Systems and methods for display systems with dynamic power control

• US 10,249,237 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2017
• Issued: 04/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGNIS Innovation Incorporated
• Original Assignee: IGNIS Innovation Incorporated
• Inventors: Chaji, Gholamreza
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Jr., Kenneth B
• Application Number:
  US15/431,974
• Publication Number:
  US 20170154574A1
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3218 of display devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3265 Power saving in display device
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0842 forming a memory circuit, e.g. a dynamic memory with one capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0866 by means of changes in the pixel supply voltage
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0233 Improving the luminance or brightness uniformity across the screen
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/043 Preventing or counteracting the effects of ageing
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/045 Compensation of drifts in the characteristics of light emitting or modulating elements
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/048 using evaluation of the usage time
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0613 The adjustment depending on the type of the information to be displayed
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0626 for control of overall brightness
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/021 Power management, e.g. power saving
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/022 in absence of operation, e.g. no data being entered during a predetermined time
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3225 using an active matrix
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3233 with pixel circuitry controlling the current through the light-emitting element
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

Methods and systems to dynamically adjust a voltage supply of a display are provided. Systems are provided to receive a digital data input indicative of an amount of luminance to be emitted from the display, to determine a desired supply voltage to supply to the display based on the received digital data, and to adjust an adjustable voltage supply according to the determined desired supply voltage. Furthermore, the methods and systems disclosed herein provide for dynamically separately controlling supply voltages supplied to distinct subsections of the display. Systems and methods are also provided for operating a display device in an idle mode by turning off subsections of the display that would otherwise be shown dark and thereby save energy required to program the subsections with display information.

Claims

1. A system for driving a display, the system comprising:

a plurality of groups of pixel circuits arranged in an array, each of said pixel circuits comprising a light emitting device and a driving transistor for conveying a driving current through the light emitting device;

a plurality of supply lines each coupled to at least one of said groups of pixel circuits;

a plurality of voltage sources each coupled to at least one of said plurality of supply lines; and

a controller configured to determine when said display is to be in a standby mode and, when said display is in said standby mode, to reduce the voltage supplied to a selected one of said groups of pixel circuits for dimming the selected group of pixel circuits providing a region of subdued brightness, and to turn off the voltage supplied to other groups of pixel circuits.

2. The system of claim 1 in which said controller, during said standby mode, supplies only said selected one of said groups of pixel circuits with digital data indicative of an amount of luminance to be emitted from said pixel circuits.

3. The system of claim 1 in which said controller is further configured to determine, based on digital data indicative of an amount of luminance to be emitted from the pixel circuits in said selected one of said groups of pixel circuits, a magnitude of the reduction of the voltage supplied to the selected one of said groups of pixel circuits.

4. The system of claim 1 in which said controller is further configured to determine a magnitude of the reduction of the voltage supplied to the selected one of said groups of pixel circuits such that the voltage supplied to the selected one of said groups of pixel circuits is sufficient to set driving transistors in the pixel circuits of the selected one of said groups of pixel circuits in a saturation mode.

5. The system of claim 1 in which said controller is further configured to determine a magnitude of the reduction of the voltage supplied to the selected one of said groups of pixel circuits by evaluating the voltages required in each pixel circuit to operate light emitting devices according to measured or predicted aging information for each pixel circuit.

6. The system of claim 1 in which said controller is configured to reduce the voltage supplied to the selected one of said groups of pixel circuits by reducing a voltage of the voltage source coupled to the supply line of the plurality of supply lines which is coupled to the selected one of said groups of pixel circuits.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the display is a mobile device display, said selected one of said groups of pixel circuits being associated with a distinct portion of the display on which a selected feature of a graphical user interface is positioned.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the mobile device is a phone.

9. A system for driving a display, the system comprising:

a plurality of groups of pixel circuits arranged in an array, each of said pixel circuits comprising a light emitting device and a driving transistor for conveying a driving current through the light emitting device;

a plurality of supply lines each coupled to at least one of said groups of pixel circuits;

a controller configured to determine when said display is to be in a standby mode and, when said display is in said standby mode, to reduce the rate at which at least a selected one of said groups of pixel circuits is supplied with digital data indicative of amounts of luminance to be emitted by said pixel circuits during dimming of the selected group of pixel circuits providing a region of subdued brightness.

10. The system of claim 9 in which said controller, during said standby mode, supplies only said selected one of said groups of pixel circuits with digital data indicative of an amount of luminance to be emitted from said pixel circuits.

11. The system of claim 9 in which said controller is further configured to determine, when said display is in said standby mode, to reduce the voltage supplied to the selected one of said groups of pixel circuits and to turn off the voltage supplied to the other pixels.

12. The system of claim 11 in which said controller is further configured to determine, based on digital data indicative of an amount of luminance to be emitted from the pixel circuits in said selected one of said groups of pixel circuits, a magnitude of the reduction of the voltage supplied to the selected one of said groups of pixel circuits.

13. The system of claim 11 in which said controller is further configured to determine a magnitude of the reduction of the voltage supplied to the selected one of said groups of pixel circuits such that the voltage supplied to the selected one of said groups of pixel circuits is sufficient to set driving transistors in the pixel circuits of the selected one of said groups of pixel circuits in a saturation mode.

14. The system of claim 11 in which said controller is further configured to determine a magnitude of the reduction of the voltage supplied to the selected one of said groups of pixel circuits by evaluating the voltages required in each pixel circuit to operate light emitting devices according to measured or predicted aging information for each pixel circuit.

15. The system of claim 11 further comprising:

a plurality of voltage sources each coupled to at least one of said plurality of supply lines,

in which said controller is configured to reduce the voltage supplied to the selected one of said groups of pixel circuits by reducing a voltage of the voltage source coupled to the supply line of the plurality of supply lines which is coupled to the selected one of said groups of pixel circuits.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the display is a mobile device display, said selected one of said groups of pixel circuits being associated with a distinct portion of the display on which a selected feature of a graphical user interface is positioned.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the mobile device is a phone.