Patent Grant
8711064
The present invention contains subject matter related to Japanese Patent Application JP 2007-240348 filed in the Japan Patent Office on Sep. 18, 2007, the entire contents of which being incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
An invention explained in this patent specification relates to a technology for reducing horizontal cross talks generated in a liquid-crystal display apparatus. It is to be noted that embodiments of the present invention are a digital-signal processing apparatus, a liquid-crystal display apparatus, a digital-signal processing method adopted in the digital-signal processing apparatus and a computer program implementing the digital-signal processing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
At the present day, a liquid-crystal display apparatus is mounted in various kinds of electronic equipment.
The substrate module 1 includes a pixel-array section 3 formed on a glass substrate and driving circuits which are an H shift register 5, an H switch section 7 and a V shift register 9 formed or mounted in the surroundings of the pixel-array section 3.
First of all, the configuration of the pixel-array section 3 is explained. The basic configuration of the pixel-array section 3 includes m gate lines 11(0) to 11(m-1), n data lines 13(0) to 13(n-1) and m-row×n-column matrix of pixels 15 each located at an intersection of one of m gate lines 11(0) to 11(m-1) and one of the n data lines 13(0) to 13(n-1).
It is to be noted that the pixel-array section 3 shown in the diagram of
The facing electrode (Vcom) 17 is an electrode common to all pixels 15 composing the pixel-array section 3. That is to say, the facing electrode is actually formed as a single electrode covering areas occupied by the facing electrodes of all the pixels composing the pixel-array section 3.
Next, the structure of the driving circuits is explained. The H shift register 5 is a circuit device for providing a timing to apply a signal electric potential Vsig on each data line 13. In the case of the pixel-array section 3 shown in the diagram of
It is to be noted that, as generally known, the characteristic of a liquid crystal deteriorates if the liquid crystal is driven at the same polarity. For this reason, it is generally necessary to adopt a driving method by which the polarity of the signal electric potential Vsig is inverted each line and each field. Thus, the polarity of the signal electric potential Vsig supplied to one of the main electrodes of the complementary switch is changed each line and each field.
The V shift register 9 is a circuit device for generating signals each applied on a gate line provided for a row of sub-pixels 15 in order to generate a timing with which signal electric potentials Vsig are written onto the sub-pixels 15.
Incidentally, there is a demand for a solution to a cross-talk problem raised in the contemporary liquid-crystal display apparatus. A horizontal cross talk is a phenomenon in which a signal electric potential Vsig written into a certain pixel leaks to a pixel adjacent to the certain pixel, causing a shadow or a pattern, which are not supposed to exist, to be generated on the screen. The cross talk can be a vertical cross talk generated on the screen in the vertical direction or a horizontal cross talk generated on the screen in the horizontal direction.
In this patent specification, attention is paid to the horizontal cross talk. At the present day, the horizontal cross talk is conceivably attributed mainly to two causes. As a typical one of the causes, after an electric potential is held on a specific data line, a black-signal electric potential leaks to a data line adjacent to the specific data line by way of a complementary switch. As another typical one of the causes, after an electric potential is held on a data line, a black-signal electric potential is subjected to a phase expansion sampling so that same-polarity shakes or same-polarity noises are propagated to the common electrode (Vcom) or the gate line.
On the other hand,
The following description explains a technology in related art proposed for reducing horizontal cross talks as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2006-243267. The technology disclosed in this patent reference is a method of computing a sum of voltages applied to a compensation-subject line by making use of coefficients each associated with one of the applied voltages as well as a sum of voltages applied to an immediately preceding line, and computing a shake quantity of the common electric potential Vcom on the basis of the difference between the two sums. In the case of this method, a voltage obtained by compensating an applied voltage corresponding an input signal by use of a shake quantity is written onto a liquid-crystal panel in order to reduce horizontal cross talks.
However, this technology relates to a monochrome panel. Thus, even if the technology is applied to a liquid-crystal display apparatus having a color panel structure, the effect of elementary-color data of another adjacent color on an adjacent pixel is not taken into consideration. In addition, this technology is for solving only the problem of a horizontal cross talk caused by a leak of the signal electric potential Vsig.
