Addressing scheme for a display device with distributed sensors in a display area

Abstract

A display device includes an array of driver circuits distributed in a display area for driving corresponding LED zones and an array of sensor circuits distributed in the display area for sensing conditions associated with the driver circuits or LED zones. Various communication protocols and connectivity configurations may be employed to communicate driver control signals to the driver circuits and to obtain readback data from the sensors. A control circuit adjusts operation of the display device based on sensor data obtained from the sensor.

1 . A method for assigning addresses to sensor circuits distributed in a display area of a display device, the method comprising:
 turning on a selected driver circuit to drive an LED zone in the display area;   obtaining sensor data from the sensor circuits representing a sensed condition associated with the LED zone;   determining, based on the sensor data, a sensor value associated with a proximate sensor circuit that is proximate to the LED zone being driven by the selected driver circuit; and   assigning an address to the proximate sensor circuit associated with an address of the selected driver circuit.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 during an addressing mode, sending, by the control circuit, an addressing signal to a first driver circuit of a group of driver circuits coupled in a serial communication chain;   propagating the addressing signal through the serial communication chain to facilitate assignment of addresses to the driver circuits.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein turning on the selected driver circuit comprises:
 sending a command on a shared communication line coupled to the group of driver circuits, the command referencing an address of the selected driver circuit.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein obtaining the sensor data comprises:
 reading the sensor data from a shared readback line coupled in parallel to each of the sensor circuits.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein assigning the address comprises:
 sending a command via a shared communication line coupled to the sensor circuits, the command specifying the address for assigning to the proximate sensor circuit and identifying the proximate sensor circuit by the sensor value provided by the proximate sensor circuit.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving operational sensor data from the proximate sensor circuit via a readback line during an operational mode of the display device; and   calibrating operation of the selected driver circuit based on the operational sensor data.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor circuits comprise temperature sensing circuits that detect heat generated by the selected driver circuit. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor circuit comprise light sensing circuits that detect light generating by the LED zone. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor circuit comprise audio sensing circuits that detect sound generating by an audio transducer proximate to the LED zone. 
     
     
         10 . A display device comprising:
 a group of light emitting diode zones each comprising one or more light emitting diodes;   a group of driver circuits, the group of driver circuits for driving the group of light emitting diode zones;   a group of sensor circuits distributed in the display area of the display device; and   a control circuit to facilitate assignment of addresses to the group of sensor circuits during an addressing mode, the control circuit to turn on a selected driver circuit to drive a corresponding LED zone, obtain sensor data from the group of sensor circuits, the sensor data representing a sensed condition associated with the LED zone, determine, based on the sensor data, a sensor value associated with a proximate sensor circuit that is proximate to the LED zone turned on by the selected driver circuit, and assign an address to the proximate sensor circuit associated with an address of the selected driver circuit.   
     
     
         11 . The display device of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 serial communication lines serially coupling the group of driver circuits to each other and to the control circuit in a serial communication chain,   wherein the control circuit and the group of driver circuits are configured to propagate addressing signals through the serial communication chain to facilitate assignment of addresses to the driver circuits during the addressing mode.   
     
     
         12 . The display device of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a shared communication line coupled to the group of driver circuits in parallel,   wherein the control circuit turns on the selected driver circuit by sending a command on the shared communication referencing an address of the selected driver circuit.   
     
     
         13 . The display device of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a readback line having parallel connections to the group of sensor circuits and coupled to the control circuit,   wherein the sensor circuits are configured to send the sensor data via the shared readback line.   
     
     
         14 . The display device of  claim 10 , wherein the control circuit assigns the address by sending a command via a shared communication line coupled to the sensor circuits, the command specifying the address to be assigned to the proximate sensor circuit and identifying the proximate sensor circuit by the sensor value provided by the proximate sensor circuit. 
     
     
         15 . The display device of  claim 10 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to receive operational sensor data from the proximate sensor circuit via a readback line during an operational mode of the display device, and calibrate operation of the selected driver circuit based on the operational sensor data. 
     
     
         16 . The display device of  claim 10 , wherein the sensor circuits comprise temperature sensing circuits that detect heat generated by the selected driver circuit. 
     
     
         17 . The display device of  claim 10 , wherein the sensor circuit comprise light sensing circuits that detect light generating by the LED zone. 
     
     
         18 . The display device of  claim 10 , wherein the sensor circuit comprise audio sensing circuits that detect sound generating by an audio transducer proximate to the LED zone. 
     
     
         19 . A display device comprising:
 a group of drivers for driving a group of light emitting diode zones; and   a control circuit to facilitate assignment of addresses to a group of sensor circuits distributed in the display area during an addressing mode, the control circuit to turn on a selected driver to drive a corresponding LED zone, obtain sensor data from the group of sensor circuits, the sensor data representing a sensed condition associated with the LED zone, determine, based on the sensor data, a sensor value associated with a proximate sensor circuit that is proximate to the LED zone turned on by the selected driver circuit, and assign an address to the proximate sensor circuit associated with an address of the selected driver circuit.   
     
     
         20 . The display device of  claim 19 , wherein the sensor circuits comprise at least one of temperature sensing circuits, light sensing circuits, and audio sensing circuits.