This application claims priority to Taiwan Application Serial Number 112148177, filed Dec. 11, 2023, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
This disclosure relates to a light-emitting signal generating circuit and a display device, and in particular to reducing the impact of threshold voltage shift on circuit driving.
When the driving thin film transistor (TFT) designed by enhanced pulse width modulator (EPWM) operates in saturation region, the output waveform would be affected by threshold voltage of TFT. As the operation time increases, the TFT would have threshold voltage shift, and causes fall time of EPWM output to change over time.
A light-emitting signal generating circuit includes a first transistor, a second transistor and a first capacitor. The first transistor includes a first terminal for receiving a first light-emitting signal, a gate terminal for receiving a first clock signal, and a second terminal for generating a control signal; the second transistor includes a first terminal for receiving a first reference voltage, a gate terminal, and a second terminal for outputting a second light-emitting signal; and the first capacitor includes a first terminal for receiving a second clock signal and a second terminal coupled to the second terminal of the first transistor and the gate terminal of the second transistor. A low level period of the first clock signal partially overlaps with a low level period of the second clock signal, and a falling edge of the second clock signal lags behind a falling edge of the first clock signal.
In some embodiments, the second transistor lowers a level of the second light-emitting signal.
In some embodiments, when the first clock signal conducts the first transistor and causes the control signal switching to a low level but the control signal is not at a steady-state low level yet, the control signal is pulled down through a coupling effect of the first capacitor based on the falling edge of the second clock signal.
In some embodiments, when the control signal is pulled down through the coupling effect of the first capacitor based on the falling edge of the second clock signal, the second transistor is operated in linear region.
In some embodiments, a delay time length by which the falling edge of the second clock signal lags behind the falling edge of the first clock signal is less than half cycle of the first clock signal or less than a data signal length.
In some embodiments, the data signal length is 28 microseconds (us).
In some embodiments, the light-emitting signal generating circuit further includes a third transistor and a fourth transistor. The third transistor includes a first terminal for receiving the first light-emitting signal, a gate terminal for receiving a first scanning signal and a second terminal; and the fourth transistor includes a first terminal, a gate terminal for receiving a second scanning signal, and a second terminal for receiving a third light-emitting signal.
In some embodiments, the light-emitting signal generating circuit further includes a discharging module. The discharging module is electrically coupled to the second terminal of the second transistor, the discharging module pulls up the second light-emitting signal according to the falling edge of the first clock signal.
In some embodiments, the discharging module further includes a third transistor. The third transistor includes a gate terminal for receiving the first light-emitting signal, a first terminal for adjusting a second control signal in response to the first light-emitting signal, and a second terminal for receiving a second reference voltage.
A display device includes a plurality of pixel units, a plurality of light-emitting signal generating circuits and a delay circuit. Each of the light-emitting signal generating circuits includes a first transistor, a second transistor and a first capacitor. The first transistor includes a first terminal for receiving a previous stage light-emitting signal, a gate terminal for receiving a first clock signal, and a second terminal for generating a control signal; the second transistor includes a first terminal for receiving a first reference voltage, a gate terminal, and a second terminal for outputting a present stage light-emitting signal to one of the pixel units; and the first capacitor includes a first terminal for receiving a second clock signal and a second terminal coupled to the second terminal of the first transistor and the gate terminal of the second transistor. The delay circuit delays the first clock signal to generate a second clock signal and transmit the second clock signal to the light-emitting signal generating circuits, wherein a low level period of the first clock signal partially overlaps with a low level period of the second clock signal, and a falling edge of the second clock signal lags behind a falling edge of the first clock signal.
The embodiments are described in detail below with reference to the appended drawings to better understand the aspects of the present disclosure. However, the provided embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure, and the description of the structural operation is not intended to limit the order in which they are performed. Any device that has been recombined by components and produces an equivalent function is within the scope covered by the disclosure.
The terms used in the entire specification and the scope of the patent application, unless otherwise specified, generally have the ordinary meaning of each term used in the field, the content disclosed herein, and the particular content.
The terms “coupled” or “connected” as used herein may mean that two or more elements are directly in physical or electrical contact, or are indirectly in physical or electrical contact with each other. It can also mean that two or more elements interact with each other.
The clock signal generating module 101 is coupled to the level converting module 102, and the clock signal generating module 101 outputs a baseband signal VCK, a start signal VST1 and a start signal VST2 to the level converting module 102.
