WO2013166884A1

WO2013166884A1 - Printing device and printing method for electronic paper

Info

Publication number: WO2013166884A1
Application number: PCT/CN2013/072641
Authority: WO
Inventors: 王韬
Original assignee: Wang Tao
Priority date: 2012-05-08
Filing date: 2013-03-14
Publication date: 2013-11-14
Also published as: CN102637413B; CN102637413A

Abstract

A printing device for electronic paper (3) and a method for printing electronic paper (3) by adopting a printing device. The printing device comprises a grid array electrode (1) formed of a plurality of electrode units (11), a common electrode (2) whose dimension is the same as that of the grid array electrode (1), a space which is used for accommodating the electronic paper (3) and is formed between the grid array electrode (1) and the common electrode (2), a grid array electrode drive circuit (4), a control unit (5), a human-computer interface (7), an information receiving module (6), and a mechanical device (8). Electrode units (11) positioned at the same column of the grid array are connected through a column leading wire (12) to obtain column potential of the column leading wire (12); and electrode units (11) positioned at the same row of the grid array are connected through a row leading wire (13) to obtain row potential of the row leading wire (13). The number of leading wires is reduced, the occupation space of the device is reduced, and the printing quality problem resulting from excessive leading wires is solved.

Description

Electronic paper printing equipment and printing method

The present invention relates to an electronic paper printing apparatus, and more particularly to an electronic paper printing apparatus and a printing method for printing an electrodeless electronic paper. Background technique

With the development of technology, electronic paper is an electronic display medium that can easily perform data rewriting characteristics through electrical signals. As a new display medium that can replace traditional liquid crystal display, electronic paper has attracted more and more attention.

As a display material with bistable characteristics, electronic paper has the characteristics of easy viewing, low power consumption, ultra-thin, and curlability, making it an ideal display medium for low-power electronic shelf labels (ESL) and billboards. However, these electronic paper display modules are currently composed of transparent electrodes, drive circuits and electronic paper. Due to the high cost of the transparent electrode and the driving circuit, the electronic paper display device is expensive, which is not conducive to the promotion and use of electronic paper.

The rewriting of the existing electronic paper display device is to transmit the information to be written to the display device through a wired interface through a dedicated rewriting device. Or transmit information to a display device with wireless receiving function via a wireless device.

In addition, the display circuit of the conventional electronic paper display device must have a power supply in order to update the display information, but the size, weight, and life of the power supply cause inconvenience to the electronic paper display device. An electronic paper display device that is electrodeless, powerless, and reusable is a good way to solve the above drawbacks. In the Chinese patent entitled CN100495186C, the announcement date is April 3, 2009, entitled "Electronic Printing Equipment and Electronic Paper Printing Method", an electronic paper printing apparatus and an electronic paper printing apparatus using the same are invented. method. In the disclosure, each electrode requires a separate lead, which is complicated to manufacture and is not conducive to device simplification. Excessive leads can cause print quality problems. Summary of the invention The object of the present invention is to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art, and to provide an electronic paper printing device for controlling electrode paper printing by controlling the polarization of the electrode sheets through the matrix matrix leads, and a method for printing the electronic paper using the device, The matrix leads greatly reduce the number of electrode leads, making the electronic paper printing equipment simpler and more reliable.

In order to achieve the above objectives, the following technical solutions are adopted:

The grid array electrode comprises an array structure formed by a plurality of electrode units, wherein the electrode units in the same column of the array structure are connected by a column I-line to obtain column potentials of the column leads, and the electrode units located in the same row pass through one The row lead connection obtains the row potential of the row lead; the common electrode is a single planar electrode having the same size as the grid array electrode, and a space for placing the electronic paper is formed between the grid array electrode and the common electrode; the grid array electrode driving a circuit, comprising a row driving module connected to the row lead, a column driving module connected to the column lead, and a driving interface connected to the grid array circuit; the control unit, setting a common electrode potential value, and communicating with the grid array electrode driving circuit Connection; man-machine interface, communication connection with the control unit; information receiving module, communicating with the control unit; mechanical device, for adjusting the spatial distance between the grid array electrode and the common electrode, respectively, with the grid array electrode, the common electrode Mechanical connection.

