Determining when to perform a flash of a display

A method performed by one or more processors executing instructions stored in a non-transitory computer-readable storage media, the method comprising:

• in response to determining that a plurality of updates were sent to an electronic paper display within a predetermined period of time, detecting changes caused by the updates to values of one or more pixels of the electronic paper display;
• modifying a counter based on a number of the values that have changed;
• determining when the value of the counter satisfies a changed pixel threshold;
• and
• performing a flash update of the electronic paper display at least partly in response to determining that the value of the counter satisfies the changed pixel threshold.

A computing device comprising:

• a display device;
• a display controller to perform updates to the display device;
• one or more processors;
• and
• non-transitory computer-readable media comprising instructions executable by the one or more processors to perform acts comprising:
• in response to determining that a plurality of screen updates were sent to the display controller within a predetermined period of time, determining whether the plurality of screen updates modified a common set of pixels;
• in response to determining that the plurality of screen updates modified the common set of pixels, modifying a value of a counter based on a number of the common set of pixels;
• and
• instructing the display controller to perform a flashier update when the value of the counter satisfies a changed pixel threshold.

Non-transitory computer-readable storage media comprising instructions executable by one or more processors to perform acts comprising:

• in response to determining that a plurality of updates were sent within a predetermined period of time to an electronic paper display, determining whether a common set of pixels were changed by the plurality of updates;
• in response to determining that the common set of pixels were changed by the plurality of updates, modifying a value of a counter based on a number of the common set of pixels;
• and
• performing a flashing update of the electronic paper display at least partly in response to determining that the value of the counter satisfies a pixel threshold.

An electronic book reader comprising:

• a display controller;
• an electronic paper display device responsive to the display controller;
• one or more processors;
• and
• non-transitory computer-readable media including instructions executable by the one or more processors to perform acts comprising:
• receiving, by the display controller, a plurality of updates for the electronic paper display device;
• in response to determining that the plurality of updates were received by the display controller within a predetermined period of time, identifying a common set of pixels being changed by the plurality of updates;
• modifying a counter based on a number of the common set of pixels;
• instructing the display controller to perform a flash update of the electronic paper display device at least partly in response to determining that the value of the counter satisfies a changed pixel threshold.