Real-time dynamic driving system implementation of electrowetting display

Qian Mingyong; Lin Shanling; Zeng Suyun; Lin Zhixian; Guo Tailiang; Tang Biao

doi:10.12086/oee.2019.180623

Article navigation > Opto-Electronic Engineering > 2019 Vol. 46 > No. 6 > 180623

Next Article Previous Article

Qian Mingyong, Lin Shanling, Zeng Suyun, et al. Real-time dynamic driving system implementation of electrowetting display[J]. Opto-Electronic Engineering, 2019, 46(6): 180623. doi: 10.12086/oee.2019.180623

Citation:

Qian Mingyong, Lin Shanling, Zeng Suyun, et al. Real-time dynamic driving system implementation of electrowetting display[J]. Opto-Electronic Engineering, 2019, 46(6): 180623. doi: 10.12086/oee.2019.180623

Real-time dynamic driving system implementation of electrowetting display

1.
College of Physics and Information Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350100, China
2.
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Information Materials and Technology, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, China

Fund Project: Supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2016YFB0401503), Science and Technology Major Program of Fujian Province (2014HZ0003-1), Science and Technology Major Program of Guangdong Province (2016B090906001), and the Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Information Materials and Technology (2017B030301007)

More Information

Corresponding author: Lin Zhixian, E-mail:lzx2005000@163.com

Received Date 30 November 2018

Revised Date 29 January 2019

Published Date 25 June 2019

Abstract

Abstract

In order to achieve electrowetting real-time display, a display driving system, consisting of a DVI video codec system and FPGA timing control system, is designed. DVI video codec system is responsible for obtaining signal sources and for image coding and decoding. FPGA is responsible for buffering and processing of video data and for controlling electrowetting driving waveforms. This paper also proposes an improved multi-grayscales dynamic symmetrical driving waveform, which improves the ink-splitting phenomenon and suppresses the charge-trapping phenomenon while increasing the gray level. The results show that the driving system successfully improves the problems of oil-splitting and charge-trapping, and drives the 1024x768 resolution electrowetting display to play video in real time following the computer. The frame rate of the video reaches 60 frames/second, and the highest gray level of the pixel reaches 15. These properties meet the requirements for dynamic display of the electrowetting paper.
- electrowetting display /
- display driving system /
- real-time /
- FPGA /
- DVI

FullText(HTML)

