# US 8,154,562 B2 · Method and arrangement for improving the grayscale resolution of a monochrome monitor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,154,562 B2 - Document ID: US8154562B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/130,490 - Filed: 2008-05-30 - Published: 2008-12-04 - Granted: 2012-04-10 - Earliest claimed: 2007-06-01 - Assignees: EIZO Corporation - Inventors: Andreas Kaercher - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8154562B2 ## CPC - H04N 1/407: Control or modification of tonal gradation or of extreme levels, e.g. background level - G09G 5/028: {Circuits for converting colour display signals into monochrome display signals} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - G09G: ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION (arrangements for transferring data between digital computers and displays G06F3/14; static indicating arrangements comprising an association of a number of separate sources or light control cells G09F9/00; static indicating arrangements comprising integral associations of a number of light sources H01J, H01K, H10H, H05B33/12; scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission, details thereof H04N1/00) ## Abstract A method and an arrangement for improving the digital-signal-generated grayscale resolution of a monochrome visual display unit (3) to which the digital signals from an image source (1) can be supplied over n-bit wide RGB channels (2). Measures are proposed that make it possible to display distinguishable grayscale gradations on the visual display unit (3) regardless of whether a grayscale signal (6; 10) or RGB color signals (12, 13, 14) are transmitted to the visual display unit (3). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for improving digital-signal-generated grayscale resolution of a monochrome visual display unit, to which digital signals from an image source are supplied over n-bit-wide RGB channels, comprising: generating with an encoding device of the image source n-bit-wide RGB color signals for transmission of an input m-bit-wide grayscale signal over the RGB channels, m being larger than n, the encoding device being configured to form each of the RGB color signals from the bit values of n−1 bit locations (D9, D8, . . . , D3) of the input m-bit-wide grayscale signal, such that the bit values of the n−1 bit locations of each of the R color signal, the G color signal and the B color signal match to the bit values of n−1 bit locations (D9, D8, . . . , D3) of the input m-bit-wide grayscale signal, and that the bit value of the only remaining one bit location of each of the R color signal, the G color signal, and the B color signal match to the bit value of only one of the remaining bit values of m−(n−1) bit locations (D2, D1, D0) of the input m-bit-wide grayscale signal, wherein all of the remaining bit values m−(n−1) bit locations (D2, D1, D0) of the input m-bit-wide grayscale signal are used among each of the R color signal, the G color signal, and the B color signal; generating with a decoding device of the monochrome visual display unit an output m-bit-wide grayscale signal from the received n-bit-wide RGB color signals, the decoding device being configured to form bit values for n−1 bit locations of the output m-bit-wide grayscale signal from the bit values of n−1 bit locations of the n-bit-wide RGB color signals according to a processing rule, and to supplement these n−1 bit locations by the respective bit value of the remaining bit locations of the respective n-bit-wide RGB color signal; and displaying with the monochrome visual display unit the output m-bit-wide grayscale signal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the decoding device forms reference numbers (FR, FG, FB) from the respective bit values of the n−1 bit locations of the n-bit-wide RGB color signals according to the processing rule, wherein the decoding device determines a weighted reference number from the reference numbers (FR, FG, FB), and converts the weighted reference number into a binary number, the bit combination of which forms the bit values of the n−1 bit locations (D9, D8, . . . , D3) of the output m-bit-wide grayscale signal. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the reference numbers (FR, FG, FB) are decimal numbers, from which the decoding device determines a weighted decimal number (Y) using the formula: Y=a*FR+b*FG+c*FB; where a+b+c=1. ### Claim 4 An arrangement improving digital-signal-generated grayscale resolution, comprising: a monochrome visual display unit; an image source, which supplies digital signals to the monochrome visual display unit over n-bit-wide RGB channels; an encoding device of the image source generating n-bit-wide RGB color signals for transmission of an input m-bit-wide grayscale signal over the RGB channels, m being larger than n, the encoding device being configured to form each of the RGB color signals from the bit values of n−1 bit locations (D9, D8, . . . , D3) of