Scan Driver Clock Duty Control for Low-Flicker Display Driving

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Display devices experience flicker phenomena and high power consumption when driven at low frequencies, particularly in still image display modes.

Innovation Solution

The display device employs a scan driver with increased clock signal lines and adjusted clock duty cycles to reduce driving frequency, incorporating data blank periods between sub-frames, and selectively switches between normal and low frequencies based on image content.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If the display device is driven at a low frequency to reduce power consumption, then power consumption is reduced, but a flicker phenomenon occurs due to leakage characteristic

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidflicker phenomenon
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies periodic action by implementing interlaced scanning that alternately drives odd-numbered and even-numbered scan lines in separate sub-frames. This periodic activation pattern allows the display to operate at lower frequencies while maintaining stable image quality and reducing flicker through the systematic alternation of line groups.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the scan lines into multiple groups (odd-numbered lines in one sub-frame, even-numbered lines in another sub-frame). This segmentation allows independent control of different line groups, enabling the display to reduce power consumption by activating only necessary line groups while preventing flicker through coordinated scanning of segmented line sets.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If progressive scanning method is used to drive all scan lines in every frame, then image quality is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimage qualityVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements periodic action through interlaced scanning, where odd-numbered scan lines are driven in one sub-frame and even-numbered scan lines are driven in another sub-frame. This periodic alternation maintains complete image coverage similar to progressive scanning while reducing power consumption by activating only half the scan lines in each sub-frame period.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies dynamics by adaptively switching between progressive scanning and interlaced scanning modes based on display content requirements. The system dynamically adjusts the scanning method to balance image quality and power consumption, using interlaced scanning for static content and progressive scanning for dynamic content.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Loss of energy

If interlaced scanning method is used to alternate driving odd and even scan lines, then power consumption is reduced, but image quality deteriorates for video display

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidimage quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs dynamics by implementing adaptive scanning mode selection that switches between interlaced scanning for power savings and progressive scanning for superior image quality. The system dynamically determines the appropriate scanning mode based on content characteristics, ensuring optimal balance between power consumption and image quality for different display scenarios.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the scanning frequency and line activation patterns based on display content. The system changes operational parameters such as frame rate, sub-frame structure, and line group activation to optimize both power consumption and image quality, adjusting these parameters dynamically according to content requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4060654B1Display device and method of driving display device
Publication Date: 2026.04.15 SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO LTD
  • EP4060654B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4060654B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4060654B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A display device (10) according to an embodiment of the disclosure includes a timing controller (11), a scan driver (13) including a plurality of stages (ST1, ..., ST8) connected to a plurality of clock signal lines (CLKL1, ..., CLKL8) and generating a plurality of scan signals in response to the scan start signal (FLM), a data driver (12) configured to generate a plurality of data signals based on the image data, and a pixel portion (14) including a plurality of pixels. One stage (ST1, ..., ST8) in the scan driver (13) transmits a carry signal to a 2n-th next stage. The timing controller (11) selects one among a normal frequency and low frequencies lower than the normal frequency as a driving frequency based on the input image data, and adjusts a clock duty of the plurality of clock signals (CLK1, ..., CLK8) so that a time required to output all of the plurality of scan signals during one frame is constant irrespective of the driving frequency.