Patent ID: 12205510

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

One or more specific embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below. These described embodiments are only examples of the presently disclosed techniques. Additionally, in an effort to provide a concise description of these embodiments, all features of an actual implementation may not be described in the specification. It should be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers' specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which may vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it should be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time consuming, but may nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure.

When introducing elements of various embodiments of the present disclosure, the articles “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. Additionally, it should be understood that references to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” of the present disclosure are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features. Furthermore, the phrase A “based on” B is intended to mean that A is at least partially based on B. Moreover, the term “or” is intended to be inclusive (e.g., logical OR) and not exclusive (e.g., logical XOR). In other words, the phrase A “or” B is intended to mean A, B, or both A and B.

Electronic devices often use electronic displays to present visual information. Such electronic devices may include computers, mobile phones, portable media devices, tablets, televisions, virtual-reality headsets, and vehicle dashboards, among many others. To display an image, an electronic display controls the luminance (and, as a consequence, the color) of its display pixels based on corresponding image data received at a particular resolution. For example, an image data source may provide image data as a stream of pixel data, in which data for each pixel indicates a target luminance (e.g., brightness and/or color) of one or more display pixels located at corresponding pixel positions. In some embodiments, image data may indicate luminance per color component, for example, via red component image data, blue component image data, and green component image data, collectively referred to as RGB image data (e.g., RGB, sRGB). As should be appreciated, color components other than RGB may also be used such as CMY (i.e., cyan, magenta, and yellow). Additionally or alternatively, image data may be indicated by a luma channel and one or more chrominance channels (e.g., YCbCr, YUV, etc.), grayscale (e.g., gray level), or other color basis. It should be appreciated that image data and/or particular channels of image data (e.g., a luma channel), as disclosed herein, may encompass linear, non-linear, and/or gamma-corrected luminance values.

To display images, the electronic display may illuminate one or more pixels according to the image data. In general electronic displays may take a variety of forms and operate by reflecting/regulating a light emission from an illuminator (e.g., backlight, projector, etc.) or generate light at the pixel level, for example, using self-emissive pixels such as micro-light-emitting diodes (LEDs) or organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). In some embodiments, the electronic display may display an image by pulsing light emissions from pixels such that the time averaged luminance output is equivalent to the desired luminance level of the image data. For example, a single image frame may be broken up into multiple (e.g., two, four, eight, sixteen, thirty-two, and so on) sub-frames, and a particular pixel may be illuminated (e.g., pulsed) or deactivated during each sub-frame such that the aggregate luminance output over the total image frame is equivalent to the desired luminance output of the particular pixel. In other words, the duration and frequency (e.g., as opposed to the brightness) of the pixel emissions during an image frame may be regulated to maintain an average luminance output during the image frame that appears to the human eye as the desired luminance output.

In some embodiments, the electronic display may be a micro-LED display having active matrixes of micro-LEDs, pixel drivers (e.g., micro-drivers), anodes, and arrays of row and column drivers. While discussed herein as relating to micro-LED displays, as should be appreciated, the features discussed herein may be applicable to any suitable display that using pulsed light emissions to generate an image on the electronic display. Each micro-driver may drive a number of display pixels on the electronic display. For example, each micro-driver may be connected to numerous anodes, and each anode may selectively connect to one of multiple different display pixels. Thus, a collection of display pixels may share a common anode connected to a micro-driver. The micro-driver may drive a display pixel by providing a driving signal across an anode to one of the display pixels. Any suitable number of display pixels may be located on respective anodes of the micro-LED display. Moreover, in some embodiments, the collection of display pixels connected to each anode may be of the same color component (e.g., red, green, or blue).

