Area-based screen refreshing method and electronic device

Abstract

An area-based screen refreshing method and an electronic device. The method can be applied to an electronic device at least comprising a processor and a screen. In the method, upon detection that part of a target area to be refreshed of a current image frame changes relative to a target area to be refreshed of a previous adjacent frame, the processor can generate a partial area refreshing command, so that refreshing of a partial area of the screen can be instructed by means of the partial area refreshing command. In this way, the frequency of full-screen refreshing for the screen can be reduced, thereby reducing power consumption of the screen.

Description

Screen partition refreshing method and electronic device

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of the People's Republic of China on January 9, 2024, with application number 202410030769.1 and invention name "A screen partition refresh method and electronic device", the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0003] The embodiments of the present application relate to the field of terminal technology, and in particular to a screen partition refresh method and an electronic device. Background Art

[0004] Screens are an essential component of electronic devices, used to present interfaces and enable human-computer interaction. Screen refresh rate is a key indicator of a display, measuring the number of times the screen refreshes its image per second, measured in Hertz (Hz). The higher the refresh rate, the smoother the image. Common screen refresh rates include 10 Hz, 30 Hz, 60 Hz, 75 Hz, and 120 Hz.

[0005] Traditional organic light-emitting diode (OLED) screens need to maintain a low refresh rate to avoid screen flickering, even when the display is not updating. Furthermore, when the display is updating, even if it is only a small area of ​​the screen, the OLED screen will refresh the entire display.

[0006] Therefore, how to save screen power consumption is of great research significance.

[0007] Summary of the Invention

[0008] Embodiments of the present application provide a screen partition refresh method and an electronic device for reducing screen power consumption.

[0009] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a screen partition refresh method. The method can be applied to an electronic device comprising a processor and a screen. In the method, the processor sends a local area refresh command to the screen; wherein the local area refresh command is generated when the processor determines that a first target refresh area to be refreshed in a first frame image is different from a second target refresh area to be refreshed in a second frame image, the first target refresh area is a local area, and the second frame image is the previous frame image adjacent to the first frame image. The screen refreshes the first target refresh area according to the local area refresh command.

[0010] Based on the above method, when the processor detects that the target refresh partition of the current image frame has changed compared to the target refresh partition of the previous image frame, the processor can send a local area refresh command to the screen, instructing the screen to refresh the target refresh partition. This can reduce the full-screen refresh caused by the change of the target refresh partition, thereby saving screen power consumption.

[0011] In one possible design, the method also includes: the processor sending first area display data to the screen; wherein, the first area display data corresponds to the original refresh area in the first frame image, and the first target refresh area is greater than or equal to the original refresh area.

[0012] In this design, the screen can refresh the local area according to the updated display data and local area refresh commands sent by the processor, thereby reducing the full-screen refresh caused by the change of the target refresh partition and saving the power consumption of the screen.

[0013] In one possible design, the electronic device further includes a memory, and when the first target refresh area is larger than the original refresh area, the method further includes: the screen reading, from the memory, second-area display data corresponding to an area in the first target refresh area excluding the original refresh area. Based on this, refreshing the first target refresh area includes: refreshing the original refresh area based on the first-area display data; and refreshing the area in the first target refresh area excluding the original refresh area based on the second-area display data.

[0014] In this design, the screen uses the updated local area indicated by the local area refresh command, combined with the updated display data received from the processor, to retrieve display data from the cache when needed. This allows not only partial refreshes to be achieved using local area refresh commands, but also synchronized refreshes of local areas larger than the actual updated area, thereby ensuring consistent display effects.

[0015] In one possible design, the method also includes: the processor obtains the original refresh area based on the dirty area that has changed in the first frame image compared to the second frame image; the processor adjusts the original refresh area according to preset rules to obtain the first target refresh area; wherein the preset rules are used to determine that there is at least one constrained area that needs to be refreshed synchronously, and the first target refresh area includes the original refresh area and the at least one constrained area.

[0016] This design, by considering the constraints of display consistency or other synchronous refresh constraints, allows adjustments to be made to the original refresh area that has actually been updated. This not only allows for localized refreshes, but also ensures display consistency, or can meet the needs of partitioned refreshes in more scenarios.

[0017] In one possible design, the preset rules include: a refresh timing when reaching a first constraint area; wherein the first constraint area has a first refresh rate, and the screen does not support the first refresh rate; the refresh timing is obtained based on a second refresh rate supported by the screen; the first refresh rate is less than the second refresh rate.

[0018] In this design, the processor can adjust the original refresh area to achieve a wider range of refresh rates based on the refresh rate supported by the screen hardware. This can meet the needs of partitioned refresh in more scenarios.

[0019] In one possible design, the preset rules include at least one of the following rules: reaching the refresh rate switching timing of the second constraint area with a third refresh rate; wherein the third refresh rate is the target refresh rate of the second constraint area; reaching the self-refresh timing of the third constraint area with a fourth refresh rate; wherein the fourth refresh rate is the lowest refresh rate among the multiple refresh rates included in the screen.

[0020] In this design, by considering the constraints of display consistency, it is possible to adjust the original refresh area that actually has been updated. This not only allows for local area refresh, but also ensures the consistency of the display effect. For example, the display consistency can be determined by the timing of switching refresh rates during the step-by-step reduction of the refresh rate, or by the timing of self-refresh at the lowest refresh rate among multiple refresh rates.

[0021] In one possible design, the local area refresh command includes first position indication information, where the first position indication information is used to indicate the display position of the first target refresh area in the screen.

[0022] In this design, the processor can use a local refresh command to indicate which data the screen needs to refresh, enabling more accurate screen refresh in specific areas. Furthermore, based on the location information in the local refresh command and the updated display data from the processor, the display data that needs to be retrieved from the cache can be accurately determined, ensuring the accuracy of the local refresh.

[0023] In a second aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a method for refreshing a partitioned screen. This method can be applied to an electronic device comprising a processor and a screen. In this method, when the processor does not send display data to the screen, it detects that a preset rule is satisfied and sends a self-refresh command to the screen; the preset rule is used to determine that at least one restricted area requires refreshing. The screen refreshes the at least one restricted area according to the self-refresh command.

[0024] Based on the above method, when the processor detects that there is no image refresh, but the refresh timing of some areas is met, it can generate a self-refresh command to ensure the accurate refresh of the display data. This can reduce the problem of abnormal display caused by abnormalities such as image jitter.

[0025] In one possible design, the self-refresh command includes second position indication information, where the second position indication information is used to indicate a display position of the at least one restricted area in the screen.

[0026] In this design, the processor can ensure the accuracy of screen refresh by indicating the area of ​​the screen that needs to be refreshed in the self-refresh command.

[0027] In one possible design, the electronic device further includes a memory. The method further includes: the screen reading, from the memory, third-area display data corresponding to the at least one restricted area. Refreshing the at least one restricted area includes refreshing the at least one restricted area based on the third-area display data.

[0028] In one possible design, the preset rules include: a refresh timing when reaching a first constraint area; wherein the first constraint area has a first refresh rate, and the screen does not support the first refresh rate; the refresh timing is obtained based on a second refresh rate supported by the screen; the first refresh rate is less than the second refresh rate.

[0029] In one possible design, the preset rules include at least one of the following rules: reaching the refresh rate switching timing of the second constraint area with a third refresh rate; wherein the third refresh rate is the target refresh rate of the second constraint area; reaching the self-refresh timing of the third constraint area with a fourth refresh rate; wherein the fourth refresh rate is the lowest refresh rate among the multiple refresh rates included in the screen.

[0030] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a screen partition refresh method. The method can be applied to an electronic device, comprising: determining a first target refresh area to be refreshed in a first frame image; wherein the first target refresh area is a local area of ​​the screen of the electronic device; upon detecting that the first target refresh area is different from a second target refresh area to be refreshed in a second frame image, generating a local area refresh command; wherein the second frame image is the previous frame image adjacent to the first frame image, and the local area refresh command is used to instruct the screen to refresh the first target refresh area.

[0031] In one possible design, determining the first target refresh area in the first frame image includes: obtaining the original refresh area in the first frame image based on the dirty area that has changed in the first frame image compared to the second frame image; adjusting the original refresh area according to preset rules to obtain the first target refresh area; wherein the preset rules are used to determine that there is at least one constrained area that needs to be refreshed synchronously, and the first target refresh area includes the original refresh area and the at least one constrained area.

