Seiko Epson Corporation

E Ink Corporation

Yun Shon Low

John Peter Van Baarsen

Eric Jeffrey

Raymond Chow

Jimmy Kwok Lap Lai

Takahide Ohkami

Tetsuo Kawamoto

Peter Chia

In a linked waveform update mode, an impulse-driven, particle-based electrophoretic display may be updated using a first waveform and then automatically up-dated using a second drive scheme when the update using the first waveform finishes. The display may be automatically up-dated using a third drive scheme when the update using the second drive scheme finishes. The automatic updating using a subsequent drive scheme may be interrupted if the desired display states for the region changes after performing the first update. Waveforms may be selected using: (a) the desired display state of a pixel if the desired display state is a valid display state for the specified drive scheme, or (b) a mapped display state of the pixel if the desired display state is an invalid display state for the drive scheme.

Automatic waveform linking in an electrophoretic display controller

A display controller may include a display update controller that may cause a color processing operation to be initiated in response to completion of an image data transmission, or a display update operation to be initiated in response to completion of the color processing operation. The display update operation may include updating display pixels of a display matrix of an electro-optic display device. A collision detector may determine whether a waveform for updating a display state of a particular display pixel has finished. The display update controller may cause the particular display pixel to be omitted from a display update operation if the waveform for updating the display state of the particular display pixel has not finished. A second display update operation may automatically be initiated when the waveform for updating the display state of the particular display pixel has finished.

Controlling display updates for electro-optic displays

Data pixels defining first and second images are stored in first and second image buffers, respectively. A second image coordinate location within a display matrix of a display device having display pixels that have multiple stable states is stored in a memory. Data pixels of the first image are read from the first image buffer. If a data pixel read from the first image buffer is within the second image coordinate location, a data pixel from the second image buffer corresponding with the data pixel read from the first image buffer is read, and the data pixel read from the second image buffer is combined with the corresponding data pixel read from the first image buffer to generate a derived data pixel. Synthesized pixels corresponding with at least each of the data pixels of the second image are generated. The synthesized pixels respectively include the derived data pixels.

Electrophoretic display controller providing PIP and cursor support

An apparatus embodying principles of the invention includes first, second, and at least one pipeline units. The first unit generates synthesized pixel data from pixels of an image and pixels of a previous image. The second unit determines an update mode by comparing pixels of the image with corresponding pixels of the previous image to determine if at least one condition is true. The conditions may be configurable. In addition, the second unit selects an update mode from two or more update modes if the first condition is true. The pipeline unit determines a waveform for each pixel of the image and transmits the waveform as impulse data to a bistable, electro-optic display device. The apparatus may further include a pipeline selecting unit to select a pipeline from two or more pipelines according to the selected update mode.

Automatic configuration of update operations for a bistable, electro-optic display

A method includes fetching first synthesized pixels from an update buffer of a memory and fetching data pixels from an image buffer of the memory during the first drive frame period. Respective data pixels are fetched synchronously with the fetching of corresponding first synthesized pixels. Respective data pixels fetched from the image buffer are synthesized with corresponding first synthesized pixels to generate second synthesized pixels. The second synthesized pixels are stored in the update buffer during the first drive frame period. The storing of second synthesized pixels may be paused based on a prediction that the fetching of first synthesized pixels will not complete within the first drive frame period. The fetching of data pixels from the image buffer of the memory may also be paused based on the prediction that the fetching of first synthesized pixels will not complete within the first drive frame period.

Allocation and efficient use of display memory bandwidth

A method for updating two or more regions of the display area of a bistable, electro-optic display device comprises selecting at least one first waveform for at least one pixel of a first region; (b) selecting at least one second waveform for at least one pixel of a second region; (c) updating the first region by generating and providing the first waveform to the at least one pixel of the first region; and (d) updating the second region by generating and providing the second waveform to the at least one pixel of the second region, wherein the first and second updates at least partially coincide in time. The first waveform is selected from a first drive scheme for use in a first update mode having a first period. The second waveform is selected from second a drive scheme for use in a second update mode having a second period.

Time-overlapping partial-panel updating of a bistable electro-optic display

A method includes receiving first touch point data from a sensor, generating first data pixels corresponding with the received first touch point data, and updating first display pixels of a display device with the first data pixels using a first drive scheme. The display pixels of the display device may have multiple stable display states and the first data pixels may be generated by a first unit. The method may further include receiving second touch point data from the sensor, generating second data pixels corresponding with the received second touch point data, and updating second display pixels of the display device with the second data pixels using a second drive scheme. The first and second drive schemes may be different drive schemes. The second data pixels may be generated by the first unit.

Minimizing pen stroke capture latency

Device, apparatus and methods for implementing a direct address mode to directly access registers by passing an indirect interface includes a display controller. A plurality of direct access registers for bypassing indirect interface is defined within the display controller. The display controller includes a bus interface having a first pin that is configured to activate the direct address mode and a second pin that configured to identify one of the direct access registers. The first pin in conjunction with the second pin provides a direct address mode through which the non-direct access registers may be directly accessed bypassing the indirect interface so that register index cycle, when accessing memory, may be avoided.

Method and apparatus for indirect interface with enhanced programmable direct port

A size limiter module used to limit a file size of an encoded file is disclosed. The size limiter module includes a size limiter set-up calculator and a size limiter processing engine. The size limiter calculator is configured to identify a maximum bit size for a set of data to be encoded based on a maximum value for the file size of the encoded file. The size limiter processing engine is configured to be in communication with the size limiter set-up calculator to process the set of data to be encoded and to monitor a cumulative bit size for the set of data according to an order. When the cumulative bit size is greater than a maximum bit size, the size limiter processing engine inserts end of block data into the set of data. The end of block data signals the substitution of a null value for all data units subsequent to the end of block data.

Method for simple hardware implementation of JPEG size limiter

A method and apparatus for determining the status of frame data transmission from an imaging device. According to one aspect of the invention, a graphics controller interfaces with a host and an imaging device, preferably a camera. A count value is specified, preferably by the host. Frame data received from the imaging device are counted to determine an actual count. A comparison is made between the actual count and the count value. Preferably, responsive to the comparison, an indication signal is generated for interrupting the host.

Method and apparatus for determining the status of frame data transmission from an imaging device

Data throughput of the serial host interface is improved by combining command and register address data into a single index word to be transmitted through the serial host interface. The least significant bit (LSB) of the index word specifies the command and the remainder of the index word specifies the register address. Thus, transmission of just two words is required to transmit each of a single write data word and a single read data word. Additionally, the serial host interface provides for elimination of the dummy access word as required when performing a read transmission using a conventional serial host interface protocol.

Serial host interface generates index word that indicates whether operation is read or write operation

A graphics controller includes a memory region configured to store image data for display on a display panel in communication with the graphics controller. Interface circuitry modules where each of the interface circuitry modules is configured to transmit data from the graphics controller over a set of shared data lines are provided. Selection circuitry configured to select data from one of the interface circuitry modules for transmission over the set of shared data lines is included. Line sharing circuitry configured to inform each of the interface circuitry modules to transmit control data is included. The line sharing circuitry is further configured to generate select signals for the selection circuitry. The select signals enable the selection circuitry to select the data from one of the interface circuitry modules for transmission over the shared data lines. A method for driving a display panel and peripheral devices associated with the display panel through common data lines is also provided.

Growing community of inventors

Richmond, CA, United States of America

Yun Shon Low