A method for low-light image restoration and display optimization for electronic paper displays

Abstract

This invention discloses a method for low-light image restoration and display optimization for electronic paper displays, comprising: in response to the electronic paper display receiving a display screen signal, obtaining various display grayscale values ​​of a first image corresponding to the display screen signal; determining whether the first image is a low-light image based on the display grayscale values; in response to the first image being a low-light image, obtaining a first temperature corresponding to the display pixel based on the display grayscale values; controlling a heating resistor to heat the display pixel to the first temperature; applying a corresponding potential to the upper electrode and / or the lower electrode, so that the display pixel amplifies the corresponding display grayscale value under the influence of the first temperature, thereby performing histogram equalization on the entire first image displayed on the electronic paper display and increasing the global contrast of the first image. This invention can effectively restore and optimize low-light images, improving the display effect of low-light images.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of electronic paper displays, and in particular to a method for low-light image restoration and display optimization for electronic paper displays. Background Technology

[0002] Flexible display panels are a major development direction for new display technologies. Electronic paper display technology, with its ultra-low power consumption and comfortable viewing in outdoor lighting conditions, is one of the ideal carriers for portable and wearable flexible display terminals. Therefore, its flexibility is currently a hot topic in international research. In recent years, electronic paper display devices have attracted much attention due to their paper-like appearance, low power consumption, and environmental friendliness. Compared to electrophoretic electronic paper, electrowetting electronic paper has a faster response speed and can achieve color display, making it an electronic paper display capable of high-resolution video playback.

[0003] Electrowetting electronic paper display technology changes the state of pixels by applying voltage between electrodes to cause ink to shrink or spread. Pixel switching is very rapid, enabling high-resolution video playback. Compared to traditional LCD displays, which consume 90% of their energy with backlighting and have low reflective layer efficiency, electrowetting technology eliminates the need for backlighting, achieves reflective layer efficiency of up to 40%, and consumes less power. Furthermore, electrowetting technology uses an oil film as its raw material, eliminating the complex chemical components used in LCDs, thus making it more stable in extreme environments such as low temperatures. Electrowetting display panels can operate using ambient light, making them particularly suitable for electronic devices frequently used in sunlight. Electrowetting panels also offer advantages such as simple structure, applicability to flexible displays, high brightness, high contrast, and wide viewing angles.

[0004] However, electronic paper displays suffer from poor quality and performance when showing low-light images. This is because low-light images are captured in dim ambient light, resulting in inherently lower image quality. Furthermore, electronic paper displays do not perform image restoration or optimization, leading to poor display quality and performance. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the aforementioned deficiencies of the prior art, the technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a method for low-light image restoration and display optimization for electronic paper displays, which aims to restore and optimize low-light images and improve the display effect of low-light images.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention discloses a method for low-light image restoration and display optimization for electronic paper displays, the method comprising:

[0007] Step S1: In response to the electronic paper display receiving a display screen signal, obtain each display grayscale value of the first image corresponding to the display screen signal; wherein, the electronic paper display includes a plurality of display pixels for displaying each display grayscale value, each display pixel includes an upper electrode and a lower electrode, a primary color ink is disposed between the upper electrode and the lower electrode, the upper electrode and the lower electrode are used to apply different potentials to generate a potential difference to change the hydrophobicity of the primary color ink to control the grayscale value, and a heating resistor is disposed below the display pixel;

[0008] Step S2: Based on the displayed grayscale value, determine whether the first image is a low-light image. If yes, proceed to step S3; otherwise, apply a corresponding potential to the upper electrode and / or the lower electrode so that the display pixel directly displays the corresponding displayed grayscale value.

[0009] Step S3: In response to the first image being a low-light image, obtain the first temperature corresponding to the display pixel based on the display grayscale value; control the heating resistor to heat the display pixel to the first temperature, so as to intensify the molecular thermal motion in the primary color ink and increase the sensitivity of the hydrophobicity of the primary color ink to changes in potential difference.

[0010] Step S4: Apply a corresponding potential to the upper electrode and / or the lower electrode to amplify the corresponding grayscale value of the display pixel under the influence of the first temperature, thereby performing histogram equalization on the first image displayed on the electronic paper display and increasing the global contrast of the first image.

[0011] Optionally, step S2 includes:

[0012] Determine whether each of the displayed grayscale values ​​is lower than the first preset grayscale value. If yes, the first image is a low-light image, and proceed to step S3; otherwise, the first image is not a low-light image, and apply the corresponding potential to the upper electrode and / or the lower electrode so that the display pixel directly displays the corresponding displayed grayscale value.

