Vehicle Display Freeze Detection Using Porch Pixel Drive Patterns
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle display devices struggle to differentiate between intentional and erroneous screen freeze errors, which can impact vehicle safety as they fail to accurately warn occupants of potential safety issues.
Innovation Solution
A method and device that monitor the drive pattern of pixels in the porch area of a display panel over multiple image frames, comparing the drive pattern with a preset pattern to determine if a screen freeze error has occurred, and if so, whether it is intentional or due to an error.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the display device continuously outputs image frames to ensure normal operation, then the display functionality is maintained, but screen freeze errors may occur undetected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-defining specific drive patterns for pixels in the porch area before actual display operation. These predetermined patterns serve as reference markers that enable subsequent detection of whether image frames are being properly updated, allowing the system to detect screen freeze errors without requiring additional monitoring hardware or complex analysis algorithms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the porch area pixels as an intermediary detection mechanism. Rather than directly monitoring the entire display content or adding complex detection hardware, the invention employs specific pixels in the porch area as mediators that carry encoded information about frame updates. These intermediary pixels provide a simple, reliable signal that indicates whether the display is functioning normally or has frozen.
2Reliability
If the system warns occupants of all screen freeze conditions, then safety is improved, but false alarms occur when freezes are intentional
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making only specific pixels in the porch area follow a predetermined drive pattern, while other pixels display normal content. This localized approach allows the system to embed detection information in a specific region without affecting the overall display content or requiring changes to the main display functionality. The unique behavior of porch area pixels serves as a fingerprint that distinguishes normal operation from screen freeze errors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes in the drive pattern of porch area pixels to encode information about frame updates. By monitoring whether these pixels follow their predetermined pattern across successive frames, the system can detect deviations that indicate screen freeze errors. The parameter being monitored is the consistency of the drive pattern over time, which changes when an error occurs versus when the freeze is intentional.
3Measurement precision
If complex detection methods are used to distinguish error from intentional freezes, then detection accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by having the display system monitor itself using existing display hardware. The porch area pixels are part of the normal display structure, and their predetermined drive patterns are automatically generated by the existing display controller. This eliminates the need for separate monitoring hardware or external detection devices, as the display system uses its own infrastructure to detect errors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by focusing detection efforts on only the porch area pixels rather than analyzing the entire display content. This selective monitoring of a small, specific subset of pixels provides sufficient information to detect screen freeze errors without requiring complex analysis of all displayed content. The partial monitoring approach achieves effective detection with minimal computational overhead.
Data Source
AI summary
A device and method for detecting a screen freeze error of a display of a vehicle. The method comprises monitoring a drive pattern of at least one pixel in a porch area during a time period corresponding to a plurality of image frames, wherein the porch area including at least one of a front porch area and a back porch area of a display panel driven according to the plurality of image frames; and determining occurrence of a screen freeze error by comparing the drive pattern of the at least one pixel with a preset drive pattern.