The control signal generating module 103 is coupled to the level converting module 102, and outputs a reference voltage VGL and a reference voltage VGH to the level converting module 102.
The level converting module 102 outputs a clock signal CK, a clock signal XCK, a start signal STV, a reset signal RST, the reference voltage VGH and the reference voltage VGL to the light-emitting signal generating circuit module 120 according to the received baseband signal VCK, the start signal VST1, the start signal VST2, and the reference voltages VGH and the reference voltage VGL.
In addition of outputting the clock signals CK and XCK to the light-emitting signal generating circuit module 120, the level converting module 102 also outputs the clock signals CK and XCK to the pulse delay module 110. In some embodiments, the pulse delay module 110 receives the clock signal CK and generates a clock signal CK_D that is lagged behind the clock signal CK by a delay time D, and the pulse delay module 110 outputs the clock signal CK_D to the light-emitting signal generating circuit module 120. In some embodiments, the length of the delay time D may be 1 microsecond (us). A low (or high) level period of the clock signal CK partially overlaps with a low (high) level period of the clock signal CK_D, and a falling edge of the clock signal CK_D lags behind a falling edge of the clock signal CK. Similarly, the pulse delay module 110 receives the clock signal XCK and generates a clock signal XCK_D that is lagged behind the clock signal XCK by a delay time D, and the pulse delay module 110 outputs the clock signal XCK_D to the light-emitting signal generating circuit module 120. Rest of the configurations of the clock signals XCK and XCK_D are similar to the clock signals CK and CK_D. For the sake of simplicity, they would not be repeated here.
The light-emitting signal generating circuit module 120 generates light-emitting signals EM(0)-EM(n) by inputting each signal and combining the clock signals CK, CK_D, XCK and XCK_D to control the image displaying module 130. For example, the light-emitting signal generating circuit module 120 configures the received start signal STV as the light-emitting signal EM(0). In some embodiments, the light-emitting signal generating circuit module 120 includes a plurality of light-emitting signal generating circuits 1201-120n, which the value ‘n’ can be any positive integer greater than one. The light-emitting signal generating circuits 1201-120n sequentially provide and enable the light-emitting signals EM(1)-EM(n) to the image displaying module 130. In some embodiments, each of the light-emitting signal generating circuits 1201-120n has a similar configuration.
In some embodiments, the odd-numbered stage circuits in the light-emitting signal generation circuits 1201-120n (i.e., the light-emitting signal generation circuits 1201 and 1203, etc.) response to the clock signals CK and CK_D to generate the light-emitting signals EM(1) and EM(3), etc., and the even-numbered stage circuits (i.e., the light-emitting signal generation circuits 1202 and 1204, etc.) response to the clock signals XCK and XCK_D to generate the light-emitting signals EM(2) and EM(4), etc.
In some embodiments, the light-emitting signal (i.e., the light-emitting signal EM(1)) output by the previous stage (i.e., the light-emitting signal generating circuit 1201) in the light-emitting signal generating circuits 1201-120n is also configured to be input signal of the next stage (i.e., the signal generating circuit 1202), and so on.
As shown in
In terms of operation, the light-emitting signal generating circuit module 120 drives the pixel unit PX that is written a pixel voltage to cause the pixel unit PX to emit light. Each of the light emitting signals EM(1)-EM(n) is provided to a plurality of adjacent pixel units PX among the plurality of pixel units PX.
An aspect of the present disclosure discloses a light-emitting signal generating circuit. Referring to
In some embodiments, the light-emitting signal generating circuit 1201a in
The light-emitting signal generating circuit 1201a includes an enabling module 122a, a driving module 124a and a discharging module 126a.
The enabling module 122a includes a transistor T1, a first terminal of the transistor T1 is configured to receive the light-emitting signal EM(0), a gate terminal of the transistor T1 is configured to receive the clock signal CK, and a second terminal of the transistor T1 is configured to generate a control signal Q(1).
The driving module 124a includes a transistor T2 and a capacitor C2. A first terminal of the transistor T2 is configured to receive the reference voltage VGL, a gate terminal of the transistor T2 is configured to receive the control signal Q(1), and a second terminal of the transistor T2 is configured to output the light-emitting signal EM(1). A first terminal of the capacitor C2 is configured to receive the clock signal CK_D, and a second terminal of the capacitor C2 is coupled to the second terminal of the transistor T1 and the gate terminal of the transistor T2.
