EP2178079B1 - Energiesparendes Verfahren zum Markieren eines Bereichs eines Flüssigkristallbildschirms - Google Patents

Energiesparendes Verfahren zum Markieren eines Bereichs eines Flüssigkristallbildschirms Download PDF

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EP2178079B1
EP2178079B1 EP08290975.5A EP08290975A EP2178079B1 EP 2178079 B1 EP2178079 B1 EP 2178079B1 EP 08290975 A EP08290975 A EP 08290975A EP 2178079 B1 EP2178079 B1 EP 2178079B1
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Prior art keywords
signal
pixel
state
zone
luminance
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French (fr)
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EP2178079A1 (de
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Ivan Dozov
François Leblanc
Jean-Denis Laffite
Stéphane Joly
Philippe Martinot-Lagarde
Jacques Angele
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France Brevets SAS
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France Brevets SAS
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Priority to EP08290975.5A priority Critical patent/EP2178079B1/de
Priority to US13/698,987 priority patent/US20130076610A1/en
Priority to PCT/FR2009/001190 priority patent/WO2010043780A1/fr
Priority to TW098134864A priority patent/TW201033985A/zh
Publication of EP2178079A1 publication Critical patent/EP2178079A1/de
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
    • G09G—ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION
    • G09G3/00—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes
    • G09G3/20—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters
    • G09G3/34—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters by control of light from an independent source
    • G09G3/36—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters by control of light from an independent source using liquid crystals
    • G09G3/3611—Control of matrices with row and column drivers
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
    • G09G—ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION
    • G09G3/00—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes
    • G09G3/20—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters
    • G09G3/34—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters by control of light from an independent source
    • G09G3/36—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters by control of light from an independent source using liquid crystals
    • G09G3/3611—Control of matrices with row and column drivers
    • G09G3/3622—Control of matrices with row and column drivers using a passive matrix
    • G09G3/3629—Control of matrices with row and column drivers using a passive matrix using liquid crystals having memory effects, e.g. ferroelectric liquid crystals
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
    • G09G—ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION
    • G09G2300/00—Aspects of the constitution of display devices
    • G09G2300/04—Structural and physical details of display devices
    • G09G2300/0469—Details of the physics of pixel operation
    • G09G2300/0478—Details of the physics of pixel operation related to liquid crystal pixels
    • G09G2300/0482—Use of memory effects in nematic liquid crystals
    • G09G2300/0486—Cholesteric liquid crystals, including chiral-nematic liquid crystals, with transitions between focal conic, planar, and homeotropic states
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
    • G09G—ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION
    • G09G2310/00—Command of the display device
    • G09G2310/06—Details of flat display driving waveforms
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
    • G09G—ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION
    • G09G3/00—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes
    • G09G3/20—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters
    • G09G3/2007—Display of intermediate tones
    • G09G3/2011—Display of intermediate tones by amplitude modulation
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
    • G09G—ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION
    • G09G5/00—Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators
    • G09G5/08—Cursor circuits

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a method of addressing a liquid crystal display screen and a display device implementing this method.
  • the present invention relates to liquid crystal bistable displays. It is particularly applicable to nematic liquid crystal bistable displays whose two stable textures differ by a twist of about 180 °.
  • the most widely used liquid crystal displays use a nematic type liquid crystal. They consist of a layer of liquid crystal placed between two blades. Each blade comprises a substrate, often made of glass, on which a conductive electrode has been deposited, then a so-called anchoring layer, also called an alignment layer.
  • the anchoring layer exerts on the neighboring liquid crystal molecules a return torque which tends to orient them parallel to a direction called easy axis.
  • Anchor layers are often made by a brushed polymer deposit to create the direction of the easy axis. This is most often very close to the direction of brushing.
  • the thickness of the cell thus formed is made constant for example by distributing, between the blades, beads whose diameter is equal to the desired thickness (typically 1 to 6 microns).
  • Monostable liquid crystal devices are known. In the absence of an electric field, the liquid crystal is oriented in a single texture. This texture corresponds to an absolute minimum of the elastic energy of the liquid crystal in the cell, given the anchors on the two blades. Under an electric field, this texture is continuously deformed and its optical properties vary according to the applied voltage.
  • Anchoring layers maintain the direction of the molecules near the blades, which varies little, both in the plane of the substrate (azimuth plane) and in the direction perpendicular to it (direction zenithale): a strong anchoring of the molecules near the blades on the alignment layer corresponds to a strong azimuthal anchoring (maintaining a fixed direction in the plane of the substrate) and a strong zenith anchorage (maintaining a direction close to the plane substrate, that is to say, little or no lifting molecules to the direction perpendicular to the substrate, parallel to the electric field, and whatever the voltage applied).
  • the nematic is recalled by the anchors on the two blades. It returns according to the unique stable texture without applied field.
  • the device is monostable.
  • TN twisted nematic
  • STN supertordus
  • EOB electrically controlled birefringence
  • VAN vertically aligned
  • these displays can be addressed directly (very low resolution), in passive multiplexed mode (medium resolution) or in active mode (high resolution).
