Patent Publication Number: US-2006007201-A1

Title: Image display controller with processing data protection

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      The application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/521,812, filed Jul. 6, 2004, and included herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to an image display controller, and more specifically, an image display controller and its related method for protecting image processing information.  
      2. Description of the Prior Art  
      An image display system is a loosely defined entity that is usually part of a computational device such as a computer, and which handles the display of images. It is made of tangible components such as: a system controller, a display device, a video input and a display controller. The display controller is an essential part of the image display system. One of its functions is to refine raw picture data into display-ready image pixel data by using image processing information contained in an image processing data file. Please refer to  FIG. 1 , where this particular function of the display controller is encapsulated under the image pixel data generator  118 .  
       FIG. 1 , shows a block diagram of the components and workings of an image display system in the prior art. The end product of a development process  100  is image processing data  106 , which is stored in a memory  110  inside of a system controller  108 . Subsequently, a display controller  114  reads the image processing data  106  from the memory  110 . At this point, the image pixel data generator  118  modifies picture data  116  according to the image processing data  106 , and converts it into image pixel data  120 , which is hereafter suitable for display on a display device  122 .  
      The image processing data can be accurately explained as a set of rules or reference parameters, in the form of a software program, which handles the special characteristics of display devices and provides additional color processing functions. A proper image processing data file allows for excellent picture performance. There are two key factors in building the image processing data file. First, complex measurements and knowledge about the display device characteristics are required. Secondly, image and color processing techniques are needed.  
      The propensity to perform these two tasks is a specific and valuable in-house asset of display devices makers, and display controllers makers, respectively. Unfortunately, the image processing data file can be easily retrieved by anyone from the system controller&#39;s memory. Currently, there is no adequate means for the makers of display device and display controllers to guard these valuable image modification techniques. Henceforth, unscrupulous individuals or firms could appropriate this knowledge at will, which in turn would cause substantial losses to the creators of the image processing data files.  
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
      It is therefore a primary objective of the claimed invention to provide an image display unit, and its related method, for modifying and displaying image pixel data in a manner that would solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art.  
      According to the claimed invention, a method for displaying image pixel data on a display panel comprises decoding encoded data stored in a memory to generate decoded data, and modifying pixel data according to the decoded data to generate the image pixel data. The encoded data was gathered according to display panel characteristics and then encoded for security reason.  
      According to another claimed invention, a method for displaying image pixel data on a display panel comprises modifying pixel data according to encoded data stored in a memory to generate modified picture data, and decoding the modified picture data to generate the image pixel data. The encoded data was gathered according to display panel characteristics and then encoded for security reason.  
      According to another claimed invention, an image display unit comprises a decoder for decoding encoded data to generate decoded data, and an image pixel data generator for modifying pixel data according to the decoded data to generate image pixel data.  
      According to another claimed invention, an image display unit comprises a modified picture data generator for modifying pixel data according to encoded data to generate modified picture data, and a decoder for decoding the modified picture data to generate image pixel data.  
      These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a prior art image display system.  
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram of an image display system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 3  is a flowchart of a method used for displaying an image with the image display system in  FIG. 2 .  
       FIG. 4  is a block diagram of an image display system according to a second embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 5  is a flowchart of a method used for displaying an image with the image display system in  FIG. 4 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
      Please refer to  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 2  depicts a block diagram of an image display system  200  according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The image display system  200  comprises a display device  236  for displaying images, a memory  216  for storing encoded data, and a display controller  220  connected to the display device  236  and the memory  216  for processing raw data according to encoded data stored in the memory  216  so as to generate image pixel data to the display device  236 . The memory  216  is embedded in a system controller  234 , and receives encoded data from a development process  201  which generates the encoded data according to display device characteristics measured from the display device  236 .  
      The development process  201  is implemented by a measurement device  202  for measuring display device characteristics from a display device  236 , a signal processor  206  connected to the measurement device  202  for processing display device characteristics measured by the measurement device  202 , and an encoder  210  connected to the signal processor  206  for encoding display device characteristics processed by the signal processor  206  to generate encoded data.  
      The display controller  220  comprises a decoder  218  for decoding encoded data received from the memory  216  into decoded data, an input interface  226  for receiving raw picture data, a converter  228  connected to the input interface  226  for converting raw picture data into pixel data, and an image pixel data generator  232  connected to the converter  228 , the decoder  218  and the display device  236  for modifying pixel data according to decoded data to generate image pixel data to the display device  236 .  
      Please refer to  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 3  depicts a flowchart diagram of using the image display system  200  to display image according to the present invention. The method of using the image display system  200  to display image comprises following steps: 
          Step  302 : the measurement device  202  measures display device characteristics from the display device  236 ;     Step  304 : the signal processor  206  processes display device characteristics received from the measurement device  202 ;     Step  306 : the encoder  210  encodes display device characteristics processed by the signal processor  206  to generate encoded data;     Step  308 : store the encoded data generated by the encoder  210  in the memory  216 ;     Step  310 : the decoder  218  decodes encoded data into decoded data;     Step  314 : send raw picture data to the input interface  226 ;     Step  316 : the converter  228  converts raw picture data received from the input interface  226  into pixel data;     Step  318 : the image pixel data generator  232  generates image pixel data by modifying pixel data received from the converter  228  according to decoded data received from the decoder  218 ; and     Step  320 : the display device  236  displays the image pixel data received from the image pixel data generator  232 .        

