This application claims priority of China Patent Application No. 201510526551.6, filed on Aug. 25, 2015, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein.
Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a pixel structure, and more particularly to a pixel structure with an organic light-emitting diode (OLED).
Description of the Related Art
In recent years, the image quality provided by flat-panel displays has gradually improved. The profile of the flat-panel displays are thin and the weight of the flat-panel displays are light. Therefore, the flat-panel displays are a mainstream display device. Generally, the display panel of each flat-panel display comprises a plurality of pixels. Each pixel comprises a driving transistor and an illumination element. The driving transistor generates a driving current according to an image signal. The illumination element displays corresponding brightness according to the driving current.
However, the driving transistors of the different pixels may comprise different threshold voltages due to manufacturing procedures. Therefore, when the driving transistors with different threshold voltages receive the same image signal, the driving transistors may generate different driving currents so that the illumination elements display different brightness. Additionally, when the operation voltages of the driving transistors are shifted, the illumination elements also display different brightness.
In accordance with an embodiment, a pixel structure comprises a data transistor, a switching transistor, a driving transistor, a compensation transistor, an illumination transistor, an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) and a first capacitor. The data transistor has a first terminal coupled to a data signal, a second terminal connected to a node, and a gate terminal coupled to a scan signal. The switching transistor has a first terminal coupled to a first reference signal, a second terminal connected to the node, and a gate terminal coupled to a first illumination signal. The driving transistor has a gate terminal, a first terminal coupled to a first operation voltage, and a second terminal. The compensation transistor has a gate terminal coupled to a control signal, a first terminal connected to the gate terminal of the driving transistor, and a second terminal connected to the second terminal of the driving transistor. The illumination transistor has a gate terminal coupled to a second illumination signal, a first terminal connected to second terminal of the driving transistor, and a second terminal. The organic light-emitting diode (OLED) has an anode coupled to the second terminal of the illumination transistor and a cathode coupled to a second operation voltage. The first capacitor is coupled between the node and the gate terminal of the driving transistor. During a reset period, a voltage level of the gate terminal of the driving transistor is equal to a second reference signal. During a compensation period, the voltage level of the gate terminal of the driving transistor is equal to a first sum of the first operation voltage and an absolute value of a threshold voltage of the driving transistor. During an illumination period, the voltage level of the gate terminal of the driving transistor is equal to a second sum of a difference between the second reference signal and the data signal and the first sum.
In accordance with another embodiment, an electronic device comprises a gate driver, a source driver and a plurality of pixels. The gate driver provides at least one scan signal. The source driver provides at least one data signal. Each pixel comprises a data transistor, a switching transistor, a driving transistor, a compensation transistor, an illumination transistor, an OLED and a first capacitor. The data transistor has a first terminal coupled to the data signal, a second terminal connected to a node, and a gate terminal coupled to the scan signal. The switching transistor has a first terminal coupled to a first reference signal, a second terminal connected to the node, and a gate terminal coupled to a first illumination signal. The driving transistor has a gate terminal, a first terminal coupled to a first operation voltage, and a second terminal. The compensation transistor has a gate terminal coupled to a control signal, a first terminal connected to the gate terminal of the driving transistor, and a second terminal connected to the second terminal of the driving transistor. The illumination transistor has a gate terminal coupled to a second illumination signal, a first terminal connected to second terminal of the driving transistor, and a second terminal. The organic light-emitting diode (OLED) has an anode coupled to the second terminal of the illumination transistor and a cathode coupled to a second operation voltage. The first capacitor is coupled between the node and the gate terminal of the driving transistor. During a reset period, a voltage level of the gate terminal of the driving transistor is equal to a second reference signal. During a compensation period, the voltage level of the gate terminal of the driving transistor is equal to a first sum of the first operation voltage and an absolute value of a threshold voltage of the driving transistor. During an illumination period, the voltage level of the gate terminal of the driving transistor is equal to a second sum of a difference between the second reference signal and the data signal and the first sum.
A detailed description is given in the following embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The invention can be more fully understood by referring to the following detailed description and examples with references made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The following description is of the best-contemplated mode of carrying out the invention. This description is made for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention and should not be taken in a limiting sense. The scope of the invention is best determined by reference to the appended claims.
The gate driver 110 provides scan signals Sn1˜Snn. The source driver 120 provides data signals SD1˜SDm. Each of the pixels P11˜Pmn receives a corresponding scan signal and a corresponding data signal. For example, the pixel P11 receives the scan signal Sn1 and the data signal SD1. The pixel P11 is provided as an example to describe the circuit structure.
The driving transistor T5, the illumination transistor T4 and the organic light-emitting diode OLED are coupled between operation voltages ELVDD and ELVSS. In one embodiment, the operation voltage ELVDD is a positive voltage and the operation voltage ELVSS is a negative voltage. As shown in
The compensation transistor T3 is coupled between the gate terminal G of the driving transistor T5 and the second terminal D of the driving transistor T5 and receives a control signal Scn. The capacitor C1 is coupled between the node N and the gate terminal G of the driving transistor T5. In this embodiment, the transistors T1˜T5 are PMOS transistors. In one embodiment, at lease one of the illumination signals SEM1 and SEM2, the control signal Scn, and the reference signal SREF1 is provided by the gate driver 110, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. In other embodiments, the reference signal SREF1 is provided by a DC power supply.
During a compensation period CP1, the illumination signals SEM1 and SEM2 are at the high voltage level, and the scan signal Sn1 and the control signal Scn are at the low voltage level to turn off the switching transistor T1 and the illumination transistor T4 and turn on the data transistor T2, the compensation transistor T3 and the driving transistor T5. Therefore, the voltage level of the node N is equal to the data signal SD1 and the voltage level VG of the gate terminal G of the driving transistor T5 is equal to a first sum of the operation voltage ELVDD and an absolute value |VTH| of a threshold voltage VTH of the driving transistor T5. In other words, the voltage level VG is equal to ELVDD+|VTH| during the compensation period CP1.
