Abstract:
A method of generating column signals for use by a pixel array includes connecting two or more controllable bus buffers in series. The output of each of the two or more controllable bus buffers drives an associated node. The method further includes providing a column data signal to an input of the series-connected string of two or more controllable bus buffers. The method also includes sequentially enabling each controllable bus buffer in the series-connected string of two or more controllable bus buffers, such that each node is sequentially driven. Each node is electrically coupled to an input of an associated controllable local output buffer. The method further includes sequentially enabling each of the controllable local output buffers in an order associated with the sequentially enabling of the controllable bus buffers.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION(S) 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/935,928, filed on Feb. 5, 2014. The entire teachings of the above application(s) are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Mobile computing devices, such as notebook PCs, smart phones, and tablet computing devices, are now common tools used for producing, analyzing, communicating, and consuming data in both business and personal life. Consumers continue to embrace a mobile digital lifestyle as the ease of access to digital information increases with high-speed wireless communications technologies becoming ubiquitous. Popular uses of mobile computing devices include displaying large amounts of high-resolution computer graphics information and video content, often wirelessly streamed to the device. 
         [0003]    While these devices typically include a display screen, the preferred visual experience of a high-resolution, large format display cannot be easily replicated in such mobile devices because the physical size of such device is limited to promote mobility. Another drawback of the aforementioned device types is that the user interface is hands-dependent, typically requiring a user to enter data or make selections using a keyboard (physical or virtual) or touch-screen display. 
         [0004]    As a result, consumers are now seeking a hands-free high-quality, portable, color display solution to augment or replace their hands-dependent mobile devices. Such display solutions have practical size and weight limitations, which consequently limit available power resources (e.g., battery size). Given limited power resources, reducing the power consumption of the display increases the amount of time the display can operate on a single charge of the associated power resource. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    Recently developed micro-displays can provide large-format, high-resolution color pictures and streaming video in a very small form factor. One application for such displays can be integrated into a wireless headset computer worn on the head of the user with a display within the field of view of the user, similar in format to eyeglasses, audio headset or video eyewear. 
         [0006]    A “wireless computing headset” device, also referred to herein as a headset computer (HSC) or head mounted display (HMD), includes one or more small, high resolution micro-displays and associated optics to magnify the image. The high resolution micro-displays can provide super video graphics array (SVGA) (800×600) resolution or extended graphic arrays (XGA) (1024×768) resolution, or higher resolutions known in the art. 
         [0007]    A wireless computing headset contains one or more wireless computing and communication interfaces, enabling data and streaming video capability, and provides greater convenience and mobility through hands dependent devices. 
         [0008]    For more information concerning such devices, see co-pending patent applications entitled “Mobile Wireless Display Software Platform for Controlling Other Systems and Devices,” U.S. application Ser. No. 12/348, 648 filed Jan. 5, 2009, “Handheld Wireless Display Devices Having High Resolution Display Suitable For Use as a Mobile Internet Device,” PCT International Application No. PCT/US09/38601 filed Mar. 27, 2009, and “Improved Headset Computer,” U.S. Application No. 61/638,419 filed Apr. 25, 2012, each of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
         [0009]    As used herein “HSC” headset computers, “HMD” head mounded display device, and “wireless computing headset” device may be used interchangeably. 
         [0010]    The embodiments described herein reduce power of a micro-display, for example one associated with a HSC by selectively enabling and disabling buffers that drive information signals to the pixel array of the micro-display. The enable control signals to the buffers enable the buffers only when they are needed for driving information to the pixel array. 
         [0011]    In one aspect, the invention may be a method of generating column signals for use by a pixel array, including connecting two or more controllable bus buffers in series. The output of each of the two or more controllable bus buffers drives an associated node. The method further includes providing a column data signal to an input of the series-connected string of two or more controllable bus buffers, and sequentially enabling each controllable bus buffer in the series-connected string of two or more controllable bus buffers. Each node is driven sequentially with respect to time. 
