Timing Controller Image Upscaling for Low-Power Ultra HD Displays

Solution Overview

Problem

The power consumption and performance of compute devices are heavily influenced by display resolution, with higher resolutions requiring more power and resources, while lower resolutions compromise user experience.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a machine-learning-based algorithm in a timing controller to upscale display images using a two-branch neural network approach, which reduces power consumption by lowering the frame resolution before upscaling and utilizing a compact neural network model with int8 precision.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If display resolution is increased to improve user experience, then image quality is improved, but power consumption and compute resource requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisplay resolutionVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary downscaling of the image to a lower resolution before processing, and then upscales it back to the original high resolution. This preliminary action allows the compute device to work with fewer pixels during processing, reducing power consumption while maintaining the ability to display high-resolution images.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary processing stage that uses a neural network model to transform images between different resolutions. This intermediary mechanism enables efficient upscaling by learning the relationship between low-resolution and high-resolution images, allowing the system to reduce resolution for processing while maintaining quality for display.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If display resolution is increased to improve user experience, then image quality is improved, but compute resource requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisplay resolutionVSAvoidcompute resource requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary downscaling of the image to a lower resolution before processing, and then upscales it back to the original high resolution. This preliminary action allows the compute device to work with fewer pixels during processing, reducing power consumption while maintaining the ability to display high-resolution images.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary processing stage that uses a neural network model to transform images between different resolutions. This intermediary mechanism enables efficient upscaling by learning the relationship between low-resolution and high-resolution images, allowing the system to reduce resolution for processing while maintaining quality for display.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Use of energy by moving object

If frame resolution is lowered to reduce power consumption, then power consumption is reduced, but image quality deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidimage quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary processing stage that uses a neural network model to transform images between different resolutions. This intermediary mechanism enables efficient upscaling by learning the relationship between low-resolution and high-resolution images, allowing the system to reduce resolution for processing while maintaining quality for display.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the resolution parameter dynamically by downscaling images before processing and then upscaling them back. This parameter change allows the system to operate at lower resolutions for reduced power consumption while maintaining the ability to produce high-quality high-resolution output images.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS20250299613A1Technologies for upscaling display image resolution

Publication Date: 2025.09.25 INTEL CORP

AI summary

Techniques for upscaling display image resolution are disclosed. In an illustrative embodiment, a component of a compute device, such as a graphics processing unit (GPU), sends frames to a display module at a first resolution, and the display module upscales the frame to a second, higher resolution. To do so, the display module implements a low-power machine-learning-based algorithm, which can perform high-quality upscaling. Generating the frames at the GPU at a lower resolution can save significantly more power than the display module uses to implement the machine-learning-based algorithm, reducing the overall power of the compute device.