Dynamic artifact compensation systems and methods

• US 9,727,185 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2015
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Zhang, Lu, Wang, Chaohao, Sacchetto, Paolo, Pintz, Sandro H., Tann, Christopher P., Jiang, Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): Watko, Julie Anne
• Application Number:
  US14/640,958
• Publication Number:
  US 20160259478A1
• Time in Patent Office: 886 Days
• Field of Search: 345174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04184 Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/08 Details of timing specific for flat panels, other than clock recovery
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/20 for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3611 Control of matrices with row and column drivers
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/12 Synchronisation between the display unit and other units, e.g. other display units, video-disc players

Abstract

One embodiment describes an electronic display. The electronic display includes display driver circuitry that displays at least a first image frame and a second image frame on the electronic device using a first display pixel and a second display pixel. The electronic display also includes touch sensing circuitry that detects user interaction with the electronic display. A timing controller of the electronic display determines at least a first insertion time for a first intra-frame pause for the first image frame and a second insertion time for a second intra-frame pause for the second image frame. The first and second intra-frame pauses are periods where the display driver circuitry is pauses rendering of image data to allow the touch sensing circuitry to detect user interaction. The insertion times for the first and second intra-frame pauses are varied from one another. The timing controller inserts the first intra-frame pause during rendering of the first image frame at the first insertion time and inserts the second intra-frame pause during rendering of the second image frame at the second insertion time.

Claims

1. An electronic display, comprising:

display driver circuitry configured to display at least a first image frame and a second image frame on the electronic display using a first display pixel and a second display pixel;

touch sensing circuitry configured to detect user interaction with the electronic display; and

a timing controller configured to;

determine at least a first insertion time for a first intra-frame pause for the first image frame and a second insertion time for a second intra-frame pause for the second image frame, the insertion times for the first and second intra-frame pauses being varied from one another, wherein the first and second intra-frame pauses are periods where the display driver circuitry is configured to pause rendering of image data to allow the touch sensing circuitry to detect the user interaction; and

insert the first intra-frame pause during rendering of the first image frame at the first insertion time; and

insert the second intra-frame pause during rendering of the second image frame at the second insertion time;

wherein the timing controller is configured to determine the first insertion time, the second insertion time, or both randomly.

2. The electronic display of claim 1, comprising a random number generator, wherein the timing controller is configured to determine the first insertion time, the second insertion time, or both based at least in part upon an output of the random number generator.

3. The electronic display of claim 1, wherein the timing controller is configured to instruct the display circuitry to stop writing image data to display pixels while the touch sensing circuitry determines whether the user touch is present on a surface of the electronic display.

4. The electronic display of claim 1, wherein the touch sensing circuitry comprise a touch sensing pixel configured to detect presences and position of the user touch based at least in part on an impedance change at the touch sensing pixel.

5. The electronic display of claim 1, wherein the timing controller is configured to:

determine a first set of insertion times for at least two intra-frame pauses for a single image frame; and

insert the at least two intra-frame pauses during rendering of the single image frame at the first set of insertion times.

6. The electronic display of claim 5, wherein the timing controller is configured to:

determine a second set of insertion times for at least two subsequent intra-frame pauses for a subsequent single image frame; and

insert the at least two subsequent intra-frame pauses during rendering of the subsequent single image frame at the second set of insertion times;

wherein the first set of insertion times and the second set of insertion times are varied from one another.

7. A tangible, non-transitory, computer readable medium storing instructions executable by a processor of an electronic display configured to display an image frame, wherein the instructions comprise instructions to:

determine a first insertion time for an intra-frame pause from rendering the image frame, wherein the first insertion time is varied from a subsequent insertion time for at least one subsequent frame and wherein the first insertion time comprises a random first insertion time;

receive, using the processor, image data corresponding with the image frame;

instruct, using the processor, the electronic display to write a portion of the image data to display pixels in the electronic display to display a portion of the image frame;

upon reaching the first insertion time, instruct, using the processor, the electronic display to pause writing the image data once the portion of the image frame is displayed;

upon completion of the intra-frame pause, instruct, using the processor, the electronic display to write a remaining portion of the image data to the display pixels.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 7, comprising instructions to instruct, using the processor, the electronic display to determine whether a user touch is present on a surface of the electronic display during the pause.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the intra-frame pause causes a delay between writing the portion of the image data and the subsequent portion of the image data to the display pixels.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the instructions to determine the random first insertion time comprise:

obtaining a random seed from a random number generator of the electronic display; and

basing the random first insertion time at least in part upon the random seed.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 7, comprising instructions to:

upon completion of rendering of the first frame;

determine the subsequent insertion time for the at least one subsequent frame;

instruct, using the processor, the electronic display to write a portion of the image data of the subsequent frame to display pixels in the electronic display to display a portion of the image frame;

upon reaching the subsequent insertion time, instruct, using the processor, the electronic display to pause writing the image data of the subsequent frame once the portion of the subsequent frame is displayed;

upon completion of the intra-frame pause, instruct, using the processor, the electronic display to write a remaining portion of the image data of the subsequent image frame to the display pixels.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 7, comprising instructions to:

determine a second insertion time for a second intra-frame pause in the image frame; and

insert the second intra-frame pause at the second insertion time during rendering of the image frame.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 12, comprising instructions to:

determine a second set of first and second insertion times for at least two subsequent intra-frame pauses for the subsequent image frame; and

insert the at least two subsequent intra-frame pauses during rendering of the subsequent image frame at the second set of insertion times;

wherein the first insertion time of the first image frame varies from the first insertion time of the subsequent frame and the second insertion time of the second intra-frame pause in the image frame varies from the second insertion time of the subsequent intra-frame pause for the subsequent image frame.

14. A method, comprising:

writing a first portion of display pixels on an electronic display to display the first portion of a first image frame;

pausing writing of the display pixels at a first intra-frame pause time;

receiving a first user input during the first intra-frame pause time via a user input device;

upon completion of the first intra-frame pause time, writing a second portion of the display pixels to display a second portion of the first image frame;

upon completion of writing the first image frame, writing a first portion of the display pixels to display a first portion of the second image frame;

pausing writing of the display pixels at a second intra-frame pause time;

receiving a second user input during the second intra-frame pause time via the user input device; and

upon completion of the second intra-frame pause time, writing a second portion of the display pixels to display a second portion of the second image frame;

wherein the first intra-frame pause time and the second intra-frame pause time are different; and

wherein the first intra-frame pause time, the second intra-frame pause time, or both are generated based upon a seed from a random number generator.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the user input device comprises a touch sensing pixel in the electronic display, wherein the touch sensing pixel is configured to determine occurrence and position of the first user input on a surface of the electronic display.

16. The method of claim 14, comprising:

pausing writing of the display pixels at a third intra-frame pause time, during rendering of the first image frame;

receiving a third user input during the third intra-frame pause time via the user input device;

upon completion of the third intra-frame pause time, writing a third portion of the display pixels to display a third portion of the first image frame;

pausing writing of the display pixels at a fourth intra-frame pause time, during rendering of the second image frame;

receiving a fourth user input during the fourth intra-frame pause time via the user input device; and

upon completion of the fourth intra-frame pause time, writing a third portion of the display pixels to display a third portion of the second image frame;

wherein the third and fourth intra-frame pauses vary from one another.

17. The method of claim 16, comprising:

generating the third intra-frame pause time, the fourth intra-frame pause time, or both using a random number generator.