Predictive Electrophoretic Display

Abstract

A predictive electrophoretic display is described. An electrophoretic display may include charged particles, a portion of which are designated as electronic ink, disposed between a conductive display plate and a conductive back plate. Charges may be applied to the conductive plates to migrate the electronic ink to different states. For example, the electronic ink may be positioned in an undisplayed state or in a displayed state. Further, the electronic ink may migrate through multiple intermediate states. In at least some of the intermediate states, the electronic ink may not be visible on the electrophoretic display. However, the electronic ink is configured to migrate to the displayed state faster from the intermediate state than from the undisplayed state. Portions of the electronic ink may be prepared for display on the electrophoretic display by initiating migration of electronic ink that corresponds to predicted future input to the intermediate states.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 predicting a future input for displaying electronic ink on an electrophoretic display based on user input;   initiating migration of at least some of the electronic ink for display on the electrophoretic display based on the predicted future input;   receiving subsequent user input for displaying the electronic ink on the electrophoretic display;   causing the migrating electronic ink that corresponds to the subsequent user input to be displayed on the electrophoretic display; and   causing the migrating electronic ink that does not correspond to the subsequent user input to be returned to an unprepared state.   
     
     
         2 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein initiating migration of the at least some electronic ink for display comprises applying a charge to conductive plates of the electrophoretic display to migrate the at least some electronic ink to intermediate states, wherein the electronic ink is not visible in at least some of the intermediate states. 
     
     
         3 . A method as described in  claim 2 , wherein causing the migrating electronic ink to be displayed comprises maintaining a charge to the conductive plates to advance the migrating electronic ink that corresponds to the subsequent user input to a displayed state. 
     
     
         4 . A method as described in  claim 1 , wherein the initiating of the migration includes in causing charged particles disposed between a conductive display plate and a conductive back plate to transition from an undisplayed state in which the electronic ink is not visible on the electrophoretic display to intermediate states in which in at least some of the intermediate states the electronic ink is not visible on the electrophoretic display. 
     
     
         5 . A method as described in  claim 4 , wherein the electronic ink in the intermediate states is configured to migrate to a displayed state faster than from the undisplayed state. 
     
     
         6 . A method as described in  claim 4 , wherein the electronic ink when located in the undisplayed state is configured to migrate to the intermediate states based on the charges applied to the conductive plates. 
     
     
         7 . A method as described in  claim 4 , wherein the electronic ink when located in the intermediate states is configured to migrate to the displayed state based on the charges applied to the conductive plates. 
     
     
         8 . A method as described in  claim 4 , wherein the electronic ink when located in the intermediate states is configured to migrate to the undisplayed state based on the charges applied to the conductive plates. 
     
     
         9 . A method as described in  claim 4 , wherein the charged particles are separated into multiple pixels, and the electronic ink in each said pixel is configured to migrate between the undisplayed state, the intermediate states, and the displayed state independent of the electronic ink in other said pixels. 
     
     
         10 . A method as described in  claim 4 , wherein the electronic ink is configured to migrate between the undisplayed state, the intermediate states, and the displayed state such that different portions of the electronic ink are in different said states at a particular time. 
     
     
         11 . A method as described in  claim 4 , wherein migration of the electronic ink from one said state to another is reversible during the migration based on the charges applied to the conductive plates. 
     
     
         12 . A method as described in  claim 4 , wherein the conductive display plate is transparent. 
     
     
         13 . A device comprising:
 an electrophoretic display including electronic ink disposed between conductive plates that, based on charges applied to the conductive plates, is positioned in one of an undisplayed state, a displayed state in which the electronic ink is visible on the electrophoretic display, and multiple intermediate states between the undisplayed state and the displayed state; and   a predictive input module configured to:
 predict a future input for displaying electronic ink on the electrophoretic display based on user input; 
 initiate migration of at least some of the electronic ink for display on the electrophoretic display based on the predicted future input; 
 receive subsequent user input for displaying the electronic ink on the electrophoretic display; 
 cause the migrating electronic ink that corresponds to the subsequent user input to be displayed on the electrophoretic display; and 
 cause the migrating electronic ink that does not correspond to the subsequent user input to be returned to an unprepared state. 
   
     
     
         14 . A device as recited in  claim 13 , wherein initiating migration of the at least some electronic ink for display comprises applying a charge to the conductive plates of the electrophoretic display to migrate the at least some electronic ink to intermediate states, wherein the electronic ink is not visible in at least some of the intermediate states. 
     
     
         15 . A device as described in  claim 14 , wherein causing the migrating electronic ink to be displayed comprises maintaining a charge to the conductive plates to advance the migrating electronic ink that corresponds to the subsequent user input to a displayed state. 
     
     
         16 . A device as described in  claim 13 , wherein the initiating of the migration includes in causing charged particles disposed between a conductive display plate and a conductive back plate to transition from an undisplayed state in which the electronic ink is not visible on the electrophoretic display to intermediate states in which in at least some of the intermediate states the electronic ink is not visible on the electrophoretic display. 
     
     
         17 . A method comprising:
 controlling charged particles of electronic ink disposed between a conductive display plate and a conductive back plate that, based on charges applied to the conductive plates, includes:
 mirgrating to an undisplayed state in which the electronic ink is not visible on the electrophoretic display; 
 migrating to a displayed state in which the electronic ink is visible on the electrophoretic display; and 
 migrating intermediate states in which the electronic ink is configured to migrate to the displayed state faster than from the undisplayed state, in at least some of the intermediate states the electronic ink is not visible on the electrophoretic display. 
   
     
     
         18 . A method as described in  claim 17 , wherein the electronic ink when located in the undisplayed state is configured to migrate to the intermediate states based on the charges applied to the conductive plates. 
     
     
         19 . A method as described in  claim 17 , wherein the electronic ink when located in the intermediate states is configured to migrate to the displayed state based on the charges applied to the conductive plates. 
     
     
         20 . A method as described in  claim 17 , wherein the electronic ink when located in the intermediate states is configured to migrate to the undisplayed state based on the charges applied to the conductive plates.