Circuits for controlling display apparatus

Abstract

A display apparatus includes an array of light modulators. Each light modulator has a first actuator configured to drive the light modulator into a first state and a second actuator configured to drive the light modulator into a second state. The display apparatus also includes a control matrix including, for each light modulator in the array, a single actuation voltage interconnect. The actuation voltage interconnect is configured to apply a first drive voltage to the first actuator of the light modulator and apply a second drive voltage to the second actuator of the light modulator. In addition, the actuation voltage interconnect is configured to control application of a data voltage to a latch circuit to control the application of the first and second drive voltages to the first and second actuators.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A display apparatus, comprising:
 an array of light modulators, each having a first actuator configured to drive the light modulator into a first state and a second actuator configured to drive the light modulator into a second state; and   a control matrix including, for each light modulator in the array, a single actuation voltage interconnect configured to:
 apply a first drive voltage to the first actuator of the light modulator; 
 apply a second drive voltage to the second actuator of the light modulator; and 
 control application of a data voltage to a latch circuit to control the application of the first and second drive voltages to the first and second actuators, respectively. 
   
     
     
         2 . The display apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the control matrix includes a latch circuit that includes a first shutter-state inverter configured to actuate the light modulator to move to the first state and a second shutter-state inverter configured to actuate the light modulator to move to the second state, the first shutter-state inverter being cross-coupled to the second shutter-state inverter. 
     
     
         3 . The display apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the first shutter-state inverter includes a first charge transistor and a first discharge transistor and the second shutter-state inverter includes a second charge transistor and a second discharge transistor. 
     
     
         4 . The display apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the first and second discharge transistors have a first polarity, and wherein the respective source terminals of the first and second discharge transistors are connected to a common source interconnect. 
     
     
         5 . The display apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the first and second charge transistors have a second polarity, and wherein the respective source terminals of the first and second charge transistors are electrically connected to the actuation voltage interconnect. 
     
     
         6 . The display apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the first and second charge transistors are p-type transistors and the first and second discharge transistors are n-type transistors. 
     
     
         7 . The display apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the control matrix includes an update transistor electrically connected to the actuation voltage interconnect such that the actuation voltage interconnect controls the application of the data voltage to the first and second discharge transistors. 
     
     
         8 . The display apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the update transistor is a p-type transistor. 
     
     
         9 . The display apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a display including:
 the array of light modulators and the control matrix, 
   a processor that is capable of communicating with the display, the processor being capable of processing image data; and   a memory device that is capable of communicating with the processor.   
     
     
         10 . The display apparatus of  claim 9 , the display further including:
 a driver circuit capable of sending at least one signal to the display; and   a controller capable of sending at least a portion of the image data to the driver circuit.   
     
     
         11 . The display apparatus of  claim 9 , further including:
 an image source module capable of sending the image data to the processor, wherein the image source module comprises at least one of a receiver, transceiver, and transmitter.   
     
     
         12 . The display apparatus of  claim 9 , the display further including:
 an input device capable of receiving input data and to communicate the input data to the processor.   
     
     
         13 . A method for actuating an array of light modulators, comprising:
 storing a data voltage in each data storage element of an array of data storage elements, each data storage element in the array of data storage elements corresponding to a light modulator of the array of light modulators, each light modulator including a first actuator configured to drive the light modulator into a first state and a second actuator configured to drive the light modulator into a second state; and   adjusting, for each light modulator in the array, an actuation voltage on a single actuation voltage interconnect coupled to the light modulator to:
 apply a first drive voltage to the first actuator of the light modulator, 
 apply a second drive voltage to the second actuator of the light modulator, and 
 control an application of the data voltage stored in the data storage element corresponding to the light modulator to a latch circuit coupled to the light modulator to control the application of the first and second drive voltages to the first and second actuators of the light modulator, respectively. 
   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein controlling the application of the data voltage stored in the data storage element corresponding to the light modulator to the latch circuit coupled to the light modulator comprises adjusting a control voltage of a switch positioned between the data storage element corresponding to the light modulator and the latch circuit coupled to the light modulator. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein controlling the application of the data voltage stored in the data storage element corresponding to the light modulator to the latch circuit coupled to the light modulator comprises reducing the actuation voltage to cause the switch to turn ON to allow the application of the data voltage to the latch circuit. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein controlling the application of the data voltage stored in the data storage element corresponding to the light modulator to the latch circuit coupled to the light modulator comprises increasing the actuation voltage to cause the switch to turn OFF to isolate the data storage element from the latch circuit, and to allow the latch circuit to selectively apply the first drive voltage to the first actuator and the second drive voltage to the second actuator based on the data voltage. 
     
     
         17 . A display apparatus comprising:
 a data storage means for storing a data voltage corresponding to a light modulator;   a first actuation means for driving the light modulator into a first state;   a second actuation means for driving the light modulator into a second state; and   a single actuation voltage interconnect, for:
 applying a first drive voltage to the first actuation means, 
 applying a second drive voltage to the second actuation means, and 
 controlling a data voltage application control means for controlling the application of the data voltage to a latch circuit to control the application of the first and second drive voltages to the first and second actuation means, respectively. 
   
     
     
         18 . The display apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein in response to a reduction in an actuation voltage applied to the single actuation voltage interconnect, the data voltage application control means is configured to turn ON to allow the application of the data voltage stored in the data storage means to the latch circuit. 
     
     
         19 . The display apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein in response to an increase in the actuation voltage applied to the single actuation voltage interconnect, the data voltage application control means is configured to turn OFF to isolate the data storage means from the latch circuit, and to allow the latch circuit to selectively apply the first drive voltage to the first actuation means and the second drive voltage to the second actuation means based on the data voltage.