Patent Application
20250166579
The present invention relates to a field of display technologies, especially to a mini-light emitting diode (mini-LED) backlight module, a driving method thereof, and a display device thereof.
Different from a self-emissive nature of (organic light emitting diode) OLED display panels, liquid crystal display (LCD) panels require the assistance of a backlight source for illumination. The evolution of backlight sources can be roughly divided into three stages. In the first stage, the primary approach was edge-lit backlighting. During this stage, the light source consisted of LED large lamp beads arranged around the periphery of a light guide plate. Due to the necessity of using a light guide plate to evenly distribute light across all corners of the backlight, the solution suffered from low light efficiency, high energy consumption, poor uniformity, and low brightness. Subsequently, a second generation of backlight technology emerged—the “starry sky” backlight solution. Compared to the first generation edge-lit backlight, the second generation featured a direct-type backlight combined with uniformly dispersed LED lamp beads. This enhanced uniformity of light, improved light efficiency, yet the second generation backlight still exhibited a “full-on/full-off” characteristic, resulting in considerable unnecessary energy consumption. In recent years, the development of a third-generation mini-LED backlight solution has gained traction. In contrast to traditional edge-lit and direct-type backlights, the third generation employs precise control over the light source, enabling local dimming functionality. This not only significantly enhances LCD contrast but also reduces energy consumption, promoting energy efficiency and power conservation. As a result, it possesses competitive capabilities comparable to OLED display panels.
Currently, the more widely produced mini-light emitting diode (mini-LED) backlight products utilize printed circuit board (PCB) substrates. However, PCB substrates exhibit issues such as warping, expansion, limited scalability in size, and constrained line precision. In contrast, glass substrates offer advantages such as efficient heat dissipation, excellent flatness, and seamless integration, making them widely recognized in the industry as the future of the mini-LED sector. Nevertheless, due to technical challenges in perforating glass, the drive for glass substrates is relatively limited compared to PCB substrates. Presently, two commonly employed methods for driving glass substrates are thin-film transistor (TFT) driving and microchip (Micro IC) driving. However, TFT driving encounters problems with device drift, leading to lower manufacturing efficiency. Micro IC driving stands out as the most desirable mass production solution for glass-based mini-LEDs. Nonetheless, the significant consumption of Micro ICs and the associated higher costs serve as limiting factors for achieving large-scale manufacturing.
To solve the above issue, the embodiment of the present invention provides a mini-LED backlight module, a driving method, and a display device thereof making a mass production of mini-LEDs can be realized by glass substrates by improving a driving method for a mini-LED backlight module.
In a first aspect, the embodiment of the present invention provides a mini-LED backlight module, comprising:
In some embodiments, each of the output channels of each of the source electrode chips is divided into a number of M of output sub-channels, the source electrode chip is connected to the number of M of the mini-LED partitions in a corresponding one of the backlight groups by the number of M of the output sub-channels in the output channel connected correspondingly to the number of M of the mini-LED partitions respectively.
In some embodiments, each of the scan lines is connected to a first end of a corresponding one of the mini-LED partitions in each of the backlight partitions.
In some embodiments, the mini-LED backlight module further comprises power supply line, a power supply line connected to a second end of each of the mini-LED partitions in the backlight groups arranged vertically.
In some embodiments, the mini-LED backlight module further comprises a gate electrode chip connected to each of the scan lines.
In some embodiments, each of the mini-LED partitions comprises a plurality of light emitting elements arranged in an array, and input ends of the light emitting elements in each of the mini-LED partitions are connected to one another and are connected to corresponding ones of the output channels respectively.
In some embodiments, the substrate is a glass substrate.
In a second aspect, the embodiment of the present invention provides a mini-LED backlight module driving method for the above mini-LED backlight module, and the driving method comprises:
simultaneously scanning the ith ones of the mini-LED partitions in the backlight groups by the ith ones of the scan lines of the scan line sets corresponding to the ith ones of the mini-LED partitions, and driving the ith ones of the mini-LED partitions in the number of N of the backlight groups by source electrode chips corresponding to the ith ones of the mini-LED partitions, and 1≤i≤M.
In some embodiments, before the step of simultaneously scanning the ith ones of the mini-LED partitions in the backlight groups by the ith ones of the scan lines of the scan line sets corresponding to the ith ones of the mini-LED partitions, the driving method further comprises:
In some embodiments, the driving method uses an active driving method.