[0032] In one possible design, the preset rules include: a refresh timing when reaching a first constraint area; wherein the first constraint area has a first refresh rate, and the screen does not support the first refresh rate; the refresh timing is obtained based on a second refresh rate supported by the screen; the first refresh rate is less than the second refresh rate.

[0033] In one possible design, the preset rules include at least one of the following rules: reaching the refresh rate switching timing of the second constraint area with a third refresh rate; wherein the third refresh rate is the target refresh rate of the second constraint area; reaching the self-refresh timing of the third constraint area with a fourth refresh rate; wherein the fourth refresh rate is the lowest refresh rate among the multiple refresh rates included in the screen.

[0034] In one possible design, the local area refresh command includes position indication information, where the position indication information is used to indicate the display position of the first target refresh area in the screen.

[0035] In a possible design, before determining the first target refresh area to be refreshed in the first frame image, the method further includes: detecting that there is an image refresh; and detecting that the first frame image is to be refreshed in a local area.

[0036] In another possible design, the method further includes: when it is detected that there is no image refresh and the self-refresh timing of reaching the fourth refresh rate is detected, generating a self-refresh command; wherein the self-refresh command is used to instruct the screen to refresh a third target refresh area, and the third target refresh area includes an area with the fourth refresh rate.

[0037] In a fourth aspect, the present application provides an electronic device comprising multiple functional modules; the multiple functional modules interact with each other to implement the method performed by the electronic device in any of the above aspects and its respective embodiments. The multiple functional modules can be implemented based on software, hardware, or a combination of software and hardware, and the multiple functional modules can be arbitrarily combined or divided based on the specific implementation.

[0038] In a fifth aspect, the present application provides an electronic device comprising at least one processor and at least one memory, wherein the at least one memory stores computer program instructions. When the electronic device is running, the at least one processor executes the method executed by the electronic device in any of the above aspects and its various embodiments.

[0039] In a sixth aspect, the present application also provides a computer-readable storage medium, in which a computer program is stored. When the computer program is executed by a computer, the computer executes any one of the above aspects and its possible methods of designing electronic devices to execute.

[0040] In a seventh aspect, the present application provides a computer program product, which includes: a computer program (also referred to as code, or instructions), which, when executed, enables a computer to execute any of the above aspects and possible methods of designing electronic devices.

[0041] In an eighth aspect, an embodiment of the present application also provides a graphical user interface on an electronic device, which has a screen, one or more memories, and one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors are used to execute one or more computer programs stored in the one or more memories, and the graphical user interface includes a graphical user interface displayed when the electronic device executes any of the above aspects and its possible designs.

[0042] In a ninth aspect, the present application also provides a chip, which is used to read a computer program stored in a memory and execute any of the above aspects and their possible methods of designing electronic devices to execute.

[0043] In a tenth aspect, the present application further provides a chip system, comprising a processor for supporting a computer device in implementing any of the above aspects and possible methods for designing electronic devices for execution. In one possible design, the chip system further comprises a memory for storing programs and data necessary for the computer device. The chip system may be composed of a chip alone, or may include a chip and other discrete devices.

[0044] For the beneficial effects of any of the second to tenth aspects and their possible designs, please refer to the beneficial effects of the various possible designs in the first aspect, which will not be repeated here. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0045] FIG1A is a schematic diagram of an interface for partition refresh;

[0046] FIG1B is a timing diagram of a partition refresh;

[0047] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of the hardware structure of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0048] FIG3 is a block diagram of a software architecture of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0049] FIG4 is a flow chart of a screen partition refresh method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0050] FIG5A is a timing diagram of a screen partition refresh method according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0051] FIG5B is a second timing diagram of a screen partition refresh method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0052] FIG6 is a third timing diagram of a screen partition refresh method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0053] FIG7 is a fourth timing diagram of a screen partition refresh method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0054] FIG8 is a schematic diagram of screen partitioning provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0055] FIG9A is a fifth timing diagram of a screen partition refresh method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0056] FIG9B is a sixth timing diagram of a screen partition refresh method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0057] FIG9C is a seventh timing diagram of a screen partition refresh method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0058] FIG10 is a schematic diagram of another screen partition provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0059] FIG11A is a schematic diagram of a refresh area adjustment according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0060] FIG11B is a schematic diagram of another refresh area adjustment according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0061] FIG12 is another flow chart of a screen partition refresh method provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0062] The embodiments of the present application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0063] The embodiments of the present application can be applied to the field of terminal technology, and specifically can be applied to the screen interface refresh scenario of electronic devices. The interface displayed on the screen can generally include one or more areas for implementing different functions. For example, it can include but is not limited to the following areas: a top status bar including information such as battery level, time, and network status; a main display area including the main display content of the interface, such as the main display content is desktop icons, video screens, application interfaces, etc.; a bottom navigation area, or a bottom taskbar area, or a bottom status bar area. Among them, the main display area can also further include areas for displaying different functions; for example, the main display area can be used to display live content, and can include a live screen playback area and a comment display area.

[0064] In one possible scenario, with the gradual popularization of low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) screens, partitioned refresh of the screen can be achieved. Among them, partitioned refresh can also be understood as dividing the screen into multiple areas, and different areas correspond to different refresh rates. In this way, when local content on the screen requires a high refresh rate to update, the area that is not updated can maintain a lower refresh rate, so there is no need to refresh the entire display content included in the screen, which can save the power consumption of the screen.

[0065] Figure 1A is a schematic diagram of a partitioned refresh interface. The interface 100 shown in Figure 1A may include a top status bar area 100A, a live screen playback area 100B, and a comment display area 100C. The content in different areas of the interface 100 has different refresh rate requirements. For example, the time, battery level, etc. included in the top status bar area 100A generally change only after 1 minute, or only change when the battery level is reduced. Therefore, the top status bar area 100A has a lower refresh rate requirement; the content in the live screen playback area 100B has a higher refresh rate requirement; the content in the comment display area 100C has a refresh rate requirement lower than that of the live screen playback area 100B, but higher than that of the top status bar area 100A. Therefore, area 100A can correspond to a low refresh rate area of ​​10Hz, area 100B can correspond to a high refresh rate area of ​​60Hz, and area 100C can correspond to a medium refresh rate area of ​​30Hz.

[0066] Based on the multiple screen areas divided into the interface 100 in Figure 1A, the refresh timing diagram corresponding to each screen area can be shown in Figure 1B. It can be seen from the timing diagram shown in Figure 1B that the tearing effect signal (TE) corresponding to the screen is output according to the screen frame rate of 120Hz. Among them, TE is a feedback signal sent by the screen to the processor, which is used to inform the processor about the display progress of the screen. For example, the display progress may be that the screen now reads the data from the memory from the first row and displays it. In this way, through TE, it can be avoided that when the screen reads the data from the memory, the processor writes data to the same position, thereby causing the screen to be distorted due to the conflict.

[0067] Different refresh rate zones can also be understood as having different update rates for the displayed data. Furthermore, when data is updated in at least one refresh rate zone, the updated data can be sent to the screen via the mobile industry processor interface (MIPI). It is understood that since the screen is divided into multiple zones with different refresh rates, the size of the updated data sent to the screen each time is not exactly the same. For example, as shown in FIG1B , the updated data sent via MIPI may include updated data for one zone, two zones, or even three zones. However, regardless of how many zones the screen receives updated data from, it will refresh and display all the data on the screen at a refresh rate of 60 Hz. The total screen data includes: updated data from MIPI and cached screen data. It can also be understood that the data in the updated zone is received from the processor via MIPI, and the data in the unupdated zone is read from the cache. Therefore, although the data sent to the screen by the processor can be reduced in this scenario, the load data when the screen refreshes is still the total data on the screen. Furthermore, refreshing and displaying all the data on the screen can ensure the consistency of the display effect, but it results in higher screen power consumption.

[0068] In another possible scenario, even if the screen can achieve partitioned refresh, it will lead to the problem of not being able to ensure the consistency of the full-screen display effect. In addition, the partitions in the screen may also change. For example, in the scenario of playing a video in a small window, the position of the small window may be dragged by the user, making it difficult to ensure the consistency of the full-screen display effect. Alternatively, as described in Figure 1B, in order to ensure the consistency of the display effect, the screen will refresh all the data to ensure the consistency of the display effect, but there is a high screen power consumption.

