Patent Grant
12361867
This patent application claims the benefit of Patent Cooperation Treaty Application No. PCT/CN2022/139657, filed Dec. 16, 2022, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
The disclosure relates to a micro display system including a pixel driver controller array.
A light emitting diode (LED), which is a type of semiconductor diode, can convert electrical energy into optical energy, and emit light having a different gray scale value depending on a material of a light emitting layer included in the LED.
Digital display technology has become one of the largest branches in the field of modern electronics and optoelectronics and generates demands in various applications where an image forming function is needed. Among those applications, a micro-LED display, which has the potential of generating an image with better contrast, within shorter response times, with more energy efficiency, with higher refresh rate, and with less background noise, is of interest.
Nowadays, wearable devices, including smart wearable devices, sometimes require a mini display screen on the device. Compared to traditional electronic devices having a screen, these smart wearable devices (such as, a smart watch, a smart phone, an augmented reality headset, etc.) require the screen to be smaller in size, to respond to a user's control more quickly, to use as little energy as possible, to provide a higher refresh rate, and to have less background lights, so that the device does not emit excessive heat, can last longer, and can produce better quality images. Therefore, a mini display screen having a high-contrast, quick-response, energy-efficient, and higher refresh rate screen with less background noise for wearable devices is in demand.
In an LED system, a back plane and power source combination determines size, brightness, contrast, energy efficiency, and thermal management of the LED system. In a conventional LED system, the back plane and power source combination is bulky and introduces energy loss into the system, which may cause the LED system to not provide sufficient brightness and contrast or refresh rate. Such a system is not suitable for wearable devices because of these deficiencies. An improved LED system for wearable devices is needed.
In accordance with the present disclosure, there is provided a pixel driver controller. The controller includes: a reference current source configured to supply a reference current; a current mirror source, coupled to receive the reference current, configured to provide a mirror current having a current value equal to a current value of the reference current; a first current switch coupled to the current mirror source to receive the mirror current, the first current switch being further coupled to a light emitting diode (LED) device to control flow of the mirror current to the LED device; a pixel display data memory coupled to the first current switch and configured to store pixel display data; a second current switch coupled to the first current switch; and a controller coupled to the second switch and configured to control at least one of a global brightness or a gray scale level of the LED device by controlling a switch-on status of the second current switch.
In further accordance with the present disclosure, there is provided a display back plane system. The system includes: a power controller, and a pixel driving controller array. The pixel driving controller array further includes: a reference current source configured to supply a reference current; a current mirror source, coupled to receive the reference current, configured to provide a mirror current having a current value equal to a current value of the reference current; a first current switch coupled to the current mirror source to receive the mirror current, the first current switch being further coupled to a light emitting diode (LED) device to control flow of the mirror current to the LED device; a pixel display data memory coupled to the first current switch and configured to store pixel display data; a second current switch coupled to the first current switch; and a processing time controller coupled to the second switch and configured to control at least one of a global brightness or a gray scale level of the LED device by controlling a switch-on status of the second current switch.
In further accordance with the present disclosure, there is provided a display. The display includes: a light emitting diode (LED); a reference current source configured to supply a reference current; a current mirror source, coupled to receive the reference current, configured to provide a mirror current having a current value equal to a current value of the reference current; a first current switch coupled to the current mirror source to receive the mirror current, the first current switch being further coupled to the LED device to control flow of the mirror current to the LED device; a pixel display data memory coupled to the first current switch and configured to store pixel display data; a second current switch coupled to the first current switch; and a controller coupled to the second switch and configured to control at least one of a global brightness or a gray scale level of the LED device by controlling a switch-on status of the second current switch.
Hereinafter, embodiments consistent with the disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.
As discussed above, a conventional LED back plane system for wearable devices is bulky and introduces energy loss and excessive heat into LED systems. As a result, the conventional LED back plane system is not suitable for wearable devices because a wearable device requires the system to be relatively small in size, to produce sufficient brightness and contrast for a user, to be energy efficient, to provide a sufficient refresh-rate for a display screen, and to produce as little background light as possible.
Consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure, a micro LED back plane system includes an LED array suitable for wearable devices and a combination of a reference current source and a current mirror source configured to supply steady power to the LED system. This ensures the micro LED display system can be smaller in size, produce steady light with sufficient brightness and contrast, be energy efficient, and provide a sufficient refresh-rate for the display screen.
