This invention pertains in general to the field of color display devices and methods of operating such devices. More particularly the invention relates to wide color gamut color displays and even more particularly to Spectrum Sequential Displays and a method for reducing electro-optical cross talk in such displays.
Color display devices are well known and are used in, for example, televisions, monitors, laptop computers, mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDA's) and electronic books.
A wide color gamut color display device is described in WO2004/032523 of same applicant, which herewith is incorporated by reference. The color display device displays a color image with a wide color gamut and is provided with a plurality of picture elements, two selectable light sources having different predetermined radiance spectra, color selection means which in combination with the selectable light sources are able to produce respective first and second primary colors on the display panel and control means arranged to select alternately one of the selectable light sources and to provide a portion of the picture elements with image information corresponding to the respective primary colors obtainable with the selected light source. The primary colors of the display device can be selected in a time sequential and space sequential way which enable a reduction of a color break-up.
The device is of the type that is also called Spectrum Sequential Display and is an in-between form of a regular, for instance an RGB, display and a color sequential display, which also is called Field Sequential Display. The display primaries are formed spatio-temporally, using both multiple color filters, and multiple (spectral) light sources, which are alternately flashed in a number of sub-frames.
The color gamut of such a display is very much larger than what can be realized with a conventional display and conventional 3-phosphor mix fluorescent lamp, while it gives comparable brightness.
In an ideal Spectrum Sequential Display, as disclosed in WO2004/032523, there is theoretically no interaction between two sub-frames. However, in a real life Spectrum Sequential Display, electro-optical cross talk occurs. This is caused by a number of effects, such as:
This electro-optical cross talk causes that the display primaries are not as saturated as intended. It in turn causes a shift in the intended color. This may be particularly annoying in a multi-primary display, where freedom in the six primaries allows for different combinations of drive values to result in the same, uniform, intended color. Under influence of the cross talk, these different drive levels can result in differing shifts in color, which results in very visible and annoying contouring and noise artifacts.
In addition, this cross talk also increases in severity for higher frame rates, which are essential for proper operation of Spectrum Sequential Displays that are not allowed to have visible flicker. For instance for a 60 Hz Spectrum Sequential television set (TV), a 120 Hz sub-frame rate has to be applied when using two sub-frames, and for a 50 Hz TV it is desired to apply a 150 Hz sub-frame rate, possibly aided by an up-conversion to a 75 Hz frame-rate to ensure a flicker-less Spectrum Sequential TV.
The temporal waveform of the lamp response of a Spectrum Sequential Display is also a cause for electro-optical cross talk.
This cross talk could be reduced, albeit eliminated, when we apply:
However, these measures add considerable cost and complexity to the Spectrum Sequential Display system, and incur reduced efficiency. Therefore, it is contemplated that, at least for the time being, there will always be a cross talk component in a commercially viable Spectrum Sequential Display.
Hence, it is desired to provide an advantageous way of reducing electro-optical cross talk in a wide gamut Spectrum Sequential Display, allowing for increased flexibility, and cost-effectiveness without substantially increasing power consumption of the display, while still maintaining comparable brightness levels.
Accordingly, the present invention preferably seeks to mitigate, alleviate or eliminate one or more of the above-identified deficiencies in the art and disadvantages singly or in any combination and solves at least one of the above mentioned problems, at least partly, by providing a color display device, a circuit for driving a panel of a color display device, a method, a signal and a computer-readable medium according to the appended claims.
The invention is defined by the independent claims. The dependant claims define advantageous embodiments.
The general solution according to the invention is providing a reduced electro-optical cross talk in a Spectrum Sequential Display. This is mainly achieved by compensating for the cross talk effects in an advantageous way.
The one or more properties of the light source may be related to the first and/or the second spectrum, for example, color or intensity, but may also be related to timing related aspects. For example: rise and/or fall time of the intensity of these spectra, the timing of these spectra with respect to the timing of the drive signal, and/or with respect to the response of the LC to this drive signal, thereby taking into account the response characteristics of the LC material.
