Screen saver controller and method of driving a display device

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a screen protection controller and a method of driving a display device, the screen protection controller including a temperature calculator, a temperature comparator, an operator, and a screen protection data generator. The temperature calculator calculates temperature data of a display panel based on input image data. The temperature comparator receives the temperature data and a target temperature, and compares a temperature of the display panel with the target temperature to generate temperature change data. The operator receives the temperature data and the temperature change data, and generates operation data based on the temperature data and the temperature change data. The screen protection data generator receives the operation data, and generates screen protection data based on the operation data. When operating in a first mode, the screen protection controller adjusts a luminance of the display panel based on the screen protection data.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] One or more embodiments described herein relate to a screen saver controller, a display device including a screen saver controller, and a method of driving a display device including a screen saver controller. Background Technology

[0002] The display device may include a display panel and a display panel driver. The display panel may include pixels that generate light based on input image data to display an image. The display panel may be connected to the display panel driver via gate lines and data lines. The display panel driver may include, for example, a gate driver that provides gate signals via gate lines, a data driver that provides data voltages via data lines, and a timing controller that controls the gate driver and the data driver.

[0003] Some display devices operate in screen saver mode when predetermined conditions are met. In screen saver mode, such devices can output a black image to the display panel or reduce the brightness of the display panel. In some cases, the display device may operate in screen saver mode based on screen saver data without considering the temperature of the display panel. This may result in image retention even in screen saver mode, which could potentially limit the lifespan of the display panel. Summary of the Invention

[0004] One or more embodiments described herein provide a screen saver controller that uses temperature data from a display panel to execute a screen saver mode for the display panel.

[0005] One or more additional embodiments provide a screen saver controller that increases the lifespan of the display panel.

[0006] One or more additional embodiments provide a screen saver controller that improves the visibility of afterimages on a display panel.

[0007] One or more additional embodiments provide a display device that includes the screen saver controller described herein.

[0008] One or more additional embodiments provide a method for driving a display device that includes a screen saver controller as described herein.

[0009] According to one or more embodiments, a screen saver controller includes: a temperature calculator configured to calculate temperature data of a display panel based on input image data; a temperature comparator configured to receive the temperature data and a target temperature, and compare the temperature of the display panel with the target temperature to generate temperature change data; an arithmetic unit configured to receive the temperature data and the temperature change data, and generate arithmetic data based on the temperature data and the temperature change data; and a screen saver data generator configured to receive the arithmetic data and generate screen saver data based on the arithmetic data, wherein, when operating in a first mode, the screen saver controller is configured to adjust the brightness of the display panel based on the screen saver data.

[0010] According to one or more embodiments, a display device includes: a display panel including a plurality of pixels; a data driver configured to provide data signals to the display panel; a gate driver configured to provide gate signals to the display panel; a timing controller configured to control the data driver and the gate driver; and a screen saver controller configured to determine whether to operate in a first mode based on input image data, and when operating in the first mode, to adjust the brightness of the display panel based on the screen saver data.

[0011] The screen saver controller includes: a temperature calculator configured to calculate temperature data of the display panel based on the input image data; a temperature comparator configured to receive the temperature data and a target temperature, and compare the temperature of the display panel with the target temperature to generate temperature change data; an arithmetic unit configured to receive the temperature data and the temperature change data, and generate arithmetic data based on the temperature data and the temperature change data; and a screen saver data generator configured to receive the arithmetic data and generate screen saver data based on the arithmetic data.

[0012] According to one or more embodiments, a method for driving a display device includes: determining whether to operate in a first mode based on input image data; calculating temperature data of a display panel based on the input image data; comparing the temperature of the display panel with a target temperature to generate temperature change data; generating computational data based on the temperature data and the temperature change data; generating screen saver data based on the computational data; and adjusting the brightness of the display panel based on the screen saver data. Attached Figure Description

[0013] Figure 1 An embodiment of the display device is shown.

[0014] Figure 2 An example of the brightness gain change of the image displayed on the display panel when the screen saver mode is activated is shown.

[0015] Figure 3 An example is shown of the brightness variation of the image displayed on the display panel for each of multiple time periods.

[0016] Figure 4 An embodiment of a screen saver controller is shown.

[0017] Figure 5 An example of the brightness gain variation of the image displayed on the display panel is shown when the screen saver mode is operated via an embodiment of the screen saver controller.

[0018] Figure 6 An example of temperature changes in the display panel as brightness gain changes when the screen saver mode is activated is shown.

[0019] Figure 7 An example of how pixel lifetime varies depending on the drive time of the display device when operating in screen saver mode is shown.

[0020] Figure 8 An example of a screen saver mode in a display device is shown.

[0021] Figure 9 An embodiment of the electronic device is shown.

