Patents by Inventor Christopher P. Tann

Christopher P. Tann has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240119886
    Abstract: An electronic device may include a display panel. When content of an image frame is expected to consume relatively higher amounts of power, a controller of the electronic device may operate a switch to change a power supply of the display panel to be a power management integrated circuit of the electronic device. However, when content of an image frame is expected to consume relatively less amounts of power, the controller may operate the switch to change the power supply of the display panel to be a power supply of an electronic display, such as a power supply used to power driver circuitry of the electronic display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2023
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Inventors: Peter F Holland, Christopher P Tann, Ramana V Rachakonda
  • Publication number: 20240105131
    Abstract: A device may include an electronic display to display an image frame based on first and second color component input image data. The electronic display may include a first illuminator to generate a first light at a first brightness level, a second illuminator to generate a second light of a different color at a second brightness level, a first set of pixel locations to emit the first light based on a first set of pixel values, and a second set of pixel locations to emit the second light based on a second set of pixel values. The electronic device may also include pixel contrast control circuitry that determines the first brightness level and the first set of pixel values based on the first color component input image data and determines the second brightness level and the second set of pixel values based on the second color component input image data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2022
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Inventors: Christopher P Tann, Mahesh B Chappalli, Alexey Kornienko
  • Publication number: 20240096263
    Abstract: A device may include image processing circuitry that generates image data corresponding to an image to be displayed during a first image frame and a second image frame. However, the image data is not regenerated for the second image frame. The device may also include an electronic display having a frame buffer that receives and stores the image data from the image processing circuitry. The electronic display may also include a display panel that displays the image during the first image frame based on a first read of the image data from the frame buffer in response to a first emission sync signal and displays the image during the second image frame based on a second read of the image data from the frame buffer in response to a second emission sync signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Inventors: Denis M. Darmon, Christopher P. Tann, Hopil Bae, Yanghyo Kim, Ramana V. Rachakonda, Xiaofeng Wang, Robert D. Zucker
  • Patent number: 11893925
    Abstract: An electronic device may include a display panel. When content of an image frame is expected to consume relatively higher amounts of power, a controller of the electronic device may operate a switch to change a power supply of the display panel to be a power management integrated circuit of the electronic device. However, when content of an image frame is expected to consume relatively less amounts of power, the controller may operate the switch to change the power supply of the display panel to be a power supply of an electronic display, such as a power supply used to power driver circuitry of the electronic display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Peter F Holland, Christopher P Tann, Ramana V Rachakonda
  • Patent number: 11875427
    Abstract: An electronic device may include an electronic display to display an image based on processed image data. The electronic device may also include image processing circuitry to generate the processed image data based on input image data and previously determined data stored in memory. The image processing circuitry may also operate according to real-time computing constraints. Cache memory may store the previously determined data in a provisioned section of the cache memory allotted to the image processing circuitry. Additionally, a controller may manage reading and writing of the previously determined data to the provisioned section of the cache memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Rohit Natarajan, Christopher P. Tann, Rohit K. Gupta
  • Publication number: 20240013692
    Abstract: To reduce overall power consumption for an electronic display power management integrated circuit (PMIC), one of multiple electric power converters and/or electric power regulators may be selected based on an electrical load (e.g., due to the total brightness of the content displayed) on the electronic display at a given moment. In some embodiments, the PMIC may include a less efficient heavy load converter designed with high-current handling capability and a more efficient light load (e.g., low current) converter with lower current handling capability. A controller may dynamically select between the converters depending on a present load or an expected load on the electronic display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2023
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Inventors: Jie Won Ryu, Ardra Singh, Arthur L. Spence, Christopher P. Tann, Chun Lu, Daniel J. Drusch, Hyunwoo Nho, Jongyup Lim, Kingsuk Brahma, Marc J. DeVincentis, Mohammad Ali Jangda, Paolo Sacchetto, Peter F. Holland, Shawn P. Hurley, Wei H. Yao, Yue Jack Chu, Zhe Hua
  • Patent number: 11823642
    Abstract: An electronic display pipeline may process image data for display on an electronic display. The electronic display pipeline may include burn-in compensation statistics collection circuitry and burn-in compensation circuitry. The burn-in compensation statistics collection circuitry may collect image statistics based at least in part on the image data. The statistics may estimate a likely amount of non-uniform aging of the sub-pixels of the electronic display. The burn-in compensation circuitry may apply a gain to sub-pixels of the image data to account for non-uniform aging of corresponding sub-pixels of the electronic display. The applied gain may be based at least in part on the image statistics collected by the burn-in compensation statistics collection circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Mahesh B. Chappalli, Christopher P. Tann, Peter F. Holland, Guy Côté, Stephan Lachowsky