Further, the electrode unit includes a pole piece, a switch control device having a switching function, and a capacitor.

Further, the switch control device is a MOS transistor, and the row lead control MOSFET is turned on and off, so that the pole piece is connected to the column lead to obtain the column potential of the column lead or the pole piece and the column lead are disconnected.

Further, the control unit has a conversion unit that performs bitmap image conversion on the information received by the information receiving module, including characters, characters, images, and the like.

Further, each of the electrode units is equal in size, and the spacing of adjacent electrode units is equal. Further, the control unit includes a central processing unit, a storage circuit, a power manager, and a bus interface, and the conversion unit is a central processing unit.

A method of electronically printing using the electronic paper printing device, the steps comprising: (1) starting the electronic paper printing device;

(2) placing electronic paper between the grid array electrode and the common electrode;

(3) Turn on the mechanical device to move the grid array electrode and the common electrode relatively, and tightly press the electron Paper

(4) inputting information to be printed in the information receiving module, and the central processing unit determines whether the input information is a dot matrix image format; Yes, proceeding to the next step; No, the central processing unit converts the information into an image format and sends it to the human-machine interface Preview, confirm and proceed to the next step;

(5) After confirming the image format information, the control unit controls the grid array electrode driving circuit in a scanning manner, applies a potential value to the corresponding row and column leads, and controls the row potential of the row and the switching device of the pole piece connected to the pole piece. Turning on and off, so that the pole piece obtains the column potential of the corresponding column lead;

(6) Realizing the input of information on the electronic paper under the action of the pole piece potential of the grid array electrode and the potential of the common electrode. Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the invention are:

The invention realizes the electronic paper printing device for electrode paper printing by controlling the polarization of the electrode sheets by the matrix matrix leads, and the matrix matrix leads greatly reduce the number of electrode leads, so that the printing equipment of the electronic paper is simplified in volume and higher in reliability. The control unit effectively processes the non-lattice image of the information receiving module, converts the information in the non-dot image format into bitmap image information, and the printable information is no longer limited to text, and some simple images can be printed. DRAWINGS

1 is a schematic view showing the working principle of the electronic paper printing apparatus of the present invention;

2 is a schematic diagram of the working principle of the grid array electrode and its driving;

Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the specific principle of the pole piece work;

Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the mechanism and working principle of the control unit.

Illustration: 1 grid electrode; 11 electrode unit; 111 pole piece;

12-column lead; 13-row lead; 2-common electrode; 3-electronic paper;

4 grid array electrode drive circuit; 41 row drive module; 42 column drive module;

43—drive interface; 5—control unit; 51 central processor; 52—memory;

53-potential manager; 54-bus interface; 6-information receiving module; 7—Human machine interface; 8—Mechanical device. detailed description

As shown in FIG. 1 , this embodiment includes eight important components, namely grid array electrode 1, common electrode 2, electronic paper 3, grid array electrode driving circuit 4, control unit 5, information receiving module 6, human machine. Interface 7 and mechanical device 8. A space for placing electronic paper is formed between the grid array electrode 1 and the common electrode 2. The mechanical device 8 controls the grid array electrode 1 and the common electrode 2 mechanically connected to each other to move in opposite or opposite directions, and completes the close pressing or separating action of the grid array electrode 1 and the common electrode 2 with the electronic paper. Through the operation of the human machine interface 7, the information receiving module 6 receives the information to be printed and sends it to the control unit for processing, and then controls the grid array electrode driving circuit 4 to complete the scanning of the information and cooperate with the common electrode 2 through the grid array electrode 1 and the common electrode 2. Print the information on e-paper.

As shown in FIG. 2, the grid array electrode 1 is actually formed by an array of a plurality of electrode units 11. In the planar array structure composed of a plurality of electrode units 11, the spacing between the respective electrode units 11 is the same, and the electrode unit 11 is the same. The size is also the same. Each row of electrode units 11 is provided with a row lead 13 , and the electrode units 11 of the same row are connected by a row lead 13 to obtain the row potential of the row of leads; each column of electrode units 11 is provided with one column of leads 12 and the same column of electrode units 11 is connected by a column lead 12 to obtain the column potential of the column lead. There is no intersection between the row lead 13 and the column lead 12, that is, the two are not connected. An electrode unit 11 is connected to a row lead 13 and a column lead 12.

