JP6102992B2 - Image display device, control method thereof, and electronic apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for improving characteristics when a gradation is expressed by turning pixels on or off over subfields obtained by dividing one field into a plurality of fields.

  As is well known, the display panel has a display element such as a liquid crystal element for each pixel, and changes the light transmittance or reflectance for each pixel. In recent years, projection display devices (projectors) that irradiate light on such display panels to form reduced images and enlarge and project the reduced images using an optical system are becoming widespread. In such a display panel, the following techniques have been proposed as techniques for expressing intermediate gradations. That is, by dividing one field into a plurality of subfields, the display elements (pixels) are turned on or off in each subfield, and the ratio of the time during which the pixels are turned on (or off) in one field is changed. Has been proposed (see Patent Document 1).

According to the above technique, gradation is expressed in accordance with the proportion of the period in which the pixel is turned on (off) in one field period, so that the display element drive voltage is a binary value of only the on and off levels. Compared with the conventional voltage modulation method, the configuration can be simplified by eliminating the need for a D / A conversion circuit.
JP 2007-148417 A

By the way, the light source for irradiating the display panel with light is driven with an alternating current in order to extend its life. When the light source is AC driven, the brightness of the irradiated light changes. Therefore, even if the subfield has the same period length, the transmissivity (reflectance) when it is turned on or off differs, resulting in gradation expression characteristics. To affect.
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and one of its purposes is that the light source is AC-driven when the gradation is expressed by turning pixels on or off over a subfield obtained by dividing one field into a plurality of fields. Even so, it is to provide a technique that hardly affects the expression characteristics of gradation.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention includes a light source that emits light, a light source driving circuit that drives the light source by alternating current, and a plurality of pixels, and the transmittance or reflectance of the light emitted from the light source. And the transmittance or reflectance of each of the plurality of pixels is changed to a gradation level designated for the pixel over each of the subfields obtained by dividing one field into a plurality on the time axis. Accordingly, the display panel is controlled to have a value corresponding to ON or OFF, and two or more floors excluding the adjustment subfield among the plurality of subfields with respect to AC driving by the light source driving circuit. And a control unit that arranges the adjustment subfields so as to maintain a predetermined relationship. According to the present invention, since the arrangement of the gradation defining subfields keeps a predetermined relationship with respect to the luminance change of the light source, the gradation can be expressed without being affected by the luminance change of the lamp. .

In the present invention, the control unit includes the shortest subfield having the shortest period among the gradation defining subfields included in a timing at which the luminance of light emitted from the light source is minimized or increased. In this way, subfields may be arranged. With such an arrangement, it is possible to improve the gradation expression characteristics on the dark side or the dark side.
In the present invention, the adjustment subfield is preferably arranged immediately before the shortest subfield. Furthermore, it is preferable that the control unit causes the transmittance or reflectance in the plurality of pixels to be a value corresponding to one of on and off regardless of the gradation level over the adjustment subfield. When the pixel is turned on or off in the shortest subfield, if the responsiveness is low, the actual transmittance or reflectance is shifted depending on the immediately preceding state, but according to the above configuration, regardless of the gradation level, It is possible to align the initial state when turning on or off in the shortest subfield.
The present invention can be conceptualized not only as an image display device, but also as a control method for the image display device, and also as an electronic device having the image display device.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image display apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in this figure, the image display apparatus 1 includes a display panel 10, a timing control circuit 30, a field memory 32, an LUT (look-up table) 34, a light source driving circuit 40, and a light source 42.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the display panel 10.
The display panel 10 is an active matrix type liquid crystal panel, for example, and has a configuration in which a Y driver 130 and an X driver 140 are arranged around the display area 100. In the present embodiment, in the display area 100, 1080 scanning lines 112 are provided so as to extend in the row (horizontal direction), and 1920 data lines 114 extend in the column (vertical direction). The scanning lines 112 are provided so as to be electrically insulated from each other. Further, the pixels 110 are arranged corresponding to the intersections of the scanning lines 112 of 1080 rows and the data lines 114 of 1920 columns, respectively. Therefore, in this embodiment, the pixels 110 are arranged in a matrix of 1080 rows × 1920 columns in the display region 100, but the present invention is not limited to this arrangement.