[0022] Figure 10 An example of a smartphone is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0023] In the following, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0024] Figure 1 An embodiment of the display device is shown. Figure 1 This is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a display device 10 that may include a display panel 100 and a display panel driver 120.

[0025] Reference Figure 1 The display panel driver 120 may include a timing controller 200, a gate driver 300, a gamma reference voltage generator 400, and a data driver 500. The display panel driver 120 may also include a screen saver controller 600.

[0026] The display panel 100 may include a display portion for displaying an image and a peripheral portion adjacent to the display portion. The display panel 100 may include pixels P and may display an image corresponding to input image data IMG based on light from pixels P. Gate lines GL may extend in a first direction D1, and data lines DL may extend in a second direction D2 intersecting the first direction D1.

[0027] The display panel 100 may include multiple panel blocks; for example, the display panel 100 may be divided into multiple panel blocks. Each panel block may include multiple pixels P. For example, each panel block may be a large panel block. A large panel block may include a predetermined number of pixels P, such as 240 × 120 pixels P. The display device 10 may calculate temperature data TD on a unit of large panel blocks (see...). Figure 4 ) and temperature change data TCD (see Figure 4 In one embodiment, each of the panel blocks can be a smaller panel block. A smaller panel block can include a predetermined number of pixels P, for example, 8×8 pixels P. The display device 10 can calculate temperature data TD and temperature change data TCD on a unit of smaller panel blocks.

[0028] The timing controller 200 can receive input image data IMG and input control signals CONT from an external device (e.g., a host). For example, the input image data IMG received from the external device may include red image data, green image data, and blue image data. In some embodiments, the input image data IMG may also include white image data. As another example, the input image data IMG may include magenta image data, yellow image data, and cyan image data. The input control signal CONT received from the external device may include, for example, a master clock signal, a data enable signal, a vertical synchronization signal, a horizontal synchronization signal, or another combination of signals.

[0029] In one embodiment, the timing controller 200 can generate a first control signal CONT1, a second control signal CONT2, a third control signal CONT3, and a data signal DATA based on the input image data IMG and the input control signal CONT.

[0030] The timing controller 200 can generate and output a first control signal CONT1 based on the input control signal CONT to control the gate driver 300. The first control signal CONT1 may include, for example, a vertical start signal and a gate clock signal.

[0031] The timing controller 200 can generate and output a second control signal CONT2 based on the input control signal CONT to control the data driver 500. The second control signal CONT2 may include, for example, a horizontal start signal and a load signal.

[0032] The timing controller 200 can generate a data signal DATA based on the input image data IMG and output the generated data signal DATA to the data driver 500.

[0033] The timing controller 200 can generate and output a third control signal CONT3 based on the input control signal CONT to control the gamma reference voltage generator 400.

[0034] The gate driver 300 can generate a gate signal for driving the gate line GL in response to a first control signal CONT1 received from the timing controller 200. The gate driver 300 can output the generated gate signal to the gate line GL. For example, the gate driver 300 can sequentially output the gate signal to the gate line GL. In some embodiments, the gate driver 300 can be mounted in the peripheral portion of the display panel 100.

[0035] The gamma reference voltage generator 400 can generate a gamma reference voltage VGREF in response to a third control signal CONT3 received from the timing controller 200. The gamma reference voltage generator 400 can provide the generated gamma reference voltage VGREF to the data driver 500. The gamma reference voltage VGREF provided to the data driver 500 can have a value corresponding to each data signal DATA. In some embodiments, the gamma reference voltage generator 400 can be located in the timing controller 200 or in the data driver 500.

[0036] The data driver 500 can receive a second control signal CONT2 and a data signal DATA from the timing controller 200, and a gamma reference voltage VGREF from the gamma reference voltage generator 400. The data driver 500 can use the gamma reference voltage VGREF to convert the digital data signal DATA into an analog data voltage. The data driver 500 can output the data voltage to the data line DL.

[0037] The screen saver controller 600 can receive input image data IMG from the timing controller 200. The screen saver controller 600 can generate screen saver data SSD based on the input image data IMG, and can output the generated screen saver data SSD to the timing controller 200. Figure 1The arrangement of the screen saver controller 600 is an example, and in another embodiment, the screen saver controller 600 may be configured differently in terms of structure and / or function. In some embodiments, the screen saver controller 600 may be located inside the timing controller 200 as part of the timing controller 200. In other embodiments, the screen saver controller 600 may be located outside the timing controller 200 and interact with the timing controller 200 using data. (See reference...) Figures 2 to 5 An embodiment of the screen saver controller 600 is described.

[0038] Figure 2 This is a graph showing an example of the brightness gain change of the image displayed on the display panel when the screen saver mode is activated. Figure 3 An example is shown of the brightness variation of the image displayed on the display panel for each of multiple time periods. Figure 3 It shows that for Figure 2 A diagram illustrating the brightness variations of the image displayed on the display panel for each of the multiple time periods.

