Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be understood in more detail from the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the attached drawings, in which:
The controller 610 generates a plurality of control signals CS1 through CSm, a plurality of channel selection signals CSEL1 through CSELm, a polarity control signal PCS, and a latching signal LS in response to a clock signal CLK. The controller 610 may be installed outside the source driver 600 or inside the source driver 600.
The data selection circuit 630 receives a plurality of digital image data VD1 through VDm, selects one of them in response to the channel selection signals CSEL1 through CSELm, and outputs the selected digital image data. Each of the digital image data VD1 through VDm may include n bits (where n is a natural number).
The polarity control circuit 640 inverts or non-inverts output data of the data selection circuit 630 in response to the polarity control signal PCS and outputs the inverted or non-inverted data. The reason why the polarity control circuit 640 inverts the output data of the data selection circuit 630 is, as is generally known, for preventing degradation of the liquid crystal. The latch circuit 650 receives and stores output data of the polarity control circuit 640 and outputs the stored output data of the polarity control circuit 640 to the DAC 660 in response to the latching signal LS.
The DAC 660 receives a plurality of analog voltages VG[2n:1] generated on the basis of the number of bits of digital image data, and outputs an analog voltage corresponding to output data of the latch circuit 650 from among the analog voltages VG[2n:1]. For example, if the digital image data includes n bits, the number of analog voltages YG[2n:1] is 2n, and the DAC 660 outputs the analog voltage corresponding to the output data of the latch circuit 650 from among the 2n analog voltages VG[2n:1].
The first buffer 620 receives a reference voltage VDD, and receives and buffers a predetermined voltage ((VH−VL)/2). The VH denotes the level of the highest voltage out of the 2n analog voltages VG[2n:1] that corresponds to the output data of the latch circuit 650 and is selected and output by the DAC 660. The VL denotes the level of the lowest voltage out of the 2n analog voltages VG[2n:1] that corresponds to the output data of the latch circuit 650 and is selected and output by the DAC 660.
The first switching block 622 includes a plurality of switches SW11 through SW1m, and supplies the predetermined voltage buffered by the first buffer 620 to at least one of a plurality of source lines S1 through Sm in response to the control signals CS1 through CSm. For example, as shown in
The source driver 600 may further include a capacitor 624 that is connected between an output terminal of the first buffer 620 and a ground line. The capacitor 624 keeps the output data of the first buffer 620 stable.
The second buffer 670 receives the first power supply voltage AVDD, and receives and buffers an analog voltage corresponding to digital image data. The second buffer 670 improves the current driving ability of the source driver 600. The second switching block 626 includes a plurality of switches SW21 through SW2m, and supplies an output voltage of the second buffer 670 to the one source line irons among the source lines S1 through Sm in response to the channel selection signals CSEL1 through CSELm.
In this exemplary embodiment, as shown in
The controller 610 may generate the control signals CS1 through CSm and the channel selection signals CSEL1 through CSELm so that an output voltage of the second buffer 670 is supplied to a first source line, for example, the source line S1, among the source lines S1 through Sm, after an output voltage of the first buffer 620 is supplied to the first source line.
The first amplifier 710 receives a second power voltage VCL, and amplifies a first input voltage Vin1 to output a first voltage VCOML. The first switch SW1 is connected between an output terminal of the first amplifier 710 and the output terminal VCOM, and is switched on to supply the first voltage VCOML to the output terminal VCOM in response to a first voltage control signal VCS1.
The second switch SW2 is connected between a first line for receiving a second voltage GND and the output terminal VCOM, and is switched on to supply the second voltage GND to the output terminal VCOM in response to a second voltage control signal VCS2.
The third switch SW3 is connected between a second line for receiving a third voltage VDD and the output terminal VCOM, and is switched on to supply the third voltage VDD to the output terminal VCOM in response to a third voltage control signal VCS3.
