Display Dither Block Polarity Balancing for Flicker Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Display devices experience deteriorated display quality due to dithering processes that can cause horizontal or vertical lines and flickering, as existing methods do not effectively manage the polarity of dither pixels within dither blocks.
Innovation Solution
A display device and method that include dither blocks with equal numbers of positive-polarity and negative-polarity dither pixels, where the polarity of each pixel is inverted every frame, and a dither pattern is applied to generate a dither image signal to improve display quality by balancing the number of dither pixels in each block.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If dither patterns are applied to generate dither image signals, then multiple gray levels can be expressed, but horizontal or vertical lines and flickering occur, deteriorating display quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different polarity assignments to different pixels within dither blocks based on their positions. Specifically, pixels at even positions receive one polarity while pixels at odd positions receive the opposite polarity. This local differentiation ensures that dithering is applied uniformly across the display without creating concentrated patterns of the same polarity, thereby preventing visible lines and flickering while maintaining gray level precision.
2Loss of information
If dithering process is used to express multiple gray levels, then image fidelity is improved, but display quality deteriorates due to visible patterns
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces asymmetry in the dither pattern design by systematically alternating polarities based on pixel position (even vs. odd positions). This asymmetric polarity assignment breaks the symmetry that would otherwise create uniform visible patterns, while still maintaining the statistical properties needed for effective dithering to preserve image information fidelity.
3Ease of operation
If equal numbers of positive and negative dither pixels are not balanced, then dithering can be applied, but display quality deteriorates due to polarity imbalance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates equipotentiality in terms of polarity balance by ensuring that within each dither block, the number of positive-polarity pixels equals the number of negative-polarity pixels. This is achieved through systematic polarity assignment based on pixel positions (even positions get one polarity, odd positions get the other). This balance prevents display quality deterioration caused by polarity imbalance while maintaining ease of dithering operation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively reduces display defects such as flickering and improves overall display quality by ensuring equal numbers of positive and negative dither pixels in each dither block, maintaining image fidelity while reducing unwanted patterns.
Implementation Method 1
a first display panel having pixel electrodes, a second display panel having a common electrode, and dielectrically anisotropic liquid crystal molecules interposed between the first and second display panels
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a display device with improved display quality and a method of driving the same. The display device includes: a display panel which includes a plurality of dither blocks displaying an image that corresponds to a dither image signal; and an image signal controller which generates the dither image signal by using a dither pattern that determines a plurality of dither pixels, which are to be dithered, from among a plurality of pixels included in each of the dither blocks, wherein each of the dither blocks includes a plurality of pixels, whose respective polarities are inverted every frame and which are driven accordingly, and comprises equal numbers of positive-polarity dither pixels and negative-polarity dither pixels.