System and Method for Display Failure Monitoring

Abstract

A display device for a vehicle includes a pixel array including a plurality of display elements, the device further comprising at least one test element and a controller configured to selectively activate display elements of the pixel array via a plurality of control signals and to identify activation of the at least one test element in response to at least one of the plurality of control signals, the controller further configured to identify a display fault in the display device by comparing the at least one control signal communicated to the at least one test element with a diagnostic signal communicated from the at least one test element.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] [Cross - Reference to Related Applications] This application claims the benefit and priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 012,577, filed on April 20, 2020, entitled "System and Method for Display Fault Monitoring".

[0002] [Technical Field] The present disclosure generally relates to video display devices, and more particularly to a fault detection device for video display devices.

Background Art

[0003] Due to display failures in full - screen display mirrors, information that may cause misunderstandings may be illustrated. For example, when the display panel inside a vehicle fails at night, due to the lack of displayed information (e.g., a black screen), a driver may conclude that there are no following vehicles. Alternatively, when a wiring or communication failure occurs, the display may illustrate only the projected scene, and based on this information, the driver may arrive at incorrect vehicle control.

Summary of the Invention

[0004] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a display device for a vehicle is disclosed. The display device may include a pixel array including a plurality of display elements, at least one test element, and at least one controller. The controller selectively activates the display elements of the pixel array via a plurality of control signals, identifies the activation of at least one test element in response to at least one of the plurality of control signals, and compares at least one control signal communicated to the at least one test element with a diagnostic signal communicated from the at least one test element to identify a display fault of the display device.

[0005] The controller can be configured to selectively display a health indicator. The health indicator can indicate whether the system is operating properly.

[0006] The controller can be configured to monitor a feedback signal from at least one of a gate driver and a source driver. Thereby, it can be possible for the controller to monitor the operation of the system.

[0007] The system can include an alarm message in one or more portions of the addressable positions of the pixel array such that it is not visible within the display area when the display is operating properly, and is displayed on the display when there is a failure of the mirror.

[0008] At least one test element can be disposed inside the active area of the display. Additionally or alternatively, at least one test element can be disposed outside the active area of the display.

[0009] At least one test element can form part of the pixel array and can be positioned along the perimeter of the pixel array. The apparatus can further include a mask that extends along the perimeter of the pixel array and shields at least one test element from the display area of the display device. At least one test element can include non-irradiated test pixels configured to detect a voltage output from a transistor in response to a plurality of control signals. The non-irradiated test pixels can include an amplifier configured to detect the voltage output from the transistor and transmit a diagnostic signal identifying the voltage output to at least one controller.

[0010] At least one test element may include at least one of a plurality of display elements and a light sensor. The at least one test element may include a light sensor, and the light sensor may be configured to detect an illumination level of at least one of the plurality of display elements and transmit a diagnostic signal identifying the illumination level to at least one controller. The controller may be configured to receive the diagnostic signal from the light sensor. The at least one test element and the plurality of display elements may receive control and operation information via a shared communication interface. The operation of the at least one test element may be monitored for display accuracy via one or more sensor elements disposed around the pixel array. The sensor elements may include devices operable to detect the operation of one or more test elements, and the controller may be configured to detect the operation of the at least one test element to detect a representative operation of the plurality of display elements. The controller may be configured to control a test program that controls an illumination pattern of at least one test element. During operation of the illumination pattern, the controller may be configured to monitor the operation of at least one test portion based on information captured and transmitted from one or more sensor elements. The test element may share a drive circuit and data connection with the plurality of display elements, and the test element may be operable to detect a defect in one or more segments of the pixel array, an orientation error, a display defect, an inaccurate color or luminance, and other display defects. The at least one test element and at least one display element may be connected to the same gate line and source line, and both the at least one test element and the at least one display element may be configured to respond similarly to an input and provide diagnostic information identifying the operation of the display element. At least one test element may include at least one non-irradiation test element configured to detect the operation of the display. At least one non-irradiation test element may be configured to detect the delivery of a control signal and output a diagnostic signal to a controller to identify the operation. At least one test element may further include at least one irradiation test element, and at least one irradiation test element may be configured to monitor the operation of the display and output a diagnostic signal to a controller to identify an error state. Diagnostic information provides feedback for identifying the operation of a part of the pixel array, and the controller may be configured to monitor and process the diagnostic signal to determine the presence or absence of a display failure. When determining that there is a display malfunction, the controller may be configured to perform one of deactivating (stopping) the display and generating a notification of the display malfunction. According to another aspect, a method for detecting a failure in a display device may include activating display elements of a pixel array via a plurality of control signals, identifying the activation of at least one test element in response to at least one of the plurality of control signals, comparing at least one control signal communicated to the at least one test element with at least one diagnostic signal communicated to the at least one test element, and identifying a display failure of the display device based on the comparison between the control signal and the diagnostic signal. The method may further include detecting, by at least one test element, a voltage output from a transistor in response to a control signal and transmitting a diagnostic signal for identifying the voltage output to a controller. The method may further include activating a backlight to emit light to a liquid crystal display panel, detecting the light with a light sensor, and generating and transmitting a diagnostic signal to a controller. The method may further include detecting, by an optical sensor, an illumination level of at least one of a plurality of display elements; and communicating, to at least one controller, a diagnostic signal identifying the illumination level. At least one test element may include an optical sensor. The method may further include monitoring, via one or more sensor elements disposed around a pixel array, an operation of at least one test element for display accuracy. The sensor elements may include devices operable to detect an operation of one or more test elements, and the controller may be configured to detect an operation of at least one test element to detect a representative operation of a plurality of display elements. The method may further include controlling a test program that controls an illumination pattern of at least one test element. During operation of the illumination pattern, the controller may be configured to monitor an operation of at least one test portion based on information captured and communicated from one or more sensor elements. The method may further include detecting, by the test element, a defect, an orientation error, a display defect, an inaccurate color or luminance, and other display defects of one or more segments of the pixel array. The method may further include detecting delivery of a control signal; and outputting a diagnostic signal to a controller to identify an operation. At least one test element may be configured to detect an operation of a display. The method may further include monitoring, by at least one test element, an operation of a display; and outputting a diagnostic signal to a controller to identify an error state. The method may further include providing feedback with diagnostic information identifying an operation of a portion of the pixel array. The method may further include processing, by a controller, the diagnostic signal to determine the presence or absence of a display defect. When it is determined that there is a display defect, the method may further include causing, by the controller, one of deactivating (shutting down) the display and generating a notification that there is a display defect.

