Display unit displaying images at a refresh rate less than the rate at which the images are encoded in a received display signal
First Claim
1. A method of displaying images according to a plurality of source image frames encoded in a display signal, said source image frames being encoded at an encoding frequency FRS and said images being displayed on a display screen of a display unit, wherein said display unit has an associated target refresh rate, wherein said encoding frequency is greater than said target refresh rate, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) receiving said analog display signal in said display unit;
(b) determining an actual refresh rate FRD and N such that, FRS /FRD =(N+1)/N, wherein FRD is at least approximately equal to said target refresh rate and N in an integer greater than or equal to 2;
(c) generating a plurality of pixel data elements representing each of said source image frames;
(d) storing said plurality of pixel data elements in a frame buffer;
(e) retrieving said plurality of pixel data elements from said frame buffer such that said display screen can be refreshed at FRD ; and
(f) disabling the storing of at least some of said plurality of pixel data elements related to every (N+1)st source image frame into said frame of step (d),wherein step (f) prevents image tearing problem by ensuring that a single display image is not generated from two source images.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A display unit receiving a display signal having source image frames encoded at an encoding rate (FRS). A display screen may be refreshed at a refresh rate which is less than the encoding rate. An actual refresh rate (FRD) is determined such that FRS /FRD =(N+1)/N. To satisfy this equation, the actual refresh rate (FRD) may be selected to be slightly different from the target refresh rate supported by the display screen. Pixel data elements representing source image frames (received at FRS) may be written into a frame buffer, and the pixel data elements may be retrieved at a frequency determined by refresh rate FRD. However, at least a part of every (N+1)st source image frame is not written into the frame buffer to avoid image tearing problems.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of displaying images according to a plurality of source image frames encoded in a display signal, said source image frames being encoded at an encoding frequency FRS and said images being displayed on a display screen of a display unit, wherein said display unit has an associated target refresh rate, wherein said encoding frequency is greater than said target refresh rate, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) receiving said analog display signal in said display unit; (b) determining an actual refresh rate FRD and N such that, FRS /FRD =(N+1)/N, wherein FRD is at least approximately equal to said target refresh rate and N in an integer greater than or equal to 2; (c) generating a plurality of pixel data elements representing each of said source image frames; (d) storing said plurality of pixel data elements in a frame buffer; (e) retrieving said plurality of pixel data elements from said frame buffer such that said display screen can be refreshed at FRD ; and (f) disabling the storing of at least some of said plurality of pixel data elements related to every (N+1)st source image frame into said frame of step (d), wherein step (f) prevents image tearing problem by ensuring that a single display image is not generated from two source images. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A display circuit for generating display signals on a display screen provided in a display unit, wherein a target refresh rate is associated with said display screen, said display circuit comprising:
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a data recovery block for receiving a display signal containing a plurality of source image frames, wherein said source image frames are encoded at an encoding rate, said Data recovery block generating a plurality of pixel data elements representing each of said source image frames; a frame buffer coupled to said data recovery block, said frame buffer for storing said plurality of pixel data elements; a control circuit for determining an actual refresh rate FRD and an integer N such that, FRS /FRD =(N+1)/N, wherein FRD is at least approximately equal to said target refresh rate, said control circuit disabling the storing of at least some of said plurality of pixel data elements related to every (N+1)st source image frame; a display interface for receiving said plurality of pixel data elements stored in said frame buffer and refreshing said display screen at said actual refresh rate, wherein disabling storing of every (N+1)st source image frame enables said display circuit to avoid image tearing on said display screen. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A digital display unit for displaying images represented by a plurality of source image frames, wherein said source image frames are encoded in a display signal at an encoding rate, said digital display unit comprising:
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a display screen having a target refresh rate which is less than said encoding rate; a data recovery block for receiving said display signal, said data recovery block generating a plurality of pixel data elements representing each of said source image frames; a frame buffer coupled to said data recovery block, said frame buffer for storing said plurality of pixel data elements; a control circuit for determining an actual refresh rate FRD and an integer N such that, FRS /FRD =(N+1)/N, wherein FRD is at least approximately equal to said target refresh rate, said control circuit disabling the storing of at least some of said plurality of pixel data elements related to every (N+1)st source image frame; a display interface for receiving said plurality of pixel data elements stored in said frame buffer and refreshing said display screen at said actual refresh rate, wherein disabling storing of every (N+1)st source image frame enables said display circuit to avoid image tearing on said display screen. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. A display unit for displaying images according to a plurality of source image frames encoded in a display signal, said display unit including a display screen designed to support a target refresh rate, said display unit comprising:
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receiving means for receiving said display signal in said display unit; means for determining an actual refresh rate FRD and an integer N such that, FRS /FRD =(N+1)/N, wherein FRD is at least approximately equal to said target refresh rate; means for generating a plurality of pixel data elements representing each of said source image frames; storage means for storing said plurality of pixel data elements in a frame buffer; means for retrieving said plurality of pixel data elements from said frame buffer such that said display screen can be refreshed at FRD ; and means for disabling the storing of at least some of said plurality of pixel data elements related to every (N+1)st source image frame into said frame buffer, wherein said disabling prevents image tearing problem by ensuring that a single display image is not generated from two source images. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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Specification