Apple Wins Patent for iPhone Display With Variable Refresh Rates Up to 240Hz

[The Game 161]

Technically speaking, Apple isn't making this claim. The patent is for an exponential growth refresh rate... not necessarily stopping at 240hz.
There are already variable refresh rate displays on the market. Adaptive refresh rate displays (automatically change refresh rate based on app/on-screen content) are already in use in phones today.
This is just Apple's version of how to do it.
As you can see in the patent, they are building off of existing patents, which is normal in a well developed field.

It's just a patent after all, not like this is a leak that it's happening as after all we see plenty patents by apple that don't always happen.

all that it shows is how it could work. Not convinced we see it and if we do it will be years down the line.

Just getting 120hz will be enough

 

[anshuvorty]

240Hz? I dont see it happening. 120Hz in 2021 if we're lucky

Me thinks 240 Hz for the rumored AR/VR glasses...120 Hz for the phones...

 

[Unregistered 4U]

Others have asked, so I will continue. How did they get a patent for this when there are phones on the market already doing this?

A patent is granted on a “method” to do a thing. The “thing” can be common, but the WAY to do the thing is novel. Just because someone has a patent on a crank that “produces torque” doesn’t mean that you can’t have a patent on an electric motor or gasoline motor or water driven wheel, or an ox driven wheel that “produces torque”.

 

[cmaier]

Others have asked, so I will continue. How did they get a patent for this when there are phones on the market already doing this?

What other phones have a display comprising: a plurality of display pixels arranged in rows and columns; display driver circuitry configured to provide image data to the columns of display pixels; and gate driver circuitry configured to provide control signals to the rows of display pixels, wherein the gate driver circuitry includes a shift register that is operable in a native refresh rate mode at a first refresh rate and a high refresh rate mode at a second refresh rate that is twice the first refresh rate, wherein in the native refresh rate mode the shift register sequentially provides control signals to each row of all the display pixels, and wherein in the high refresh rate mode the shift register sequentially provides control signals to each pair of adjacent rows of all the display pixels?

 

[mattopotamus]

What other phones have a display comprising: a plurality of display pixels arranged in rows and columns; display driver circuitry configured to provide image data to the columns of display pixels; and gate driver circuitry configured to provide control signals to the rows of display pixels, wherein the gate driver circuitry includes a shift register that is operable in a native refresh rate mode at a first refresh rate and a high refresh rate mode at a second refresh rate that is twice the first refresh rate, wherein in the native refresh rate mode the shift register sequentially provides control signals to each row of all the display pixels, and wherein in the high refresh rate mode the shift register sequentially provides control signals to each pair of adjacent rows of all the display pixels?

I don't know haha. I do have to tell you, your emoji scares the hell out of me. Looks like it's ready to attack.

 

[cmaier]

I don't know haha. I do have to tell you, your emoji scares the hell out of me. Looks like it's ready to attack.

That's just what I look like, most days.

 

[827538]

I'm looking forward to a 120Hz VRR display this year on the iPhone. Will basically be a complete device in my eyes with nothing else I could think of wanting.

 

[organic bond]

Android users everywhere: My phone already does that.
Me: ... but does your phone actually work... Hmmm?

---

Promotion to the iPhone, sounds like that foldable iPhone/iPad post may be headed in the right direction. Something like that helps the Apple Pencil feel more intuitive - not to mention the gaming and performance of animations update.

But... I digress.

iPhone 13... more money to spend on your iPhone in August!

Since you asked, yes it does, and very well. Are you still following this pathetic rethoric? Clearly you've never used an Android phone and consequently don't know what you're talking about. I've been using Apple products since 1981 but I prefer Android phones, mind you.

 

[Arsenikdote]

Battery life this battery life that. I still want to know why Apple is so obsessed with making a phone thin that they ignore the 99% of the world who would rather it be a little thicker with better features and battery life.

If that was the case, those people would buy phones that were designed that way. Maybe Apple has a firmer grasp on what 99% of the world wants than you do?

I believe that it is less about what would solve people's issues and what PERCEPTION is. Sure Apple could make a phone thicker and have a longer lasting battery. But then someone could make something "sexier" and people would flock to it even though it doesn't "perform" as good.

If you don't think I am right, cool. But also, ask yourself if you think the general population really acts the way you think they do? Do "good looking" people tend to date/marry other good looking people or just anyone they come across? What is the "norm"? Does the general population want to purchase a vehicle mostly based on how it technically performs or how it looks and is advertised?

Truth is, we want the wow factor and we (general population) are willing to put our money out for those items even when items that might better fit us are available.