On top of that, in accordance with this technology, the compensation quantity is determined without regard to a positional relation of compensation-subject pixels arranged in the scan direction. That is to say, the compensation quantity is determined without differentiating the front and back sides of the scan direction from each other. In other words, for equal gradation levels, the same compensation quantity is used without regard to the positional relation. In this way, in the case of this technology, there is raised a problem that the positional relation is not reflected in a way or another in a compensation process in spite of the fact that the way in which a horizontal cross talk appears differs in accordance with the scan direction positional relation.
Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2005-352444 discloses a technology for determining the value of a horizontal cross talk by considering effects of a pixel having a color adjacent to its own color in the scan direction or a pixel adjacent to the pixel having a color adjacent to its own color in the scan direction as shown in a diagram of
However, what can be compensated in accordance with this technology is limited to a range of pixels adjacent to a certain pixel or pixels adjacent to the pixels adjacent to the certain pixel. In addition, a computation equation disclosed in the document is intended to compensate the certain pixel located on the front side of the scan direction. Thus, the disclosed technology has a problem that the technology has a small effect on a pixel located on the back side of the scan direction.
In order to solve the problems described above, inventors of the present invention have proposed a digital-signal processing technology that can be applied to a liquid-crystal display apparatus having a color panel structure as a preferred technology and can be used to appropriately compensate elementary-color data for a horizontal cross talk generated on both the front and back sides of the scan direction.
That is to say, a technology having the processing operation steps described below is applied as technology providing a digital-signal processing method to be used for processing elementary-color data to be output to a liquid-crystal display apparatus having a color panel structure. The digital-signal processing method includes:
(a) a line-unit weight-coefficient sum computation step of computing a line-unit sum of weight coefficients, which are each associated with a gradation level, for each line unit of aforementioned weight coefficients and for each elementary-color data;
(b) a compensation-coefficient computation step of computing a compensation coefficient reflecting other color information of each of the line units for each elementary-color data;
(c) a partial-weight-coefficient-sum computation step of successively computing a partial weight-coefficient sum of some weight coefficients in a range starting from the head of each of the line units and ending at the position of a pixel serving as a processing subject for each elementary-color data;
(d) a first-compensation-quantity-component computation step of computing a first component of a compensation quantity for each elementary-color data as a component effective for the front end of the scan direction for the position of a pixel serving as a processing subject on the basis of a difference between the compensation coefficient and the partial-weight-coefficient sum;
(e) a second-compensation-quantity-component computation step of computing a second component of the compensation quantity for each elementary-color data as a component effective for the back end of the scan direction for the position of a pixel serving as a processing subject on the basis of the compensation coefficient;
(f) a compensation-quantity computation step of successively computing the compensation quantity to be applied to each elementary-color data at the position of a pixel serving as a processing subject on the basis of the computed first and second components;
(g) a line-period extension step of applying 1-line period extension to each elementary-color data till a compensation quantity for each elementary-color data is calculated;
(h) a horizontal-cross-talk compensation step of successively compensating each elementary-color data, which has been subjected to the 1-line period extension process in a line memory, by making use of the compensation quantity computed for each elementary-color data.