The second amplifier 720 receives the first power voltage AVDD, and amplifies a second input voltage Vin2 to output a fourth voltage VCOMH. The fourth switch SW4 is connected between an output terminal of the second amplifier 720 and the output terminal VCOM, and is switched on to supply the fourth voltage VCOMH to the output terminal VCOM in response to a fourth voltage control signal VCS4.
It is assumed that a voltage level of the fourth voltage VCOMH is higher than that of the third voltage VDD, a voltage level of the third voltage VDD is higher than that of the second voltage GND, and a voltage level of the second voltage GND is higher than that of the first voltage VCOML.
The switches SW1 through SW4 may be switched on to discretely and sequentially increase a voltage level of the output terminal VCOM from the first voltage VCOML to the fourth voltage VCOMH, or to discretely and sequentially decrease a voltage level at the output terminal VCOM from the fourth voltage VCOMH to the first voltage VCOML, in response to the voltage control signals VCS1 through VCS4.
A process in which the voltage level of the output terminal VCOM is discretely and sequentially increased from the first voltage VCOML to the fourth voltage VCOMH is as follows. The switches SW1 through SW4 are sequentially switched on in response to the voltage control signals VCS1 through VCS4 that are sequentially activated, for example, have high levels, for example, in a sequence of SW1→SW2→SW3→SW4.
When the first voltage control signal VCS1 is activated, the first switch SW1 is switched on and thus the first voltage VCOML is supplied to the output terminal VCOM. When the second voltage control signal VCS2 is activated, the second switch SW2 is switched on and thus the second voltage GND is supplied to the output terminal VCOM. When the third voltage control signal VCS3 is activated, the third switch SW3 is switched on and thus the third voltage VDD is supplied to the output terminal VCOM. When the fourth voltage control signal VCS4 is activated, the fourth switch SW4 is switched on and thus the fourth voltage VCOMH is supplied to the output terminal VCOM.
Therefore, a voltage level of the output terminal VCOM discretely and sequentially increases from the first voltage to the fourth, voltage, for example, in a sequence of VCOML→GND→VDD→VCOMH.
On the other hand, a process in which the voltage level of the output terminal VCOM is discretely and sequentially decreased from the fourth voltage VCOMH to the first voltage VCOML is as follows. The switches SW1 through SW4 are switched on in response to the voltage control signals VCS1 through VCS4 that are activated in a sequence, for example, SW4→SW3→SW2→SW1, opposite to the sequence in the process in which the voltage level of the output terminal VCOM discretely and sequentially increases.
Therefore, the voltage level of the output terminal VCOM discretely and sequentially decreases from the fourth voltage to the first voltage in a sequence of VCOMH→VDD→GND→VCOML.
The controller 610 may generate the control signals CS1 through CSm, the channel selection signals CSEL1 through CSELm, and the voltage control signals VCS1 through VCS4 so that the output voltage of the second buffer 670 is supplied to at least one of the source lines S1 through Sm after the voltage level of the output terminal VCOM reaches the first voltage VCOML or the fourth voltage VCOMH.
The switches SW11 through SW1m are switched on to supply the predetermined voltage buffered by the first buffer 620 to at least one of the source lines S1 through Sm, in response to the control signals CS1 through CSm.
In this exemplary embodiment, when a first control signal, for example, the control signal CS1, among the control signals CS1 through CSm is activated, the first switch SW11 is switched on and, thus, the predetermined voltage is supplied to the first source line S1 among the source lines S1 through Sm.
As shown in
The data selection circuit 630 receives the digital image data VD1 through VDm, selects one out of them in response to the channel selection signals CSEL1 through CSELm, and outputs the selected digital image data. When a first channel selection signal, for example, CSEL1 is activated, the data selection circuit 630 may select and output digital image data VD1 corresponding to the first channel selection signal CSEL1.
Referring to
The latching signal LS is a pulse signal that has as many activation sections, for example, high levels, as the number of image data VD1 through VDm for one horizontal scan period 1H. The latch circuit 650 outputs latched image data every time the latching signal LS is activated. Each of the switches SW21 through SW2m of the second switching block 626 is switched on to supply an output signal of the second buffer 670 to a corresponding source line among the source lines S1 through Sm in response to a corresponding channel selection signal among the channel selection signals CSEL1 through CSELm.
