This application claims the benefit of Taiwan application Serial No. 94143429, filed Dec. 8, 2005, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to an organic light emitting display, and more particularly to an organic light emitting diode circuit for such a display.
2. Description of the Related Art
An organic light emitting diode circuit used in organic light emitting display normally stores signals for controlling the luminance of an organic light emitting diode (OLED) via thin film transistors (TFTs) and capacitors. However, the above TFTs, after prolonged use, will exhibit a threshold voltage (Vth) shift. This shift amount is related to the operation time of the TFTs and the current flowing therethrough.
In a display process, owing that the TFT for driving an OLED for each diode has a different current when turned on, and the driving TFTs will have different shift amounts of threshold voltage. As a result, the luminance of each diode will not have the same correspondence relation as the received pixel data, which in turn results in an uneven frame display.
In order to solve the above issue, a voltage compensation technique is applied to a conventional organic light emitting diode. Referring to
The conventional organic light emitting diode circuit 100, as written pixel data Vdata, uses the TFT MP1 with the same device feature as the TFT MP2 to cancel the threshold voltage Vth2 of the TFT MP2. More specifically, when the scan signal Scan is enabled, the TFT MP3 is turned on and the pixel data Vdata charges the storage capacitor Cst via the TFTs MP3 and MP1. In the meanwhile, due to a voltage compensation feature of the TFT MP1, the voltage level at point X, that is, a gate voltage of the TFT MP2, is lower than a voltage level at point Y, that is, a threshold voltage Vth1 of the TFT MP1, and thus the voltage difference between the source and gate of the TFT MP2 is increased by Vth1. The threshold voltage Vth1 is substantially the same as the threshold voltage Vth2, and the voltage difference between the source and gate of the TFT MP2 is just equal to difference between Vdd and the pixel voltage Vdata. Therefore, the current OLED flowing by the OLED is precisely related to the pixel voltage Vdata.
In the above compensation technique, the compensation operation is performed during a data writing stage to eliminate errors generated from the threshold voltage Vth2. However, recent OLED panels tend to be developed in high resolution and large size. As a result, the time for writing data is greatly reduced. However, the TFT MP1 has small current as it is turned on, and thus it needs longer compensation time, which will result in an irregular operation of the TFT MP1 and disability of the compensation mechanism. However, with the circuit design of a conventional voltage compensation arrangement, it is essential that the nodes X and Y both have a stable voltage state during the “data writing” stage, otherwise, a charge sharing issue will be generated at the frame display stage. Accordingly, the conventional voltage compensation arrangement is apt to exhibit the drawback that the the node X does not reach a stable voltage state for canceling Vth2 due to inadequate time. In this situation, the TFT MP1 is still turned on. As a result, the charge sharing issue is generated and the display luminance can not reach the predicted luminance in correspondence with the pixel voltage Vdata.
The invention is directed to an organic light emitting display and diode with a voltage compensation arrangement which improves the speed of threshold voltage compensation.
According to the present invention, an organic light emitting diode of an organic light emitting display equipped with a voltage compensation arrangement The organic light emitting diode circuit comprises a first capacitor, a first TFT, a second TFT, a third TFT, a reset circuit and an OLED. The first TFT has a first terminal for receiving a first reference voltage, and a second terminal coupled to its gate and a first end of the first capacitor. The second TFT has a first terminal for receiving a second reference voltage and a gate coupled to the gate of the first TFT. The third TFT has a first terminal for receiving a pixel voltage, a second terminal coupled to a second end of the first capacitor and a gate for receiving a scan signal. The reset circuit is for setting the first end of the first capacitor to have a first voltage level. The OLED has an anode coupled to a second terminal of the second TFT and a cathode for receiving a third reference voltage. The first voltage level is smaller than a voltage level of the first reference voltage.
The invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred but non-limiting embodiments. The following description is made with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The invention is directed to an organic light emitting display having a voltage compensation arrangement which improves the speed of threshold voltage compensation.
The third TFT T3 has a first terminal for receiving the pixel voltage Vdata or the low voltage Preset, a second terminal coupled to a second end of the first capacitor C1 (i.e. the node Y1 denoted in
A cathode of the OLED receives the third voltage Vss. The reset circuit 210, which is formed by the fifth TFT T5, is for setting the first end (i.e. the node X1) of the first capacitor C1 to have the first voltage level V1. The fifth TFT, such as a PMOS transistor, has a first terminal coupled to the first end X1 of the first capacitor C1, a second terminal for receiving the fourth voltage INI and a gate for receiving the second control signal Rst. It should be noted that the above first voltage level V1 is smaller than a voltage level of the first voltage Lock.
