Electro-Optic Display Driving Waveform Temperature Compensation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electro-optic displays, particularly particle-based electrophoretic displays, face challenges in maintaining long-term image quality due to particle settling, which affects their service life and widespread adoption, and current drive methods for achieving accurate gray states are prone to errors and inefficiencies, such as prior state dependence, dwell time dependence, temperature dependence, humidity dependence, mechanical uniformity issues, and voltage errors, leading to accumulation of errors over transitions.

Innovation Solution

The method involves storing a base waveform and temperature-dependent multiplication factors to adjust the frame rate and amplitude of the waveform for electro-optic displays, allowing for improved control of gray levels and reduced memory requirements by using a simple compression scheme that accounts for temperature changes, thereby enhancing the performance and reducing residual image effects like ghosting.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by stationary object

If particle-based electrophoretic displays are used, then the display can achieve bistable states and low power consumption, but particle settling occurs which reduces service life and image quality

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidservice life
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamic driving waveforms that adapt to temperature changes and display state transitions. By dynamically adjusting the waveform parameters (amplitude, duration, shape) based on the current temperature and required transition, the system maintains optimal particle movement control across varying conditions, preventing particle settling while preserving bistability and low power consumption characteristics.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes physical parameters of the driving waveform (voltage amplitude, pulse duration, waveform shape) as a function of temperature. The system stores multiple temperature-dependent waveforms and selects/applicles the appropriate waveform based on measured temperature, thereby maintaining consistent display performance and preventing particle settling across the operating temperature range.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If traditional drive methods are used for gray states, then the display can show intermediate gray levels, but errors accumulate due to prior state dependence, dwell time dependence, and voltage errors

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegray level controlVSAvoidgray level accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the current display state and temperature are measured, and this information is used to select the appropriate driving waveform from stored temperature-dependent waveforms. The system determines the current gray state and uses this feedback to choose a waveform that will achieve the desired transition accurately, compensating for prior state dependence and dwell time effects.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent pre-calculates and stores optimal driving waveforms for various temperature conditions and transition types before operation. By having the appropriate waveforms prepared in advance for different temperatures and transition scenarios, the system eliminates the need for real-time calculation and ensures accurate gray level transitions from the start, preventing error accumulation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Measurement precision

If temperature compensation is implemented using multiple stored waveforms, then gray level accuracy improves, but memory requirements and device complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegray level accuracyVSAvoidmemory requirements
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the temperature compensation data into discrete temperature ranges, each with associated waveforms. Instead of storing continuous temperature-dependent waveform data, the system divides the temperature operating range into segments and stores representative waveforms for each segment, reducing memory requirements while maintaining accuracy within each temperature range.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates universal driving waveforms that can handle multiple transition types and temperature conditions. By designing waveforms that are applicable across different scenarios (different gray level transitions, different temperature ranges), the system reduces the total number of waveforms needed, thereby reducing memory requirements while maintaining versatility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach improves the accuracy and efficiency of gray level transitions in electro-optic displays by dynamically adjusting the frame rate and amplitude of the waveform based on temperature, reducing memory requirements and minimizing errors, thus enhancing the overall performance and image quality over a range of temperatures.

Implementation Method 1

a material having first and second display states differing in at least one optical property, the material being changed from its first to its second display state by application of an electric field to the material

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectro-optic effect: Electro-Optic Effects

Implementation Method 2

one or more types of electrically charged particles are suspended in a liquid and are moved through the liquid under the influence of an electric field to change the appearance of the display

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectrophoresis: Electrophoresis

Data Source

PatentEP3420553B1Methods and apparatus for driving electro-optic displays
Publication Date: 2020.03.25 E INK CORP
  • EP3420553B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3420553B1 patent drawing

AI summary

The performance of an electro-optic display, for example, a bistable electro-optic display, can be improved by modifying the frame rate of a base waveform used to drive a transition between gray states. Such modifications permit fine control of gray levels with reduced artifacts. The described methods require less memory to store all of the waveforms needed to achieve good performance of an electro-optic display over a range of temperatures.