This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application NO. 10-2010-0126539 filed on Dec. 10, 2010, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes as if fully set forth herein.
1. Field
This document relates to a liquid crystal display device which can reduce the number of output channels of a data driving circuit.
2. Related Art
An active matrix driving type liquid crystal display displays moving pictures by using a thin film transistor (hereinafter, “TFT”) as a switching element. Since such LCDs can be made smaller than cathode ray tubes, they have been applied to various displays of mobile information devices, office machines, computers, televisions, etc. Liquid crystal cells of a liquid crystal display displays picture images by changing transmittance according to a potential difference between a data voltage supplied to a pixel electrode and a common voltage supplied to a common electrode.
Measures for changing the connection configuration of liquid crystal cells of a liquid crystal display panel are continuously being implemented to reduce the number of output channels of a data driving circuit in a liquid crystal display device.
The normal panel as shown in (A) of
The DRD panel as shown in (B) of
However, the DRD panel has a panel rendering structure in which the liquid crystal cells sharing the data line DL receive data in a time-division manner. Thus, a timing controller has to change an alignment sequence of video data in accordance with this panel rendering structure. This will be explained concretely with reference to
In general, the input sequence of video data input to the timing controller from a system board is in agreement with the normal panel rendering structure as shown in (A) of
On the other hand, in the DRD panel rendering structure as shown in (B) of
As such, a liquid crystal display device having a DRD panel necessarily requires a line memory for storing input video data for each horizontal line as shown in
An aspect of this document is to provide a liquid crystal display device, which renders video data in accordance with a DRD panel rendering structure without having any line memory, which is a cause of cost increase.
In an aspect, a liquid crystal display device comprises: a liquid crystal display panel having a pixel array comprising a first group of liquid crystal cells connected to odd-numbered gate lines and a second group of liquid crystal cells connected to even-numbered gate lines, wherein each liquid crystal cell of the second group is configured to share data lines with one liquid crystal cell of the first group adjacent to the liquid crystal cell of the second group in an extension direction of the gate lines; a data driving circuit comprising a latch array, and for driving data lines in a time-division manner; and a timing controller for supplying digital video data and data rendering control signals to the data driving circuit and controlling operation timing of the data driving circuit, wherein the latch array temporally separates the digital video data supplied from the timing controller into first group data to be applied to the liquid crystal cells of the first group and second group data to be applied to the liquid crystal cells of the second group according to the data rendering control signals, and outputs the first group data earlier by about ½ horizontal period than the second group data.
The implementation of this document will be described in detail with reference to the following drawings in which like numerals refer to like elements.
In the drawings:
Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to
Referring to
The liquid crystal display panel 10 has a liquid crystal layer formed between two glass substrates. The liquid crystal display panel 10 comprises liquid crystal cells Clc disposed in a matrix form defined by data lines 15 and gate lines 16 crossing each other.
A pixel array is formed on the lower glass substrate of the liquid crystal display panel 10. The pixel array comprises the liquid crystal cells Clc, TFTs formed at crossings of the data lines 15 and the gate lines 16 and connected to pixel electrodes 1 of the liquid crystal cells, and storage capacitors Cst. The pixel array may be implemented as shown in
The common electrode 2 is formed on the upper glass substrate in a vertical electric field driving method such as a twisted nematic (TN) mode and a vertical alignment (VA) mode. On the other hand, the common electrode 2 is formed on the lower glass substrate together with the pixel electrode 1 in a horizontal electric field driving method such as an in plane switching (IPS) mode and a fringe field switching (FFS) mode.
The liquid crystal display panel 10 applicable in the present invention may be implemented in any liquid crystal mode, as well as the TN mode, VA mode, IPS mode, and FFS mode. Moreover, the liquid crystal display device of the present invention may be implemented in any form including a transmissive liquid crystal display, a semi-transmissive liquid crystal display, and a reflective liquid crystal display. The transmissive liquid crystal display and the semi-transmissive liquid crystal display require a backlight unit. The backlight unit may be a direct type backlight unit or an edge type backlight unit.