[0013] Optionally, obtaining the first temperature corresponding to the display pixel based on the display grayscale value in step S3 includes:

[0014] Obtain the maximum grayscale value among all the displayed grayscale values;

[0015] The first temperature corresponding to the display pixel is determined based on the maximum grayscale value; wherein, the larger the maximum grayscale value, the smaller the first temperature.

[0016] Optionally, the display pixel further includes black ink disposed below the primary color ink, the black ink being used to increase contrast.

[0017] Optionally, the primary color ink material in the display pixel includes perylenetetracarboxydiimide and fused cyclic ketone.

[0018] Optionally, the heating resistor heats each of the display pixels together so that each of the display pixels is at the same first temperature.

[0019] Optionally, the display pixels include red display pixels, green display pixels, and blue display pixels, which are divided into three different colors according to the different colors corresponding to the primary color ink. The three different colored display pixels are displayed in combination with the three primary colors.

[0020] Optionally, the hydrophobicity of the primary color ink is proportional to the potential difference; when the display pixel is not driven, the applied potential difference is greater than a first threshold potential difference, so that the hydrophobicity of the primary color ink reaches its maximum and accumulates below the upper electrode.

[0021] Optionally, the hydrophobicity of the primary color ink is inversely proportional to the potential difference; when the display pixel is not driven, the applied potential difference is zero, so that the hydrophobicity of the primary color ink reaches its maximum and accumulates below the upper electrode.

[0022] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: This invention heats the primary color ink within the display pixels using a heating resistor, intensifying the thermal motion of molecules within the ink and thereby increasing the sensitivity of the ink's hydrophobicity to changes in potential difference. In other words, the increased temperature makes the ink aperture ratio (grayscale value) more easily change with the potential difference. The grayscale values ​​corresponding to the original low-light image are amplified in the display pixels of the electronic paper display, achieving physical histogram equalization and increasing the global contrast of the low-light image. This invention effectively restores and optimizes the display of low-light images in this way, improving their display quality. Furthermore, compared to existing technologies that require additional image processing software to restore low-light images before sending them to the electronic paper display, this invention allows the electronic paper display itself to perform restoration and display optimization, enabling the electronic paper to improve display quality without external assistance.

[0023] In summary, the present invention can effectively restore and optimize the display of low-light images, thereby improving the display effect of low-light images. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating a low-light image restoration and display optimization method for electronic paper displays, provided by a specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a display pixel provided in a specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram comparing the ink aperture ratio of display pixels at different temperatures, provided by a specific embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0027] This invention discloses a method for low-light image restoration and display optimization for electronic paper displays. Those skilled in the art can refer to the content of this document and appropriately modify the technical details to implement it. It should be particularly noted that all similar substitutions and modifications are obvious to those skilled in the art and are considered to be included in this invention. The methods and applications of this invention have been described through preferred embodiments. Those skilled in the art can obviously make modifications or appropriate changes and combinations to the methods and applications described herein without departing from the content, spirit, and scope of this invention to implement and apply the technology of this invention.

[0028] The applicant's research revealed that electronic paper displays exhibit poor quality and display effects when showing low-light images. This is because low-light images are captured in dim ambient light, resulting in inherently lower image quality. Furthermore, electronic paper displays do not perform image restoration or optimization for low-light conditions, leading to poor display quality and effects. Current technology can only compensate for the poor display quality by performing additional image processing on the low-light images before sending them to the electronic paper display. However, electronic paper displays themselves cannot restore or optimize the display of low-light images.

[0029] Therefore, embodiments of the present invention provide a method for low-light image restoration and display optimization for electronic paper displays, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the method includes:

[0030] Step S1: In response to the electronic paper display receiving the display screen signal, obtain the display grayscale values ​​of the first image corresponding to the display screen signal.

[0031] The electronic paper display includes multiple display pixels for displaying various grayscale values. Each display pixel includes an upper electrode and a lower electrode. Primary color ink is disposed between the upper and lower electrodes. The upper and lower electrodes are used to apply different potentials to generate a potential difference, which causes the primary color ink to change its hydrophobicity to control the grayscale value. A heating resistor is disposed below the display pixel.

[0032] In this specific embodiment, the display pixel structure can be as follows: Figure 2 As shown, the display pixel includes an upper electrode and a lower electrode, with primary color ink placed between the upper and lower electrodes, and a heating resistor placed below the display pixel.

[0033] It should be noted that the display signal in this embodiment is generally not processed by other image processing software.

[0034] Step S2: Based on the displayed grayscale value, determine whether the first image is a low-light image. If yes, proceed to step S3; otherwise, apply the corresponding potential to the upper electrode and / or lower electrode so that the display pixels directly display the corresponding display grayscale value.

