Video playback on electronic paper displays

Abstract

A system for displaying video on electronic paper displays to reduce video playback artifacts comprises an electronic paper display, a video transcoder, a display controller and a waveforms module. The video transcoder receives a video stream on for presentation on the electronic paper display. The video transcoder processes the video stream and generates pixel data that is provided to the display controller. The video transcoder adapts and re-encodes the video stream for better display on the electronic paper display. In one embodiment, the video transcoder includes one or more of the following processes: encoding the video using the control signals instead of the desired image, encoding the video using simulation data, scaling and translating the video for contrast enhancement and reducing errors by using simulation feedback, past pixels and future pixels. The present invention also includes a method for displaying video on an electronic paper display.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention generally relates to the field of electronic paper displays. More specifically, the present invention relates to displaying video on electronic paper displays. Background technique [0002] Several techniques have recently been introduced to provide some paper attributes in an electronically updateable display. Some of the desirable properties of paper that such displays attempt to achieve include: low power consumption, flexibility, wide viewing angles, low cost, light weight, high resolution, high contrast, and readability both indoors and outdoors. Because these displays attempt to mimic the characteristics of paper, these displays are referred to in this application as electronic paper displays (EPDs). Other names for this type of display include: paper-like display, zero power display, e-paper, bistable display, and electrophoretic display. [0003] A comparison of EPDs with cathode ray tube (CRT) displays or liquid crysta...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

The fluid also restricts particle motion when an electric field is applied and causes the display to update very slowly compared to other types of displays

[0006] While e-paper displays have many advantages, there are many problems when displaying video: (1) slow update speed (also known as update latency); (2) accumulated errors; and (3) visibility of previously displayed images (visibility) (eg, ghosting)

[0007] The first problem is that most EPD technologies take a relatively long time to update the image compared to traditional CRT or LCD displays

Therefore, the EPD has not been used to display the video

[0009] The second problem is the cumulative error

However, it cannot be done with video because there is no time for 10 (or more) frames / second, and since there are more optical state transitions for video, this error accumulates to the video produced by the EPD points visible in the image

[0010] A third problem involves update lag, which is due to the fact that there are often not enough frames to set some pixels to their desired grayscale levels

Similarly, there is not enough contrast in the optical image produced by the EPD since there is no time between frames to drive the pixels to the proper optical state (where there is contrast between pixels)

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