Reconfigurable Display Variable-Density Scanning Circuitry
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional displays are inflexible and inefficient, requiring all pixels to be written to and energized during each frame period, even for unused pixels, leading to high power consumption and limited frame rates, which is inadequate for applications like virtual reality headsets that demand high pixel count and fast motion response.
Innovation Solution
A software-reconfigurable display with variable-density row and column scanning circuitry that allows for dynamic control of active pixels and regions, enabling pixels outside the image area to be set to black without being written to, thus optimizing energy efficiency and frame refresh rates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If all pixels are written to and energized during each frame period in conventional displays, then the display maintains consistent performance across the full display area, but power consumption increases and frame rate is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The display area is segmented into active display regions and inactive regions. The scanning circuitry is divided into active scanning circuits that write to pixels in the active region, and inactive scanning circuits that do not energize pixels in inactive regions. This segmentation allows the display to process fewer pixels per frame period, enabling higher frame rates and lower power consumption while maintaining image quality in the active region.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the display operates at native format with all pixels active, then energy efficiency is optimized, but flexibility to display different formats is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The display architecture implements dynamic reconfiguration of the scanning circuitry to adapt to different display formats. The system can dynamically adjust which scanning circuits are active and which are inactive based on the current display requirements. This dynamic adaptation allows the display to maintain high energy efficiency when operating at smaller formats by deactivating unnecessary scanning circuits, while still providing full format flexibility.
3Productivity
If unused pixels outside the image area are written as black during each frame period, then the display maintains a fixed frame period, but the frame rate is limited and energy is wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the requirement to write to and energize unused pixels outside the active display region. By taking out these unnecessary operations from the frame period process, the system can complete pixel writing and energizing faster, enabling higher frame refresh rates. Simultaneously, energy is saved by not energizing pixels that do not contribute to the displayed image.
Data Source
AI summary
An image rendering system comprising a pixel array and variable-density column and row scanner circuits is disclosed. The variable-density column and row scanner circuits enable software-based reconfiguration of the active display area within the available screen area of the display. In addition, a hardware restore-to-black function is provided that enables pixels outside of the desired image region to be driven to black without their requiring image data or excitation. As a result, the functionality of the functionality of the display can be reconfigured to match the desired image region on a frame-by-frame basis. Therefore, displays in accordance with the present invention can operate at higher frame rates and with less power consumption that prior-art displays.