[0039] Reference Figures 1 to 3 The display device 10 can determine whether to operate the screen saver mode based on the input image data IMG. The display device 10 can also determine whether the image displayed on the display panel 100 is a still image based on the input image data IMG. When the still image displayed on the display panel 100 is held for a predetermined time, the screen saver controller 600 can generate screen saver data SSD based on the input image data IMG and output the generated screen saver data SSD to the timing controller 200. When the screen saver mode is operated, the display device 10 can adjust the brightness of the display panel 100 based on the screen saver data SSD.

[0040] In an embodiment, the display device 10 may operate the display panel 100 at a constant brightness before operating a screen saver mode, such as during a first time period P1. For example, the brightness gain of the display panel 100 during the first time period P1 may be the initial gain GI in which the screen saver mode is not operated. When the display device 10 operates in the screen saver mode, the brightness gain of the display panel 100 may decrease to a predetermined (e.g., minimum or other) gain, such as during a second time period P2. For example, the brightness gain of the display panel 100 may gradually decrease from the initial gain GI to the minimum gain GM from the screen saver mode start time point TSS. During the second time period P2, the brightness of the display panel 100 may gradually decrease. The display panel 100 may maintain a predetermined (e.g., minimum or other) gain from the minimum gain reach time point TSM, which represents the time when the brightness gain of the display panel 100 decreases to the minimum gain GM, such as during a third time period P3. During the third time period P3, the brightness of the display panel 100 may maintain a predetermined (e.g., minimum or other) brightness. Meanwhile, when the screen saver mode is in operation, at the predetermined change time point TSE, the screen saver mode can be released, as in the fourth time period P4, and the brightness gain of the display panel 100 can be increased to another gain, such as the initial gain GI.

[0041] As the temperature of the display panel increases, its characteristic values ​​may change. Operating the screen saver mode without considering the display panel's temperature can lead to unnecessary power consumption in the display panel. Additionally, overcurrent may be introduced into each pixel. These effects can adversely impact (e.g., shorten) the lifespan of the display panel and / or pixels. According to one embodiment of the display device 10, operating the screen saver mode based on temperature data TD and temperature change data TCD allows for the provision of a screen saver mode optimized for temperature changes, and can increase or even maximize the lifespan of pixels and the display panel.

[0042] Figure 4 An embodiment of a screen saver controller is shown. Figure 4 This shows that, for example, it can be included. Figure 1 A block diagram of an embodiment of a screen saver controller in a display device. Figure 5 It shows when according to Figure 4 This is an example graph showing the change in brightness gain of the image displayed on the display panel when the screen saver controller is operated to operate the screen saver mode. During operation, when the screen saver mode is operated, the screen saver controller 600 can adjust the brightness of the display panel 100 based on the screen saver data SSD.

[0043] Reference Figures 1 to 5In this embodiment, the screen saver controller 600 may include a sensor 610, a temperature calculator 620, a temperature comparator 630, an arithmetic unit 640, and a screen saver data generator 650. The temperature calculator 620 can calculate temperature data TD of the display panel 100 based on input image data IMG. The temperature comparator 630 can receive the temperature data TD and a target temperature TTD, and compare the temperature of the display panel 100 with the target temperature TTD to generate temperature change data TCD. The arithmetic unit 640 can receive the temperature data TD and the temperature change data TCD, and generate calculated data GD based on the temperature data TD and the temperature change data TCD. The screen saver data generator 650 can receive the calculated data GD and generate screen saver data SSD based on the calculated data GD. Furthermore, the screen saver controller 600 may include the sensor 610, which can sense the state information of the display panel 100 based on the input image data IMG, and can generate sensed data SD based on the state information to output the generated sensed data SD to the temperature calculator 620.

[0044] Sensor 610 can receive input image data IMG and sense the status information of display panel 100 in the input image data IMG. The status information of display panel 100 may include at least one of the following: load information of display panel 100, grayscale information of display panel 100, ambient temperature information of display panel 100, brightness information of display panel 100, and lifespan information of display panel 100.

[0045] For example, the load information of display panel 100 may include information representing the load value in the input image data IMG of display panel 100. The grayscale information of display panel 100 may include information obtained by analyzing the maximum grayscale level of display panel 100. The ambient temperature of display panel 100 may be the ambient temperature of display panel 100 measured by a temperature sensor. The brightness information of display panel 100 may be the peak brightness information of the image displayed on display panel 100. The lifetime information of display panel 100 may be lifetime information of multiple pixels P based on the characteristic values ​​of display panel 100. Sensor 610 may generate sensing data SD based on state information to output the generated sensing data SD to temperature calculator 620.

