GROUPED DEMULTIPLEXING FOR FOVEATED-RESOLUTION DISPLAY
Embodiments relate to a foveated display, in which image data is displayed with a plurality of display regions associated with different image resolutions. The different resolutions are achieved using macropixels corresponding to groupings of native pixels of the display area onto which image data is loaded to concurrently. Macropixels spanning multiple columns of the display are constructed by grouping data lines of the display such that the same image data is written to pixels of different columns concurrently. The data lines receive image data from a signal line via a demultiplexer, where control signals of the demultiplexer to concurrently couple the signal line to multiple data lines, such that image data provided along the signal line is concurrently provided to each of the multiple data lines in parallel, based upon a predetermined grouping of columns of the display device.
1 . A display device comprising:
a display area comprising a plurality of pixels arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns;
a plurality of data lines, each associated with a column of the plurality of columns and configured to provide image data to pixels of the column;
a plurality of demultiplexers, each connected to a respective signal line of a plurality of signal lines from a source driver circuit and to a respective set of data lines of the plurality of data lines;
a set of control lines coupled to the plurality of demultiplexers and configured to provide control signals to the plurality of demultiplexers, wherein the control signals are configured to, during one or more row periods of a plurality of rows periods, control each of the plurality of demultiplexers to concurrently couple the respective signal line to multiple data lines of the respective set of data lines, such that image data provided along the respective signal line is concurrently provided to each of the multiple data lines in parallel, based upon a predetermined grouping of columns of the display device.
2 . The display device of claim 1 , wherein:
each data line of the plurality of data lines corresponds to a color channel,
each of the plurality of signal lines is configured to provide image data of a single color channel, and
each respective set of data lines consists of data lines corresponding to a single color channel.
3 . The display device of claim 2 , wherein each respective set of data lines is associated with a respective set of adjacent columns of the plurality of columns.
4 . The display device of claim 1 , wherein the control signals are configured to, during each of the plurality of row periods, control each of the plurality of demultiplexers to couple the respective signal line to each data line of the respective set of data lines for a predetermined charging period.
5 . The display device of claim 4 , wherein a duration of the predetermined charging period is, during the one or more row periods, based upon a number of the multiple data lines concurrently coupled to the respective signal line.
6 . The display device of claim 5 , wherein a bias current of the source driver circuit is, during the one or more row periods, configured based upon the number of the multiple data lines concurrently coupled to the respective signal line.
7 . The display device of claim 5 , wherein a length of a row period during the one or more row periods is shortened relative to one or more other row periods of the plurality of row periods, based on the number of the multiple data lines concurrently coupled to the respective signal line.
8 . The display device of claim 7 , wherein the length of the row period is shortened based upon a time constant of concurrently charging the multiple data lines.
9 . The display device of claim 1 , wherein each row comprises a respective gate line configured to provide a gate enable signal to pixels of the row, and further comprising:
a plurality of gate scan driver circuits, each coupled to a gate line of a respective row of the plurality of rows, and to a gate scan line configured to sequentially provide an enable pulse to gate scan driver circuits of the plurality of gate scan driver circuits over a plurality of time periods, and configured to selectively provide the enable pulse provided by the gate scan line or a gate enable signal of a gate line of an adjacent row of the plurality of rows as a gate enable signal to the gate line of the respective row, based upon a predetermined grouping of rows of the display device.
10 . The display device of claim 9 , wherein:
each of the plurality of gate scan driver circuits is connected to one or more gate control lines of a plurality of gate control lines configured to provide a gate scanning signal based on the predetermined grouping of rows of the display device, and
wherein each gate scan driver circuit is each configured to selectively provide the enable pulse or the gate enable signal of the gate line of the adjacent row as the gate enable signal for the respective row based on the gate scanning signal.
11 . The display device of claim 9 , wherein a timing of the plurality of row periods is based upon a timing at which the enable pulse is provided by a gate scan line sequentially to gate scan driver circuits of the plurality of rows of the display device.
12 . The display device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more row periods of a plurality of rows periods is based upon which rows of the plurality of rows contain groupings of pixels of adjacent columns, in accordance with the predetermined grouping of columns of the display device.
13 . A method, comprising:
at a display driver integrated circuit (DDIC) of a display device, receiving data indicating a grouping of columns of the display area, where the display device comprises:
a display area comprising a plurality of pixels arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns;
a plurality of data lines, each associated with a column of the plurality of columns and configured to provide image data to pixels of the column;
a plurality of demultiplexers, each connected to a respective signal line of a plurality of signal lines from a source driver circuit and to a respective set of data lines of the plurality of data lines; and
a set of control lines coupled to the plurality of demultiplexers and configured to provide control signals to the plurality of demultiplexers;
at the DDIC, configuring the control signals to, based on the grouping of columns of the display area, to, during one or more row periods of a plurality of rows periods, control each of the plurality of demultiplexers to concurrently couple the respective signal line to multiple data lines of the respective set of data lines, such that image data provided along the respective signal line is concurrently provided to each of the multiple data lines in parallel;
operating the display by providing the controls signals control signals to the set of control lines of display during each of the plurality of row periods.
14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising, at the DDIC, configuring a duration of each of the one or more row periods based upon a number of the multiple data lines concurrently coupled to the respective signal line during the row period.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the duration of each of the one or more row periods is configured based upon a time constant of charging the multiple data lines concurrently coupled to the respective signal line during the row period.
16 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising, at the DDIC, configuring a bias current of the source driver circuit during the each of the one or more row periods based upon the number of the multiple data lines concurrently coupled to the respective signal line during the row period.
17 . The method of claim 13 , wherein:
each data line of the plurality of data lines corresponds to a color channel,
each of the plurality of signal lines is configured to provide image data of a single color channel,
each respective set of data lines consists of data lines corresponding to a single color channel, and
each respective set of data lines is associated with a respective set of adjacent columns of the plurality of columns.
17 . (canceled)
18 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising configuring the control signals to, during each of the plurality of row periods, control each of the plurality of demultiplexers to couple the respective signal line to each data line of the respective set of data lines for a predetermined charging period, wherein a length of the predetermined charging period is, during the one or more row periods, based upon a number of the multiple data lines concurrently coupled to the respective signal line.
19 . The method of claim 13 , wherein each row of the display device comprises a respective gate line configured to provide a gate enable signal to pixels of the row, and the display devices further comprises a plurality of gate scan driver circuits, each coupled to a gate line of a respective row of the plurality of rows, and to a gate scan line configured to sequentially provide an enable pulse to gate scan driver circuits of the plurality of gate scan driver circuits over a plurality of time periods, and configured to selectively provide the enable pulse provided by the gate scan line or a gate enable signal of a gate line of an adjacent row of the plurality of rows as a gate enable signal to the gate line of the respective row, based upon a predetermined grouping of rows of the display device.
20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising, at the DDIC, configuring a duration of each of the one or more row periods by configuring a timing at which the enable pulse is provided by the gate scan line sequentially to gate scan driver circuits of the plurality of rows of the display device.