Some embodiments consistent with the present disclosure include a micro display back plane system, including a data interface, an image processing module, a pixel driving controller array, a row driver, a power controller, and at least one sensor. The image processing module includes a display frame buffer and a one-time programmable (“OTP”) memory. Some embodiments consistent with the present disclosure include a reference current source, a current mirror source, at least two current switches, an LED device, an internal memory, a global brightness controller, a test circuit, and a shared electrode. Some embodiments consistent with the present disclosure include a reference current source, at least two current mirror circuits, an LED device, an internal memory, a global brightness controller, a test circuit, and a shared electrode. The micro display back plane systems consistent with disclosed embodiments are capable of overcoming the drawbacks of conventional micro display back plane systems, including micro LED back plane systems.
The micro display back plane system 100 further includes a processing unit and time controller 125 coupled to the frame buffer 110. In some embodiments, the processing unit and time controller 125 can be provided as a circuit, a chip, a microchip, or other electronic components or devices configurable to process digital image data by processing original digital image data, such as frame data, and producing optimized image data using one or more specific algorithms and parameters obtained from the OTP memory. In some embodiments, the processing unit and time controller 125 is implemented as software executed on a processor, included in the image enhancer 125, which is capable of performing the image data enhancement. In some embodiments, the processing unit and time controller 125 includes a graphic processing unit (“GPU”) and a timing controller.
The micro display back plane system 100 also includes a column driver 115 coupled to the processing unit and time controller 125. In some embodiments, the column driver 115 comprises drivers provided as one or more sets of integrated LED circuits, chips, or microchips. The micro display back plane system 100 also includes a row driver 135. The row driver 135 is also coupled to the processing unit and time controller 125. In some embodiments, the row driver 135 comprises drivers provided as one or more sets of integrated LED circuits, chips, or microchips.
The micro display back plane system 100 further includes a pixel driver controller array 120 coupled to the column driver 115 and the row driver 135. In some embodiments, the pixel driver controller array 120 is also coupled to the processing unit and time controller 125. In some embodiments, the pixel driver controller array 120 can be provided as a circuit, a chip, a microchip, or other electronic components or devices configurable to control pixels of an LED display.
The micro display back plane system 100 further includes a power controller 140 coupled to the data interface 105, the frame buffer 110, the processing unit and time controller 125, the column driver 115, the row driver 135, and the pixel driver controller array 120. In some embodiments, the power controller 140 can be provided as a switch, a circuit, a chip, a microchip, a current source, or other electronic components or devices configurable to control power for the back plane system 100.
The micro display back plane system 100 further includes one or more sensors 145 coupled to the pixel driver controller array 120. In some embodiments, the one or more sensors 145 include a temperature sensor configured to detect temperature of the pixel driver controller array 120. More specifically, each of the one or more sensors 145 detects and monitors temperature of the pixel driver controller array 120 and provides the detected temperature value to a general purpose computer that the micro display back plane system 100 is coupled to, so that the general purpose computer can shut down power to the back plane system 100 if the temperature of the pixel driver controller array 120 reaches a threshold value, such as 80 degree Celsius, or any temperature preset by the user, the manufacture, or that meets industrial standards of LED system manufacture.
Consistent with the present disclosure, the data interface 105 is configured to receive and provide data for the back plane system 100. Specifically, the data interface 105 provides raw image data it receives to the frame buffer 110.
In some embodiments, the data interface 105 receives image data input from an image data providing electronic device inside or outside of the system 100. For example, the data interface 105 may receive raw image data, pre-processed frame data, or both, from a ROM, a hard drive, or from a peripheral device such as a camera, a video recording device, a portable driver, a USB driver, a touch screen, or other device generating raw image data. The raw image data can be raster graphics data, vector image data, video data, or other forms of image data that are currently, or may become, available. In some embodiments, the data interface 105 connects with an external data-providing device through a physical connection, such as through an electronic cable. In some embodiments, the data interface 105 connects with the peripheral device wirelessly, such as through a Wi-Fi or a BLUETOOTH™ connection. In some embodiments, the data interface 105 processes the received raw image data to produce sets of corresponding frame data. In some embodiments, the data interface 105 stores decoding software and includes a processor that executes the software to process the raw image data. In some embodiments, the data interface 105 further includes decoding hardware, e.g., one or more ASICs or graphics processors, to process the raw image data. More specifically, when the image data is in video format, the data interface 105, through decoding software/hardware, samples the video format image data, e.g., using a periodic sampling method, and creates sets of graphic format data as the frame data. In some embodiments, the sampling interval is equal to or less than 1/24 second. In some embodiments, the sampling method can be interpolation, polling, convolution, deconvolution, or other methods of video format image data sampling that are currently, or may become, available. More specifically, when the raw image data is vector graphic data, the decoding software/hardware of the data interface 105 converts the sets of vector graphic data into sets of raster graphic image data, or an LED-display-friendly dot matrix data structure that is currently, or may become, available, as the frame data. The data interface 105 further transmits the frame data to the image processing module 106.