The timing controller 11 receives digital video data RGB of an input image input from a system board 14 in an LVDS (Low Voltage Differential Signaling) interface manner, and supplies the digital video data RGB of the input image to the data driving circuit 12 in a mini-LVDS interface manner. The timing controller 11 supplies the digital video data RGB input from the system board 14 in the same order as they are received without being aligned in accordance with the rendering structure of the pixel array as shown in
The timing controller 11 receives timing signals, such as a vertical synchronization signal Vsync, a horizontal synchronization signal Hsync, a data enable signal DE, a dot clock signal CLK, etc from the system board 14 and generates control signals for controlling the operation timing of the data driving circuit 12 and the gate driving circuit 13. The control signals comprise a gate timing control signal for controlling the operation timing of the gate driving circuit 13 and a data timing control signal for controlling the operation timing of the data driving circuit 12 and the vertical polarity of a data voltage. The timing controller 11 is able to multiply the frequency of the gate timing control signal and the frequency of the data timing control signal by a frame frequency of (60×i, wherein i is the number of color in each pixel) Hz so that the digital video data input at a frame frequency of 60 Hz can be displayed at a frame frequency of (60×i) Hz by the pixel array of the liquid crystal display panel 10.
The gate timing control signal comprises a gate start pulse GSP, a gate shift clock GSC, a gate output enable signal GOE, etc. The gate start pulse GSP is applied to a gate drive IC generating a first gate pulse and controls the gate drive IC so as to generate the first gate pulse. The gate shift clock GSC is a clock signal commonly input to the gate drive ICs and a clock signal for shifting the gate start pulse GSP. The gate output enable signal GOE controls an output of the gate drive ICs.
The data timing control signal comprises a source start pulse SSP, a source sampling clock SSC, a vertical polarity control signal POL, a horizontal polarity control signal HINV, a source output enable signal SOE, etc. The source start pulse SSP controls a data sampling start timing of the data driving circuit 12. The source sampling clock SSC is a clock signal for controlling a sampling timing of data in the data driving circuit 12 based on a rising or falling edge. The vertical polarity control signal POL controls the vertical polarity of data voltages sequentially output from each of the source drive ICs. The source output enable signal SOE controls an output timing of the data driving circuit 12. The source output enable signal SOE comprises a first source output enable signal SOE1 and a second source output enable signal SOE2. The first source output enable signal SOE1 controls an output timing of data to be applied to the liquid crystal cells connected to the odd-numbered gate lines GL1, GL3, GL5, and GL7 in the pixel array of
The data driving circuit 12 may comprise a plurality of source drive ICs (Integrated Circuits). Each of the source drive ICs of the data driving circuit 12 comprises a shift register, a latch array, a digital-to-analog converter, an output circuit, etc. The data driving circuit 12 latches the digital video data RGB in response to a data timing control signal, and then converts the latched data into analog positive and negative gamma compensation voltages and outputs data voltages, whose polarities are inverted every predetermined cycle, to the data lines 15.
In particular, the data driving circuit 12 performs data rendering in accordance with the rendering structure of the pixel array as shown in
The gate driving circuit 13 may comprise a plurality of gate drive ICs. The gate driving circuit 13 sequentially supplies gate pulses to the gate lines 16 in response to gate timing control signals by using a shift register and a level shifter. The shift register of the gate driving circuit 13 may be directly formed on the lower glass substrate through a Gate In Panel (GIP) process.