  • the addressing signals When the addressing is multiplexed, that is to say carried out line by line, for the image to appear visually stable, the addressing signals must be sent at a frequency of several tens of hertz: as soon as the pixel is no longer energized, it relaxes to the stable state without an applied field.
  • the monostable displays do not have an image memory, once the signals corresponding to the uniform hue applied, the display has "forgotten” the image previously applied and it is necessary to send again the signals corresponding to said image to redisplay it.
  • the document WO 2006/136799 discloses a cholesteric type liquid crystal device in which a perturbation signal is applied to each pixel by driving it into a disturbed state which is distinguished in terms of luminance of each of the two stable states-i.e. the planar state and the conical focal state. A disturbed pixel returns to a planar state after a disturbance signal ceases.
  • the method described in this document aims to create additional gray levels of the displayed image.
  • the object of the present invention is to improve the performance of liquid crystal display devices.
  • the object of the invention is to make it possible, by the use of new means, to mark part or all of the information displayed on a liquid crystal display, while maintaining a reduced energy consumption compared to that of a standard liquid crystal display.
  • Each bistable liquid crystal pixel has two possible stable states. These two stable states are stable without an electric field being applied to this pixel, the two stable states corresponding to different visual perceptions for an observer observing the matrix screen. Each stable state of a pixel corresponds to a given stable texture of liquid crystal molecules at that pixel.
  • the pixels are arranged in parallel pixel lines and parallel pixel columns, the lines being substantially perpendicular to the columns.
  • the liquid crystal of the layer is of the nematic type.
  • the liquid crystal layer is placed between two blades, the assembly constituting a liquid crystal cell.
  • Each blade comprises a substrate, preferably made of glass, on which a conductive electrode has been deposited, followed by a so-called anchoring layer, also called a layer. alignment.
  • the anchoring layer exerts on the neighboring liquid crystal molecules a return torque which tends to orient them parallel to a direction called easy axis.
  • the anchoring layers are preferably made by a brushed polymer deposit to create the direction of the easy axis. This direction of the easy axis is preferably very close to the brushing direction.
  • the thickness of the cell thus formed (that is to say the distance between the blades between which is included the liquid crystal layer), called d, is made constant for example by distributing, between the blades, balls of which the diameter is equal to the desired thickness (typically 1 to 6 ⁇ m).
  • the liquid crystal of the layer is "bistable": this type of liquid crystal operates by switching between two stable states in the absence of an electric field. An external electric field is applied only for the time necessary to switch the texture of the liquid crystal from one state to another. In the absence of an electrical control signal, the display remains in the state obtained. By its operating principle, this type of display consumes energy proportional to the number of image changes. Thus, when the frequency of these changes decreases, the power required for the operation of the display tends to zero.
  • the figure 1 illustrates, for the first embodiment of the device according to the invention, two different states of a liquid crystal pixel between two portions of the blades.
  • This first mode uses a flexo-electric effect to switch, that is to say the sign of the applied electric field. This is the pretilt, ie the angle that the liquid crystal molecule close to the surface with it, which varies between two stable values without applied field.
  • This bistability is obtained using a network serving as alignment layer (cf documents [1], [2], [3] and figure 1 ).
  • This technology is called ZBD (Zenithal Bistable Display).
  • One of the alignment layers is constituted by a periodic network allowing the vicinity of the surface of this network two orientations of the liquid crystal molecules, one planar, the other homeotropic.
  • the figure 2 is a sectional and sectional view of a portion of the liquid crystal cell of the second device embodiment according to the invention.
  • This second bistable embodiment uses a surface effect: a break of the zenith anchorage on at least one of the alignment layers. This break allows switching between two textures whose torsions differ by an angle between 150 ° and 180 ° in absolute value.
  • BiNem The operation of this display called BiNem is described in the following paragraph.
  • the BiNem display (documents [4] to [8]) is schematically presented on the figure 2 , and has a general configuration identical to that of the liquid crystal cell type ZBD which also uses substrates, electrodes, polarizers, liquid crystal.
  • the BiNem display preferably uses two twisted textures that differ by a twist of approximately +/- 180 ° (located in absolute value between 150 ° and 180 °).
  • a preferred but nonlimiting variant consists of a uniform or slightly twisted texture called U (illustrated on the left of the figure 2 ) in which the molecules are substantially parallel to each other, and of a strongly twisted texture called T (illustrated on the right of the figure 2 ).
  • the least twisted U texture has a twist between 0 ° and 20 ° in absolute value.
  • the liquid crystal layer 30 is placed between the two blades 20 and 10, which are respectively called master blade and slave blade.
  • the master blade 20 comprises a substrate 21, an electrode 22 and an anchoring layer 24 forming a strong azimuth and zenith anchorage of the liquid crystal, that is to say an anchorage of the same type as that used in crystal displays. monostable liquid.
  • the slave blade 10 comprises a substrate 11, an electrode 12 and an anchoring layer 14 providing a specific anchorage, corresponding to a weak zenith anchor and a medium or strong azimuthal anchoring of the liquid crystal.