Brief Description of the Drawings

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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0035] Referring to FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C and 2, a system for detecting errors or faults in the display of an electronic image or video is generally indicated by reference numeral 10. If the error of the video display 12 is not corrected, information that may cause misunderstanding may be illustrated on the display 12. For example, when using the display 12 to display information captured by a camera 14 (e.g., a rearview mirror or a reverse camera) of a vehicle 16, due to the lack of information displayed (e.g., a black screen), the driver may come to the conclusion that there is no vehicle approaching from behind the vehicle.

[0036] More specifically, when the display is utilized as a rearview mirror display that shows the environment proximate to the vehicle 16 as shown in FIG. 2, a display error can result in an inaccuracy or misrepresentation of the local environment. Such errors can be the result of damage to the display 12, wiring malfunctions, or other communication disruptions. Such disruptions can lead to the display 12 depicting mirror-reflected, inverted, or otherwise orientation-altered image data, or the image data being missing, or the display 12 becoming inoperable. Accordingly, the present disclosure provides a system 10 configured to monitor and detect various display errors or malfunctions such that a defective operation can be communicated to the driver or other observer of the vehicle 16.

[0037] As shown in FIGS. 1B and 1C, examples of the normal operation and various error states of the display 12 are shown in FIG. 1B under daylight conditions and in FIG. 1C under nighttime conditions. As will be discussed in more detail in the following description, the system 10 can be configured to detect various error states of the display 12. For example, normal or proper operation 12a, mirror-reflected or inverted operation 12b, offset or shifted operation 12c, and blank or inoperable state 12d. In normal operation 12a, the field of view of the image data illustrated on the display 12 can be centered within the desired portion such that the image data is displayed in the orientation and ratio assigned by the driver of the vehicle 16. In inverted operation 12b, the image data is inverted horizontally, and in shifted operation 12c, the image data is illustrated shifted to a position different from that configured in normal operation 12a. In some of these situations, the driver of the vehicle 16 can detect the error, but in some cases, particularly under the nighttime conditions shown in FIG. 1C, the error may not be immediately apparent.

[0038] Generally, the present disclosure provides an implementation of one or more test portions 18 formed by one or more test elements (e.g., test pixels "T") 28 of a display 12. The operation of the test portions 18 can be monitored for display accuracy via one or more sensor elements 20 disposed around the display surface 22 of the display 12. In some embodiments, the test portions 18 can be hidden or disposed behind a mask 24 or shield that extends around at least a portion of the perimeter 25 of the display 12. Thus, these portions of the display 12 may not be visible to an observer of the display surface 22 and may not be implemented to display image data of the local environment captured by the camera 14. However, the operation of the test portions 18 and the display elements 26 forming the display surface can receive control and operational information via a shared drive or communication interface. In some embodiments, the test portions can be disposed within the active portion of the display 12.

[0039] As discussed herein, the display 12 can accommodate various forms of display technology. As is apparent from the exemplary embodiments, the system 10 can be implemented using various display technologies that can include an array of one or more pixels or illumination elements that are selectively illuminated to emit display data as visible light. Examples of such display technologies include, but are not limited to, liquid crystal displays (LCDs) that can be backlit or edge-lit, organic light emitting diode (OLED) displays, or other related display technologies. Thus, the present disclosure can provide a flexible solution that can be implemented to detect operational impairments or failures.