Referring to
To this end, a pair of liquid crystal cells sharing the same data lines is respectively connected to adjacent gate lines. All the red liquid crystal cells among the liquid crystal cells disposed in horizontal lines LINE#1 to LINE#4 are connected to the odd-numbered gate lines GL1, GL3, GL5, and GL7, and all the green liquid crystal cells among the liquid crystal cells disposed in the horizontal lines LINE#1 to LINE#4 are connected to the even-numbered gate lines GL2, GL4, GL6, and GL8. One half of the blue liquid crystal cells among the liquid crystal cells disposed in the horizontal lines LINE#1 to LINE#4 are connected to the odd-numbered gate lines GL1, GL3, GL5, and GL7, and the other half thereof are connected to the even-numbered gate lines GL2, GL4, GL6, and GL8. Hereinafter, for the convenience of explanation, the liquid crystal cells connected to the odd-numbered gate lines GL1, GL3, GL5, and GL7 are referred to as a first group of liquid crystal cells, and the liquid crystal cells connected to the odd-numbered gate lines GL2, GL4, GL6, and GL8 and sharing the data lines with the liquid crystal cells of the first group adjacent in the left and right direction are referred to as a second group of liquid crystal cells.
The liquid crystal cells of the first group in the k-th (k is a positive integer) horizontal line are charged with pre-charge data for ½ horizontal line written in the order of {circle around (1)} shown in (B) of
Referring to
The shift register 121 shifts a sampling signal according to the source sampling clock SSC.
The latch array 122 samples digital video data RGB from the timing controller 11 in response to the sampling signal sequentially input from the shift register 121, latches the data RGB corresponding to every horizontal line, and performs data rendering in accordance with the rendering structure of the pixel array shown in
The gamma compensated voltage generator 123 segments a plurality of gamma reference voltages into voltages as many as the number of gradations that can be represented by the number of bits of the digital video data RGB to generate positive gamma compensation voltages VGH and negative gamma compensation voltages VGL corresponding to the respective gradations.
The DAC 124 includes a P-decoder to which the positive gamma compensation voltages VGH are supplied, an N-decoder to which the negative gamma compensation voltages VGL are provided, and a selector for selecting one of an output of the P-decoder and an output of the N-decoder in response to the polarity control signal POL. The P-decoder decodes the first and second group data input from the latch array 122 and outputs a positive gamma compensation voltage VGH corresponding to the gradation of the data. The N-decoder decodes the first and second group data input from the latch array 122 and outputs a negative gamma compensation voltage VGH corresponding to the gradation of the data. The selector selects one of a positive gamma compensation voltage VGH and a negative gamma compensation voltage VGL in response to the polarity control signal POL.
The output circuit 125 includes a plurality of buffers respectively connected to output channels. The output circuit 125 minimizes signal attenuation of analog data voltages supplied from the DAC 124, and then supplies the analog data voltages to the data lines DL1 to DLk of the liquid crystal display panel.
Referring to
Referring to
During the first period T1, the 1-1th latch 122A sequentially latches the first group data among the input digital video data RGB corresponding to 1 horizontal line, and the 1-2th latch 122B sequentially latches the second group data among the input digital video data RGB corresponding to 1 horizontal line. At a rising edge RE of the first source output enable signal SOE1 included in the first period T1, the 1-1th latch 122A outputs the latched first group data to the 2-1th latch 122C, and at the same time the 1-2th latch 122B outputs the latched second group data to the 2-2th latch 122D.
The multiplexer 122E electrically connects the 2-1th latch 122C and the third latch 122F during the first half horizontal period H/2 of the second period T2 in response to the first MUX control signal MC1. Also, the multiplexer 122E electrically connects the 2-2th latch 122D and the third latch 122F during the second half horizontal period H/2 of the second period T2 in response to the second MUX control signal MC2.
The third latch 122F outputs the first group data input from the 2-1th latch 122C to the DAC 124 through the multiplexer 122E during the first half horizontal period H/2 of the second period T2 starting from a falling edge FE of the first source output enable signal SOE1. Also, the third latch 122F outputs the second group data input from the 2-2th latch 122D to the DAC 124 through the multiplexer 122E during the second half horizontal period H/2 of the second period T2 starting from the falling edge FE of the second source output enable signal SOE2. The 2-2th latch 122D holds the second group data during the first half horizontal period H/2 of the second period T2 so that the second group data is output later by ½ horizontal period H/2 than the first group data.