  • the usually transparent electrodes 12 and 22 are typically made of a material called ITO deposited on the substrates 11 and 21. They make it possible to apply an electric field perpendicular to the plates 10 and 20.
  • each of the substrates 11 and 21, typically but not exclusively outside the cell makes it possible to associate each texture with an optical state, for example dark for the texture U and clear for the texture T or vice versa, according to the angles of the two polarizers with respect to the directions of the anchors.
  • the nematic is chiralised with a spontaneous pitch po, chosen close to four times the thickness d of the cell, to equalize the energies of the two aforementioned textures.
  • the ratio between cell thickness d and po spontaneous pitch, d / po, is therefore about 0.25 +/- 0.1.
  • the states T and U are the states of minimum energy: the cell is bistable.
  • Ecass is less than 15V / ⁇ m at room temperature (25 ° C) for the low zenith anchor alignment layers as described in documents [11] and [12].
  • the break voltage Vcass is always at least a few volts, even for very thin liquid crystal cells (1 .mu.m).
  • the cell evolves towards one or the other of the bistable textures U and T (see figure 2 ).
  • the control signals used induce a strong flow of the liquid crystal in the vicinity of the master blade 20, the hydrodynamic coupling 26 between the master blade 20 and the slave blade 10 creates a sufficient hydrodynamic flow (or flow) near the slave blade to induce the texture T.
  • the texture U is obtained by elastic coupling 28 between the two blades 10 and 20, aided by the possible inclination of the weak anchor.
  • switching of a screen element or pixel of a BiNem-type display will be used to make the molecules of the liquid crystal pass from an initial stable texture (U or T or a coexistence thereof). two textures) towards a final stable texture (U or T or a coexistence of these textures). This name is also valid for the two stable textures of the ZBD type display.
  • the signal applied to the pixel is conventionally made up of several levels.
  • the signal applied to the pixel VP is typically two-stage, but can also be multi-stage [13] or single-stage. If the voltage drop between two stages exceeds a certain absolute value, and that it operates in a sufficiently short time, the "jump" of tension is sufficient for the texture T is obtained. If the jump is not sufficient, or if the transition time is too long, the hydrodynamic flow is insufficient, the texture T becomes impossible, and the texture U is obtained.
  • the 3 addressing modes developed for the standard liquid crystal can be used for the BiNem or ZBD display.
  • the most common addressing mode is multiplexed passive addressing, but active addressing using thin-film transistors is also possible [14].
  • the display (of type Binem or ZBD) is a matrix screen formed of N x M screen elements called pixels, N being the number of rows of pixels and M the number of columns of pixels. , and addressing is done line by line.
  • These strips 50, 52 perpendicular are deposited on each blade.
  • the area between two adjacent conductive strips carried by the same substrate is called interpixel space.
  • the area consisting of all the pixels is called matrix area.
  • a marking area Zm is a part of this matrix area.
  • the matrix area corresponds to the display area, on which area the image content that is to be displayed is displayed. Outside the matrix area, the aforementioned conductive strips 50, 52 are transformed into tracks which make the connection to the control circuits generating the addressing signal.
  • These control circuits may be located on the substrate or remote.
  • the displays are addressed using components or control circuits that we will call “drivers” located for example on flexible connection elements welded to the screen.
  • the drivers consisting mainly of analog gates controlled by shift registers, make it possible to make the link between the control electronics and the tracks.
  • the conductive electrodes are made of a transparent conductive material called ITO (mixed oxide of Indium and tin). But when the display is reflective, the electrodes located on the opposite side to the observer can be made with an opaque conductive material, for example aluminum.
  • the passive mode is applied by orthogonal electrode strips constituting the rows and the columns, the intersections of which constitute the pixels, whereas during active addressing, the electrical voltage is applied to the transistors associated with each pixel by fine wires. All the transistors of the same line are passing during the activation of this line.
  • the addressing is carried out line by line.
  • an electrical signal is applied on this line, which is then called “activated”.
  • activation signal line addressing signal VLn In the case of a standard passive multiplexing, the signal VLn is identical for all the lines, and we will call it VL.
  • the first phase essentially consists of obtaining an anchoring break, ie the homeotropic texture on the line considered, by applying for example a voltage V1L> Vcass on the signal of line addressing for a duration T1, which constitutes a first level of VL.
  • V1L is between 6V and 30V over the 0 ° - 50 ° temperature range.
  • a signal V2L is applied on the line for a duration T2, which constitutes a second and last level of VL.
  • V2L is between 2V and 12V over the 0 ° -50 ° temperature range.
  • the line addressing signal is in this two-stage example, but it can also be single-stage or multi-stage.
  • a variant uses a line signal lower than the breaking voltage, the column signal enabling switching in one or the other of the textures [20]; or, according to a two-step variant, all the pixels are first switched in the same texture, then the column voltage causes the break but only in the pixels to switch in the other texture.
  • This time is typically but not limited to between 10 ⁇ s and 10 ms.
  • This addressing "one-step addressing".