[0040] The sensor element 20 can include an electrical detection circuit, an optical sensor, and / or a similar device that can be operable to detect the operation of one or more test elements 28 (e.g., test pixels, circuits, etc.) of the display 12 located within the test portion 18. Thus, the system 10 can operate by detecting the operation of the test elements 28 within the test portion 18 to detect the representative operation of a plurality of display elements 26 (e.g., pixels) extending on the display surface 22 of the display 12. Since the operation of the test portion 18 can share the same drive circuit, data connection, and various control variables as the display elements 26 forming the display surface 22, it can represent the overall operation of the display elements 26 forming the display 12. Thus, the test portion 18 formed by the test elements 28 (e.g., test pixels, emitters, etc.) can be operable to detect faults in one or more segments or portions of the display 12, as well as orientation errors, display faults, inaccurate color or luminance, and other display faults. Further, such detections can be processed and monitored throughout the operation of the display 12.

[0041] In various implementations, the system 10 can include a controller 30 configured to monitor the operation of the test portion 18 of the display 12. During operation, the controller 30 can be configured to control a test program that can control the illumination pattern or sequence of the test portion 18. During the operation of the test sequence, the controller 30 can monitor the operation of the test portion 18 based on the information captured and communicated from the sensor element 20. Thus, the controller 30 can be configured to identify whether the test sequence is accurately displayed by the test portion 18.

[0042] In some implementations, test portion 18 may include non-irradiated or passive test elements 28A configured to detect the operation of the display via inoperable or non-irradiated test pixels, as further discussed with reference to FIGS. 4, 5A, and 5B. The passive test pixels 28A may be configured to detect the delivery of control signals and output diagnostic signals to controller 30 to identify the operation. Further, test portion 18 may include active or irradiated test elements 28B, as further discussed with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. The irradiated test elements 28B may be masked or hidden from the remainder of display element 26 by mask 24 that forms test portion 18. Thus, system 10 may provide test elements 28 for monitoring the operation of display 12 such that controller may detect one or more error states.

[0043] In each of the embodiments discussed herein, the operation of test pixels 28 may provide real-time feedback to controller 30 such that controller 30 may monitor the operating state of display 12. In this configuration, since test portion 18 is masked or hidden from the remainder of display element 26 by mask 24, controller 30 may be configured to monitor the operation of test portion 18 throughout the operation of display 12 without being detected by an observer of display 12. Since the test portion is controlled via the same drive circuitry as the remainder of the display screen, monitoring the operation of test portion 18 is effective for determining faults in the operation of display 12 as a whole.

[0044] Referring now to FIGS. 3A through 3E, an embodiment of the test portion 18 of the display 12 is shown, showing at least one of the test elements 28 incorporated in the test area 42 and the plurality of pixels or display elements 26 disposed in the display area 44 of the display surface 22. In this embodiment, the test portion 18 may be hidden by or disposed behind a mask 24 or shield that extends around at least a portion of the perimeter 25 of the display 12. Generally, the test element 28 may be disposed around the perimeter 25 of the display 12. Thus, in various implementations, the mask 24 or shield may be formed as part of a housing or trim panel configured to house and / or support the display 12 attached to various parts of the vehicle 16.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 3A, the test area 42 may extend along one or more edges of the perimeter 25 of the display 12. Similarly, the test area 42 may extend across one or more corner portions 46 or edges, or crop portions, that extend on the display surface 22 as shown in FIG. 3B. As described above, the illumination test element 28B may be implemented in the test area 42 and may be shielded from the display surface 22 of the display 12 by the mask 24 so that the operation of the test element 28 does not distract an observer from the operation of the display elements 26 forming the display area 44. Thus, in this configuration, the test element 28 may be controlled to operate and diagnose the operation of the display 12 throughout the operation without interfering with or interrupting the operation of the display elements 26 that display video and / or image data on the display area 44.

[0046] Referring now to FIGS. 3C, 3D, and 3E, examples of the passive test element 28A and the illumination test element 28B are shown. As noted in FIGS. 3C and 3D, the passive test element 28A may also be referred to as an electrical test element or test pixel, which will be further discussed with reference to FIGS. 4, 5A, and 5B. Further, the illumination test element 28B may also be referred to as a dummy pixel or an optical test element, as will be further discussed with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. In an exemplary configuration, the test elements 28 may be implemented alone or in combination and may be distributed along the perimeter 25 of the display surface 22. In some cases, the passive or electrical test element 28A may alternatively or additionally be disposed within a gap or space formed between or within the display elements 26.

[0047] Referring now to FIGS. 2, 4, 5A, and 5B, an exemplary implementation of the display 12 is shown with a first monitoring device 50A (FIG. 4). The first monitoring device 50A may include a plurality of test elements 28. As described above, the test elements 28 may correspond to passive or non-illuminated test elements, which may be in the form of one or more test pixels 52. Each of the test pixels 52 may form part of a pixel array 54 that forms the display surface 22. The pixel array 54 may include a plurality of columns and rows having corresponding gate lines 56 and source lines 58 that form N rows and M columns (e.g., an N×M matrix). The sensor element 20, or in this case the test pixel 52, may form part of the pixels that form the pixel array 54. In this configuration, the first monitoring device 50A may be configured to detect the operation of the test pixels 52 in cooperation with the operation of the pixel array 54.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 4, display 12 may include a driver control circuit or driver circuit 60 that includes source driver 62 and timing controller TCON. Driver circuit 60 may be configured to receive a video input 64, an output control signal 58 for the source lines, and a control signal for gate driver 66 configured to control gate lines 56. In this configuration, control circuit 60 may be configured to control the activation of each of the pixels forming pixel array 54 via gate lines 56 and source lines 58. During operation, driver circuit 60 communicates with pixel array 54 via gate lines 56 and source lines 58 and specifies a proportion of pixel array 54 of which at least a portion forms display surface 22. Pixel array 54 is logically specified to include N rows and M columns of pixels, but display region 44 of display surface 22 extends only over a portion of pixel array 54, and test element 28 or test pixel 52 may be masked or hidden behind mask 24 and incorporated into test region 42.

