Patents by Inventor Sandro H. Pintz

Sandro H. Pintz 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).

  • Patent number: 9318069
    Abstract: The disclosure describes procedures for dynamically employing a variable refresh rate at an LCD display of a consumer electronic device, such as a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a mobile phone, or a music player device. In some configurations, the consumer electronic device can include a host system portion, having one or more processors and a display system portion, having a timing controller, a buffer circuit, a display driver, and a display panel. The display system can receive image data and image control data from a GPU of the host system, evaluate the received image control data to determine a reduced refresh rate (RRR) for employing at the display panel, and then transition to the RRR, whenever practicable, to conserve power. In some scenarios, the transition to the RRR can be a transition from a LRR of 50 hertz or above to a RRR of 40 hertz or below.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Prasanna Nambi, Jason N. Gomez, Fenghua Zheng, Paolo Sacchetto, Sandro H. Pintz, Taesung Kim, Christopher P. Tann, Marc Albrecht, David W. Lum
  • Patent number: 9275607
    Abstract: An electronic device may include a display and display control circuitry. The display may be calibrated to compensate for changes in display temperature. Display calibration information may be obtained during manufacturing and may be stored in the electronic device. The display calibration information may include adjustment factors configured to adjust incoming pixel values to reduce temperature-related color shifts. During operation of the electronic device, display control circuitry may determine the temperature at different locations on the display. The display control circuitry may determine the temperature at a given display pixel using the temperatures at the different locations on the display. The display control circuitry may determine adjustment values based on the temperature at the display pixel. The display control circuitry may apply the adjustment values to incoming pixel values to obtain adapted pixel values, which may in turn be provided to the display pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Marc Albrecht, Ulrich Barnhoefer, Gabriel Marcu, Sandro H. Pintz, Keith Cox
  • Patent number: 9245493
    Abstract: Devices and methods for providing an indication of an active frame start, while reducing a number of line buffers utilized by conventional systems are provided herein. By way of example, an electronic display panel may include a host device (e.g., a processor) that provides an indication of a pending active frame start. The indication may be provided at a predetermined and fixed time/line interval before the active frame start. Next, a timing controller of the display circuitry may generate a vertical start pulse during vertical blanking based upon the indication and the fixed time/line interval. The vertical start pulse may be used to drive multi-clock integrated row driver circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Taesung Kim, Christopher P. Tann, Sandro H. Pintz
  • Publication number: 20150379918
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and device are provided to provide inversion techniques for dynamic variable refresh rate electronic displays. One embodiment of the present disclosure describes An electronic display including a display panel that display images with varying refresh rates and a timing controller that receives image data from an image source, determines a counter value, and instructs a driver in the electronic display to apply a voltage to the display panel to write an image on the display panel, in which a negative voltage is applied when the counter value is positive and a positive voltage is applied when the counter value is less than or equal to zero. Additionally, the timing controller update the counter value based at least in part on duration the image is displayed on the display panel, wherein the counter value increases when the voltage is positive and decreases when the voltage is negative.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Inventors: Christopher P. Tann, Taesung Kim, Sandro H. Pintz
  • Publication number: 20150364088
    Abstract: This application relates to systems, methods, and apparatus for reducing the power consumption of a display panel. Specifically, the embodiments discussed herein relate to a panel pixel charge scheme that allows the current output of a display driver to be modified based on the content to be displayed at the display panel. The display driver can compare current and upcoming display content in order to determine how the line voltage for one or more output lines will change over time. If, based on the comparison, the voltage for an output line is not going to vary substantially over time, the bias current output from the display driver can be modified in order to save power. The modification to the bias current can depend on the amount of change the line voltage will undergo in subsequent executions of the content data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2014
    Publication date: December 17, 2015
    Inventors: Fenghua ZHENG, Sandro H. PINTZ
  • Patent number: 9215501
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices for adding contextual matte bars to format image data to another aspect ratio are provided. For example, a method may include receiving image data of a first aspect ratio into a processor. The processor may receive a characteristic of a destination display of a second aspect ratio, an indication of ambient lighting, an indication of a characteristic of the image data, or any number of these factors. The processor may add matte bars to the image data to cause the image data to be formatted to the second aspect ratio. The appearance of the matte bars may depend on the factors received by the processor. The formatted image data with these contextual matte bars then may be sent from the processor to the destination electronic display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Christopher P. Tann, Robert L. Ridenour, Sandro H. Pintz
  • Publication number: 20150325212
    Abstract: A device includes a timing test circuit. The timing test circuit receives a timing signal related to the display of an image on a display. The timing test circuit also determines if the timing signals are invalid. Moreover, the timing test circuit transmits a fault indication when the timing signals are determined to be invalid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Publication date: November 12, 2015
    Inventors: Jason N. Gomez, James C. Aamold, Sandro H. Pintz, Paolo Sacchetto
  • Publication number: 20150199292
