IP Library Granted Patent US 10,134,334
Granted Patent B2
US 10,134,334 · App. 15/262,449 · Granted Nov 20, 2018

Luminance uniformity correction for display panels

Inventors: Johan L. Piper (Cupertino, CA); James C. Aamold (Campbell, CA); Shengkui Gao (San Jose, CA); Hung Sheng Lin (San Jose, CA); Hyunwoo Nho (Stanford, CA)
Assignee: Apple Inc.
G09G3/3233G09G2300/0842G09G2320/0223G09G2320/0233G09G2320/0295G09G2360/145
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,134,334
App. No.
15/262,449
Granted
Nov 20, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

In order to reduce non-uniform luminance and/or chrominance, a display panel can determine, on a pixel-by-pixel basis in at least a row of pixels, a correction for voltage drops in the display panel. The voltage drop can be estimated based on a state of pixels in the display panel corresponding to at least a portion of a current frame of image data and at least a portion of a previous frame of image data. Moreover, based on the correction, the display plane can modify on the pixel-by-pixel basis in at least the row: a supply voltage applied to the display panel; a digital representation of the image data in the current frame that correspond to the pixels; and pixel drive signals corresponding to the image data in the current frame. Furthermore, the correction may be based on a predefined calibration constant and/or may be dynamically calculated.

Claims (39)

1. A display panel, comprising:

a pixel array with pixels arranged in rows; and a display driver configured to:

track a state of the pixels, wherein the state is based on at least a portion of a current frame of image data displayed in the pixel array and at least a portion of a previous frame of image data displayed in the pixel array;

determine a correction on a pixel-by-pixel basis in at least a row based on voltage drops in the pixel array;

based on the correction, modify, on the pixel-by-pixel basis in at least the row, at least one of: a supply voltage applied to the pixel array; a digital representation of the image data in the current frame that correspond to the pixels; and pixel drive signals corresponding to the image data in the current frame; and

provide the pixel drive signals to at least the row,

wherein the digital representation of the image data is modified by changing gamma values on a pixel-by-pixel basis in at least the row.

2. The display panel of claim 1 , wherein the correction corresponds to at least one of: a luminance error; and a chrominance error.

3. The display panel of claim 1 , wherein the pixel array includes organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs).

4. The display panel of claim 1 , wherein the correction is determined based at least on: a location in the pixel array; a geometry of the pixel array; and physical parameters of the pixel array.

5. The display panel of claim 4 , wherein the correction is further determined based on a scan direction during refresh of the pixel array.

6. The display panel of claim 1 , wherein the correction is determined based on a temperature of the pixel array.

7. The display panel of claim 1 , wherein the correction is determined by calculating the voltage drops based on current in the pixel array.

8. The display panel of claim 1 , wherein the correction is determined using a one-dimensional calculation or a two-dimensional calculation.

9. The display panel of claim 1 , wherein the correction is determined based on a predefined calibration constant corresponding to variation in luminance or chrominance across the pixel array.

10. A method for correcting for voltage drops in a pixel array with pixels arranged in rows, the method comprising:

by a display driver:

tracking a state of the pixels, wherein the state is based on at least a portion of a current frame of image data displayed in the pixel array and at least a portion of a previous frame of image data displayed in the pixel array;

determining a correction on a pixel-by-pixel basis in at least a row based on voltage drops in the pixel array;

based on the correction, modifying, on the pixel-by-pixel basis in at least the row, at least one of: a supply voltage applied to the pixel array; a digital representation of the image data in the current frame that correspond to the pixels; and pixel drive signals corresponding to the image data in the current frame; and

providing the pixel drive signals to at least the row,

wherein modifying the digital representation of the image data involves changing gamma values on a pixel-by-pixel basis in at least the row.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the correction corresponds to at least one of: a luminance error; and a chrominance error.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the correction is determined based at least on: a location in the pixel array; a geometry of the pixel array; and physical parameters of the pixel array.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the correction is further determined based on a scan direction during refresh of the pixel array.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the correction is determined based on a predefined calibration constant corresponding to variation in luminance or chrominance across the pixel array.

15. A display driver, comprising:

outputs configured to provide pixel drive signals to at least a row of pixels in a pixel array of a display panel, wherein the pixel drive signals correspond to image data in a current frame;

a memory configured to store a current state of the display panel, wherein the current state is based on at least a portion of the current frame of the image data currently displayed in the pixel array and at least a portion of a previous frame of image data currently displayed in the pixel array; and

a correction circuit configured to:

determine a correction on a pixel-by-pixel basis in at least the row based on voltage drops in the pixel array, each voltage drop associated with at least one pixel and determined based on the current state of the display panel; and

based on the correction, modify, on the pixel-by-pixel basis in at least the row, at least one of: a supply voltage applied to the pixel array; a digital representation of the image data in the current frame that correspond to the pixels; and the pixel drive signals.

16. The display driver of claim 15 , wherein the memory is further configured to store a predefined calibration constant corresponding to variation in luminance or chrominance across the pixel array; and

wherein the correction is determined based on the predefined calibration constant.

17. The display driver of claim 16 , wherein the predefined calibration constant is associated with a group of pixels.

18. The display driver of claim 15 , wherein the correction is determined based at least on: a location in the pixel array; a geometry of the pixel array; and physical parameters of the pixel array.

19. The display driver of claim 15 , wherein the correction circuit is further configured to:

determine a current consumption by the display panel based on the current state; and

determine a skew correction for the image data based on the current consumption.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 12, 2016
From: PIPER, JOHAN L.; AAMOLD, JAMES C.; GAO, SHENGKUI; LIN, HUNG SHENG; NHO, HYUNWOO
To: APPLE INC.
Reel/Frame 039704/0605 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation In Part 15064230 · Mar 8, 2016
Provisional Application 62146185 · Apr 10, 2015
Related Publication 20170032742A1 · Feb 2, 2017
Cited By (1)
US 12,354,542