      Please note that the steps above are not necessarily in sequential order, due to the fact the processes which are part of the display controller  220  could be active independently of those which are part of the development process  201 .  
      Please refer to  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 4  depicts a block diagram of an image display system  400  according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The image display system  400  comprises a display device  436  for displaying images, a memory  416  for storing encoded data, and a display controller  420  connected to the display device  436  and the memory  416  for processing raw data according to encoded data stored in the memory  416  so as to generate image pixel data to the display device  436 . The memory  416  is embedded in a system controller  434 , and receives encoded data from a development process  401  which generates the encoded data according to display device characteristics measured from the display device  436 .  
      The development process  401  is implemented by a measurement device  402  for measuring display device characteristics from a display device  436 , a signal processor  406  connected to the measurement device  402  for processing display device characteristics measured by the measurement device  402 , and an encoder  410  connected to the signal processor  406  for encoding display device characteristics processed by the signal processor  406  to generate encoded data.  
      The display controller  420  comprises an input interface  426  for receiving raw picture data, a converter  428  connected to the input interface  426  for converting raw picture data into pixel data, a modified picture data generator  432  connected to the converter  428  and memory  416  for modifying pixel data according to encoded data taken from the memory  416  to generate modified picture data, and a decoder  418  connected to the modified picture data generator  432  for decoding the modified picture data into image pixel data and to the display device  436 .  
      Please refer to  FIG. 5 .  FIG. 5  depicts a flowchart diagram of using the image display system  400  to display image according to the present invention. The method of using the image display system  400  to display image comprises following steps: 
          Step  502 : the measurement device  402  measures display device characteristics from the display device  436 ;     Step  504 : the signal processor  406  processes display device characteristics received from the measurement device  402 ;     Step  506 : the encoder  410  encodes display device characteristics processed by the signal processor  406  to generate encoded data;     Step  508 : store the encoded data generated by the encoder  410  in the memory  416 ;     Step  514 : the input interface  426  receives raw picture data;     Step  516 : the converter  428  converts raw picture data received from the input interface  426  into pixel data;     Step  518 : the modified picture data generator  432  generates modified picture data by modifying pixel data received from the converter  428  according to encoded data taken from the memory  416 ;     Step  510 : the decoder  218  decodes the modified picture data received from the modified picture data generator  432  into image pixel data;     Step  520 : the display device  436  displays the image pixel data received from the decoder  418 .        

      Please note that the steps above are not necessarily in sequential order, due to the fact the processes which are part of the display controller  420  could be active independently of those which are part of the development process  401 .  
      In contrast to prior art, the present invention develops an encoder software component used to encode the valuable image processing information. This information is left completely unprotected in the prior art. Moreover, by placing the encoder inside the development phase and outside the display controller itself, the current invention has no adverse effects on the operational speed and efficiency of the display controller. Additionally, since the encoder is preceded in the development phase by the execution of the signal-processing algorithm, the two can run in a correlated manner—one produces data and the other one encodes it. Henceforth, the potential hit on productivity in the development process is negligible.  
      Also different from the prior art is the improved display controller, which contains improved image pixel data generator, modified picture data generator and decoder. These components synergistically unite to protect the image from being freely accessed and used by parties that are not entitled to it. Due to their inherently simple nature, these components will not affect the performance of the display controller in a negative way.  
      Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device and method may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.