In a third aspect, the embodiment of the present invention further provides a display device, comprising a display panel and a mini-LED backlight module, wherein the mini-LED backlight module is configured to provide a backlight source for the display panel, and the mini-LED backlight module comprises:
In some embodiments, each of the output channels of each of the source electrode chips is divided into a number of M of output sub-channels, the source electrode chip is connected to the number of M of the mini-LED partitions in a corresponding one of the backlight groups by the number of M of the output sub-channels in the output channel connected correspondingly to the number of M of the mini-LED partitions respectively.
In some embodiments, each of the scan lines is connected to a first end of a corresponding one of the mini-LED partitions in each of the backlight partitions.
In some embodiments, the mini-LED backlight module further comprises a power supply line connected to a second end of each of the mini-LED partitions in the backlight groups arranged vertically.
In some embodiments, the mini-LED backlight module further comprises a gate electrode chip connected to each of the scan lines.
In some embodiments, each of the mini-LED partitions comprises a plurality of light emitting elements arranged in an array, and input ends of the light emitting elements in each of the mini-LED partitions are connected to one another and are connected to corresponding ones of the output channels respectively.
In some embodiments, the substrate is a glass substrate.
Compared to a conventional source electrode chips having each output channel only able to control one mini-LED partitions, the mini-LED backlight module provided by the embodiment of the present invention, the driving method thereof, and the display device thereof disposing a plurality of scan line sets. Each of the scan line sets comprises a number of M of scan lines, ith ones of the scan lines in different ones of the scan line sets (1≤i≤M) are connected to one another, and the ith ones of the scan lines in the different ones of the scan line sets are connected to ith ones of the mini-LED partitions in backlight groups respectively. As such, by simultaneously scanning the corresponding ith ones of the scan lines within the scan line sets, the ith ones of the mini-LED partitions in the backlight groups are scanned. Furthermore, the corresponding ith mini-LED partitions in the backlight groups of the numbered of N, are driven through source electrode chips. This, in turn, enhances the control range and driving capability of the source electrode chips, while maintaining the independent control of each mini-LED partition. This approach allows for a reduction in the number of source electrode chips to 1/N of the conventional chips, resulting in a significant decrease in the manufacturing cost of the mini-LED backlight module. The method is suitable for the rapid mass production of mini-LED backlight modules and mini-LED display panels that utilize glass substrates.
To make the objective, the technical solution, and the effect of the present application clearer and more explicit, the present application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described here are only used to explain the present application instead of being used to limit the present application.
In a conventional mini-LED backlight module, one output channel of a source electrode chip, generally, is only configured to control one mini-LED partition.
It should be explained that wherein the ith ones of the scan lines in the different ones of the scan line sets connected to one another can be understood that one scan line is bent into a number of M of rows connected together, and each row serves as an independent scan line of an ith row to be connected to the ith one of the mini-LED partitions in a corresponding one of the backlight groups 10 and is configured to scan the ith one of the mini-LED partitions in the corresponding one of the backlight groups 10.
In the mini-LED backlight module of the embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of scan line sets are disposed. Each of the scan line sets comprises a number of M of scan lines, and ith ones of the scan lines in different ones of the scan line sets (1≤i≤M) are connected to one another. Also, the ith ones of the scan lines in the different ones of the scan line sets are connected to the ith ones of the mini-LED partitions in each of the backlight groups 10 respectively. As such, by the ith ones of the scan lines in different ones of the scan line sets simultaneously scanning the corresponding ith ones of the mini-LED partitions 1 in the backlight groups 10, and by the source electrode chips 3 driving the corresponding ith ones of the mini-LED partitions 1 of the number of N of the number of N of the backlight groups 10, control range and driving capability of the source electrode chips 3 are improved without affecting independent control of each of the mini-LED partitions 1. This approach allows for a reduction in the number of source electrode chips 3 to 1/N of the conventional chips, resulting in a significant decrease in the manufacturing cost of the mini-LED backlight module. The method is suitable for the rapid mass production of mini-LED backlight modules and mini-LED display panels that utilize glass substrates.
In some embodiments, with reference to
It should be explained that wherein the source electrode chip 3 is connected to one of the backlight groups 10 through the same output channel 2. In particular, the source electrode chip 3 is connected to a number of M of the mini-LED partitions in the backlight group 10 by a number of M of output sub-channels 20 divided from one output channel 2 connected correspondingly to the number of M of the mini-LED partitions in the backlight group 10 such that one output channel 2 can control the number of M of the mini-LED partitions to increase the driving capability of the source electrode chips 3, reduce the number of the source electrode chips 3, and lower the manufacturing cost of the mini-LED backlight module.
