Display Refresh Control for Flicker and Judder Reduction

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Modern computer systems experience visual anomalies such as flicker and judder due to mismatched refresh rates and shutter speeds in dynamic media display, leading to unpredictable motion and pixel uniformity issues, especially in LED or OLED technology, which can cause disruptions like interlaced frames and motion smoothing artifacts.

Innovation Solution

A computer system with specialized hardware assesses input gestures and output changes, using a modified progressive projection method to prioritize dynamic areas of the display, and employs variably-angled, variably-curved pixel subsections to smooth edges and transitions, thereby reducing flicker and judder effects.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If refresh rate and shutter speed are mismatched, then display flexibility and device popularity increase, but visual anomalies such as flicker and judder occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisplay flexibilityVSAvoidvisual stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts display parameters including refresh rate, shutter speed, and frame timing to optimize the balance between display flexibility and visual stability. By changing these parameters adaptively rather than using fixed mismatched values, the system maintains versatility while reducing flicker and judder artifacts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The system employs feedback mechanisms to detect and correct visual anomalies in real-time. By monitoring display output and adjusting timing parameters based on detected issues, the system maintains visual stability while preserving the flexibility to use popular LED/OLED display technologies.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If motion smoothing techniques are applied, then flicker is reduced, but judder increases and visual artifacts are introduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflicker reductionVSAvoidjudder and artifacts

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of applying aggressive motion smoothing that causes judder, the system changes timing parameters such as shutter speed and frame interpolation timing to reduce flicker at its source. This approach addresses the root cause without introducing the harmful artifacts associated with heavy post-processing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The system converts the potential harm of mismatched refresh rates and shutter speeds into a benefit by using the timing differences to create smoother transitions. Rather than fighting the timing mismatch with heavy smoothing, the system exploits the timing relationships to reduce flicker while maintaining natural motion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Reliability

If full display refreshment is performed, then pixel uniformity is maintained, but processing time and energy consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepixel uniformityVSAvoidprocessing efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The display refreshment process is segmented into selective regions rather than refreshing the entire display uniformly. By dividing the display into zones that require different refresh priorities, the system maintains pixel uniformity in critical areas while reducing processing overhead in less critical regions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the display receive different refresh treatment based on their importance and motion characteristics. Critical areas with high motion or importance receive full refreshment to maintain uniformity, while static or less important areas use reduced refresh rates, optimizing the balance between quality and efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

4Reliability

If frame spacing is adjusted to match refresh rate, then flicker is reduced, but judder increases due to exaggerated frame lengths

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflicker reductionVSAvoidmotion smoothness

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes multiple timing parameters simultaneously including frame duration, shutter speed, and refresh rate synchronization. By coordinating these parameters rather than adjusting frame length in isolation, the system reduces flicker while preserving natural motion timing to avoid judder.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS9032335B2User interface techniques reducing the impact of movements

Publication Date: 2015.05.12 SCOREIP INC

AI summary

New techniques improving display output and computer system input response are provided.In aspects of the invention, a system assesses whether input gesture(s) occur within an area of an output matrix describing an element, within a time period following a substantial and/or activity-affecting change in that area, and nullifies or alters an affect(s) of the input gesture(s) that would otherwise occur, and may instead or also create the affect that would occur if the output matrix had not experienced the relevant substantial and/or activity-affecting change, and may also reverse, alter, augment or otherwise address the substantial and/or activity-affecting change in that area of the output matrix to enhance the user experience.In other aspects, an object-based projection method increases efficiency and decreases output matrix judder.In additional aspects, a new form of pixel and array, with variably-angled variably-curved pixel subsections, assists in further smoothing edges between objects.