Patent Publication Number: US-11640776-B1

Title: Arcuate display device and driving method thereof

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan application serial no. 111115702, filed on Apr. 25, 2022. The entirety of the above-mentioned patent application is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of this specification. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to a non-planar display device and a driving method thereof, in particular to an arcuate display device and a driving method thereof. 
     Description of Related Art 
     With an increasing development of technology industries, displays have been widely used in daily life. By splicing a plurality of display units (light panels) on an arcuate surface, an arcuate display device can provide an experience different from a flat display and is often used in large-scale exhibition activities. 
     However, since a display surface of the arcuate display device is non-planar, taking a spherical display device as an example, amounts of pixels possessed by display units at north and south ends are smaller than those possessed by display units at an equator. When an image source controls the display units of different latitudes by a driving device with a same circuit layout design as a flat display device, discontinuous images may occur at splicing areas of the adjacent light panels. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present disclosure provides an arcuate display device and a driving method thereof, in which images at splicing areas of the arcuate display device are continuous. 
     According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, an arcuate display device is provided, which includes an arcuate display surface, a plurality of display units, a virtual axis, an image source, and at least one controller. The display units are configured on the arcuate display surface in an array manner, and each of the display units includes a plurality of display rows, and each of the display rows includes a plurality of pixels. The virtual axis is located on the arcuate display surface, in which the display units are respectively configured on two sides of the virtual axis, and the display rows are configured parallel to the virtual axis. The image source is configured to provide a plurality of pixel signals. The at least one controller is electrically connected between the display units and the image source. The controller is configured to receive the pixel signals and generate a plurality of frame signals respectively corresponding to the display units by using a frame signal generator of the controller, in which each of the frame signals includes the pixel signals, a plurality of first dummy signals and a plurality of second dummy signals, and the pixel signals respectively correspond to the pixels. A sum of an amount of the pixel signals, an amount of the first dummy signals, and an amount of the second dummy signals in each of the frame signals is same. 
     According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a driving method of an arcuate display device is provided for driving the arcuate display device. The arcuate display device includes a plurality of display units, an image source and at least one controller. The at least one controller is electrically connected between the display units and the image source. The driving method of the arcuate display device includes the following. The image source provides a plurality of pixel signals. The at least one controller receives the pixel signals, and a plurality of frame signals respectively corresponding to the display units are generated using a frame signal generator of the at least one controller. Each of the frame signals includes the pixel signals, a plurality of first dummy signals and a plurality of second dummy signals. A sum of an amount of the pixel signals, an amount of the first dummy signals, and an amount of the second dummy signals in each of the frame signals is same. 
     Based on the above, the driving method of the arcuate display device provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure inserts the dummy signals into the frame signals, so that the sum of the amounts of the pixel signals, the amounts of the first dummy signals and the amounts of the second dummy signals in each of the frame signals is the same. Therefore, the display units which possess different amounts can be controlled using the frame signal generator and a driving device with the same circuit layout design, so there will be no discontinuous images at the splicing areas. 
     In order to make the above-mentioned features and advantages of the present disclosure more obvious and easier to understand, embodiments will be given and described in detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         FIG.  1 A  is a schematic diagram of an arcuate display device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  1 B  is a schematic diagram of an arcuate display screen according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  1 C  is a schematic flat expansion view of the arcuate display screen shown in  FIG.  1 B . 
         FIG.  2 A  is an enlarged view of a plurality of display units shown in  FIG.  1 C . 
         FIG.  2 B  is a schematic diagram of frame signals corresponding to the display units shown in  FIG.  2 A . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to  FIGS.  1 A and  1 B ,  FIG.  1 A  illustrates a schematic diagram of an arcuate display device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and  FIG.  1 B  illustrates a schematic diagram of an arcuate display screen according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. An arcuate display device  100  includes an image source  101 , a controller  102  and an arcuate display screen, in which the arcuate display screen includes an arcuate display surface  100 S, a virtual axis  1  and a display module  103 . The display module  103  includes a plurality of display units  11 ,  12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  15 ,  16 ,  17 ,  18 ,  19 ,  10 ,  21 ,  22 ,  23 ,  24 ,  25 ,  26 . 
