Display Transition Charge Recovery Circuit for Low-Power Screens
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Solution Overview
Problem
In IoT devices and other processing circuitry with display devices, the challenge is to minimize power consumption during display image transitions, especially when energy harvesting is intermittent and power supply is limited, as simply discharging display elements to ground can be wasteful and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of driver, detector, and switching circuitry that allows for charge sharing between display elements to be deactivated and activated, diverting electrical charge from elements to be deactivated to a secondary store, thereby reducing the energy required from the power supply during image transitions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If display elements are simply discharged to ground during image transitions, then the circuitry is simple to implement, but power consumption increases and energy is wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a secondary charge store as an intermediary component between display elements and ground. During image transitions, charge from display elements to be deactivated is diverted to this secondary store instead of being discharged to ground, thereby recovering energy that would otherwise be wasted while maintaining relatively simple circuitry architecture
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements charge recovery by capturing electrical charge from display elements that are being deactivated during image transitions. This recovered charge is stored in a secondary charge store for later reuse, transforming what would be wasted energy into a recoverable resource that reduces overall power consumption
2Loss of energy
If charge is diverted to a secondary store during image transitions, then energy is saved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The secondary charge store acts as an intermediary that facilitates charge redistribution during image transitions. By introducing this intermediate storage component, the system can capture and hold charge from deactivated display elements, enabling energy recovery without requiring complex real-time charge management circuitry
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary charge diversion to the secondary store before the actual display transition completes. By proactively capturing charge from elements to be deactivated, the system prepares recovered energy for future use, reducing the power burden during subsequent transitions while maintaining manageable circuitry complexity
3Power
If peak charging current is reduced during image transitions, then power supply demand decreases, but charge distribution control becomes more challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent diverts charge to the secondary store in advance during image transitions, before the display elements need to be recharged. This preliminary charge capture reduces the peak current demand from the power supply during critical transition periods, while the secondary store acts as a buffer that simplifies subsequent charge distribution control
Solution Approach 2:
The secondary charge store automatically captures and holds charge from deactivated display elements without requiring complex active control during the charge transfer process. This self-service charge capture mechanism reduces peak current demands while the stored charge is naturally available for redistribution, simplifying overall charge management
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach results in a net energy saving by reducing the peak charging current needed during image transitions, minimizing waste, and optimizing power usage in low-power environments.
Implementation Method 1
display elements which are capable of displaying an image... arranged to store electrical charge, with the stored electrical charge controlling a display output of that display element
Implementation Method 2
switching circuitry... to divert electrical charge from display elements of the set of one or more display elements to a secondary charge store
Data Source
AI summary
Circuitry comprises driver circuitry to control display of a prevailing display image by display elements of a display device, the driver circuitry generating a signal providing electrical charge for storage by display elements, in which an electrical charge stored by a display element controls a display output of that display element; detector circuitry to detect, for a display image transition from a current display image to a second, display image, a first set of one or more display elements which are in a respective first state controlled by a first stored electrical charge in the current display image and which are required to be in a respective second state controlled by a second electrical charge, in the second display image; switching circuitry, responsive to the detector circuitry, to divert electrical charge from the set of display elements to secondary charge store in response to initiation of the display image transition.