the input m-bit-wide grayscale signal, such that the bit values of the n−1 bit locations of each of the R color signal, the G color signal and the B color signal match to the bit values of n−1 bit locations (D9, D8, . . . , D3) of the input m-bit-wide grayscale signal, and that the bit value of the only remaining one bit location of each of the R color signal, the G color signal, and the B color signal match to the bit value of only one of the remaining bit values of m−(n−1) bit locations (D2, D1, D0) of the input m-bit-wide grayscale signal, wherein all of the remaining bit values m−(n−1) bit locations (D2, D1, D0) of the input m-bit-wide grayscale signal are used among each of the R color signal, the G color signal, and the B color signal; and a decoding device of the monochrome visual display unit for generating an output m-bit-wide grayscale signal from the received n-bit-wide RGB color signals, the decoding device being configured to form bit values for n−1 bit locations of the output m-bit-wide grayscale signal from the bit values of n−1 bit locations of the n-bit-wide RGB color signals according to a processing rule, and to supplement these n−1 bit locations by the respective bit value of the remaining bit locations of the respective n-bit-wide RGB color signal, wherein the monochrome visual display unit displays the output m-bit-wide grayscale signal. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The arrangement as claimed in claim 4, wherein the decoding device forms reference numbers (FR, FG, FB) each from the respective bit values of the n−1 bit locations of the n-bit-wide RGB color signals according to the processing rule, wherein the decoding device determines a the weighted reference number from the reference numbers (FR, FG, FB) and converts the weighted reference number into a binary number, the bit combination of which forms the bit values of the n−1 bit locations (D9, D8, . . . , D3) of the output m-bit-wide grayscale signal. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The arrangement as claimed in claim 5, wherein the reference numbers (FR, FG, FB) are decimal numbers, from which the decoding device determines a weighted decimal number using the formula: Y=a*FR+b*FG+c*FB; where a+b+c=1. ### Claim 7 An arrangement for transmitting a grayscale signal and a color signal comprising: an image source; a monochrome visual display unit; and RGB channels; wherein the image source comprises an application program for generating a grayscale signal, an application program for generating a color signal, and an encoding device that generates n-bit wide RGB color signals for transmission of an input m-bit-wide grayscale signal over the RGB channels, m being larger than n, the encoding device being configured to form each of the RGB color signals from the bit values of n−1 bit locations (D9, D8, . . . , D3) of the input m-bit-wide grayscale signal such that the bit values of the n−1 bit locations of each of the R color signal the G color signal and the B color signal match to the bit values of n−1 bit locations (D9, D8, . . . , D3) of the input m-bit-wide grayscale signal and that the bit value of the only remaining one bit location of each of the R color signal the G color signal and the B color signal match to the bit value of only one of the remaining bit values of m−(n−1) bit locations (D2, D1, D0) of the input m-bit-wide grayscale signal wherein all of the remaining bit values m−(n−1) bit locations (D2, D1, DO) of the input m-bit-wide grayscale signal are used among each of the R color signal the G color signal and the B color signal; wherein the monochrome visual display unit comprises a decoding device that generates an output m-bit-wide grayscale signal from the received n-bit wide RGB color signals, the decoding device being configured to form bit values for n−1 bit locations of the output m-bit-wide grayscale signal from the bit values of n−1 bit locations of the n-bit-wide RGB color signals according to a processing rule, and to supplement these n−1 bit locations by the respective bit value of the remaining bit locations of the respective n-bit-wide RGB color signal; wherein the input m-bit-wide grayscale signal is encoded and transmitted from the image source to the monochrome visual display unit via the RGB channels with the bit width of the color signal, and wherein the output m-bit-wide grayscale signal is decoded after a transmission via the RGB channels by the decoding device and converted to a decoded signal having the bit width of the output m-bit-wide grayscale signal, and wherein the monochrome visual display unit displays the decoded grayscale signal. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The arrangement as claimed in claim 7, wherein the bit width of the grayscale signal is 10 bit, and wherein the bit width of the color signal is 8 bit. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The arrangement as claimed in claim 7, wherein a bit width of the RGB channels is 8 bit.