    Abstract: A method for simplifying the host-to-display subsystem communications and consolidating the non-volatile memory requirements into a PMIC (power management integrated circuit) is disclosed. Hardware and software resource reduction in both the client devices (located in the display subsystem) and the host System on a Chip (SOC) can be realized with a novel PMIC design. The novel PMIC design achieves the resource reduction by providing for the following features: (1) Single-point communication, (2) Single-point notification, (3) Client device status storage, (4) Client device initialization from PMIC non-volatile memory, and (5) Subsystem calibration retrieval from PMIC non-volatile memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Publication date: July 16, 2015
    Inventors: David W. Lum, Thomas J. Wilson, Paolo Sacchetto, Sandro H. Pintz, Fenghua Zheng
  • Publication number: 20150084973
    Abstract: Devices and methods for providing an indication of an active frame start, while reducing a number of line buffers utilized by conventional systems are provided herein. By way of example, an electronic display panel may include a host device (e.g., a processor) that provides an indication of a pending active frame start. The indication may be provided at a predetermined and fixed time/line interval before the active frame start. Next, a timing controller of the display circuitry may generate a vertical start pulse during vertical blanking based upon the indication and the fixed time/line interval. The vertical start pulse may be used to drive multi-clock integrated row driver circuits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2013
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Taesung Kim, Christopher P. Tann, Sandro H. Pintz
  • Patent number: 8970468
    Abstract: An electronic device may include a display and display control circuitry. The display may be calibrated to compensate for changes in display temperature. Display calibration information may be obtained during manufacturing and may be stored in the electronic device. The display calibration information may include color-specific adjustment factors configured to adjust display colors and reduce temperature-related color shifts. During operation of the display, the display control circuitry may receive input pixel values for a display pixel. The display control circuitry may also receive display temperature information from a temperature sensor in the electronic device. The display control circuitry may determine adjustment factors based on a color associated with the input pixel values and the display temperature information. The display control circuitry may apply the adjustment factors to the input pixel values to obtain adapted pixel values. The adapted pixel values may be provided to the display pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Marc Albrecht, Ulrich Barnhoefer, Gabriel Marcu, Sandro H. Pintz
  • Publication number: 20140354521
    Abstract: An electronic device may include a display having an array of display pixels. Storage and processing circuitry may generate display data for the display in an RGB input color space. The display may display the display data in an RGBW output color space. Display control circuitry may use sets of predetermined conversion factors to convert display data from the RGB input color space to the RGBW output color space without requiring conversion to a device-independent color space. Each set of predetermined conversion factors may be associated with a color in a set of predetermined colors. Using the sets of predetermined conversion factors, the display control circuitry may convert RGB values in the input color space to RGBW values in the output color space. The display control circuitry may supply data signals corresponding to the display data in the RGBW output color space to the array of display pixels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2013
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Gabriel Marcu, Marc Albrecht, Sandro H. Pintz
  • Publication number: 20140267448
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for compensating for brightness changes in a display having an array of display pixels. The method includes storing a plurality of look-up tables, where each table has a plurality of brightness signals that provide compensation for a brightness change when the refresh rate is changed during a panel self-refresh. The method also includes using display control circuitry to determine the refresh rate associated with an input signal and to determine a compensation based on the refresh rate. The display control circuitry may, for example, use non-linear interpolation to generate a look-up table for the refresh rate. The display control circuitry may adjust the input signal based on the look-up table to produce an output signal that compensates for a brightness change at the refresh rate. The output signal may be transmitted to the array of display pixels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Marc Albrecht, Christopher Philip Alan Tann, Nicholas G. Roland, Sandro H. Pintz, Taesung Kim
  • Publication number: 20140204127
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices for adding contextual matte bars to format image data to another aspect ratio are provided. For example, a method may include receiving image data of a first aspect ratio into a processor. The processor may receive a characteristic of a destination display of a second aspect ratio, an indication of ambient lighting, an indication of a characteristic of the image data, or any number of these factors. The processor may add matte bars to the image data to cause the image data to be formatted to the second aspect ratio. The appearance of the matte bars may depend on the factors received by the processor. The formatted image data with these contextual matte bars then may be sent from the processor to the destination electronic display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2013
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Christopher P. Tann, Robert L. Ridenour, Sandro H. Pintz
  • Publication number: 20140198093
    Abstract: The disclosure describes procedures for dynamically employing a variable refresh rate at an LCD display of a consumer electronic device, such as a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a mobile phone, or a music player device. In some configurations, the consumer electronic device can include a host system portion, having one or more processors and a display system portion, having a timing controller, a buffer circuit, a display driver, and a display panel. The display system can receive image data and image control data from a GPU of the host system, evaluate the received image control data to determine a reduced refresh rate (RRR) for employing at the display panel, and then transition to the RRR, whenever practicable, to conserve power. In some scenarios, the transition to the RRR can be a transition from a LRR of 50 hertz or above to a RRR of 40 hertz or below.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2014
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Prasanna Nambi, Jason N. Gomez, Fenghua Zheng, Paolo Sacchetto, Sandro H. Pintz, Taesung Kim, Christopher P. Tann, Marc Albrecht, David W. Lum
  • Publication number: 20140198114