In this way, the present invention implements the functions of a conventional line memory by means of the second latch 122C and 122D. The latch array 122 comprising the second latch 122C and 122D comprises flip-flops which are cheaper than the line memory. Hence, the present invention can greatly reduce costs compared to the prior art.
Referring to
The data to be applied to the first horizontal line LINE#1 and the data to be applied to the second horizontal line LINE#2 are input to the latch array 122 without any alignment process in the timing controller. That is, the data to be applied to the first horizontal line LINE#1 is input to the latch array 122 in the order of R0, G0, B0, . . . R799, G799, B799, and the data to be applied to the second horizontal line LINE#2 is input to the latch array 122 in the order of R′0, G′0, B′0, . . . R′799, G′799, B′799.
During the first period T1, the 1-1th latch 122A sequentially latches the first group data R0, R1, B1, R2, R3, B3, . . . R799, B799 among the data R0, G0, B0, . . . R799, G799, B799 corresponding to 1 horizontal line to be applied to the first horizontal line LINE#1, and the 1-2th latch 122B sequentially latches the second group data G0, B0, G1, G2, B2, G3, . . . G799 among the data R0, G0, B0, . . . R799, G799, B799 corresponding to 1 horizontal line to be applied to the first horizontal line LINE#1. At a rising edge RE of the first source output enable signal SOE1 included in the first period T1, the 1-1th latch 122A outputs the latched first group data R0, R1, B1, R2, R3, B3, . . . R799, B799 to the 2-1th latch 122C, and at the same time the 1-2th latch 122B outputs the latched second group data G0, B0, G1, G2, B2, G3, . . . G799 to the 2-2th latch 122D.
Afterwards, during the second period T2, the 1-1th latch 122A sequentially latches the first group data R′0, R′1, B′1, R′2, R′3, B′3, . . . R′799, B′799 among the data R′0, G′0, B′0, . . . R′799, G′799, B′799 corresponding to 1 horizontal line to be applied to the second horizontal line LINE#2, and the 1-2th latch 122B sequentially latches the second group data G′0, B′0, G′1, G′2, B′2, G′3, . . . G′799 among the data R′0, G′0, B′0, . . . R′799, G′799, B′799 corresponding to 1 horizontal line to be applied to the second horizontal line LINE#2.
The multiplexer 122E electrically connects the 2-1th latch 122C and the third latch 122F during the first half horizontal period H/2 of the second period T2 in response to the first MUX control signal MC1. Also, the multiplexer 122E electrically connects the 2-2th latch 122D and the third latch 122F during the second half horizontal period H/2 of the second period T2 in response to the second MUX control signal MC2.
The third latch 122F outputs the first group data R0, R1, B1, R2, R3, B3, . . . R799, B799 input from the 2-1th latch 122C to the DAC 124 through the multiplexer 122E during the first half horizontal period H/2 of the second period T2 starting from the falling edge FE of the first source output enable signal SOE1. Also, the third latch 122F outputs the second group data G0, B0, G1, G2, B2, G3, . . . G799 input from the 2-2th latch 122D to the DAC 124 through the multiplexer 122E during the second half horizontal period H/2 of the second period T2 starting from the falling edge FE of the second source output enable signal SOE2.
As discussed above, the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention can omit a line memory, which is a cause of cost increase, from the timing controller and significantly increase cost competitiveness by adding latches, which are relatively cheap, to correspond to the DRD panel rendering structure and performing rendering, which has been conventionally performed in the timing controller, in the latch array of the data driving circuit.
From the foregoing description, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the technical idea of the present invention. Therefore, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the contents described in the detailed description of the specification but defined by the appended claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10-2010-0126539 | Dec 2010 | KR | national |