[0049] In some implementations, mask 24 of display 12 may cover a portion of one or more rows or columns forming pixel array 54. For example, display 12 may be implemented as a rear mirror display device that includes a bezel that encloses a portion of display surface 22. In such embodiments, the bezel, or more generally mask 24, may extend over a portion of one or more rows and columns that extend around perimeter 25 of pixel array 54.

[0050] During operation, video input 64 represents control signals that are transmitted to pixel array 52 and test pixels 54 via gate line 56 and source line 58. The video input may be received in the form of a video stream transmitted from a display driver. Since test pixels 52 are positioned behind mask 24 in test region 42, the control information for their operation may be intended for testing, as opposed to visual input information communicated by the remaining display elements 26 positioned in display region 44. As further discussed with reference to FIG. 5, test pixels 52 may not be configured to output visible light or provide some favorable form of optical output. Instead, test pixels 52 may be configured to receive control signals from source line 58 and gate line 56 and generate one or more diagnostic signals 70 configured to provide operation information identifying the operation of test pixels 52. Since test pixels 52 operate in response to the same control signals and the same video input 64, their operations represent the display elements 26 forming display region 44.

[0051] Referring now to FIGS. 4, 5A, and 5B, schematic representations of display elements 26 and test pixels 52 are shown. As shown in FIG. 5A, a schematic view of display 12 shows a diagram (representation) of display element 26 as pixels 80 forming a portion of display region 44 of display surface 22. Pixels 80 may include transistors 82 connected to a first gate line N and a first source line M. Transistor 82 is connected to pixel 80, and pixel 80 is further connected to a common voltage Vcom. This configuration may be repeated throughout pixel array 54 to form display region 44. Each of test pixels 80 may be arranged in connection with the rows and columns of gate driver 66 and source driver 62. Although described with reference to pixels 80, as discussed herein, each of pixels 80 or display elements 26 may be similarly implemented as one or more sub-pixels or portions forming the light-emitting elements of display 12, which may be configured to emit light of one or more colors to support various forms of display technology.

[0052] Referring now to FIG. 5B, a schematic embodiment of a first test pixel 52a and an exemplary second pixel 52b is shown connected to a gate line N, a second source line M+1, and a third source line M+2. Since the first test pixel 52a and the second test pixel 52b are connected to the same gate line 56 and source line 58 as the pixels 80 or display elements 26 that form the display region 44, the test pixels 52a, 52b can similarly respond and provide diagnostic information for identifying the operation of the display element 26. The first test pixel 52a can be configured to output a diagnostic signal 70 in the form of a pixel voltage supplied from the connected transistor 82 and communicated via the first amplifier 84. Similarly, with a slightly more complex topography, the second test pixel 52b can be configured to communicate a differential voltage identified via a second amplifier 86 (e.g., a differential amplifier). In this configuration, the second amplifier 86 can output the diagnostic signal 70 as the potential difference between the output from the connected transistor 82 and the common voltage Vcom.

[0053] The diagnostic signal 70 identified by the test pixels 52a, 52b provides meaningful feedback to a display driver or controller 30 that can identify the operation of various portions of the pixel array 54, and can also provide feedback regarding related operations from one region or aspect of the pixel array 54 to another region or aspect. For example, the diagnostic signal 70 can indicate whether one or more portions of the pixel array 54 are operating based on representative operations and corresponding diagnostic signals 70 generated by the test pixels 52 in response to the video input 64. Accordingly, the controller 30 can process the diagnostic signal 70 to detect a malfunction of the display 12. Display malfunctions can include, for example, image data mirror-reflected across the display surface 22, a frozen state of the display 12, or various other malfunction states. Specific examples of malfunction states and their corresponding diagnostics via the test pixels 52 are further described with reference to FIGS. 6A, 6B, and 6C.

