LCD addressing system and method

Claim 1

A method for addressing a display including overlapping first and second electrodes positioned on opposite sides of an rms-responding material to define an array of pixels that display arbitrary information patterns characterized by optical states that depend on values of rms voltages established across the pixels and corresponding to pixel input data, the method comprising: applying a set of first signals to corresponding first electrodes during a frame period that is divided into time intervals, the first signals having amplitudes, and multiple ones of the first signals each causing multiple selections of the corresponding first electrodes, the multiple selections taking place during different ones of the time intervals and being distributed over the frame period; each of the first signals provides a number of the time intervals over the frame period that is less than an exponential function of the number of first electrodes; generating second signals and applying them to the second electrodes, each of the second signals being different from any of the first signals, and the second signals having at a particular time interval during the frame period amplitudes determined by both the amplitudes of the first signals causing selections at the particular time interval and the corresponding pixel input data; and the amplitudes of multiple second signals being determined by contributions of the multiple selections by each one of the first signals in the set that are distributed over the frame period so as to reduce the frame response of the display.

Claim 2

A method for addressing a display including overlapping first and second electrodes positioned on opposite sides of an rms-responding material to define an array of pixels that display arbitrary information patterns characterized by optical states that depend on values of rms voltages established across the pixels and corresponding to pixel input data, the method comprising: applying a set of first signals to corresponding first electrodes during a frame period that is divided into time intervals, the first signals having amplitudes, and multiple ones of the first signals each causing multiple selections of the corresponding first electrodes, the multiple selections taking place during different ones of the time intervals and being distributed over the frame period; each of the first signals provides a number of the time intervals over the frame period that is less than an exponential function of the number of first electrodes; generating second signals and applying them to the second electrodes, each of the second signals being different from any of the first signals, and the second signals having at a particular time interval during the frame period amplitudes determined by both the amplitudes of the first signals causing selections at the particular time interval and the corresponding pixel input data; and the amplitudes of multiple second signals being determined by contributions of the multiple selections by each one of the first signals in the set that are distributed over the frame period so as to reduce the frame response of the display.

Claim 7

A system for addressing an rms-responding display of a type that displays arbitrary information patterns, the display including overlapping first and second electrodes positioned on opposite sides of an rms-responding material to define an array of pixels that display arbitrary information patterns corresponding to pixel input data, the system comprising: a first signal generator for generating and applying a set of first signals to corresponding first electrodes during a frame period, the first signals having amplitudes, and each one of the first signals in the set causing multiple selections of its corresponding first electrode, the multiple selections being distributed over the frame period; storage sites for storing the pixel input data; and a second signal generator for generating second signals and output connection means for applying the second signals to the second electrodes, the second signal generator including a correlator for correlating the first signals and the stored pixel input data to determine the second signals so that contributions of the multiple selections by each one of the first signals in the set to determinations of amplitudes of multiple second signals are distributed over the frame period, the correlator including data transfer signal means for writing into and reading from the storage sites sets of pixel input data, each of the sets of pixel input data corresponding to pixels defined by a different one of the second electrodes; multiplying means for multiplying the first signals and the sets of pixel input data to derive product signals; and summing means for summing the product signals derived for each set of pixel input data to produce the second signals for delivery to the output connection means.

Claim 8

A system for addressing an rms-responding display of a type that displays arbitrary information patterns, the display including overlapping first and second electrodes positioned on opposite sides of an rms-responding material to define an array of pixels that display arbitrary information patterns corresponding to pixel input data, the system comprising: a first signal generator for generating and applying a set of first signals to corresponding first electrodes during a frame period, the first signals having amplitudes, and each one of the first signals in the set causing multiple selections of its corresponding first electrode, the multiple selections being distributed over the frame period; storage sites for storing the pixel input data; and a second signal generator for generating second signals and output connection means for applying the second signals to the second electrodes, the second signal generator including a correlator for correlating the first signals and the stored pixel input data to determine the second signals so that contributions of the multiple selections by each one of the first signals in the set to determinations of amplitudes of multiple second signals are distributed over the frame period, the correlator including data transfer signal means for writing into and reading from the storage sites sets of pixel input data, each of the sets of pixel input data corresponding to pixels defined by a different one of the second electrodes; multiplying means for multiplying the first signals and the sets of pixel input data to derive product signals; and summing means for summing the product signals derived for each set of pixel input data to produce the second signals for delivery to the output connection means.

