System and method for providing a variable refresh rate of an interferometric modulator display

A device for driving a bistable display device, the device comprising:

• a frame buffer configured to receive data indicative of an image;
• an output circuit configured to generate a signal for updating a display device to display said image;
• a memory operably connected to the frame buffer and configured to indicate whether said frame buffer has received data subsequent to updating of said display;
• and
• a controller configured to control, based on a content of said memory, when said output circuit generates said signal.

An electronic device, the device comprising:

• a display device;
• a frame buffer configured to receive image data;
• a driver circuit configured to periodically generate a signal for updating said display device to display said image data;
• a memory operably connected to the frame buffer and configured to indicate whether said frame buffer has received data subsequent to updating of said display;
• wherein said circuit is configured to generate said signal only when said memory indicates whether said frame buffer has received data subsequent to updating of said display.

A device for driving a bistable display device, the device comprising:

• means for receiving and storing data indicative of an image;
• means for generating a signal for updating a display device to display said image;
• means for indicating whether said means for receiving and storing has received data subsequent to updating of said display;
• and
• means for controlling, based on a content of said memory, when said means for generating generates said signal.

A device for asynchronously driving a bistable display device, the device comprising:

• a circuit configured to asynchronously receive a line of data indicative of a portion of an image;
• and
• an output circuit configured to update a display device to display the portion of the image,
• wherein the circuit is configured to provide the line of data to the output circuit upon receiving the line of data.

A device for asynchronously driving a bistable display device, the device comprising:

• means for asynchronously receiving a line of data indicative of a portion of an image;
• and
• means for generating a signal to update a display device to display said portion of the image,
• wherein the means for asynchronously receiving comprises means for providing said line of data to the means for generating upon receiving the line of data.