     The image source  101  is configured to provide a plurality of pixel signals PSi. The controller  102  is electrically connected between the display module  103  and the image source  101  and receives the pixel signals PSi to control the display units  11 ,  12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  15 ,  16 ,  17 ,  18 ,  19 ,  10 ,  21 ,  22 ,  23 ,  24 ,  25 ,  26 . For convenience of description, only one controller  102  is illustrated in  FIG.  1 A , which is electrically connected to the display module  103 . But the present disclosure is not limited hereto. In other embodiments of the present disclosure, the arcuate display device  100  may include a plurality of controllers  102  to respectively control the display units  11 ,  12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  15 ,  16 ,  17 ,  18 ,  19 ,  10 ,  21 ,  22 ,  23 ,  24 ,  25 ,  26 . For example, one controller controls a plurality of the display units  11 ,  12 ,  13 , one controller controls a plurality of the display units  14 ,  15 ,  16 , one controller controls a plurality of the display units  17 ,  18 ,  19 ,  10 , one controller controls a plurality of the display units  21 ,  22 ,  23 , and another controller controls a plurality of the display units  24 ,  25 ,  26 . 
     The display units are configured on the arcuate display surface  100 S in an array manner. The virtual axis  1  is located on the arcuate display surface  100 S, and the display units  11 ,  12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  15 ,  16 ,  17 ,  18 ,  19 ,  10 ,  21 ,  22 ,  23 ,  24 ,  25 ,  26  are respectively configured on two sides of the virtual axis  1 . In the embodiment, the virtual axis  1  can be regarded as an equator of the arcuate display screen, and the display units  11 ,  12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  15 ,  16 ,  17 ,  18 ,  19 ,  10 ,  21 ,  22 ,  23 ,  24 ,  25 ,  26  are respectively configured on the arcuate display screen at different latitudes. 
     Referring to  FIG.  1 B  and  FIG.  1 C ,  FIG.  1 C  is a schematic flat expansion view of the arcuate display screen shown in  FIG.  1 B . In  FIG.  1 C , each display unit  11 ,  12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  15 ,  16 ,  17 ,  18 ,  19 ,  10 ,  21 ,  22 ,  23 ,  24 ,  25 ,  26  has a trapezoidal shape. A plurality of the display units  11  are arranged at positions with same minimum distance as a virtual axis  1 . A plurality of the display units  12  are arranged at positions with same minimum distance as the virtual axis  1 . The minimum distance between each display unit  12  and the virtual axis  1  is greater than the minimum distance between each display unit  11  and the virtual axis  1 , and so on. Likewise, a plurality of the display units  21  are arranged at positions with same minimum distance as the virtual axis  1 . A plurality of the display units  22  are arranged at positions with same minimum distance as the virtual axis  1 . The minimum distance between each display unit  22  and the virtual axis  1  is greater than the minimum distance between each display unit  21  and the virtual axis  1 , and so on. 
     Referring to  FIG.  1 C  and  FIG.  2 A ,  FIG.  2 A  illustrates an enlarged view of the nine display units within a dotted frame in  FIG.  1 C . The nine display units are respectively three display units  10 , three display units  19  and three display units  18 , and the nine display units are electrically connected to an image source  101  by a same controller  102 . In addition, each of the display units  10 ,  19  and  18  includes a plurality of display rows DRi (the display rows DRi−1, DRi, DRi+1, and DRi+2 as shown in  FIG.  2 A , hereinafter collectively referred to as the display rows DR i  for convenience of description), and each of the display rows DRi includes a plurality of pixels Pi. Each of the display rows DRi is configured parallel to the virtual axis  1 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  2 A , the display row DRi closer to the virtual axis  1  includes more pixels Pi. That is, the display unit closer to the virtual axis  1  includes more pixels Pi. Display units having a same distance from the virtual axis  1  have a same amount of the pixels Pi. Specifically, in  FIG.  2 A , the three display units  10  have a same amount of the pixels Pi, the three display units  19  have a same amount of the pixels Pi, and the three display units  18  have a same amount of the pixels Pi. On the other hand, the amount of the pixels Pi included in the display units  10  is smaller than the amount of the pixels Pi included in the display units  19 , and the amount of the pixels Pi included in the display units  19  is smaller than the amount of the pixels Pi included in the display units  18 . 