Additionally, the image data may be processed to account for one or more physical or digital effects associated with displaying the image data. For example, image data may be compensated for pixel aging (e.g., burn-in compensation), cross-talk between electrodes within the electronic device, transitions from previously displayed image data (e.g., pixel drive compensation), warps, contrast control, and/or other factors that may cause distortions or artifacts perceivable to a viewer. In particular, electronic displays with pulsed light emissions may produce an undesired flickering effect, and the image data may be processed (e.g., via spatially and/or temporally dithering) to reduce or eliminate such visual artifacts. For example, image data corresponding to certain luminance levels (e.g., darker or lower luminance levels) may be pulsed less frequently during the image frame. Moreover, in some embodiments, it may be desirable to reduce the frame rate of the electronic display (e.g., to reduce power consumption). However, for target luminance levels that correspond to a reduced number pulses (e.g., a gray level of 1/255, 2/255, or 3/255, etc.) during the image frame, the pulsing of the pixels may become apparent to a viewer. Such visual artifacts may become even more prevalent at reduced frame rates (e.g., frame rates less than 60 hertz (Hz)) and/or when multiple pixels in the same area are also at luminance levels corresponding to a reduced number of pulses.

In some embodiments, the image data may be spatially, temporally, or spatiotemporally dithered to reduce the likelihood of visual pulsing of the pixels. For example, even if multiple pixels in the same area of the electronic display are at luminance levels corresponding to the reduced number of pulses, by dithering the image data, in-phase pulsing of the pixels may be reduced such that to a viewer, the pixel outputs appear steady, and the aggregate luminance values appear equivalent to the desired luminance levels.

With the foregoing in mind,FIG.1is an example electronic device10with an electronic display12having independently controlled color component illuminators (e.g., projectors, backlights, etc.). As described in more detail below, the electronic device10may be any suitable electronic device, such as a computer, a mobile phone, a portable media device, a tablet, a television, a virtual-reality headset, a wearable device such as a watch, a vehicle dashboard, or the like. Thus, it should be noted thatFIG.1is merely one example of a particular implementation and is intended to illustrate the types of components that may be present in an electronic device10.

The electronic device10may include one or more electronic displays12, input devices14, input/output (I/O) ports16, a processor core complex18having one or more processors or processor cores, local memory20, a main memory storage device22, a network interface24, a power source26, and image processing circuitry28. The various components described inFIG.1may include hardware elements (e.g., circuitry), software elements (e.g., a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions), or a combination of both hardware and software elements. As should be appreciated, the various components may be combined into fewer components or separated into additional components. For example, the local memory20and the main memory storage device22may be included in a single component. Moreover, the image processing circuitry28(e.g., a graphics processing unit, a display image processing pipeline, etc.) may be included in the processor core complex18or be implemented separately.

The processor core complex18is operably coupled with local memory20and the main memory storage device22. Thus, the processor core complex18may execute instructions stored in local memory20or the main memory storage device22to perform operations, such as generating or transmitting image data to display on the electronic display12. As such, the processor core complex18may include one or more general purpose microprocessors, one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), one or more field programmable logic arrays (FPGAs), or any combination thereof.

In addition to program instructions, the local memory20or the main memory storage device22may store data to be processed by the processor core complex18. Thus, the local memory20and/or the main memory storage device22may include one or more tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media. For example, the local memory20may include random access memory (RAM) and the main memory storage device22may include read-only memory (ROM), rewritable non-volatile memory such as flash memory, hard drives, optical discs, or the like.

The network interface24may communicate data with another electronic device or a network. For example, the network interface24(e.g., a radio frequency system) may enable the electronic device10to communicatively couple to a personal area network (PAN), such as a Bluetooth network, a local area network (LAN), such as an 802.11x Wi-Fi network, or a wide area network (WAN), such as a 4G, Long-Term Evolution (LTE), or 5G cellular network.

The power source26may provide electrical power to operate the processor core complex18and/or other components in the electronic device10. Thus, the power source26may include any suitable source of energy, such as a rechargeable lithium polymer (Li-poly) battery and/or an alternating current (AC) power converter.

The I/O ports16may enable the electronic device10to interface with various other electronic devices. The input devices14may enable a user to interact with the electronic device10. For example, the input devices14may include buttons, keyboards, mice, trackpads, and the like. Additionally or alternatively, the electronic display12may include touch sensing components that enable user inputs to the electronic device10by detecting occurrence and/or position of an object touching its screen (e.g., surface of the electronic display12).