         [0012]    In one embodiment, for the sequentially enabling, the controllable bus buffer receiving the column signal is enabled first. In another embodiment, for the sequential enabling, each enabled controllable bus buffer remains enabled when a next subsequent controllable bus buffer is enabled. In one embodiment, for the sequentially enabling, the controllable bus buffer receiving the column signal is enabled last. 
         [0013]    In one embodiment, each node is electrically coupled to an input of an associated controllable local output buffer. Another embodiment further includes sequentially enabling each of the controllable local output buffers in an order associated with the sequentially enabling of the controllable bus buffers. Another embodiment further includes disabling each of the controllable bus buffers that is not enabled, and disabling each of the controllable local output buffers that is not enabled. 
         [0014]    In one embodiment, a controllable bus buffer that is not enabled outputs a high-impedance state. In another embodiment, a controllable bus buffer that is not enabled outputs a fixed logic state. Another embodiment further includes coordinating the sequentially enabling of each controllable bus buffer and each local output buffer with a scanning pattern associated with the pixel array. 
         [0015]    In another aspect, the invention may be a column driver for a pixel array, including two or more controllable bus buffers connected in series, each having an output driving an associated node, and two or more controllable local output buffers, each having an input electrically coupled to one of the associated nodes and each having an output driving one or more columns of the pixel array. the column driver may further include an enable controller driving one or more bus enable inputs of the two or more controllable bus buffers, and driving one or more local output enable inputs of the two or more controllable local output buffers. The enable controller sequentially enables each controllable bus buffer in the series-connected string of two or more controllable bus buffers, such that each node is driven according to a bus sequence. 
         [0016]    In one embodiment, the controller is configured to maintain each controllable bus buffer as enabled when a next subsequent controllable bus buffer is enabled. 
         [0017]    In another embodiment, the enable controller is a state machine. In another embodiment, the enable controller is a code-driven processor. 
         [0018]    In one embodiment, each local output buffer, when not enabled, outputs a high-impedance state. In another embodiment, each local output buffer, when not enabled, outputs a fixed logic state. 
         [0019]    In one embodiment, the one or more columns of the pixel array includes one or more DACs, such that the local output buffer drives at least one DAC. 
         [0020]    In another embodiment, the enable controller sequentially enables each controllable local output buffer such that each of the one or more columns of the pixel array is driven according to a local output sequence. In another embodiment, the bus sequence is related to with the local output sequence. 
         [0021]    In one embodiment, the two or more controllable bus buffers includes a first controllable bus buffer having an input that receives a column data signal. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0022]    The foregoing will be apparent from the following more particular description of example embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the different views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0023]      FIG. 1  illustrates a simple example of a micro-display according to the embodiments. 
           [0024]      FIG. 2  illustrates an expanded view of the column driver of shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0025]      FIG. 3  shows an example of a digital to analog converter in the column driver of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0026]      FIG. 4  shows an example of a column driver architecture. 
           [0027]      FIG. 5  shows an example of a column driver architecture according to the described embodiments. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0028]    A description of example embodiments of the invention follows. 
         [0029]    The micro-displays described herein may be used in many mobile communications and computing applications, for example a headset computer. One example of such a headset computer is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/540,905, entitled “Text Selection Using HMD Head-Tracker and Voice-Command,” filed Nov. 13, 2014, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
         [0030]    As shown by the example embodiment in  FIG. 1 , the micro-displays described herein generally include a pixel array  102  driven by a number of data and control signals. In this simple example, the micro-display  100  includes 20 columns and 16 rows for a total of 320 pixels. As described above, actual practical micro-displays typically have many more pixels (e.g., XGA with 1024 columns and 768 rows). 
         [0031]    The micro-display includes column drivers  104  and row drivers  106  that together provide information to the pixel array  102 . The column drivers  104  generally provide image information to the pixels, and the row drivers  106  provide control information to the pixels. 