[0069] In view of this, an embodiment of the present application provides a screen partition refresh method. In this method, by adding a processing module on the processor side, the processing module can determine the screen refresh area and send a local area refresh command to the screen, thereby achieving local data refresh of the screen at the frame level. In this way, the screen can perform more accurate partition refresh based on the local area refresh command of the processor, providing a technical solution that can balance the consistency of display effect and screen power consumption.

[0070] Among them, the processing module is a unit of logical functions and can be integrated into a processor. This application does not limit the hardware composition.

[0071] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application can be applied to electronic devices, and the electronic devices are any devices including a screen with a display function. For example, the electronic device can be an electronic device such as a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a wearable device (e.g., a watch, a bracelet, etc.), a vehicle-mounted device, an augmented reality (AR) / virtual reality (VR) device, a laptop computer, an ultra-mobile personal computer (UMPC), a netbook, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a smart home device (e.g., a smart TV, etc.) that can display a user interface (UI). It will be understood that the embodiments of the present application do not impose any restrictions on the specific type of electronic device.

[0072] The electronic devices to which the embodiments of the present application can be applied include but are not limited to electronic devices equipped with Or electronic devices with other operating systems. The electronic device may be, for example, the electronic device introduced in the above embodiments.

[0073] FIG2 shows a schematic diagram of the hardware structure of a possible electronic device. Wherein, the electronic device 200 includes components such as a radio frequency (RF) circuit 210, a power supply 220, a processor 230, a memory 240, an input unit 250, a display unit 260, an audio circuit 270, a communication interface 280, and a Wi-Fi module 290. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the hardware structure of the electronic device 200 shown in FIG2 does not constitute a limitation on the electronic device 200. The electronic device 200 provided in the embodiment of the present application may include more or fewer components than shown, may combine two or more components, or may have different component configurations. The various components shown in FIG2 may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software including one or more signal processing and / or application-specific integrated circuits.

[0074] The following is a detailed introduction to the various components of the electronic device 200 with reference to FIG. 2 :

[0075] The RF circuit 210 can be used for receiving and sending data during communication or calls. In particular, after receiving downlink data from the base station, the RF circuit 210 sends it to the processor 230 for processing; in addition, the uplink data to be sent is sent to the base station. Generally, the RF circuit 210 includes but is not limited to an antenna, at least one amplifier, a transceiver, a coupler, a low noise amplifier (LNA), a duplexer, etc. In addition, the RF circuit 210 can also communicate with other devices through a wireless communication network. The wireless communication can use any communication standard or protocol, including but not limited to the global system of mobile communications (GSM), general packet radio service (GPRS), code division multiple access (CDMA), wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA), long term evolution (LTE), email, short messaging service (SMS), etc.

[0076] Wi-Fi technology is a short-range wireless transmission technology. The electronic device 200 can connect to an access point (AP) via the Wi-Fi module 290 to access a data network. The Wi-Fi module 290 can be used to receive and send data during the communication process.

[0077] The electronic device 200 can be physically connected to other devices via the communication interface 280. Optionally, the communication interface 280 is connected to the communication interface of the other device via a cable to achieve data transmission between the electronic device 200 and the other device.

[0078] The electronic device 200 can also implement communication services and interact with other electronic devices, so the electronic device 200 needs to have a data transmission function, that is, the electronic device 200 needs to include a communication module. Although Figure 2 shows communication modules such as the RF circuit 210, the Wi-Fi module 290, and the communication interface 280, it is understandable that the electronic device 200 has at least one of the above components or other communication modules (such as Bluetooth modules) for implementing communication to perform data transmission. For example, when the electronic device 200 is a mobile phone, the electronic device 200 may include the RF circuit 210, and may also include the Wi-Fi module 290, or may include a Bluetooth module (not shown in Figure 2); when the electronic device 200 is a tablet computer, the electronic device 200 may include the Wi-Fi module, or may include a Bluetooth module (not shown in Figure 2); when the electronic device 200 is a smart home device, the electronic device 200 may include the Wi-Fi module 290, or may include a Bluetooth module (not shown in Figure 2).

[0079] The memory 240 can be used to store software programs and modules. The processor 230 executes various functional applications and data processing of the electronic device 200 by running the software programs and modules stored in the memory 240. Optionally, the memory 240 may mainly include a program storage area and a data storage area. Among them, the program storage area can store an operating system (mainly including the kernel layer, system layer, application framework layer and application layer, etc., each corresponding software program or module). In addition, the memory 240 may include a high-speed random access memory, and may also include a non-volatile memory, such as at least one disk storage device, a flash memory device, or other volatile solid-state storage device.

[0080] The input unit 250 can be used to receive editing operations of various different types of data objects such as digital or character information input by the user, and to generate key signal input related to the user settings and function control of the electronic device 200. Optionally, the input unit 250 may include a touch panel 251 and other input devices 252. Among them, the touch panel 251, also known as a touch screen, can collect user touch operations on or near it (such as operations performed by the user using any suitable object or accessory such as a finger, stylus, etc. on or near the touch panel 251) and drive the corresponding connection device according to a pre-set program. Optionally, the other input devices 252 may include but are not limited to one or more of a physical keyboard, function keys (such as volume control keys, switch keys, etc.), a trackball, a mouse, a joystick, etc.

[0081] The display unit 260 can be used to display information input by the user or information provided to the user and various menus of the electronic device 200. The display unit 260 is the display system of the electronic device 200, which is used to present an interface and realize human-computer interaction. The display unit 260 may include a display panel 261; wherein, the display panel 261 can also be understood as a screen or a display, etc., which can be used interchangeably in the embodiment of the present application. Optionally, the display panel 261 can be configured in the form of a partition refresh technology that supports the screen, such as low temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO). In the embodiment of the present application, the display unit 260 can be used to display an interface, and the display unit 260 can receive a local area refresh command from the processor 230, and realize partition refresh in response to the local area refresh command. In addition, data is transmitted between the display unit 260 and the processor 230 via the MIPI interface; wherein, the display unit 260 receives screen update data from the processor 230 via the MIPI interface, and the display unit 260 sends a TE signal to the processor 230 via the MIPI interface. The TE signal is used to ensure the frequency of transmitting screen update data between the display unit 260 and the processor 230, so as to better ensure the consistency of the screen effect.

[0082] The processor 230 is the control center of the electronic device 200. It connects various components using various interfaces and lines, executes various functions of the electronic device 200 and processes data by running or executing software programs and / or modules stored in the memory 240, and calling data stored in the memory 240, thereby realizing a variety of services based on the electronic device 200. In an embodiment of the present application, the processor 230 may also be referred to as a system on chip (SOC). In an embodiment of the present application, the processor 230 and the SOC may be used interchangeably. Exemplarily, the processor 230 may be used to detect and respond to self-refresh events in low refresh rate areas, and send self-refresh commands to the screen via MIPI, thereby ensuring the consistency of the display effect of the screen. In another exemplary embodiment, the processor 230 may also be used to detect and respond to local area refresh events, obtain update data and determine the local area to be refreshed, and send update data and local area refresh commands to the screen via MIPI, thereby achieving accurate partition refresh and saving power consumption of the screen.

[0083] The electronic device 200 also includes a power supply 220 (such as a battery) for powering various components. Optionally, the power supply 220 can be logically connected to the processor 230 through a power management system, thereby managing charging, discharging, and power consumption through the power management system.

[0084] As shown in Figure 2, the electronic device 200 also includes an audio circuit 270, a microphone 271 and a speaker 272, which can provide an audio interface between the user and the electronic device 200. The audio circuit 270 can be used to convert audio data into a signal that can be recognized by the speaker 272, and transmit the signal to the speaker 272, which is converted into a sound signal for output by the speaker 272. The microphone 271 is used to collect external sound signals (such as the sound of a person speaking, or other sounds, etc.), and convert the collected external sound signals into signals that can be recognized by the audio circuit 270 and send them to the audio circuit 270. The audio circuit 270 can also be used to convert the signal sent by the microphone 271 into audio data, and then output the audio data to the RF circuit 210 to send it to, for example, another electronic device, or output the audio data to the memory 240 for subsequent further processing.