The Y driver 130 selects 1080 scanning lines 112 in order, applies a voltage VH corresponding to the H level to the selected scanning lines 112, and applies a voltage corresponding to the L level to the other non-selected scanning lines. Apply VL. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the Y driver 130 sequentially delays the start pulse Dy having a pulse width corresponding to one cycle of the clock signal Cly by half a cycle of the clock signal Cly, A logic signal having a pulse width reduced by half so as not to occur is supplied as scanning signals G1 to G1080 to the scanning lines of 1 to 1080 rows, respectively.
The X driver 140 supplies data signals d1 to d1920 to the data lines 114 in the 1st to 1920th columns to the pixels 110 located on the selected scanning line.

As is well known, in an active matrix liquid crystal panel, each pixel 110 has a liquid crystal element in which a liquid crystal is sandwiched between a pixel electrode and a counter electrode, and the liquid crystal element has a transmittance according to a holding voltage ( In the case of a transmissive type, the reflectance is a reflective type). Here, when the scanning line 112 becomes H level, in the pixel 110 located on the scanning line, the data signal supplied to the data line 114 is applied to the pixel electrode, and the difference voltage between the counter electrode and the data signal is increased. Written. Since the voltage written to the pixel 110 is held by the capacitive property of the liquid crystal element even when the voltage of the scanning line 112 becomes L level, the pixel has a difference written when the scanning line becomes H level. The transmittance depends on the voltage.
In the present embodiment, the liquid crystal element has a normally black mode in which the transmittance is minimized when the holding voltage is zero and the transmittance gradually increases as the holding voltage increases.

In the case of gradation display using the conventional analog method, a data signal having a voltage modulated according to the gradation is written to the liquid crystal element. However, in this analog method, display unevenness due to wiring resistance or the like occurs. Or a separate D / A conversion circuit or the like is required.
For this reason, in the present embodiment, the data signal has a binary value of an on-voltage that turns on the liquid crystal element or an off-voltage that turns off the liquid crystal element. In this way, in order to perform gradation display using only two values of the on-voltage and off-voltage for the liquid crystal element, one field as a basic period is divided into a plurality of subfields, and the subfield is used as a unit. The liquid crystal element should be driven (subfield drive) in which the difference voltage corresponding to the on or off voltage is held and the ratio of the on (or off) period is changed according to the gradation for each pixel. It is. Note that one field here means a period required to form an image for one sheet, and is 16.7 milliseconds which is a period of a vertical scanning signal included in a synchronization signal Sync supplied from an external upper circuit. (Reciprocal of 60 Hz) and constant.
In the present embodiment, one field is divided into subfields sf0 to sf18, the details of which will be described later.

The timing control circuit 30 serving as a control unit defines one field serving as a reference for driving the display panel 100 from the synchronization signal Sync and the light source control signal Lf supplied from an external upper circuit (not shown). This is for defining the starting points of the fields sf0 to sf18 and for generating various signals for driving the display panel.
Since the synchronization signal Sync includes the vertical scanning signal Vsync that defines the vertical scanning of the video data Din, in this embodiment, the timing control circuit 30 drives the display panel 100 based on the vertical scanning signal Vsync. One field is defined as a reference when performing the above.

The field memory 32 stores video data Din for at least one field under the control of the timing control circuit 30, and reads the stored video data Din for each of the subfields sf0 to sf18.
Here, the video data Din is digital data that designates the gradation of the pixel 110 for each pixel, and is supplied in synchronization with the synchronization signal Sync from an external upper circuit. Specifically, video data Din for one frame of vertical 1080 rows × horizontal 1920 columns is supplied in synchronization with vertical and horizontal scanning defined by the synchronization signal Sync.

