Liquid Crystal Display Refresh Control for Pause Drive Brightness Mismatch

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional liquid crystal display devices using pause drive with the CABC function experience reduced display quality due to abrupt changes in backlight intensity when transitioning from bright to dark images, as the screen is not refreshed every frame, leading to omitted images and mismatched brightness levels.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a transition period where the screen is refreshed in each phase of intensity change by adjusting the duration of the vertical display period to be less than or equal to the sub-transition period, ensuring the image displayed corresponds to the intended backlight intensity, and using a refresh rate control to maintain screen refresh during intensity changes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If pause drive is performed to reduce power consumption, then power consumption is reduced, but display quality deteriorates due to omitted images and mismatched brightness levels

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumptionVSAvoiddisplay quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the pause drive operation into distinct phases: a refresh period for screen updating and a no-refresh period for power saving. During the transition between bright and dark images, the system selectively performs refreshes only during necessary phases while pausing during others, thereby maintaining display quality during critical transitions while achieving power consumption reduction during stable display periods.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements periodic screen refreshes during pause drive by synchronizing the refresh period with the transition period of image brightness changes. The display control circuit performs refreshes at specific intervals (during the transition period) rather than continuously, creating a periodic action pattern that maintains image-backlight correspondence while reducing overall power consumption compared to continuous refresh.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

2Reliability

If the backlight intensity is changed gradually during transition period, then display quality is improved, but the complexity of control increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisplay qualityVSAvoidcontrol complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs feedback mechanisms where the display control circuit monitors the current display state and backlight intensity, then adjusts the refresh timing and pulse-width modulation duty cycle accordingly. The system detects when transitions between bright and dark images occur and dynamically adjusts the refresh period and backlight intensity in response, creating a closed-loop control system that manages complexity through intelligent responsiveness rather than rigid predetermined sequences.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If the refresh rate is maintained during transition period, then display quality is maintained, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisplay qualityVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent dynamically adjusts the refresh rate based on the display content and transition state. During the transition period when image brightness changes occur, the system maintains higher refresh rates to ensure display quality. During stable display periods outside the transition period, the system reduces the refresh rate or enters pause drive mode with extended no-refresh periods, thereby creating a dynamic refresh strategy that adapts to operational conditions and optimizes the balance between display quality and power consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP2819120B1Display device, electronic device comprising same, and drive method for display device
Publication Date: 2019.04.24 SHARP KK
  • EP2819120B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2819120B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2819120B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided is a display device capable of suppressing reduction in display quality even when pause drive is performed, while allowing the intensity of a light source to be changed in accordance with images to be displayed. In a liquid crystal display device with the CABC function, 7. 5-Hz pause drive is performed. A transition period is provided in which images to be displayed are changed gradually from bright image X to dark image Y. In the transition period, the duration of a sub-transition period is five frames. Once the transition period starts, the duration of a vertical display period changes from eight frames to one frame. That is, 7.5-Hz pause drive switches to 60-Hz normal drive. In this manner, the duration of the vertical display period is set to be less than or equal to the duration of the sub-transition period, so that screen refresh is always performed in each sub-transition period of the transition period.