Display Panel Luminance Control During Refresh Rate Switching

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Solution Overview

Problem

Display devices experience transient flashing phenomena when the refresh rate is switched, leading to reduced visibility due to temporary increases in perceived luminance.

Innovation Solution

The display device adjusts luminance and refresh rate by using an image controller to generate a luminance control signal that adjusts peak luminance and duty cycle in response to changes in refresh rate, preventing transient flashing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the refresh rate is switched, then the display can adapt to different viewing conditions and reduce power consumption, but transient flashing phenomena occur due to temporary increases in perceived luminance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverefresh rate adaptabilityVSAvoidtransient flashing

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The display device performs preliminary luminance adjustment before the refresh rate switch takes full effect. When a refresh rate change is detected, the device proactively adjusts the luminance of the first frame displayed at the new refresh rate to be lower than subsequent frames, preventing the transient flashing that would otherwise occur during the transition period.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the luminance parameter dynamically based on the refresh rate transition state. Specifically, it sets the luminance of frames displayed during the transition period (first frame at new refresh rate) to be different from frames displayed after stabilization, using this parameter variation to eliminate the harmful flashing effect while maintaining adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the luminance of the first frame at the second refresh rate is adjusted to be lower, then transient flashing is prevented, but the overall brightness consistency is temporarily compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransient flashingVSAvoidluminance consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The display device implements a periodic luminance pattern during refresh rate transitions, where the first frame at the new refresh rate has reduced luminance, followed by subsequent frames with normal luminance. This periodic variation in luminance is deliberately designed to prevent transient flashing while maintaining overall visual stability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

By preemptively reducing the luminance of the first frame at the new refresh rate, the device prepares the visual output to avoid the flashing effect that would occur with normal luminance, thus maintaining stability through advance adjustment rather than reactive correction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS20250378794A1Display device and electronic device including the same

Publication Date: 2025.12.11 SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO LTD

AI summary

A display device includes a display panel, where the display panel includes a pixel and displays an image. The driver converts input image data into image data, generates a data signal based on the image data, and provides the data signal to the pixel according to a refresh rate. When changing the refresh rate from a first refresh rate to a second refresh rate to display an image with a first luminance, the driver adjusts a luminance of a first frame in which the image is displayed at the second refresh rate to a second luminance which is different from the first luminance.