[0035] It should be noted that if the first image is not a low-light image, it means that the quality of the first image is not affected by the lighting conditions, and it can be displayed normally without the need for heating resistors to heat the display pixels.

[0036] In this specific embodiment, step S2 includes:

[0037] Determine whether each display grayscale value is lower than the first preset grayscale value. If yes, the first image is a low-light image, and proceed to step S3; otherwise, the first image is not a low-light image, and apply the corresponding potential to the upper electrode and / or the lower electrode so that the display pixels directly display the corresponding display grayscale value.

[0038] It should be noted that low-light images are captured in weak ambient light, resulting in lower grayscale values. Therefore, in this embodiment, a threshold is set. When all grayscale values ​​in the first image do not exceed the threshold, it can be determined to be a low-light image.

[0039] Step S3: In response to the first image being a low-light image, obtain the first temperature corresponding to the display pixel based on the displayed grayscale value; control the heating resistor to heat the display pixel to the first temperature, so as to intensify the molecular thermal motion in the primary color ink and increase the sensitivity of the primary color ink to changes in potential difference.

[0040] It should be noted that liquid molecules can gain enough energy to overcome the interaction forces with molecules on a solid surface. Therefore, the more intense the thermal motion of molecules in a primary color ink, the more easily its surface tension (hydrophobicity) is altered by a potential difference. Consequently, the higher the temperature, the more sensitive the hydrophobicity of the primary color ink is to changes in potential difference.

[0041] It is worth mentioning that, under all temperature conditions in the embodiments of the present invention, at the convergence potential, the primary color ink gathers into droplets below the upper electrode.

[0042] Under the same potential difference at different temperatures, the aperture ratio of the primary color ink in the two display pixels is as follows: Figure 3 As shown, the first temperature is lower than the second temperature. Figure 3 As can be seen, the higher the temperature, the greater the change in ink aperture ratio.

[0043] Step S3 involves obtaining the first temperature corresponding to the displayed pixel based on the displayed grayscale value, including:

[0044] Obtain the maximum grayscale value among all displayed grayscale values;

[0045] The first temperature corresponding to the displayed pixel is determined based on the maximum grayscale value; where the larger the maximum grayscale value, the smaller the first temperature.

[0046] It should be noted that the image restoration and display optimization in this embodiment of the invention are based on histogram equalization. Therefore, the smaller the maximum gray level value, the greater the degree of stretching required and the higher the first temperature.

[0047] Step S4: Apply a corresponding potential to the upper electrode and / or the lower electrode to amplify the corresponding display grayscale value of the display pixel under the influence of the first temperature, thereby performing histogram equalization on the first image displayed on the electronic paper display and increasing the global contrast of the first image.

[0048] It should be noted that the embodiments of the present invention achieve the restoration and display optimization of low-light images by the electronic paper display itself through the physical method of heating.

[0049] In this specific embodiment, the display pixel also includes black ink, which is disposed below the primary color ink and is used to increase contrast.

[0050] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the display pixels have a double-layer ink structure. The contrast is increased by the black ink at the bottom, thereby improving the display quality of the image.

[0051] In this specific embodiment, the primary color ink material in the display pixel includes perylenetetracarboxydiimide and fused cyclic ketone.

[0052] It should be noted that these two materials are the ink materials used in the electrowetting electronic paper of the present invention, and their sensitivity to the potential difference is affected by temperature.

[0053] In this specific embodiment, the heating resistor heats all display pixels together so that all display pixels are at the same first temperature.

[0054] It should be noted that co-heating is used to ensure the consistency of histogram equalization and thus guarantee image quality.

[0055] In this specific embodiment, the display pixels include red display pixels, green display pixels, and blue display pixels, which are divided into three different colors according to the different colors corresponding to the primary color ink. The three different color display pixels are displayed by combining the three primary colors.

[0056] It should be noted that RGB primary colors are a commonly used color combination in monitors, which can reproduce a variety of colors and ensure pixel display quality.

[0057] In this specific embodiment, the hydrophobicity of the primary color ink is proportional to the potential difference; when the display pixels are not driven, the applied potential difference is greater than the first threshold potential difference, so that the hydrophobicity of the primary color ink reaches its maximum and accumulates below the upper electrode.

[0058] In another specific embodiment, the hydrophobicity of the primary color ink is inversely proportional to the potential difference; when the display pixels are not driven, the applied potential difference is zero, so that the hydrophobicity of the primary color ink reaches its maximum and accumulates below the upper electrode.

[0059] It should be noted that both of these characteristics can be applied to embodiments of the present invention, wherein the inverse relationship between the hydrophobicity of the primary color ink and the potential difference is commonly used.