  • the order of activation of the lines (first n-1, then n, then n + 1) defines the scanning direction 46 (see figure 3 ).
  • the addressing time of the display is the time required to address all its lines, so as to display new image content.
  • the document [15] describing the achievement of gray levels provides three variants for obtaining gray levels (FIG. 23 of document [15]) by modifying the parameters of VC.
  • partial addressing it is desired to display new content in only one area of the image, the rest of the image remaining unchanged. In this case, only the lines corresponding to the area where you want to display new content are activated.
  • the brushing direction of the alignment layers is orthogonal to the direction of the lines of the display, this type of display is called "orthogonal brushing" (document [15]).
  • bipolar pulses for the Vpre signal and for the VL signal can be used.
  • the field to be applied, to orient the molecules most often has a threshold.
  • a threshold For example, consider a positive dielectric anisotropy nematic placed in a planar and parallel anchored cell on both blades; without a field, the molecules are parallel to each other and parallel to the slides throughout the cell.
  • An electric field, applied perpendicularly to the blades, begins to orient the molecules only when the voltage is greater than a certain threshold called the Freedericksz VF threshold or Freedericksz VF voltage (document [16]).
  • Freedericksz VF threshold Freedericksz VF voltage (document [16]).
  • Freedericksz VF threshold Freedericksz VF voltage
  • VFd is slightly higher than VFs.
  • pretilt When the inclination of the molecules on a blade (pretilt) is high, the threshold disappears. For intermediate pretilts, typically a few degrees, the threshold remains but it is less marked. When the cells are bent or doped, but still planar, the threshold remains but the threshold voltage can vary up to about 30% compared to the theoretical VF voltage obtained with a planar and parallel anchored cell.
  • V0 a threshold voltage
  • Disturbance signal Sp applied according to the invention is Disturbance signal Sp applied according to the invention.
  • the invention makes it possible to mark a pixel or an area of a matrix bistable display comprising two stable liquid crystal textures without an applied field, by an original method, which is not applicable on monostable displays.
  • the concept of marking is defined by a visually detectable optical modification of this area relative to the rest of the image.
  • An image is previously displayed on the screen by switching each pixel in one of said initial stable states.
  • the proposed method is to apply, over a whole marking zone Zm comprising a set of pixels to be marked, during the time t1, an electrical signal called disturbance signal Sp having a defined amplitude not including a zero continuous range, then no longer apply a signal during time t2.
  • This disturbance signal Sp distorts the two textures corresponding to the two states of the pixels: their optical properties are modified, the contrast decreases to the value of the disturbance signal for which the zone takes a uniform hue.
  • the orientation of the molecules near the blades does not change substantially during t1: the screen keeps in memory on the slides the initial image. It suffices to stop the disturbance signal so that the pixels return each in their equilibrium texture without a field. The image preceding the deformation is thus reconstituted at the beginning of t2 in milliseconds without any expenditure of energy.
  • the marking of the screen area is thus achieved by disappearing, during t1, then reappearing during t2, the image in this area.
  • the typical duration of t1 is between 0.1 and a few tens of seconds, and the typical duration of t2 is between 0.1s and a few minutes, so that the typical duration of t1 + t2 is between 0.2s and a few minutes.
  • Lpb and Lpd are the luminances of the disturbed pixels having stable initial states corresponding to the luminances respectively Lib and Lid.
  • RMS (Root Mean Square) voltage is also known as the rms value of this voltage.
  • the figure 5 shows the evolution of the luminance ratio Lpb / Lib and the luminance ratio Lpd / Lib as a function of the voltage RMS of the perturbation signal Sp applied.
  • the luminances Lpb and Lpd are both normalized with respect to Lib the luminance of the initial state passing without disturbance signal applied.
  • Sp decreases the luminance Lpb of the progressively increasing state as the value of Sp increases, up to a value corresponding to the "equilibrium" state of the liquid crystal molecules under applied field. Any increase in the applied voltage will hardly change the resulting liquid crystal texture.
  • the effective value of the luminance corresponding to this equilibrium state, called the "equilibrium" luminance Lo is a function of the position of the polarizers of the cell.
  • Sp increases the luminance Lpd of the blocking state progressively as the value of Sp increases, up to the same value called "equilibrium" luminance Lo.
  • a signal Sp such that the previously inscribed image is erased is called the "erasure" disturbance signal Sp.
  • the pixel P6 initially in the passing stable state is found in the same disturbed state perturbed state in which the pixel P5 initially found in the blocking stable state, these disturbed states of pixels initially in two different stable states corresponding to the same visual perception for the observer observing the screen.
  • the figure 6a corresponds to the display in its initial state.
  • the on state corresponds here to the state T and the blocking state to the state U.
  • the figure 6b shows the image obtained with an "intermediate" Sp interference signal, ie with a decrease in the luminance of the on state and an increase of the luminance of the blocking state, but without having reached the "equilibrium" luminance in the marking zone.
  • the pixel P4 initially in the passing stable state is found in a disturbed state different from the state disturbed in which the pixel P3 is initially found in the blocking stable state, these perturbed states of pixels initially in two different stable states corresponding to different visual perceptions for the observer observing the screen.
