Method and apparatus for simulated analog control of color video for LCD applications

Claim 2

1 A method of driving a thin film transistor liquid crystal display device with an analog colour video input to provide a perceived colour output as viewed by a human observer, said perceived colour output is the combination of three separate perceived colour luminance levels, said liquid crystal display device having a plurality of pixels, each pixel including three transistors, each transistor associated with one of red, green and blue colours and controlling the luminance of a respective associated colour, said liquid crystal device providing only limited digitally accessed colour luminance levels for said transistors of each colour thereby permitting only a limited number of digitally accessed colour luminance levels of each colour to be displayed by said display panel, thereby limiting the perceived colour output of said panel during a colour "complete" output frame duration, said perceived colour luminance level for each colour is not one of said limited number of digitally accessed colour luminance levels, said method comprising the step of: energising said pixels within a colour "complete" output frame duration at said digitally accessed colour luminance levels differentially in space and/or time to produce spatially and/or temporally averaged perceived colours which do not correspond with one of said limited number of digitally accessed luminance levels.

Claim 3

2 A method of driving a thin film transistor liquid crystal display device with an analog colour video input to provide a perceived colour output as viewed by a human observer, said perceived colour output is the combination of three separate perceived colour luminance levels, said input including horizontal and vertical sync signals at an input frame rate of display having a frame duration, said liquid crystal display device having a plurality of pixels, each pixel including three transistors, each transistor associated with one of red, green and blue colours and controlling the luminance of a respective associated colour, said liquid crystal device providing only limited digitally accessed colour luminance levels for said transistors of each colour thereby permitting only a limited number of digitally accessed colour luminance levels of each colour to be displayed by said display panel, thereby limiting the perceived colour output of said panel during a colour "complete" output frame duration, said perceived colour luminance level for each colour is not one of said limited number of digitally accessed colour luminance levels, said method comprising the steps of: energising a first portion of said plurality of pixels to provide a separate digitally accessed colour luminance level for each of said transistors on said first portion of said plurality of pixels for at least a first portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration for each colour; and energising a second portion of said plurality of pixels to provide a second and separate digitally accessed colour luminance levels for each of said transistors on said second portion of said plurality of pixels during said at least first portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration, where said first portion of pixels is dispersed within said second portion of pixels, and said first and second portions of pixels, viewed as a whole, provides a perceived colour luminance level for each colour during at least a portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration, which perceived colour is not one of said limited number of digitally accessed luminance levels.

Claim 4

2 A method of driving a thin film transistor liquid crystal display device with an analog colour video input to provide a perceived colour output as viewed by a human observer, said perceived colour output is the combination of three separate perceived colour luminance levels, said input including horizontal and vertical sync signals at an input frame rate of display having a frame duration, said liquid crystal display device having a plurality of pixels, each pixel including three transistors, each transistor associated with one of red, green and blue colours and controlling the luminance of a respective associated colour, said liquid crystal device providing only limited digitally accessed colour luminance levels for said transistors of each colour thereby permitting only a limited number of digitally accessed colour luminance levels of each colour to be displayed by said display panel, thereby limiting the perceived colour output of said panel during a colour "complete" output frame duration, said perceived colour luminance level for each colour is not one of said limited number of digitally accessed colour luminance levels, said method comprising the steps of: energising a first portion of said plurality of pixels to provide a separate digitally accessed colour luminance level for each of said transistors on said first portion of said plurality of pixels for at least a first portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration for each colour; and energising a second portion of said plurality of pixels to provide a second and separate digitally accessed colour luminance levels for each of said transistors on said second portion of said plurality of pixels during said at least first portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration, where said first portion of pixels is dispersed within said second portion of pixels, and said first and second portions of pixels, viewed as a whole, provides a perceived colour luminance level for each colour during at least a portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration, which perceived colour is not one of said limited number of digitally accessed luminance levels.

Claim 5

3 A method of driving a thin film transistor liquid crystal display device with an analog colour video input to provide a perceived colour output as viewed by a human observer, said perceived colour output is the combination of three separate perceived colour luminance levels, said liquid crystal display device having a plurality of pixels, each pixel including three transistors, each transistor associated with one of red, green and blue colours and controlling the luminance of a respective associated colour, said liquid crystal device providing only limited digitally accessed colour luminance levels for said transistors of each colour thereby permitting only a limited number of digitally accessed colour luminance levels of each colour to be displayed by said display panel, thereby limiting the perceived colour output of said panel during a colour "complete" output frame duration, said perceived colour luminance level for each colour is not one of said limited digitally accessed colour luminance levels, said method comprising the steps of: energising at least one pixel to provide a first digitally accessed colour luminance level for each of said colours for a first portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration; and energising said at least one pixel to provide a second digitally accessed colour luminance level for each of said colours for a second portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration, where a perceived colour luminance level for each colour is an average colour luminance level which is not one of said digitally accessed colour luminance levels, and said perceived colour output is the average of the perceived colour luminance levels for all three colours over the colour "complete" output frame duration.