Referring to
Following this, in the first stage (I Stage), the voltage level of the second control signal is set such that the fifth TFT T5 is turned on, the voltage level of the scan signal Scan is set such that the third TFT T3 is turned on and the voltage level of the first control signal Enb is set such that the fourth TFT T4 is turned off. At this time, the data driving circuit 204 supplies a low voltage Preset. The low voltage Preset sets the voltage of the node Y1 to be the predetermined low voltage Preset, such as −1V˜0V through the turned-on third TFT T3. The voltage of the node X1 is the fourth voltage INI due to turning on of the fifth TFT T5. At this stage, the first capacitor C1 is reset by the low voltage Preset and the fourth voltage INI.
In the second stage II Stage, the voltage level of the second control signal is set such that the fifth TFT T5 is turned off while the scan signal Scan and the first control signal Enb remain to have the same voltage level as in the previous stage. Therefore, the third TFT T3 remains turned on and the fourth TFT T4 remains turned off. At this time, the voltage of the node Y1 is still the low voltage Preset and the voltage of the node X1 rises up to a second voltage level V2 due to the effect of the turned-off fifth TFT T5 and the first TFT T1. The second voltage level V2 is the first voltage Lock subtracted by the threshold voltage Vtp1 of the first TFT T1.
In the third stage (III Stage) i.e. a data writing stage, the voltage level of the control signal Enb is changed such that the fourth TFT T4 is turned on, the second control signal Rst and scan signal Scan remain to have the same voltage level as in the second stage. At this time, the data driving circuit 204 outputs the pixel voltage Vdata. The voltage Vdata is provided through the third TFT T3 to set the voltage of the node Y1 as the pixel voltage Vdata. The voltage of the node X1 also rises up to (Lock−Vtp1+Vdata−Preset) due to an effect of the first capacitor C1, which causes the first TFT T1 to be turned off. At the time, the voltage difference between the gate and source of the second TFT T2 is the second voltage Vdd subtracted by the voltage level of the node X1, i.e. Vdd−(Lock−Vtp1+Vdata−Preset). A feature at this stage lies in due to the turned-on fourth TFT T4, a conductive current IOLED is generated corresponding to the voltage difference Vsg between the gate and source of the second TFT T2. The conductive current IOLED=Kp*(Vsg−Vtp2)2. The voltage difference Vsg is Vdd−(Lock−Vtp1 +Vdata−Preset). Therefore, the current IOLED=Kp*(Vdd−(Lock−Vtp1+Vdata−Preset)−Vtp2)2. Owing to Vtp1 being approximately equal to Vtp2, the current IOLED can be approximated to be Kp*(Vdd−Lock−Vdata+Preset)2. The OLED thus has a luminance corresponding to the current IOLED.
In the fourth stage (IV Stage) for displaying the present frame, except that the voltage level of the scan signal Scan is changed such that the third TFT T3 is turned off and no pixel voltage is inputted to the third TFT T3, other components have the same operation and the nodes have the same as in the third stage III Stage.
As mentioned above, in the second stage (II Stage), the organic light emitting diode circuit 202 has completed a compensation operation for the threshold voltage Vtp2. This helps prevent the TFT in charge of a compensation operation for a threshold voltage, i.e. the TFT MP1 in
In addition, the above reset circuit 210 can be also implemented in a different circuit structure. As shown in
The organic light emitting diode circuit 202 can also be coupled to a second capacitor C2. As shown in
Moreover, the above fourth TFT T4 is for controlling the current IOLED to flow toward the OLED. Except for the disposition position as shown in
Alternatively the fourth TFT T4 can also be coupled outside the organic light emitting diode circuit for controlling the current IOLED to flow toward the OLED. As shown in
The fourth TFT T4 can also be coupled outside the organic light emitting diode circuit and between the second voltage Vdd and second TFT T2. As shown in
The difference this embodiment and the first embodiment lies in the structure of the reset circuit. In this embodiment, the reset circuit consists of two TFTs which are respectively coupled to two ends of the first capacitor for resetting the first capacitor and setting a potential of the node X1.
Referring to
It should be noted that the reset circuit 1010 consists of a fifth TFT T5 and sixth TFT T6. The fifth TFT T5 and a sixth TFT T6 are PMOS transistors by way of example only. The fifth TFT T5 has a first terminal coupled to a first end (i.e. the node X1) of the first capacitor C1, the second terminal for receiving the fourth voltage INI and a gate for receiving the second control signal Rst1. The sixth TFT T6 has a first terminal coupled to a second end (i.e. the node Y1) of the first capacitor C1, a second terminal for receiving the fourth voltage INI and a gate for receiving the third control signal Rst2. The first voltage level V1 is smaller than a voltage level of the first voltage Lock.