         [0032]    A column driver signal  108  for a particular a particular pixel column  110  may include multiple signals.  FIG. 2  shows an expanded view of a column driver  104  for a Red-Green-Blue (RGB) pixel array. 
         [0033]      FIG. 2  shows the first two pixels  202  for a single column  204  of the array. Each pixel  202  includes a red component  206 , a green component  208  and a blue component  210 . For each column, the column driver  204  drives three information signals; a red signal  212 , a green signal  214  and a blue signal  216 . These information signals extend to all of the pixels in the column  204 . 
         [0034]    The information signals that drive the pixels are generally analog signals, generated from digital signals by way of a digital to analog converter (DAC).  FIG. 3  shows an example of such a conversion for one pixel column. A digital buffer  302  drives 30 bits of information (10 bits of red information, 10 bits of green information and 10 bits of blue information) and provides the 30 bits to a three channel DAC  304 . Each channel within the three channel DAC  304  converts 10 bits of information to an analog signal; in other words, the three channel DAC  304  includes a 10 bit red DAC  306 , a 10 bit green DAC  308  and a 10 bit blue DAC  310 . 
         [0035]    Because the column driver  104  drives a large number of columns in a typical pixel array (e.g., as many as 1024 or more), the digital portion of the column driver that drives the DACs may consist of multiple buses or bus chains.  FIG. 4  shows an example of one such column driver architecture. An information signal bus  402  is provided to a bus buffer  304 , the output of which is provided to another buffer, and so on. The bus may be, for example, 30 bits as described above in  FIG. 3 . The output of each buffer  404  is referred to as a node—in this example, the nodes are referred to as Node_ 1   406 , Node_ 2   408 , Node_ 3   410  and Node_N  412 . 
         [0036]    Each of the nodes is presented to an input of a controlled (also referred to as controllable) local output buffer (i.e., a buffer having an output that can be enabled or disabled via a control signal applied to that buffer). 
         [0037]    In  FIG. 4 , Node_ 1   406  is applied to the input of controlled buffer  414  to produce local output bus OUT_LOCAL_ 1   416 . Similarly, Node_ 2   408  is used to form local output bus OUT_LOCAL_ 2   418 , Node_ 3   410  is used to produce local output bus OUT_LOCAL_ 3   420 , and so on. 
         [0038]    These local output buses are used to drive a DAC or group of DACs, similar to the example shown in  FIG. 3 . Each local output bus may be required to drive a large number of DACs (e.g., 64 or more DACs, corresponding to 64 or more pixel columns). 
         [0039]    One technique for reducing power used by the micro-display, is to selectively enable groups of buffers to selectively drive the associated local output buses so that they are only driving when they are needed. When the buffers are not driving the associated local output buses, they are set to drive a high-impedance state, or a fixed logical level (e.g., logic low). 
         [0040]    The timing diagrams  424  in  FIG. 4  illustrate this technique. The signals EN_ 1 , EN_ 2 , EN_ 3  through EN_N are used to selectively enable, with respect to time, the outputs  416 ,  418 ,  420  through  422 , respectively. 
         [0041]      FIG. 5  illustrates a technique for further reducing the power required by a micro-display according to the described embodiments. In the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 5 , the bus buffers  404  (from  FIG. 4 ) that produced Node_ 1   406 , Node_ 2   408 , Node_ 3   410  and Node_N  412  are replaced with controlled bus buffers. Since the bus buffers  404  in  FIG. 4  could not be controlled and so were always enabled, the outputs Node_ 1   406 , Node_ 2   408 , Node_ 3   410  and Node_N  412  were constantly being driven. The total capacitance associated with driving these nodes is quite significant, particularly for micro-display arrays with a large number of pixels and wide information data fields (e.g., the exemplary 3 by 10 bit RGB array described herein). 
         [0042]    The amount of power required by the buffers is related to the active capacitance of the drivers multiplied by the square of the voltage being driven (i.e., CV 2 ). Reducing the capacitance therefore reduces the power. The described embodiments reduce the capacitance of the drivers  404  by replacing those buffers with controlled buffers, and enabling them only when they are needed. 