Claim 6

3 A method of driving a thin film transistor liquid crystal display device with an analog colour video input to provide a perceived colour output as viewed by a human observer, said perceived colour output is the combination of three separate perceived colour luminance levels, said liquid crystal display device having a plurality of pixels, each pixel including three transistors, each transistor associated with one of red, green and blue colours and controlling the luminance of a respective associated colour, said liquid crystal device providing only limited digitally accessed colour luminance levels for said transistors of each colour thereby permitting only a limited number of digitally accessed colour luminance levels of each colour to be displayed by said display panel, thereby limiting the perceived colour output of said panel during a colour "complete" output frame duration, said perceived colour luminance level for each colour is not one of said limited digitally accessed colour luminance levels, said method comprising the steps of: energising at least one pixel to provide a first digitally accessed colour luminance level for each of said colours for a first portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration; and energising said at least one pixel to provide a second digitally accessed colour luminance level for each of said colours for a second portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration, where a perceived colour luminance level for each colour is an average colour luminance level which is not one of said digitally accessed colour luminance levels, and said perceived colour output is the average of the perceived colour luminance levels for all three colours over the colour "complete" output frame duration.

Claim 7

4 A method of driving a thin film transistor liquid crystal display device with an analog colour video input to provide a perceived colour output as viewed by a human observer, said perceived colour output is the combination of three separate perceived colour luminance levels, said liquid crystal display device having a plurality of pixels, each pixel including three transistors, each transistor associated with one of red, green and blue colours and controlling the luminance of a respective associated colour, said liquid crystal device providing only limited digitally accessed colour luminance levels for said transistors of each colour thereby permitting only a limited number of digitally accessed colour luminance levels of each colour to be displayed by said display panel, thereby limiting the perceived colour output of said panel during an colour "complete" output frame duration, said perceived colour luminance level for each colour is not one of said limited digitally accessed colour luminance levels, said method comprising the steps of: energising a first portion of said plurality of pixels to provide a first digitally accessed colour luminance level for each of said transistors for a first portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration; energising said first portion of said plurality of pixels to provide a second digitally accessed colour luminance level for each of said transistors for a second portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration, where a perceived colour luminance level for each of said colours during said first and second portions of said colour "complete" output frame duration is an average of digitally accessed colour luminance levels for each colour over said first and second output frame portions and is not a digitally accessed colour luminance level; energising a second portion of said plurality of pixels to provide a third digitally accessed colour luminance level for each of said transistors for a third portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration; and energising said second portion of said plurality of pixels, to provide a fourth digitally accessed colour luminance level for each of said transistors for a fourth portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration, where a perceived colour luminance level for each of said colours during said third and fourth portions of said colour "complete" output frame duration is an average of digitally accessed colour luminance levels for each colour over said third and fourth portions and is not a digitally accessed colour luminance level, and said perceived colour output is the combination of perceived colour luminance levels for all colours over said colour "complete" output frame duration.

Claim 8

4 A method of driving a thin film transistor liquid crystal display device with an analog colour video input to provide a perceived colour output as viewed by a human observer, said perceived colour output is the combination of three separate perceived colour luminance levels, said liquid crystal display device having a plurality of pixels, each pixel including three transistors, each transistor associated with one of red, green and blue colours and controlling the luminance of a respective associated colour, said liquid crystal device providing only limited digitally accessed colour luminance levels for said transistors of each colour thereby permitting only a limited number of digitally accessed colour luminance levels of each colour to be displayed by said display panel, thereby limiting the perceived colour output of said panel during an colour "complete" output frame duration, said perceived colour luminance level for each colour is not one of said limited digitally accessed colour luminance levels, said method comprising the steps of: energising a first portion of said plurality of pixels to provide a first digitally accessed colour luminance level for each of said transistors for a first portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration; energising said first portion of said plurality of pixels to provide a second digitally accessed colour luminance level for each of said transistors for a second portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration, where a perceived colour luminance level for each of said colours during said first and second portions of said colour "complete" output frame duration is an average of digitally accessed colour luminance levels for each colour over said first and second output frame portions and is not a digitally accessed colour luminance level; energising a second portion of said plurality of pixels to provide a third digitally accessed colour luminance level for each of said transistors for a third portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration; and energising said second portion of said plurality of pixels, to provide a fourth digitally accessed colour luminance level for each of said transistors for a fourth portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration, where a perceived colour luminance level for each of said colours during said third and fourth portions of said colour "complete" output frame duration is an average of digitally accessed colour luminance levels for each colour over said third and fourth portions and is not a digitally accessed colour luminance level, and said perceived colour output is the combination of perceived colour luminance levels for all colours over said colour "complete" output frame duration.