[0085] Although not shown in FIG2 , the electronic device 200 may further include a camera, at least one sensor, etc., which are not described in detail herein. The at least one sensor may include but is not limited to a pressure sensor, an air pressure sensor, an acceleration sensor, a distance sensor, a fingerprint sensor, a touch sensor, a temperature sensor, etc.

[0086] The operating system (OS) involved in the embodiments of the present application is the most basic system software running on the electronic device 200. The software system of the electronic device 200 can adopt a layered architecture, an event-driven architecture, a microkernel architecture, a microservice architecture, or a cloud architecture. The embodiments of the present application use an operating system with a layered architecture as an example to illustrate the software architecture of the electronic device 200.

[0087] Figure 3 is a block diagram of the software architecture of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 3, the software architecture of the electronic device can be a layered architecture. For example, the software can be divided into several layers, and each layer has a clear role and division of labor. The layers communicate with each other through software interfaces. In some embodiments, the operating system is divided into five layers, from top to bottom, namely, the application layer, the application framework layer (framework, FWK), the runtime and system library, the kernel layer, and the hardware layer. Among them, the system software can be run by the processor 230 in Figure 2, so that the various functions of the electronic device 200 can be realized together with various hardware.

[0088] The application layer can include a series of application packages. As shown in Figure 3, the application layer can include the UI, camera, settings, skin modules, third-party applications, etc. Among them, third-party applications may include wireless local area network (WLAN), music, calls, Bluetooth, video, etc. In the application layer, the UI elements and their shadow properties can also be defined according to the system interface.

[0089] In one possible implementation, applications can be developed using Java by calling the application programming interface (API) provided by the application framework layer. Developers can use the application framework layer to interact with the underlying operating system layers (e.g., the hardware layer, kernel layer, etc.) to develop their own applications. The application framework layer primarily provides a series of services and management systems for the operating system.

[0090] The application framework layer provides an application programming interface and programming framework for applications in the application layer. The application framework layer includes some predefined functions. As shown in Figure 3, the application framework layer can include a view system, an activity manager, a window manager, a content provider, a telephony manager, a resource manager, a notification manager, and so on.

[0091] The activity manager is used to manage the life cycle of each application and provide common navigation back functions, providing an interactive interface for all program windows.

[0092] The window manager manages windowed applications. It can obtain the screen size, determine whether a status bar is present, lock the screen, and take screenshots. Content providers store and retrieve data and make it accessible to applications. This data can include video, images, audio, incoming and outgoing calls, browsing history and bookmarks, and phone books.

[0093] The view system includes both visible and invisible controls, such as controls for displaying text and images. The view system is used to build applications. A display interface can consist of one or more views. For example, a display interface containing a text notification icon might include a view for displaying text and a view for displaying images.

[0094] The phone manager is used to provide communication functions for electronic devices, such as call status management (including answering, hanging up, etc.).

[0095] The resource manager provides various resources for applications, such as localized strings, icons, images, layout files, video files, and so on.

[0096] The Notification Manager allows applications to display notifications in the status bar. These messages can be displayed briefly and then disappear automatically without user interaction. For example, the Notification Manager is used to notify users of completed downloads and message reminders. The Notification Manager can also display notifications in the top status bar of the system as icons or scrolling text, such as notifications from background applications, or as dialog windows on the screen. For example, these can display text messages in the status bar, emit a sound, vibrate electronic devices, or flash indicator lights.

[0097] The runtime includes the core library and the virtual machine. The runtime is responsible for the scheduling and management of the operating system.

[0098] The core library consists of two parts: one containing the Java language's callable functions and the other containing the operating system's core libraries. The application layer and application framework layer run in a virtual machine. The virtual machine executes Java files from the application layer and application framework layer as binary files. The virtual machine manages object lifecycles, stack management, thread management, security and exception management, and garbage collection.

[0099] The system library can include multiple functional modules, such as a surface manager, a media framework, a 3D graphics processing library (such as OpenGL ES), and a 2D graphics engine (such as SGL).

[0100] The surface manager is used to manage the display subsystem and provide the fusion of two-dimensional and 3D layers for multiple applications.

[0101] The media framework supports playback and recording of a variety of common audio and video formats, as well as static image files. The media framework can support a variety of audio and video encoding formats, such as MPEG4, H.264, MP3, AAC, AMR, JPG, PNG, etc.

[0102] The 3D graphics processing library is used to implement 3D graphics drawing, image rendering, compositing, and layer processing.

[0103] The 2D graphics engine is a drawing engine for 2D drawings. The 2D graphics engine can perform drawing operations and draw UI elements and their shadows on the screen.

[0104] In some embodiments, a three-dimensional graphics processing library may be used to draw a three-dimensional motion trajectory image, and a two-dimensional graphics engine may be used to draw a two-dimensional motion trajectory image.

[0105] The kernel layer is the layer between hardware and software. The kernel layer includes at least a display driver, a camera driver, an audio driver, and a sensor driver. In the embodiment of the present application, the processor 230 can realize data transmission with the display unit 260 through the display driver. For example, the processor 230 can realize the transmission of screen update data to the display unit 260 through the MIPI interface and the reception of TE signals from the display unit 260 through the MIPI interface through the display driver.

[0106] The hardware layer can include various sensors, such as accelerometers, gravity sensors, touch sensors, etc.

[0107] Typically, the electronic device 200 can run multiple applications simultaneously. In simpler cases, one application corresponds to one process, while in more complex cases, one application corresponds to multiple processes. Each process has a process ID.

[0108] It should be understood that in the embodiments of the present application, "at least one of the following" or similar expressions refers to any combination of these items, including any combination of single items or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b or c can represent: a, b, c, a and b, a and c, b and c, or a, b and c, where a, b, c can be single or multiple. "Multiple" refers to two or more. "And / or" is used to describe the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the previous and subsequent associated objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0109] In addition, it should be understood that, in the description of this application, words such as "first" and "second" are only used for the purpose of distinguishing the description, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance, nor can they be understood as indicating or implying order.

[0110] It should be understood that the hardware structure of the electronic device can be as shown in Figure 2, and the software system architecture can be as shown in Figure 3, wherein the software programs and / or modules corresponding to the software system architecture in the electronic device can be stored in the memory 240, and the processor 230 can run the software programs and applications stored in the memory 240 to execute the process of a screen partition refresh method provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0111] In order to facilitate understanding of a screen partition refresh method provided by the present application, the implementation process of the method provided by the present application is introduced below in combination with the contents shown in Figures 4 to 11B.

[0112] The method provided in the embodiments of the present application can be applied to scenarios where the screen is refreshed in a partitioned manner, or it can be understood as refreshing a local area of ​​the screen while leaving the remaining area unchanged. Exemplary application scenarios include, but are not limited to: non-full-screen video playback interfaces, such as live broadcasts; overlaying bullet screens, progress bars, status bars, and other information on full-screen video playback interfaces; application window interfaces such as split-screen and small windows; and input method typing interfaces.

[0113] For ease of understanding, the following explains the technical terms or terminology that may be involved in the embodiments of this application:

[0114] (1) Display consistency refers to the synchronization of the pixels on the screen within the same frame. It should be understood that ensuring display consistency can prevent screen flickering, tearing, and other display anomalies.

[0115] In the scenario of partition refresh, the screen is divided into multiple partitions, and different partitions are refreshed at different refresh rates. It is understandable that as the screen is refreshed, it is impossible to guarantee that the displays of the two partitions are always synchronized during the subsequent refresh process; when the displays of two partitions are no longer synchronized, abnormal display problems such as screen flashing and tearing may occur. Therefore, ensuring synchronization when at least two partitions need to be refreshed at the same time is very important for the consistency of display effects. Optionally, the screen can ensure synchronization when at least two partitions need to be refreshed at the same time through the constraint of display effect consistency.

[0116] (2) Constraints on display consistency mean that in order to ensure display consistency, the screen will be forced to refresh more partitions or all contents when certain constraints are met. Optionally, the screen no longer divides the refresh of the frame into regions, but performs a global refresh, which can facilitate display synchronization during subsequent refreshes. Another option is that although the SOC detects that partition 1 needs to be refreshed, the screen may forcefully refresh partitions 1 and 2 in accordance with the constraints to ensure display synchronization between partitions 1 and 2.

[0117] Possible constraints include but are not limited to:

[0118] Constraints 1) Refresh rate switching timing.

