Display Device Timing Controller Data Conversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Display devices struggle to efficiently display images in non-square or non-rectangular shapes while minimizing power consumption, as existing technologies are not optimized for such formats, leading to inefficiencies in power usage and display area utilization.
Innovation Solution
The display device incorporates a timing controller that converts data to correspond with the shape of the effective display area by extracting and rearranging data for pixels within the display unit, using dummy areas to reduce power consumption by omitting signal processing and using predetermined data in non-effective areas, and the data driver outputs signals accordingly to match the shape of the display area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If data signals are transmitted to all data lines including dummy areas, then complete image data can be displayed, but power consumption increases unnecessarily
Solution Approach 1:
The display panel is divided into effective display areas and dummy areas. The data driver selectively activates only the data lines corresponding to effective display areas, while keeping dummy area lines inactive. This segmentation allows the system to transmit data signals only where needed, reducing power consumption while maintaining proper display functionality in the effective areas.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the display area is made non-rectangular to match specific application needs, then display versatility improves, but the frame width and driver circuit arrangement become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs asymmetric arrangement of driver circuits positioned at different locations around the display panel. Gate drivers and data drivers are strategically placed to match the non-rectangular display area geometry. This asymmetric configuration allows the driver circuits to efficiently serve the actual display regions while minimizing the frame width, achieving both display shape flexibility and reasonable circuit complexity.
3Productivity
If signal processing is performed for all pixels including those in dummy areas, then data transmission is simplified, but power consumption and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and processes only the data signals corresponding to effective display areas, excluding dummy areas from the data transmission and processing pipeline. The data driver identifies and activates only the necessary data lines that correspond to actual pixel locations, removing the need to process signals for dummy area pixels. This extraction approach maintains data transmission efficiency for functional pixels while eliminating wasted energy on non-functional areas.
Data Source
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AI summary
A display device includes: a display unit including scan lines, data lines, unit areas corresponding to intersections of the scan lines and the data lines, the unit areas including first unit areas in an effective display area, second unit areas in a dummy area around the effective display area, some of the second unit areas being smaller than the first unit areas, and pixels in the first unit areas; a timing controller configured to receive first data including image data corresponding to the first and second unit areas and to convert the first data into second data corresponding to the effective display area; and a data driver configured to generate a data signal corresponding to the second data. The display unit includes a first horizontal line having fewer pixels than the number of the data lines.