Low power refresh during semi-active workloads

A method comprising:

• receiving, at a timing controller located in a display, a video stream from a display engine at a frame rate, wherein the display includes an image viewable by a user and the image is refreshed at a first refresh rate, wherein the first refresh rate is a same rate as the frame rate;
• receiving an indicator from the display engine that a frame from the video stream does not include new image data or changed image data, as compared to a previously received frame;
• and
• determining that the first refresh rate can be lowered to a second refresh rate without the frame rate of the video stream from the display engine to the timing controller being changed, wherein the second refresh rate is lower than the frame rate of the video stream from the display engine to the timing controller.

A system for enabling a low power refresh during a semi-active workload, the system comprising:

• a display engine, wherein the display engine generates a video stream with a frame rate;
• a display, wherein the display includes an image related to a semi-active workload that is viewable by a user and the image is refreshed at a first refresh rate, wherein the first refresh rate is a same rate as the frame rate;
• and
• a timing controller located in the display, wherein the timing control receives an indicator from the display engine that a frame from the video stream does not include new image data or changed image data, as compared to a previously received frame, and uses the indicator to determine that the first refresh rate can be lowered to a second refresh rate without the frame rate of the video stream from the display engine to the timing controller being changed, wherein the second refresh rate is lower than the frame rate of the video stream from the display engine to the timing controller.