     It should be noted that since  FIG.  1 C  is the schematic flat expansion view of the arcuate display screen shown in  FIG.  1 B , and  FIG.  2 A  is the enlarged view of the nine display units shown in  FIG.  1 C , although pixels Pi+1 and Pi+2 are not illustrated as adjacent to each other in  FIG.  2 A , the two pixels Pi+1 and Pi+2 are substantially adjacent in  FIG.  1 B  and are respectively located on two sides of a splice line between two adjacent display units  10 . Likewise, although pixels Pi+4 and Pi+5 are not illustrated as adjacent to each other in  FIG.  2 A , the two pixels Pi+4 and Pi+5 are substantially adjacent in  FIG.  1 B  and are respectively located on two sides of a splice line between two adjacent display units  10 . The adjacent relationship between the pixels of the different display units is not limited to the display row DRi−1 shown in  FIG.  2 A , but also applies to other display rows DRi, DRi+1 and DRi+2, etc., which will not be described here. 
     Referring back to  FIG.  1 A , the controller  102  includes a preprocessor  1021 , a frame signal generator  1022  and a driver  1023 . The preprocessor  1021  is arranged to temporarily store and preprocess the pixel signals PSi from the image source  101 . The frame signal generator  1022  is arranged to generate a plurality of frame signals FSi, and each of the frame signals FSi corresponds to one display unit. The driver  1023  is electrically connected between the frame signal generator  1022  and the display module  103  and drives the corresponding display unit in the display module  103  according to each of the frame signals FSi. 
     Referring to  FIG.  2 A  and  FIG.  2 B ,  FIG.  2 B  illustrates nine frame signals FSi (the nine frame signals FSi−1, FSi, FSi+1, etc., as shown in  FIG.  2 B , hereinafter collectively referred to as the frame signals FSi for convenience of description) respectively corresponding to the nine display units of display units  10 , display units  19  and display units  18  shown in  FIG.  2 A . As shown in  FIG.  2 B , each of the frame signals FSi is a two-dimensional array signal and includes a plurality of pixel signals PSi (the pixel signals PSi−1, PSi, PSi+1, PSi+2, PSi+3, PSi+4, PSi+5, PSi+6, and PSi+7 as shown in  FIG.  2 B , hereinafter collectively referred to as the pixel signals PSi for convenience of description). Moreover, each of the frame signals FSi also inserts a plurality of first dummy signals D 1   i  (the first dummy signals D 1   i −1, D 1   i , D 1   i +1 as shown in  FIG.  2 B , hereinafter collectively referred to as the first dummy signals D 1   i  for convenience of description), and a plurality of second dummy signals D 2   i  (the second dummy signals D 2   i −1, D 2   i , D 2   i+ 1 as shown in  FIG.  2 B , hereinafter collectively referred to as the second dummy signals D 2   i  for convenience of description), and the pixel signals PSi are located between the first dummy signals D 1   i  and the second dummy signals D 2   i.    
     As shown in  FIG.  2 A  and  FIG.  2 B , an amount of rows of the frame signal FSi−1 is the same as an amount of rows of the corresponding display units  10  (5 rows is shown as an example, but the present disclosure is not limited hereto), and an amount of the pixel signals PSi possessed by the frame signal FSi−1 is the same as the amount of the pixels Pi possessed by the corresponding display units  10 , and corresponding patterns are formed in  FIG.  2 A  and  FIG.  2 B  respectively. Similarly, an amount of rows of the frame signal FSi is the same as an amount of rows of the corresponding display units  19 , and an amount of the pixel signals PSi possessed by the frame signal FSi is the same as the amount of the pixels Pi possessed by the corresponding display units  19 , and corresponding patterns are formed in  FIG.  2 A  and  FIG.  2 B  respectively. An amount of rows of the frame signal FSi+1 is the same as an amount of rows of the corresponding display units  18 , and an amount of the pixel signals PSi possessed by the frame signal FSi+1 is the same as the amount of the pixels Pi of possessed by the corresponding display units  18 , and corresponding patterns are formed in  FIG.  2 A  and  FIG.  2 B  respectively. 