  • Publication number: 20230084199
    Abstract: An electronic device may include a display panel. When content of an image frame is expected to consume relatively higher amounts of power, a controller of the electronic device may operate a switch to change a power supply of the display panel to be a power management integrated circuit of the electronic device. However, when content of an image frame is expected to consume relatively less amounts of power, the controller may operate the switch to change the power supply of the display panel to be a power supply of an electronic display, such as a power supply used to power driver circuitry of the electronic display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2022
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Inventors: Peter F Holland, Christopher P Tann, Ramana V Rachakonda
  • Publication number: 20230081746
    Abstract: An electronic device may include an electronic display to display an image based on processed image data. The electronic device may also include image processing circuitry to generate the processed image data based on input image data and previously determined data stored in memory. The image processing circuitry may also operate according to real-time computing constraints. Cache memory may store the previously determined data in a provisioned section of the cache memory allotted to the image processing circuitry. Additionally, a controller may manage reading and writing of the previously determined data to the provisioned section of the cache memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Inventors: Rohit Natarajan, Christopher P. Tann, Rohit K. Gupta
  • Publication number: 20220358895
    Abstract: An electronic display pipeline may process image data for display on an electronic display. The electronic display pipeline may include burn-in compensation statistics collection circuitry and burn-in compensation circuitry. The burn-in compensation statistics collection circuitry may collect image statistics based at least in part on the image data. The statistics may estimate a likely amount of non-uniform aging of the sub-pixels of the electronic display. The burn-in compensation circuitry may apply a gain to sub-pixels of the image data to account for non-uniform aging of corresponding sub-pixels of the electronic display. The applied gain may be based at least in part on the image statistics collected by the burn-in compensation statistics collection circuitry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2022
    Publication date: November 10, 2022
    Inventors: Mahesh B. Chappalli, Christopher P. Tann, Peter F. Holland, Guy Côté, Stephan Lachowsky
  • Patent number: 11361729
    Abstract: An electronic display pipeline may process image data for display on an electronic display. The electronic display pipeline may include burn-in compensation statistics collection circuitry and burn-in compensation circuitry. The burn-in compensation statistics collection circuitry may collect image statistics based at least in part on the image data. The statistics may estimate a likely amount of non-uniform aging of the sub-pixels of the electronic display. The burn-in compensation circuitry may apply a gain to sub-pixels of the image data to account for non-uniform aging of corresponding sub-pixels of the electronic display. The applied gain may be based at least in part on the image statistics collected by the burn-in compensation statistics collection circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Mahesh B. Chappalli, Christopher P. Tann, Peter F. Holland, Guy Côté, Stephan Lachowsky
  • Patent number: 11211036
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods for implementing a timestamp based display update mechanism. A display control unit includes a timestamp queue for storing timestamps, wherein each timestamp indicates when a corresponding frame configuration set should be fetched from memory. At pre-defined intervals, the display control unit may compare the timestamp of the topmost entry of the timestamp queue to a global timer value. If the timestamp is earlier than the global timer value, the display control unit may pop the timestamp entry and fetch the frame next configuration set from memory. The display control unit may then apply the updates of the frame configuration set to its pixel processing elements. After applying the updates, the display control unit may fetch and process the source pixel data and then drive the pixels of the next frame to the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Brijesh Tripathi, Arthur L. Spence, Joshua P. de Cesare, Ilie Garbacea, Guy Cote, Mahesh B. Chappalli, Malcolm D. Gray, Christopher P. Tann
  • Patent number: 10983583
    Abstract: The configuration buffer may be divided into partitions that may effectively function as multiple linked configuration buffers. The linked partitions may each be associated with a portion of the display pipeline (e.g., an image process block) and may each be responsible for loading configuration entries into the programmable register(s) of a portion of the display pipeline. In this manner, the partitions may load the associated programmable register(s) of the display pipeline substantially simultaneously, reducing the time used to configure the entire display pipeline. Since configuration of the display pipeline may occur during the blanking period, a reduction in display pipeline configuration time may reduce the blanking period and increase the time for driving pixels of the display, thereby improving perceived image quality (e.g., pixel yield of the display panel).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Peter F. Holland, Christopher P. Tann, Malcolm D. Gray, Hari Ganesh R. Thirunageswaram, Kristan Jon Monsen
  • Publication number: 20200402482
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods for implementing a timestamp based display update mechanism. A display control unit includes a timestamp queue for storing timestamps, wherein each timestamp indicates when a corresponding frame configuration set should be fetched from memory. At pre-defined intervals, the display control unit may compare the timestamp of the topmost entry of the timestamp queue to a global timer value. If the timestamp is earlier than the global timer value, the display control unit may pop the timestamp entry and fetch the frame next configuration set from memory. The display control unit may then apply the updates of the frame configuration set to its pixel processing elements. After applying the updates, the display control unit may fetch and process the source pixel data and then drive the pixels of the next frame to the display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2020