[0119] For example, the screen achieves a low refresh rate refresh by gradually reducing the screen frame rate to the target refresh rate, thereby avoiding abnormal display issues such as flickering and tearing. For example, if the screen frame rate is 120Hz and the target refresh rate is 10Hz, the refresh rate in the low refresh rate area can be reduced from 120Hz to 60Hz, then to 30Hz, and finally to 10Hz. Therefore, in the process of gradually reducing the refresh rate, the screen can be forced to refresh all content each time the refresh rate is switched.

[0120] As another example, the refresh rate may also change accordingly as the displayed content changes. For example, if the refresh rate for display content 1 is 10Hz and the refresh rate for display content 2 is 30Hz, when displaying content 1 to display content 2, the refresh rate will switch from 10Hz to 30Hz. Therefore, when the refresh rate switches, the screen can be forced to refresh all content.

[0121] Constraint 2) The partition changes.

[0122] Exemplarily, the partition division result changes. Optionally, the partition change can be performed in response to user operations, such as the user dragging the display position of the small window to adjust the distribution of the live screen playback area and the comment display area. Another option is that the partition change can also be performed automatically when a preset condition is detected, such as a scene where barrage is superimposed on the video playback interface. Since the refresh rate of the video and the refresh rate of the barrage are generally inconsistent, the partitions may be switched back and forth. Therefore, when the partition changes, the screen can be forced to refresh all the content.

[0123] Constraint 3) Self-refresh based on low refresh rate.

[0124] For example, a screen may include multiple partitions with different refresh rates, and self-refresh may be performed based on the lowest refresh rate among the multiple refresh rates. For example, the multiple refresh rates may include 120Hz, 60Hz, and 10Hz, and the screen may be refreshed at 10Hz to achieve self-refresh. Therefore, when a 10Hz refresh opportunity is detected, the screen may be forced to refresh all content.

[0125] Optionally, Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating a screen partition refresh method provided in an embodiment of the present application. This method can be applied to electronic devices. Figure 4 describes the processing performed by the SOC and screen included in the electronic device; the SOC can be, for example, the processor 230 shown in Figure 2 or integrated into the processor shown in Figure 2, and the screen can be, for example, the display panel 261 shown in Figure 2. The process may include the following steps:

[0126] Step 401: The SOC detects whether a refresh is required. A refresh can be understood as an image frame update, that is, whether an updated image frame needs to be sent to the screen for display. It is understood that if a refresh is not required, the SOC will not send updated data to the screen.

[0127] Optionally, depending on the scenario of image refresh and non-image refresh, the following possible processing methods can be included. Optionally, when there is no image refresh, refer to the following processing method 1. Another option is that when there is image refresh, refer to the following processing methods 2 and 3.

[0128] Solution 1

[0129] Step 402: The SOC detects whether at least one constraint condition is satisfied. For example, during a screen refresh, the display effects of various areas on the screen must be consistent, so there are display effect consistency constraints. For details, please refer to the description of display effect consistency constraints in the aforementioned embodiments. Optionally, if the SOC detects that the current refresh timing satisfies at least one constraint condition, it may determine that a screen refresh is necessary.

[0130] For example, Figure 5A is a timing diagram of a screen partition refresh method provided in an embodiment of the present application. Within the timing range corresponding to the dotted box 501 as shown in Figure 5A, the refresh timing of the screen display refresh meets the constraint condition 1 of the low refresh rate area from 60Hz to 30Hz. Since the SOC detects that there is no picture refresh, it can be detected through step 402 that the constraint condition 1 is met. Within the timing range corresponding to the dotted box 502 as shown in Figure 5A, the refresh timing of the screen display refresh meets the constraint condition 1 of the low refresh rate area from 30Hz to 10Hz. Since the SOC detects that there is no picture refresh, it can be detected through step 402 that the constraint condition 1 is met. It should be understood that the timing diagram shown in Figure 5A is a partial timing diagram included in the screen refresh process.

[0131] For another example, FIG5B is another timing diagram of a screen partition refresh method provided by an embodiment of the present application. Within the timing range corresponding to the dotted box 503 as shown in FIG5B , the refresh timing of the screen display refresh satisfies the constraint condition 3 of self-refresh based on 10 Hz. Since the SOC detects that there is no image refresh, it can be detected through step 402 that the constraint condition is met. It can be understood that 10 Hz is the lowest refresh rate among the multiple refresh rates included in the screen. It should be understood that FIG5B only shows the timing processing corresponding to the dotted box 503, and the processing of other timings is not shown.

[0132] Step 403: The SOC generates a self-refresh command. Referring to the timing diagram shown in FIG5A , at the refresh timings included in the dashed boxes 501 and 502 , the SOC detects that no image is being refreshed, and thus a self-refresh command may be generated before the refresh timing.

[0133] 5B , at the refresh timing included in the dashed box 503 , since the SOC detects that no image is being refreshed, a self-refresh command may be generated before the refresh timing.

[0134] Step 404: The SOC sends a self-refresh command to the screen, wherein the self-refresh command can be used to instruct the screen to refresh.

[0135] Optionally, the self-refresh command provided in the embodiment of the present application can be used to instruct the screen to refresh all displayed content. In this case, the screen can read all display data from a data cache location such as memory 240 to achieve a global refresh of the screen area. The entire display data included in the data cache location can be, for example, data corresponding to the previous frame of the display interface.

[0136] Alternatively, the self-refresh command provided in the embodiments of the present application may be used to instruct the screen to refresh the display content of at least one partition. In this case, the screen may read the display data corresponding to the at least one partition from a data cache location, such as memory 240, to refresh the local area of ​​the screen. Exemplarily, the self-refresh command may also include location information indicating the at least one partition, which may be used by the screen to read the display data.

[0137] Through processing method 1, the SOC can generate a self-refresh command when it detects that at least one constraint condition is met in a scenario where no image is being refreshed. This allows the screen to refresh according to the self-refresh command from the SOC. In this way, even in scenarios where no image is being refreshed due to abnormal conditions such as missing images caused by fluctuations in the image refresh frequency, the self-refresh command can be used to ensure display consistency.

[0138] Solution 2

[0139] Step 405: The SOC detects whether it is a partial refresh. Optionally, if it detects that it is not a partial refresh, the SOC may proceed to step 406, i.e., execute the second processing method. A partial refresh may also be understood as a global refresh. Alternatively, if it detects that it is a partial refresh, the SOC may proceed to step 407 and step 410B, i.e., execute the third processing method.

[0140] Step 406: The SOC sends global data to the screen. For example, Figure 6 is another timing diagram of a screen partition refresh method provided in an embodiment of the present application. At the refresh timing indicated by the dashed box 601 in Figure 6, the SOC detects that the entire screen area needs to be refreshed and sends global data to the screen via MIPI.

[0141] Solution 3

[0142] Step 407: The SOC calculates the original refresh area based on the dirty area. A dirty area refers to an area where content has been updated between the previous and next frames. For example, the rectangular blocks corresponding to the local area refresh shown in Figures 5A, 5B, and 6 can be used to represent a dirty area, i.e., an area where the display content has been updated compared to the previous adjacent image frame.

[0143] Optionally, in step 408, the SOC adjusts the original refresh area according to the constraint of display effect consistency to obtain a target refresh area. The target refresh area and the original refresh area may be the same or different. Optionally, when the original refresh area is adjusted according to the constraint of display effect consistency, the target refresh area is different from the original refresh area. Another option is that when the original refresh area is not adjusted according to the constraint of display effect consistency, the target refresh area is the same as the original refresh area, that is, the original refresh area. For ease of understanding, the following embodiments are all introduced with reference to the target refresh area.

[0144] For example, Figure 7 is another timing diagram of a screen partition refresh method provided by an embodiment of the present application. Within the timing range corresponding to the dotted box 701 shown in Figure 7, the SOC detects that there is a picture refresh, and detects that it is a partial refresh, and the original refresh area 700a of the area to be refreshed; according to the constraint of display effect consistency, the refresh timing of the screen display refresh meets the constraint condition 1 of the low refresh rate area being reduced from 60Hz to 30Hz, so the SOC can adjust the original refresh area 700a to obtain the target refresh area 700b. For example, the target refresh area 700b can be the full screen area.