     Furthermore, although the amount of the pixel signals PSi of the frame signal FSi−1, the amount of the pixel signals PSi of the frame signal FSi, and the amount of pixel signals PSi of the frame signal FSi+1 are different, a sum of the amount of the pixel signals PSi, an amount of the first dummy signals D 1   i , and an amount of the second dummy signals D 2   i  in the frame signals FSi−1, FSi, and FSi+1 is the same. That is, although the amount of the pixels Pi possessed by the display units  10 , the amount of the pixels Pi possessed by the display unit  19 , and the amount of the pixels Pi possessed by the display unit  18  are different, by the method of inserting the first dummy signals D 1   i  and the second dummy signals D 2   i  into each frame signals FSi, the total amount of the signals in the frame signals FSi−1, FSi, and FSi 1  is the same, so that the display units  10 ,  19  and  18  can be driven using the frame signals generated by a same frame signal generator  1022 . In other embodiments of the present disclosure, the three display units  10 ,  19  and  18  can be driven using a different frame signal generator  1022  with a same circuit layout design. Moreover, although the amount of the pixels Pi possessed by the display unit  10 , the amount of the pixels Pi possessed by the display unit  19 , and the amount of the pixels Pi possessed by the display unit  18  are different, the three display units  10 ,  19 , and  18  can also be driven using a same driver  1023 . Specifically, by inserting the first dummy signals D 1   i  and the second dummy signals D 2   i , the display units  10 ,  19 , and  18  possess different amounts of pixels when located at different latitudes on the arcuate display screen and can be driven using the frame signal generator and the driver of the same circuit layout design, and there is no need to design frame signal generators and drivers with different circuit layout designs for the display units at different latitudes. 
     Furthermore, in each of the frame signals FSi, the amount of the first dummy signals D 1   i  and the amount of the second dummy signals D 2   i  are the same, and are arranged symmetrically relative to the pixel signals PSi. As shown in  FIG.  2 B , in the embodiment, each of the frame signals FSi is also a two-dimensional rectangular array as frame signals of a flat display. Therefore, the display units  10 ,  19 ,  18  can be driven using a frame signal generator of the flat display. Specifically, by inserting the first dummy signals D 1   i  and the second dummy signals D 2   i , the display units  10 ,  19 , and  18  possess a trapezoidal shape when located at different latitudes on the arcuate display screen, and can be driven using the frame signal generator and the driver of the flat display suitable for trapezoidal shapes. 
     In addition, for the display row DRi−1 shown in  FIG.  2 A  and the pixel signals PSi shown in  FIG.  2 B  corresponding to the row, since the continuous pixel signals PSi−1, PSi, PSi+1, PSi+2, PSi+3, PSi+4, PSi+5, PSi+6, PSi+7 from the image source  101  are grouped into a first group of pixel signals as shown in  FIG.  2 B  (composed of the pixel signals PSi−1, PSi, PSi+1), a second group of pixel signals (composed of the pixel signals PSi+2, PSi+3, and PSi+4) and a third group of pixel signals (composed of the pixel signals PSi+5, PSi+6, PSi+7), and the first dummy signals D 1   i  and the second dummy signals D 2   i  are inserted between the first group of pixel signals and the second group of pixel signals and between the second group of pixel signals and the third group of pixel signals, so that each of the pixels Pi can receive correct pixel signals PSi (as shown in  FIG.  2 A  and  FIG.  2 B , the pixel signals PSi−1, PSi, PSi+1, PSi+2, PSi+3, PSi+4, PSi+5, PSi+6, PSi+7 respectively correspond to pixels Pi−1, Pi, Pi+1, Pi+2, Pi+3, Pi+4, Pi+5, Pi+6, Pi+7). Therefore, substantially the pixels Pi−1, Pi, Pi+1, Pi+2, Pi+3, Pi+4, Pi+5, Pi+6, Pi+7 configured adjacently receive the continuous pixel signals PSi−1, PSi, PSi+1, PSi+2, PSi+3, PSi+4, PSi+5, PSi+6, PSi+7, and even if the pixel Pi+1 and the pixel Pi+2 respectively belong to the different display units, images displayed by the pixel Pi+1 and the pixel Pi+2 are continuous. 
