Self-Refresh Display Power Saving Through Dynamic Refresh Rates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing display technologies consume excessive power during periods of static image display, such as when a user is reading a document, as they continue to refresh frames at high rates, leading to unnecessary power consumption.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a self-refresh mode in displays that reduces the refresh rate after a certain number of consecutive frames are identical, switching to a lower power consumption rate, and resuming the original rate when new frames are needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the display continues to refresh frames at high rates, then the image quality and responsiveness are maintained, but the power consumption increases excessively
Solution Approach 1:
The display dynamically adjusts the refresh rate based on the content being displayed. When the image is static or unchanged, the refresh rate is reduced to save power. When the image changes or updates are needed, the refresh rate returns to normal levels. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction between maintaining high refresh rates for image quality and reducing refresh rates to save power.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameter (refresh rate) of the display based on the display content state. By monitoring whether the current frame matches the previous frame, the system adjusts the refresh rate parameter accordingly - using a lower refresh rate for static images and a higher refresh rate for dynamic content, thus resolving the power consumption versus image quality contradiction.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the refresh rate is reduced to save power, then the power consumption decreases, but the responsiveness and image quality may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The display system incorporates feedback mechanisms to monitor whether the displayed image has changed. By comparing the current frame with the previous frame, the system determines whether to maintain a high refresh rate or switch to a lower refresh rate. This feedback loop ensures that image quality and responsiveness are maintained when necessary while allowing power savings when the image is static.
Solution Approach 2:
The refresh rate is made dynamic rather than fixed, allowing the system to adapt between high and low refresh rates based on real-time conditions. This dynamic adjustment ensures that reliability (image quality and responsiveness) is maintained when content changes occur, while power consumption is reduced during static display periods.
3Use of energy by moving object
If the display enters self-refresh mode with lower refresh rate, then power consumption is reduced by up to 300 milliwatts, but the transition time to return to high refresh rate must be minimized
Solution Approach 1:
The display maintains a buffer or memory of the previous frame data, allowing it to quickly resume high refresh rates when content changes are detected. By having the previous frame information readily available and the system state preserved, the transition from low to high refresh rate can occur rapidly without significant delay, thus minimizing time loss while maintaining power savings during static periods.
Data Source
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AI summary
Techniques for low-power self-refreshing of a display are disclosed. In the illustrative embodiment, a display receives frames as a base refresh rate, such as from a graphics processor. The graphics processor may determine that the last frame can be displayed for one or more additional frames and place the link to the display in a sleep state. The display can then refresh the last frame on the display. In order to save power, the display can refresh the last frame on the display at a reduced refresh rate, such as at the minimum refresh rate of the display.