Method and apparatus for manipulating display of update rate

A video graphics circuit comprises:

• a frame buffer operably coupled to store at least one frame of video data;
• a video processor operably coupled to receive video data from a video source, wherein the video processor provides a plurality of frames of the video data to be stored in the frame buffer at a display update rate, such that, at any display cycle, the frame buffer contains the at least one frame of video data;
• a display driver operably coupled to the frame buffer, wherein the display driver retrieves the at least one frame of video data from the frame buffer at a refresh rate;
• and
• a video rate adjusting module operably coupled to the video processor and the display driver, wherein the video rate adjusting module manipulates the display update rate based on a relationship between the need value and the appropriateness value, wherein the need value corresponds to increasing drift caused by discrepancies between the display update rate and the refresh rate, wherein the appropriateness value is determined based on image content, and wherein the display update rate is a rate at which video data is received from the video source.

A video rate adjusting module comprises:

• a first module that determines a need value for manipulation of the display update rate, wherein the need value corresponds to increasing drift caused by discrepancies between the display update rate and a refresh rate, and wherein the display update rate is a rate at which image data is received;
• a second module that determines an appropriateness value for manipulation of the display update rate based on image content;
• and
• a manipulation module that manipulates the display update rate based on a relationship between the need value and the appropriateness value.

A digital storage medium for storing programming instructions, wherein, when a processing unit executes the programming instructions, the processing unit manipulates a display update rate, the digital storage medium comprises:

• a first storage means for storing programming instructions that cause the processing unit to determine a need value for manipulation of the display update rate, wherein the need value corresponds to increasing drift caused by discrepancies between the display update rate and a refresh rate, and wherein the display update rate is a rate at which image data is received;
• a second storage means for storing programming instructions that cause the processing unit to determine an appropriateness value for manipulation of the display update rate based on image content;
• and
• a third storage means for storing programming instructions that cause the processing unit to manipulate the display update rate based on a relationship between the need value and the appropriateness value.