Abstract: A driving method is provided for an electric-optic display having a plurality of display pixels, the method including dividing the plurality of display pixels into multiple groups of pixels, applying at least one waveform structure to the multiple groups of pixels, the at least one waveform structure having a driving section for updating the multiple groups of pixels, and updating the multiple groups of pixels in a contiguous fashion such that only one group of display pixels completes the driving section at any given time.

Abstract: Layered dielectric materials for use in controlling dielectric strength in microelectronic devices, especially as they relate to electrophoretic and electrowetting applications. Specifically, a combination of a first atomic layer deposition (ALD) step, a sputtering step, and a second ALD step result in a layer that is chemically robust and nearly pinhole free. The dielectric layer may be disposed on the transparent common electrode of an electrophoretic display or covering the pixelated backplane electrodes, or both.

Abstract: A thin film transistor (TFT) backplane comprising a plurality of electrodes. Each of the plurality of electrodes is coupled to circuitry comprising: a first thin film transistor (TFT) coupled to the electrode for transmitting waveforms to the electrode, and a second TFT coupled to the electrode for discharging remnant charges from the electrode, wherein the second TFT is activated subsequent to the first TFT being deactivated.

Abstract: An apparatus for driving an electro-optic display may comprise a first switch designed to supply a voltage to the electro-optic display during a first driving phase, a second switch designed to control the voltage during a second driving phase and a resistor coupled to the first and second switches for controlling the rate of decay of the voltage during the second driving phase.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for image processing are provided. A method for image processing includes: (a) accessing, in a lookup table, a current pattern index for a current pixel based on a current pixel input value and a previous pattern index; (b) accessing, in a dither mask array, a threshold value for the current pixel based on a location of the current pixel; (c) comparing the current pattern index with the threshold value; (d) determining a current pixel output value for activation of the current pixel based on a result of the comparing; (e) storing the current pattern index to serve as the previous pattern index for a next image; and (f) repeating acts (a)-(e) for each pixel in the image.

Abstract: An image is rendered on a display having a limited number of primary colors by (104) combining input data representing the color of a pixel to be rendered with error data to form modified input data, determining in a color space the simplex (208—typically a tetrahedron) enclosing the modified input data and the primary colors associated with the simplex, converting (210) the modified image data to barycentric coordinates based upon the primary colors associated with the simplex and (212) setting output data to the primary having the largest barycentric coordinate. calculating (214) the difference between the modified input data and the output data for the pixel, thus generating error data, applying (106) this error data to at least one later-rendered pixel, and applying the output data to the display and thus rendering the image on the display. Apparatus and computer-storage media for carrying out this process are also provided.

Abstract: A variety of methods for driving electro-optic displays so as to reduce visible artifacts are described. Such methods include (a) applying a first drive scheme to a non-zero minor proportion of the pixels of the display and a second drive scheme to the remaining pixels, the pixels using the first drive scheme being changed at each transition; (b) using two different drive schemes on different groups of pixels so that pixels in differing groups undergoing the same transition will not experience the same waveform; (c) applying either a balanced pulse pair or a top-off pulse to a pixel undergoing a white-to-white transition and lying adjacent a pixel undergoing a visible transition; (d) driving extra pixels where the boundary between a driven and undriven area would otherwise fall along a straight line; and (e) driving a display with both DC balanced and DC imbalanced drive schemes, maintaining an impulse bank value for the DC imbalance and modifying transitions to reduce the impulse bank value.

Abstract: An electrophoretic medium includes a fluid, a first, light scattering particle (typically white) and second, third and fourth particles having three subtractive primary colors (typically magenta, cyan and yellow); at least two of these colored particles being non-light scattering. The first and second particles bear polymer coatings such that the electric field required to separate an aggregate formed by the third and the fourth particles is greater than that required to separate an aggregate formed from any other two types of particles. Methods for driving the medium to produce white, black, magenta, cyan, yellow, red, green and blue colors are also described.

Abstract: A method for driving an electro-optic display having a front electrode, a backplane, and a display medium including at least three differently-colored particles, wherein the medium is positioned between the front electrode and the backplane. The method includes applying a reset phase and a color transition phase to the display such that the sum of all impulses results in an offset that maintains a DC-balance across the display medium. The invention additionally includes controllers for executing the method.

Abstract: A variety of methods for driving electro-optic displays so as to reduce visible artifacts are described. Such methods include (a) applying a first drive scheme to a non-zero minor proportion of the pixels of the display and a second drive scheme to the remaining pixels, the pixels using the first drive scheme being changed at each transition; (b) using two different drive schemes on different groups of pixels so that pixels in differing groups undergoing the same transition will not experience the same waveform; (c) applying either a balanced pulse pair or a top-off pulse to a pixel undergoing a white-to-white transition and lying adjacent a pixel undergoing a visible transition; (d) driving extra pixels where the boundary between a driven and undriven area would otherwise fall along a straight line; and (e) driving a display with both DC balanced and DC imbalanced drive schemes, maintaining an impulse bank value for the DC imbalance and modifying transitions to reduce the impulse bank value.

