Variable Frame Rate MEMC for Power Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current Motion Estimation and Motion Compensation (MEMC) technologies in mobile devices face high power consumption when converting low frame rates, such as 24 frames per second, to higher rates like 60 or 120 Hz, which affects battery life without significantly improving the viewing experience.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a variable frame rate technology that clusters content into motion types (high, middle, low, and very low motion) and adjusts output frame rates accordingly, using motion vector calculations and phase blending to reduce power consumption while maintaining smooth motion and avoiding screen tearing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If frame rate conversion from 24 fps to 60 Hz or 120 Hz is implemented using MEMC technology, then motion blur and film judder are reduced, but power consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the frame rate parameter dynamically based on motion detection. For high-motion scenes, it converts 24 fps to 60 Hz or 120 Hz to reduce motion blur and judder. For low-motion scenes, it maintains the original 24 fps rate, significantly reducing power consumption while preserving viewing experience quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the frame rate conversion based on real-time motion analysis of video content. It identifies high-motion versus low-motion scenes and applies appropriate frame rate conversion only when necessary, making the power consumption adaptive to content requirements rather than static.
2Use of energy by moving object
If variable frame rate technology is implemented, then power consumption is reduced, but screen tearing may occur due to display timing synchronization issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary motion analysis and frame rate determination before video rendering. By pre-calculating the appropriate frame rate based on motion content, it avoids runtime synchronization issues and screen tearing that would occur with dynamic frame rate changes during display.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses display timing feedback to adjust frame generation rates. It monitors display synchronization status and adjusts the variable frame rate output to maintain proper timing alignment, preventing screen tearing while preserving power savings from variable rate operation.
3Reliability
If full MEMC processing is applied to all video content, then motion smoothness is improved, but the soap opera effect increases and power consumption rises
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies MEMC processing selectively based on local motion characteristics of different video scenes. High-motion scenes receive full MEMC processing for smooth motion, while low-motion scenes use reduced or no processing, avoiding the soap opera effect in static content while maintaining motion smoothness where needed.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of displaying variable rate video data includes receiving a signal from a display indicating that the display is ready to accept a frame of video data, analyzing image content of scenes in the video data, using the image content of scenes in the video data to cluster the scenes into scene types based upon a motion level, adjusting motion estimation and motion compensation to produce a variable output frame rate of the video data not synchronized with an input frame rate, the variable output frame rate based upon the scene type, wherein the variable output frame rate employs interpolated frames, wherein interpolated phases used to form the interpolated frames are determined by the motion level and a phase relationship between the input frames and the display timing, receiving the video data at the variable output frame rate at a display panel, and displaying the video data at the variable output frame rate.