Claim 9

5 A method of driving a thin film transistor liquid crystal display device with an analog colour video input to provide a perceived colour output as viewed by a human observer, said perceived colour output is the combination of three separate perceived colour luminance levels, said liquid crystal display device having a plurality of pixels, each pixel including three transistors, each transistor associated with one of red, green and blue colours and controlling the luminance of a respective associated colour, said liquid crystal device providing only limited digitally accessed colour luminance levels for said transistors of each colour thereby permitting only a limited number of digitally accessed colour luminance levels of each colour to be displayed by said display panel, thereby limiting the perceived colour output of said panel during an colour "complete" output frame duration, said perceived colour luminance level for each colour is not one of said limited digitally accessed colour luminance levels, said method comprising the steps of: converting said analog colour video input into digital codes indicative of colour luminance levels for each of said colours; storing said digital codes in a dual port memory at row and address locations at an input frame rate; reading said digital codes out of said storage means row and address locations at a readout rate at least twice said output frame rate, said output frame rate equal to the inverse of said colour "complete" output frame duration; converting said digital codes read out of said storage means, by means of a look up table, into said digitally accessed colour luminance level codes; applying said digitally accessed colour luminance level codes to said display panel at said readout rate thereby: energising a first portion of said plurality of pixels to provide a first digitally accessed colour luminance level for each of said transistors for a first portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration; energising said first portion of said plurality of pixels to provide a second digitally accessed colour luminance level for each of said transistors for a second portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration, where a perceived colour luminance level for each of said colours during said first and second portions of said colour "complete" output frame duration is an average of digitally accessed colour luminance levels for each colour over said first and second output frame portions and is not a digitally accessed colour luminance level; energising a second portion of said plurality of pixels to provide a third digitally accessed colour luminance level for each of said transistors for a third portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration; and energising said second portion of said plurality of pixels, to provide a fourth digitally accessed colour luminance level for each of said transistors for a fourth portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration, where a perceived colour luminance level for each of said colours during said third and fourth portions of said colour "complete" output frame duration is an average of digitally accessed colour luminance levels for each colour over said third and fourth portions and is not a digitally accessed colour luminance level, and said perceived colour output is the combination of perceived colour luminance levels for all colours over said colour "complete" output frame duration, where said output frame rate is not equal to said input frame rate.

Claim 10

5 A method of driving a thin film transistor liquid crystal display device with an analog colour video input to provide a perceived colour output as viewed by a human observer, said perceived colour output is the combination of three separate perceived colour luminance levels, said liquid crystal display device having a plurality of pixels, each pixel including three transistors, each transistor associated with one of red, green and blue colours and controlling the luminance of a respective associated colour, said liquid crystal device providing only limited digitally accessed colour luminance levels for said transistors of each colour thereby permitting only a limited number of digitally accessed colour luminance levels of each colour to be displayed by said display panel, thereby limiting the perceived colour output of said panel during an colour "complete" output frame duration, said perceived colour luminance level for each colour is not one of said limited digitally accessed colour luminance levels, said method comprising the steps of: converting said analog colour video input into digital codes indicative of colour luminance levels for each of said colours; storing said digital codes in a dual port memory at row and address locations at an input frame rate; reading said digital codes out of said storage means row and address locations at a readout rate at least twice said output frame rate, said output frame rate equal to the inverse of said colour "complete" output frame duration; converting said digital codes read out of said storage means, by means of a look up table, into said digitally accessed colour luminance level codes; applying said digitally accessed colour luminance level codes to said display panel at said readout rate thereby: energising a first portion of said plurality of pixels to provide a first digitally accessed colour luminance level for each of said transistors for a first portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration; energising said first portion of said plurality of pixels to provide a second digitally accessed colour luminance level for each of said transistors for a second portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration, where a perceived colour luminance level for each of said colours during said first and second portions of said colour "complete" output frame duration is an average of digitally accessed colour luminance levels for each colour over said first and second output frame portions and is not a digitally accessed colour luminance level; energising a second portion of said plurality of pixels to provide a third digitally accessed colour luminance level for each of said transistors for a third portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration; and energising said second portion of said plurality of pixels, to provide a fourth digitally accessed colour luminance level for each of said transistors for a fourth portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration, where a perceived colour luminance level for each of said colours during said third and fourth portions of said colour "complete" output frame duration is an average of digitally accessed colour luminance levels for each colour over said third and fourth portions and is not a digitally accessed colour luminance level, and said perceived colour output is the combination of perceived colour luminance levels for all colours over said colour "complete" output frame duration, where said output frame rate is not equal to said input frame rate.

