The present invention relates to a pixel circuit, a display device and a method for driving the pixel circuit, and more particularly relates to a pixel circuit of an organic light-emitting diode capable of compensating a threshold voltage of a driving transistor, a display device and a method for driving the pixel circuit.
In recent years, various types of flat panel display devices, which have light weight and small size compared with cathode ray tube (CRT) displays, have been developed. Among the various types of flat panel display devices, by using a self-light-emitting organic light-emitting diode (OELD) to display images, an active matrix organic light-emitting display device with a thin-film transistor (TFT) backplane usually has the characteristics of short response time, low power consumption for driving, and better brightness and color purity. Therefore, the organic light-emitting display device has become a focus of the next-generation display devices.
With reference to
The scanning driver applies scanning signals to the scanning lines SC1 to SCn in sequence, and the data driver applies corresponding data signals via the data lines DA1 to DAm according to image data to be displayed. Thus, the pixel circuits 110 located in the intersection areas supply a driving current flowing through the organic light-emitting diode according to the signals of the scanning lines and data lines coupled to the pixel circuits.
Using the pixel circuit 110 shown in
I
OLED1= 1/12 μ12×Cox12×W12/L12 (VGS12−VTH12)2 (Formula 1),
wherein μ12 is a carrier mobility of the driving transistor T12, Cox12 is a capacitance of a control end oxidation layer per unit area of the driving transistor T12, W12 is a channel width of the driving transistor T12, L12 is a channel length of the driving transistor T12, VGS12 is a voltage difference between the grid and the source of the driving transistor T12, and VTH12 is a threshold voltage of the driving transistor T12. That is, the driving current flowing through the organic light-emitting diode OLED1 can be controlled according to the magnitude of a data voltage from the data line DA1 to display a predefined grayscale.
A large active matrix organic light-emitting display device comprises a number of pixel circuits, and each of which need to comprise a driving transistor. The electric difference among different driving transistors results in different threshold voltages on the driving transistors. Therefore, according to the formula 1, it can be known that when the data voltages supplied to the pixel circuits 110 are the same, the driving currents supplied to the organic light-emitting diodes may vary with different threshold voltages of the driving transistors. This will result in the problems of poor quality uniformity and poor consistency of an image displayed by a plurality of pixel circuits.
In view of this, a main objective of the present invention is to provide a novel pixel circuit structure capable of compensating a difference in a threshold voltage of the driving transistor. The present invention provides a pixel circuit capable of producing a desired brightness and an active matrix organic light-emitting display device employing the pixel circuit, wherein the pixel circuit is capable of improving the response characteristic of the active matrix organic light-emitting diode to display the image with uniform image quality.
To achieve the above objective, technical solutions of the present invention are implemented as follows:
The present invention provides a pixel circuit, comprising: a first power source, a second power source, an organic light-emitting diode, a first capacitor, a first transistor, a second transistor, and a third transistor; wherein
a cathode of the organic light-emitting diode is coupled to the second power source;
the first capacitor is coupled between a node and the second power source;
each of the first transistor, the second transistor, and the third transistor is provided with a control end, a first electrode, and a second electrode;
the control end of the first transistor is coupled with the node, and the first electrode of the first transistor is configured to receive a data signal;
the control end of the second transistor is configured to receive a first scanning signal, the first electrode of the second transistor is coupled to the second electrode of the first transistor, and the second electrode of the second transistor is coupled to the node;
the control end of the third transistor is coupled to the node, the first electrode of the third transistor is coupled to the first power source, and the second electrode of the third transistor is coupled to an anode of the light-emitting diode; and
the first transistor is configured to compensate a threshold voltage of the third transistor.
The first transistor and the third transistor are approximate in channel width, and are arranged in the pixel circuit in a close range.
The pixel circuit is arranged on a TFT backplane; and
the first transistor and the third transistor are symmetrically arranged on the TFT backplane.