The electronic display12may display a graphical user interface (GUI) (e.g., of an operating system or computer program), an application interface, text, a still image, and/or video content. The electronic display12may include a display panel with one or more display pixels to facilitate displaying images. Additionally, each display pixel may represent one of the sub-pixels that control the luminance of a color component (e.g., red, green, or blue). As used herein, a display pixel may refer to a collection of sub-pixels (e.g., red, green, and blue subpixels) or may refer to a single sub-pixel.

As described above, the electronic display12may display an image by controlling the luminance output (e.g., light emission) of the sub-pixels based on corresponding image data. In some embodiments, pixel or image data may be generated by an image source, such as the processor core complex18, a graphics processing unit (GPU), or an image sensor (e.g., camera). Additionally, in some embodiments, image data may be received from another electronic device for example, via the network interface24and/or an I/O port16. Moreover, in some embodiments, the electronic device10may include multiple electronic displays12and/or may perform image processing (e.g., via the image processing circuitry28) for one or more external electronic displays12, such as connected via the network interface24and/or the I/O ports16.

The electronic device10may be any suitable electronic device. To help illustrate, one example of a suitable electronic device10, specifically a handheld device10A, is shown inFIG.2. In some embodiments, the handheld device10A may be a portable phone, a media player, a personal data organizer, a handheld game platform, and/or the like. For illustrative purposes, the handheld device10A may be a smartphone, such as an IPHONE® model available from Apple Inc.

The handheld device10A may include an enclosure30(e.g., housing) to, for example, protect interior components from physical damage and/or shield them from electromagnetic interference. The enclosure30may surround, at least partially, the electronic display12. In the depicted embodiment, the electronic display12is displaying a graphical user interface (GUI)32having an array of icons34. By way of example, when an icon34is selected either by an input device14or a touch-sensing component of the electronic display12, an application program may launch.

Input devices14may be accessed through openings in the enclosure30. Moreover, the input devices14may enable a user to interact with the handheld device10A. For example, the input devices14may enable the user to activate or deactivate the handheld device10A, navigate a user interface to a home screen, navigate a user interface to a user-configurable application screen, activate a voice-recognition feature, provide volume control, and/or toggle between vibrate and ring modes. Moreover, the I/O ports16may also open through the enclosure30. Additionally, the electronic device may include one or more cameras36to capture pictures or video. In some embodiments, a camera36may be used in conjunction with a virtual reality or augmented reality visualization on the electronic display12.

Another example of a suitable electronic device10, specifically a tablet device10B, is shown inFIG.3. The tablet device10B may be any IPAD® model available from Apple Inc. A further example of a suitable electronic device10, specifically a computer10C, is shown inFIG.4. For illustrative purposes, the computer10C may be any MACBOOK® or IMAC® model available from Apple Inc. Another example of a suitable electronic device10, specifically a watch10D, is shown inFIG.5. For illustrative purposes, the watch10D may be any APPLE WATCH® model available from Apple Inc. As depicted, the tablet device10B, the computer10C, and the watch10D each also includes an electronic display12, input devices14, I/O ports16, and an enclosure30. The electronic display12may display a GUI32. Here, the GUI32shows a visualization of a clock. When the visualization is selected either by the input device14or a touch-sensing component of the electronic display12, an application program may launch, such as to transition the GUI32to presenting the icons34discussed inFIGS.2and3.

Turning toFIG.6, a computer10E may represent another embodiment of the electronic device10ofFIG.1. The computer10E may be any suitable computer, such as a desktop computer, a server, or a notebook computer, but may also be a standalone media player or video gaming machine. By way of example, the computer10E may be an iMac®, a MacBook®, or other similar device by Apple Inc. of Cupertino, California. It should be noted that the computer10E may also represent a personal computer (PC) by another manufacturer. A similar enclosure30may be provided to protect and enclose internal components of the computer10E, such as the electronic display12. In certain embodiments, a user of the computer10E may interact with the computer10E using various peripheral input devices14, such as a keyboard14A or mouse14B, which may connect to the computer10E.