References

[1]	Hayes R A, Feenstra B J. Video-speed electronic paper based on electrowetting[J]. Nature, 2003, 425(6956): 383-385. doi: 10.1038/nature01988 CrossRef Google Scholar
[2]	段明正.电润湿电子纸的驱动波形和显示系统设计[D].广州: 华南师范大学, 2015. Google Scholar Duan M Z. Driving waveform and display system design of electrowetting display[D]. Guangzhou: South China Normal University, 2015. Google Scholar
[3]	Van Dijk R, Feenstra B J, Hayes R A, et al. 68. 3: Gray scales for video applications on electrowetting displays[J]. SID Symposium Digest of Technical Papers, 2006, 37(1): 1926-1929. doi: 10.1889/1.2433427 CrossRef Google Scholar
[4]	Jung H Y, Choi U C, Park S H, et al. P-48: Development of driver IC with novel driving method for the electrowetting display[J]. SID Symposium Digest of Technical Papers, 2012, 43(1): 1239-1242. doi: 10.1002/j.2168-0159.2012.tb06022.x CrossRef Google Scholar
[5]	Zhang X M, Bai P F, Hayes R A, et al. Novel driving methods for manipulating oil motion in electrofluidic display pixels[J]. Journal of Display Technology, 2016, 12(2): 200-205. Google Scholar
[6]	Chen Y C, Chiu Y H, Lee W Y, et al. 56.3: A charge trapping suppression method for quick response electrowetting displays[J]. SID Symposium Digest of Technical Papers, 2010, 41(1): 842-845. doi: 10.1889/1.3500607 CrossRef Google Scholar
[7]	Yi Z C, Shui L L, Wang L, et al. A novel driver for active matrix electrowetting displays[J]. Displays, 2015, 37: 86-93. doi: 10.1016/j.displa.2014.09.004 CrossRef Google Scholar
[8]	刘荣旺.基于FPGA实时DVI视频信号融合技术[D].成都: 电子科技大学, 2013. Google Scholar Liu R W. Fusion technology of real-time DVI video signal based on FPGA[D]. Chengdu: University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, 2013.CNKI:CDMD:2.1013.332034 Google Scholar
[9]	Li F, Liu J H, Li G, et al. Displaying digital camera video on DVI monitor based on FPGA[J]. Laser & Infrared, 2011, 41(11): 1258-1262. Google Scholar
[10]	Shukla S, Chaudhari J P, Nayak R J, et al. Design of High-Speed LVDS data communication link using FPGA[C]//International Conference on Information and Communication Technology for Intelligent Systems. Cham, 2017: 1-9. Google Scholar
[11]	Luo Z, Tang Q S, Chen K, et al. Design of reconfigurable video scaling systems based on FPGA[J]. Electronic Science & Technology, 2017, 30(7): 83-86. Google Scholar
[12]	Chen Y C, Chiu Y H, Lee W Y, et al. 56.3: A charge trapping suppression method for quick response electrowetting displays[J]. SID Symposium Digest of Technical Papers, 2012, 41(1): 842-845. Google Scholar
[13]	白鹏飞, 张小梅, 唐彪, 等.一种电润湿显示器灰度显示调制方法: 104867460A[P]. 2015-08-26. Google Scholar Bai P F, Zhang X M, Tang B, et al. A gray display modulation method for electrowetting display: 104867460A[P]. 2015-08-26. Google Scholar
[14]	刘海娜.基于STM32和FPGA的电润湿电子纸显示系统设计[D].广州: 华南师范大学, 2015. Google Scholar Liu H N. Design of electrowetting display system based on STM32 and FPGA[D]. Guangzhou: South China Normal University, 2015. Google Scholar
[15]	Liang C C, Chen Y C, Chiu Y H, et al. 27.3: A decoupling driving scheme for low voltage stress in driving a large-area high-resolution electrowetting display[J]. SID Symposium Digest of Technical Papers, 2009, 40(1): 375-378. doi: 10.1889/1.3256791 CrossRef Google Scholar

Overview

Overview

Overview:Electrowetting display is a new type of paper-like display, which has the characteristics of low power consumption, high contrast, no radiation and easy colorization, and is one of the most promising display technologies in the future. In order to play video in real time of electrowetting display, a display driving system which includes a DVI video codec system and FPGA timing control system is designed. The DVI system is responsible for acquiring the signal source, for performing image encoding and decoding, and for obtaining all kinds of various resolution videos. The video source comes from the computer, and is not required to be stored. The operation is simple and convenient. Dual-link DVI system supports to transfer ultra-high resolution video, and the system is suitable for electrowetting display panels with increasing resolution at later stages. FPGA is responsible for buffering and processing of video data and for controlling electrowetting driving waveforms. FPGA can easily process video image data of various resolutions due to its powerful and high-speed data parallel processing capability. The driving waveform for electrowetting is also controlled by FPGA without other waveform generator devices, which is more conducive to the development of the driving system into a portable device. In terms of driving waveform, the ordinary multi-gray electrowetting driving waveform can display the image of 9th gray scale, but the ink is prone to splitting under the driving voltage. The charge trapping phenomenon is serious. The ink-splitting phenomenon can decrease the aperture ratio and brightness of electrowetting display panels, and the charge-trapping phenomenon would increase the close response time of the ink and reduce the frame rate, which is not conductive to play video. This paper also proposes an improved multi-grayscales dynamic symmetrical driving waveform, which improves the ink-splitting phenomenon and suppresses the charge-trapping phenomenon while increasing the gray level. The results show that the driving system successfully improves the problems of oil-splitting and charge-trapping, and drives the 1024x768 resolution electrowetting display to play video in real time following the computer. The frame rate of the video reaches 60 frames/second, and the highest gray level of the pixel reaches 15. The video image has clear details, and the system transmission is stable. These properties meet the requirements for dynamic display of the electrowetting paper.