The pixel circuit further comprises a fourth transistor;
wherein a control end of the fourth transistor is configured to receive a second scanning signal, a first electrode of the fourth transistor is coupled to the second electrode of the third transistor, and a second electrode of the fourth transistor is coupled to an anode of the light-emitting diode.
The pixel circuit further comprises a fifth transistor and a third power source;
wherein the fifth transistor comprises: a control end configured to receive a third scanning signal, a first electrode coupled to the node, and a second electrode coupled to the third power source.
A voltage of the third power source is lower than or equal to a voltage of the second power source.
The pixel circuit further comprises a sixth transistor;
wherein the sixth transistor comprises: a control end configured to receive the third scanning signal, a first electrode coupled to the anode of the light-emitting diode, and a second electrode coupled to the second power source.
The pixel circuit further comprises a second capacitor coupled between the control end of the second transistor and the node.
The first transistor, the second transistor, the third transistor, the fourth transistor, the fifth transistor, and the sixth transistor are P-channel metal-oxide semiconductor transistors.
The present invention further provides a method for driving a pixel circuit; wherein the pixel circuit comprises: a first transistor, a second transistor, a third transistor, a storage capacitor and an organic light-emitting diode, and is driven by signals from data lines and scanning lines; and the drive method comprises:
applying a first scanning signal to a first scanning line for conducting the second transistor such that data signals from a data line are provided to a node via the first transistor and the second transistor, and storing a voltage at the node in the storage capacitor, wherein a control end of the first transistor and a terminal of the storage capacitor are jointly coupled to the node;
providing the data signals to the light-emitting diode via the third transistor; and
emitting, by the light-emitting diode, light with a brightness matching the data signals.
The pixel circuit further comprises a fourth transistor; and
the method further comprises:
applying a second scanning signal to a second scanning line for conducting the fourth transistor such that the data signals are provided to the light-emitting diode via the third transistor.
The pixel circuit further comprises a fifth transistor; and
a third scanning signal is applied for conducting the fifth transistor before the first scanning signal is applied, thereby initializing the node.
The first transistor and the third transistor are approximate in channel width, and are arranged in the pixel circuit in a close range.
The pixel circuits arranged on a TFT backplane; and
the first transistor and the third transistor are symmetrically arranged on the TFT backplane.
The present invention further provides a display device, comprising:
A scanning driver is configured to apply a scanning signal to a scanning line;
a data driver is configured to apply a data signal to a data line; and
a pixel circuit is coupled between the data line and the scanning line;
wherein the pixel circuit comprises: a first power source, a second power source, an organic light-emitting diode, a first capacitor, a first transistor, a second transistor, and a third transistor; wherein
the organic light-emitting diode comprises an anode and a cathode which is coupled to the second power source;
the first capacitor is coupled between a node and the second power source;
each of the first transistor, the second transistor, and the third transistor is provided with a control end, a first electrode, and a second electrode; wherein
the control end of the first transistor is coupled to the node, and the first electrode of the first transistor is coupled to with the data lines;
the control end of the second transistor is coupled to a first scanning line, the first electrode of the second transistor is coupled to the second electrode of the first transistor, and the second electrode of the second transistor is coupled to the node;
the control end of the third transistor is coupled to the node, the first electrode of the third transistor is coupled to the first power source, and the second electrode of the third transistor is coupled to an anode of the light-emitting diode; and
the first transistor is configured to compensate a threshold voltage of the third transistor.
The first transistor and the third transistor are approximate in channel width, and are arranged in the pixel circuit in a close range.
The display device further comprises a TFT backplane, the pixel circuit being arranged on the TFT backplane; and
the first transistor and the third transistor are symmetrically arranged on the TFT backplane.
The pixel circuit further comprises a fourth transistor; wherein a control end of the fourth transistor is coupled to a second scanning line, a first electrode of the fourth transistor is coupled to the second electrode of the third transistor, and a second electrode of the fourth transistor is coupled to the anode of the light-emitting diode.
