MPI Bus Communication for Display Device Pin Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Display devices using serial to peripheral interface (SPI) protocol are vulnerable to electromagnetic interference (EMI) and have increased pin and line counts due to individual port connections, leading to transfer rate issues and higher current consumption.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a multi point-to-point interface (MPI) protocol for communication between microcontrollers and source drivers, utilizing MPI buses for bi-directional data transfer, and controlling reception buffers via the MPI protocol to reduce pin count, line count, and current consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If SPI protocol with individual port connections is used, then communication between microcontroller and source drivers is established, but the number of pins and lines increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple individual SPI port connections into a single shared MPI bus that supports multi-point-to-point communication. Instead of requiring separate physical ports for each source driver connection, the MPI protocol enables multiple devices to communicate over a shared bus infrastructure, significantly reducing the number of required pins and lines while maintaining reliable communication through protocol-level addressing and data management.
Solution Approach 2:
The MPI bus serves as a universal communication infrastructure that can handle multiple types of data traffic (display data, touch data, control signals) between the microcontroller and multiple source drivers simultaneously. This multi-functional bus replaces multiple dedicated point-to-point connections, reducing system complexity while providing versatile communication capabilities.
2Productivity
If SPI protocol is used for communication, then data transfer between microcontroller and source drivers is achieved, but electromagnetic interference vulnerability increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional SPI mechanical/electrical communication system with an MPI system that uses differential signaling and protocol-level error handling. The MPI protocol incorporates robust data transmission mechanisms including data validation, error detection, and retransmission protocols that are inherently more resistant to electromagnetic interference than standard SPI communication.
3Reliability
If individual port connections are used for each source driver, then communication reliability is maintained, but current consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
By merging multiple individual port connections into a single shared MPI bus, the patent reduces the total number of active communication channels. This consolidation allows for more efficient power management, as the shared bus can be put into low-power states when not in use, and fewer individual port connections mean fewer simultaneous high-current transmission paths, thereby reducing overall current consumption while maintaining communication reliability through the robust MPI protocol.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a display device that transmits and receives data on the basis of a MPI protocol. The display device includes a microcontroller, source drivers, and first and second MPI buses, wherein the microcontroller and the source drivers perform bi-directional communication on the basis of the MPI protocol in which transmission types for occupying the first and second MPI buses are set.