Synaptics has filed a patent for a display driver that includes a driver circuit and a sensing controller. The driver circuit drives a display panel based on display information, while the sensing controller generates positional information of an input object using a sensor electrode in the sensing region. The patent claims that the display driver can encode display information, including the display mode, in the output vertical sync signal transmitted to the proximity sensing controller. GlobalData’s report on Synaptics gives a 360-degree view of the company including its patenting strategy. Buy the report here.
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According to GlobalData’s company profile on Synaptics, Wearable computers was a key innovation area identified from patents. Synaptics's grant share as of September 2023 was 63%. Grant share is based on the ratio of number of grants to total number of patents.
Display driver with encoded display information for sensing controller
A recently filed patent (Publication Number: US20230315223A1) describes a display driver and proximity sensing controller system for a display panel. The display driver is responsible for driving the display panel based on display information, including setting the display frame rate according to different display modes. The display driver also includes a sensing controller interface circuit that transmits an output vertical sync signal to a proximity sensing controller. This signal contains encoded display information, including the display mode.
The display driver's control circuit is capable of controlling different display frame rates for different areas of the display panel based on the display mode. The encoded display information is in the form of a pulse width of the output vertical sync signal. Additionally, the sensing controller interface circuit provides an output horizontal sync signal to the proximity sensing controller, which also contains the encoded display information.
The proximity sensing controller receives the output vertical sync signal from the display driver and retrieves the encoded display information. The display mode encoded in the signal determines the display frame rate of the display panel. The proximity sensing controller includes a proximity sensing circuit that generates positional information of an input object based on a resulting signal received from a sensor electrode in the sensing region. The control circuit of the proximity sensing controller controls the operation of the proximity sensing circuit based on the display information.
The operation control of the proximity sensing circuit includes controlling the proximity sensing report rate, proximity sensing frequency, and applying noise filtering to the resulting signal based on the display information. The display driver interface circuit of the proximity sensing controller also receives an output horizontal sync signal from the display driver, and the display information is retrieved by latching data digits of the display information in synchronization with the output horizontal sync signal. Alternatively, the display information can be retrieved by determining the width of a pulse of the output vertical sync signal.
Overall, this patent describes a system that integrates display driving and proximity sensing capabilities, allowing for efficient control of the display panel and accurate positional information of input objects. The encoded display information in the sync signals enables synchronization between the display driver and proximity sensing controller.
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GlobalData Patent Analytics tracks bibliographic data, legal events data, point in time patent ownerships, and backward and forward citations from global patenting offices. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