Abstract: An electrophoretic medium includes a fluid, a first, light scattering particle (typically white) and second, third and fourth particles having three subtractive primary colors (typically magenta, cyan and yellow); at least two of these colored particles being non-light scattering. The first and second particles bear polymer coatings such that the electric field required to separate an aggregate formed by the third and the fourth particles is greater than that required to separate an aggregate formed from any other two types of particles. Methods for driving the medium to produce white, black, magenta, cyan, yellow, red, green and blue colors are also described.

Abstract: A thin film transistor (TFT) backplane comprising a plurality of electrodes. Each of the plurality of electrodes is coupled to circuitry comprising: a first thin film transistor (TFT) coupled to the electrode for transmitting waveforms to the electrode, and a second TFT coupled to the electrode for discharging remnant charges from the electrode, wherein the second TFT is activated subsequent to the first TFT being deactivated.

Abstract: An image is rendered on a display having a limited number of primary colors by (104) combining input data representing the color of a pixel to be rendered with error data to form modified input data, determining in a color space the simplex (208—typically a tetrahedron) enclosing the modified input data and the primary colors associated with the simplex, converting (210) the modified image data to barycentric coordinates based upon the primary colors associated with the simplex and (212) setting output data to the primary having the largest barycentric coordinate. calculating (214) the difference between the modified input data and the output data for the pixel, thus generating error data, applying (106) this error data to at least one later-rendered pixel, and applying the output data to the display and thus rendering the image on the display. Apparatus and computer-storage media for carrying out this process are also provided.

Abstract: A method for driving an electro-optic display having a front electrode, a backplane, and a display medium including at least three differently-colored particles, wherein the medium is positioned between the front electrode and the backplane. The method includes applying a reset phase and a color transition phase to the display such that the sum of all impulses results in an offset that maintains a DC-balance across the display medium. The invention additionally includes controllers for executing the method.

Abstract: An electro-optic display having an electrophoretic material configured for displaying images, and an active component coupled to the electrophoretic material for discharging charges within the electrophoretic material.

Abstract: An image is rendered on a display having a limited number of primary colors by (104) combining input data representing the color of a pixel to be rendered with error data to form modified input data, determining in a color space the simplex (208—typically a tetrahedron) enclosing the modified input data and the primary colors associated with the simplex, converting (210) the modified image data to barycentric coordinates based upon the primary colors associated with the simplex and (212) setting output data to the primary having the largest barycentric coordinate. calculating (214) the difference between the modified input data and the output data for the pixel, thus generating error data, applying (106) this error data to at least one later-rendered pixel, and applying the output data to the display and thus rendering the image on the display. Apparatus and computer-storage media for carrying out this process are also provided.

Abstract: An electrophoretic display comprising a fluid including a first species of particles and a charge control agent disposed between first and second electrodes. When a first addressing impulse have an electrical polarity is applied to the medium, the first species of particles move in one direction relative to the electric field, but when a second addressing impulse, larger than the first addressing impulse but having the same electrical polarity, is applied to the medium, the first species of particles move in the opposed direction relative to the electric field.

Abstract: A system for rendering color images on an electro-optic display when the electro-optic display has a color gamut with a limited palette of primary colors, and/or the gamut is poorly structured (i.e., not a spheroid or obloid). The system uses an iterative process to identify the best color for a given pixel from a palette that is modified to diffuse the color error over the entire electro-optic display. The system additionally accounts for variations in color that are caused by cross-talk between nearby pixels.

Abstract: Electro-optic displays with reduced remnant voltage, and related apparatus and methods are provided. A remnant voltage of a pixel of an electro-optic display may be discharged by activating the pixel's transistor and setting the voltages of the front and rear electrodes of the pixel to approximately the same voltage for a specified period of time, and/or until the amount of remnant voltage remaining in the pixel is less than a threshold amount. The remnant voltages of substantially all pixels or a subset of pixels in an active matrix electro-optic display may be simultaneously discharged. The simultaneous discharge of the remnant voltages of pixels may take place when the pixels are in a same state, characterized by (1) the transistor of each pixel being active, and (2) the voltages applied to the front and rear electrodes of each pixel being approximately equal.

Abstract: An electrophoretic display comprising a fluid including a first species of particles and a charge control agent disposed between first and second electrodes. When a first addressing impulse have an electrical polarity is applied to the medium, the first species of particles move in one direction relative to the electric field, but when a second addressing impulse, larger than the first addressing impulse but having the same electrical polarity, is applied to the medium, the first species of particles move in the opposed direction relative to the electric field.