These and other aspects, features and advantages of which the invention is capable of will be apparent from and elucidated by the following description of embodiments of the present invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:
The following description focuses on an embodiment of the present invention applicable to an exemplary Spectrum Sequential Display. However, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to this application but may be applied to many other Spectrum Sequential Displays.
It will be understood that the Figs. are merely schematic and are not drawn to scale. For clarity of illustration, certain dimensions may have been exaggerated while other dimensions may have been reduced. Also, where appropriate, the same reference numerals and letters are used throughout the Figs. to indicate the same parts and dimensions.
Generally, a liquid crystal display (also called LCD) device includes two substrates and an interposed liquid crystal layer. The two substrates have opposing electrodes such that an electric field applied across those electrodes causes the molecules of the liquid crystal (also called LC) to align according to the electric field. By controlling the electric field a liquid crystal display device can produce an image by varying the transmittance of incident light, usually from a backlight light source of a fixed spectrum. The electric field is generally implemented by supplying a drive signal to picture elements of a LCD in order to control said transmittance.
As mentioned above, a Spectrum Sequential Display is an in-between form of a regular, for instance an RGB, display and a color sequential display, which also is called Field Sequential Display. The display primaries in a color sequential display are formed spatio-temporally, using both multiple color filters, and multiple (spectral) light sources, which are alternately flashed in a number of sub-frames. The below described embodiments of a spectrum sequential display comprise exemplary a light source being formed by two separate light sources to generate two different spectra for illuminating picture elements of a LC display. However, this light source may also be a “single” light source of which light is for instance modulated resulting in two different spectra at different points in time. Basically any light source capable of producing selectable light spectra described herein is suitable for this purpose.
For example, the inventors have demonstrated (not published) a six primary display, based on a direct view LCD panel with three color filters (regular RGB) and equipped with two types of fluorescent light sources, which differ spectrally. In a first sub-frame, the first type of these light sources is applied which, in combination with the RGB color filters, delivers the first set of three primaries. In a second sub-frame, subsequent to the first sub-frame, the second type of the light sources is applied which, again in combination with the same RGB color filters, delivers the second set of three primaries. This principle is also illustrated with reference to
Applying a first set of drive values to the RGB sub-pixels in the first sub-frame and a second set of drive values to the RGB sub-pixels in the second sub-frame makes a color. This is in essence a six-primary display system. By alternating the sub-frames at a high enough rate (e.g. a 120 Hz sub-frame rate for a 60 Hz display), a desired color is made, without visible flicker, and limited break-up.
The sets of lamps 23, 24 of the exemplary Spectrum Sequential Display may be spatially alternated in the backlight as shown in
The color gamut of such a display is very much larger than what can be realized with a conventional display and conventional 3-phosphor mix fluorescent lamp, while it gives comparable brightness. An exemplary implemented system built by the inventors uses the lamp spectra 33 and 34 as shown in
In an ideal Spectrum Sequential Display, there is theoretically no interaction between the two sub-frames.
However, in a real life Spectrum Sequential Display, electro-optical cross talk occurs. This is caused by a number of effects, which may or not may be present in the display, depending on the configuration:
This electro-optical cross talk effect causes, for instance, that the display primaries are not as saturated as intended. This in turn causes an unintended and disadvantageous shift in the intended color. This may be particularly annoying in a multi-primary display, where freedom in the six primaries allows for different combinations of drive values to result in the same, uniform, intended color. Under influence of the cross talk, these different drive levels can result in differing shifts in color, which results in very visible and annoying contouring and noise artefacts. It is an object of the invention to reduce, minimize, optimize or eliminate such disadvantageous effects singly or in any combination.