  • the on state has darkened, the blocking state is significantly less black, but the textures obtained from the starting textures U and T for this "intermediate" value of the perturbation signal are still optically distinct.
  • the image has a degraded contrast and the eye perceives perfectly the marking of this zone.
  • the Figure 6c shows the image obtained with a signal Sp such that the "equilibrium" luminance is reached. For this value, the textures from U and T appear optically identical, the previously registered image is no longer visible, it is erased. Of course and a fortiori, the marking is perfectly noticeable.
  • the perturbation signal Sp is then called the "erase” perturbation signal.
  • the two modes are compatible with the desired effect, that is to say a disruption of the image during the time or times t1, then a return to the previously displayed image, during times t2 and after marking.
  • the liquid crystal will more or less follow the applied signal, and the eye will perceive a luminance average corresponding to the different orientations of the liquid crystal.
  • the visual effect obtained which will always be a difference of the luminance with respect to those of the stable states of the previously displayed image, will be a homogeneous shade depending on the shape of the signal applied during the period pp.
  • the latter will be oriented according to the RMS value (Root Mean Square) of the periodic signal applied.
  • the behavior of the liquid crystal becomes independent of the shape of the applied signal and its frequency, only the RMS value of the signal counts. In this case too, the disturbance will correspond to a hue homogeneous in time.
  • the perturbation signal applied must have an RMS voltage lower than the break voltage Vcass and greater than the threshold voltage V0 of the liquid crystal.
  • Marked area equal to all pixels in a set of rows or columns
  • a first variant of the invention is to mark (statically or flashing) a zone Zm consisting of a set of q adjacent lines (referenced respectively Lx1, Lx2, .... Lxq) or a set of q adjacent columns (referenced respectively Cx1, Cx2, ... Cxq), the marking concerning all the pixels of the row or the column concerned.
  • the zone Zm comprises a set of adjacent lines or a set of adjacent columns.
  • the static marking or the blinking of a set of columns can be obtained by applying only a column signal on the columns of the flashing zone, the lines being grounded or at a fixed potential.
  • a column signal VC for example monopolar (positive or negative) having the form of a slot and amplitude Vblink, for example equal to 2.5 V during the duration t1 (case of the continuous signal, for example).
  • example tl 500 ms), as described figure 7 , simultaneously on a set of excited columns.
  • the line signal VL is for example equal to 0V on all the lines, obtained for example by putting all the lines to ground.
  • the time t2 between two disturbances is for example equal to one second.
  • a variant (not shown in the figures) to avoid storage of the charges in the display is to apply a bipolar signal (+ Vblink hanging half of t1 then - Vblink during the other half of t1, or vice versa) .
  • Another variant (not shown in the figures) is to apply + Vblink during t1 for a disturbance and the following disturbance a signal -Vblink during t1.
  • a second option is to use a sp frequency signal of non-zero frequency fp , monopolar or bipolar.
  • a bipolar sp interference signal has the advantage of eliminating the disadvantages of a continuous electric polarization that can cause storage of charges in the screen.
  • the obtaining of positive and negative alternations on the pixels of the columns can be obtained by putting the columns belonging to the static marking zone (or flashing marking) to a mean potential Vm, the column signal consisting of alternating Vm + Vblink and Vm-Vblink.
  • Vm mean potential
  • the lines are set to the average potential Vm, if necessary using an optimized and specific Vm generation circuit. It is also necessary to apply Vm also to the columns located outside the marking area (or blinking), so that they do not see the optical disturbances caused by the application of Vm lines.
  • the disturbance signal Sp used on the figure 6 is a monopolar column signal of frequency 600 Hz, the lines being grounded.
  • the figure 6a corresponds to the display in its initial state.
  • the on state corresponds to the state T and the blocking state to the state U.
  • the figure 6b shows the image obtained with a disturbance signal Sp of RMS value 1.5V in the marking area (or flashing area).
  • the textures obtained from the starting textures U and T for an RMS value of the applied signal of 1.5V are still optically distinct. This RMS voltage value therefore corresponds here to an "intermediate" Sp perturbation signal.
  • the image has a luminance of the passing state decreased, a gradient contrast and the eye perfectly perceives the marking of this area.
  • the Figure 6c shows the image obtained with a signal Sp of RMS value 2.5 V.
  • the textures resulting from U and T appear identical, almost all the molecules are lifted by the applied field, the image is no longer visible.
  • This RMS voltage value therefore corresponds here to a disturbance signal Sp "of erasure".
  • the marking is perfectly noticeable.
  • the disturbance signal Sp therefore preferably comprises an electrical signal (VL-VC) having an RMS value of voltage greater than 1.65 times the Freedericksz VF voltage of the liquid crystal layer.
  • the threshold voltage V0 of the liquid crystal For a value of Sp less than or equal to what is called the threshold voltage V0 of the liquid crystal, the liquid crystal molecules do not react to the applied field. Optically this translates into a luminance of the states passing and dark in field equal to that without field.