[0145] Alternatively, the target refresh area may be a full-screen area. Alternatively, the target refresh area may be an area larger than the original refresh area; for example, the original refresh area may only include a low refresh rate area, while the target refresh area may include both a low refresh rate area and a medium refresh rate area.

[0146] Step 409: The SOC detects whether the target refresh area has changed. Exemplarily, the SOC can detect whether the target refresh area included in the two frames of image has changed. For example, the target refresh area of ​​image frame 1 is a low refresh rate area, the target refresh area of ​​image frame 2 is a medium refresh rate area, and image frame 1 is the previous adjacent frame of image frame 2. Therefore, the target refresh area of ​​image frame 2 has changed compared to image frame 1. For another example, the target refresh area of ​​image frame 3 is a high refresh rate area, the target refresh area of ​​image frame 4 is a high refresh rate area, and image frame 3 is the previous adjacent frame of image frame 4. Therefore, the target refresh area of ​​image frame 4 has not changed compared to image frame 3.

[0147] It can be understood that according to the constraint condition 2 of the display effect consistency introduced in the foregoing content, when the target refresh area changes, a forced full-screen refresh will be triggered. However, in an embodiment of the present application, when the SOC detects that the target refresh area has changed, the following step 410A can be continued to be performed, so that when the target refresh area is a local area, the screen keeps refreshing the local area, thereby saving the power consumption of the screen. For example, within the timing range corresponding to the dotted box 702 shown in Figure 7, the target refresh area 702b is changed compared to the target refresh area 702a. According to the constraint condition 2 of the display effect consistency, when the target refresh area changes, a forced full-screen refresh will be triggered. In an embodiment of the present application, by following the steps 410A to 414, it is possible to achieve that the screen only refreshes the local area, thereby saving the power consumption of the screen.

[0148] In addition, it should be noted that, when the original refresh area is not adjusted in step 408 , the target refresh area in step 409 is also the original refresh area.

[0149] Step 410A: The SOC generates a local area refresh command. It will be appreciated that when a change in the target refresh area is detected in step 409, a local area refresh command is generated. The local area refresh command can be used to instruct a local refresh of the screen. This eliminates the need for a forced global refresh when a change in the screen refresh area occurs.

[0150] Optionally, the local area refresh command includes position indication information of the target refresh area, and the position indication information can be used by the screen to determine the refresh position corresponding to the local area data.

[0151] In step 410B, the SOC generates a local area transfer command. The local area transfer command can be used by the SOC to transmit the display data of the updated local area to the screen. It should be noted that the execution order of step 410B and steps 407 to 410A is not limited in the embodiments of the present application. For example, step 410B can be executed by one process and steps 407 to 410A can be executed by another process. In another example, step 410B can be executed first, followed by steps 407 to 410A.

[0152] Step 411: The SOC sends local area data and a local area refresh command to the screen. Exemplarily, the SOC sends the local area data to the screen in response to the local area transfer command; and the SOC sends the local area refresh command to the screen, thereby eliminating the need for the screen to perform a forced global refresh.

[0153] In addition, the screen may be integrated with or connected to a display driver IC (DDIC). Through the DDIC, the screen may perform the following steps 412 to 414:

[0154] Step 412: The screen detects whether there is a local refresh area based on the self-refresh command, or the global data, or the local area data and the local area refresh command.

[0155] Optionally, when the screen does not detect a partial refresh area, step 413 may be continued. For example, when the screen receives global data, it is determined that no partial refresh area is detected. For another example, when the screen receives a self-refresh command, it may also be determined that no partial refresh data is detected. For another example, when the screen receives a self-refresh command, and the position indication information included in the self-refresh command indicates a global refresh area, it may also be determined that no partial refresh area is detected.

[0156] Alternatively, when a partial refresh area is detected, step 414 may be continued. For example, when the screen receives a partial refresh command, it is determined that a partial refresh area is detected. For another example, when the screen receives a self-refresh command, and the position indication information included in the self-refresh command indicates a partial refresh area, it may also be determined that a partial refresh area is detected.

[0157] Step 413: The screen refreshes global area data. Exemplarily, upon receiving a self-refresh command, the screen may read the display data corresponding to the full-screen area from a cache in response to the self-refresh command, and refresh the full-screen content based on the read display data. Alternatively, upon receiving global data, the screen may refresh the full-screen content based on the received global data.

[0158] Step 414: The screen refreshes the target area data. Exemplarily, the screen receives a local area refresh command and local area data, and can respond to the local area refresh command by refreshing the target refresh area based on the received local area data. Alternatively, the screen receives a self-refresh command and can respond to the self-refresh command by reading the display data corresponding to the local area from the cache, and then refreshing the target refresh area based on the read display data. The target refresh area can be indicated by the self-refresh command.

[0159] Through processing method three, the SOC can generate a local area refresh command on the SOC side when it detects that the conditions are met. This local area refresh command can achieve a partial area refresh of the screen. This can reduce the forced full screen refresh caused by each partition change, thereby reducing the power consumption of the screen.

[0160] In one possible scenario, Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of screen partitioning provided in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in interface 810 in Figure 8 , the screen can be divided into a low refresh rate area of ​​10Hz, a high refresh rate area of ​​60Hz, and a medium refresh rate area of ​​30Hz. The following describes several possible screen refresh processes using Figures 9A to 9C.

[0161] For example, FIG9A is a timing diagram of a screen partition refresh method provided by an embodiment of the present application. The timing is used to indicate that the screen starts to enter the partitioned partial refresh mode from the 60Hz full-screen refresh mode.

[0162] Refresh timing 901 to refresh timing 903: the screen is in full-screen refresh mode and performs global refresh. It can be understood that in global refresh mode, the SOC sends global data to the screen via MIPI.

[0163] Refresh timing 904 to refresh timing 906: Starting from refresh timing 904, the screen starts the partitioned local refresh mode, and the medium refresh rate area and the low refresh rate area begin to reduce the refresh rate step by step. For example, the medium refresh rate area is reduced from 60Hz to 30Hz, and the low refresh rate area is also reduced from 60Hz to 30Hz. It can be understood that in the partitioned local refresh mode, the SOC can obtain updated local data and send the local data to the screen through MIPI. Accordingly, the screen can refresh the local data. Referring to the introduction of Figure 4, when the SOC detects a local refresh scenario and the target refresh area changes (for example, from the global area to only the high refresh rate area), it can indicate a local area refresh command to the screen. Through the local area refresh command, the screen can be refreshed without forcing the full screen when the refresh frequency is reduced. In addition, during the process from refresh timing 904 to refresh timing 906, the lowest refresh rate among the multiple refresh rates included in the screen is 30 Hz, so refresh timing 905 satisfies constraint condition 3. The original refresh area corresponding to refresh timing 905 can be adjusted according to step 408 to obtain the target refresh area. As shown in Figure 9A, the original refresh area corresponding to refresh timing 905 is a local area, and the target refresh area is a global area.

[0164] It can be understood that in the process of gradually reducing the refresh rate, there is no limit on the number of times the screen refreshes at the intermediate refresh rate. For example, if the intermediate refresh rate is 30Hz, it can be refreshed once at 30Hz, or it can be refreshed multiple times and then reduced to the next level of refresh rate.

[0165] For another example, FIG9B is a timing diagram of a screen partition refresh method provided by an embodiment of the present application. The timing is used to indicate the process of the screen gradually reducing the low refresh rate area in the partitioned local refresh mode.

[0166] Refresh timing 907 to refresh timing 909: The medium refresh rate zone is reduced to the target refresh rate, while the refresh rate of the low refresh rate zone is gradually reduced. For example, the medium refresh rate zone has been reduced to the target refresh rate of 30Hz, while the low refresh rate zone is still refreshing at the intermediate refresh rate of 30Hz and has not yet been reduced to the target refresh rate of 10Hz.

[0167] Among them, during the process from refresh timing 907 to refresh timing 909, the lowest refresh rate among the multiple refresh rates included in the screen is still 30Hz, so refresh timing 907 meets constraint condition 3, and the original refresh area corresponding to refresh timing 907 can be adjusted according to step 408 to obtain the target refresh area. As shown in Figure 9B, the original refresh area corresponding to refresh timing 907 is a local area, and the target refresh area is a global area.