The LUT 34 is a table that stores data Dsf indicating ON / OFF in advance for combinations of gradations and subfields. Specifically, a gradation specified by the video data Din read from the field memory 32 Each of the fields sf0 to sf18 is converted into data Dsf that defines whether to turn on or off.
Here, in order to convert to data Dsf, in addition to the video data Din, information indicating which of the subfields corresponds is required. Therefore, the timing control circuit 30 supplies the data Nsf indicating the subfield number to the LUT 34. Thus, the LUT 34 outputs the data Dsf corresponding to the gradation specified by the video data Din read from the field memory 32 and the subfield indicated by the data Nsf.

The light source 42 is a high-pressure discharge lamp, for example, and irradiates the display area 100 with white light. The light source 42 needs to be AC driven at a constant frequency in order to extend the life of the light source. Therefore, the light source drive circuit 40 generates the light source drive signal Ld at the recommended frequency of the light source 42 and supplies it to the light source 42. As a result, the light source 42 is AC driven at the recommended frequency to extend its life.
In this embodiment, the light source drive signal Ld is a ramp waveform that linearly increases from the lowest value to the highest value in the lamp cycle that is the reciprocal of the recommended frequency, as shown in FIG. The light source 42 driven in accordance with the light source drive signal Ld is relatively dark at a point corresponding to the lowest value of the light source drive signal Ld and relatively bright at a point corresponding to the highest value.
The light source driving circuit 40 supplies the timing control circuit 30 with a light source control signal Lf synchronized with the light source driving signal Ld. The light source control signal Lf is a pulse signal that becomes H level at the timing when the light source drive signal Ld changes from the highest value to the lowest value as shown in FIG.

  By the way, the light source drive signal Ld is constant at the recommended frequency of the light source 42, and the frequency is asynchronous with the synchronization signal Sync. Here, in the present embodiment, when the frequency of the light source drive signal Ld is four times or more the frequency of the vertical scanning signal Vsync included in the synchronization signal Sync, the light source drive signal Ld has the lowest value in the period of one field. Will be included three or more times. That is, assuming that the period from the lowest value to the highest value of the light source driving signal Ld is one period, the period of one field always includes three consecutive periods of the light source driving signal Ld.

Using this fact, in the present embodiment, the timing control circuit 30 defines the subfields of the display panel 100 as shown in FIG. In detail, the timing control circuit 30 starts the light source control signal Lf (light source drive signal Ld) from the timing when the pulse of the light source control signal Lf is first supplied in the period of one field defined by the vertical synchronization signal Vsync. A period Ta corresponding to three consecutive periods is used as the gradation defining subfields sf1 to sf18 in the first row, and the other period is used as the adjustment subfield sf0 in the first row.
In other words, a period Ta corresponding to three consecutive periods of the light source control signal Lf in one field period is assigned to the gradation defining subfields sf1 to sf18, and the gradation defining sub-field is assigned to the light source driving signal Ld. The arrangement of the fields sf1 to sf18 is synchronized. However, since the light source drive signal Ld is asynchronous with respect to the synchronization signal Sync, the remainder of the period assigned to the gradation defining subfields sf1 to sf18 among the period of one field is assigned to the adjustment subfield sf0. And used for time (timing) adjustment.
Note that immediately after the pulse of the light source drive signal Lf is output, that is, immediately after the light source drive signal Ld becomes the lowest value, the subfields sf1 and sf7 having the shortest period among the gradation defining subfields sf1 to sf18 , Sf13.
Further, the subfields in the second and subsequent rows have a relationship that is sequentially delayed with respect to the first row by the amount that the scanning lines are sequentially selected by the Y driver 130.

For such subfields, the conversion contents of the LUT 34 are roughly as follows. That is, for the darkest gradation, OFF is designated over the subfields sf1 to sf18, and as the bright gradation is designated, the sum of the periods of the subfields that are turned on becomes longer.
Note that the actual conversion content is experimentally determined in consideration of the electrical optical characteristics and response characteristics of the liquid crystal element. In addition, the adjustment subfield sf0 has a conversion content that is uniformly turned off in the present embodiment regardless of the gradation specified by the video data.