The pixel circuit further comprises a fifth transistor and a third power source; wherein the fifth transistor comprises a control end coupled to a third scanning line, a first electrode coupled to the node, and a second electrode coupled to the third power source.
A voltage of the third power source is lower than or equal to a voltage of the second power source.
The pixel circuit further comprises a sixth transistor; wherein the sixth transistor comprises: a control end coupled to the third scanning line, a first electrode coupled to the anode of the light-emitting diode, a second electrode coupled to the second power source.
The pixel circuit further comprises a second capacitor coupled between the control end of the second transistor and the node.
The first transistor, the second transistor, the third transistor, the fourth transistor, the fifth transistor, and the sixth transistor are P-channel metal-oxide semiconductor transistors.
In the following, the pixel circuit and the method for driving the pixel circuit according to the present invention will be further described in detail with reference to the appended drawings and the embodiments of the present invention.
It is necessary to note that the term “coupled/couple/coupling” as referred to in the present invention includes either direct connection between elements or connection between elements via other components.
For ease of description, a pixel circuit and a method for driving the pixel circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to
With reference to
As shown in
In the second phase t2, that is, after the voltage of the first scanning line Sn1 jumps to a high level, the OLED enters the normal light-emitting phase. At this point, a current of the first power source ELVDD flows through the third transistor T3 into the anode of the OLED.
The driving current flowing into the OLED is shown as a formula below:
I
OLED=½ μ3×Cox3×W3/L3×(VGS3−VTH3)2 (Formula 2),
wherein μ3 is a carrier mobility of the third transistor T3; Cox3 is a capacitance of a control end oxidation layer per unit area of the third transistor T3, W3 is a channel width of the third transistor, and L3 is a channel length of the third transistor T3. V GS3 is a voltage difference between the grid and the source of the third transistor T3, and VTH3 is the threshold voltage of the third transistor T3.
At this point, as the third transistor is conducted, the voltage VGS3 for the grid and the source is the voltage (Vdata+VTH1) at the node N1, and the voltage difference between the voltage VGS3 and the voltage Vdd of the first power source is Vdata+VTH1−Vdd. Therefore, through calculation in the above formula, the following formula may be obtained:
I
OLED=½ μ3×Cox3×W3/L3×(Vdata+VTH1−Vdd−VTH3)2 (Formula 3).
It follows that the impact of the threshold voltage of the third transistor T3 to the driving current of OLED may be reduced by arranging the first transistor T1 with appropriate electric characteristics.
Preferably, if the transistors T1 and T3 with similar electrical characteristics as much as possible are arranged, the threshold voltage of the third transistor T3 can be offset to almost zero, thereby allowing the driving current flowing into the OLED to be free from the impact of the threshold voltage of the third transistor T3. That is, the current value of the OLED is as follows:
I
OLED=½ μ3×Cox3×W3/L3×(Vdata−Vdd)2 (Formula 4).
Wherein for the arrangement of the first transistor T1 and the third transistor T3 with similar electrical characteristics as much as possible, two transistors approximate in channel width and channel length as much as possible may be arranged, and are arranged in the pixel circuit 200 in a close range.
Preferably, the pixel circuit 200 may also be arranged on a TFT backplane, with the first and third transistors T1 and T3 symmetrically arranged, so that the threshold voltages of the first and third transistors T1 and T3 are as close as possible.
It can be understood that as the fourth transistor T4 is arranged in the pixel circuit 300, the conduction time and the shutdown time of the fourth transistor T4 may be controlled through the second scanning line Sn2, thereby controlling the light-emitting time of the OLED through the fourth transistor T4. That is, when the transistor T4 is shut down, the OLED does not emit light; and when the transistor T4 is conducted, the OLED emits light. The OLED in the pixel circuit 200 as shown in
For those skilled in the art, it can be understood that when the value of Vinit is equal to that of VE1VSS, the source electrode of the fifth transistor can be coupled to the second power source ELVSS.