[0054] Referring now to FIGS. 6A, 6B, and 6C, the operation of test element 28 (e.g., passive test element 28A and / or illumination test element 28B) will be discussed with reference to one or more test patterns received via video input 64. As shown in FIG. 6A, test pattern 90 may be supplied to test element 28 to test the inactive state 92, full active state 94, and intermediate state 96 of test element 28. Inactive state 92 corresponds to dark or black pixels, full active state 94 may correspond to white or brightly activated pixels, and intermediate state 96 may correspond to the gray scale or intermediate color intensity of test element 28. As shown, in response to the first test pattern 90, diagnostic signal 70 identifies whether the pixel is off in the inactive state 92, fully on in the full active state 94, or partially on in the intermediate state 96. The magnitude of diagnostic signal 70 (e.g., pixel check signal) indicates the corresponding voltage and activation intensity of test element 28. In this way, controller 30 may monitor diagnostic signal 70 throughout the operation of display 12 and confirm the operational integrity of display 12. Although introduced with reference to FIG. 6A, each of the states 92, 94, and 96 controlled via the test pattern also applies to the timing sequence discussed with reference to FIGS. 6B and 6C.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 6A, the operation identified by the diagnostic signal 70 indicates that there is no display of a fault or malfunction on the display 12 and that the test element 28 is operating properly. In FIG. 6B, the same test pattern 90 is supplied via the video input 64 or control signal supplied by the controller 30. Referring now to FIG. 6B, the image data represented on the display may correspond to an example of a refresh failure event. A refresh failure event 100 of the display 12 may be identified by the test element 28. As shown, the test element 28 may initially respond appropriately to the control signal in the first frame. However, after one or more different signals identified by the test element 28 that do not correspond to the test pattern 90, the controller 30 may identify an error or fault condition 102 with respect to the display 12. As shown in FIG. 6B, the controller 30 may identify the refresh failure event after a plurality of consecutive fault indications 104 communicated via the diagnostic signal 70. In the illustrated embodiment, the controller 30 is configured to identify a refresh failure event or fault condition 102 in response to two consecutive fault indications 104 as shown in the second and third frames. In this way, the controller 30 may diagnose a refresh failure event with a debounce or delay that requires a plurality of fault indications 104 before identifying the fault condition 102. After identifying the fault condition 102, the controller 30 may deactivate (stop) the display 12 by controlling the backlight to an off state.

[0056] Referring now to FIG. 6C, the controller 30 may similarly monitor the operation of the test element 28 for a specular state 106 of video or image data supplied to the pixel array 54 of the display 12. For example, the controller 30 may monitor the diagnostic signal 70 to identify a fault condition 102 resulting from the specular image data. As shown in FIG. 6C, the first frame may be accurately transmitted to the test element 28 and then to the controller 30. However, in the second frame, the control signal (e.g., intermediate state 96) associated with the test pattern 90 is not transmitted to the test pixel 28. Similarly, the control information associated with the video input 64 is not transmitted to the test element 28 in the third or fourth frames of the test pattern 90. Thus, the diagnostic signal 70 may transmit one or more fault indications 104 for each of the second, third, and fourth frames. Accordingly, the fault indication 104 for the specular state 106 may be due to the control data being transmitted to the test element 28 differently than the test pattern 90. In response to any one of the fault indications 104, the controller may identify the fault condition 102 resulting from the specular image data transmitted to the display 12. Thus, the operation of the system 10 may provide effective feedback for identifying various fault conditions of the display 12.

[0057] As shown in FIGS. 6A, 6B, and 6C, the controller 30 can monitor the diagnostic signal 70 from the test element 28 and ensure that the control information communicated from the controller 30 to the pixel array 54 via the video input 64 is accurately executed by the display 12. For example, if the control state of the test element 28 (e.g., states 92, 94, or 96) identified via the diagnostic signal 70 is different from the instructions in the video input, the controller 30 can identify a fault indication 104. When one or more fault indications 104 are detected by the controller 30, the controller 30 can determine that the display is operating inaccurately or malfunctioning in the fault state 102. In response to the detection of the fault state 102, the controller 30 can deactivate (stop) the display 12, display or announce via an additional vehicle notification device (e.g., a dashboard display, an infotainment system, etc.), and / or activate (start) the conventional mirror mode of the display 12. For additional information regarding embodiments of image or video displays with mirror functionality, reference is made to U.S. Patent No. 10,018,843 entitled "Display Mirror Assembly" and U.S. Patent No. 10,189,408 entitled "Display Mirror Assembly Incorporating Heatsink", the disclosures of each of these patent documents being incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0058] Referring now to FIGS. 7 and 8, an exemplary embodiment of the second monitoring device 50B of the display 12 is shown. The second monitoring device 50B may include a sensor element 20 in the form of an optical sensor or a light sensor 122, as shown. FIG. 7 shows an exploded view of the assembly 124 of the display 12, and FIG. 8 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the assembly 124 shown in FIG. 7. As described above, the system 10 may be implemented using a passive test element 28A configured to detect the operation of the display via the non-irradiated test pixels 52. Further, as discussed with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, the system 10 may be implemented using an irradiation test element 28B that may be hidden from the remainder of the display element 26 by the mask 24. In this configuration, the sensor element 20 may be implemented as the light sensor 122. Further, the display 12 discussed with reference to FIGS. 4 and 8 may share various similar components, which may be described using similar reference numerals for clarity. Thus, although there may be differences in the exemplary devices disclosed herein, the subject matter of the exemplary implementations may be used in various combinations without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure.