Claim 11

6 An apparatus for driving a thin film transistor liquid crystal display device with an analog colour video input to provide a perceived colour output as viewed by a human observer, said liquid crystal display device having a plurality of pixels, each pixel including three transistors, each transistor associated with one of red, green and blue colours and controlling the luminance of a respective associated colour, said liquid crystal device providing only limited digitally accessed discrete colour luminance levels for said transistors thereby permitting only a limited number of digitally accessed colour luminance levels to be read into said display panel, thereby limiting the perceived colour output of said panel, said perceived colour luminance level is not one of said limited number of digitally accessed colour luminance levels, said apparatus comprising: analog to digital converter means, responsive to said analog colour video input, for providing a digital output indicative of the luminance level of at least one colour of said analog colour video input; look-up table means, responsive to said digital output means and connected to said display device, for energising pixels at said digitally accessed luminance levels differentially in space and/or time to produce spatially and/or temporally averaged perceived colours which do not correspond to any single digitally accessed luminance level.

Claim 12

6 An apparatus for driving a thin film transistor liquid crystal display device with an analog colour video input to provide a perceived colour output as viewed by a human observer, said liquid crystal display device having a plurality of pixels, each pixel including three transistors, each transistor associated with one of red, green and blue colours and controlling the luminance of a respective associated colour, said liquid crystal device providing only limited digitally accessed discrete colour luminance levels for said transistors thereby permitting only a limited number of digitally accessed colour luminance levels to be read into said display panel, thereby limiting the perceived colour output of said panel, said perceived colour luminance level is not one of said limited number of digitally accessed colour luminance levels, said apparatus comprising: analog to digital converter means, responsive to said analog colour video input, for providing a digital output indicative of the luminance level of at least one colour of said analog colour video input; look-up table means, responsive to said digital output means and connected to said display device, for energising pixels at said digitally accessed luminance levels differentially in space and/or time to produce spatially and/or temporally averaged perceived colours which do not correspond to any single digitally accessed luminance level.

Claim 13

7 An apparatus for driving a thin film transistor liquid crystal display device with an analog colour video input to provide a perceived colour output as viewed by a human observer, said input including horizontal and vertical sync signals at a frame rate of display having a frame duration, said liquid crystal display device having a plurality of pixels, each pixel including three transistors, each transistor associated with one of red, green and blue colours and controlling the luminance of a respective associated colour, said liquid crystal device providing only limited digitally accessed discrete colour luminance levels for said transistors thereby permitting only a limited number of digitally accessed colour luminance levels to be read into said display panel, thereby limiting the perceived colour output of said panel, said perceived colour luminance level is not one of said limited number of digitally accessed colour luminance levels, said apparatus comprising: analog to digital converter means, responsive to said analog colour video input, for providing a digital output indicative of the luminance level of at least one colour of said analog colour video input; look-up table means, responsive to said digital output means and connected to said display device, for energising at least two pixels at different digitally accessed luminance levels such that perceived luminance of said pixel pair is a level not equal to any single digitally accessed luminance level.

Claim 14

7 An apparatus for driving a thin film transistor liquid crystal display device with an analog colour video input to provide a perceived colour output as viewed by a human observer, said input including horizontal and vertical sync signals at a frame rate of display having a frame duration, said liquid crystal display device having a plurality of pixels, each pixel including three transistors, each transistor associated with one of red, green and blue colours and controlling the luminance of a respective associated colour, said liquid crystal device providing only limited digitally accessed discrete colour luminance levels for said transistors thereby permitting only a limited number of digitally accessed colour luminance levels to be read into said display panel, thereby limiting the perceived colour output of said panel, said perceived colour luminance level is not one of said limited number of digitally accessed colour luminance levels, said apparatus comprising: analog to digital converter means, responsive to said analog colour video input, for providing a digital output indicative of the luminance level of at least one colour of said analog colour video input; look-up table means, responsive to said digital output means and connected to said display device, for energising at least two pixels at different digitally accessed luminance levels such that perceived luminance of said pixel pair is a level not equal to any single digitally accessed luminance level.

