Extending asynchronous frame updates with full frame and partial frame notifications

Abstract

Disclosed herein are techniques to provide notification of the type and/or attributes of frame updates. A platform can notify a panel of further frame updates, whether the frame update is a full frame update or a partial frame update and attributes of the frame update. The platform can notify the panel of information about the frame update during a vertical blanking interval by asserting a command or signaling the panel using selected symbols during the vertical blanking interval.

1 .- 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . An apparatus, comprising:
 display interface circuitry to couple to a display panel via a display interconnect; and   transmitter circuitry to:   send a frame update to the display panel via the display interconnect; and   send, during a vertical blanking interval (VBI), an information element to the panel, the information element to include an indication of a frame update.   
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 26 , the transmitter circuitry to:
 identify the frame update as a full frame update; and   send, during the VBI, the information element including an indication that the frame update is a full frame update.   
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , the transmitter circuitry to:
 identify a number of full frame updates; and   send, during the VBI, the information element including an indication of the determined number of full frame updates.   
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 26 , the transmitter circuitry to:
 identify the frame update as a partial frame update; and   send, during the VBI, the information element including an indication that the frame update is a partial frame update.   
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the information element comprises indications of attributes of the partial frame update. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 30 , the attributes comprising at least one of a number of partial frame update blocks or a starting and ending pixel of the partial frame update. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 26 , the display interface circuitry comprising a display port interface or an embedded display port interface. 
     
     
         33 . A method comprising:
 sending, from an image source to an image sink during a vertical blanking interval (VBI), an information element including an indication of a frame update; and   sending, from the image source to the image sink, the frame update.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , comprising determining whether the frame update is a full frame update or a partial frame update. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , comprising sending, during the VBI, the information element including an indication that the frame update is a full frame update based on a determination that the frame update is a full frame update. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , comprising determining a number full frame updates. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , comprising sending, during the VBI, the information element including an indication of the determined number of full frame updates. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 34 , comprising sending, during the VBI, the information element including an indication that the frame update is a partial frame update based on a determination that the frame update is a partial frame update. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , the processor to cause the transmitter to send, during the VBI, the information element including an indication of attributes of the partial frame update. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , the attributes comprising at least one of a number of partial frame update blocks or a starting and ending pixel of the partial frame update. 
     
     
         41 . At least one machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that when executed by a processor at a platform coupled to a panel via a display interconnect, cause the processor to:
 send, to the panel via the display interconnect during a vertical blanking interval (VBI), an information element to the panel, the information element to include an indication of a frame update; and   send, to the panel via the display interconnect, the frame update.   
     
     
         42 . The at least one machine-readable storage medium of  claim 41 , comprising instructions that further cause the processor to
 determine that the frame update is a full frame update;   
       determine a number of full frame updates; and 
       send, during the VBI, the information element including an indication that the frame update is a full frame update and an indication of the determined number of full frame updates. 
     
     
         43 . The at least one machine-readable storage medium of  claim 41 , comprising instructions that further cause the processor to:
 determine that the frame update is a full frame update; and   send, during the VBI, the information element including an indication that the frame update is a partial frame update based on a determination that the frame update is a partial frame update and an indication of attributes of the partial frame update.   
     
     
         44 . The at least one machine-readable storage medium of  claim 43 , the attributes comprising at least one of a number of partial frame update blocks or a starting and ending pixel of the partial frame update. 
     
     
         45 . The at least one machine-readable storage medium of  claim 41 , the display interface comprising a display port interface or an embedded display port interface.