[0059] In the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8, the test portion 18 is formed by the pixels 80 of the display 12 combined with the optical sensor 122, which may form the optical test element 28B. The operation of the test portion 18 can be monitored for display accuracy in response to the test pattern via one or more sensor elements 20 in the form of the optical sensor 122. As discussed with reference to the test pixels 52, the test portion 18 of the display element 26 monitored by the optical sensor 122 can be hidden or disposed behind a mask 24 or shield that extends around at least a portion of the periphery 25 of the display 12. Thus, these portions of the display 12 may not be visible to an observer of the display surface 22. In this configuration, the controller can be configured to receive a diagnostic signal 70 from the optical sensor 122 to monitor the operation of the pixels 80 located within the test region 42. As previously described herein, the operation of the pixels 80 or display elements 26 located within the test region 42 can be monitored by the controller 30 to estimate and diagnose various operating states of the pixel array 54 forming the display 12.

[0060] During operation, the second monitoring device 50B can be configured to detect the operation of one or more pixels 80 that can be positioned along the periphery 25 of the display surface 22. As described above, the display elements 26 of the display 12 can be controlled in response to the video input 64 supplied to the driver circuit 60. The driver circuit 60 can include a source driver 62 and a timing controller TCON. In response to the video input, the driver circuit 60 can output a control signal for the source line 58 and a control signal for the gate driver 66 configured to control the gate line 56. In this configuration, the control circuit 60 can be configured to control the activation of each of the pixels 80 forming the pixel array 54 via the gate line 56 and the source line 58. Further, the controller 30 can be configured to selectively activate the backlight 126 via the backlight control signal 68.

[0061] To detect the operation of one or more pixels 80 within the test region 42, the controller 30 may activate the backlight 126 and emit light onto the liquid crystal display (LCD) panel 128. The gate line 56 and the source line 58 may selectively permit light from the backlight 126 to pass through the LCD panel 128. The light output from the LCD panel 128 may be detected by the light sensor 122, which may generate a diagnostic signal 70 and communicate it to the controller 30. As described above, the light emitted from the LCD panel 122 and the corresponding display elements 26 of the display 12 may be shielded by a mask 24 that may be implemented as a bezel and extends around at least a portion of the perimeter 25 of the display surface 22. In this configuration, the illumination or optical test element 28B may include the light sensor 122 disposed around one or more positions proximate to the perimeter 25 of the display surface 22. Thus, the light sensor 122 may detect the operation and relative intensity of the display elements 26 or pixels 80, at least, in the inactive state 92, the fully active state 94, and the partially active or intermediate state 96. Although only one intermediate state is specifically described, it will be understood that the resolution and accuracy of the states identified by the sensor element 20 may vary greatly based on the sensitivity of the light sensor 122, the test pixel 52, and the corresponding amplifiers 84, 86, as well as the sophistication (accuracy or resolution) of the input circuitry of the controller 30 configured to receive the diagnostic signal 70.

[0062] In some implementations, the light sensor 122 can be attached to a part of the display 12 (e.g., the display surface 22), can be hidden by the mask 24, or can be hidden from view in other ways. In some embodiments, the light sensor 122 can be attached such that the photoreceptor faces the display surface 22. However, the light sensor 122 can also be implemented at different positions or parts of the display 12 by communicating the light energy emitted from the pixels 80 disposed within the test region 42 using an optical pipe or an optical fiber. In this configuration, one or more light sensors 122 can communicate the diagnostic signal 70 to the controller 30 in various arrangements. Further, the obtained diagnostic signal 70 operates in the same manner as the signal described with reference to the test pixel 52 described above with reference to FIGS. 6A, 6B, and 6C.

[0063] Referring now to FIG. 9, the system 10 can further be configured to monitor the operation of the pixel array 54 via the gate driver 66. As shown in FIG. 9, a schematic view of the gate driver 66 is shown. During operation, the gate driver 66 can be configured to selectively activate the rows of the pixels 80 that form the pixel array 54. However, if there is a break or other problem with the connections associated with the operation of the gate driver 66, it can be difficult to detect such a malfunction without using the test element 28 or the sensor element 20 discussed herein. Further, the display 12 can be susceptible to the effects of malfunctions associated with the gate driver 66 due to the scale (proportion) and delicacy of the conductive connections that connect the gate driver 66 to the gate conductors or traces indicated by reference numeral 154 in FIG. 10B.

[0064] In an exemplary operation, the timing controller TCON controls the inputs supplied to the gate driver 66. In this configuration, the elements forming the gate driver 66 can typically be a bidirectional shift register 130 configured to receive a clock input CPV for controlling or shifting data in a direction identified via the shift direction L / R. There are two start vertical signals STV1, STV2. Further control signals output from the timing controller TCON can include an output enable control OE that can be used to control the channel output, and an output all-high signal / XAO that can be configured to force each output pin (e.g., OUT0, OUT1, OUT2, …OUT241) to a high level.

[0065] The first start vertical signal STV1 is an input, and the second start vertical signal STV2 is an output from the bidirectional shift register 130. This output, in this case the second start vertical signal STV2, can be supplied as an input to the input timing controller TCON. During operation, the timing controller TCON can be configured to monitor the second start vertical signal STV2 from the bidirectional shift register 130. For example, the timing controller TCON can monitor the signal and determine whether the start pulse STV is returned from the gate driver 66 and the corresponding expected number of clocks. If the start pulse STV or the expected number of clocks is not received by the timing controller TCON, the timing controller TCON can identify that there is a problem with the operation of the display 12. In response to such an identification, the timing controller TCON can communicate the operating error to the controller 30 such that the display 12 can be deactivated (stopped) or an error message can be displayed on the pixel array 54.

