Time-domain flicker measurement technique

The visibility of flicker on a display depends upon many factors, including the observer's sensitivity to flicker. Whenever flicker is observed, it is probably undesirable and often unacceptable. Much has been written about flicker, its perception, and its variability. Methods have been presented to the industry that use frequency domain analysis of measured flicker response (1, 2). Here we propose a alternate method to quantify flicker in the time domain, just as people see it, and we will try to understand how the measurements relate to what people see. Both the frequency domain and time domain flicker measurements can be found in the Video Electronics Standards Association Flat Panel Display Measurements Standard (1). An attempt is made to compare the two methods and show how the simpler measurement can be employed for many display technologies.