[0060] This invention heats the primary color ink within the display pixels using a heating resistor, intensifying the thermal motion of the ink molecules and thus increasing the sensitivity of the ink's hydrophobicity to changes in potential difference. In other words, the increased temperature makes the ink aperture ratio (grayscale value) more easily change with potential difference. This amplifies the various grayscale values ​​corresponding to low-light images within the display pixels of the electronic paper display, achieving physical histogram equalization and increasing the global contrast of low-light images. This invention effectively restores and optimizes the display of low-light images in this way, improving their display quality. Furthermore, compared to existing technologies that require additional image processing software to restore low-light images before sending them to the electronic paper display, this invention allows the electronic paper display itself to perform restoration and optimization, enabling improved display quality without external assistance.

[0061] In summary, the embodiments of the present invention can effectively restore and optimize the display of low-light images, thereby improving the display effect of low-light images.

[0062] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes the element.

[0063] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a related manner. Similar or identical parts between embodiments can be referred to mutually. Each embodiment focuses on describing the differences from other embodiments. In particular, the system embodiments are basically similar to the method embodiments, so the description is relatively simple; relevant parts can be referred to the descriptions of the method embodiments.

[0064] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention are included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for low-light image restoration and display optimization for electronic paper displays, characterized in that, The method includes: Step S1: In response to the electronic paper display receiving a display screen signal, obtain each display grayscale value of the first image corresponding to the display screen signal; wherein, the electronic paper display includes a plurality of display pixels for displaying each display grayscale value, each display pixel includes an upper electrode and a lower electrode, a primary color ink is disposed between the upper electrode and the lower electrode, the upper electrode and the lower electrode are used to apply different potentials to generate a potential difference to change the hydrophobicity of the primary color ink to control the grayscale value, and a heating resistor is disposed below the display pixel; Step S2: Based on the displayed grayscale value, determine whether the first image is a low-light image. If yes, proceed to step S3; otherwise, apply a corresponding potential to the upper electrode and / or the lower electrode so that the display pixel directly displays the corresponding displayed grayscale value. Step S3: In response to the first image being a low-light image, obtain the maximum grayscale value among all the display grayscale values ​​in the first image, and determine the first temperature corresponding to the display pixel based on the maximum grayscale value; wherein, based on histogram equalization, the larger the maximum grayscale value, the smaller the corresponding set first temperature; The heating resistor is controlled to heat the display pixel to a first temperature, thereby intensifying the molecular thermal motion in the primary color ink and increasing the sensitivity of the primary color ink's hydrophobicity to changes in potential difference. Step S4: Apply a corresponding potential to the upper electrode and / or the lower electrode to amplify the corresponding grayscale value of the display pixel under the influence of the first temperature, thereby performing histogram equalization on the first image displayed on the electronic paper display and increasing the global contrast of the first image.

2. The low-light image restoration and display optimization method for electronic paper displays according to claim 1, characterized in that, Step S2 includes: Determine whether each of the displayed grayscale values ​​is lower than the first preset grayscale value. If yes, the first image is a low-light image, and proceed to step S3; otherwise, the first image is not a low-light image, and apply the corresponding potential to the upper electrode and / or the lower electrode so that the display pixel directly displays the corresponding displayed grayscale value.

3. The low-light image restoration and display optimization method for electronic paper displays according to claim 1, characterized in that, The display pixel also includes black ink, which is disposed below the primary color ink and is used to increase contrast.

4. The low-light image restoration and display optimization method for electronic paper displays according to claim 1, characterized in that, The primary color ink material in the display pixels includes perylenetetracarboxydiimide and fused cyclic ketone.

5. The low-light image restoration and display optimization method for electronic paper displays according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heating resistor heats all the display pixels together so that all the display pixels are at the same first temperature.

6. The low-light image restoration and display optimization method for electronic paper displays according to claim 1, characterized in that, The display pixels include red display pixels, green display pixels, and blue display pixels, which are divided into three different colors according to the different colors corresponding to the primary color ink. The three different colored display pixels are displayed by combining the three primary colors.

7. The low-light image restoration and display optimization method for electronic paper displays according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hydrophobicity of the primary color ink is proportional to the potential difference; when the display pixel is not driven, the applied potential difference is greater than the first threshold potential difference, so that the hydrophobicity of the primary color ink reaches its maximum and accumulates below the upper electrode.

8. The low-light image restoration and display optimization method for electronic paper displays according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hydrophobicity of the primary color ink is inversely proportional to the potential difference; when the display pixel is not driven, the applied potential difference is zero, so that the hydrophobicity of the primary color ink reaches its maximum and accumulates below the upper electrode.

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