In addition, the inventors of the present invention have also proposed a digital-signal processing method for a liquid-crystal display apparatus having a color-panel structure with a double-speed display function as a method including the following operation steps:
(a) a line-unit weight-coefficient sum computation step to be carried out on the first field during a double-speed display operation as a line-unit weight-coefficient sum computation process of computing a line-unit sum of weight coefficients, which are each associated with a gradation level, for each line unit of aforementioned weight coefficients and for each elementary-color data;
(b) a compensation-coefficient computation step to be carried out on the first field during a double-speed display operation as a compensation-coefficient computation process of computing a compensation coefficient reflecting other color information of each of the line units for each elementary-color data;
(c) a line-period extension step of applying 1-line period extension to the compensation coefficient computed for the first-field during a double-speed display operation;
(d) a partial-weight-coefficient sum computation step to be carried out on the second field during a double-speed display operation as a partial-weight-coefficient sum computation process of successively computing a partial weight-coefficient sum of some compensation coefficients in a range starting from the head of each of the line units and ending at the position of a pixel serving as a processing subject for each elementary-color data;
(e) a first-compensation-quantity-component computation step to be carried out on the second field during a double-speed display operation as a first-compensation-quantity-component computation process of computing a first component of a compensation quantity for each elementary-color data as a component effective for the front end of the scan direction for the position of a pixel serving as a processing subject on the basis of a difference between the compensation coefficient and the partial weight-coefficient sum;
(f) a second-compensation-quantity-component computation step to be carried out on the second field during a double-speed display operation as a second-compensation-quantity-component computation process of computing a second component of the compensation quantity for each elementary-color data as a component effective for the back end of the scan direction for the position of a pixel serving as a processing subject on the basis of the compensation coefficient;
(g) a compensation-quantity computation step to be carried out on the second field during a double-speed display operation as a compensation-quantity computation process of successively computing the compensation quantity to be applied to each elementary-color data at the position of a pixel serving as a processing subject on the basis of the computed first and second components;
(h) a horizontal-cross-talk compensation step of successively compensating each elementary-color data, which has been supplied to the second field during a double-speed display operation, by making use of the compensation quantity associated with each elementary-color data.
In accordance with the digital-signal processing apparatus and the digital-signal processing method, which have been proposed by the inventors of the inventions, information on elementary-color data for all pixels composing 1 line can be reflected in a value associated with each elementary data as a compensation coefficient for a horizontal cross talk. To be more specific, the information is a value which is computed for each elementary-color data as an average of the line-unit sums, which are each a sum of weight coefficients each reflecting other color information of the same line. Besides, the information is a value which is computed for each elementary-color data as a product obtained by computing a total sum of the line-unit sums, which are each a sum of weight coefficients each reflecting other color information of the same line, at a predetermined ratio.
In this case, the information on elementary-color data for all pixels composing 1 line can be reflected in both a compensation quantity effective for the front side of the scanning direction and a compensation quantity effective for the back side of the scanning direction. It is thus possible to reliably improve a phenomenon in which the compensation effect is limited to the front side of the scanning direction as is the case with the method in related art. In addition, it is also possible to reliably improve a phenomenon in which a color shift is generated as a shift in a relation with the other color due to the fact that the compensation effect is completed for each color unit as is the case with the method in related art.
These and other objects as well as features of the present invention will become clear from the following description of the preferred embodiments given with reference to the accompanying diagrams, in which:
The following description explains preferred embodiments each implementing a digital-signal processing apparatus mounted on a liquid-crystal display apparatus adopting an active matrix driving method.
It is to be noted that a known technology and a technology disclosed to the public in the related field are applied to components which are neither described particularly in this patent specification nor shown particularly in the figures.
In addition, each of the embodiments described below is no more than a typical implementation of the present invention. That is to say, the scope of the present invention is by no means limited to the embodiments.
The liquid-crystal display 23 employs a backlight (or a light source) not shown in the figure and a liquid-crystal panel. The liquid-crystal panel has a substrate module shown in the diagram of
The signal processing section 25 is a processing device for processing an input image signal in order to generate a signal format suitable for the display on the liquid-crystal panel.
The A/D-PLL section 31 is a processing device for carrying out a process to convert an analog input image signal into digital pixel data and a phase synchronization process.
The video-signal conversion section 33 is a processing device for carrying out a process to convert the digital pixel data output by the A/D-PLL section 31 into pixel data (or elementary-color data) adapted to the number of pixels on the liquid-crystal panel and the clock frequency.
The digital-signal processing section 35 is a processing device for carrying out a contrast adjustment process and a cross-talk compensation process. A horizontal-cross-talk compensation process to be described later is also carried out by the digital-signal processing section 35.
The sample hold section 37 is a processing device for carrying out a sample hold process on the pixel data (or elementary-color data) output by the digital-signal processing section 35 in order to generate data used for driving the liquid-crystal panel.
The system control section 27 is a control unit for controlling the whole liquid-crystal display apparatus. To be more specific, the system control section 27 is a control unit for controlling the video-signal conversion section 33, the digital-signal processing section 35, the sample hold section 37 and the like.