     Similar to how the display row DRi−1 display the continuous images, since a pattern formed by the pixel signals PSi in each of the frame signals FSi shown in  FIG.  2 A  corresponds to a pattern formed by the pixels Pi in the corresponding display units in  FIG.  2 B  (the patterns are the same), the images at the splicing areas between the nine display units of display units  10 ,  19 , and  18  in  FIG.  2 A  are all continuous. 
     More broadly, by inserting an appropriate amount of the first dummy signals D 1   i  and the second dummy signals D 2   i , each of the display units  11 ,  12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  15 ,  16 ,  17 ,  18 ,  19 ,  10 ,  21 ,  22 ,  23 ,  24 ,  25 ,  26  of the arcuate display device  100  can be driven using the different frame signal generator with the same circuit layout design, or can be driven using the same frame signal generator, and the images at the splicing areas between the display units are all continuous. For example, a lower amount of the first dummy signals D 1   i  and the second dummy signals D 2   i  are inserted into the display units  11  and  21 , and a higher amount of the first dummy signals D 1   i  and the second dummy signals D 2   i  are inserted into the display units  16  and  26 , so that a total amount of the signals in each of the frame signals, corresponding to the display units  11 ,  21  or the display units  16 ,  26 , is the same. In this case, the display units  11 ,  21 ,  16  and  26  can be driven using the different frame signal generator with the same circuit layout design. By analogy, the display units  11 ,  12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  15 ,  16 ,  17 ,  18 ,  19 ,  10 ,  21 ,  22 ,  23 ,  24 ,  25 ,  26  of the arcuate display device  100  can be driven using the different frame signal generator with the same circuit layout design. 
     Referring to  FIG.  1 A ,  FIG.  1 B , and  FIG.  2 B , a driving method of the arcuate display device is provided for driving the arcuate display device  100  according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The driving method of the arcuate display device includes: providing the pixel signals PSi from the image source  101 ; receiving the pixel signals PSi using the controller  102 ; generating the frame signals FSi respectively corresponding to the display units  11 ,  12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  15 ,  16 ,  17 ,  18 ,  19 ,  10 ,  21 ,  22 ,  23 ,  24 ,  25 , and  26  using the frame signal generator  1022  of the controller  102  the, in which the first dummy signals D 1   i  and the second dummy signals D 2   i  are inserted between the pixel signals PSi; and driving the corresponding display units  11 ,  12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  15 ,  16 ,  17 ,  18 ,  19 ,  10 ,  21 ,  22 ,  23 ,  24 ,  25 , or  26  according to the frame signals FSi using the driver  1023 . Each of the frame signals FSi includes the pixel signals PSi, the first dummy signals D 1   i  and the second dummy signals D 2   i , and a sum of the amount of the pixel signals PSi, the amount of the first dummy signals D 1   i , and the amount of the second dummy signals D 2   i  in each of the frame signals is the same FSi. 
     To sum up, the driving method of the arcuate display device provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure inserts the dummy signals into the frame signals, so that the sum of the amount of the pixel signals, the amount of the first dummy signals, and the amount of the second dummy signals in each of the frame signals is the same. Therefore, display units which possess different amounts can be controlled using the frame signal generator and a driving device with the same circuit layout design, so there will be no discontinuous images at the splicing areas.