Claim 14

A system for addressing rms-responding information storage elements that store arbitrary information patterns, the system including overlapping first and second electrodes positioned on opposite sides of an rms-responding material to define an array of information storage elements that store arbitrary information patterns corresponding to information input data, the system comprising: a first signal generator for generating and applying a set of first signals to corresponding first electrodes during a frame period, the first signals having amplitudes, and the amplitude of each one of the first signals in the set including two nonzero signal levels causing multiple selections of its corresponding first electrode, the multiple selections being distributed over the frame period; storage sites for storing the information input data; a second signal generator for generating second signals, the second signal generator including a correlator for correlating the first signals and the stored information input data to determine the second signals, and each of the second signals having at a particular time during the frame period an amplitude determined by the amplitudes of more than one of the first signals causing selections at the particular time and by information input data of information storage elements defined by the corresponding first electrodes so that contributions of the multiple selections by each one of the first signals in the set to determinations of amplitudes of multiple second signals are distributed over the frame period and so as to address an arbitrary number of information storage elements; and output connection means for applying the second signals to the second electrodes.

Claim 15

A system for addressing rms-responding information storage elements that store arbitrary information patterns, the system including overlapping first and second electrodes positioned on opposite sides of an rms-responding material to define an array of information storage elements that store arbitrary information patterns corresponding to information input data, the system comprising: a first signal generator for generating and applying a set of first signals to corresponding first electrodes during a frame period, the first signals having amplitudes, and the amplitude of each one of the first signals in the set including two nonzero signal levels causing multiple selections of its corresponding first electrode, the multiple selections being distributed over the frame period; storage sites for storing the information input data; a second signal generator for generating second signals, the second signal generator including a correlator for correlating the first signals and the stored information input data to determine the second signals, and each of the second signals having at a particular time during the frame period an amplitude determined by the amplitudes of more than one of the first signals causing selections at the particular time and by information input data of information storage elements defined by the corresponding first electrodes so that contributions of the multiple selections by each one of the first signals in the set to determinations of amplitudes of multiple second signals are distributed over the frame period and so as to address an arbitrary number of information storage elements; and output connection means for applying the second signals to the second electrodes.

Claim 29

An apparatus for addressing an rms-responding, high information content liquid crystal display in which a first set of electrodes arranged in a first electrode pattern and a second set of electrodes arranged in a second electrode pattern overlapping each other to define an array of pixels that display arbitrary information patterns corresponding to pixel input logic levels, the apparatus comprising: means for driving the first set of electrodes with first signals, each first signal having an amplitude, including a periodic train of pulses, and having a common frame period; and means for driving each electrode of the second set of electrodes with a second signal that is proportional to a sum of exclusive-or (XOR) products of the pixel input logic levels and logic levels representative of the amplitudes of the first signals applied to the first electrodes. whereby the first and second signals establish across each pixel a peak voltage and an rms voltage, and the absolute value of the peak voltage across any pixel is no more than 5 times the rms voltage across the pixel averaged over one frame period.

Claim 30

An apparatus for addressing an rms-responding, high information content liquid crystal display in which a first set of electrodes arranged in a first electrode pattern and a second set of electrodes arranged in a second electrode pattern overlapping each other to define an array of pixels that display arbitrary information patterns corresponding to pixel input logic levels, the apparatus comprising: means for driving the first set of electrodes with first signals, each first signal having an amplitude, including a periodic train of pulses, and having a common frame period; and means for driving each electrode of the second set of electrodes with a second signal that is proportional to a sum of exclusive-or (XOR) products of the pixel input logic levels and logic levels representative of the amplitudes of the first signals applied to the first electrodes. whereby the first and second signals establish across each pixel a peak voltage and an rms voltage, and the absolute value of the peak voltage across any pixel is no more than 5 times the rms voltage across the pixel averaged over one frame period.

Claim 40

A method for addressing an rms-responding, high information content display of a type that displays arbitrary information patterns in successive frame periods, the display including overlapping first and second electrodes positioned on opposite sides of an rms-responding material to define an array of pixels that display arbitrary information patterns corresponding to pixel input data, the method comprising: applying a first signal to each first electrode, each of the first signals having an amplitude and a common frame period divided into time intervals, the amplitudes of the first signals having discrete values associated with each of the time intervals, and no more than a certain proportion equal to about 75% of the first signals having substantially the same amplitude for any given time interval; and generating second signals and applying them to the second electrodes, each of the second signals having at a particular time during the frame period an amplitude determined by the amplitudes of more than one of the first signals at the particular time and by pixel input data of pixels defined by the corresponding first electrodes.

Claim 41

A method for addressing an rms-responding, high information content display of a type that displays arbitrary information patterns in successive frame periods, the display including overlapping first and second electrodes positioned on opposite sides of an rms-responding material to define an array of pixels that display arbitrary information patterns corresponding to pixel input data, the method comprising: applying a first signal to each first electrode, each of the first signals having an amplitude and a common frame period divided into time intervals, the amplitudes of the first signals having discrete values associated with each of the time intervals, and no more than a certain proportion equal to about 75% of the first signals having substantially the same amplitude for any given time interval; and generating second signals and applying them to the second electrodes, each of the second signals having at a particular time during the frame period an amplitude determined by the amplitudes of more than one of the first signals at the particular time and by pixel input data of pixels defined by the corresponding first electrodes.