As discussed above, the electronic device10may include one or more electronic displays12of any suitable type. In some embodiments, the electronic display12may be a micro-LED display having a display panel40that includes an array of micro-LEDs (e.g., red, green, and blue micro-LEDs) as display pixels. Support circuitry42may receive display image data44(e.g., RGB-format video image data) and send control signals46to an array48micro-drivers50. As should be appreciated, the display image data44may be of any suitable format depending on the implementation (e.g., type of display). In some embodiments, the support circuitry42may include a video timing controller (video TCON) and/or emission timing controller (emission TCON) that receives and uses the display image data44in a serial bus to determine a data clock signal and/or an emission clock signal to control the provisioning of the display image data44to the display panel40. The video TCON may also pass the display image data44to serial-to-parallel circuitry that may deserialize the display image data44into several parallel image data signals. That is, the serial-to-parallel circuitry may collect the display image data44into the control signals46that are passed on to specific columns of the display panel40. The control signals46(e.g., data/row scan controls, data clock signals, and/or emission clock signals) for each column of the array48may contain luminance values corresponding to pixels in the first column, second column, third column, fourth column . . . and so on, respectively. Moreover, the control signals46may be arranged into more or fewer columns depending on the number of columns that make up the display panel40.

The micro-drivers50may be arranged in an array48, and each micro-driver50may drive a number of display pixels52. Different display pixels52(e.g., display sub-pixels) may include different colored micro-LEDs (e.g., a red micro-LED, a green micro-LED, or a blue micro-LED) to emit light according to the display image data44. Moreover, in some embodiments, the subset of display pixels52located at each anode54may be associated with a particular color (e.g., red, green, blue). Furthermore, although shown for only a single color channel, it should be appreciated that each anode54may have a respective cathode56associated with the particular color channel. For example, the depicted cathodes56may correspond to red color channels (e.g., subset of red display pixels52). Indeed, there may be a second set of cathodes56that couple to a green color channels (e.g., subset of green display pixels52) and a third set of cathodes56that couple to a blue color channels (subset of blue display pixels52), but these are not expressly illustrated inFIG.7for ease of description.

Additionally, a power supply58may provide a reference voltage (VREF)60(e.g., to drive the micro-LEDs of the display pixels52), a digital power signal62, and/or an analog power signal64. In some cases, the power supply58may provide more than one reference voltage60signal. For example, display pixels52of different colors may be driven using different reference voltages, and the power supply58may generate each reference voltage60(e.g., VREF for red, VREF for green, and VREF for blue display pixels52). Additionally or alternatively, other circuitry on the display panel40may step a single reference voltage60up or down to obtain different reference voltages and drive the different colors of display pixels52.

The micro-drivers50may include pixel data buffer(s)70and/or a digital counter72, as shown inFIG.8. The pixel data buffer(s)70may include sufficient storage to hold pixel data74that is provided (e.g., via support circuitry42such as column drivers) based on the display image data44. Moreover, the pixel data buffer(s)70may take any suitable logical structure based on the order that the pixel data74is provided. For example, the pixel data buffer(s)70may include a first-in-first-out (FIFO) logical structure or a last-in-first-out (LIFO) structure. Moreover, the pixel data buffer(s)70may output the stored pixel data74, or a portion thereof, as a digital data signal76representing a desired gray level for a particular display pixel52that is to be driven by the micro-driver50.

The counter72may receive the emission clock signal78and output a digital counter signal80indicative of the number of edges (only rising, only falling, or both rising and falling edges) of the emission clock signal78. The digital data signal76and the digital counter signal may enter a comparator82that outputs an emission control signal84in an “on” state when the digital counter signal80does not exceed the digital data signal76, and an “off” state otherwise. The emission control signal84may be routed to driving circuitry (not shown) for the display pixel52being driven on or off. The longer the selected display pixel52is driven “on” by the emission control signal84, the greater the amount of light that will be perceived by the human eye as originating from the display pixel52.