[0046] Temperature calculator 620 can receive sensing data SD from sensor 610 and can calculate temperature data TD based on the sensing data SD. For example, temperature calculator 620 can calculate the temperature of display panel 100 based on the status information of display panel 100 in the sensing data SD to output temperature data TD. In one embodiment, temperature calculator 620 can calculate the temperature of display panel 100 based on at least one of the following: load information of display panel 100, grayscale information of display panel 100, ambient temperature information of display panel 100, brightness information of display panel 100, and lifespan information of display panel 100 to output temperature data TD. Temperature calculator 620 can send temperature data TD to temperature comparator 630. Temperature calculator 620 can send temperature data TD to arithmetic unit 640.

[0047] Temperature comparator 630 can receive temperature data TD from temperature calculator 620. Temperature comparator 630 can also receive a target temperature TTD. The target temperature TTD can be settable or predetermined. Temperature comparator 630 can receive temperature data TD and target temperature TTD, and can compare the temperature of display panel 100 with the target temperature TTD to generate temperature change data TCD. Temperature change data TCD may include information representing the difference between the temperature of display panel 100 and the target temperature TTD. Temperature comparator 630 can send temperature change data TCD to calculator 640.

[0048] The arithmetic unit 640 can receive temperature data TD from the temperature calculator 620 and temperature change data TCD from the temperature comparator 630, and can then generate computational data GD based on the temperature data TD and the temperature change data TCD. In one embodiment, the computational data GD may include start time data for adjusting the start time of the screen saver mode, gain gradient data for adjusting the gain gradient of the screen saver mode, and minimum gain data for adjusting the minimum brightness of the screen saver mode. When the screen saver mode is activated, the arithmetic unit 640 can output the computational data GD based on the temperature data TD and the temperature change data TCD to adjust the brightness gain of the display panel 100.

[0049] In this embodiment, the arithmetic unit 640 can generate computational data GD for optimizing the brightness gain of the display panel 100 based on temperature data TD and temperature change data TCD. For example, the arithmetic unit 640 can generate start time data in which the start time of the screen saver mode becomes earlier as the temperature of the display panel 100 increases. The arithmetic unit 640 can generate gain gradient data in which the gain gradient of the screen saver mode becomes steeper as the temperature of the display panel 100 increases. The arithmetic unit 640 can generate minimum gain data in which the minimum brightness of the screen saver mode becomes lower as the temperature of the display panel 100 increases.

[0050] In one embodiment, when the temperature of the display panel 100 is high (e.g., above a predetermined or settable value), the arithmetic unit 640 can receive temperature data TD and generate computational data GD for optimizing the brightness gain of the display panel 100 based on a pre-stored lookup table. Figure 5 As shown, when the temperature of the display panel 100 is high, the arithmetic unit 640 can generate start time data for an earlier start time of the screen saver mode. In this case, since the screen saver mode start time point TSS becomes earlier, the first time period P1 can become relatively shorter.

[0051] When the display panel 100 is hot, the arithmetic unit 640 can generate gain gradient data with a steep gain gradient in the second time period P2 after the screen saver mode is activated. In this case, the time when the brightness gain of the display panel 100 reaches the minimum gain GM can be earlier, for example, the time point when the minimum gain is reached TSM can be earlier.

[0052] When the temperature of the display panel 100 is high, the arithmetic unit 640 can generate minimum gain data with low minimum brightness. In this case, the minimum gain GM can be reduced during the third time period P3, during which minimum brightness is maintained. As described above, according to one or more embodiments of the display device 10, the screen saver controller adjusts the brightness gain of the screen saver mode in response to the temperature of the display panel 100, so that the screen saver mode can be optimized for temperature changes. Therefore, the lifespan of the pixels in the display panel 100 can be maximized through the screen saver mode.

[0053] Figure 6 This is a diagram illustrating an example of how the temperature of the display panel changes according to the brightness gain when the screen saver mode is activated. Figure 7 This is a diagram illustrating an example of how pixel lifetime varies depending on the driving time of the display device when operating in screen saver mode.

[0054] Reference Figures 1 to 7According to an embodiment of the display device 10, the brightness gain of the screen protection mode is adjusted by reflecting the temperature of the display panel 100, so that the temperature of the display panel 100 matches the target temperature TTD.

[0055] In one embodiment, the screen saver controller 600 can compare the temperature of the display panel 100 with a target temperature TTD during a period in which the temperature of the display panel 100 is maintained at a substantially constant level after the screen saver mode is activated. When the temperature of the display panel 100 is higher than the target temperature TTD during the period in which the temperature of the display panel 100 is maintained at a substantially constant level, the screen saver controller 600 can adjust the brightness gain so that the temperature of the display panel 100 is substantially equal to the target temperature TTD. For example, the temperature comparator 630 can compare the temperature of the display panel 100 with the target temperature TTD during the period in which the temperature of the display panel 100 is maintained at a substantially constant level after the screen saver mode is activated.