In such a configuration, the timing control circuit 30 defines the reference period when the display panel 10 is driven as one field according to the vertical scanning signal Vsync, and the light source is not supplied until the pulse of the vertical scanning signal Vsync is supplied. The start pulse Dy is output at the timing when the pulse of the control signal Lf is supplied, and the start pulse Dy is output every time the period length of the subfields sf1 to Sf18 is passed from this timing.
When the start pulse Dy is supplied, the Y driver 130 sequentially becomes H level (selection voltage VH) on the scanning lines 112 in the 1, 2, 3,..., 1080th row as shown in FIG. Scan signals G1, G2, G3,..., G1080 are supplied.

On the other hand, in accordance with the selection of the scanning line by the Y driver 130, the timing control circuit 30 outputs from the field memory 32 the video data Din for one row of pixels of 1 to 1920 columns located on the scanning line where the scanning signal becomes H level. Is read. In the LUT 34, the video data Din for one row located on the scanning line is converted into data Dsf corresponding to the subfield number indicated by the data Nsf.
Then, the timing control circuit 30 transfers the converted data Dsf corresponding to the pixels in the 1st to 1920th columns to the X driver 140, and the X driver 140 transfers the data corresponding to the transferred pixels in the 1st to 1920th columns. Dsf is reconverted to the on or off voltage indicated by the signal, and the scanning signal of the corresponding row becomes H level on the data line 114 in the 1st to 1920th columns as the data signals d1 to d1920 under the control of the timing control circuit 30. Supply according to
When the scanning line 112 is at the selection voltage VH corresponding to the H level, the on or off voltage supplied to the data line 114 is applied to the pixel electrode 118.

  In order to prevent a direct current component from being applied to the liquid crystal 105, there are two types of on-voltage, positive polarity and negative polarity, which are alternately used for each field period. For this reason, the X driver 140 supplies the on-voltage with a positive polarity if, for example, an on-voltage is specified in the odd field, and if the on-voltage is indicated in the even field, the X driver 140 It becomes the composition to supply. Here, positive polarity means a higher side than the voltage applied to the counter electrode, and negative polarity means a lower side than the voltage of the counter electrode. The off voltage may be the voltage of the counter electrode without dividing the polarity as long as the voltage difference between the liquid crystal elements is zero.

  The operation of supplying the data signal and writing the pixel in this way is performed by sequentially selecting the scanning lines 112 in the first to 1080th rows in each of the gradation defining subfields sf1 to sf18 and the adjustment subfield sf0. Repeated every time. As a result, in each of the pixels in the first to 1080th rows, ON or OFF writing according to the gradation level is performed for each subfield sf1 to sf18, and OFF writing is uniformly performed in the subfield sf0 regardless of the gradation level. Each is executed.

  When subfield driving is performed in the normally black mode, the darkest gradation is expressed when all the subfields in one field are turned off. A gradation one level brighter than the darkest gradation is expressed by turning on one of the shortest subfields. For this reason, in the normally black mode, the step size of the gradation expressed on the dark side is determined in the shortest period of the subfield if the luminance of the light source is constant. In the present embodiment, since the shortest subfields sf1, sf7, and sf13 are arranged at the timing when the luminance of the light source 42 becomes the lowest, the period length of the subfield is left as it is, and the luminance is darkened by the luminance change of the light source. It is possible to express gradation.

By the way, if the period length of a subfield is short when writing on or off according to the gray level, the transmittance of the subfield is in the on or off state of the immediately preceding subfield due to the low response speed. May vary depending on. For example, the actual transmittance when a pixel is turned off in a subfield with a short period length is closer to being on when the pixel is off in the immediately preceding subfield than when it is off. Value.
In the present embodiment, for the subfield sf0, writing for uniformly turning off all pixels is performed, and the shortest subfield sf1 is located immediately after the subfield sf0. Therefore, in this embodiment, when the pixel is turned on or off in the subfield sf1, the actual transmittance is always off in the immediately preceding subfield sf0, so that stable gradation expression is possible.
Further, the transmittance is minimized by uniformly turning off the pixels in the subfield sf0, so that the luminance change of the light source 42 is not actually visually recognized. For this reason, it is possible to make it difficult to visually recognize the gradation difference caused by the luminance change of the light source 42.
When the image to be displayed is bright on average, the transmittance may be increased as a whole by uniformly turning on the subfield sf0. In any case, the adjustment subfield sf0 is uniformly turned off or off.