In the initialization phase, i.e., the time period t0 in which the scanning signals are provided to the scanning line Sn3, the fifth transistor T5 is conducted, thereby supplying the voltage of the third power source Vinit to the node N1 and the anode of the OLED.
That is, the fifth transistor T5 supplies a constant voltage to the node N1 and the anode of the OLED in the initialization time period. Thus, the voltage at the node N1 and the voltage of the capacitor C1 are initialized to be Vinit.
Preferably, the initialized voltage Vinit may be set to be the same as the voltage of the second power source ELVSS.
The sixth transistor T6 is coupled between the anode of the OLED and the second power source ELVSS. A control end of the sixth transistor T6 and the control end of the fifth transistor T5 are jointly coupled to the scanning line Sn3 configured to receive a third scanning signal; and a first electrode and a second electrode of the sixth transistor T6 are respectively coupled to the anode and the cathode of the OLED. In the time period in which the low-level scanning signal is provided to the scanning line Sn3, the sixth transistor T6 is conducted. Since the first and second electrodes of the sixth transistor T6 are respectively coupled to the anode and the cathode of the OLED, the driving current may be prevented from being supplied to the OLED.
It can be understood that in the time period in which the scanning signal of the scanning line Sn1 jumps from low level to high level, since Vdata is stored in the node N1, the voltage increases the potential of the node N1 through the coupling effect of the second capacitor C2 when the voltage of the scanning line Sn1 turns into high level, thereby correspondingly improving the voltage Vdata+VTH1 of the control end of the third transistor T3 and storing the corresponding voltage into the second capacitor C2.Due to Vdata<Vdd, from the formula 4, it can be known that the increase in the voltage value of the control end of the third transistor T3 results in the decrease of the differential value between the voltage of the control end of the third transistor T3 and Vdd. Therefore, when the voltage of the data signals, read into the pixel circuit 600, is very small, i.e. when the grayscale for light emitting is very low, the driving current flowing through the OLED is made to decrease further, thereby improving the contrast among different grayscales of the pixel circuit.
It is necessary to note that the first transistor T1, the second transistor T2, the third transistor T3, the fourth transistor T4, the fifth transistor T5, and the sixth transistor T6 in the pixel circuits of the embodiments above are described by using the P-channel metal-oxide semiconductor transistor as an example. Those skilled in the art may understand that the transistors T1 to T6 in the pixel circuit of the present invention may also be implemented by using N-channel metal-oxide semiconductor transistors.
With reference to
Each pixel circuit 701 is coupled to the corresponding scanning line (for example, Sn2, Sn2 and Sn3) and data line respectively. For example, the pixel circuit 701 located in the row i and the column j is coupled to the scanning lines Si1, Si2 and Si3 of the row i and the data line Dj of the column j.
The scanning driver 702 generates the scanning signals corresponding to the scanning signals provided externally (for example, by a certain control unit). The scanning signals generated by the scanning driver 702 are respectively provided to the pixel circuits 701 in sequence through the scanning lines Si1 to Sin.
The data driver 703 generates the data signals corresponding to the data and data control signals provided externally (for example, by a certain control unit). The data signals generated by the data driver 703 are provided to the pixel circuit 701 through the data lines D1 to Dm in synchronization with the scanning signals, wherein the pixel circuit 701 may be any one pixel circuit as shown in the embodiments above. It can be understood that the number of the scanning lines in each row may be differently arranged accordingly according to different embodiments of the pixel circuit.
Although the present invention is described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to such embodiments. However, the present invention intends to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements made under the spirit and scope of the claims and equivalents thereof.
The embodiments above are only used for describing the technical solutions of the present invention instead of limiting the present invention. Although the present invention is described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, those of ordinary knowledge in the related technical field may make some modifications and polishments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention should be subject to that defined by the claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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201210587996.1 | Dec 2012 | CN | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/CN2013/090103 | 12/20/2013 | WO | 00 |