Claim 15

8 An apparatus for driving a thin film transistor liquid crystal display device with an analog colour video input to provide a perceived colour output as viewed by a human observer, said perceived colour output is the combination of three sepa!ate perceived colour luminance levels, said liquid crystal display device having a plurality of pixels, each pixel including three transistors, each transistor associated with one of red, green and blue colours and controlling the luminance of a respective associated colour, said liquid crystal device providing only limited digitally accessed colour luminance levels for said transistors thereby permitting only a limited number of digitally accessed colour luminance levels to be read into said display panel thereby limiting the perceived colour output during an colour "complete" output frame duration, said perceived colour luminance level is not one of said limited number of digitally accessed colour luminance levels, said apparatus comprising: analog to digital converter means, responsive to said analog colour video input, for providing a digital output indicative of the colour luminance level for each of said colours of said analog colour video input, for each display pixel; look-up table means, responsive to said digital output means, said colour "complete" output frame duration and connected to said display device, for energising at least one pixel to provide a first digitally accessed colour luminance level for each of said colours for a first portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration and for energising said at least one pixel to provide a second digitally accessed colour luminance level for each of said colours for a second portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration, such that perceived colour luminance of said pixel during said colour "complete" output frame duration is a level not equal to any single digitally accessed colour luminance level.

Claim 16

8 An apparatus for driving a thin film transistor liquid crystal display device with an analog colour video input to provide a perceived colour output as viewed by a human observer, said perceived colour output is the combination of three sepa!ate perceived colour luminance levels, said liquid crystal display device having a plurality of pixels, each pixel including three transistors, each transistor associated with one of red, green and blue colours and controlling the luminance of a respective associated colour, said liquid crystal device providing only limited digitally accessed colour luminance levels for said transistors thereby permitting only a limited number of digitally accessed colour luminance levels to be read into said display panel thereby limiting the perceived colour output during an colour "complete" output frame duration, said perceived colour luminance level is not one of said limited number of digitally accessed colour luminance levels, said apparatus comprising: analog to digital converter means, responsive to said analog colour video input, for providing a digital output indicative of the colour luminance level for each of said colours of said analog colour video input, for each display pixel; look-up table means, responsive to said digital output means, said colour "complete" output frame duration and connected to said display device, for energising at least one pixel to provide a first digitally accessed colour luminance level for each of said colours for a first portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration and for energising said at least one pixel to provide a second digitally accessed colour luminance level for each of said colours for a second portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration, such that perceived colour luminance of said pixel during said colour "complete" output frame duration is a level not equal to any single digitally accessed colour luminance level.

Claim 17

9 An apparatus for driving a thin film transistor liquid crystal display device with an analog colour video input to provide a perceived colour output as viewed by a human observer, said perceived colour output is the combination of three separate perceived colour luminance levels, said liquid crystal display device having a plurality of pixels, each pixel including three transistors, each transistor associated with one of red, green and blue colours and controlling the luminance of a respective associated colour, said liquid crystal device providing only limited digitally accessed colour luminance levels for said transistors thereby permitting only a limited number of digitally accessed colour luminance levels to be read into said display panel thereby limiting the perceived colour output during an colour "complete" output frame duration, said perceived colour luminance level is not one of said limited number of digitally accessed colour luminance levels, said plurality of pixels including first and second portions, said apparatus comprising: analog to digital converter means, responsive to said analog colour video input, for providing a digital output indicative of the luminance level of at least one colour of said analog colour video input; look-up table means, responsive to said digital output means, said colour "complete" output frame duration and connected to said display device, for energising at least said first and second portions of pixels at different digitally accessed luminance levels for each of said colours, said at least first portion of pixels energised to provide a first digitally accessed colour luminance level for a first portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration and to provide a second digitally accessed colour luminance level for a second portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration, said second portion of pixels energised to provide a third digitally accessed colour luminance level during said first portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration and to provide a fourth digitally accessed colour luminance level during said second portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration, such that perceived colour luminance of each of said pixel portions is a level not equal to any single digitally accessed colour luminance level, and perceived colour output of said first and second portions of pixels is also a level not equal to any single digitally accessed colour luminance level.

Claim 18

9 An apparatus for driving a thin film transistor liquid crystal display device with an analog colour video input to provide a perceived colour output as viewed by a human observer, said perceived colour output is the combination of three separate perceived colour luminance levels, said liquid crystal display device having a plurality of pixels, each pixel including three transistors, each transistor associated with one of red, green and blue colours and controlling the luminance of a respective associated colour, said liquid crystal device providing only limited digitally accessed colour luminance levels for said transistors thereby permitting only a limited number of digitally accessed colour luminance levels to be read into said display panel thereby limiting the perceived colour output during an colour "complete" output frame duration, said perceived colour luminance level is not one of said limited number of digitally accessed colour luminance levels, said plurality of pixels including first and second portions, said apparatus comprising: analog to digital converter means, responsive to said analog colour video input, for providing a digital output indicative of the luminance level of at least one colour of said analog colour video input; look-up table means, responsive to said digital output means, said colour "complete" output frame duration and connected to said display device, for energising at least said first and second portions of pixels at different digitally accessed luminance levels for each of said colours, said at least first portion of pixels energised to provide a first digitally accessed colour luminance level for a first portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration and to provide a second digitally accessed colour luminance level for a second portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration, said second portion of pixels energised to provide a third digitally accessed colour luminance level during said first portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration and to provide a fourth digitally accessed colour luminance level during said second portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration, such that perceived colour luminance of each of said pixel portions is a level not equal to any single digitally accessed colour luminance level, and perceived colour output of said first and second portions of pixels is also a level not equal to any single digitally accessed colour luminance level.