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Inventors: Brijesh Tripathi, Arthur L. Spence, Joshua P. de Cesare, Ilie Garbacea, Guy Cote, Mahesh B. Chappalli, Malcolm D. Gray, Christopher P. Tann
  • Patent number: 10825419
    Abstract: In situations with reduced image changes, display panels, such as the ones disclosed herein, may reduce their power consumption by performing self-refresh cycles, in which they may display locally stored data in the display panel instead of retrieving it from an image buffer. Methods and circuitry for management of the self-refresh cycle may reduce jitter, luminance errors, and/or flickers that may be caused by untimely self-refresh cycles that may occur as a result of latency in the image buffer. In some implementations, the display panel may have a dedicated low latency input that notifies an arrival of an incoming image. In some implementations, the self-refresh cycles of the panel may be managed by a host or a buffer that is responsible for sending the images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Yue Jack Chu, Christopher P. Tann, Arthur L. Spence, Brad W. Simeral, Yafei Bi, Jiayi Jin, Ruo-Gu Huang, Haifeng Li, Weijun Yao, Chaohao Wang
  • Patent number: 10762820
    Abstract: System and method for improving displayed image quality of an electronic display that displays a first image frame by applying a first voltage to a display pixel and a second image frame directly before the first image frame by applying a second voltage to the display pixel. A display pipeline is communicatively coupled to the electronic display and receives first image data corresponding with the first image frame, where the image data includes a first grayscale value corresponding with the display pixel. Additionally the display pipeline determines an inversion balancing grayscale offset based at least in part on the first grayscale value when polarity of the first voltage and polarity of the second voltage are the same and determines magnitude of the first voltage by applying the inversion balancing grayscale offset to the first grayscale value to reduce likelihood of a perceivable luminance spike when displaying the first image frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher P. Tann, Taesung Kim, Sandro H. Pintz
  • Patent number: 10706825
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods for implementing a timestamp based display update mechanism. A display control unit includes a timestamp queue for storing timestamps, wherein each timestamp indicates when a corresponding frame configuration set should be fetched from memory. At pre-defined intervals, the display control unit may compare the timestamp of the topmost entry of the timestamp queue to a global timer value. If the timestamp is earlier than the global timer value, the display control unit may pop the timestamp entry and fetch the frame next configuration set from memory. The display control unit may then apply the updates of the frame configuration set to its pixel processing elements. After applying the updates, the display control unit may fetch and process the source pixel data and then drive the pixels of the next frame to the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Brijesh Tripathi, Arthur L. Spence, Joshua P. de Cesare, Ilie Garbacea, Guy Cote, Mahesh B. Chappalli, Malcolm D. Gray, Christopher P. Tann
  • Patent number: 10699622
    Abstract: A data processing system can store a long-term history of pixel luminance values in a secure memory and use those values to create burn-in compensation values that are used to mitigate burn-in effect on a display. The long-term history can be updated over time with new, accumulated pixel luminance values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Ross Thompson, Guy Cote, Christopher P. Tann, Jerrold V. Hauck, Ian C. Hendry, Vanessa C. Heppolette, Adam J. Machalek, Alan M. Dunn, Ali Sazegari, Lars M. Lindberg, Arthur L. Spence
  • Patent number: 10643572
    Abstract: An electronic device may include a display panel to display an image and a display pipeline to process image data for the image. The display pipeline may include a controller to determine a first potential presentation time based on a maximum refresh rate of the display panel. The controller may also determine if a second target presentation time of a second image is equal to the first potential presentation time before a pipeline configuration time, and if the second target presentation time of the second image is equal to a second potential presentation time that occurs after the first potential presentation time and before a first pre-notification time occurring before the pipeline configuration time. The controller may output a first pre-notification signal at the first pre-notification time that instructs the display panel to pause self-refreshes until after the second image is displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Peter F. Holland, Arthur L. Spence, Christopher P. Tann
  • Patent number: 10643555
    Abstract: Devices and methods for useful in providing localized synchronized and/or dynamic in-band internal gamma code adjustment per frame period are provided. By way of example, a display panel includes a data driver, which includes a first DAC configured to provide an internal gamma voltage signal to cause a first adjustment to an image data signal. The first adjustment is configured to selectively adjust the image data signal based at least in part on a refresh rate or a frame rate of the display panel. The data driver includes a second DAC coupled to the first DAC and configured to provide an external gamma voltage signal configured to provide a second adjustment to the image data signal, and an output buffer configured to supply the image data signal to pixels of the display panel, wherein the image data signal comprises the first adjustment and the second adjustment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Fenghua Zheng, Christopher P. Tann, Sandro H. Pintz, David S. Zalatimo, Jun Qi, Zhibing Ge