In this exemplary embodiment, when the first channel selection signals, for example, CSEL1, out of the channel selection signals CSEL1 through CSELm is activated, the first switch SW21 is switched on and, thus, the output signal of the second buffer 670 is supplied to the first source line S1 out of the source lines S1 through Sm.
As shown in
Therefore, a voltage level of each of the source lines S1 through Sm reaches the predetermined voltage buffered by the first buffer 620 and then reaches a voltage level of the output signal buffered by the second buffer 670.
The voltage control signals VCS1 through VCS4 may be generated so that a voltage level of the output terminal VCOM of the common voltage driver 700 reaches the first voltage VCOML or the fourth voltage VCOMH before the first channel selection signal of the one horizontal scan period 1H is activated. First, a process (a section T1) in which the voltage level of the output terminal VCOM starts from the first voltage VCOML and reaches the fourth voltage VCOMH will be described below. Referring to
In an activation section of the first voltage control signal VCS1, the first switch SW1 is switched on and, thus, the voltage level of the output terminal VCOM becomes the first voltage VCOML. In an activation section of the second voltage control signal VCS2, the second switch SW2 is switched on and thus the voltage level of the output terminal VCOM becomes the second voltage GND. In an activation section of the third voltage control signal VCS3, the third switch SW3 is switched on and, thus, the voltage level of the output terminal VCOM becomes the third voltage VDD. In an activation section of the fourth voltage control signal VCS4, the fourth switch SW4 is switched on and, thus, the voltage level of the output terminal VCOM becomes the fourth voltage VCOMH.
Therefore, the voltage level of the output terminal VCOM starts from the first voltage and reaches the fourth voltage, that is, VCOML→GND→VDD→VCOMH. A process (a section T2) in which the voltage level of the output terminal VCOM starts from the fourth voltage VCOMH and reaches the first voltage VCOML is opposed to the process in which the voltage level of the output terminal VCOM starts from the first voltage VCOML and reaches the fourth voltage VCOMH. Therefore, the voltage level of the output terminal VCOM starts from the fourth voltage VCOML and reaches the first voltage VCOML.
Referring to
Hereinafter, a maximum average current consumed for one horizontal scan period 1H in the source driver 600 and the common voltage driver 700 will be described with reference to
An average current Iavdd for the first power supply voltage AVDD of the second buffer 670 of the source driver 600 is calculated using Equation 5:
An average current Ivcomh for the first power supply voltage AVDD of the second amplifier 720 of the common voltage driver 700 is calculated using Equation 6:
An average current Ivcom1 for the second power supply voltage VCL of the first amplifier 710 of the common voltage driver 700 is calculated using Equation 7:
A total average current Itot for the reference voltage VDD of the source driver 600 and the common voltage driver 700 is calculated using Equation 8, which is a sum of the average currents of Equations 5 to 7:
Compared to the average current consumed upon driving operations of the source driver 100 and the common voltage driver 200 using a general time division driving method, an average current Ireduce reduced upon driving operations of the source driver 600 and the common voltage driver 700 according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention is calculated using Equation 9, which is obtained by subtracting Equation 8 from Equation 4:
As shown in Equation 9, current consumption when the display device according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention is driven using the source driver 600 and the common voltage driver 700 is reduced compared to that when a general display device is driven by the known method.
First, a method of driving the common voltage driver 700 will be described. A controller (not shown) sequentially generates the voltage control, signals VCS1 through VCS4, each of them having predetermined activation sections, for example, high levels, in operation S100.