This causes, among others, desaturation of the primaries, due to spectral mixing, resulting in a greatly decreased gamut shown in
In addition, this cross talk also increases in severity for higher frame rates, which are essential for proper operation of Spectrum Sequential Displays that are not allowed to have visible flicker. For instance for a 60 Hz Spectrum Sequential television set also called TV, a 120 Hz sub-frame rate has to be applied when using two sub-frames, and for a 50 Hz TV it is desired to apply a 150 Hz sub-frame rate, possibly aided by an up-conversion to a 75 Hz frame-rate to ensure a flicker-less Spectrum Sequential TV.
The temporal waveform of the lamp response of a Spectrum Sequential Display is also a cause for electro-optical cross talk.
As mentioned above, such cross talk may be reduced, or eliminated, when we apply:
However, these measures add considerable cost and complexity to the Spectrum Sequential Display system, and incur reduced efficiency. Therefore, it is contemplated that, at least for the time being, there will always be a cross talk component in a commercially viable Spectrum Sequential Display.
In an embodiment of the invention, which will now be described in more detail, the effect of this electro-optical cross talk is reduced by compensation. More specifically, a drive signal to picture elements of an LC display is altered depending on the severity of cross talk effects in the display.
First, a method to measure the cross talk in a spectrum sequential display is provided. The measurement method provides a way of determining the cross talk existing in a display. More precisely, the display is alternatively driven with drive D′1 in the first sub frame and D'2 in the second sub frame. These are the actual drive values to the panel. Then the lamp circuitry is driven such that only the first lamp set is driven in the first sub frame, and no light in the second sub frame. Then D″1 as the actual light output of that sub frame is measured, as a function of (D′1, D′2). In a system without cross talk, the light output is independent of the previous drive value, in this case independent of D′2. In reality, there is less light output if D′2<D′1, and excess light for D′2>D′1. A similar measurement is done for D″2, where the second lamp set is driven in the second sub frame, and no light in the first sub frame. This is performed for at least a subset of all possible combinations of D′1, D′2.
Such measurement of cross talk was performed by the inventors for the exemplary display, and resulted in a cross talk value of ˜50%; which means that around half of the light of the first spectrum mixes with the second spectrum, and vice versa. This does seriously degrade the saturation of the primaries. Calculations with a cross talk model show that this can be reduced to ⅛th, but only with a very fast panel (˜4 ms response). Further reduction is then possible by better optical segmentation of the lamps, and with a shorter scanning period, or by flashing the backlight with all lamps simultaneously. However, both techniques put large demands on panel performance and add considerable cost to the display.
The above measurements yield two tables, for which an inverse is determined, so that compensation of the cross talk is possible. For the static case, see further embodiments below, a combination of (D′1, D′2) is looked for, which results, with cross talk, in the desired light outputs (D1, D2), i.e. cross talk is compensated for. This is for instance done by simultaneously searching both tables for the best drive pair (D′1, D′2) that minimizes [(D″1−D1)2+(D″2,−D2)2], i.e. that minimizes the distance to the desired light output.
For the dynamic cases, the inverse may be calculated similarly as for known overdrive calculations, both direct and feedback versions.
An embodiment 110 of the method according to the invention is shown in
An embodiment of the computer-readable medium according to the invention is shown in
According to embodiments of the color display device of the invention, such a display is provided, which compensates the cross talk with a video processing circuit. This circuit essentially replaces the display gamma correction and overdrive functionality of a regular LCD panel, and different embodiments for static or dynamic images are given below.
A first embodiment of a control circuit for a color display device is shown in
The input in this embodiment is a video signal having a wide gamut color space. A wide gamut RGB space may be used, but XYZ could be equally effective. This is converted to a 6-primary drive signal with a multi-primary conversion MPC, yielding the drive values R1 G1 B1 and R2 G2 B2 for the two sub frames. These drive values are processed pair-wise, e.g. R1, R2, in a cross talk compensation circuit XTC yielding the preferred compensated drive values, e.g. R′1, R′2. These are then fed into a sub frame timing controller SC having a subframe multiplexer SM, via which the panel is first driven with the compensated drive values R′1 G′1 B′1 in the first sub frame, and then with R′2 G′2 B′2 in the second sub frame. The sub frame timing controller SC further contains a sub frame delay element SD to store the drive values for the second sub frame until it is sequenced, via the sub frame multiplexer SM depending on a sub frame control signal SF. The output of the multiplexer SM is formed by the sequenced drive values R′G′B′, which alternately comprise R′1 G′1 B′1 and R′2 G′2 B′2.
