Low power active display system

A method of driving an active matrix display comprising the following steps:

• providing an active matrix circuit having an array of transistor circuits formed in a first plane, each transistor circuit, being connected to a pixel electrode in an array of pixel electrodes;
• actuating of the transistor circuits in the array to alter an optical transmission property of a light transmitting material positioned over each pixel electrode;
• flashing an LED light source after scanning of an image frame to illuminate the image;
• switching an applied voltage across a counter electrode panel to destroy the image, the counterelectrode panel extending in a second plane that is parallel to the first plane;
• and
• inverting image data after an image frame has been scanned onto the display the timing of the steps of flashing switching and inverting are interelated and controlled by a timing circuit.

A display control circuit comprising:

• a processor for receiving image data;
• an active matrix display for displaying the image data, the display having an array of at least 320×240 pixel electrodes and a diagonal of less than 0.5 inches;
• a timing control circuit connected to the processor and the display to control the circuit;
• a switch adapted to select a high or low common voltage for sending to the display;
• a second switch adapted to select a video or inverted video signal to be transmitted to the display;
• a light source that sequentially flashes to illuminate the active matrix display;
• and
• a timing circuit that times actuation of the pixel electrodes to write an image, flashing of the light source to illuminate the image, and switching of the applied voltage to the counterelectrode to destroy the image.

An active matrix display comprising:

• an active matrix circuit having an array of transistor circuits formed in a first plane, each transistor circuit being connected to a pixel electrode in an array of pixel electrodes of at least 75,000 pixels having an active area of less than 160 mm2;
• a liquid crystal layer, the liquid crystal positioned over each pixel electrode;
• a counterelectrode panel extending in a second plane that is parallel to the first plane, the liquid crystal layer interposed between the counterelectrode panel and the first plane, and the counterelectrode panel receives an applied voltage;
• a drive circuit for setting each of the pixel electrodes to a specific voltage for altering an optical transmission property of the light crystal material;
• a switching circuit connected to the counterelectrode panel that switches the applied voltage to the counterelectrode;
• an LED light source that sequentially flashes to illuminate the liquid crystal display, and
• a timing circuit timing driving of the pixel electrodes to a specific voltage, flashing of the light source, and switching of the applied voltage to the counterelectrode.