More particularly, in some embodiments, the display frame buffer 110 receives the frame data from the data interface 105 one frame at a time. In some embodiments, the display frame buffer 110 receives the frame data in chronological order. In some other embodiments, the display frame buffer 110 receives the frame data in the order that the frame data is stored in a storage medium connected to the data interface 105. More specifically, the frame data received by the frame buffer 110 can be frame data converted from raw image data by the data interface 105, or image data received by the data interface 105 already in frame data format. In some embodiments, the data interface 105 directly connects to the display frame buffer 110.
Still with reference to
The OTP memory, not shown in
The processing unit and time controller 125 combines the frame data stored in the frame buffer 110 with the compensation value provided by the OTP memory, and produces optimized frame data to transmit to the column driver 115. In some embodiments, the compensation value calculated by the OTP memory is a compensation value matrix. In some embodiments, the compensation value is a preset value previously stored in the OTP memory. In some embodiments, the processing unit and time controller 125 produces the optimized frame data by processing the frame data pixel by pixel. The processing by the processing unit and time controller 125, in some embodiments, includes adding certain values to, or subtracting certain values from, the specific pixel according to the compensation value matrix.
In some embodiments, the display frame buffer 110 is coupled between the processing unit and time controller 125 and the column driver 115. The display frame buffer 110 transmits the optimized frame data it receives from the processing unit and time controller 125 to the column driver 115. In some embodiments, the processing unit and time controller 125 is coupled to the column driver 115 and directly transmits the optimized frame data to the column driver 115. In some embodiments, the processing unit and time controller 125 is also coupled to the row driver 135 and directly transmits the optimized frame data to the row driver 135.
Consistent with the present disclosure, the column driver 115, being coupled to the pixel driver controller array 120, controls image display by controlling pixel scanning by column. The row driver 135, being coupled to the pixel driver controller array 120, controls the image display by controlling pixel scanning by row. The pixel driver controller array 120 receives frame data from the column driver 115 and the row driver 135, together or separately. In some embodiments, the pixel driver controller array 120 is an integrated LED circuit. In some embodiments, the pixel driver controller array 120 comprises at least one pixel driver controller 200, as depicted in
The pixel driver controller 200 also includes at least two current switches. For example, as shown in
The pixel driver controller 200 also includes a pixel display data memory 225 provided as an internal memory chip or circuit. The pixel display data memory 225 is used to store frame data that the pixel driver controller 200 receives, for example, from either column driver 115 or row driver 135, or from both. In the embodiment depicted in
The pixel driver controller 200 also includes a gray scale and/or global brightness controller 215 configured to control at least one of a gray scale level or a global brightness of the LED device 220. The gray scale and/or global brightness controller 215 is coupled to the processing unit and time controller 125 and receives the optimized image data from the processing unit and time controller 125. The gray scale and/or global brightness controller 215 is also coupled to the second current switch 214 and configured to switch on or off the second current switch 214 based on the optimized image data. As described below in more detail, by controlling the switch-on status (e.g., pulse width or duty cycle) of the second current switch 214, the gray scale and/or global brightness controller 215 can adjust the global brightness and/or gray scale levels of the images displayed by the LED device 220.
