US 12,249,290 B2
Display controller for bistable electro-optic display
Pierre-Yves Emelie, Mountain View, CA (US); Kenneth R. Crounse, Somerville, MA (US); and Karl Raymond Amundson, Cambridge, MA (US)
Assigned to E Ink Corporation, Billerica, MA (US)
Filed by E INK CORPORATION, Billerica, MA (US)
Filed on Nov. 27, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/519,792.
Application 18/097,538 is a division of application No. 17/386,725, filed on Jul. 28, 2021, abandoned.
Application 17/386,725 is a division of application No. 15/805,431, filed on Nov. 7, 2017, granted, now 11,195,480, issued on Dec. 7, 2021.
Application 15/805,431 is a division of application No. 14/447,707, filed on Jul. 31, 2014, abandoned.
Application 18/519,792 is a continuation of application No. 18/097,538, filed on Jan. 17, 2023, abandoned.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/860,466, filed on Jul. 31, 2013.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/860,936, filed on Aug. 1, 2013.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/861,137, filed on Aug. 1, 2013.
Prior Publication US 2024/0096292 A1, Mar. 21, 2024
Int. Cl. G09G 3/34 (2006.01)
CPC G09G 3/344 (2013.01) [G09G 3/3433 (2013.01); G09G 2300/0473 (2013.01); G09G 2300/06 (2013.01); G09G 2310/04 (2013.01); G09G 2310/08 (2013.01); G09G 2320/0209 (2013.01); G09G 2320/0257 (2013.01); G09G 2320/041 (2013.01); G09G 2320/045 (2013.01); G09G 2320/048 (2013.01); G09G 2340/12 (2013.01); Y02E 50/10 (2013.01); Y02E 50/30 (2013.01)] 5 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of driving a bistable electro-optic display having a plurality of pixels, each pixel being capable of displaying two extreme optical states, the method comprising:
providing a timer that establishes a minimum time interval between successive applications of refresh pulses to differing non-zero proportions of background pixels;
writing a first image on the display;
writing a second image on the display using a drive scheme in which a plurality of background pixels which are in the same extreme optical state in both the first and second images are not driven;
leaving the display undriven for a period of time, thereby permitting the background pixels to assume an optical state different from their extreme optical state;
after said period of time, applying to a first non-zero proportion of the background pixels a refresh pulse which substantially restores the pixels to which it is applied to their extreme optical state, said refresh pulse not being applied to the background pixels other than said first non-zero proportion thereof; and
at least 10 seconds after applying the refresh pulse to the first non-zero proportion of the background pixels, applying to a second non-zero minor proportion of the background pixels different from the first non-zero proportion a refresh pulse which substantially restores the pixels to which it is applied to their extreme optical state, said refresh pulse not being applied to the background pixels other than said second non-zero proportion thereof,
wherein the first and the second non-zero proportions of the background pixels each include at least two pixels.