Hybrid color synthesis for multistate reflective modular displays

Abstract

A display device including a plurality of optical modulators and a plurality of filter elements on a reflective side of the plurality of optical modulators is provided. The plurality of optical modulators includes a first set of optical modulators and a second set of optical modulators. Each optical modulator of the plurality of optical modulators is configured to be selectively switched among at least a first state, a second state, and a third state. Each state has a different spectral reflectance. The plurality of filter elements includes a first set of filter elements corresponding to the first set of optical modulators and a second set of filter elements corresponding to the second set of optical modulators. The first set of filter elements has a different spectral transmittance than the second set of filter elements.

1 . A method of generating an image, the method comprising:
 generating a first color in a first sub-pixel of a pixel in a first temporal field; and   generating a second color different than the first color in the first sub-pixel in a second temporal field without an intervening blanking field between the first temporal field and the second temporal field.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating a third color different than the first color in a second sub-pixel of the pixel in the first temporal field. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein generating the first color in the first sub-pixel comprises switching a first optical modulator to one of a first state, a second state, and a third state, each state having a different spectral reflectance, and wherein generating the third color in the second sub-pixel comprises switching a second optical modulator to one of the first state, the second state, and the third state. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein generating the first color in the first sub-pixel comprises switching the first optical modulator to the first state and filtering light modulated by the first optical modulator with a first filter element having a first spectral transmittance, and wherein generating the third color in the second sub-pixel comprises switching the second optical modulator to the first state and filtering light modulated by the second optical modulator with a second filter element having a second spectral transmittance different than the first filter element. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein generating the second color in the first sub-pixel comprises switching the first optical modulator to another of the first state, the second state, and the third state. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the first optical modulator has a smaller area than the second optical modulator. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the area of the first optical modulator is between about 50% and about 75% smaller than the area of the second optical modulator. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising generating the third color in the second sub-pixel in the second temporal field. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising generating the second color in the second sub-pixel in the second temporal field. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein generating the first color in the first sub-pixel comprises switching a first optical modulator to a first state having a first spectral reflectance and wherein generating the second color in the first sub-pixel comprises switching the first optical modulator to a second state having a different spectral reflectance than the first state. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first optical modulator is switchable to a third state having a third spectral reflectance different from the first and second spectral reflectances, wherein the third spectral reflectance is substantially black. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first temporal field has a longer duration than the second temporal field. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein generating the first color comprises reflecting light from a broadband light source and wherein generating the second color comprises reflecting light from the broadband light source. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein generating the first color comprises reflecting light from a narrowband light source and wherein generating the second color comprises reflecting light from the narrowband light source. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the narrowband light source comprises a LED projection illuminator. 
   
   
       16 . A method of generating an image, the method comprising:
 generating a first color in a first sub-pixel of a pixel during a first temporal field; and   generating a second color different than the first color in the first sub-pixel during a second temporal field immediately subsequent the first temporal field.   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 generating a third color different than the first color in a second sub-pixel of the pixel during the first temporal field; and   generating the third color in the second sub-pixel during the second temporal field.   
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 generating a third color different than the first color in a second sub-pixel of the pixel during the first temporal field; and   generating the second color in the second sub-pixel during the second temporal field.   
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein generating the first color in the first sub-pixel comprises switching a first optical modulator to one of a first state, a second state, and a third state, each state having a different spectral reflectance, and wherein generating the second color in the first sub-pixel comprises switching the first optical modulator to another of the first state, the second state, and the third state. 
   
   
       20 . A method of generating an image, the method comprising:
 generating a first color in a first sub-pixel of a pixel for a duration consisting of a first temporal field and a second temporal field;   generating a second color different than the first color in a second sub-pixel of the pixel in the first temporal field; and   generating a third color different than the first and second colors in the second sub-pixel in the second temporal field.   
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the first temporal field has a longer duration than the second temporal field. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein generating the second color occurs before generating the third color. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein generating the first color in the first sub-pixel comprises switching a first optical modulator to one of a first state, a second state, and a third state, each state having a different spectral reflectance, wherein generating the second color in the second sub-pixel comprises switching a second optical modulator to one of the first state, the second state, and the third state, wherein generating the third color in the second sub-pixel comprises switching the second optical modulator to another of the first state, the second state, and the third state. 
   