Claim 47

A method for addressing an rms-responding display of a type that displays arbitrary information patterns, the display including overlapping first and second electrodes positioned on opposite sides of an rms-responding material to define an array of pixels that display arbitrary information patterns corresponding to pixel input data, the method comprising: applying first signals to corresponding first electrodes during a frame period that is divided into time intervals, the first signals having amplitudes, and multiple ones of the first signals causing multiple selections of the corresponding first electrodes, the multiple selections taking place during different ones of the time intervals and being distributed over the frame period to reduce the frame response of the display; each of the first signals provides a number of the time intervals over the frame period that is less than an exponential function of the number of first electrodes; and generating a second signal of changing magnitude and applying it to one of the second electrodes, the second signal having at a particular time interval during the frame period an amplitude determined by both the amplitudes of more than one of the first signals causing selections at the particular time interval and the corresponding pixel input data.

Claim 48

A method for addressing an rms-responding display of a type that displays arbitrary information patterns, the display including overlapping first and second electrodes positioned on opposite sides of an rms-responding material to define an array of pixels that display arbitrary information patterns corresponding to pixel input data, the method comprising: applying first signals to corresponding first electrodes during a frame period that is divided into time intervals, the first signals having amplitudes, and multiple ones of the first signals causing multiple selections of the corresponding first electrodes, the multiple selections taking place during different ones of the time intervals and being distributed over the frame period to reduce the frame response of the display; each of the first signals provides a number of the time intervals over the frame period that is less than an exponential function of the number of first electrodes; and generating a second signal of changing magnitude and applying it to one of the second electrodes, the second signal having at a particular time interval during the frame period an amplitude determined by both the amplitudes of more than one of the first signals causing selections at the particular time interval and the corresponding pixel input data.

Claim 76

The method of 57 wherein the first signals are chosen from a set of 2 s -1 maximal length Pseudo Random Binary Sequence functions, where S is a positive integer and the addressing structure includes a number of first electrodes which number is greater than 2 s-1 .

Claim 77

The method of 57 wherein the first signals are chosen from a set of 2 s -1 maximal length Pseudo Random Binary Sequence functions, where S is a positive integer and the addressing structure includes a number of first electrodes which number is greater than 2 s-1 .

Claim 86

A method for addressing an rms-responding display of a type that displays arbitrary information patterns, the display including overlapping first and second electrodes positioned on opposite sides of an rms-responding material to define an array of pixels that display arbitrary information patterns corresponding to pixel input data, the method comprising: applying first signals to corresponding first electrodes during a frame period that is divided into time intervals, the first signals having amplitudes at least some of which include two nonzero signal levels to effect multiple selections of the corresponding first electrodes, and multiple ones of the first signals causing multiple selections of the corresponding first electrodes, the multiple selections taking place during different ones of the time intervals and being distributed over the frame period; each of the first signals provides a number of the time intervals over the frame period that is less than an exponential function of the number of first electrodes; and generating second signals and applying them to the second electrodes, each of the second signals being different from any of the first signals, the second signals having at a particular time interval during the frame period amplitudes determined by both the amplitudes of the first signals at the particular time interval and the corresponding pixel input data, and the amplitude of each of the second signals being proportional to a sum of exclusive-or products of logic levels representative of the two nonzero signal levels of the first signals and logic levels representative of the pixel input data of pixels defined by the corresponding first electrodes; and the amplitudes of multiple second signals being determined by contributions of the multiple selections by each one of the first signals that are distributed over the frame period so as to reduce the frame response of the display.

Claim 87

A method for addressing an rms-responding display of a type that displays arbitrary information patterns, the display including overlapping first and second electrodes positioned on opposite sides of an rms-responding material to define an array of pixels that display arbitrary information patterns corresponding to pixel input data, the method comprising: applying first signals to corresponding first electrodes during a frame period that is divided into time intervals, the first signals having amplitudes at least some of which include two nonzero signal levels to effect multiple selections of the corresponding first electrodes, and multiple ones of the first signals causing multiple selections of the corresponding first electrodes, the multiple selections taking place during different ones of the time intervals and being distributed over the frame period; each of the first signals provides a number of the time intervals over the frame period that is less than an exponential function of the number of first electrodes; and generating second signals and applying them to the second electrodes, each of the second signals being different from any of the first signals, the second signals having at a particular time interval during the frame period amplitudes determined by both the amplitudes of the first signals at the particular time interval and the corresponding pixel input data, and the amplitude of each of the second signals being proportional to a sum of exclusive-or products of logic levels representative of the two nonzero signal levels of the first signals and logic levels representative of the pixel input data of pixels defined by the corresponding first electrodes; and the amplitudes of multiple second signals being determined by contributions of the multiple selections by each one of the first signals that are distributed over the frame period so as to reduce the frame response of the display.