(B-1) Typical Process 1
In the process described below, it is assumed that the vertical scan frequency on the input side is equal to that on the output side as shown in a diagram of
The digital-signal processing section 35 shown in the block diagram of
(a) Blocks each used for computing a line-unit sum of weight coefficients for each elementary-color data (and for each line unit)
The first functional blocks are each used for computing a line-unit sum of weight coefficients for each elementary-color data and for each horizontal line unit. In the digital-signal processing section 35 shown in the block diagram of
First of all, each of the R_th_sum computation section 41R, the G_th_sum computation section 41G and the B_th_sum computation section 41B carries out a process to compare the gradation level of elementary-color data with a pair of threshold values for each pixel and convert the gradation level into a weight coefficient corresponding to the result of the comparison.
In the case of this embodiment, the range 000h to 200h very close to the black level is associated with a weight coefficient of 2, the range 200h to 400h relatively close to the black level is associated with a weight coefficient of 1, the range 400h to 600h in the middle is associated with a weight coefficient of 0, the range 600h to 800h relatively close to the white level is associated with a weight coefficient of −1 and the range 800h to FFFh very close to the white level is associated with a weight coefficient of −2.
In addition, in the case of this embodiment, the same threshold-value pairs Sth shown in the diagram of
Each of the R_th_sum computation section 41R, the G_th_sum computation section 41G and the B_th_sum computation section 41B cumulatively sums up weight coefficients obtained as a result of a process carried out along 1 horizontal line to convert elementary-color data and outputs the cumulative sum which is obtained immediately before the elementary-color data is switched to the next horizontal line. That is to say, the R_th_sum computation section 41R, the G_th_sum computation section 41G and the B_th_sum computation section 41B output weight-coefficient cumulative sums R_th_sum, G_th_sum and B_th_sum respectively. It is to be noted that, after the R_th_sum computation section 41R, the G_th_sum computation section 41G and the B_th_sum computation section 41B output weight-coefficient cumulative sums R_th_sum, G_th_sum and B_th_sum respectively, the R_th_sum computation section 41R, the G_th_sum computation section 41G and the B_th_sum computation section 41B reset the weight-coefficient cumulative sums R_th_sum, G_th_sum and B_th_sum respectively.
The R_th_sum computation section 41R, the G_th_sum computation section 41G and the B_th_sum computation section 41B thus compute information of line-unit weight-coefficient sums each representing elementary-color data of not only some pixels but all pixels on the entire line unit.
(b) Block for Computing an Average of Weight-Coefficient Sums
The second functional block is a functional block for computing a compensation coefficient reflecting other color information of each line for each elementary-color data. A weight-coefficient sum average computation section 43 employed in the digital-signal processing section 35 shown in the block diagram of
The weight-coefficient sum average computation section 43 shown in the block diagram of
It is to be noted that a method for computing compensation coefficients is provided in advance.
In accordance with computation example 2, on the other hand, the weight-coefficient sum averages α_R, α_G and α_B for the R, G and B data respectively are computed by using different calculation formulas based on the weight-coefficient sums R_th_sum, G_th_sum and B_th_sum. It is to be noted that the weight-coefficient sum average α_R for the R data is denoted by P_r. By the same token, the weight-coefficient sum average α_G for the G data is denoted by P_g. In the same way, the weight-coefficient sum average α_B for the B data is denoted by P_b.
As described above, blocks for computing an average of the weight-coefficient sums compute each of the weight-coefficient sum averages α_R, α_G and α_B for the R, G and B data respectively as a compensation coefficient reflecting data of all pixels on the same line.
(c) Blocks each used for computing a partial weight-coefficient sum for each elementary-color data (till the position of a pixel serving as a processing subject)
The third blocks are functional blocks each used for computing a partial weight-coefficient sum for each elementary-color data in a range ending at the position of a pixel serving as a processing subject.