  In the normally white mode, contrary to the normally black mode, when the sub-field is turned off in all the fields, the brightest gradation is expressed. The darker gradation is expressed by turning on one of the shortest subfields. For this reason, in the normally white mode, the step size of the gradation on the bright side is determined by the shortest period of the subfield, so the shortest subfield is arranged in accordance with the timing when the light source 42 becomes brightest. You can do it.

  In the above-described embodiment, the case where the recommended drive frequency of the light source 42 does not coincide with the multiplication of the vertical scanning signal has been described, but the recommended drive frequency of the light source 42 may coincide with the multiplication of the vertical scanning signal. Further, although the vertical scanning of the display panel 100 is defined by the vertical synchronization signal Vsync, it may be determined so as to be one multiple of the recommended driving frequency of the light source 42. In any case, when the recommended drive frequency of the light source 42 matches the multiplication of the vertical scanning frequency of the display panel 10, it is not necessary to provide the adjustment subfield sf0 as shown in FIG. The subfields may be arranged in synchronization with the light source control signal Lf in Vsync, that is, in synchronization with the luminance change of the light source 42.

  In the embodiment, the period lengths of the subfields constituting one field are different from each other, but may be the same. When the period lengths of the subfields constituting one field are the same as each other, as shown in FIG. 6, the first pulse of the light source control signal Lf in the period of one field defined by the vertical synchronization signal Vsync is used. From the timing at which the light source control signal Lf is supplied, the period Ta corresponding to the continuous n cycles of the light source control signal Lf may be used as the gradation defining subfield of the first row, and the other may be used as the adjustment subfield of the first row.

Further, in the embodiment, the light source drive signal Ld is a ramp waveform that rises to the right, but may be a waveform such as a sine wave or a triangular wave. Further, although the light source control signal Lf is a pulse signal output at the start of the lamp cycle, it may be digital data indicating the luminance of the light source.
In addition to the liquid crystal panel, various display panels can be used as long as they require a light source. For example, a digital mirror element can be applied.

<Electronic equipment>
Next, a projector using the above-described display panel 10 as a light valve will be described as an example of an electronic apparatus using the image display device according to the above-described embodiment. FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the configuration of the projector.
As shown in this figure, a projector 2100 is provided with a lamp unit 2102 composed of a white light source such as a halogen lamp. The projection light emitted from the lamp unit 2102 is separated into three primary colors of R (red), G (green), and B (blue) by three mirrors 2106 and two dichroic mirrors 2108 arranged inside. Are led to the light valves 10R, 10G and 10B corresponding to the respective primary colors. Note that B light has a longer optical path than other R and G colors, and therefore, in order to prevent the loss, B light passes through a relay lens system 2121 including an incident lens 2122, a relay lens 2123, and an exit lens 2124. Led.

In this projector 2100, three sets of image display devices including the display panel 10 are provided corresponding to each color of R, G, B, and video data corresponding to each color of R, G, B is respectively received from an external upper circuit. It is a configuration to be supplied. The configuration of the light valves 10R, 10G, and 10B is the same as that of the display panel 10 in the above-described embodiment, and R, G, and B of the timing control circuit (not shown in FIG. 7) provided corresponding to each color is provided. The data signal is driven for each subfield.
The lights modulated by the light valves 10R, 10G, and 10B are incident on the dichroic prism 2112 from three directions. In the dichroic prism 2112, the R and B light beams are refracted at 90 degrees, while the G light beam travels straight. Therefore, after the images of the respective colors are combined, a color image is projected onto the screen 2120 by the projection lens 2114.