[0066] Referring now to FIGS. 10A and 10B, an example of a display disposed within a housing 140 that may include a bezel 142 as discussed herein is illustrated. The display surface 22 may be encapsulated or surrounded by the bezel 142, which may correspond to a mask 24 or shield as discussed with reference to various embodiments herein. The timing controller TCON and source driver 62 may be disposed at the center of a peripheral portion 144 of the housing 140 that extends along the periphery 25 of the pixel array 54. In the embodiment of FIG. 10A, an amorphous silicon (a-Si) LCD including a first gate driver 146a and a second gate driver 146b is illustrated. The first gate driver 146a may be disposed proximate a first corner portion 148a of the display surface 22, and the second gate driver 146b may be disposed proximate a second corner portion 148b that may be on the opposite side of the display surface 22.

[0067] In the embodiment of FIG. 10B, a low temperature poly-silicon (LTPS) LCD is illustrated that includes a first gate driver circuit 150a and a second gate driver circuit 150b. The first gate driver circuit 150a may extend along the periphery 25 of the pixel array 54 along a first side portion 152a, and the second gate driver circuit 150B may extend along the periphery 25 of the pixel array 54 along a second side portion 152b. Accordingly, the system may be implemented using various display technologies without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. In each of the embodiments, the timing controller TCON and source driver 62 may communicate with the gate driver circuits 146a, 146b, 150a, 150b via conductive traces 154. The conductive traces 154 may be configured to communicate control signals to each of the gate driver circuits 146a, 146b, 150a, 150b.

[0068] Referring now to FIGS. 11A, 11B, 11C, and 11D, the controller 30 may further be configured to display a health indicator 160 and / or one or more alert messages 162. The health indicator 160 may include a similar icon indicating that the system 10 is operating properly. As shown, the health indicator 160 may be illustrated on the display 12 to provide a visual display that may be selectively displayed when the system 10 is operating properly. In this way, the system 10 may provide the user with a visual representation of the operating state of the system 10 via the health indicator 160.

[0069] FIGS. 11B and 11C illustrate alert messages that appear in the display area 44 of the display 12. As shown in FIG. 11D, one or more alert messages may be disposed in a portion of the addressable locations of the pixel array 54 such that they are not visible in the display area 44 when the display 12 is operating properly. For example, if the rows and columns of the display area 44 are approximately 50 and 250, respectively, the alert message 162 may be displayed to begin at rows 60 and 252. In this way, the message may appear within the display area 44 only if the image data is specularly reflected or otherwise incorrectly displayed. The alert message 162 illustrated in FIG. 11C may identify an operational malfunction, which may correspond to image data that is specularly reflected horizontally across the display surface 22, as shown. Similarly, the alert message 162 shown in FIG. 11B may identify the presence of an operational malfunction in which the image data is to be specularly reflected vertically across the display surface 22. Accordingly, the present disclosure may provide various solutions for detecting one or more malfunctions in the operation of the display 10 and communicating such malfunctions to the user of the display 12.

[0070] The foregoing description is to be considered as illustrative of preferred embodiments. Those skilled in the art and the manufacturers or users of the present disclosure will come up with modifications to the present disclosure. Accordingly, the embodiments shown in the drawings and described above are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is defined by the following claims, which are to be construed in accordance with the principles of patent law, including the doctrine of equivalents. Only a few embodiments of the present invention are described in detail in the present disclosure, but those skilled in the art who review the present disclosure will readily recognize that many modifications are possible (e.g., the size, dimensions, structure, shape and ratio of various elements, parameter values, attachment methods, use of materials, color, orientation, etc.) without departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the recited subject matter. For example, an element shown as being integrally formed may be composed of a plurality of parts or elements shown such that a plurality of parts may be integrally formed, the operation of the interface may be reversed or changed in other ways, the structure of the system and / or the length or width of the members or connectors or other elements may be changed, and the nature or number of adjustment positions provided between the elements may be changed. The elements and / or assemblies of the system may be composed of any of a wide variety of materials that provide sufficient strength or durability in any of a wide variety of colors, textures, and combinations. As a result, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention. Other substitutions, modifications, variations, and omissions may be made in the design, operating conditions, and arrangement of other exemplary embodiments as desired without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0071] In this specification, related terms such as first and second, upper and lower, front and rear, left and right, vertical and horizontal, vertical and horizontal, etc. are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component or operation from other components or operations, and do not necessarily require or imply the actual interrelationship, order or number between such components or operations. These terms are not intended to limit the elements they describe, and various elements can be oriented differently in various applications. Further, it should be understood that, unless explicitly specified to the contrary, the apparatus can take various orientations and orders of steps. Also, it should be understood that the specific devices and processes illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the specification are merely exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims. Accordingly, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics related to the embodiments described herein are not to be considered as limitations unless the claims explicitly state otherwise.