In some embodiments, the first current switch 212 includes a first transistor 211 and the second current switch 214 includes a second transistor 213. The first transistor 211 includes a gate 261, a source 262, and a drain 263. The second transistor 213 includes a gate 266, a source 268, and a drain 267. The gate 266 of the second transistor 213 is coupled to the gray scale and/or global brightness controller 215. The source 268 of the second transistor 213 is coupled to the external direct current power supply 251. The drain 267 of the second transistor 213 is coupled to the gate 261 of the first transistor 211. The source 262 of the first transistor 211 is coupled to the current mirror source 210. The drain 263 of the first transistor 211 is coupled to the LED device 220. In some embodiments, the pixel display data memory 225 is coupled to the gate 261 of the first transistor 211. In some embodiments, both the source 262 and the source 268 are configured to receive power from the external direct current power supply 251.
In some embodiments, the first transistor 211 is used to control the gray scale levels of the LED device 220 and the second transistor 213 is used to control the global brightness of the LED device 220. Specifically, the gray scale and/or global brightness controller 215 is provided as a current controller that is configured to receive the constant mirror current and control the current in the LED device 220, so as to control the brightness of the LED device 220. In some embodiments, the gray scale and/or global brightness controller 215 is coupled to the second current switch 214 and adjusts a current value of the LED device 220. In some embodiments, the gray scale value of the LED device 220 can be an RGB color scale value. A typical LED device 220 that is capable of emitting color includes at least two light-emitting units, such as micro LED light bulbs. Each micro LED light bulb emits a single colored light such as red, green, or blue. In some embodiments, the LED device 220 also includes an optical combining device that combines the respective lights of the single colored light-emitting micro LED's lights and presents a colored light on the LED device 220. In some embodiments, the gray scale and/or global brightness controller 215 is coupled to a processing unit and time controller 125.
In some embodiments, the first transistor 211 is used to control the gray scale levels of the LED device 220 and the second transistor 213 is used to control the global brightness of the LED device 220. Specifically, the pixel display data memory 225 receives frame data from the frame buffer 110. The frame data includes pixel display data used for encoding the gray scales of a picture frame. The pixel display data memory 225 may be a one-bit memory, which supplies one bit of pixel display signal (i.e., one pulse) at each point in time to the gate 261 of the first transistor 211. The pixel display signal controls the switch-on and switch-off states of the first transistor 211, to control the gray scale levels. For example, a set of 8 bits of pixel display signals transmitted consecutively in time can be used to switch on/off the first transistor to generate 255 (i.e., 28−1) non-zero gray scale levels (or 256 gray scale levels if zero gray scale is considered to a separate gray scale level). Specifically, the pulse widths of the 8 pixel display signals may be T, 2T, 4T, 8T, 16T, 32T, 64T, and 128T, respectively, wherein “T” denotes a minimum period of time. The 8 pulses cause the first transistor 211 to be switched on in T, 2T, 4T, 8T, 16T, 32T, 64T, and 128T durations, thereby causing the LED device 220 to generate 8 one-bit frames respectively, which are superimposed in time to result in an eight-bit frame that has 255 gray scale levels. The total time used for transmitting the 8 pulses corresponds to the refresh rate of the LED device 220. The above example is for illustrative purpose only and a one-bit pixel display data memory 225 is not limited to generating 255 gray scale levels. Particularly, the above example can be generalized to generate N consecutive pulses in time, with pulse widths T, 2T, . . . 2NT, respectively. The N pulses can be used to switch on the first transistor 211 to generate an N-bit frame having 2N−1 non-zero gray scale levels.
As indicated above, in the embodiments associated with the one-bit pixel display data memory 225, the second transistor 213 is used to control the global brightness of the LED device 220. Specifically, the gray scale and/or global brightness controller 215 receives the optimized image data from the processing unit and time controller 125. The optimized image data contains control information used for controlling the global brightness of the gray scale image which, as described above, is generated by switching on-off the first transistor 211. Based on the global brightness control information, the gray scale and/or global brightness controller 215 adjusts the duty cycle of the second transistor 213, to control the global brightness. For example, if the second transistor 213 has a 100% cycle—the second transistor 213 is always switched on, the gray scale image has the maximum global brightness. If the second transistor 213 has a 50% cycle instead, the resulted drain signal from the drain 267 of the second transistor 213 can turn off the first transistor 211 during 50% of each of the T, 2T, . . . 2NT pulse times, thereby reducing the global brightness to 50% of its maximum value. As such, specific global brightness values can be achieved by controlling the duty cycles of the second transistor 213.