Referring to
Following this, in the first stage (I Stage′), the voltage level of the scan signal Scan is changed such that the third TFT T3 is turned off, the voltage levels of the second control signal Rst1 and the third control signal Rst2 are changed such that the fifth TFT T5 and sixth TFT T6 are both turned on. At the time, the voltage of the nodes X1 and Y1 is the fourth voltage INI, such as −2V˜−1V. At this stage, the first capacitor C1 is reset through the fourth voltage INI.
In the second stage (II Stage′), the voltage level of the second control signal is changed such that the fifth TFT T5 is turned off while the scan signal Scan, the first control signal Enb and the third control signal Rst2 remain at the same voltage level as in the first stage (I Stage′). Therefore, at this time, the voltage of the node Y1 is still INI and the voltage of the node X1 rises up to a second voltage level V2 due to an effect of the turned-off fifth TFT T5 and the first TFT T1. The second voltage level V2 is the first voltage Lock subtracted by the threshold voltage Vtp1 of the first TFT T1. In other words, this stage is for setting the second end Y1 of the first capacitor C1 to have the voltage level Lock−Vtp1.
In the third stage (III Stage) i.e. a data writing stage, the voltage level of the first control signal Enb is changed such that the fourth TFT T4 is turned on, the voltage level of the third control signal Rst2 is changed such that the sixth TFT T6 is turned off, the voltage level of the scan signal Scan is changed such that the third TFT T3 is turned on and the second control signal Rst1 remains at the original voltage level. At this time, the data driving circuit 1004 outputs the pixel voltage Vdata. The pixel voltage Vdata is provided through the turned-on third TFT T3 to set the voltage of the node Y1 as the pixel voltage Vdata. The voltage of the node X1 also rises up to (Lock−Vtp1+Vdata−INI) due to an effect of the first capacitor C1, which causes the first TFT T1 to be turned off. At this time, the voltage difference Vsg between the gate and source of the second TFT T2 is the second voltage Vdd subtracted by the voltage level of the node X1, i.e.
Vdd−(Lock−Vtp1+Vdata−INI).
Vsg−Vtp=Vdd−(Lock−Vtp+Vdata−INI)−Vtp=Vdd−Lock−Vdata+INI. Therefore, the current IOLED=Kp*(Vdd−(Lock−Vtp1+Vdata−INI)−Vtp2)2. Owing to the fact that Vtp1 is approximately equal to Vtp2, the current IOLED can be approximated to be Kp*(Vdd−Lock−Vdata+INI)2. The OLED therefore has a luminance corresponding to the current IOLED.
In the fourth stage (IV Stage′) i.e. the frame display stage, except that the voltage level of the scan signal Scan is changed such that the third TFT T3 is turned off and no pixel voltage is inputted to the third TFT T3, other components exhibit the same operation and the nodes have the same as in the third stage (III Stage′).
As mentioned above, it can known that in the second stage (II Stage′), the organic light emitting diode circuit 1002 has completed a compensation operation for the threshold voltage Vtp2. This helps prevent the TFT in charge of a compensation operation for a threshold voltage, i.e. the TFT MP1 in
Besides, the above reset circuit 1010 can be also implemented using different circuit structure. As shown in
The organic light emitting diode circuit 1002 can also be coupled to a second capacitor C2. As shown in
Moreover, the above fourth TFT T4 is for controlling the current IOLED to flow toward the OLED. Except for the disposition position shown in
Alternatively, the fourth TFT T4 can also be coupled outside the organic light emitting diode circuit for controlling the current IOLED to flow toward the OLED. As shown in
The fourth TFT T4 can also be coupled outside the organic light emitting diode circuit and between the second voltage Vdd and second TFT T2. As shown in
The organic light emitting display and the organic light emitting diode circuit with the voltage compensation technique disclosed in connection with the above embodiments of the invention can increase the speed of the compensation process and consequently eliminate the drawback of uneven frame display of an active matrix organic light emitting display (AMOLED) due to the present low-temperature poly-silicone technique.
While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of a different embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. On the contrary, the scope of the present invention is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements and procedures, and the scope of the appended claims therefore should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements and procedures.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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94143429 | Dec 2005 | TW | national |