  • This threshold voltage is a function of the liquid crystal, the texture in which it is located, the frequency and the form factor of the applied signal. For the two stable textures used here, the threshold voltage is almost identical.
  • the threshold voltage V0 is greater than or equal to the voltage VFs.
  • V5% the value of the maximum voltage applied to a pixel initially in the on state such as this disturbs the luminance of the pixel in question by 5%.
  • V5% is an RMS voltage. This voltage V5% is a function of the liquid crystal used, the frequency of the applied signal Sp as well as its form factor, and the time t1 during which the disturbance signal is applied; V5% is greater than or equal to VFs and V0.
  • the disturbed state of this pixel initially in the on state has a luminance Lpb perceived by the lower observer of at least 5%, see 10% or even 20% with respect to the luminance Lib of the initial state passing from this pixel.
  • the signal Sp is a frequency signal 600Hz.
  • the perturbation signal Sp is an "erasure” signal, and almost all the molecules are raised, the textures of the passing and dark states no longer evolve. optically, the luminances Lpb and Lpd of the perturbed states become equal to the equilibrium luminance Lo.
  • This luminance value Lo is a function, inter alia, of the angles of the polarizers used. In the described experimental configuration, this value is equal to 0.52 multiplied by Lib.
  • the marking of the zone is in this case maximum.
  • a second variant of the invention is to mark (statically or flashing) a zone Zm comprising an intersection of a set of N 'adjacent lines and a set of M' adjacent columns.
  • the signal applied to a pixel is the difference between the signal on its line and that on its column.
  • the difficulty with respect to the previous case is to optically disturb only the zone situated at the intersection of the excited lines and columns, while the other pixels of the excited lines and columns not belonging to the zone to be marked are not disturbed. This result will be obtained by taking advantage of the existence of the threshold voltage of the display V0.
  • a first option is illustrated on the figure 9 .
  • the zone marked Zm is in black, the strip of excited lines is horizontal and in light gray, and the band of excited columns is vertical and dark gray.
  • V0 RMS 3 times V0 RMS is applied to the excited lines and + V0 RMS to the other lines, 0V RMS to the excited columns, and 2xV0 RMS to the non-excited columns.
  • an RMS voltage V0 to the whole screen except the pixels of the zone to be marked Zm which receive 3 times V0 RMS, which is more than enough to obtain a disturbance of the previously registered image.
  • the pixels subjected to V0, threshold voltage will not react to this voltage and remain stable.
  • V0 to all the rows, and V0 to the non-excited columns and -V0 to the excited columns.
  • a second option is illustrated on the figure 10 .
  • the zone marked Zm is in black, the strip of excited lines is horizontal and in light gray, and the band of excited columns is vertical and dark gray.
  • This second option makes it possible to apply a potential difference only on the excited lines and columns, which is less energy consuming.
  • V0 is applied twice to the excited lines and V0 to the other lines, 0V to the excited columns, and V0 to the non-excited columns.
  • a zero voltage or V0 is applied to the pixels outside the flashing zone Zm, and V0 is applied twice to the pixels of the flashing zone Zm.
  • the disturbance signal here is 2 times V0 compared to 3 times V0 for the previous variant.
  • the perturbation obtained for this second variant is less than that of the first variant if one is in the case where 2 times V0 does not make it possible to obtain the total erasure of the image previously inscribed. But a repeated scrambling of the image, even without its disappearance, is enough to attract the eye which is sensitive to the temporal variation of luminance.
  • a third variant of the invention is to mark (statically or flashing) a mobile marking zone Zm, called "cursor".
  • the lines and columns addressed by the disturbance signal Sp will be different each time the position of the "cursor" will have to change.
  • the speed of movement of the cursor will be adapted to obtain a satisfactory tracking of the cursor by the eye of the observer.
  • only the pixels corresponding to the cursor will be addressed, the other pixels continuing to display the image because of the bistability of the screen.
  • the bistable display according to the invention consumes no electric power, whereas a monostable liquid crystal screen according to the state of the prior art consumes a power P because it must refresh its image 50 times a second.
