Timing Controller for Proximity Sensing Frame Rate Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing proximity sensing systems for display panels face challenges in maintaining accurate sensing frame rates when display frame rates change, leading to potential inaccuracies in detecting input objects such as fingers or styluses.
Innovation Solution
A processing system comprising interface circuitry and a timing controller that receives a vertical sync period indicator to synchronize and control both display drive operations and proximity sensing operations, ensuring a consistent proximity sensing frame rate based on input timing, thereby maintaining accurate sensing despite changes in display frame rates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the display frame rate is changed to optimize display performance, then display efficiency is improved, but proximity sensing accuracy deteriorates due to frame rate mismatch
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the proximity sensing frame rate to match the display frame rate. When the display frame rate changes, the timing controller modifies the sensing operation frequency accordingly, ensuring both operations remain synchronized. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by making the sensing system flexible rather than fixed, allowing it to maintain accuracy across varying display performance requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the vertical sync period indicator as a feedback signal to continuously monitor and adjust the timing of both display drive and proximity sensing operations. This feedback mechanism ensures that when display frame rate changes occur, the sensing operations automatically realign to maintain proper synchronization, thereby preserving sensing accuracy while accommodating display efficiency optimizations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If proximity sensing operations are performed independently of display timing, then sensing operations flexibility is improved, but timing synchronization deteriorates leading to buffer overflow or underflow
Solution Approach 1:
The timing controller serves multiple functions simultaneously: it controls both the display drive operations and the proximity sensing operations. By using a single control unit that manages both functions based on the vertical sync period indicator, the system ensures that both operations share a common timing reference. This multi-functionality approach maintains reliability through unified timing control while still allowing flexible sensing operations within the synchronized framework.
Data Source
AI summary
A processing system comprises interface circuitry and a timing controller. The interface circuitry is configured to receive a vertical sync period indicator that indicates a start of an external vertical sync period. The timing controller is configured to, in response to a change in a display frame rate, control timing of a display drive operation and a proximity sensing operation to maintain a proximity sensing frame rate based on input timing of the vertical sync period indicator to the interface circuitry. The processing system is configured to supply drive signals to display elements of a display panel in the display drive operation and acquire sensing signals from sensor electrodes of the display panel in the proximity sensing operation.