The switches SW1 through SW4 of the common voltage driver 700 discretely and sequentially increase or decrease the voltage level of the output terminal VCOM in response to the voltage control signals VCS1 through VCS4, in operation S200. A process in which the voltage level of the output terminal VCOM discretely and sequentially increases from the first voltage VCOML to the fourth voltage VCOMH is as follows. Referring to
In an activation section of the first voltage control signal VCS1, the first switch SW1 is switched on and, thus, the voltage level from the output terminal VCOM becomes the first voltage VCOML. In an activation section of the second voltage control signal VCS2, the second switch SW2 is switched on and, thus, the voltage level from the output terminal VCOM becomes the second voltage GND. In an activation section of the third voltage control signal VCS3, the third switch SW3 is switched on and thus the voltage level from the output terminal VCOM becomes the third voltage VDD. In an activation section of the fourth voltage control signal VCS4, the fourth switch SW4 is switched on and, thus, the voltage level from the output terminal VCOM becomes the fourth voltage VCOMH.
Therefore, the voltage level of the output terminal VCOM discretely and sequentially changes from the first voltage to the fourth voltage, that is, in sequence of VCOML→GND→VDD→VCOMH.
A process in which the voltage level of the output terminal VCOM discretely and sequentially decreases from the fourth voltage VCOMH to the first voltage VCOML, is opposite to the process in which the voltage level of the output terminal VCOM discretely and sequentially increases from the first voltage VCOML to the fourth voltage VCOMH.
Therefore, the voltage level of the output terminal VCOM discretely and sequentially changes from the fourth voltage VCOMH to the first voltage, that is, in a sequence, of VCOMH→VDD→GND→VCOML.
A method of driving the source driver 600 is as follows. A predetermined voltage ((VH—VL)/2) is buffered in a corresponding source line out of the plo source lines, in operation S300.
The control signals CS1 through CSm having predetermined activation sections, for example, high levels, are applied to the switches SW11 through SW1m of the first switching block 622.
The switches SW11 through SW1m are switched on to supply a predetermined voltage buffered in the first buffer 620 to a corresponding source line out of the source lines S1 through Sm in response to the control signals CS1 through CSm.
In this exemplary embodiment, when the first control signal, for example, CS1, out of the control signals CS1 through CSm is activated, the first switch SW11 is switched on and, thus, the predetermined voltage is supplied to the first source line S1 out of the source lines S1 through Sm.
As shown in
An analog voltage corresponding to digital image data is buffered in the corresponding source line out of the plurality of source lines S1 through Sm, in operation S400.
The switches SW21 through SW2m of the second switching block 626 are switched on to supply the output signal of the second buffer 670 to at least one of the source lines S1 through Sm in response to a corresponding channel selection signal out of the channel selection signals CSEL1 through CSELm. When the first channel selection signal, for example, CSEL1, out of the channel selection signals CSEL1 through CSELm is activated, the first switch SW21 is switched on and, thus, the output signal of the second buffer 670 is supplied to the first source line S1 out of the source lines S1 through Sm.
As shown in
Therefore, each of the voltage levels of the source lines S1 through Sm reaches the predetermined voltage buffered by the first buffer 620 and then reaches the voltage level of the output signal of the second buffer 670.
The method of the exemplary embodiment for driving the source driver 600 may further include an operation of, the data selection circuit 630 selecting and outputting one corresponding image data out of the image data VD1 through VDm in response to the channel selection signals CSEL1 through CSELm, an operation of the polarity control circuit 640 controlling a polarity of the selected image data in response to the polarity control signal PCS, an operation of the latching circuit 650 latching the polarity-controlled image data in response to the latching signal LS, and an operation of the DAC 660 generating an analog voltage corresponding to the latched image data.
As mentioned above, a source driver that outputs an analog voltage corresponding to digital image data after precharging a corresponding one of a plurality of source lines with a predetermined voltage, and a common voltage driver discretely and sequentially increasing or decreasing a voltage level by using a common voltage driver are used upon driving of a display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Therefore, power consumption is reduced compared to when a display device using a general source driver and a general common voltage driver is driven in the known manner.
While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10-2006-0091354 | Sep 2006 | KR | national |