  • a monostable liquid crystal display according to the state of the prior art still consumes the same power P, while the bistable display according to the invention must receive the same energy per pixel, but 5 times less often and only on the lines and columns of the cursor.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
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  • Crystallography & Structural Chemistry (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
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Claims (16)

  1. Verfahren zum Adressieren eines Matrixbildschirms, wobei der Matrixbildschirm Folgendes umfasst:
    - eine Schicht aus bistabilem Flüssigkristall, die in bistabile Flüssigkristallpixel unterteilt ist, und
    - Mittel, für jedes Pixel, zum Anlegen eines Signals an dieses Pixel, wobei das angelegte Signal ein elektrisches Feld umfasst,
    - wobei jedes bistabile Flüssigkristallpixel zwei mögliche stabile Zustände hat, die ohne Anlegen eines elektrischen Feldes an dieses Pixel stabil sind, wobei die beiden stabilen Zustände unterschiedlichen visuellen Wahrnehmungen für einen den Bildschirm betrachtenden Beobachter entsprechen, einen stabilen Zustand, Durchgangszustand genannt, mit einer von einem Beobachter wahrgenommenen Luminanz Lib, der andere stabile Zustand, Sperrzustand genannt, mit einer von einem Beobachter wahrgenommenen Luminanz Lid, wobei die Luminanz Lib größer ist als die Luminanz Lid, wobei ein Verhältnis zwischen den beiden Luminanzen einen Anfangskontrast Lib/Lid definiert,
    - wobei ein Bild zuvor auf dem Bildschirm durch Schalten jedes Pixels in einen der stabilen Anfangszustände und mit dem Anfangskontrast angezeigt wird,
    - wobei eine Markierungszone (Zm) so definiert ist, dass sie einen Satz von zu markierenden Pixeln umfasst, wobei sich jedes der zu markierenden Pixel in einem Anfangszustand befindet, der einem der stabilen Zustände entspricht, wobei die Zone ein Pixel (P6) umfasst, das anfänglich im Durchgangszustand ist, und ein Pixel (P5), das anfänglich im Sperrzustand ist,
    wobei das Verfahren die folgenden Schritte beinhaltet:
    A. Anlegen, an die gesamte Markierungszone (Zm) und während einer ersten gegebenen Zeitperiode (t1), eines Signals, das Störsignal (Sp) genannt wird,
    - wobei das Störsignal (Sp) größer ist als ein Schwellensignal, so dass jedes Pixel der Zone seinen Anfangszustand verlässt, wobei das Störsignal kleiner ist als ein Schaltsignal, so dass jedes Pixel der Zone mit einem der stabilen Zustände als Anfangszustand nicht in den anderen stabilen Zustand umschaltet, wobei sich jedes Pixel der Markierungszone dann in einem gestörten Zustand befindet,
    - wobei das Störsignal eine definierte Amplitude hat, so dass der gestörte Zustand eines sich anfänglich im Durchgangszustand befindlichen Pixels eine vom Beobachter wahrgenommene Luminanz Lpb von weniger als 5 % in Bezug auf die Luminanz Lib des anfänglichen Durchgangszustands dieses Pixels hat, wobei der gestörte Zustand eines sich anfangs im Sperrzustand befindlichen Pixels eine vom Beobachter wahrgenommene Luminanz Lpd hat, die größer ist als die Luminanz Lid des anfänglichen Sperrzustands des Pixels, wobei ein Verhältnis zwischen den beiden Luminanzen in einem gestörten Zustand einen Störkontrast Lpb/Lpd definiert, der geringer ist als der Anfangskontrast, wobei das Störsignal eine Störung induziert, die von einem Beobachter der Zone optisch wahrgenommen werden kann, dann
    B. Anlegen keines Signals an jedes Pixel der Markierungszone während einer zweiten gegebenen Zeitperiode (t2), um es zuzulassen, dass jedes Pixel der Zone in seinen stabilen Anfangszustand zurückkehrt, dann
    C. Wiederholen der beiden vorherigen Schritte A und B.
  2. Adressierverfahren nach Anspruch 1, wobei die Schritte A und B mehr als einmal wiederholt werden, um einen visuellen Blinkeffekt der Zone zu erzielen, der durch Abwechseln des Störzustands und des Anfangszustands für jedes Pixel der Zone bewirkt wird.
  3. Adressierverfahren nach Anspruch 1, wobei die Schritte A und B mit einer Periodizität wiederholt werden, die niedriger ist als eine Dauer der retinalen Persistenz des Beobachters, um einen visuellen Effekt des statischen Markierens der Zone zu erzielen.
  4. Verfahren nach einem der vorherigen Ansprüche, das eine Verschiebung der Zone von Pixeln auf dem Bildschirm zwischen wenigstens zwei Wiederholungen der Schritte A und B beinhaltet.
  5. Verfahren nach einem der vorherigen Ansprüche, wobei die Pixel in parallelen Pixelreihen und in parallelen Pixelspalten angeordnet sind, wobei die Reihen im Wesentlichen lotrecht zu den Spalten sind.
  6. Verfahren nach Anspruch 5, wobei die Zone einen Satz von benachbarten Reihen oder einen Satz von benachbarten Spalten umfasst.
  7. Verfahren nach Anspruch 5, wobei die Zone einen Schnittpunkt eines Satzes von benachbarten Reihen und eines Satzes von benachbarten Spalten umfasst.
  8. Verfahren nach einem der Ansprüche 5 bis 7, wobei das an ein Pixel angelegte Störsignal ein Spaltensignal umfasst, das an die Spalte angelegt wird, in der sich dieses Pixel befindet, und ferner ein Reihensignal umfasst, das an die Reihe angelegt wird, in der sich dieses Pixel befindet, und proportional zu einer Differenz zwischen dem Spaltensignal und dem Reihensignal ist.