[0056] When the temperature of the display panel 100 is higher than the target temperature TTD, the temperature comparator 630 can generate an activation signal ES and send it to the arithmetic unit 640. Upon receiving the activation signal ES from the temperature comparator 630, the arithmetic unit 640 can generate computational data GD to ensure that the temperature of the display panel 100 is substantially equal to the target temperature TTD. When the temperature of the display panel 100 is lower than the target temperature TTD, the temperature comparator 630 can generate an inactive signal NES and send it to the arithmetic unit 640. Upon receiving the inactive signal NES from the temperature comparator 630, the arithmetic unit 640 can maintain the existing operation of the screen saver mode.

[0057] like Figure 6As shown, after operating the screen saver mode, the brightness gain of the display panel 100 can decrease as it passes through the first A period P1A, the second A period P2A, and the third A period P3A. While maintaining the first minimum gain GMA, the temperature of the display panel 100 can be kept constant. The temperature comparator 630 can compare the temperature of the display panel 100 with a target temperature TTD during the first B period P1B, during which the temperature of the display panel 100 is kept substantially constant after operating the screen saver mode. When the temperature of the display panel 100 is higher than the target temperature TTD, the temperature comparator 630 can generate an activation signal ES to send to the arithmetic unit 640. When the activation signal ES is received from the temperature comparator 630, the arithmetic unit 640 can generate computational data GD to allow the temperature of the display panel 100 to equal the target temperature TTD. During the second B period P2B, the brightness gain of the display panel 100 can be reduced to the second minimum gain GMB. During the third B period P3B, when the brightness gain of the display panel 100 is maintained at the second minimum gain GMB, the temperature of the display panel 100 can be equal to the target temperature TTD.

[0058] like Figure 7 As shown, when the screen saver controller 600 (see...) Figure 1 Based on display panel 100 (see...) Figure 1 When adjusting the brightness gain of the display panel 100 based on its temperature, the lifespan of the pixels in the display panel 100 can be increased compared to a case where the temperature of the display panel 100 is not taken into account. For example, as the driving time of the display panel 100 becomes longer, the difference in pixel lifespan may become greater. As described above, according to the display device 10 (see...), Figure 1 In one embodiment, the screen saver controller can adjust the brightness gain of the screen saver mode by reflecting the temperature of the display panel 100, so that the screen saver mode can be optimized for temperature changes. Therefore, the screen saver mode can increase the brightness gain of pixels P in the display panel 100 (see [reference]). Figure 1 The lifespan of the display panel 100 or even the lifespan of the pixels P (see) Figure 1 Maximize the lifespan of ( ).

[0059] Figure 8 An example of a screen saver mode in a display device is shown. Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a method for controlling a screen saver mode when executed in a display device.

[0060] Reference Figure 1 , Figure 4 and Figure 8According to this embodiment, the display device 10 can determine whether to operate in screen saver mode based on the input image data IMG (S100), and then can activate or deactivate the screen saver mode (S200). When operating in screen saver mode, the display device 10 can calculate the temperature data TD of the display panel 100 based on the input image data IMG (S300), compare the temperature of the display panel 100 with the target temperature TTD to generate temperature change data TCD (S400), generate calculation data GD based on the temperature data TD and the temperature change data TCD (S500), generate screen saver data SSD based on the calculation data GD (S600), adjust the brightness of the display panel 100 based on the screen saver data SSD (S700), and output the image to the display panel 100 (S800).

[0061] In this embodiment, the display device 10 can determine whether to operate in screen saver mode based on the input image data IMG (S100), and activate or deactivate the screen saver mode (S200). When the display device 10 does not activate the screen saver mode, it can output the image to the display panel 100. When the display device 10 activates the screen saver mode, it can adjust the brightness gain by reflecting the temperature of the display panel 100.

[0062] In an embodiment, when operating in screen saver mode, the display device 10 can calculate the temperature data TD of the display panel 100 based on the input image data IMG (S300). For example, the temperature calculator 620 can calculate the temperature data TD based on the input image data IMG. In one embodiment, the temperature calculator 620 can calculate the temperature of the display panel 100 based on the status information of the display panel 100 included in the input image data IMG to output the temperature data TD. The temperature calculator 620 can send the temperature data TD to the temperature comparator 630. The temperature calculator 620 can send the temperature data TD to the arithmetic unit 640. Simultaneously, the temperature calculator 620 can receive status information from the sensor 610. The status information of the display panel 100 may include at least one of the following: load information of the display panel 100, grayscale information of the display panel 100, ambient temperature information of the display panel 100, brightness information of the display panel 100, and lifespan information of the display panel 100.

