Display Driver Frame Memory Access for Portrait-Landscape Mode Adaptation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current display driver integrated circuits are unable to simultaneously support both portrait and landscape mode panels due to differences in scan lines and pixels per scan line, resulting in insufficient memory for landscape mode when designed for portrait mode.

Innovation Solution

A method for frame memory access that stores and reads pixel data in a way that allows a portrait-style display driver integrated circuit to drive a landscape mode panel by using a shift register to rearrange and complete scan line data, enabling efficient memory utilization across different resolutions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the frame memory is configured to satisfy the requirement of portrait mode resolution (320 scan lines × 240 pixels), then the portrait mode display can be supported, but the landscape mode panel cannot be driven due to insufficient pixels per scan line

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompatibility with different panel modesVSAvoidmemory capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The frame memory is divided into multiple banks (e.g., Bank 0 and Bank 1), each capable of storing partial scan line data. This segmentation allows the system to distribute and manage pixel data across multiple memory regions, enabling support for both portrait and landscape modes without requiring a single large memory block

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple frame memory structures are nested within a single display driver integrated circuit. Each memory bank contains its own set of word lines and bit lines, and these nested memory structures work together through coordinated access to provide the required pixel data for different display modes

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Adaptability or versatility

If a single display driver integrated circuit is used for both portrait and landscape modes, then resource utilization is improved, but the frame memory cannot simultaneously satisfy both resolution requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemulti-mode supportVSAvoidmemory configuration
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The memory access system dynamically switches between different access patterns depending on the display mode. In portrait mode, one set of word lines and bit lines is activated, while in landscape mode, different word lines and bit lines are selected. This dynamic reconfiguration allows the same physical memory structure to adapt to different resolution requirements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes operational parameters (such as word line selection, bit line grouping, and data transfer timing) to adapt the frame memory configuration to the required display mode. By modifying these parameters, the same memory hardware can provide different effective resolutions without physical reconfiguration

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS8390637B2Method for frame memory access and display driver using the same
Publication Date: 2013.03.05 ORISE TECH CO LTD
  • US8390637B2 patent drawing
  • US8390637B2 patent drawing
  • US8390637B2 patent drawing

AI summary

The present invention relates to a method for frame memory access and a display driver using the same. The method is a data moving method for allowing a display driver integrated circuit built in a portrait style frame memory to be used in a landscape mode. The spirit of the method is to repeatedly read data from the portrait style frame memory to the shift register, and move the data on the shift register to put the data to the correct data latch to constitute complete scan line data. Therefore, the portrait style display driver integrated circuit may drive a landscape mode display panel.