To help illustrate, the timing diagram90ofFIG.9provides an example of the operation of the micro-driver50. The timing diagram90shows the digital data signal76, the digital counter signal80, the emission control signal84, and the emission clock signal78. In the example ofFIG.9, the gray level for driving the selected display pixel52is gray level 4, and this is reflected in the digital data signal76. The emission control signal84drives the display pixel52to “on” for a period of time defined for gray level 4 based on the emission clock signal78. Namely, as the emission clock signal78rises and falls, the digital counter signal80gradually increases. The comparator82outputs the emission control signal84to an “on” state as long as the digital counter signal80remains less than the digital data signal76. When the digital counter signal80reaches the digital data signal76, the comparator82outputs the emission control signal84with an “off” state, thereby causing the selected display pixel52no longer to emit light.

It should be noted that the steps between gray levels are reflected by the steps between emission clock signal78edges. That is, based on the way humans perceive light, to notice the difference between lower gray levels, the difference between the amounts of light emitted between two lower gray levels may be relatively small, and to notice the difference between higher gray levels the difference between the amounts of light emitted between two higher gray levels may be comparatively greater. The emission clock signal78may, therefore, increase the time between clock edges as the frame progresses. The particular pattern of the emission clock signal78, as generated by the emission TCON, may have increasingly longer differences between edges (e.g., periods) so as to provide a gamma encoding of the gray level of the display pixel52being driven.

As discussed above, an electronic display12may display an image by pulsing light emissions from display pixels52such that the time averaged luminance output is equivalent to the desired luminance level of the display image data44. Furthermore, a single image frame may be broken up into multiple (e.g., two, four, eight, sixteen, thirty-two, and so on) sub-frames, and a particular pixel may be illuminated (e.g., pulsed) or deactivated during each sub-frame such that the aggregate luminance output over the total image frame is equivalent to the desired luminance output of the particular pixel. In other words, in addition to regulating the duration of the pixel emission during a sub-frame (e.g., as discussed above with reference toFIGS.7-9) the frequency of the pixel emissions during an image frame may be regulated to maintain an average luminance output during the image frame that appears to the human eye as the desired luminance output. For example, source image data (e.g., indicative of an image) may be processed and split into separate sets of pixel data74for each sub-frame. As such, the gray level discussed with respect to the digital data signal76may or may not correlate directly to the source image data, as the source image data is representative of the gray level for the image frame, and the digital data signal76is representative of the luminance output for a sub-frame.

To help illustrate,FIG.10is a graph100of the light emissions102of six sequential image frames104over time106with increasing source image data gray level108. Each image frame104may progress over time106at a frame rate (e.g., 10 Hz, 15 Hz, 30 Hz, 60 Hz, 120 Hz, etc.) and include multiple sub-frames110operating at a partial frame rate (e.g., the number of sub-frames per image frame times the frame rate). In the depicted example, each image frame104includes sixteen sub-frames110. To depict gray level 1, a single emission pulse112may be made during one sub-frame110. To achieve gray level 2, two emission pulses112may be made during a single sub-frame110and so on. To achieve higher gray levels, the duration of the emission pulses112may be increased as described with respect toFIGS.8and9. As such, a combination of the frequency of emission pulses112and the duration of each emission pulse112during an image frame104may result in an aggregated and time averaged luminance output equivalent to the source image data.

When the source image data is processed, the display image data44for each sub-frame110is generated, and may be set to occur at a designated time106(e.g., sub-frame number114) during the image frame104, as shown inFIG.11. Moreover, in some embodiments, the sub-frame numbers114may be reorganized by temporally dithering (e.g., randomizing or rearranging) the order of the sub-frames110within the image frame104. However, if multiple pixels in the same area of the display panel40are set to the same value, even with temporal dithering, some pixels may be “in-phase” (e.g., utilizing the same ordering of sub-frame numbers114). Such in-phase coupling may result in perceivable flickering (e.g., perceivable emission pulses112), especially at lower frame rates (e.g., less than 60 Hz) and low gray level (e.g., gray level 1, gray level 2, etc.). For example, at a frame rate of 30 Hz, gray level 1 may be characterized by single emission pulses112at a rate of 30 Hz, which may result in visible pulsing of the display pixel52, especially when grouped with multiple other display pixels52at the same gray level. To reduce or eliminate such artifacts, the image processing circuitry28may temporally and spatially (e.g., spatiotemporally) dither the sub-frame numbers114as discussed further below.

