Cyclic redundancy check for electronic displays

A method for preventing the retention of an image displayed on an active area of an electronic display, the method performed by the electronic display and comprising the steps of:

• defining an analysis area of some shape and of a size that is some fraction of the active area of the electronic display;
• virtually dividing the active display area of the electronic display into a plurality of locations, each location corresponding approximately to the shape and size of the analysis area;
• moving the analysis area through each location and performing a checksum calculation of pixel data associated with each location for a predetermined time period;
• comparing the pixel data checksum values as calculated for each location during the predetermined time period to determine a change in said pixel data checksum values;
• comparing the change in said pixel data checksum values for each location with a threshold difference value;
• and
• performing an image retention prevention procedure at any location where the change in pixel data checksum values is determined to be less than the threshold difference value by alternatingly transmitting image data and non-image data to different portions of the pixels.

An electronic display configured to perform a procedure for preventing the retention of an image displayed on the electronic display, comprising:

• an active display area;
• a display controller configured to produce an image on the active display area of the electronic display by transmitting image pixel data thereto;
• and
• a processor in electrical communication with the display controller, the processor programmed to:
• define an analysis area,
• move the analysis area through each of a plurality of locations across the active display area, each location corresponding approximately to a shape and size of the analysis area,
• perform a checksum calculation on the pixel data at each location for a predetermined time period,
• determine a change in value of the pixel data at each location during the predetermined time period,
• compare the determined change in value of pixel data for each location with a threshold value, and
• perform an image retention prevention procedure at any location where the change in value of the pixel data is determined to be less than the threshold difference value by causing image data and non-image data to be alternatingly transmitted to different portions of the pixels within the location.