  9. Verfahren nach einem der vorherigen Ansprüche, wobei das Störsignal ein Löschsignal ist, für das der Störzustand eines Pixels, das sich anfänglich in einem der stabilen Zustände befindet, mit dem Störzustand eines anderen Pixels identisch ist, das sich anfänglich in dem anderen stabilen Zustand befindet, wobei die Störzustände von zwei Pixeln, die anfänglich in zwei stabilen Zuständen sind, derselben visuellen Wahrnehmung für den den Bildschirm betrachtenden Beobachter entsprechen.
  10. Verfahren nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 8, wobei das Störsignal ein Zwischenstörsignal ist, für das sich der Störzustand eines Pixels, das sich anfänglich in einem der stabilen Zustände befindet, vom Störzustand eines anderen Pixels unterscheidet, das sich anfänglich in dem anderen stabilen Zustand befindet, wobei die Störzustände von zwei Pixeln, die sich anfänglich in zwei verschiedenen stabilen Zuständen befinden, verschiedenen visuellen Wahrnehmungen für den den Bildschirm betrachtenden Beobachter entsprechen.
  11. Verfahren nach einem der vorherigen Ansprüche, wobei das Störsignal ein elektrisches Signal mit konstanter Spannung umfasst.
  12. Verfahren nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 10, wobei das Störsignal ein periodisches Signal umfasst.
  13. Verfahren nach Anspruch 12, wobei die Frequenz des Störsignals zwischen 50 Hz und 500 Hz liegt.
  14. Verfahren nach Anspruch 12, wobei die Frequenz des Störsignals höher als 500 Hz ist.
  15. Verfahren nach einem der vorherigen Ansprüche, wobei das Störsignal ein elektrisches Signal mit einem Effektivwert (RMS) der Spannung von mehr als dem 1,65-fachen einer Freedericksz-Spannung der Flüssigkristallschicht umfasst.
  16. Verfahren nach einem der vorherigen Ansprüche, wobei das Störsignal bipolar ist.
EP08290975.5A 2008-10-15 2008-10-15 Energiesparendes Verfahren zum Markieren eines Bereichs eines Flüssigkristallbildschirms Not-in-force EP2178079B1 (de)

Priority Applications (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP08290975.5A EP2178079B1 (de) 2008-10-15 2008-10-15 Energiesparendes Verfahren zum Markieren eines Bereichs eines Flüssigkristallbildschirms
US13/698,987 US20130076610A1 (en) 2008-10-15 2009-10-08 Energy-saving method for marking an area of a liquid crystal screen
PCT/FR2009/001190 WO2010043780A1 (fr) 2008-10-15 2009-10-08 « procédé économique en énergie pour marquer une zone d'un écran à cristal liquide »
TW098134864A TW201033985A (en) 2008-10-15 2009-10-15 Energy-saving method for marking an area of a liquid crystal screen

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP08290975.5A EP2178079B1 (de) 2008-10-15 2008-10-15 Energiesparendes Verfahren zum Markieren eines Bereichs eines Flüssigkristallbildschirms

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Family Cites Families (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB9402492D0 (en) 1994-02-09 1994-03-30 Secr Defence Liquid crystal device alignment
FR2740894B1 (fr) 1995-11-08 1998-01-23 Centre Nat Rech Scient Dispositif d'affichage perfectionne a base de cristaux liquides et a effet bistable
JP3529999B2 (ja) * 1997-02-06 2004-05-24 株式会社リコー 液晶セルおよびその駆動方法
US6133895A (en) * 1997-06-04 2000-10-17 Kent Displays Incorporated Cumulative drive scheme and method for a liquid crystal display
FR2808891B1 (fr) 2000-05-12 2003-07-25 Nemoptic Dispositif bistable d'affichage en reflexion
FR2808890B1 (fr) 2000-05-12 2002-08-09 Nemoptic Dispositif bistable d'affichage en reflexion avec contraste inverse
FR2817977B1 (fr) 2000-12-12 2003-03-07 Nemoptic Procede de realisation d'un dispositif a cristaux liquides perfectionne, et dispositif ainsi obtenu
FR2835644B1 (fr) 2002-02-06 2005-04-29 Nemoptic Procede et dispositif d'adressage d'un ecran cristal liquide bistable
FR2840694B1 (fr) 2002-06-06 2004-08-27 Nemoptic Procede de realisation de dispositifs a cristaux liquides nematiques
FR2863062B1 (fr) 2003-11-28 2006-03-17 Nemoptic Dispositif d'affichage a ecran de type nematique bistable optimisant le noir et procede de definition de ce dispositif
FR2863061B1 (fr) 2003-11-28 2006-02-24 Nemoptic Dispositif d'affichage a ecran de type nematique optimisant le blanc et procede de definition de ce dispositif
GB0512829D0 (en) * 2005-06-23 2005-08-03 Magink Display Technologies Video drive scheme for a cholesteric liquid crystal display device
US20070279350A1 (en) * 2006-06-02 2007-12-06 Kent Displays Incorporated Method and apparatus for driving bistable liquid crystal display

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EP2178079A1 (de) 2010-04-21
WO2010043780A1 (fr) 2010-04-22
TW201033985A (en) 2010-09-16

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