To help illustrate, a portion of the electronic device10, including image processing circuitry28, is shown inFIG.12. The image processing circuitry28may be implemented in the electronic device10, in the electronic display12, or a combination thereof. For example, the image processing circuitry28may be included in the processor core complex18, a timing controller (TCON) or the support circuitry42in the electronic display12, or any combination thereof. As should be appreciated, although image processing is discussed herein as being performed via a number of image data processing blocks, embodiments may include hardware or software components to carry out the techniques discussed herein.

In addition to the display panel40, the electronic device10may also include an image data source120and/or a controller122in communication with the image processing circuitry28. In some embodiments, the controller122may control operation of the image processing circuitry28, the image data source120, and/or the display panel40. To facilitate controlling operation, the controller122may include a controller processor124and/or controller memory126. As should be appreciated, the controller processor124may be included in the processor core complex18, the image processing circuitry28, the electronic display12, a separate processing module, or any combination thereof and execute instructions stored in the controller memory126. Moreover, the controller memory126may be included in the local memory20, the main memory storage device22, a separate tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium, or any combination thereof. In general, the image processing circuitry28may process source image data128for display on one or more electronic displays12. For example, the image processing circuitry28may include a display pipeline, memory-to-memory scaler and rotator (MSR) circuitry, warp compensation circuitry, or additional hardware or software means for processing image data. The source image data128may be processed by the image processing circuitry28to reduce or eliminate image artifacts, compensate for one or more different software or hardware related effects, and/or format the image data for display on one or more electronic displays12. As should be appreciated, the present techniques may be implemented in standalone circuitry, software, and/or firmware, and may be considered a part of, separate from, and/or parallel with a display pipeline or MSR circuitry.

The image processing circuitry28may receive source image data128corresponding to a desired image to be displayed on the electronic display12from the image data source120. The source image data128may indicate target characteristics (e.g., luminance data) corresponding to the desired image using any suitable source format, such as an RGB format, an αRGB format, a YCbCr format, and/or the like. Moreover, the source image data128may be fixed or floating point and be of any suitable bit-depth. Furthermore, the source image data128may reside in a linear color space, a gamma-corrected color space, or any other suitable color space. The image data source120may include captured images from cameras36, images stored in memory, graphics generated by the processor core complex18, or a combination thereof. Additionally, the image processing circuitry28may include one or more sets of image data processing blocks130(e.g., circuitry, modules, or processing stages) such as a dither block132. As should be appreciated, multiple other processing blocks134may also be incorporated into the image processing circuitry28, such as a color management block, a pixel contrast control (PCC) block, a burn-in compensation (BIC) block, a scaling/rotation block, etc. before and/or after the dither block132. The image data processing blocks130may receive and process source image data128and output display image data44in a format (e.g., digital format and/or resolution) interpretable by the display panel40and/or its support circuitry42. Further, the functions (e.g., operations) performed by the image processing circuitry28may be divided between various image data processing blocks130, and, while the term “block” is used herein, there may or may not be a logical or physical separation between the image data processing blocks130. Furthermore, while discussed herein as operating on source image data128, as should be appreciated, source image data128may be considered as image data at any stage of image data processing prior to being split into multiple sub-frames110, and the display image data44may be considered as image data at any stage of image data after having been split into multiple sub-frames. Moreover, the dither block132may be considered to dither the image data before or after the source image data128is split into multiple sub-frames110to form the display image data44.

Returning toFIGS.10and11, and as discussed above, electronic displays12with pulsed light emissions102may produce an undesired flickering effect, and the source image data128may be spatiotemporally dithered (e.g., via the dither block132) to reduce or eliminate such visual artifacts. For example, the ordering of the sub-frame numbers114spatiotemporally dithered to avoid in-phase pulsing of the display pixels52so that to a viewer, the pixel outputs appear steady, and the aggregate luminance values appear equivalent to the desired luminance levels.

