Bit Plane Dithering for Display Color Contouring Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Display systems suffer from color contouring due to uniform color shades in adjacent pixels, leading to reduced image quality and viewer experience, which existing technologies fail to mitigate effectively.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that introduces dither noise to bit planes of image frames, allowing for real-time generation and application of dithered bit planes with adjustable dither noise patterns, independent of frame rate, to increase gray shades and reduce detectable noise perception.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If dither noise is introduced to bit planes to increase gray shades and reduce color contouring, then image quality is improved, but dither noise perceptibility increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by dynamically adjusting dither noise characteristics (amplitude, frequency, spatial distribution) based on image content analysis. The system modifies dither parameters adaptively across different regions and depth planes to minimize perceptibility while maintaining color contouring mitigation benefits
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extends dithering from traditional 2D spatial domain to 3D color volume space by applying dither noise across multiple bit planes representing different color components and depth levels. This dimensional extension allows noise distribution in color space rather than just spatial space, reducing perceptibility
2Manufacturing precision
If traditional dithering methods are used to mitigate color contouring, then image quality improves, but memory size and processing latency increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the image processing into depth-based layers (bit planes) and applies dithering independently to each segment. This segmentation allows parallel processing of different depth planes, reducing overall processing latency and memory requirements compared to full-image dithering
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary depth estimation and bit plane separation before dithering application. By pre-organizing image data into depth-stratified bit planes, the system eliminates the need for large buffers and reduces processing latency during the actual dithering operation
Data Source
AI summary
A system, includes a controller configured to obtain, for an image frame stored in a frame memory image, data associated with a color component and generate dithered bit planes having a dither noise pattern, the dithered bit planes including time repeated bit plane sequences in the image frame. The system also includes a spatial light modulator (SLM) coupled to the controller. The SLM is configured to project an image of the image frame according to the dithered bit planes. Additionally, the system includes a light source optically coupled to the SLM. The light source is configured to provide light for projecting the image.