    Abstract: The disclosure describes procedures for dynamically employing a variable refresh rate at an LCD display of a consumer electronic device, such as a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a mobile phone, or a music player device. In some configurations, the consumer electronic device can include a host system portion, having one or more processors and a display system portion, having a timing controller, a buffer circuit, a display driver, and a display panel. The display system can receive image data and image control data from a GPU of the host system, evaluate the received image control data to determine a reduced refresh rate (RRR) for employing at the display panel, and then transition to the RRR, whenever practicable, to conserve power. In some scenarios, the transition to the RRR can be a transition from a LRR of 50 hertz or above to a RRR of 40 hertz or below.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2014
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Prasanna Nambi, Jason N. Gomez, Fenghua Zheng, Paolo Sacchetto, Sandro H. Pintz, Taesung Kim, Christopher P. Tann, Marc Albrecht, David W. Lum
  • Publication number: 20140198138
    Abstract: The disclosure describes procedures for dynamically employing a variable refresh rate at an LCD display of a consumer electronic device, such as a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a mobile phone, or a music player device. In some configurations, the consumer electronic device can include a host system portion, having one or more processors and a display system portion, having a timing controller, a buffer circuit, a display driver, and a display panel. The display system can receive image data and image control data from a GPU of the host system, evaluate the received image control data to determine a reduced refresh rate (RRR) for employing at the display panel, and then transition to the RRR, whenever practicable, to conserve power. In some scenarios, the transition to the RRR can be a transition from a LRR of 50 hertz or above to a RRR of 40 hertz or below.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2014
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Prasanna Nambi, Jason N. Gomez, Fenghua Zheng, Paolo Sacchetto, Sandro H. Pintz, Taesung Kim, Christopher P. Tann, Marc Albrecht, David W. Lum
  • Publication number: 20140139570
    Abstract: An electronic device may include a display and display control circuitry. The display may be calibrated to compensate for changes in display temperature. Display calibration information may be obtained during manufacturing and may be stored in the electronic device. The display calibration information may include adjustment factors configured to adjust incoming pixel values to reduce temperature-related color shifts. During operation of the electronic device, display control circuitry may determine the temperature at different locations on the display. The display control circuitry may determine the temperature at a given display pixel using the temperatures at the different locations on the display. The display control circuitry may determine adjustment values based on the temperature at the display pixel. The display control circuitry may apply the adjustment values to incoming pixel values to obtain adapted pixel values, which may in turn be provided to the display pixel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2012
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Marc Albrecht, Ulrich Barnhoefer, Gabriel Marcu, Sandro H. Pintz, Keith Cox
  • Publication number: 20140139571
    Abstract: An electronic device may include a display and display control circuitry. The display may be calibrated to compensate for changes in display temperature. Display calibration information may be obtained during manufacturing and may be stored in the electronic device. The display calibration information may include color-specific adjustment factors configured to adjust display colors and reduce temperature-related color shifts. During operation of the display, the display control circuitry may receive input pixel values for a display pixel. The display control circuitry may also receive display temperature information from a temperature sensor in the electronic device. The display control circuitry may determine adjustment factors based on a color associated with the input pixel values and the display temperature information. The display control circuitry may apply the adjustment factors to the input pixel values to obtain adapted pixel values. The adapted pixel values may be provided to the display pixel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2012
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Marc Albrecht, Ulrich Barnhoefer, Gabriel Marcu, Sandro H. Pintz
  • Publication number: 20140043369
    Abstract: An electronic device may include a display and display control circuitry. The display may be calibrated to reduce color non-uniformity in the display. Display calibration information may be obtained during manufacturing and may be stored in the electronic device. The display calibration information may include color-specific, intensity-specific, location-specific correction factors. During operation of the display, display control circuitry may receive pixel data to be displayed by each pixel in the display. The pixel data may include color information and intensity information for each pixel. Based on the color information for each pixel, the intensity information for each pixel, and the location of each pixel in the display, the display control circuitry may determine a color-specific, intensity-specific, location-specific correction factor to apply to the pixel data for each pixel. Adapted pixel data may be supplied to each pixel in the display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2012
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Inventors: Marc Albrecht, Ulrich Barnhoefer, Gabriel Marcu, Sandro H. Pintz
  • Patent number: 6871008
    Abstract: In a system for processing and displaying a DVD-video data stream, a system for decoding and processing a subpicture data stream. The subpicture data stream comprises a subpicture pixel data stream and a subpicture display control data stream. The subpicture display control data stream preferably comprises one or more display control commands, one or more of which include subpicture display control information. The system comprises at least one processing unit for processing software programmed to perform at least some subpicture data stream decoding and subpicture display control command execution. In addition, the system further comprises a subpicture hardware unit configured to receive the subpicture pixel data stream, subpicture control information extracted from a subpicture display control command executed by said at least one processing unit, and subpicture display control commands not executed by said at least one processing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: Genesis Microchip Inc.
    Inventors: Sandro H. Pintz, Vijay Kamarshi, Teju J. Khubchandani