[0168] Refresh timing 909 is the switching timing of the refresh rate of the low refresh rate zone, that is, it satisfies constraint condition 1. The original refresh area corresponding to refresh timing 909 can be adjusted according to step 408 to obtain the target refresh area. As shown in Figure 9B, the original refresh area corresponding to refresh timing 909 is a local area, and the target refresh area is a global area. Therefore, the SOC can send the display data of the updated local area to the screen, and indicate the position of the target refresh area through the local area refresh command, so that the screen can refresh the target refresh area. Among them, the display data corresponding to the area in the target refresh area that does not belong to the original refresh area can be obtained by the screen from the cache.

[0169] Refresh timing 910 to refresh timing 915: the refresh rate zone of the medium refresh rate is reduced to the target refresh rate, and the refresh rate of the low refresh rate zone is also reduced to the target refresh rate. For example, the medium refresh rate zone has been reduced to 30Hz, and the low refresh rate zone has been reduced to 10Hz. Among them, in the process of refresh timing 910 to refresh timing 915, the lowest refresh rate among the multiple refresh rates included in the screen is 10Hz, so the refresh timing 915 meets the constraint condition 3, and the original refresh area corresponding to the refresh timing 915 can be adjusted according to step 408, so that the target refresh area can be obtained. As shown in Figure 9B, the original refresh area corresponding to the refresh timing 915 is a local area, and the target refresh area is a global area.

[0170] For another example, FIG9C is a timing diagram of a screen partition refresh method provided by an embodiment of the present application. The timing is used to indicate the process of stable refresh of each partition included in the screen partition partial refresh mode according to the corresponding refresh rate.

[0171] Refresh timing 916 to refresh timing 922: Each refresh rate zone is stably refreshed according to the corresponding refresh rate. Among them, the low refresh rate zone is self-refreshed. For example, at refresh timing 916 and refresh timing 922, even if the screen does not receive the update data of the low refresh rate zone sent by the SOC, the low refresh rate zone will be refreshed, or the full screen area including the low refresh rate zone will be refreshed to ensure the consistency of the display effect. Among them, in the process of refresh timing 916 to refresh timing 922, the lowest refresh rate among the multiple refresh rates included in the screen is 10Hz, so refresh timing 916 and refresh timing 922 meet constraint condition 3. The original refresh area corresponding to refresh timing 916 and refresh timing 922 can be adjusted according to step 408, so that the target refresh area can be obtained. As shown in Figure 9C, the original refresh area corresponding to refresh timing 916 and refresh timing 922 is a local area, and the target refresh area is a global area.

[0172] In another possible scenario, considering that the screen hardware can only support a limited number of refresh rate levels, for example, only two refresh rate levels. In the embodiment of the present application, it is also possible to achieve more refresh rate levels by adjusting the refresh area. It is understandable that this method can also be applied to scenarios where the refresh rate cannot be achieved by the screen hardware, for example, the screen hardware supports multiple refresh rates, and the target refresh rate set by an application cannot be directly achieved by the hardware.

[0173] For example, Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of another screen partition provided in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in interface 1010 in Figure 10, the screen can be divided into a low refresh rate area of ​​10 Hz, a high refresh rate area of ​​60 Hz, a high refresh rate area of ​​120 Hz, a medium refresh rate area of ​​30 Hz, and a low refresh rate area of ​​1 Hz.

[0174] Taking the screen hardware that only supports 120Hz and 10Hz refresh rates as an example, 60Hz and 30Hz can be achieved through hardware with a 120Hz refresh rate, and 1Hz can be achieved through hardware with a 10Hz refresh rate.

[0175] For example, Figure 11A is a schematic diagram of a refresh area adjustment provided in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 11A, the refresh of the 120Hz refresh rate zone can be achieved based on the hardware function of the screen; the refresh of the 60Hz refresh rate zone can be based on the 120Hz refresh rate zone, and every two frames of images are refreshed, the target refresh area is adjusted to include the 120Hz refresh rate zone and the 60HZ refresh rate zone, so that the refresh of the 60Hz refresh rate zone can be achieved based on the 120Hz refresh rate hardware; the refresh of the 30Hz refresh rate zone can be based on the 120Hz refresh rate zone, and every four frames of images are refreshed, the target refresh area is adjusted to include the 120Hz refresh rate zone and the 30HZ refresh rate zone, so that the refresh of the 30Hz refresh rate zone can be achieved based on the 120Hz refresh rate hardware.

[0176] As shown in FIG11A , the target refresh area corresponding to the first frame image includes: a 60 Hz refresh rate area, a 120 Hz refresh rate area, and a 30 Hz refresh rate area; the target refresh area corresponding to the second frame image includes: a 120 Hz refresh rate area; the target refresh area corresponding to the third frame image includes: a 60 Hz refresh rate area, a 120 Hz refresh rate area; the target refresh area corresponding to the fourth frame image includes: a 120 Hz refresh rate area; the target refresh area corresponding to the fifth frame image includes: a 60 Hz refresh rate area, a 120 Hz refresh rate area, and a 30 Hz refresh rate area; and so on.

[0177] For example, Figure 11B is another refresh area adjustment diagram provided in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 11B, the refresh rate of the 10Hz refresh rate zone can be refreshed based on the hardware function of the screen; the refresh rate of the 1Hz refresh rate zone can be refreshed based on the 10Hz refresh rate zone. Every ten frames of the image are refreshed, the target refresh area is adjusted to include the 10Hz refresh rate zone and the 1Hz refresh rate zone, thereby achieving the refresh rate of the 1Hz refresh rate zone based on the 10Hz refresh rate hardware.

[0178] As shown in FIG11B , the target refresh area corresponding to the first frame of image includes: a 10 Hz refresh rate area and a 1 Hz refresh rate area; the target refresh area corresponding to the second to tenth frames of image includes: a 10 Hz refresh rate area; the target refresh area corresponding to the eleventh frame of image includes: a 10 Hz refresh rate area; and so on...

[0179] As shown in Figures 10 to 11B , the method provided in the embodiments of the present application can achieve partitioning with a wider range of refresh rates by adjusting the target refresh area. Furthermore, in conjunction with Figure 4 , when the target refresh area is obtained based on a partial refresh scenario, the SOC can also send a partial refresh command to the screen, thereby achieving partial area data on the screen and saving power consumption.

[0180] Figure 12 is another schematic flow chart of a screen partition refresh method provided in an embodiment of the present application. This process can be applied to an electronic device, which may include at least a processor and a screen; wherein the processor is, for example, the SOC described in the above embodiment. This process may include the following steps:

[0181] Step 1201: The processor sends a local area refresh command to the screen; wherein, the local area refresh command is generated when the processor determines that a first target refresh area to be refreshed in a first frame image is different from a second target refresh area to be refreshed in a second frame image, the first target refresh area is a local area, and the second frame image is a previous frame image adjacent to the first frame image.

[0182] Step 1202: The screen refreshes the first target refresh area according to the local area refresh command.

[0183] It should be noted that the specific implementation process of step 1201 and step 1202 can be found in the contents described in Figures 4 to 11B above, and will not be repeated here.

[0184] Based on the above embodiments, the present application also provides an electronic device, which includes multiple functional modules; the multiple functional modules interact with each other to implement the functions performed by the electronic device in each method described in the embodiments of the present application. The multiple functional modules can be implemented based on software, hardware, or a combination of software and hardware, and the multiple functional modules can be arbitrarily combined or divided based on the specific implementation. For example, steps 401 to 414 performed by the electronic device in the embodiment shown in Figure 4 are executed, or steps 1201 to 1202 performed by the electronic device in the embodiment shown in Figure 12 are executed.

[0185] Based on the above embodiments, the present application further provides an electronic device, which includes at least one processor and at least one memory, wherein the at least one memory stores computer program instructions, and when the electronic device is running, the at least one processor performs the functions performed by the electronic device in each method described in the embodiments of the present application. For example, steps 401 to 414 performed by the electronic device in the embodiment shown in Figure 4 are performed, or steps 1201 to 1202 performed by the electronic device in the embodiment shown in Figure 12 are performed.

[0186] Based on the above embodiments, the present application also provides a computer program product, which includes: a computer program (also called code, or instructions), which, when executed, enables a computer to execute the methods described in the embodiments of the present application.

[0187] Based on the above embodiments, the present application further provides a computer-readable storage medium, in which a computer program is stored. When the computer program is executed by a computer, the computer executes the methods described in the embodiments of the present application.