   
       24 . A device comprising:
 a driver controller configured to be connected to a display device comprising at least one pixel comprising a plurality of sub-pixels, each sub-pixel responsive to signals by generating colors, the driver controller configured to generate a first signal and a second signal, wherein a first sub-pixel of the at least one pixel responds to the first signal by generating a first color during a first temporal field and responds to the second signal by generating a second color different than the first color during a second temporal field without an intervening blanking field between the first temporal field and the second temporal field.   
   
   
       25 . The device of  claim 24 , wherein the driver controller comprises an integrated circuit. 
   
   
       26 . The device of  claim 24 , wherein the driver controller is integrated with a processor as hardware or software. 
   
   
       27 . The device of  claim 24 , wherein the driver controller is integrated with an array driver as hardware. 
   
   
       28 . The device of  claim 24 , wherein the driver controller comprises an interferometric modulator controller. 
   
   
       29 . The device of  claim 24 , wherein the first temporal field has a longer duration than the second temporal field. 
   
   
       30 . The device of  claim 24 , wherein the driver controller is configured to generate a third signal, wherein a second sub-pixel of the at least one pixel responds to the third signal by generating a third color during the first temporal field and during the second temporal field, the third color different than the first and second colors. 
   
   
       31 . The device of  claim 30 , further comprising the display device, wherein the first sub-pixel comprises a first interferometric modulator having a first state, a second state, and a third state, each state having a different spectral reflectance, and wherein the second sub-pixel comprises a second interferometric modulator having the first state, the second state, and the third state. 
   
   
       32 . The device of  claim 31 , wherein the first and second signals are configured to switch the first interferometric modulator between the first state, the second state, and the third state, and wherein the third signal is configured to switch the second interferometric modulator between the first state, the second state, and the third state. 
   
   
       33 . The device of  claim 31 , further comprising:
 a first filter element corresponding to the first optical modulator; and   a second filter element corresponding to the second optical modulator, the first filter element having a different spectral transmittance than the second filter element.   
   
   
       34 . The device of  claim 24 , further comprising the display device, wherein the first sub-pixel comprises an interferometric modulator having a first state, a second state, and a third state, and wherein the first and second signals are configured to switch the interferometric modulator between the first state, the second state, and the third state. 
   
   
       35 . A device comprising:
 a driver controller configured to be connected to a display device comprising at least one pixel comprising at least a first sub-pixel and a second sub-pixel, each sub-pixel responsive to signals by generating colors, the driver controller configured to generate a plurality of signals, the first sub-pixel responsive to the plurality of signals by generating a first color for a duration consisting of a first temporal field and a second temporal field, the second sub-pixel responsive to the plurality of signals by generating a second color different than the first color during the first temporal field and by generating a third color different than the first and second colors during the second temporal field.   
   
   
       36 . The device of  claim 35 , further comprising the display device, wherein the first sub-pixel comprises a first interferometric modulator having a first state, a second state, and a third state, each state having a different spectral reflectance and wherein the second sub-pixel comprises a second interferometric modulator having the first state, the second state, and the third state. 
   
   
       37 . The device of  claim 36 , wherein the plurality of signals are configured to switch the first interferometric modulator between the first state, the second state, and the third state and to switch the second interferometric modulator between the first state, the second state, and the third state. 
   
   
       38 . The device of  claim 36 , further comprising:
 a first filter element corresponding to the first optical modulator; and   a second filter element corresponding to the second optical modulator, the first filter element having a different spectral transmittance than the second filter element.   
   
   
       39 . The device of  claim 35 , wherein the first sub-pixel has a smaller display area than the second sub-pixel. 
   
   
       40 . The device of  claim 35 , wherein the first temporal field has a longer duration than the second temporal field.