Hybrid LCD panel system and its color coding algorithm

A color liquid crystal display (LCD) panel typically used in consumer products is composed of R, G, and B subpixels. Due to the subpixel structure and color microfilters, a single LCD panel system (SLPS) using such a panel has a low resolution, low brightness, and a poor appearance of the individual color pixel elements. These problems are solved by having a three LCD panel system (TLPS) which is composed of three black/white (B/W) LCD panels. However, this system requires high cost and high hardware (H/W) complexity. We propose a new LCD system using B/W and color LCD panels called the hybrid LCD panel system (HLPS) to overcome the drawbacks of other types of LCD panel applications. Also, the associated color coding algorithm for maximizing the effect of the proposed system is developed. In spite of using the simplified H/W structure, little visual difference has been attained in comparison with the TLPS in the terms of the resolution and brightness, and the color fidelity is better than the SLPS. Among the three types of the LCD projector, the 7.34% light utilization efficiency of the HLPS is the highest. Also, the HLPS is compact and relatively inexpensive.