Column-Wise Display Refresh for Low Power Semi-Active Workloads
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems fail to efficiently reduce display power consumption during semi-active workloads, as they require continuous refresh of all pixels even when only a portion of the frame is updated, leading to increased battery drain and limited battery life.
Innovation Solution
The system configures the display to update from a column driver standpoint instead of a row driver standpoint, allowing only necessary column drivers to be active, and uses a timing controller to manage power by sending control signals in a column-wise manner, enabling partial frame updates and decoupling the composite function from the display engine during vertical blanking periods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If continuous refresh of all pixels is performed, then display image quality is maintained, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The display refresh operation is segmented into row-wise and column-wise independent operations. The timing controller divides the frame buffer into multiple rows and columns, allowing selective refreshing of only those rows and columns that contain updated pixel data, rather than refreshing the entire display frame. This segmentation enables partial frame updates that reduce power consumption while maintaining display quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies local quality by identifying and refreshing only the specific regions (rows and columns) of the display that contain changed content. The timing controller determines which rows and columns require updating based on the updated area information, and applies refresh operations locally to those specific regions rather than uniformly across the entire display, thereby reducing overall power consumption.
2Use of energy by moving object
If partial frame updates are implemented, then power consumption is reduced, but display update completeness may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The frame buffer is segmented into independent row and column units that can be selectively refreshed. The timing controller receives updated area information specifying which rows and columns contain changes, and independently activates only those segments requiring refresh. This ensures complete display updates for changed content while avoiding unnecessary power consumption from refreshing unchanged areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by receiving updated area information from the display engine or processor that indicates which portions of the frame have changed. The timing controller uses this feedback information to determine the specific rows and columns that require refreshing, ensuring that all updated content is accurately reflected on the display without wasting power on unchanged regions.
3Area of stationary object
If row-wise refresh is used, then display coverage is complete, but power consumption is high
Solution Approach 1:
The traditional row-wise refresh approach is segmented and optimized by further dividing it into column-wise independence. Instead of refreshing all rows uniformly, the system identifies which columns contain updated data and activates only those columns. This dual segmentation (rows and columns) allows the display to maintain complete coverage of updated areas while significantly reducing power consumption by deactivating unnecessary row-column intersections.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies partial action by performing refresh operations only on the necessary portions of the display. Rather than executing a complete row-wise refresh of the entire frame buffer, the timing controller executes partial refresh operations limited to the specific rows and columns containing updated content, thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining complete display coverage of changed areas.
Data Source
AI summary
Particular embodiments described herein provide for an electronic device that includes a display and is configured to enable a low power display refresh during a semi-active workload. The electronic device can include a display engine and a display panel and a frame is used by the display panel to generate an image on a display backplane. The display panel includes the display backplane, a plurality of row drivers, a plurality of column drivers, and a timing controller. The timing controller can receive a partial update to a frame being displayed as an image on the display backplane and update the image displayed on the display backplane by activating row drivers and a subset of the plurality of available column drivers, wherein the subset is based on the update.