[0063] In this embodiment, the display device 10 can compare the temperature of the display panel 100 with a target temperature TTD to generate temperature change data TCD (S400). For example, the temperature comparator 630 can receive temperature data TD from the temperature calculator 620. The temperature comparator 630 can receive the target temperature TTD. In this case, the target temperature TTD can be settable or predetermined. The temperature comparator 630 can receive the temperature data TD and the target temperature TTD, and compare the temperature of the display panel 100 with the target temperature TTD to generate temperature change data TCD. The temperature change data TCD can include information representing the difference between the temperature of the display panel 100 and the target temperature TTD. The temperature comparator 630 can send the temperature change data TCD to the arithmetic unit 640.

[0064] In an embodiment, the display device 10 can generate computational data GD (S500) based on temperature data TD and temperature change data TCD. For example, the arithmetic unit 640 can generate computational data GD for optimizing the brightness gain of the display panel 100 based on the temperature data TD and temperature change data TCD. In one embodiment, the arithmetic unit 640 can generate start time data in which the start time of the screen saver mode becomes earlier as the temperature of the display panel 100 increases. The arithmetic unit 640 can generate gain gradient data in which the gain gradient of the screen saver mode becomes steeper as the temperature of the display panel 100 increases. The arithmetic unit 640 can generate minimum gain data in which the minimum brightness of the screen saver mode becomes lower as the temperature of the display panel 100 increases.

[0065] When the temperature of the display panel 100 is high (e.g., above a predetermined value), the arithmetic unit 640 can receive temperature data TD and generate computational data GD for optimizing the brightness gain of the display panel 100 based on a pre-stored lookup table. When the temperature of the display panel 100 is high, the arithmetic unit 640 can generate start time data with an earlier start time for the screen saver mode. In this case, since the screen saver mode start time point TSS becomes earlier, the first time period P1 can become relatively shorter. When the temperature of the display panel 100 is high, the arithmetic unit 640 can generate gain gradient data with a steep gain gradient in the second time period after the screen saver mode is activated. In this case, the time when the brightness gain of the display panel 100 reaches the minimum gain GM can become earlier. For example, the minimum gain reach time point TSM can become earlier. When the temperature of the display panel 100 is high, the arithmetic unit 640 can generate minimum gain data with low minimum brightness. In this case, the minimum gain GM can be reduced in the third time period during which the minimum brightness is maintained.

[0066] In an embodiment, the display device 10 can generate screen saver data SSD based on computational data GD (S600), adjust the brightness of the display panel 100 based on the screen saver data SSD (S700), and output the image to the display panel 100 (S800). As described above, according to one or more embodiments of the display device 10, the screen saver controller 600 adjusts the brightness gain of the screen saver mode by reflecting the temperature of the display panel 100, so that the screen saver mode can be optimized for temperature changes. Therefore, the screen saver mode can increase the lifespan of pixels P in the display panel 100 or maximize the lifespan of pixels P in the display panel 100.

[0067] Figure 9 An embodiment of the electronic device is shown. Figure 10 An example of a smartphone is shown. Figure 9 This is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of the electronic device 1000, and Figure 10 It is shown that Figure 9 The diagram shows an embodiment of an electronic device implemented as a smartphone.

[0068] Reference Figure 9 and Figure 10 The electronic device 1000 may include a processor 1010, a memory device 1020, a storage device 1030, an input / output (I / O) device 1040, a power supply 1050, and a display device 1060. The display device 1060 may be... Figure 1 The display device 10 or another display device. Furthermore, the electronic device 1000 may include multiple ports for communicating with video cards, sound cards, memory cards, universal serial bus (USB) devices, other electronic devices, etc. In embodiments, such as... Figure 10 As shown, electronic device 1000 can be implemented as a smartphone. However, electronic device 1000 is not limited to this. For example, electronic device 1000 can be implemented as another device, and non-limiting examples include cellular phones, video phones, smart tablets, smartwatches, tablet PCs, car navigation systems, computer monitors, laptops, head-mounted display (HMD) devices, etc.

[0069] Processor 1010 can perform various computing functions. Processor 1010 can be a microprocessor, central processing unit (CPU), application processor (AP), etc. Processor 1010 can be coupled to other components via address bus, control bus, data bus, etc. In addition, processor 1010 can be coupled to an expansion bus such as the peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus.

[0070] The memory device 1020 can store data for the operation of the electronic device 1000. For example, the memory device 1020 may include at least one non-volatile memory device (such as an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM) device, an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) device, a flash memory device, a phase-change random access memory (PRAM) device, a resistive random access memory (RRAM) device, a nano-floating gate memory (NFGM) device, a polymer random access memory (PoRAM) device, a magnetic random access memory (MRAM) device, a ferroelectric random access memory (FRAM) device, etc.) and / or at least one volatile memory device (such as a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) device, a static random access memory (SRAM) device, a mobile DRAM device, etc.).

