Patent Application
20050219212
This invention relates in general to display resolution and, more particularly, to activating pixels according to activation instructions of other pixels.
Some displays require each pixel to be individually provided with activation instructions. Very high resolution color displays require a very high data rate in order to update each pixel in the display faster than is humanly perceivable. Typically, a display showing a moving image must be updated at least 30 times per second to appear smooth to the human eye.
It is not always possible to achieve a data rate within a display high enough to update the entire display 30 times per second. As a result, either the display must be updated slower than 30 times per second or less than the entire display must be used.
According to principles of the present invention, in one embodiment, a pixel cell is instructed to relay activation instructions to another pixel cell. The first pixel cell is instructed to activate. The activation instruction is relayed to the second pixel cell. The pixel cells are both activated.
Illustrated in
In one embodiment, display device 2 includes pixel cells 4, share selectors 6, and optionally beam projector 8. Pixel cells 4 cooperate to display an image on display device 2.
Light source 10 is any source of light suitable for forming a pixel. In one embodiment, light source 10 is a monochrome light source 10. In an alternate embodiment, light source 10 is a multicolor light source 10. In one embodiment, multicolor light source 10 includes a plurality of light controller elements. Examples of light controller elements include light emitters, such as light emitting diodes, light redirectors, such as mirrors, and light polarizers. For clarity, only a single monochrome light emitting diode is shown in
Driver circuitry 12 is any suitable circuitry for driving light source 10. Driver circuitry 12 of pixel cells 4 are interconnected with driver circuitry 12 of other pixel cells 4 for selectively relaying activation instructions.
In one embodiment, an AND gate 16 and an OR gate 18 interconnect driver circuitry 12 of one pixel cell 4 with driver circuitry 12 of other pixel cells 4. A control signal is applied to one input 20a, 20b, or 20c of AND gate 16 to instruct pixel cell 4 to relay its activation instructions to another pixel cell 4. Should one pixel cell 4 be activated, the output of AND gate 16 is fed into OR gate 18, causing the pixel cell 4 immediately above to activate.
Alternatively, pixel cells 4 may be configured so that more than one other pixel cell 4 is activated upon activation of one pixel cell 4. Additionally, the pixel cell 4 activated upon activation of one pixel cell 4 need to be the pixel cell 4 immediately above the one pixel cell 4. Activation of a pixel cell 4 illuminates light source 10 of the pixel cell 4.
Receptor 14 is any device or system suitable for sensing a beam 22 projected from beam projector 8. Receptor 14 communicates with driver circuitry 12 and, when receptor 14 senses a beam projected from beam projector 8, activates pixel cell 4.
Share selectors 6 communicate with driver circuitry 12 of pixel cells 4. Share selectors 6 are any combination of hardware and executable code configured to produce a control signal for selectively initiating a relay of activation instructions from one pixel cell 4 to another pixel cell 4. Examples of share selectors 6 include control cells, logic devices, and charge storage devices.
Beam projector 8 is any device or system configured to project a beam 22. Beam projector 8 is disposed to project a beam 22 towards pixel cells 4 and control cells 6. Beam 18 is any type of electromagnetic beam. Examples of types of beam 22 include infrared and visible light laser beams.
A first pixel cell 4 is instructed (24) to relay activation instructions to a second pixel cell 4. In one embodiment, first pixel cell 4 and second pixel cell 4 are neighboring cells. In one example of this embodiment, a control cell 6 is activated for the row of the first pixel cell 4 to instruct (24) the first pixel cell 4 to relay activation instructions to a second pixel cell 4. In one embodiment, the control cell 6 is activated by scanning beam 22 across receptor 14 for the control cell 6.
The first pixel cell 4 is instructed (26) to activate. In one embodiment, the first pixel cell 4 is instructed (26) to activate by scanning beam 22 across receptor 14 for the first pixel cell 4.
The activation instruction is relayed (28) to the second pixel cell 4. The first and second pixel cells 4 are activated (30). In one embodiment, when the first and second pixel cells 4 are activated (30), light sources 10 of the first and second pixel cells 4 are illuminated.
The foregoing description is only illustrative of the invention. Various alternatives and modifications can be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the present invention embraces all such alternatives, modifications, and variances that fall within the scope of the appended claims.
