Display screen having regions of differing pixel density

1. A display device comprising:

a display screen comprising a first region and a second region, the first region comprising a first pixel density to display images having a first resolution, the first resolution being up to the first pixel density, and the second region comprising a second pixel density to display images having a second resolution, the second resolution being up to the second pixel density, the second pixel density being higher than the first pixel density, the display screen operable in a full screen mode in which an image is displayed in both the first region and the second region and a reduced screen mode in which power to the first region is turned off and the image is displayed in the second region, in the full screen mode, some pixels of the second region are redundantly driven by rendered image data of the first resolution so that the first resolution and the second resolution of the image are the same;

an input for receiving image data;

a power source; and

a processor in communication with the display screen, the input and the power source;

wherein the second resolution of the image displayed in the second region is greater than the first resolution.

2. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the display screen is a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen with a variable area electro luminescence (EL) backlight or a plasma display screen.

3. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the second pixel density is at least two times higher than the first pixel density.

4. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the first region is the size of a display screen of a laptop computer and the second region is the size of a handheld device screen.

5. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the second region is approximately five percent the size of the first region.

6. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the number of pixels per inch of the second region corresponds to a 3.25 inch Extended Graphics Array screen.

7. The display device of claim 1 , wherein in the full screen mode, four adjacent pixels of the second region are driven by rendered image data corresponding to one pixel in the first region.

8. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the second region is centrally located relative to the first region.

9. A method of operating a display screen, the display screen in communication with a processor and a source of power, comprising: illuminating a first region and a second region of the display screen in a full screen mode to display a first image, the second region having a higher pixel density than the first region and some pixels of the second region being redundantly driven to display the first image with a same resolution in the first region and the second region, the same resolution being less than or equal to a pixel density of the first region.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein, in the full screen mode, four adjacent pixels of the second region are driven by rendered image data corresponding to one pixel in the first region.

11. The method of claim 9 , comprising turning off power to the first region in response to a power conservation signal and displaying the first image in the second region having a resolution that is greater than the same resolution.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein turning off power to the first region comprises one of: shutting down all power to the first region, operating the first region into a low-power or standby mode and operating the first region in a monochromatic mode.

13. The method of claim 11 , comprising dimming the second region.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first image has a first resolution and a second image displayed in the second region has a higher resolution than the first resolution.