A α_R computation section 45R shown in the block diagram of
It is to be noted that, in order to adjust the execution timing of the process to compute a partial weight-coefficient sum for each elementary-color, the digital-signal processing section 35 shown in the block diagram of
The processing operations carried out by the β_R computation section 45R, the β_G computation section 45G and the β_B computation section 45B are basically identical with those carried out by the R_th_sum computation section 41R, the G_th_sum computation section 41G and the B_th_sum computation section 41B respectively. However, the β_R computation section 45R, the β_G computation section 45G and the β_B computation section 45B output sums each computed till the position of a pixel, which serves as a processing subject, as partial sums of weight coefficients. The partial weight-coefficient sums computed by the β_R computation section 45R, the β_G computation section 45G and the β_B computation section 45B are referred to as partial weight-coefficient sums β_R, β_G and β_B respectively.
The β_R computation section 45R, the β_G computation section 45G and the β_B computation section 45B compute respectively partial weight-coefficient sums β_R, β_G and β_B each reflecting information on data of some pixels on the front side of the scan direction as seen from the position of a pixel serving as the processing subject for elementary-color data.
(d) Compensation-Quantity Computation Blocks
The fourth blocks are each a functional block for computing a compensation quantity corresponding to the present point of compensation for each of colors independently of each other.
A C_R computation section 51R shown in the block diagram of
It is to be noted that a computing coefficient common to all colors can be used as a common coefficient for the front side of the scan direction. That is to say, the computing coefficients R_data_f, G_data_f and B_data_f are set at the same value. By the same token, a coefficient common to all colors can be used as a common coefficient for the back side of the scan direction. That is to say, the computing coefficients R_data_b, G_data_b and B_data_b are set at the same value. In addition, for all colors, the same computing coefficient can be used without regard to the gradation level of the elementary-color data. As an alternative, the computing coefficient used for each color can be changed in accordance with the gradation level of the elementary-color data.
In the case of this embodiment, each of the computing coefficients R_data_f, G_data_f and B_data_f is set at 2 whereas each of the computing coefficients R_data_b, G_data_b and B_data_b is set at 3. Incidentally, setting the computing coefficients at these values of 2 and 3 increases the ratio of the compensation quantity component working for the back side of the scan direction.
If a computing coefficient varying in accordance with gradation level is used in this way, that is, if one computing coefficient R_data_f is used for each gradation level, the amount of information undesirably increases.
For this reason, this embodiment adopts a method which receives values of the computing coefficient R_data_f at different gradation levels from an external source. Each of black circles shown in the diagram of
It is to be noted that the value of the computing coefficient R_data_f at a point between two adjacent compensation points corresponding to different gradation levels is found by interpolation based on the values of the computing coefficient R_data_f at the two adjacent compensation points.
Incidentally, a compensation quantity component for the front side of the scan direction is a product obtained as a result of multiplying a difference described above by a computing coefficient data_f for the elementary-color data. The difference multiplied by the computing coefficient data_f for elementary-color data is the difference between a compensation coefficient computed from line-unit sums of weight coefficients for the elementary-color data and a partial weight-coefficient sum for the elementary-color data. Thus, the compensation quantity component for the front side of the scan direction reflects information on gradation levels of all pixels composing one line for the elementary-color data and information on a gradation level for the front side of the scan direction for the elementary-color data.
On the other hand, a compensation quantity component for the back side of the scan direction is a product obtained as a result of multiplying the compensation coefficient computed from line-unit sums of weight coefficients for the elementary-color data by a computing coefficient data_b for the elementary-color data. Thus, a compensation quantity component for the back side of the scan direction for elementary-color data reflects information on gradation levels of all pixels composing 1 line for the elementary-color data.
Then, by finding the sum of the two compensation quantity components having different scan directions, the compensation quantities C_R, C_G and C_B for pixel positions can be computed for each elementary-color data.
As is obvious from the diagrams of
(e) Horizontal-Cross-Talk Compensation Blocks
The fifth blocks are each a functional block for compensating elementary-color data at the position of a pixel serving as a processing subject on the basis of successively output compensation quantities C_R, C_G and C_B for each of elementary-color data. A horizontal-cross-talk compensation section 53R, 53G and 53B are fifth functional blocks provided for the R data DRin, G data DGin and B data DBin respectively.