 

[InGen]

In a sense, I do like how Apple either doesn't do it, or do it and go full bonkers and overkill when they decided to go for it 😂
(And yes, I know. It's just a patent at this point😂)

I often think that patent applications from Apple come as late as possible in the development of a new tech, I’m sure there’s lots of things going on in Apple’s labs that we have no clue about and Apple has no intention to yet patent, for fear of giving market warning to competitors or giving ideas away.

Clearing that up for those who may be thinking a public patent application from Apple indicates the birth of a new development, when sometimes it’s an indication of something that might be ready to ship and was unnecessary to patent given how likely unreproducible it would be to competitors

 

[cmaier]

I believe that it is less about what would solve people's issues and what PERCEPTION is. Sure Apple could make a phone thicker and have a longer lasting battery. But then someone could make something "sexier" and people would flock to it even though it doesn't "perform" as good.

If you don't think I am right, cool. But also, ask yourself if you think the general population really acts the way you think they do? Do "good looking" people tend to date/marry other good looking people or just anyone they come across? What is the "norm"? Does the general population want to purchase a vehicle mostly based on how it technically performs or how it looks and is advertised?

Truth is, we want the wow factor and we (general population) are willing to put our money out for those items even when items that might better fit us are available.

You went way off in the weeds here. This has nothing to do with dating. People make choices when they buy things. They buy whatever meets their needs. There are thick phones with big battery life in the android ecosystem, but fewer lately because people don’t buy them. Even when samsung makes a thin phone and a thick version with more battery, people buy the thin version mostly.

You have mere speculation - “99% of people want this!” We have evidence. ”99% of people who could buy that, do not.”

 

[Arsenikdote]

You went way off in the weeds here. This has nothing to do with dating. People make choices when they buy things. They buy whatever meets their needs. There are thick phones with big battery life in the android ecosystem, but fewer lately because people don’t buy them. Even when samsung makes a thin phone and a thick version with more battery, people buy the thin version mostly.

You have mere speculation - “99% of people want this!” We have evidence. ”99% of people who could buy that, do not.”

Ummmm, are you confusing me with the original poster? I never said anything about 99% anything.

And while I respect your opinion, my opinion is you are wrong. As someone who has a great deal of knowledge about human behavior and marketing I am not "off in the weeds", I am using detail to describe the WHY. I am describing behavioral science that you can bet Apple uses and likely has PHD's on staff to work with. You might not want to believe buying an iPhone is like dating, but unfortunately decades of human behavior says otherwise. Also, if you think that most buying decisions are about people's "needs", unless you describe "needs" very different than a dictionary does, people stopped doing that long before you or I were born. Like it or hate it, it is the world we have been living in for quite some time.

 

[code-m]

This would be a delicious development to go from 60 forever to 120 variable to 240

If battery life is compromised, I am guessing what will happen is some people will hanker for these features/functions like AoD/ProMotion v.2 and then upon having it will disable it if permitted, to guess what extend battery life. It's all about the have and want, until one realize that battery tech takes a hit. Spec sheet envy.

 

[1madman1]

I don't see a link to the actual patent anywhere, but the description on the "Patently Apple" site makes it sound like a form of display refresh interlacing like back in the CRT days.

Variable refresh displays are not new, I have a pair of vrr 20hz-144hz monitors in front of me right now. This is just a different way to accomplish it, not sure why its a big deal?

 

[code-m]

And no camera lump

You have something against lump's.

 

[code-m]

Am I the only one who thinks refresh rate is mostly ridiculous hype? Maybe I'm in the extreme minority here, but I can't really tell the difference between 60 and 120 in the first place. 180 and 240 seem like an overkill "feature" for something that would absolutely annihilate battery life. Aren't we way past what the human eye can detect anyway?

This is like 8k for me. Unless you have a 100" TV, it's all pointless marketing garbage.

If you dispute it, some forum member will claim their can see/observe the difference in daily usage and you need to book an eye exam asap.

People may initially notice a difference and after adjust, the question is, is the feature/function worth the extra for ones usage.

 

[mazz0]

You have something against lump's.

Lump's what?

 

[mazz0]

Am I the only one who thinks refresh rate is mostly ridiculous hype? Maybe I'm in the extreme minority here, but I can't really tell the difference between 60 and 120 in the first place. 180 and 240 seem like an overkill "feature" for something that would absolutely annihilate battery life. Aren't we way past what the human eye can detect anyway?

This is like 8k for me. Unless you have a 100" TV, it's all pointless marketing garbage.

Not the only one. When it first came to iPad Pro I had to hold it side by side with an iPhone to see the difference, and my mind remained noticeably unblown. I don't know when it makes a big difference to people. I'd love to hear a use-case.

