Monitor EDID Picture-Mode Signaling for Source-Side Image Processing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Monitors with limited processing power lack the capability to support advanced picture modes, necessitating costly upgrades or reliance on external devices for enhanced video processing.

Innovation Solution

Enhanced extended display identification data (EDID) parameters are added to enable monitors to communicate picture mode settings to source devices, allowing them to perform pixel processing, reducing the need for powerful onboard processors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If monitors use limited processing power to reduce cost, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but advanced picture modes cannot be supported

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemonitor manufacturing costVSAvoidpicture mode support capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (EDID data structure with picture mode parameters) that enables communication between the monitor and source device. The monitor provides its capabilities through EDID, and the source device acts as an intermediary processor that applies picture mode adjustments to the video signal before sending it to the monitor. This allows advanced picture modes to be supported without requiring a powerful processor in the monitor itself.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If monitors include powerful onboard processors to support advanced picture modes, then picture mode processing capability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepicture mode processing capabilityVSAvoidmonitor manufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the picture mode processing function from the monitor and relocates it to the source device. Instead of embedding a powerful processor in the monitor to handle picture mode adjustments, the monitor simply provides its display characteristics through EDID data, and the source device performs all the complex pixel processing externally. This extraction eliminates the need for costly onboard processing hardware in the monitor.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Adaptability or versatility

If pixel processing is performed on the monitor, then picture mode adjustment is achieved, but processing latency increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepicture mode adjustment capabilityVSAvoidvideo processing latency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by having the source device perform all picture mode processing adjustments before the video signal is transmitted to the monitor. The source device reads the monitor's EDID capabilities, applies the appropriate picture mode parameters to the video signal in advance, and then sends the already-processed signal to the monitor. This eliminates the need for real-time processing on the monitor side, thereby minimizing latency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4708276A1Monitors with enhanced EDID information for supporting picture-mode processing in a source device

Publication Date: 2026.03.11 DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORP

Figure 1

AI summary

Methods and systems are described for processing picture modes of a sink device, such as a monitor, using a source device, such as a personal computer or a gaming system. Given picture mode parameters related to picture-mode processing in an EDID of the sink device, such as brightness, saturation, and the white point, picture-mode-related processing for a sink device may be performed by the source device, thus enabling new display-related features without increasing the cost of the sink device.