The horizontal-cross-talk compensation section 53R, 53G and 53B carry out a process to add the compensation quantities C_R, C_G and C_B described above to elementary-color data received from the stage-count adjustment section 49R, 49G and 49B respectively or subtract the compensation quantities C_R, C_G and C_B respectively from the elementary-color data received from the stage-count adjustment section 49R, 49G and 49B respectively in order to execute a process to output the result of computation to the sample hold section 37.
It is to be noted that the addition or subtraction process is selected as the compensation processing in accordance with the type of the liquid-crystal panel. The selection of the addition or subtraction process as the compensation processing is executed by a sel select signal.
(f) Summary
By adoption of the processing method described above, it is possible to reflect information on gradation levels of all pixels composing 1 line for all colors in the compensation quantities used for horizontal cross talks.
It is thus possible to compute compensation quantities required for horizontal cross talks appearing on both the front and back sides of the scan direction.
In addition, since it is possible to reflect information on gradation levels of all pixels composing 1 line for all colors in the computed compensation quantities used for compensating elementary-color data for horizontal cross talks, the compensation quantities computed for horizontal cross talks can be used for avoiding a color balance shift.
It is to be noted that, in the case of the system in related art considering only the gradation level of a particular color serving as a processing subject, even if a compensation quantity is proper for the particular color, the compensation quantity is not adjusted for another color adjacent to the particular color. In particular, if only the elementary-color data of a certain color such as the green color is at the level of the black signal, with the technology in related art, an effect on other colors cannot be compensated for.
Thus, in the case of the system in related art, the color balance collapses and a horizontal cross talk cannot but be recognized as a horizontal cross talk different from surroundings.
In addition, a color shift is generated also due to variations of the color purity of a color filter. Also in this respect, by adoption of the technology in related art, it is impossible to compensate for a horizontal cross talk so as to avoid a color shift.
As described above, the processing method according to the embodiment is superior in a variety of respects than the method provided by the technology in related art.
(B-2) Typical Process 2
In typical process 2 described below, it is assumed that the vertical scan frequency of the output is twice the vertical scan frequency of the input as shown in a diagram of
The digital-signal processing section 35 shown in the block diagram of
It is to be noted that, in the following description, field images are explained by assuming that the images are input in units composed of two consecutive fields of the same image contents. That is to say, let the input field images composed of fields A, B, C and so on. In this case, the field images are input as fields AABBCC and so on where each of notations AA, BB, CC and so on denotes two consecutive fields of the same image contents.
The technique of inputting field images as two consecutive fields of the same image contents can also applied to a case in which the second one of the two consecutive fields is a field generated by carrying out a movement compensation process based on the image of the first one of the two consecutive fields. In this case, the field images are input as fields AA′BB′CC′ and so on where each of notations A′, B′, C′ and so on denotes a field generated by carrying out a movement compensation process based on the image of one of the immediately preceding field A, B, C and so on respectively.
(a) Blocks Each Used for Computing a Sum of Weight Coefficients for Each Elementary-Color Data (and for Each Line Unit)
Also in the case of typical process 2 described above in general for all functional blocks, the first functional blocks are each used for computing a line-unit sum of weight coefficients for each elementary-color data and for each horizontal line unit. That is to say, a R_th_sum computation section 41R is a functional block provided for R data DRin, a G_th_sum computation section 41G is a functional block provided for G data DGin and a B_th_sum computation section 41B is a functional block provided for B data DBin.
It is to be noted that typical process 2 is carried out by each of the functional blocks on the first one of the two consecutive fields. Since the substance of the typical process 2 is the same as that of typical process 1, a detailed explanation of the typical process 2 is eliminated.
(b) Block for Computing an Average of Weight-Coefficient Sums
Also in the case of typical process 2 described above, the second functional block is for computing a compensation coefficient reflecting other color information of each line for each elementary-color data.
That is to say, the weight-coefficient sum average computation section 43 shown in the block diagram of
It is to be noted that typical process 2 is carried out by this functional block on the first one of the two consecutive fields. Since the substance of the typical process 2 is the same as typical process 1, a detailed explanation of the typical process 2 is eliminated. It is also worth noting that the weight-coefficient sum averages α_R, α_B and α_G computed by the weight-coefficient sum average computation section 43 for each line unit are stored in a line memory 61 which has a storage capacity of 1 field. What is described so far is the substance of the processing carried out on the first one of the two consecutive fields.