The central part of the cross talk correction circuit XTC comprises for every color channel RGB a correction circuit XTC. This circuit does an inverse mapping of the physical cross talk to derive the required, compensated, drive values, e.g. R′1, R′2 that would result, i.e. with cross talk in the display, in the (closest matching) desired light output that would correspond to the drive values, e.g. R1, R2, in a cross-talk free display. The circuit is for instance implemented as a 2 dimensional, also called 2D, Look Up Table, also called LUT, as is common practice in LCD Overdrive circuitry. The major difference is that there are two outputs, i.e. one per sub frame. The number of LUTs is governed by the number of color channels or differently colored subpixels; in this case it is three for RGB.
Alternatively, this embodiment may be optionally modified as follows:
The above described embodiment in
The overall design is shown in
The output of the MPC is then fed to the cross talk correction circuit XTC, and to a sub frame delay storage SD, which stores the drive value of a previous sub frame. The cross talk correction XTC then calculates the required, compensated drive values, wherein the appropriate sequence is selected by the sub frame multiplexer SM.
The cross talk specific part of
This circuitry is identical to known LCD Overdrive circuitry, with the major difference of a subframe-switchable LUT.
For overdrive circuitry, a second embodiment exists, which is known as “feedback overdrive”, where a new overdrive value is determined on basis of the actually achieved final value during the preceding frame. This may also be applied to the cross talk compensation, as shown in
The advantage of this technique is the elimination of annoying artifacts, by compensating for the electro-optical cross talk in a spectrum sequential display. Alternative techniques to eliminate this cross talk place a heavy burden on the display system in addressing, response and lamp efficiency. The cross talk compensation circuitry is an improvement of existing LCD Overdrive circuitry, and is implementable at little extra cost.
Applications and use of the above described method and device according to the present invention are various and include exemplary fields such as a consumer LCD-TV and LCD-monitors. The Spectrum Sequential approach allows for a much wider color gamut, direct view LCD-TV, at a small cost in brightness or power consumption. This cost in brightness/power consumption is very small (about 90% brightness for 150% gamut) when compared to alternative techniques, such as dedicated wide gamut phosphors for fluorescent lamps, or wide gamut LED backlights.
The invention may be implemented in any suitable form including hardware, software, firmware or any combination of these. The invention is for instance implemented as computer software running on one or more data processors and/or digital signal processors. The elements and components of an embodiment of the invention may be physically, functionally and logically implemented in any suitable way. Indeed, the functionality may be implemented in a single unit, in a plurality of units or as part of other functional units. As such, the invention may be implemented in a single unit, or may be physically and functionally distributed between different units and processors.
Although the present invention has been described above with reference to specific embodiments, it is not intended to be limited to the specific form set forth herein. Rather, the invention is limited only by the accompanying claims and, other embodiments than the specific above are equally possible within the scope of these appended claims, e.g. different light sources than those described above.
In the claims, the term “comprises/comprising” does not exclude the presence of other elements or steps. Furthermore, although individually listed, a plurality of means, elements or method steps may be implemented by e.g. a single unit or processor. Additionally, although individual features may be included in different claims, these may possibly advantageously be combined, and the inclusion in different claims does not imply that a combination of features is not feasible and/or advantageous. In addition, singular references do not exclude a plurality. The terms “a”, “an”, “first”, “second” etc do not preclude a plurality. Reference signs in the claims are provided merely as a clarifying example and shall not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims in any way.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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05104361.0 | May 2005 | EP | regional |
05107580.2 | Aug 2005 | EP | regional |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/IB2006/051455 | 5/9/2006 | WO | 00 | 11/20/2007 |