Improving Flat Panel Displays by Discrete Optimization

• Applicant: Dr.-Ing. Andreas Karrenbauer
• Subject Area: Theoretical Computer Science
• Term: from 2012 to 2017
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 220888762

The main objective of the proposed project is to advance the state-of-the-art in modern display technology by means of discrete optimization. We aim at lower power consumption in the next generation of flat-panel displays through a reduction of their addressing time. To this end, we will develop new sophisticated driving algorithms. We will thereby contribute to the theory of addressing passive matrix displays, which currently lacks a profound understanding of the underlying computational problems. That is, we will close a research gap in the topic of approximation algorithms for biclique decomposition problems, which also figure into other applications that will benefit from the foundational research of this project as well. To achieve our objectives, we will employ an original combination of methods from Discrete Mathematics, and Theoretical Computer Science in an Algorithm Engineering process: Starting from Integer Programming followed by combinatorial models, we will invent algorithms that are ready to be implemented in hardware. Our framework will apply to devices like OLED displays, plasma screens, and e-paper. This project will result in a reduction of addressing time to one quarter of that of the conventional scheme, and thus offers an energy-saving potential of 50%, allows for quadruple the size of OLED displays, and speeds up page-turning in e-books by four times.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants