Foveated Display Driving for Low-Power High-Resolution Viewing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing display devices face challenges in reducing power consumption while maintaining image quality, particularly in applications requiring varying resolutions for different image regions.

Innovation Solution

A display system and method that employs foveated rendering, where the entire image is rendered at a lower resolution and the focused region is rendered at a higher resolution, utilizing a display device with specific pixel driving techniques to optimize power consumption and image quality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the entire image is displayed at high resolution, then image quality is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage qualityVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by rendering the focused region (fovea) at high resolution while rendering peripheral regions at low resolution. The display device receives first image data for the entire image at low resolution, second image data for the focused region at high resolution, and third image data for the entire image at low resolution, then displays them in sequence to match the human visual system's varying resolution requirements across different visual fields.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Measurement precision

If the entire image is rendered at high resolution, then image quality is improved, but processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage qualityVSAvoidprocessing time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial action by rendering only the focused region at high resolution rather than the entire image. The display device processes second image data for the focused region at high resolution between displaying first and third image data for the entire image at low resolution, thereby reducing total processing time while maintaining high quality where needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Measurement precision

If multiple image data pieces are received and processed, then image quality is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage qualityVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies periodic action by receiving and displaying image data in sequential frames: first image data for the entire image at low resolution, followed by second image data for the focused region at high resolution, then third image data for the entire image at low resolution. This periodic alternation between low and high resolution displays simplifies the processing architecture compared to simultaneously handling multiple resolutions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentUS12475819B2Display device, display system, and display driving method

Publication Date: 2025.11.18 SONY SEMICON SOLUTIONS CORP

AI summary

In one example, a display device includes a reception circuit that receives pieces of first, second, and third image data in order. The piece of first image data has pixel values for a first resolution, the piece of second image data has pixel values for a second resolution higher than the first resolution, and the piece of third image data has pixel values included an entire image. A display section includes first, second, and third sets of pixels, and a display drive circuit performs first, second, and third driving for the first, second and third sets of pixels.