase overlapping at least partially in time with one or both of the second data loading phase and the second lamp illumination phase.

15. A circuit capable of actuating pixels of a display during a first update operation comprising a first sub-phase corresponding to a first transition of a light blocking element associated with a pixel and comprising a second sub-phase corresponding to a second transition of the light blocking element, illuminating one or more light sources of the display during a first lamp illumination operation, and loading image data to the pixels of the display during a first data loading operation, wherein the first update operation overlaps at least partially in time with the first lamp illumination operation, and the image data is loaded during at least a portion of the first sub-phase of the first update operation.

16. The circuit of claim 15 , wherein the first update operation corresponds to a first transition of the pixels to a reset state.

17. The circuit of claim 16 , wherein the circuit is further capable of actuating the pixels during a second update operation, the second update operation occurring after the first update operation, the second update operation corresponding to transitioning one or more of the pixels to a second state from the reset state.

18. The circuit of claim 17 , wherein the circuit is further capable of illuminating one or more of the light sources during a second lamp illumination operation, wherein the second update operation overlaps at least partially in time with the second lamp illumination operation.

19. The circuit of claim 18 , wherein the circuit is further capable of loading image data to the pixels during a second data loading operation, the second data loading operation overlapping at least partially in time with the second lamp illumination operation.

20. The circuit of claim 19 , wherein the circuit is further capable of actuating the pixels during a third update operation to transition the pixels to the reset state, the third update operation overlapping at least partially in time with one or both of the second data loading operation and the second lamp illumination operation.

Assignees

• Pixtronix Inc
• Snaptrack Inc

Inventors

• Gandhi Jignesh
• Steyn Jasper Lodewyk
• Fijol John J
• Barton Roger W
• Lewis Stephen R
• Mcallister Abraham
• Hagood Iv Nesbitt W

Classifications

• G02B26/004

  based on a displacement or a deformation of a fluid · CPC title

• G06F3/147

  using display panels · CPC title

• G09G2300/08

  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 title

• G09G2310/063

  Waveforms for resetting the whole screen at once · CPC title

• G09G3/348

  based on the deformation of a fluid drop, e.g. electrowetting · CPC title