In some embodiments, an N-bit (e.g., eight-bit) pixel display data memory 225 is used to supply N pulses (e.g., 8 pulses) to the first current switch 212 at the same time. For illustrative purpose only, the following description assumes the pixel display data memory 225 is eight bits. Specifically, the first current switch 212 includes eight first transistors 211 (not shown in
In the present embodiments, the eight-bit pixel display data memory 225 supplies eight pixel display signals to the eight first transistors 211 respectively, switching on/off the eight first transistors 211 in parallel to cause the LED device 220 to display an eight-bit frame. Moreover, the gray scale and/or global brightness controller 215 switches on/off the eight second transistors 213 to control at least one of the gray scale level or global brightness of the eight-bit frame. Specifically, the gray scale and/or global brightness controller 215 switches on the eight second transistors 213 in time durations T, 2T, 4T, 8T, 16T, 32T, 64T, and 128T, respectively. Consequently, the eight second transistors 213 controls the switch-on durations of the eight first transistors 211 respectively, to generate 255 non-zero gray scale values. Additionally or alternatively, the gray scale and/or global brightness controller 215 controls the duty cycles of the eight second transistors 213 to adjust the global brightness. For example, the global brightness is set to maximum if the eight second transistors 213 have a 100% duty cycle. The global brightness controller is reduced to 50% of its maximum value if the proportion of “on” time of the second current switch 214 is decreased to 50% of the duty cycle. As such, specific gray scale values and/or global brightness levels can be determined by the switch-on status of the second current switch 214.
The pixel driver controller 200 also includes a test circuit 235 that is configured to test the current and voltage stability of the pixel driver controller 200.
The pixel driver controller 200 also includes a shared electrode 240 provided as a conductor that is used to make contact with a circuit. In some embodiments, the shared electrode 240 is configured to enable multiple pixel driver controllers 200 to be electrically connected through their respective shared electrodes 240 and form the pixel driver controller array 120 illustrated in
In some embodiments, the bias current generator 201 provides a stable current at a specified electric potential. In some embodiments consistent with
In some embodiments consistent with
Further according to this embodiment, an LED screen that includes multiple LED devices 220 can display an optimized gray scale or color scale image.
In some embodiments, the gray scale and/or global brightness controller 215 connects with external power source 251 and controls the switch-on status of the second current switch 214. In this specific embodiment, the gray scale controller and/or global brightness 215 includes a microchip configured to process frame data the gray scale and/or global brightness controller 215 receives from either column driver 115 or row driver 135, or from both. In some embodiments, the microchip of the gray scale and/or global brightness controller 215 includes pre-installed image processing software. In some embodiments, the gray scale and/or global brightness controller 215 examines the gray scale values of frame data and determines if the values are above a threshold such that the current flowing to the LED device 220 would cause the LED device 220 to display background lights. In this specific embodiment, the gray scale and/or global brightness controller 215 adjusts the gray scale value of the frame data so that the LED device 220 displays the frame data without displaying background lights noticeable to human eyes. In some embodiments, the gray scale value of the LED device 220 can be an RGB color scale value.
In some embodiments, the gray scale and/or global brightness controller 215 increases the brightness of the LED device 220 when the brightness of the frame data is below a threshold and the contrast of the frame data is not sufficient for proper display. In some embodiments, the global brightness controller dims the display of the LED device 220 when the brightness of the frame data exceeds a threshold and the contrast of the frame data is not properly displayed. In some embodiments, the test circuit 235 is coupled to the gray scale and/or global brightness controller 215 and the LED device 220. The test circuit 235 tests the brightness of the LED device 220 and feeds back the brightness test result to the gray scale and/or global brightness controller 215 to adjust the brightness of the LED device 220. In some embodiments, the test circuit 235 is coupled with an external terminal computer.
In some embodiments, multiple pixel driver controllers 200 depicted in
Other embodiments of the disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/CN2022/139657 | Dec 2022 | WO | international |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20040061672 | Page et al. | Apr 2004 | A1 |
| 20180322827 | Zhang et al. | Nov 2018 | A1 |
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| 1540615 | Oct 2004 | CN |
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| International Search Report and Written Opinion in counterpart PCT Application No. PCT/CN2022/139657, dated Mar. 22, 2023. |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20240203326 A1 | Jun 2024 | US |