In some embodiments, with reference to
In some embodiments, with reference to
In some embodiments, with reference to
In some embodiments, each of the mini-LED partitions comprises a plurality of light emitting elements (not shown in the figures) arranged in an array, and input ends of the light emitting elements in each of the mini-LED partitions 1 are connected to one another as first ends of the backlight groups 10 in which the mini-LED partitions 1 are located and are connected to corresponding ones of the output channels 2 respectively.
In some embodiments, the substrate is a glass substrate, namely, the mini-LED backlight module is suitable for rapid mass production of mini-LED backlight modules adopting glass substrates.
Based on the above embodiment,
The mini-LED backlight module provided by the embodiment of the present invention driving method simultaneously scans the ith ones of the mini-LED partitions 1 in the backlight groups 10 by the ith ones of the scan lines of the scan line sets corresponding to the ith ones of the mini-LED partitions 1, and drives the ith ones of the mini-LED partitions 1 of the number of N of the backlight groups 10 by the source electrode chips 3 corresponding to the ith ones of the mini-LED partitions 1 such that control range and driving capability of the source electrode chips 3 are improved without affecting independent control of each of the mini-LED partitions. As such, the number of the source electrode chips 3 can be reduced to 1/N of the conventional chips, resulting in a significant decrease in the manufacturing cost of the mini-LED backlight module. The method is suitable for the rapid mass production of mini-LED backlight modules and mini-LED display panels that utilize glass substrates.
In some embodiments, before simultaneously scanning the ith ones of the mini-LED partitions 1 in the backlight groups 10 by the ith ones of the scan lines of the scan line sets corresponding to the ith ones of the mini-LED partitions 1, the driving method further comprises: inputting an effective level to the ith ones of the scan lines of the scan line sets by a gate electrode chip 4, and switching on the ith ones of the mini-LED partitions in the backlight groups based on a high electric potential provided by a power supply line 5 and the effective level.
It can be understood that when an electric potential difference between two ends of the mini-LED is greater than or equal to a switching voltage on the mini-LED, the mini-LED switches on, and the source electrode chips 3 can input data to and drive the mini-LED to emit light. When the electric potential difference between the two ends of the mini-LED is less than the switching voltage on the mini-LED, the mini-LED switches off, the source electrode chips 3 cannot input data to the mini-LED, and the mini-LED does not emit light.
In particular, the gate electrode chip 4 inputs into an effective level the first end of the mini-LED by the scan line, and the power supply line 5 inputs a high electric potential into a second end of the mini-LED. When the effective level is a low electric potential, the electric potential difference between the two ends of the mini-LED is greater than or equal to the switching voltage on the mini-LED, the mini-LED switches on, and the source electrode chips 3 can input data in and drive the mini-LED to emit light. When the effective level is a high electric potential, the electric potential difference between the two ends of the mini-LED is less than the switching voltage on the mini-LED, the source electrode chips 3 cannot input data in the mini-LED, and the mini-LED is in a switch-off state and does not emit light.
Based on the above embodiment,
When the gate electrode chip 4 inputs a low level in the scan line Scan1, a first end of the first one of the mini-LED partitions in each of the backlight groups 10 is a low level. The first one of the mini-LED partitions in each of the backlight groups 10 switches on. The source electrode chips 3 input data into the first ones of the mini-LEDs in four of the backlight groups 10 to drive the first mini-LEDs in the four backlight groups 10 to emit light, and so on such that the second, third, or fourth mini-LEDs in the four backlight groups 10 can emit light.
Accordingly, compared to the conventional source electrode chip 3 having one output channel 2 that can only control one mini-LED partition, one output channel 2 of the source electrode chip 3 of the mini-LED backlight module can control four mini-LED partitions respectively by four output sub-channels 20 such that control range and driving capability of the source electrode chips 3 increase four times. Also, the number of the source electrode chips 3 is reduced as one-fourth of the conventional chips, which drastically lowers the manufacturing cost of the mini-LED backlight module.
Based on the above embodiment, the embodiment of the present invention also provides a display device, comprising a display panel and the mini-LED backlight module as described above. The mini-LED backlight module is configured to provide the display panel with a backlight source. Because each embodiment above has described the mini-LED backlight module in detail, here is no repeated description.
It can be understood that for a person of ordinary skill in the art, equivalent replacements or changes can be made according to the technical solution of the present application and its inventive concept, and all these changes or replacements should belong to the scope of protection of the appended claims of the present application.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 202310551520.0 | May 2023 | CN | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/CN2023/097003 | 5/30/2023 | WO |