  Since light corresponding to the primary colors R, G, and B is incident on the light valves 10R, 10G, and 10B by the dichroic mirror 2108, it is not necessary to provide a color filter. In addition, the transmission images of the light valves 10R and 10B are projected after being reflected by the dichroic prism 2112, whereas the transmission image of the light valve 10G is projected as it is, so the horizontal scanning direction by the light valves 10R and 10B is The image is reversed in the horizontal scanning direction by the light valve 10G and displayed in an inverted image.

  In addition to the electronic device described with reference to FIG. 7, the electronic device includes a television, a viewfinder type / monitor direct-view type video tape recorder, a car navigation device, a pager, an electronic notebook, a calculator, a word processor, a workstation, a television. Examples include a telephone, a POS terminal, a digital still camera, a mobile phone, and a device equipped with a touch panel. Needless to say, the image display device according to the present invention is applicable to these various electronic devices.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the image display apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the display panel in the image display apparatus. It is a figure which shows the structure of the pixel in the display panel. It is a figure which shows the field structure in the display panel. It is a figure for demonstrating the operation | movement in each subfield. It is a figure which shows the transmittance | permeability characteristic in the display panel. It is a figure which shows the structure of the projector to which the image display apparatus is applied.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Image display apparatus, 10 ... Display panel, 30 ... Timing control circuit, 40 ... Light source drive circuit, 42 ... Light source, 110 ... Pixel, 112 ... Scan line, 114 ... Data line, 130 ... Y driver, 140 ... X driver 2100 ... Projector

Claims (6)

A display panel with pixels;
A light source for irradiating the pixel with light;
A light source driving circuit that supplies the light source with a light source driving signal for driving the light source so that the brightness periodically changes ;
In each of a plurality of subfields in one field, data indicating the gradation to be displayed in the pixel so that the transmittance of light applied to the pixel or the reflectance of light is turned on or off. And a control unit for controlling the pixel,
Comprising
The light source is driven by the light source driving signal at a cycle of 2 or more in the one field,
The plurality of subfields include subfields having different periods, and in the one field, the plurality of subfields are periodically arranged corresponding to each of the two or more periods. Image display device. The controller is
The subfield is arranged so that the shortest subfield having the shortest period among the plurality of subfields is included in a timing at which the luminance of light emitted from the light source is minimized or increased. The image display device according to claim 1. Wherein the plurality of sub-fields is a plurality of sub-fields for gradation provisions transmittance or reflectance to a value corresponding to one of ON or OFF by data indicating the gradation of the pixel,
In addition to the gradation-defining subfield, an adjustment subfield over adjacent fields, in which the transmittance or reflectance of the pixel is set to a value corresponding to one of on and off regardless of the data indicating the gradation, The image display device according to claim 1, wherein the image display device is provided. Wherein the plurality of sub-fields is a plurality of sub-fields for gradation provisions transmittance or reflectance to a value corresponding to one of ON or OFF by data indicating the gradation of the pixel,
In addition to the gradation-defining subfield, an adjustment subfield over adjacent fields, in which the transmittance or reflectance of the pixel is a value corresponding to one of ON and OFF regardless of the data indicating the gradation; Have
The image display device according to claim 2, wherein the adjustment subfield is arranged immediately before the shortest subfield. A display panel with pixels;
A light source for irradiating the pixel with light;
A light source driving circuit that supplies the light source with a light source driving signal for driving the light source so that the brightness periodically changes ;
In each of a plurality of subfields in one field, data indicating the gradation to be displayed in the pixel so that the transmittance of light applied to the pixel or the reflectance of light is turned on or off. And a control unit for controlling the pixel,
An image display apparatus control method comprising:
Driving the light source by the light source driving signal at a period of two or more in the one field;
The plurality of subfields include subfields having different periods, and in the one field, the plurality of subfields are periodically arranged corresponding to each of the two or more periods. A method for controlling an image display device.   An electronic apparatus comprising the image display device according to claim 1.

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