Display Driver Interface Mode Switching Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Display drivers face disturbances during mode switching from synchronous to asynchronous interfaces, leading to power wastage and display issues due to insufficient frame buffer memory capacity, especially with increasing display panel resolution and data interpolation, causing image display disruptions.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a display driver with a control circuit that temporarily stops scan driving during a predetermined period when switching interface modes, allowing pixels to hold previous signal information without loss, and using a scale-up circuit to handle insufficient frame buffer memory, eliminating display disturbances.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If display data input is switched from synchronous interface to asynchronous interface, then the display driver can handle different types of display data (e.g., still images, menu data), but it causes display disturbance and requires additional frame buffer memory capacity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinterface mode switching capabilityVSAvoiddisplay stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The control circuit detects the interface mode switch in advance and proactively stops scan driving before the asynchronous data is fully processed and displayed. This preliminary action prevents display disturbance by ensuring that the pixel circuit does not attempt to display incomplete or transitioning data during the mode switch period.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention introduces an intermediate control state where scan driving is stopped during the mode transition period. This intermediate state acts as a mediator between synchronous and asynchronous modes, allowing the system to transition smoothly without causing display disturbance or requiring additional frame buffer memory capacity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the scan driving is stopped during mode switching, then display disturbance is prevented, but the display activation is delayed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisplay stabilityVSAvoiddisplay activation time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The control circuit stops scan driving periodically only during the brief mode switching transition period, rather than continuously. This periodic stopping approach minimizes the time loss while effectively preventing display disturbance. The scan driving resumes immediately after the mode switch is complete, ensuring quick reactivation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

3Reliability

If frame buffer memory capacity is increased to handle asynchronous data, then display disturbance is reduced, but the device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisplay stabilityVSAvoidframe buffer memory capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the mode switching control function from the frame buffer memory system and places it in the control circuit. By detecting interface mode switches and controlling scan driving accordingly, the system avoids the need to increase frame buffer memory capacity while still preventing display disturbance during mode transitions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS11037518B2Display driver

Publication Date: 2021.06.15 SYNAPTICS INC

AI summary

A display driver is disclosed that includes: an external interface circuit having input modes as interface modes to input display data. The display driver keeps the scan driving of a display panel stopped during a predetermined period until the driving of the display panel by display data input in the interface mode after switching is enabled in case that the interface mode of the external interface circuit is switched in the middle of driving the display panel based on display data input through the external interface circuit.