Encoding Backlight Control in Subpixel Data for Display Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Testing new designs for display systems with content adaptive backlight control (CABC) is challenging due to the need to dynamically control backlight power and subpixel values, which complicates the process of evaluating new image processing methods without altering the physical interface between development systems and image processing circuits.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves encoding the backlight control signal into subpixel values in a way that minimally distorts the subpixel data, allowing the image processing circuit to extract the signal in bypass mode without changing the physical interface, using techniques such as shifting least significant bits to most significant bit positions to encode and decode the backlight signal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the backlight control signal is dynamically adjusted for content adaptive backlight control, then power consumption is reduced and dynamic contrast range is improved, but the complexity of testing new image processing designs increases due to the need to coordinate control of both backlight power and subpixel values
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the backlight control signal and subpixel values into a single unified data stream by encoding the backlight control signal into the subpixel value data. This merging allows the existing single interface to carry both control functions simultaneously, eliminating the need for separate backlight control wiring and reducing testing complexity while maintaining CABC functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The subpixel value data interface is given multiple functions: it continues to control subpixel transmission as before, and simultaneously carries the backlight control signal. This multi-functionality allows the same physical interface and data path to handle both subpixel control and backlight dimming, simplifying the testing setup for new image processing designs
2Ease of operation
If the physical interface between development systems and image processing circuits is kept unchanged, then compatibility and ease of testing are improved, but the ability to transmit both backlight control signals and subpixel values simultaneously is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter representation by encoding the backlight control signal into the bit structure of the subpixel value data. By utilizing the binary representation and bit positions within the subpixel data words, the system transmits additional control information through the existing interface without requiring physical modifications, thus maintaining compatibility while enhancing signal transmission capability
Data Source
AI summary
A display system (110) has a subpixel array (120) and a light source (140). In normal mode, image data (164) are processed by the display system to generate subpixel values (174) for the subpixels (130) and to generate a light source control value (BL) for the light source (140). In bypass mode suitable for testing new types of image-data processing, the subpixel values and the light source control value are generated by an external system (210) and are provided to the display system which is operated in bypass mode. The light source control value is not provided separately from the subpixel values but is encoded into some bits of the subpixel values for compatibility with older interfaces. The light source control value is encoded into the subpixel values' MSBs in case the subpixel values could be truncated. Other features are also provided.