In this way, in typical process 2, processing to compensate elementary-color data for horizontal cross talks is not carried out on the image of the first one of the two consecutive fields. Instead, the image of the first one of the two consecutive fields is output to the sample hold section 37 provided at the stage following the digital-signal processing section 35 without being subjected to these kinds of signal processing even though the flow of this image is not shown explicitly in the block diagram of
(c) Blocks each used for computing a weight-coefficient sum for each elementary-color data (till the position of a pixel serving as a processing subject)
Also in the case of typical process 2 described above in general for all functional blocks, the third blocks are functional blocks each used for computing a partial weight-coefficient sum of some weight coefficients for each elementary-color data in a range ending at the position of a pixel serving as a processing subject.
A β_R computation section 45R is the third functional block provided for the R data DRin. By the same token, a β_G computation section 45G is the third functional block provided for the G data DGin. Likewise, a β_B computation section 45B is the third functional block provided for the B data DBin.
It is to be noted that typical process 2 is carried out by each of the functional blocks on the second one of the two consecutive fields. This is because, since the input image of the second field is identical to or all but identical to the image of the first field, the weight-coefficient sum averages α_R, α_B and α_G computed by the weight-coefficient sum average computation section 43 for the first field can be used. In addition, this is also because the time itself, which is assigned to the signal processing, is reduced by half in conformity with a double-speed display.
Thus, in the case of a system with a high processing performance, the operations explained in the section of typical process 1 can be selected as operations to be applied to a double-speed display. It is to be noted that, since the operations carried out by the β_R computation section 45R, the β_G computation section 45G and the β_B computation section 45B are the same as those of typical process 1, the explanation of the operations is not repeated in order to avoid duplications.
(d) Compensation-Quantity Computation Blocks
Also in the case of typical process 2 described above, the fourth blocks are each a functional block for computing a compensation quantity corresponding to the present point of compensation for each of colors independently of each other.
A C_R computation section 51R is the fourth functional block provided for the R data DRin. By the same token, a C_G computation section 51G is the fourth functional block provided for the G data DGin. Likewise, a C_B computation section 51B the fourth functional block provided for the B data DBin.
As described above, the processing carried out by each of the functional blocks is performed on the second one of the two consecutive fields.
The substance of typical process 2 described above is itself identical with that of typical process 1 except that, in the processing carried out by the C_R computation section 51R, the C_G computation section 51G and the C_R computation section 51B to compute the compensation quantities C_R, C_G and C_B respectively, the weight-coefficient sum averages α_R, α_B and α_G computed by the weight-coefficient sum average computation section 43 for the first field are used respectively. For this reason, detailed explanation of the processing carried out by each of the C_R computation section 51R, the C_G computation section 51G and the C_R computation section 51B is not given.
(e) Horizontal-Cross-Talk Compensation Blocks
Also in the case of typical process 2 described above, the fifth blocks are each a functional block for compensating elementary-color data at the position of a pixel serving as a processing subject on the basis of successively output compensation quantities C_R, C_G and C_B for each of elementary-color data. The horizontal-cross-talk compensation section 53R, 53G and 53B carry out a process to add the compensation quantities C_R, C_G and C_B respectively to elementary-color data received from the stage-count adjustment section 49R, 49G and 49B respectively or subtract the compensation quantities C_R, C_G and C_B respectively from the elementary-color data received from the stage-count adjustment section 49R, 49G and 49B respectively in order to execute a process to output the result of computation to the sample hold section 37.
As described above, the processing carried out by each of the horizontal-cross-talk compensation section 53R, 53G and 53B is processing performed on the second one of the two consecutive fields. For this reason, detailed explanation of the processing carried out by each of the fifth functional blocks is not given.