Claim 19

10 An apparatus for driving a thin film transistor liquid crystal display device with an analog colour video input to provide a perceived colour output as viewed by a human observer, said perceived colour output is the combination of three separate perceived colour luminance levels, said liquid crystal display device having a plurality of pixels, each pixel including three transistors, each transistor associated with one of red, green and blue colours and controlling the luminance of a respective associated colour, said liquid crystal device providing only limited digitally accessed colour luminance levels for said transistors of each colour thereby permitting only a limited number of digitally accessed colour luminance levels of each colour to be displayed by said display panel, thereby limiting the perceived colour output of said panel during an colour "complete" output frame duration, said perceived colour luminance level for each colour is not one of said limited digitally accessed colour luminance levels, said apparatus comprising: A-to-D converter means for converting said analog colour video input into digital codes indicative of colour luminance levels for each of said colours; frame store memory means for storing said digital codes at row and address locations at an input frame rate; means for reading said digital codes out of said storage means row and address locations at a readout rate at least twice said output frame rate, said output frame rate equal to the inverse of said colour "complete" output frame duration; look up table means for converting said digital codes read out of said storage means into said digitally accessed colour luminance level codes; means for applying said digitally accessed colour luminance level codes to said display panel at said readout rate thereby: energising a first portion of said plurality of pixels to provide a first digitally accessed colour luminance level for each of said transistors for a first portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration; energising said first portion of said plurality of pixels to provide a second digitally accessed colour luminance level for each of said transistors for a second portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration, where a perceived colour luminance level for each of said colours during said first and second portions of said colour "complete" output frame duration is an average of digitally accessed colour luminance levels for each colour over said first and second output frame portions and is not a digitally accessed colour luminance level; energising a second portion of said plurality of pixels to provide a third digitally accessed colour luminance level for each of said transistors for a third portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration; and energising said second portion of said plurality of pixels to provide a fourth digitally accessed colour luminance level for each of said transistors for a fourth portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration, where a perceived colour luminance level for each of said colours during said third and fourth portions of said colour "complete" output frame duration is an average of digitally accessed colour luminance levels for each colour over said third and fourth portions and is not a digitally accessed colour luminance level, and said perceived colour output is the combination of perceived colour luminance levels for all colours over said colour "complete" output frame duration, where said output frame rate is not equal to said input frame rate.

Claim 20

10 An apparatus for driving a thin film transistor liquid crystal display device with an analog colour video input to provide a perceived colour output as viewed by a human observer, said perceived colour output is the combination of three separate perceived colour luminance levels, said liquid crystal display device having a plurality of pixels, each pixel including three transistors, each transistor associated with one of red, green and blue colours and controlling the luminance of a respective associated colour, said liquid crystal device providing only limited digitally accessed colour luminance levels for said transistors of each colour thereby permitting only a limited number of digitally accessed colour luminance levels of each colour to be displayed by said display panel, thereby limiting the perceived colour output of said panel during an colour "complete" output frame duration, said perceived colour luminance level for each colour is not one of said limited digitally accessed colour luminance levels, said apparatus comprising: A-to-D converter means for converting said analog colour video input into digital codes indicative of colour luminance levels for each of said colours; frame store memory means for storing said digital codes at row and address locations at an input frame rate; means for reading said digital codes out of said storage means row and address locations at a readout rate at least twice said output frame rate, said output frame rate equal to the inverse of said colour "complete" output frame duration; look up table means for converting said digital codes read out of said storage means into said digitally accessed colour luminance level codes; means for applying said digitally accessed colour luminance level codes to said display panel at said readout rate thereby: energising a first portion of said plurality of pixels to provide a first digitally accessed colour luminance level for each of said transistors for a first portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration; energising said first portion of said plurality of pixels to provide a second digitally accessed colour luminance level for each of said transistors for a second portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration, where a perceived colour luminance level for each of said colours during said first and second portions of said colour "complete" output frame duration is an average of digitally accessed colour luminance levels for each colour over said first and second output frame portions and is not a digitally accessed colour luminance level; energising a second portion of said plurality of pixels to provide a third digitally accessed colour luminance level for each of said transistors for a third portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration; and energising said second portion of said plurality of pixels to provide a fourth digitally accessed colour luminance level for each of said transistors for a fourth portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration, where a perceived colour luminance level for each of said colours during said third and fourth portions of said colour "complete" output frame duration is an average of digitally accessed colour luminance levels for each colour over said third and fourth portions and is not a digitally accessed colour luminance level, and said perceived colour output is the combination of perceived colour luminance levels for all colours over said colour "complete" output frame duration, where said output frame rate is not equal to said input frame rate.

