Asynchronous Pixel Activation for Vision Aid Displays

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional display methods are limited by their synchronous operation, resulting in compromised temporal resolution and inability to meet the high light intensity requirements for vision aid devices, leading to potential damage to visual organs and inefficiencies in data representation.

Innovation Solution

The proposed method employs asynchronous information to control pixel activation based on events such as light variations, using a refresh sequence that respects the asynchronous nature of events, allowing for more efficient and compact data representation and reduced redundancy, enabling higher display resolutions and lower frequency refresh rates.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If conventional synchronous display methods are used, then display timing is regular and simple to control, but temporal resolution is limited and cannot achieve higher display dynamics

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetemporal resolutionVSAvoiddisplay control complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from static synchronous refresh to dynamic asynchronous display, where each pixel is activated only when its state changes. This dynamic approach allows temporal resolution to be determined by actual content changes rather than fixed refresh rates, achieving higher display dynamics without requiring complex synchronous coordination across all pixels

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a hybrid approach where asynchronous event-driven activation is combined with periodic refresh sequences. When no events occur, a periodic refresh sequence ensures visual stability, while event-driven activation provides high temporal resolution when changes occur, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and temporal precision

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

2Reliability

If light intensity is increased to meet vision aid requirements, then optogenetic stimulation effectiveness improves, but damage to visual organs occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoptogenetic stimulation effectivenessVSAvoiddamage to visual organs
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the necessary pixel activations based on actual events rather than refreshing all pixels periodically. This extraction principle reduces overall light exposure by activating only the minimum necessary pixels at the minimum necessary times, maintaining optogenetic stimulation effectiveness while reducing cumulative light damage to visual organs

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the temporal parameters of light stimulation from fixed high-frequency refresh to variable event-driven timing. By adjusting activation timing based on actual content changes and using refresh sequences adapted to event patterns, the system maintains stimulation effectiveness while reducing peak and average light intensity exposure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Loss of information

If conventional video compression is used, then data transmission is manageable, but data redundancy cannot be fully removed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata redundancyVSAvoidcompression encoding complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of compressing full video frames and removing redundancy through complex encoding, the patent inverts the approach by transmitting only the essential information - the events themselves. Each pixel transmits data only when its state changes, and the display system reconstructs the visual output from these sparse event streams, achieving near-complete redundancy removal without complex compression algorithms

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

4Ease of operation

If all pixels are refreshed simultaneously at high frequency, then visual comfort is maintained, but energy consumption and processing load increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevisual comfortVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by treating each pixel independently with its own event-driven activation timing rather than applying uniform refresh to all pixels. Pixels in regions with no changes remain inactive while pixels with changes are activated appropriately, maintaining visual comfort in active regions while eliminating energy waste in inactive regions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses partial action by activating only the necessary subset of pixels at any given time rather than refreshing all pixels. The periodic refresh sequence provides minimal sufficient refresh to maintain visual comfort, avoiding excessive activation that would waste energy, while event-driven activation ensures all necessary changes are captured

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP3123462B1Display control method and device for implementing said method
Publication Date: 2020.10.07 SORBONNE UNIVERSITE
  • EP3123462B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3123462B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2D
  • EP3123462B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~4A

AI summary

The invention relates to a method of controlling the display of images in the form of a pixel matrix. For a pixel of the matrix, asynchronous information representing events concerning the pixel is received, a first activation of the pixel is actuated at an activation moment determined by a first event of the asynchronous information, and at least a second activation of the pixel is actuated in order to repeat the first activation of the pixel at respective moments defined by a refresher sequence.