[0188] Based on the above embodiments, the present application further provides a chip, which is used to read a computer program stored in a memory to implement the various methods described in the embodiments of the present application.

[0189] Based on the above embodiments, the present application provides a chip system, which includes a processor for supporting a computer device to implement the various methods described in the embodiments of the present application. In one possible design, the chip system also includes a memory, which is used to store the necessary programs and data for the computer device. The chip system can be composed of a chip, or it can include a chip and other discrete devices. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments of the present application can be provided as a method, system, or computer program product. Therefore, the present application can take the form of a complete hardware embodiment, a complete software embodiment, or an embodiment combining software and hardware. Moreover, the present application can take the form of a computer program product implemented on one or more computer-usable storage media (including but not limited to disk storage, CD-ROM, optical storage, etc.) containing computer-usable program code.

[0190] The present application is described with reference to the flowcharts and / or block diagrams of the methods, devices (systems), and computer program products according to the present application. It should be understood that each flow and / or box in the flow chart and / or block diagram, as well as the combination of the flow chart and / or box in the flow chart and / or block diagram, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, an embedded processor, or other programmable data processing device to produce a machine, so that the instructions executed by the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing device produce a device for implementing the functions specified in one or more flow charts and / or one or more boxes in the block diagram.

[0191] These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable memory that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing device to operate in a specific manner, so that the instructions stored in the computer-readable memory produce a product including an instruction device that implements the functions specified in one or more processes in the flowchart and / or one or more boxes in the block diagram.

[0192] These computer program instructions can also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing device so that a series of operating steps are executed on the computer or other programmable device to produce a computer-implemented process, so that the instructions executed on the computer or other programmable device provide steps for implementing the functions specified in one or more processes in the flowchart and / or one or more boxes in the block diagram.

[0193] Obviously, those skilled in the art may make various modifications and variations to this application without departing from the scope of protection of this application. Thus, if these modifications and variations of this application fall within the scope of the claims of this application and their equivalents, this application is intended to include these modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A method for refreshing a screen partition, characterized in that Applied to an electronic device, the electronic device includes a processor and a screen, and includes: The processor sends a local area refresh command to the screen; wherein, the local area refresh command is generated when the processor determines that a first target refresh area to be refreshed in a first frame image is different from a second target refresh area to be refreshed in a second frame image adjacent to the first frame image, the first target refresh area is a local area, and the second frame image is the previous frame image adjacent to the first frame image; The screen refreshes the first target refresh area according to the local area refresh command.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: The processor sends first area display data to the screen; wherein, the first area display data corresponds to an original refresh area in the first frame image, and the first target refresh area is greater than or equal to the original refresh area.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The electronic device further includes a memory. When the first target refresh area is greater than the original refresh area, the method further includes: The screen reads second area display data corresponding to an area other than the original refresh area in the first target refresh area from the memory; The refreshing of the first target refresh area includes: Refreshing the original refresh area according to the first area display data; Refreshing an area other than the original refresh area in the first target refresh area according to the second area display data.

4. The method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The method further includes: The processor obtains the original refresh area according to a dirty area where the first frame image changes compared with the second frame image; The processor adjusts the original refresh area according to a preset rule to obtain the first target refresh area; Wherein, the preset rule is used to determine that there is at least one constraint area that needs to be synchronously refreshed, and the first target refresh area includes the original refresh area and the at least one constraint area.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein The preset rule includes: a refresh timing for reaching a first constraint area; Wherein, the first constraint area has a first refresh rate, and the screen does not support the first refresh rate; the refresh timing is obtained based on a second refresh rate supported by the screen; the first refresh rate is less than the second refresh rate.

6. The method according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that, The preset rule includes at least one of the following rules: A refresh rate switching timing for reaching a second constraint area with a third refresh rate; wherein, the third refresh rate is the target refresh rate of the second constraint area; A self-refresh timing for reaching a third constraint area with a fourth refresh rate; wherein, the fourth refresh rate is the lowest refresh rate among multiple refresh rates included in the screen.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The local area refresh command includes first position indication information, and the first position indication information is used to indicate the display position of the first target refresh area on the screen.

8. A screen partition refreshing method, characterized in that, Applied to an electronic device, the electronic device includes a processor and a screen, and includes: When the processor does not send display data to the screen, and it is detected that a preset rule is satisfied, a self-refresh command is sent to the screen; wherein, the preset rule is used to determine that there is at least one constraint area that needs to be refreshed; The screen refreshes the at least one constrained area according to the self - refresh command.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that The self - refresh command includes second position indication information for indicating the display position of the at least one constrained area in the screen.

10. The method according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that, The electronic device further includes a memory; the method further includes: The screen reads third area display data corresponding to the at least one constrained area from the memory. The refreshing of the at least one constrained area includes: Refreshing the at least one constrained area according to the third area display data.

11. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that, The preset rule includes: the refresh timing for reaching the first constrained area; Wherein, the first constrained area has a first refresh rate that the screen does not support; the refresh timing is obtained based on a second refresh rate supported by the screen; the first refresh rate is less than the second refresh rate.

12. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that The preset rule includes at least one of the following rules: The refresh rate switching timing for reaching a second constrained area with a third refresh rate; wherein, the third refresh rate is the target refresh rate of the second constrained area; The self - refresh timing for reaching a third constrained area with a fourth refresh rate; wherein, the fourth refresh rate is the lowest refresh rate among multiple refresh rates included in the screen.

13. A method for refreshing a screen partition, characterized in that, Applied to an electronic device, it includes: Determining a first target refresh area to be refreshed in a first frame image; wherein, the first target refresh area is a local area in the screen included in the electronic device; When it is detected that the first target refresh area is different from a second target refresh area to be refreshed in a second frame image, generating a local area refresh command; wherein, the second frame image is the previous frame image adjacent to the first frame image, and the local area refresh command is used to instruct the screen to refresh the first target refresh area.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein The determining of the first target refresh area in the first frame image includes: Obtaining an original refresh area in the first frame image according to a dirty area where the first frame image has changed compared with the second frame image; Adjusting the original refresh area according to a preset rule to obtain the first target refresh area; Wherein, the preset rule is used to determine that at least one constrained area needs to be synchronously refreshed, and the first target refresh area includes the original refresh area and the at least one constrained area.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein The preset rule includes: the refresh timing for reaching the first constrained area; Wherein, the first constrained area has a first refresh rate that the screen does not support; the refresh timing is obtained based on a second refresh rate supported by the screen; the first refresh rate is less than the second refresh rate.

16. The method according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that The preset rule includes at least one of the following rules: The refresh rate switching timing for reaching a second constrained area with a third refresh rate; wherein, the third refresh rate is the target refresh rate of the second constrained area; The self - refresh timing for reaching a third constrained area with a fourth refresh rate; wherein, the fourth refresh rate is the lowest refresh rate among multiple refresh rates included in the screen.

17. The method according to any one of claims 13 to 16, characterized in that, The local area refresh command includes position indication information for indicating the display position of the first target refresh area on the screen.

18. The method according to any one of claims 13 to 17, characterized in that, Before determining the first target refresh area to be refreshed in the first frame image, the method further includes: Detecting that there is picture transmission for refreshing; Detecting that the first frame image undergoes local area refresh.

19. The method according to any one of claims 13 to 17, characterized in that The method further includes: When it is detected that there is no picture transmission for refreshing and the self-refresh timing at the fourth refresh rate is detected, generating a self-refresh command; wherein the self-refresh command is used to indicate the screen to refresh a third target refresh area, and the third target refresh area includes an area having the fourth refresh rate.

20. An electronic device, characterized in that, Including at least one processor, the at least one processor is coupled to at least one memory, and the at least one processor is configured to read a computer program stored in the at least one memory to execute the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, or execute the method according to any one of claims 8 to 12, or execute the method according to any one of claims 13 to 19.

21. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, Instructions are stored in the computer-readable storage medium, and when they run on a computer, the computer is caused to execute the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, or execute the method according to any one of claims 8 to 12, or execute the method according to any one of claims 13 to 19.

22. A computer program product including instructions, characterized in that, When the computer program product runs on a computer, the computer is caused to execute the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, or execute the method according to any one of claims 8 to 12, or execute the method according to any one of claims 13 to 19.

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