For example, in some embodiments, the display pixels52may be grouped as in the pixel grid140ofFIG.13. The groupings142of pixels may be based on pixel positions (e.g., a pixel x-coordinate 144 and a pixel y-coordinate) of the display pixels52. For example, in some embodiments, 2×2 pixel groupings142may be used. As should be appreciated, a 2×2 pixel grouping is given as an example, and different pixel groupings142may be selected based on implementation (e.g., 1×2, 1×3, 3×3, 4×4, 2×4, etc.). Additionally, based on the pixel groupings142, the arrangement of the sub-frame numbers114may be set such that the display pixels52of the grouping142are in different phases, as shown inFIG.14. In the 2×2 pixel grouping example, the sub-frame numberings114(e.g.,114A,114B,114C, and114D) of each display pixel52are 90 degrees out of phase. Moreover, in the depicted example, the set of aggregate outputs148of the 2×2 pixel grouping142over four sub-frames110includes each of the sub-frame numbers114of an image frame104. As such, when taken as a whole, the grouping142allows for each of the sub-frame numbers114to be used in a fourth of the time106as a normal image frame104, effectively increasing the frame rate (with respect to pixel groupings142) by four.

To help illustrate,FIG.15is a graph150of the average light emissions152per area and per pixel for a 2×2 pixel grouping142over six sequential image frames104with increasing source image data gray level108. In the depicted example, because the dithering includes spatial dithering (e.g., spatiotemporal dithering), the emission pulses112that would otherwise be independent of other display pixels52are instead averaged emission pulses154per pixel area. Returning toFIG.10, without a spatial aspect to the dither, an emission pulse112for a gray level of one occurs during a single sub-frame, and such an emission pulse112may be in-phase with other emission pulses112of other nearby (e.g., less than one, two, or three display pixels52away) display pixels52. However, as shown inFIG.15, when considered as a grouping142and spatiotemporally dithered, the average emission pulse154for the grouping142may be perceived by a viewer and appear smoother (e.g., without or with reduced flickering). Indeed, as the human eye generally averages light spatially and temporally, by spatiotemporally dithering the sub-frame numbering114of pulsed display pixels52, artifacts such as flickering may be reduced or eliminated and/or frame rates may be reduced without introducing such artifacts.

FIG.16is a flowchart160of an example process for spatiotemporally dithering source image data and displaying the same. For example, image processing circuitry28may receive source image data128corresponding to an image frame104(process block162). The image processing circuitry28may determine display image data44for multiple sub-frames110of the image frame104based on the source image data128(process block164). Additionally, a dither block132of the image processing circuitry28may spatiotemporally dither the display image data44based on pixel groupings142of the display pixels52(process block166). For example, the sub-frame numberings of the display pixels52of a grouping142may be reordered to be out of phase relative to each other. Additionally, the image processing circuitry28may output the spatiotemporally dithered display image data44to the display panel40, or support circuitry42thereof (process block168). As should be appreciated, the dither block132of the image processing circuitry28may be incorporated into the support circuitry42of the display panel40or be implemented separately. Moreover, the spatiotemporally dithered display image data44may be converted to pixel data (process block170), and the display pixels52may be pulsed to emit light based on the pixel data (process block172).

Although the above referenced flowchart160is shown in a given order, in certain embodiments, process/decision blocks may be reordered, altered, deleted, and/or occur simultaneously. Additionally, the referenced flowchart160is given as an illustrative tool and further decision and process blocks may also be added depending on implementation.

The specific embodiments described above have been shown by way of example, and it should be understood that these embodiments may be susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms. It should be further understood that the claims are not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed, but rather to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of this disclosure.

It is well understood that the use of personally identifiable information should follow privacy policies and practices that are generally recognized as meeting or exceeding industry or governmental requirements for maintaining the privacy of users. In particular, personally identifiable information data should be managed and handled so as to minimize risks of unintentional or unauthorized access or use, and the nature of authorized use should be clearly indicated to users.

The techniques presented and claimed herein are referenced and applied to material objects and concrete examples of a practical nature that demonstrably improve the present technical field and, as such, are not abstract, intangible or purely theoretical. Further, if any claims appended to the end of this specification contain one or more elements designated as “means for [perform]ing [a function] . . . ” or “step for [perform]ing [a function] . . . ”, it is intended that such elements are to be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f). However, for any claims containing elements designated in any other manner, it is intended that such elements are not to be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f).