Hardware/Software Support and Algorithms for Dynamic Backlight Scaling in TFT LCDs

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0541469Massoud PedramU of Southern CaliforniaHardware/Software Support and Algorithms for Dynamic Backlight Scaling in TFT LCDs Display components have become a key focus of efforts for maximization of the battery lifetime in a wide range of portable, display-equipped, microelectronic systems and products. A particularly effective technique in reducing the power consumption of all kinds of displays is the dynamic backlight scaling technique, where the intensity of the backlight lamp and the LCD transmittance function are changed concurrently and in proportion so that the same visual perception is created in the human eyes at much lower levels of power consumption. This research therefore aims to develop spatiotemporal and/or color-aware backlight scaling techniques for pixel transformation of the displayed still images or video streams so as to maximize the energy saving in a target platform. The new techniques , which take advantage of the human visual system characteristics to minimize distortion between the original and backlight-scaled images/videos, will be implemented and demonstrated on the Apollo Testbed II hardware platform. The broader impact of the research is to significantly reduce the power consumption of typical handheld devices, increasing their discharge-cycle lifetime, thereby, enabling more widespread and convenient use of such devices. The backlight dimming technology can also be applied in AC-powered systems where the key concern is the energy cost to the individual user as well as the society at large. This technology has the potential to reduce the typical energy bill of a desktop computer by 30% or so (when the system is being used). This research, if successful, will expedite introduction of advanced display technologies (such as LED-based backlighting for LCDs, or organic LED-based displays) since it will reduce their power cost without sacrificing quality.