(f) Summary
The same compensation effects of typical process 2 as those of typical process 1 can be expected. In addition, typical process 2 does not require the line memory 47R for storing R data of 1 horizontal line as data of the elementary red color, the line memory 47G for storing G data of 1 horizontal line as data of the elementary green color and the line memory 47B for storing B data of 1 horizontal line as data of the elementary blue color. On the other hand, typical process 2 needs the new line memory used for storing the weight-coefficient sum averages α_R, α_B and α_G. However, the storage capacity of the line memory is dramatically smaller than the total storage capacity of the line memory 47R, the line memory 47G and the line memory 47B for typical process 1.
Thus, the size of a circuit composing the digital-signal processing section 35 can be reduced.
(C-1) Product Examples
(a) Drive IC
The description given so far explains a liquid-crystal display apparatus constructed by assembling the apparatus from components including the liquid-crystal display 23, the signal processing section 25 and the system control section 27.
However, the components including the liquid-crystal display 23, the signal processing section 25 and the system control section 27 can also be manufactured separately from each other and distributed as components independent of each other. For example, the signal processing section 25 can be manufactured as an IC (Integrated Circuit) or ASIC (Application-Specific IC) and distributed independently of the other components.
(b) Display Modules
The liquid-crystal display 23 described previously can also be distributed in the form of a display module 71 having an external configuration like one shown in a diagram of
The display module 71 has a configuration including a liquid-crystal panel 73 serving as a base having a liquid-crystal layer sandwiched by two glass substrate modules. The configuration also includes a pixel-array section 3 on the liquid-crystal panel 73. The configuration also includes components such as driving circuits, which are the H shift register 5, the H switch section 7 and the V shift register 9, as well as the signal processing section 25 in the surroundings of the pixel-array section 3.
(c) Electronic Apparatus
The function described earlier as to compensate for horizontal cross talks is distributed in not only a component employed in the liquid-crystal display apparatus 21 but also a component employed in other distributed electronic apparatus. For example, the function to compensate for horizontal cross talks can also be implemented in a component employed in a projector.
The following description explains embodiments each implementing the function to compensate for horizontal cross talks in a component employed in other electronic apparatus.
The digital camera 91 has a protection cover 93, an imaging lens 95, a display module 71, a control switch 97 and a shutter button 99. It is to be noted that, except a pixel-array section 3, components employed in the display module 71 are all concealed inside the case of the digital camera 91.
The cellular phone 111 employs an upper case 113, a lower case 115, a joining section 117, which is a hinge in the case of this typical cellular phone 111, a display module 119 functioning as the display module 71 described so far, an auxiliary display module 121 functioning as the display module 71 described so far, a picture light 123 and an imaging lens 125. It is to be noted that, except a pixel-array section 3, components employed in the display module 119 and an auxiliary display module 121 are all concealed inside the upper and lower cases 113 and 115 of the cellular phone 111.
The display module 71 can also be employed in electronic apparatus other than those described above.
The other electronic apparatus include an audio reproduction apparatus, a game machine, an electronic book and an electronic dictionary.
(C-3) Other Implementations
Other implementations can be conceivably constructed by changing the embodiments described above in a variety of ways with the changes not deviating from a range of purposes of the present invention. For example, the relation between the range of gradation levels and the weight coefficient into which a gradation level in the range is converted is by no means limited to the relation shown in the diagram of
In addition, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that a variety of modifications, combinations, sub-combinations and alterations may occur, depending on design requirements and other factors as far as they are within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-240348 | Sep 2007 | JP | national |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20070146281 | Hosihara et al. | Jun 2007 | A1 |
| 20070222724 | Ueno et al. | Sep 2007 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 2002-116735 | Apr 2002 | JP |
| 2004-301964 | Oct 2004 | JP |
| 2005-070339 | Mar 2005 | JP |
| 2005-202159 | Jul 2005 | JP |
| 2005-352444 | Dec 2005 | JP |
| 2006-053441 | Feb 2006 | JP |
| 2006-091800 | Apr 2006 | JP |
| 2006-162872 | Jun 2006 | JP |
| 2006-163074 | Jun 2006 | JP |
| 2006-243267 | Sep 2006 | JP |
| 2007-148054 | Jun 2007 | JP |
| Entry |
|---|
| Japanese Office Action issued on Oct. 27, 2009 for corresponding Japanese Application No. 2007-240348. |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20090073090 A1 | Mar 2009 | US |