The discharging module 126a includes transistors T3 to T8 and a capacitor C1. A first terminal of the transistor T3 is configured to connect to the second terminal of the transistor T2, a gate terminal of the transistor T3 is configured to receive a control signal P(1), and a second terminal of the transistor T3 is configured to receive the reference voltage VGH. A first terminal of the transistor T4 is coupled to the second terminal of the capacitor C2, a second terminal of the transistor T4 receives the reference voltage VGH, and a gate terminal of the transistor T4 receives the control signal P(1). A first terminal of the transistor T5 receives the reference voltage VGL, a second terminal of the transistor T5 receives the control signal P(1), and a gate terminal of the transistor T5 receives a control signal A(1). A first terminal of the transistor T6 is connected to the second terminal of the transistor T5, a second terminal of the transistor T6 receives the reference voltage VGH, and a gate terminal of the transistor T6 receives the control signal Q(1). A first terminal of the transistor T7 receives the control signal A(1), a second terminal of the transistor T7 receives the reference voltage VGH, and a gate terminal of the transistor T7 receives the light-emitting signal EM(0). A first terminal of the transistor T8 receives the reference voltage VGL, a second terminal of the transistor T8 receives the control signal P(1), and a gate terminal of the transistor T8 receives the reset signal RST. A first terminal of the capacitor C1 receives the clock signal CK, and a second terminal of the capacitor C1 receives the control signal A(1).
The discharging module 126a is electrically coupled to the second terminal of the transistor T2, and the discharging module 126a is configured to pull up the light-emitting signal EM(1) according to the falling edge of the clock signal CK, for example, at a time point P4 in
In
Referring to
The capacitor C2 couples the clock signal CK_D to the control signal Q(1) at the time point P3 in response to the clock signal CK_D switching from the high level to the low level, and pulls down the level of the control signal Q(1) again according to the falling edge of the clock signal CK_D. A delay time length by which the falling edge of the clock signal CK_D lags behind the falling edge of the clock signal CK is less than half cycle of the clock signal CK or less than the data signal length.
During the period of the clock signal CK_D coupling with the control signal Q(1), the transistor T2 is operated in the linear region. The transistor T2 is conducted in response to the control signal Q(1) to pull down the light-emitting signal EM(1) according to the reference voltage VGL.
The light-emitting signal generating circuit 1202a in
Compared with
the clock signal XCK and the clock signal XCK_D partially overlap when both the clock signal XCK and the clock signal XCK_D are in same level. Both the clock signal XCK and the clock signal XCK_D are in high level between time points P5 to P6. There is a delay time D between the falling edge (rising edge) of the clock signal XCK and the falling edge (rising edge) of the clock signal XCK_D.
In some methods, the low (high) level period of the clock signal CK and the low (high) level period of the clock signal CK_D do not overlap, and there is no delay time D between them.
In these methods, during the period when the clock signal CK is active, the transistors T1 and T2 operate in the saturation region. Then the transistor T2 enters the linear region operation through the coupling effect of the capacitor C2. When the transistors T1 and T2 operate in the saturation region, the threshold voltages of the transistors T1 and T2 would affect the light-emitting signal EM(1), so the longer the transistors T1 and T2 operate in the saturation region, the greater their effect on the light-emitting signal would be more significant, and the fall time of the light-emitting signal EM(1) will lengthen with time.
Compared with some methods mentioned above, the embodiment in
Compared with the embodiment of
For example, when the transistor T9 has the low level and is conducted in response to the forward scanning signal U2D, the transistor T9 would pull down the control signal Q(1) through the previous stage light-emitting signal EM(0), and then the capacitor C2 couples the control signal Q(1) and the clock signal CK_D to further pull down the control signal Q(1). The transistor T2 is conducted in response to the control signal Q(1) to generate the light-emitting signal EM(1). In other examples, when the transistor T10 has the low level and is conducted in response to the reverse scanning signal D2U, the transistor T10 would pull down the control signal Q(1) with the next stage light-emitting signal EM(2).
In summary, the light-emitting signal generating circuit of the present disclosure generates a delayed clock signal through a pulse delay module, so that the TFT drive can quickly enter the linear region, and the waveform of the light-emitting signal may not be affected by the threshold voltage shift of the TFT. Through this operation, the fall time of the light-emitting signal waveform cannot be affected by the TFT, so that the EPWM corrected by optical compensation would not produce optical defects over time.
Although the present disclosure has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain embodiments thereof, other embodiments are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the embodiments contained herein. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the present disclosure without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the present invention cover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fall within the scope of the following claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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112148177 | Dec 2023 | TW | national |