Claim 21

11 A method of providing simulated analog colour by driving a thin film transistor liquid crystal display device with an analog colour video input to provide a perceived colour output as viewed by a human observer, said perceived colour output is the combination of three separate perceived colour luminance levels, said liquid crystal display device having a plurality of pixels, each pixel including three transistors, each transistor associated with one of red, green and blue colours and controlling the luminance of a respective associated colour, said liquid crystal device providing only limited digitally accessed colour luminance levels for said transistors of each colour thereby permitting only a limited number of digitally accessed colour luminance levels of each colour to be displayed by said display panel, thereby limiting the perceived colour output of said panel during an colour "complete" output frame duration, said perceived colour luminance level for each colour is not one of said limited digitally accessed colour luminance levels, said method comprising the steps of: providing a thin film transistor liquid crystal device having 0 to 7 digitally addressable colour luminance levels, said device including D-to-A converter means for converting each 3-bit digital code, input to said panel, to a drive voltage for a respective colour transistor, wherein said transistor drive voltages for said digitally addressable colour is such that spacing between a perceived luminance level of at least two adjacent digitally accessed colour luminance levels and an adjacent digitally accessed colour luminance are uniform gradations of colour luminance level for at least higher luminance levels; energising a first portion of said plurality of pixels to provide a first digitally accessed colour luminance level for each of said transistors for a first portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration; energising said first portion of said plurality of pixels to provide a second digitally accessed colour luminance level for each of said transistors for a second portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration, where a perceived colour luminance level for each of said colours during said first and second portions of said colour "complete" output frame duration is an average of digitally accessed colour luminance levels for each colour over said first and second output frame portions and is not a digitally accessed colour luminance level; energising a second portion of said plurality of pixels to provide a third digitally accessed colour luminance level for each of said transistors for a third portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration; and energising said second portion of said plurality of pixels, to provide a fourth digitally accessed colour luminance level for each of said transistors for a fourth portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration, where a perceived colour luminance level for each of said colours during said third and fourth portions of said colour "complete" output frame duration is an average of digitally accessed colour luminance levels for each colour over said third and fourth portions and is not a digitally accessed colour luminance level, and said perceived colour output is the combination of perceived colour luminance levels for all colours over said colour "complete" output frame duration.

Claim 22

11 A method of providing simulated analog colour by driving a thin film transistor liquid crystal display device with an analog colour video input to provide a perceived colour output as viewed by a human observer, said perceived colour output is the combination of three separate perceived colour luminance levels, said liquid crystal display device having a plurality of pixels, each pixel including three transistors, each transistor associated with one of red, green and blue colours and controlling the luminance of a respective associated colour, said liquid crystal device providing only limited digitally accessed colour luminance levels for said transistors of each colour thereby permitting only a limited number of digitally accessed colour luminance levels of each colour to be displayed by said display panel, thereby limiting the perceived colour output of said panel during an colour "complete" output frame duration, said perceived colour luminance level for each colour is not one of said limited digitally accessed colour luminance levels, said method comprising the steps of: providing a thin film transistor liquid crystal device having 0 to 7 digitally addressable colour luminance levels, said device including D-to-A converter means for converting each 3-bit digital code, input to said panel, to a drive voltage for a respective colour transistor, wherein said transistor drive voltages for said digitally addressable colour is such that spacing between a perceived luminance level of at least two adjacent digitally accessed colour luminance levels and an adjacent digitally accessed colour luminance are uniform gradations of colour luminance level for at least higher luminance levels; energising a first portion of said plurality of pixels to provide a first digitally accessed colour luminance level for each of said transistors for a first portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration; energising said first portion of said plurality of pixels to provide a second digitally accessed colour luminance level for each of said transistors for a second portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration, where a perceived colour luminance level for each of said colours during said first and second portions of said colour "complete" output frame duration is an average of digitally accessed colour luminance levels for each colour over said first and second output frame portions and is not a digitally accessed colour luminance level; energising a second portion of said plurality of pixels to provide a third digitally accessed colour luminance level for each of said transistors for a third portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration; and energising said second portion of said plurality of pixels, to provide a fourth digitally accessed colour luminance level for each of said transistors for a fourth portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration, where a perceived colour luminance level for each of said colours during said third and fourth portions of said colour "complete" output frame duration is an average of digitally accessed colour luminance levels for each colour over said third and fourth portions and is not a digitally accessed colour luminance level, and said perceived colour output is the combination of perceived colour luminance levels for all colours over said colour "complete" output frame duration.

