Devices and methods for bit error rate monitoring of intra-panel data link

An electronic display comprising:

• a timing controller comprising:
• bit error rate test mode determination circuitry configured to generate a bit error rate test mode enable signal based at least in part on a corresponding control signal from a host processor;
• and
• a plurality of transmitters each associated with a respective one of a plurality of intra-display unidirectional data links, each of the plurality of transmitters comprising:
• physical transmission circuitry configured to transmit data over the associated intra-display unidirectional data link;
• and
• bit error rate test mode selection circuitry configured to cause the physical transmission circuitry to transmit either image data or test data depending on the bit error rate test mode enable signal;
• and
• a plurality of data drivers each respectively associated with one of the plurality of intra-display unidirectional data links and one of the plurality of transmitters, and configured to program a respective one of a plurality of active display segments of the electronic display, each of the plurality of data drivers comprising:
• a physical receiver configured to receive the data from the one of the plurality of transmitters over the associated intra-display unidirectional data links;
• bit error detection circuitry configured to detect bit errors of the associated data link based at least in part on the data when the data comprises test data;
• counter circuitry configured to hold a count of the detected bit errors;
• and
• bit error display circuitry configured to receive the count of the detected bit errors and output a display control signal configured to cause an indication of the count of the detected bit errors of the associated data link to be programmed on the associated one of the plurality of active display segments of the electronic display.

An electronic display comprising:

• a timing controller configured to transmit two data signals, one of the two data signals comprising test data of a known or predictable value;
• two outgoing unidirectional data links coupled to the timing controller and respectively configured to carry the two data signals away from the timing controller;
• two display drivers respectively coupled to the two outgoing unidirectional data links, each display driver being configured to:
• receive one of the two data signals;
• determine a bit error rate associated with the one of the two data signals when that data signal comprises the test data;
• and
• transmit an indication of the bit error rate to the timing controller;
• and
• an incoming unidirectional data link operably coupled to both of the two display drivers, the incoming unidirectional data link configured to carry the indication of the bit error rate from the one of the two display drivers that received the test data to the timing controller.

A method for quality control for an electronic display comprising:

• causing the electronic display to enter a bit error rate test mode, wherein, when the electronic display is in the bit error rate test mode, the electronic display causes an indication of a bit error rate associated with an internal data link to be displayed on the electronic display or output digitally through an electronic display interface of the electronic display, or both;
• determining whether the bit error rate exceeds a threshold by:
• detecting a digital image of the indication of the bit error rate displayed on the electronic display using a digital imaging device, providing the digital image to an electronic device, and identifying the bit error rate using the electronic device by analyzing the digital image;
• or
• receiving the indication of the bit error rate in an electronic device via the electronic display interface of the electronic display and identifying the bit error rate based at least in part on the indication of the bit error rate using the electronic device;
• and
• determining to discard or repair the electronic display when the bit error rate exceeds the threshold, wherein determining to discard or repair the electronic display comprises determining in the electronic device whether the bit error rate identified using the electronic device exceeds the threshold.

An article of manufacture comprising:

• at least one tangible, non-transitory machine-readable medium including instructions for execution by a processor, the instructions comprising:
• instructions to issue a request to an electronic display, wherein the request comprises a request to provide an indication of a bit error rate that is determined by the display associated with a data link between a timing controller and a display driver of the electronic display;
• and
• instructions to receive the indication of the bit error rate associated with the data link from the electronic display.

A method comprising:

• sending a test data signal from a timing controller of an electronic display to a display driver of the electronic display over an internal data link of the electronic display, wherein the test data signal comprises a stream of known or predictable data;
• receiving the test data signal in the display driver of the electronic display;
• detecting bit errors in the test data signal using the display driver of the electronic display;
• and
• displaying an indication of the bit errors on a display panel of the electronic display using the display driver of the electronic display.