As shown in FIG. 3, each of the electrode units 11 includes a switch control device having a switching function, a capacitor, and a pole piece 111. The switch control device having the switching function characteristic is preferably a MOS tube. The gate of the MOS transistor is connected to the row lead 13, the source or the drain is connected to the column lead 12, and the remaining one is connected to the pole piece 111. The gate may be connected to the column lead 12, and the source or the drain and the row are connected. The leads 13 are connected, and the remaining one is connected to the pole piece 111. The same row row leads have the same row potential, and the row driver module gives the row leads a row potential to turn on the MOS transistor connected to the row leads, and the pole piece 111 of the row electrode unit obtains the column potential of the column leads connected thereto. A capacitor is provided between the pole piece 111 and the MOS tube. The capacitor is digitally grounded at one end and connected to the pole piece at the other end. The capacitor can effectively prevent the potential of the peripheral electrode, the line and the like from being changed, so that the potential on the pole piece 111 is unstable. The grid array electrode driving circuit 4 is provided with a row driving module 41, a column driving module 42, and a driving interface 43. The grid array electrode drive circuit 4 is communicatively coupled to the control unit 5 via a drive interface 43. The row driving module and the column driving module are respectively connected to all the row leads 13 of the grid array electrode 1, and all the column leads 12. All row and column leads are supplied with potential by row driver module 41 and column driver module 42. The fabrication of the grid array electrodes can be accomplished by laser characterization on a backing substrate (glass or other flexible conductive substrate with an indium tin oxide conductive layer, etc.). The driving module is connected to the grid array electrode circuit for packaging processing, and a flexible PCB interface is fabricated as a flexible PCB interface of the grid array electrode driving circuit.

The common electrode 2 is a single planar electrode, and a substrate with a conductive layer is used, which is exactly the same size as the grid array electrode and has an extraction interface. There is only one electrode on the common electrode 2, and the same potential is always maintained during operation, and the constant potential fills the surface of the entire substrate in contact with the electrodeless electronic paper 3. This avoids the problem of position matching caused when the common electrode is designed as a plurality of electrodes identical to the grid array electrodes.

The electronic paper 3 used in this embodiment is an electrodeless electronic paper. The structure includes a first non-conductive layer, a bistable display material layer in the electronic paper, and a second non-conductive layer. These three layers are joined together by lamination and bonding. The bistable display material layer is printed with micro-units (microcapsules or micro-cups, etc.) of the bistable display medium. When these external waves are applied, the internal structure changes, and the optical state also changes accordingly. When the electric field disappears, the optical state is maintained. Therefore, writing information to the electronic paper 3 changes the magnitude and direction of the electric field between the pole piece 111 and the common electrode 2 through the potential scanning fit of the row lead 13 and the column lead 12, so that the optical characteristics of the microcell on the electronic paper are changed to achieve writing. The purpose of the information.

The control unit 5 includes a central processing unit 51, a memory 52, a power manager 53, and a bus interface 54. The human machine interface 7 is connected to the central processing unit 51 via a bus interface 54, and the information receiving module 6 is connected to the central processing unit 51 via a memory 52. In the display unit, you can preview the style and layout of the information you need to change through the display unit. The information obtained by the information receiving module 6 is stored in the memory 52. The central processor determines whether the information is in a bitmap image format. If so, the scanning of each electrode unit on the grid array electrode is performed in the form of row and column scanning according to the data information to control the pole piece of the grid array electrode.

At a potential of 111, the desired electric field is obtained. In addition, a timing control circuit is also included in the grid array electrode driving circuit. The timing control circuit employs conventional techniques in the art to control the potential of the column and row leads by controlling the output of the column and row signals. The combination of the row and column leads can effectively ensure the accuracy of the scanning of the electrode units one by one, and also obtain the effect of different gray levels by controlling the time of the electric field application on the electrodes. If it is not a dot matrix image format, but a text message or graphic information that needs to be compressed, the central processing unit 51 performs corresponding processing conversion and returns to the human machine interface 7 for previewing, and after confirming, completes the above scanning step.

