Abstract: Systems and methods for improving frame rate in electromechanical display devices are disclosed. Rows or columns in a display device are given priorities and are selected for updating or for skipping during updates based on the priorities, the target frame rate, and the visual effect of skipping the particular line.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for adjusting the waveform timing parameters for changes in data to be written over the lifetime of the display. In one aspect, timing parameter information is stored with the array and used to obtain the fastest line timing possible for different portions of the array. The timing parameter information may also be updated over the lifetime of the display such that the fastest line timing possible for different portions can be obtained over the life of the display.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus including computer programs encoded on computer storage media for stabilization of display voltages when driving electromechanical display devices. In one aspect, a display apparatus is provided. The display apparatus includes a display array having row electrodes and column electrodes. The row electrodes are driven by a first voltage and the column electrodes are driven by a second voltage corresponding to image data. The display apparatus further includes a capacitor having a first side coupled to one or more row electrodes. The display apparatus further includes an active circuit having an output terminal coupled to a second side of the capacitor and an input terminal coupled to the one or more row electrodes. The active circuit is configured to output a base voltage applied to the second side of the capacitor.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for energy efficient voltage transitions when driving EMS or MEMS systems. In one aspect, a MEMS display array may have segment electrodes driven by a source of approximately constant current. The substantially constant current may be generated by a buck regulator including an inductor.

Abstract: A method of driving electromechanical devices such as interferometric modulators includes applying a voltage along a common line to release the electromechanical devices along the common line, followed by applying an address voltage along the common line to actuate selected electromechanical devices along the common line based on voltages applied along segment lines. Hold voltages may be applied along common lines between applications of release and address voltages, and the segment voltages may be selected to be sufficiently small that the segment voltages will not affect the state of the electromechanical devices along other common lines not being written to.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for storing image data for successive frames in a frame buffer. Specifically, the method and apparatus allow for a display-sized frame buffer to be utilized where a host system provides image data in a format different from that which the display requires to be written to it while retaining the beneficial aspects of concurrent read and write operations from and to the frame buffer. Using this method a buffer controller receives image data from a host system in a first format (e.g. row-by-row) and writes it to the frame buffer in the first format. When the buffer is completely filled with the first frame, it is read out in a second format (e.g. column-by-column) by the buffer controller and provided to a display driver that writes the data to the display.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for writing data to a display having an array of display elements. Delays which are utilized in reducing error during writing data to the array of display elements may be overlapped in time with each other to improve the frame rate of the display.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for alternating the polarity of a voltage across a display element. In one aspect, a display element is maintained in a current state following an alternation of polarity. A driving signal waveform is transitioned from a hold voltage of a first polarity substantially directly to a write voltage of a second polarity, and transitioned substantially directly from the write voltage of the second polarity to a hold voltage of the second polarity.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for reducing artifacts in an image generated by a display device. In one aspect, data is written to a display and a position of display elements is maintained based on the application of a hold voltage pattern. The hold voltage pattern includes alternating polarities along one dimension in a pattern, and alternating polarities along a second dimension in a pattern. The polarities of the first and second patterns may be switched in a manner that maintains a substantially constant magnitude voltage across each display element.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for determining a line time for writing data to display elements on one or more common lines of an array of display elements. In one aspect, the line time is determined for writing data to a line of display elements based on the received image data to be written to the line of display elements.

Abstract: A method of driving electromechanical devices such as interferometric modulators includes applying a voltage along a common line to release the electromechanical devices along the common line, followed by applying an address voltage along the common line to actuate selected electromechanical devices along the common line based on voltages applied along segment lines. Hold voltages may be applied along common lines between applications of release and address voltages, and the segment voltages may be selected to be sufficiently small that the segment voltages will not affect the state of the electromechanical devices along other common lines not being written to.

Abstract: Systems and methods for improving frame rate in electromechanical display devices are disclosed. Rows or columns in a display device are given priorities and are selected for updating or for skipping during updates based on the priorities, the target frame rate, and the visual effect of skipping the particular line.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for driving a display a display. Two switches for each common line are used to couple the common line to a respective first and second hold voltage supply lines. A third switch for each common line is used to couple the common line to a drive line. A waveform generator is used to generate the driving waveform on the drive line.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for reducing common line write time in a display. In one aspect, a common line write waveform shape is based at least in part on the distance a given common line is from a segment driver circuit.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for driving a pixel of a display. In one aspect, a common driver may be configured to write data to different display elements in an array of display elements with different line times. By using different line times, a refresh rate of the display may be increased and the response of the display elements to the write waveform may be improved.

Abstract: Systems and methods for improving frame rate in MEMS display devices are disclosed. Lines are selected for skipping during updates based on the desired frame rate and the visual effect of skipping the particular line.

Abstract: This disclosure provides apparatus, systems, and methods for updating display devices. In one aspect, a line time addressing mode may be used to update the display by changing the amount of time that a common line has to address a display element. A shorter line time results in a higher frame rate, but may result in increased display errors. Therefore, an appropriate line time addressing mode may be selected based on the update rate of images to be displayed.

Abstract: This disclosure provides apparatus, systems, and methods for updating display devices. In one aspect, a multi-line addressing mode may be used to update the display by writing data to multiple display lines in order to increase display refresh rate and reduce power consumption. In another aspect, a line order addressing mode may be used to write data to display lines in a random or quasi-random sequence in order to minimize visible display updates. In another aspect, a color processing mode may be used to forego processing color information in order to reduce power consumption and processing time.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for storing image data for successive frames in a frame buffer. Specifically, the method and apparatus allow for a display-sized frame buffer to be utilized where a host system provides image data in a format different from that which the display requires to be written to it while retaining the beneficial aspects of concurrent read and write operations from and to the frame buffer. Using this method a buffer controller receives image data from a host system in a first format (e.g. row-by-row) and writes it to the frame buffer in the first format. When the buffer is completely filled with the first frame, it is read out in a second format (e.g. column-by-column) by the buffer controller and provided to a display driver that writes the data to the display.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for driving a display. The order in which lines of a display are updated is changed in order to take advantage of potential similarities between updated data for the lines. The lines are grouped according to one or more common characteristics and one or more of the groups are updated sequentially.