[0071] Storage device 1030 may include a solid-state drive (SSD) device, a hard disk drive (HDD) device, a CD-ROM device, etc. I / O device 1040 may include input devices such as a keyboard, keypad, mouse device, touchpad, touchscreen, etc., and output devices such as a printer, speaker, etc. In some embodiments, I / O device 1040 may include display device 1060. Power supply 1050 can provide power for the operation of electronic device 1000. Display device 1060 may be coupled to other components via a bus or other communication link.

[0072] The display device 1060 can display an image corresponding to the visual information of the electronic device 1000. In this case, the display device 1060 can operate in a screen saver mode by reflecting the temperature of the display panel to increase or maximize the lifespan of the pixels. The display device 1060 may include: a display panel including a plurality of pixels; a data driver configured to provide data signals to the display panel; a gate driver configured to provide gate signals to the display panel; a timing controller configured to control the data driver and the gate driver; and a screen saver controller configured to determine whether to operate in a first mode based on input image data, and to adjust the brightness of the display panel based on screen saver data when operating in the first mode.

[0073] In this configuration, the screen saver controller may include: a temperature calculator configured to calculate temperature data of the display panel based on input image data; a temperature comparator configured to receive the temperature data and a target temperature, and compare the temperature of the display panel with the target temperature to generate temperature change data; an arithmetic unit configured to receive the temperature data and the temperature change data, and generate arithmetic data based on the temperature data and the temperature change data; and a screen saver data generator configured to receive the arithmetic data and generate screen saver data based on the arithmetic data. Therefore, according to the display device 1060, the screen saver controller adjusts the brightness gain of the screen saver mode by reflecting the temperature of the display panel, enabling the provision of a screen saver mode optimized for temperature changes and increasing pixel lifespan. However, since the configuration has already been described above, a repetitive description related to it will not be repeated.

[0074] The embodiments described herein can be applied to display devices and electronic devices that include display devices. For example, the embodiments can be applied to various types of devices, including but not limited to smartphones, cellular phones, video phones, smart tablets, smartwatches, tablet PCs, car navigation systems, televisions, computer monitors, laptop computers, digital cameras, head-mounted displays, MP3 players, etc.

[0075] The methods, processes, and / or operations described herein can be performed by code or instructions executable by a computer, processor, controller, or other signal processing device. The computer, processor, controller, or other signal processing device can be those described herein or any other element besides those described herein. Because the algorithms underlying the methods (or the operations of the computer, processor, controller, or other signal processing device) are described in detail, the code or instructions used to implement the operations of the method embodiments can transform a computer, processor, controller, or other signal processing device into a dedicated processor for performing the methods described herein.

[0076] Alternatively, another embodiment may include a computer-readable medium for storing the aforementioned code or instructions, such as a non-transitory computer-readable medium. The computer-readable medium may be a volatile or non-volatile memory or other storage device that can be removably or permanently coupled to a computer, processor, controller, or other signal processing apparatus that performs the code or instructions for carrying out the operations of the method or apparatus embodiments described herein.

[0077] The controllers, processors, devices, arithmetic units, calculators, comparators, units, multiplexers, generators, logic, interfaces, decoders, drivers, and other signal generation and signal processing features disclosed herein can be implemented, for example, in non-transitory logic that may include hardware, software, or both. When implemented at least partially in hardware, the controllers, processors, arithmetic units, calculators, comparators, devices, modules, units, multiplexers, generators, logic, interfaces, decoders, drivers, and other signal generation and signal processing features can be, for example, any of a variety of integrated circuits, including but not limited to application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), combinations of logic gates, systems-on-a-chip (SoCs), microprocessors, or other types of processing or control circuitry.

[0078] When implemented at least partially in software, controllers, processors, devices, arithmetic units, calculators, comparators, modules, units, multiplexers, generators, logic, interfaces, decoders, drivers, and other signal generation and signal processing features may include, for example, memory or other storage devices for storing code or instructions to be executed (e.g., executed by a computer, processor, microprocessor, controller, or other signal processing device). This can be the computer, processor, microprocessor, controller, or other signal processing device described herein, or any other element besides those described herein. Because the algorithms underlying the formation of the method (or the operation of the computer, processor, controller, or other signal processing device) are described in detail, the code or instructions for implementing the operation of the method embodiments can transform a computer, processor, controller, or other signal processing device into a dedicated processor for performing the methods described herein.

