Distributed Aperture Display Pixel Subdivision for Artifact Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pixeled displays, such as LCDs, suffer from undesirable visual artifacts like Moiré patterns and 'screen door' effects due to their inherent structural periodicity, which existing solutions attempt to mitigate with smaller pixels or diffuser screens but often at the cost of decreased aperture ratio and increased complexity.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves subdividing the switchable regions of pixels into multiple portions that can be switched simultaneously, distributed across a significant part of the non-switchable region, effectively eliminating or reducing the first-order spatial harmonics that contribute to these artifacts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If pixels are made smaller to reduce visual artifacts, then the screen door effect is reduced, but the aperture ratio decreases and manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each pixel is divided into multiple sub-pixels (e.g., red, green, blue sub-pixels) that are arranged in a distributed pattern rather than a compact grid. This segmentation allows the pixel array to maintain larger effective pixel size while reducing the regular periodicity that causes visual artifacts, thus resolving the contradiction between artifact reduction and complexity increase.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If diffuser screens are added to reduce Moiré patterns, then visual artifacts are reduced, but display complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the need for external diffuser screens by integrating the artifact-reduction function directly into the pixel arrangement itself. The distributed sub-pixel pattern inherently disrupts the periodicity that causes Moiré patterns, eliminating the requirement for additional diffusing layers and thereby reducing overall display structure complexity.
3Measurement precision
If pixel density is increased to improve resolution, then display quality improves, but visual artifacts become more pronounced and manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs asymmetric distribution of sub-pixels within each pixel, where red, green, and blue sub-pixels are positioned at different locations rather than in a symmetric grid. This asymmetric arrangement disrupts the regular periodicity that amplifies visual artifacts at high densities, allowing high resolution to be achieved without proportionally increasing artifact visibility or manufacturing complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus are provided for reducing the visual artifacts exhibited by a display employing individually addressable pixels. The apparatus comprises an array of pixels, each pixel having a switchable region of alterable transparency or luminance and a non-switchable region. The switchable region of each pixel is distributed, that is, divided into at least two simultaneously switched portions at least partly separated by a significant portion of the non-switchable region. The first order spatial harmonics and visual artifacts are significantly reduced. For a color display, each color pixel is similarly subdivided.