Projector Controller Burn-in Prevention Interrupt Handling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Image display apparatuses with liquid crystal panels face burn-in issues when displaying still images for extended periods, and existing solutions require long durations of refresh images to mitigate this, leading to potential power wastage due to unintended interruptions.

Innovation Solution

An image display apparatus with a controller that powers off after displaying a refresh image if an interrupt occurs before the set time, allowing for immediate shutdown and preventing prolonged power usage, while maintaining the light source on to enhance burn-in prevention.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a refresh image is continuously displayed for a long time to improve burn-in, then the burn-in prevention is improved, but the power consumption increases and the risk of unintended power wastage due to interrupts increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveburn-in preventionVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit determines in advance whether to interrupt the refresh image display based on the type of interrupt signal received. By preliminarily assessing the interrupt type before allowing interruption, the system ensures that burn-in prevention is maintained for legitimate interruptions (user input, system updates) while preventing power wastage from unintended interruptions (power failures, unexpected events).

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors interrupt signals during refresh image display and uses feedback from the interrupt type determination to control whether the display should be interrupted. This feedback mechanism allows the system to adaptively respond to different interrupt scenarios, maintaining burn-in prevention effectiveness while avoiding unnecessary power consumption from inappropriate interruptions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Speed

If the refresh image display is interrupted when an interrupt signal is received, then the system responsiveness is improved, but the burn-in prevention effectiveness is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem responsivenessVSAvoidburn-in prevention
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts its response to interrupt signals based on the type of interrupt received. Rather than using a fixed interrupt handling approach, the control unit evaluates the interrupt type in real-time and dynamically determines whether to interrupt the refresh image display, optimizing both responsiveness and burn-in prevention based on current system conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The control unit performs preliminary determination of the interrupt type before executing the interrupt process. This preliminary action allows the system to prepare appropriately for different interrupt scenarios, ensuring that legitimate interruptions (which should maintain burn-in prevention) are handled differently from unintended interruptions (which can safely interrupt the display).

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3522147B1Image display apparatus and control method thereof
Publication Date: 2021.07.21 SEIKO EPSON CORP
  • EP3522147B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3522147B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3522147B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A projector includes an image projection unit for displaying an image by a liquid crystal panel, and a controller that powers off the projector after displaying a black image in the image projection unit for a predetermined time (a set refresh time) in a refresh mode for improving burn-in of the liquid crystal panel, in which the controller stops the refresh mode when an interrupt event is generated before the set refresh time elapses in the refresh mode and powers off the projector after executing an interrupt process according to the interrupt event.