         [0043]      FIG. 5  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the local bus portion of a column driver architecture for a pixel array according to one aspect of the invention. This embodiment controls the activate input signals PSEN_ 1   506 , PSEN_ 2   508 , PSEN_ 3   510  through PSEN_N  512  to the corresponding buffers  504 , according to the timing diagram  514 . As with  FIG. 4 , when an enable signal (e.g., EN_ 1 ) is active, it enables the output of the associated buffer. The PSEN signals are not explicitly shown in the timing diagram of  FIG. 5 . The PSEN signals, however, are inherently shown by the presence or lack of pulses in the Node_ 1 , Node_ 2  . . . Node_N signal lines. When the PSEN_N signal is active (enabling), the Node_N pulses are present. When the PSEN_N signal is inactive (disabling), the Node_N pulses are not present. 
         [0044]    For left to right scan, the signal PSEN_ 1   506  is active when EN_ 1  is active. As shown in the timing diagram of  FIG. 5 , only Node_ 1  is active (i.e., producing pulses) when EN_ 1  is active. Although the “inactivity” of Node_ 2 , Node_ 3  through Node_N is shown as “low,” in  FIG. 5 , the outputs may alternatively be in an indeterminate “high impedance” state while the associated buffers are not enabled. 
         [0045]    Both PSEN_ 1  and PSEN_ 2  are active when EN_ 2  is active. As shown in  FIG. 5 , both Node_ 1  and Node_ 2  produce pulses during the time that EN_ 2  is active, while Node_ 3  through Node_N show no activity. 
         [0046]    PSEN_ 1  &amp; PSEN_ 2  &amp; PSEN_ 3  are active when EN_ 3  is active, so that Node_ 1 , Node_ 2  and Node_ 3  have pulses while nodes Node_N for all N greater than three are inactive. Similarly, enabling signals EN_ 4  through EN_N are sequentially activated until all N nodes include driven data (in this example, pulses). 
         [0047]    In the described embodiments, the enable signals EN_ 1  through EN_N and PSEN_ 1  through PSEN_N may be generated by an enable controller  520  as shown in  FIG. 5 . The enable controller may be a simple state machine, a combinational logic block driven by a counter, a software or firmware code driven processor or controller, or any other such signal generator known in the art. 
         [0048]    Sequentially activating the buffers  505  as described with respect to  FIG. 5 , so that the output nodes of the buffers are not all constantly active, may reduce the power requirements of the buffers  505  (averaged over time) by  40  percent or more. 
         [0049]    For a right-to-left scan, the above process may be followed in reverse. In other words, to begin all PSEN_N may be active to begin, then each PSEN_N may be deactivated one by one (e.g., first PSEN_N−1, then PSEN_N−2, etc.) until all PSEN_N are deactivated (and their corresponding buffers  504  are not enabled). 
         [0050]    It will be apparent that one or more embodiments, described herein, may be implemented in many different forms of software and hardware. Software code and/or specialized hardware used to implement embodiments described herein is not limiting of the invention. Thus, the operation and behavior of embodiments were described without reference to the specific software code and/or specialized hardware—it being understood that one would be able to design software and/or hardware to implement the embodiments based on the description herein. 
         [0051]    Further, certain embodiments of the invention may be implemented as logic that performs one or more functions. This logic may be hardware-based, software-based, or a combination of hardware-based and software-based. Some or all of the logic may be stored on one or more tangible computer-readable storage media and may include computer-executable instructions that may be executed by a controller or processor. The computer-executable instructions may include instructions that implement one or more embodiments of the invention. The tangible computer-readable storage media may be volatile or non-volatile and may include, for example, flash memories, dynamic memories, removable disks, and non-removable disks. 
         [0052]    While this invention has been particularly shown and described with references to example embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention encompassed by the appended claims.