 

[Starscape]

Now all of the people working so hard to convince people that “the only thing 120Hz screens are good for is increased battery drain” will be lining up to buy the new iPhone 13 and rave about how awesome the new ProMotion display on the iPhones is, and how it’s a ‘game changer’.

 

[Captain Trips]

Variable refresh displays are not new, I have a pair of vrr 20hz-144hz monitors in front of me right now. This is just a different way to accomplish it, not sure why its a big deal?

As some people have said in this discussion, this patent is most likely for the design or manufacturing process. Which makes sense - if this is something Apple wants to do in a future product, then if they have a manufacturing / design process that they think will give them a competitive advantage, they should patent it. Especially if it can lead to more efficient / less costly manufacturing of a video screen with a variable refresh rate - this would translate to more profits, and Apple is a company and they need to make money to stay in business.

Per Wikpedia (bold emphasis mine):
"Under United States law, a patent is a right granted to the inventor of a process, machine, article of manufacture, or composition of matter, that is new, useful, and non-obvious. A patent is the right to exclude others, for a limited time from profiting of a patented technology without the consent of the patent-holder."

 

[jumpcutking]

Since you asked, yes it does, and very well. Are you still following this pathetic rethoric? Clearly you've never used an Android phone and consequently don't know what you're talking about. I've been using Apple products since 1981 but I prefer Android phones, mind you.

Actually I’m a developer and a producer. I’ve used both iPhone and android devices. I’ve used the cheap end and the expensive end of Android devices. My track record with them, my clients track record, and my talents track record, and the teams track record with android devices is very poor. It usually starts this way:

Great news features on a brand new devices almost make it a competitor until 6 months later when the phone slows down (due to apps), messages don’t get delivered (group), notifications stop being received, applications crash, and the experience greatly diminishes.

While Android devices are more open, they seem more prone to failure as opposed to their iPhone counterparts.

Sorry, a note has nothing on the iPhone.

 

[cmaier]

Ummmm, are you confusing me with the original poster? I never said anything about 99% anything.

And while I respect your opinion, my opinion is you are wrong. As someone who has a great deal of knowledge about human behavior and marketing I am not "off in the weeds", I am using detail to describe the WHY. I am describing behavioral science that you can bet Apple uses and likely has PHD's on staff to work with. You might not want to believe buying an iPhone is like dating, but unfortunately decades of human behavior says otherwise. Also, if you think that most buying decisions are about people's "needs", unless you describe "needs" very different than a dictionary does, people stopped doing that long before you or I were born. Like it or hate it, it is the world we have been living in for quite some time.

I define “needs” the way economists do. You seem to think that “wants” aren’t ”needs.” You are wrong.

 

[Arsenikdote]

I define “needs” the way economists do. You seem to think that “wants” aren’t ”needs.” You are wrong.

You and I agree about defining "needs" based on the way economists do, which has nothing to do with actual needs. Cool, same page.

However, the same drivers in the brain that affect dating also affect product purchasing. Hook someone up and do an EEG and watch, or just read the studies done. Do you have expertise in this area or are you being contrary for the sake of an argument? Anyone around me in the behavioral industry would not argue the point, so I am genuinely confused.

The general population doesn't make choices very often with as much "thought" as you seem to be indicating they do. We all want to BELIEVE we do, but study after study shows that we don't.

My point all along is that Apple is fully aware of this and has to ride the line between functional and providing a "wow" factor. This is true with most businesses, but the more mainstream your product is, the more relative it is. If they loose their swagger, they loose profit, pure and simple.

 

[mi7chy]

This is another case of patent trolling that will eventually get invalidated like Apple's multi-touch. GSync, Freesync, Variable Refresh Rate, etc. already exist and scales up to faster refresh rates when faster panels become available.

 

[chrisvacc]

Battery life this battery life that. I still want to know why Apple is so obsessed with making a phone thin that they ignore the 99% of the world who would rather it be a little thicker with better features and battery life.

If that was the case, those people would buy phones that were designed that way. Maybe Apple has a firmer grasp on what 99% of the world wants than you do?

There are like 14 bajillion cases that have extra batteries baked in that charge your phone wirelessly. There are 0.0000 cases that make your slimmer.

You can literally charge 6 extra battery packs at night and pop a new one out like a Pez dispenser.

Stop with this 'make a fat iPhone!' suggestion.

Plus if you actually looked at how the batteries are designed, you'd realize that making a battery shaped in a way that doesn't leave hollow, empty space would be absurd.

What are you going to do, cram it in there like the purple Tetris peice?