[0079] The foregoing is illustrative of the embodiments and should not be construed as limiting the embodiments. Although some embodiments have been described, those skilled in the art will readily understand that many modifications may be made to the embodiments without substantially departing from the novel teachings of this disclosure. Therefore, such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure as defined in the claims. It should therefore be understood that the foregoing is illustrative of various embodiments and should not be construed as limiting oneself to the specific embodiments disclosed, and modifications to the disclosed embodiments and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A screen saver controller, wherein, The screen saver controller includes: A temperature calculator, configured to calculate temperature data for a display panel based on input image data; A temperature comparator is configured to receive the temperature data and a target temperature, and compare the temperature of the display panel with the target temperature to generate temperature change data; An arithmetic unit configured to receive the temperature data and the temperature change data, and to generate computational data based on the temperature data and the temperature change data; and A screen saver data generator, configured to receive the computational data and generate screen saver data based on the computational data. When operating in screen saver mode, the screen saver controller is configured to adjust the brightness of the display panel based on the screen saver data.

2. The screen saver controller according to claim 1, wherein: The computational data includes: start time data to adjust the start time of the screen saver mode; gain gradient data to adjust the gain gradient of the screen saver mode; and gain data to adjust the brightness of the screen saver mode.

3. The screen saver controller according to claim 2, wherein, The arithmetic unit is configured as follows: The start time data is generated such that the start time of the screen saver mode is earlier as the temperature of the display panel increases; The gain gradient data is generated such that the gain gradient of the screen saver mode becomes steeper as the temperature of the display panel increases; and Generate the gain data showing that the brightness of the screen saver mode decreases as the temperature of the display panel increases.

4. The screen saver controller according to claim 3, wherein, The temperature comparator is configured to: During a specific period, the temperature of the display panel is compared with the target temperature, the specific period including the time during which the temperature of the display panel remains at a constant level after the screen saver mode is activated, and When the temperature of the display panel is higher than the target temperature, an activation signal is output to the arithmetic unit.

5. The screen saver controller according to claim 4, wherein, The arithmetic unit is configured to generate computational data that allows the temperature of the display panel to equal the target temperature when it receives the activation signal from the temperature comparator.

6. The screen saver controller according to claim 3, wherein, The temperature comparator is configured to: During a specific period, the temperature of the display panel is compared with the target temperature, the specific period including the time during which the temperature of the display panel remains at a constant level after the screen saver mode is activated, and When the temperature of the display panel is lower than the target temperature, an inactive signal is output to the arithmetic unit.

7. The screen saver controller according to claim 3, wherein, The target temperature is settable.

8. The screen saver controller according to claim 3, wherein, The screen saver controller also includes: The sensor is configured to: The state information of the display panel is sensed based on the input image data. Sensing data is generated based on the state information, and The generated sensing data is output to the temperature calculator.

9. The screen saver controller according to claim 8, wherein, The status information of the display panel includes at least one of the following: load information of the display panel, grayscale information of the display panel, ambient temperature information of the display panel, brightness information of the display panel, and lifespan information of the display panel.

10. The screen saver controller according to claim 2, wherein: The gain data is the minimum gain data, and The brightness mentioned is the minimum brightness.

11. A method for driving a display device, wherein, The method includes: Determine whether to operate in screen saver mode based on the input image data; Calculate the temperature data of the display panel based on the input image data; The temperature of the display panel is compared with the target temperature to generate temperature change data; Calculation data is generated based on the temperature data and the temperature change data; Based on the computational data, screen saver data is generated; and When operating in the screen saver mode, the brightness of the display panel is adjusted based on the screen saver data.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein: The computational data includes: start time data to adjust the start time of the screen saver mode; gain gradient data to adjust the gain gradient of the screen saver mode; and gain data to adjust the brightness of the screen saver mode.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein, The generation of the computational data includes: The start time data is generated such that the start time of the screen saver mode is earlier as the temperature of the display panel increases; Generate the gain gradient data such that the gain gradient of the screen saver mode becomes steeper as the temperature of the display panel increases; and Generate the gain data showing that the brightness of the screen saver mode decreases as the temperature of the display panel increases.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein, The method further includes: During a specific period, the temperature of the display panel is compared with the target temperature, the specific period including the time during which the temperature of the display panel remains at a constant level after the screen saver mode is activated, and An activation signal is generated when the temperature of the display panel is higher than the target temperature.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein, Generating the computational data includes: The activation signal is used to generate computational data that allows the temperature of the display panel to equal the target temperature.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein, The method further includes: Sensing the state information of the display panel based on the input image data; and Sensing data is generated based on the aforementioned state information. The status information of the display panel includes at least one of the following: load information of the display panel, grayscale information of the display panel, ambient temperature information of the display panel, brightness information of the display panel, and lifespan information of the display panel.

17. The method according to claim 12, wherein, The gain data is the minimum gain data, and The brightness mentioned is the minimum brightness.

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