[0072] It will be understood that any of the described processes or steps within the described processes can be combined with other disclosed processes or steps to form structures within the scope of the present disclosure. The exemplary structures and processes disclosed herein are for illustrative purposes and should not be construed as limitations. It should also be understood that variations and modifications can be made to the foregoing structures and methods without departing from the concepts of the present disclosure, and further that such concepts are to be included in the following claims unless the claims state otherwise explicitly in those words.

[0073] As used herein, the term "and / or" when used in the listing of two or more items means that any one of the listed items can be used by itself or any combination of two or more of the listed items can be used. For example, if a composition is described as containing components A, B, and / or C, the composition can contain A alone; B alone; C alone; A and B in combination; A and C in combination; B and C in combination; or A, B, and C in combination.

[0074] As used herein, the term "about" means that an amount, size, formula, parameter, and other quantities and characteristics are not exactly or need not be exactly, but may be an approximation that reflects, as appropriate, tolerances, conversion ratios, rounding, measurement errors, and other factors known to those skilled in the art, and / or may be larger or smaller. When the term "about" is used to describe a value or an endpoint of a range, it is to be understood that the present disclosure includes the particular value or particular endpoint being referred to. Whether or not a numerical value or an endpoint of a range in this specification quotes "about", the numerical value or the endpoint of the range is intended to include two embodiments, namely those modified by "about" and those not modified by "about". It will be further understood that each endpoint of the range is significant both in relation to the other endpoint and independently of the other endpoint.

[0075] As used herein, the terms "substantial", "substantially" and their variations are intended to indicate that a recited feature is equal to or approximately equal to a certain value or a certain description. For example, a "substantially flat" surface is intended to indicate a flat or approximately flat surface. Further, "substantially" is intended to indicate that two values are equal to or approximately equal to each other. In some embodiments, "substantially" may indicate values within at least one of 2%, 5%, and 10% of each other.

Claims

1. A display device for a vehicle, comprising: a pixel array including a plurality of display elements; at least one test element; at least one controller; wherein the at least one controller is configured to selectively activate the display elements of the pixel array via a plurality of control signals, identify the activation of the at least one test element in response to at least one of the plurality of control signals, and identify a display failure of the display device by monitoring a diagnostic signal received from the at least one test element in response to the at least one control signal transmitted to the at least one test element. The at least one test element includes a non-irradiated test pixel configured to detect a voltage output from a transistor in response to the control signal, and the diagnostic signal is processed by the controller to identify whether the test element is operating normally or is in a failed or defective state based on the voltage output. A display device characterized by the above.

2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one test element forms part of the pixel array and is positioned along the periphery of the pixel array.

3. The display device according to claim 2, further comprising a mask extending along the periphery of the pixel array and shielding the at least one test element from the display area of the display device.

4. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the non-irradiated test pixel includes an amplifier configured to detect the voltage output from the transistor and communicate a diagnostic signal identifying the voltage output to the at least one controller.

5. The display device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the at least one test element includes at least one of the plurality of display elements and a photosensor.

6. The display device according to claim 5, wherein the at least one test element includes a photosensor, and the photosensor is configured to detect an irradiation level of at least one of the plurality of display elements and communicate a diagnostic signal identifying the irradiation level to the at least one controller. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ The display device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that...

7. The controller is configured to receive a diagnostic signal from the optical sensor The display device according to claim 6, characterized in that...

8. The at least one test element and the plurality of display elements receive control and operation information via a communication interface The display device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that...

9. The operation of the at least one test element is monitored for display accuracy via one or more sensor elements arranged around the pixel array, The sensor element includes a device operable to detect the operation of one or more of the test elements, The controller is configured to detect the operation of the at least one test element in order to detect the representative operation of the plurality of display elements The display device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that...

10. The controller is configured to control a test program that controls the illumination pattern of the at least one test element, During the operation of the illumination pattern, the controller is configured to monitor the operation of the at least one test element based on information captured and communicated from the one or more sensor elements The display device according to claim 9, characterized in that...

11. The test element shares a drive circuit and a data connection with the plurality of display elements, The test element is operable to detect defects, orientation errors, display defects, inaccurate color or brightness, and other display defects in one or more segments of the pixel array The display device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that...

12. At least one test element and at least one display element are connected to the same gate line and source line, and both the at least one test element and the at least one display element respond similarly to an input and provide diagnostic information for identifying the operation of the display element The display device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that...

13. The at least one test element includes at least one non-irradiation test element configured to detect the operation of the display device. The at least one non-irradiation test element is configured to detect the delivery of a control signal and output the diagnostic signal to the controller to identify the operation. The display device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that.

14. The at least one test element further includes at least one irradiation test element. The at least one irradiation test element is configured to monitor the operation of the display device and output a diagnostic signal to the controller to identify an error state. The display device according to claim 13, characterized in that.

15. The diagnostic information provides feedback for identifying the operation of a part of the pixel array. The controller is configured to process the diagnostic signal to determine whether there is a failure in the display device. The display device according to claim 12, characterized in that.

16. When the controller determines that there is a failure in the display device, the controller is configured to perform one of deactivating the display device and generating a notification that there is a failure in the display device. The display device according to claim 15, characterized in that.

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