During an illumination period EP1, the scan signal Sn1 and the control signal SCN are at the high voltage level and the illumination signals SEM1 and SEM2 are at the low voltage level to turn off the data transistor T2 and the compensation transistor T3 and turn on the switching transistor T1, the illumination transistor T4 and the driving transistor T5. Therefore, the voltage level of the node N is equal to a difference between the reference signal SREF1 and the data signal SD1 (i.e. SREF1−SD1). In this period, the voltage level VG of the gate terminal G of the driving transistor T5 is equal to ELVDD+|VTH|+(SREF1−SD1). During the illumination period EP1, the driving transistor T5 generates a driving current I according to the voltage difference between the gate terminal G and the first terminal S of the driving transistor T5 to drive the organic light-emitting diode OLED. The driving current I is expressed by the following equation (1):
I=K(VGS−VTH)2 (1)
Equation (1) is combined with the voltage levels of the gate terminal G and the first terminal S of the driving transistor T5 and the combined result is expressed by the following equation (2):
I=K(SREF1−SD1)2 (2)
According to equation (2), the driving current I is not altered by the threshold voltage VTH of the driving transistor T5 and the operation voltage ELVDD.
In one embodiment, if the switching transistor T1 is coupled to the anode of the organic light-emitting diode OLED, the voltage level of the node N is equal to the difference between the voltage level Voled of the organic light-emitting diode OLED and the data signal SD1 (i.e. Voled−SD1), and the voltage level VG of the gate terminal G of the driving transistor T5 is equal to EVLDD+|VTH|+(Voled−SD1). The Equation (1) is combined with the voltage level of the gate terminal G of the driving transistor T5 and the combined result is expressed by the following equation (3):
I=K(Voled−SD1)2 (3)
According to equation (3), the driving current I is not altered by the threshold voltage VTH of the driving transistor T5 and the operation voltage ELVDD. Therefore, when the switching transistor T1 is coupled to the anode of the organic light-emitting diode OLED or receives the reference signal SREF1, the driving current I is not interfered by the threshold voltage VTH of the driving transistor T5 or the operation voltage ELVDD during the illumination period.
In some embodiments, during the illumination period EP1, the time point when the illumination transistor T4 is turned on is different from the time point when the driving transistor T5 is turned on to avoid coupling.
The reset module 310 comprises a reset transistor T6 to provide the reference signal SREF2. In this embodiment, the gate terminal SC1 of the reset transistor T6 receives a reset signal SRST. The first terminal SD1 of the reset transistor T6 is coupled to the second terminal of the driving transistor T5. The second terminal SD2 of the reset transistor T6 receives the reference signal SREFs. When the reset signal SRST is at a low voltage level, the reset transistor T6 provides the reference signal SREF2 to the second terminal of the driving transistor T5. In one embodiment, the reference signal SREF2 is the same as the voltage level Voled of the organic light-emitting diode OLED.
During a compensation period CP2, the illumination signals SEM1 and SEM2 and the reset signal SRST are at the high voltage level, and the scan signal Sn1 and the control signal Scn are at the low voltage level. Therefore, the switching transistor T1, the illumination transistor T4 and the reset transistor T6 are turned off, and the data transistor T2, the compensation transistor T3 and the driving transistor T5 are turned on. In this period, the voltage level of the node N is equal to the data signal SD1, and the voltage level of the gate terminal G of the driving transistor T5 is equal to the sum of the operation voltage ELVDD and the absolute value |VTH| of the threshold voltage VTH of the driving transistor T5 (i.e. ELVDD+|VTH|).
In an illumination period EP2, the scan signal Sn1, the control signal Scn and the reset signal SRST are at the high level, and the illumination signals SEM1 and SEM2 are at the low level. Therefore, the data transistor T2, the compensation transistor T3 and the reset transistor T6 are turned off, and the switching transistor T1, the illumination transistor T4 and the driving transistor T5 are turned on. In this period, the voltage level of the node N is equal to a difference between the voltage level Voled of the organic light-emitting diode OLED and the data signal SD1 (i.e. Voled−SD1), and the voltage level VG of the gate terminal G of the driving transistor T5 is equal to the sum of the operation voltage ELVDD, the absolute value of the threshold voltage VTH of the driving transistor T5 (i.e. ELVDD+) and the difference between the voltage level Voled of the organic light-emitting diode OLED and the data signal SD1 (i.e. VG=ELVDD+ +(Voled−SD1)). Since the voltage level of the scan signal Sn1 is the same as the voltage level of the control signal Scn, the scan signal Sn1 is utilized to control the compensation transistor T3.
Since the control timing for
During a compensation period and an illumination period, the reset transistors T6 and T7 are turned off. Additionally, in this embodiment, the first terminal of the switching transistor T1 receives the reference signal SREF1, but the disclosed is not limited thereto. In some embodiments, the first terminal of the switching transistor T1 is coupled to the anode of the organic light-emitting diode OLED.
In
Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.
While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of the preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements (as would be apparent to those skilled in the art). Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2015 1 0526551 | Aug 2015 | CN | national |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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20110279484 | Han | Nov 2011 | A1 |
20140022150 | Guo | Jan 2014 | A1 |
20140347405 | Kumeta | Nov 2014 | A1 |
20150356916 | Qian | Dec 2015 | A1 |
20170103706 | Yang | Apr 2017 | A1 |
20180174512 | Yuan | Jun 2018 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
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Entry |
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Chinese language office action dated May 31, 2018, issued in application No. CN 201510526551.6. |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20170061884 A1 | Mar 2017 | US |