Claim 23

12 An apparatus for providing simulated analog colour by driving a thin film transistor liquid crystal display device with an analog colour video input to provide a perceived colour output as viewed by a human observer, said perceived colour output is the combination of three separate perceived colour luminance levels, said liquid crystal display device having a plurality of pixels, each pixel including three transistors, each transistor associated with one of red, green and blue colours and controlling the luminance of a respective associated colour, said liquid crystal device providing only limited digitally accessed colour luminance levels for said transistors thereby permitting only a limited number of digitally accessed colour luminance levels to be read into said display panel thereby limiting the perceived colour output during an colour "complete" output frame duration, said perceived colour luminance level is not one of said limited number of digitally accessed colour luminance levels, said plurality of pixels including first and second portions, said apparatus comprising; a thin film transistor liquid crystal device having 0 to 7 digitally addressable colour luminance levels, said device including D-to-A converter means for converting each 3-bit digital code input to said panel to a drive voltage for a respective colour transistor, wherein said transistor drive voltages for said digitally addressable colour is such that spacing between a perceived luminance level of at least two adjacent digitally accessed colour luminance levels and an adjacent digitally accessed colour luminance are uniform gradations of colour luminance level for at least higher luminance levels; analog to digital converter means, responsive to said analog colour video input, for providing a digital output indicative of the luminance level of at least one colour of said analog colour video input; look-up table means, responsive to said digital output means, said colour "complete" output frame duration and connected to said display device, for energising at least said first and second portions of pixels at different digitally accessed luminance levels for each of said colours, said at least first portion of pixels energised to provide a first digitally accessed colour luminance level for a first portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration and to provide a second digitally accessed colour luminance level for a second portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration, said second portion of pixels energised to provide a third digitally accessed colour luminance level during said first portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration and to provide a fourth digitally accessed colour luminance level during said second portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration, such that perceived colour luminance of each of said pixel portions is a level not equal to any single digitally accessed colour luminance level, and perceived colour output of said first and second portions of pixels is also a level not equal to any single digitally accessed colour luminance level.

Claim 24

12 An apparatus for providing simulated analog colour by driving a thin film transistor liquid crystal display device with an analog colour video input to provide a perceived colour output as viewed by a human observer, said perceived colour output is the combination of three separate perceived colour luminance levels, said liquid crystal display device having a plurality of pixels, each pixel including three transistors, each transistor associated with one of red, green and blue colours and controlling the luminance of a respective associated colour, said liquid crystal device providing only limited digitally accessed colour luminance levels for said transistors thereby permitting only a limited number of digitally accessed colour luminance levels to be read into said display panel thereby limiting the perceived colour output during an colour "complete" output frame duration, said perceived colour luminance level is not one of said limited number of digitally accessed colour luminance levels, said plurality of pixels including first and second portions, said apparatus comprising; a thin film transistor liquid crystal device having 0 to 7 digitally addressable colour luminance levels, said device including D-to-A converter means for converting each 3-bit digital code input to said panel to a drive voltage for a respective colour transistor, wherein said transistor drive voltages for said digitally addressable colour is such that spacing between a perceived luminance level of at least two adjacent digitally accessed colour luminance levels and an adjacent digitally accessed colour luminance are uniform gradations of colour luminance level for at least higher luminance levels; analog to digital converter means, responsive to said analog colour video input, for providing a digital output indicative of the luminance level of at least one colour of said analog colour video input; look-up table means, responsive to said digital output means, said colour "complete" output frame duration and connected to said display device, for energising at least said first and second portions of pixels at different digitally accessed luminance levels for each of said colours, said at least first portion of pixels energised to provide a first digitally accessed colour luminance level for a first portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration and to provide a second digitally accessed colour luminance level for a second portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration, said second portion of pixels energised to provide a third digitally accessed colour luminance level during said first portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration and to provide a fourth digitally accessed colour luminance level during said second portion of said colour "complete" output frame duration, such that perceived colour luminance of each of said pixel portions is a level not equal to any single digitally accessed colour luminance level, and perceived colour output of said first and second portions of pixels is also a level not equal to any single digitally accessed colour luminance level.