The mechanical device 8 of the present embodiment is for adjusting the distance between the grid array electrode 1 and the common electrode 2. The mechanical device 8 is mechanically coupled to the grid array electrode 1 and the common electrode 2, respectively. The adjustment mechanism 8 can tightly press or separate the grid array electrode 1 and the common electrode 2 from the electronic paper placed between them.

The electronic printing method of this embodiment, the steps of the method include:

(1) Printing equipment for starting electronic paper, including opening control unit, man-machine interface, and mechanical device;

(3) Opening the mechanical device, under the action of the mechanical device, the grid array electrode and the common electrode are relatively moved, and finally the electronic paper is tightly pressed;

(4) inputting information to be printed in the information receiving module, the information including characters, characters, images, etc., the central processor determines whether the input information is a dot matrix image format; Yes, proceed to the next step; No, the central processing unit Perform image format conversion on the information and send it to the human-machine interface preview, and then proceed to the next step after confirmation;

(5) After confirming the image format information, the control unit controls the grid array electrode driving circuit in a scanning manner, applies the required potential value to the corresponding row and column leads, and controls the row potential of the row lead to be connected to the pole piece. Controlling the on and off of the device, so that the pole piece obtains the column potential of the corresponding column lead;

(6) The information is input to the electronic paper under the action of the pole piece potential of the grid array electrode and the potential of the common electrode.

Claims

claims

1. An electronic paper printing device, characterized by including:

Grid array electrodes include an array structure formed by multiple electrode units. The electrode units located in the same column in the array structure are connected through a column lead to obtain the column potential of the column lead. The electrode units located in the same row of the array structure are connected through a column lead. The row bow I line is connected to obtain the row potential of the row bow I line;

The common electrode is a single planar electrode with the same size as the grid array electrode, and a space for placing electronic paper is formed between the grid array electrode and the common electrode;

The grid array electrode driving circuit is provided with a row driving module connected to the row leads, a column driving module connected to the column leads, and a driving interface connected to the grid array circuit;

A control unit, which sets the common electrode potential value, and is communicatively connected with the grid array electrode drive circuit; a human-machine interface, which is communicatively connected with the control unit;

Information receiving module, communicating with the control unit;

A mechanical device is used to adjust the spatial distance between the grid array electrode and the common electrode, and is mechanically connected to the grid array electrode and the common electrode respectively.

2. The electronic paper printing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: the electrode unit includes a pole piece, a switching control device with switching functional characteristics, and a capacitor.

3. The electronic paper printing equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that: the switch control device is a MOS tube, and the row leads control the conduction and disconnection of the MOS tubes, so that the pole pieces are connected to the column leads to obtain the column leads. The column potential may cause the pole pieces to disconnect from the column leads.

4. The electronic paper printing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: the control unit has a conversion unit that performs dot matrix image conversion on information including characters, text, images and other information received by the information receiving module.

5. The electronic paper printing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: the size of each electrode unit is equal, and the spacing between adjacent electrode units is equal.

6. The electronic paper printing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: the control unit includes a central processor, a storage circuit, a power manager and a bus interface, and the conversion unit is a central processing unit. manager.

7. A method for electronic printing using the electronic paper printing equipment described in claims 1 to 6:

(1) Start the above-mentioned electronic paper printing equipment;

(2) Place electronic paper between the grid array electrode and the common electrode;

(3) Turn on the mechanical device to move the grid array electrode and the common electrode relative to each other and press the electronic paper tightly;

(4) Enter the information that needs to be printed in the information receiving module, and the central processor determines whether the input information is in dot matrix image format; if yes, proceed to the next step; if not, the central processor will convert the information to dot matrix image format and send it to the person Preview the machine interface and confirm before proceeding to the next step;

(5) After confirming the image format information, the control unit controls the grid array electrode drive circuit in a scanning manner, and applies potential values to the corresponding row leads and column leads. The row potential of the row leads controls the switch control device connected to the pole piece. Turn on and off, so that the pole piece obtains the column potential of the corresponding column lead;

(6) Under the joint action of the pole piece potential of the grid array electrode and the potential of the common electrode, the input of information in the electronic paper is realized.