1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to a switch circuit, a pixel element and a display panel using the same, more particularly to a switch circuit, a pixel element and a display panel using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to enhance the value of display devices such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), a technology of memory in pixel (MIP) has been introduced into various fields of application. MIP can be used to for example reduce power consumption of different display devices, such as a reflective or a transflective LCD.
There are different types of MIP. In order to achieve same bit number, a dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) type of MIP requires less circuit elements, as compared with that of a static random-access memory (SRAM) type of MIP. In other words, the DRAM type of MIP, such as a self-refreshing in pixel type MIP (SRP-MIP), has a reduced circuit complexity, and a higher transmissive aperture ratio than that of SRAM type of MIP. In view of this, the DRAM-based MIP is suitable for display devices which require high aperture ratio, or high resolution such as pixels per inch (PPI).
In most MIPs, a memory is used to maintain the gray level of the MIP without new data being provided from a source driver, so that power consumption can be reduced. The memory is for example such as a capacitor which is used for storing the state of an image data storage capacitor which stores with an image data. After the state of the image data storage capacitor is memorized in the memory, the image data storage capacitor can have its image data refreshed or maintained according to the memorized state.
In MIP, however, the layout area of its memory reduces the transparent or transmissive area in the whole pixel area. This affects the aperture ratio, as well as the resolution of display devices. Due to inverse relationship between the aperture ratio and the resolution, in a case where a display device requires a high resolution, the aperture ratio will become unacceptably small.
The invention is directed to a switch circuit, a pixel element and a display panel, which can realize high aperture ratio or high resolution.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a switch circuit is provided. The switch circuit is used in a pixel element. The switch circuit includes a first switch and a second switch. The first switch is for being turned on to perform a sample operation on the pixel element. The second switch has three terminals. Among them, a control terminal is coupled to an image data storage capacitor of the pixel element via the first switch. A first data terminal is for being coupled to a corresponding source line of the pixel element. A second data terminal is for being coupled to the image data storage capacitor. When the sample operation is performed, the second switch stores an image data of the image data storage capacitor in a parasitic gate capacitor existing on its control terminal. The stored image data in the second switch is maintained by the parasitic gate capacitor from the sample operation to a refresh operation during which the pixel element is refreshed. The second switch is selectively for electrically connecting its first and second data terminals with each other according to stored image data in the parasitic gate capacitor.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a pixel element is provided. The pixel element is for use in a display panel. The pixel element includes an image data storage capacitor, a gate switch, a first switch, a second switch, and a third switch. The image data storage capacitor is for storing an image data. The gate switch has a control terminal coupled to a corresponding gate line, and two data terminals coupled between a corresponding source line and the image data storage capacitor. The first switch has a control terminal for receiving a sample control signal. The second switch has a control terminal coupled to the image data storage capacitor via the first switch, a first data terminal coupled to the corresponding source line of the pixel element, and a second data terminal coupled to the image data storage capacitor. The third switch has a control terminal for receiving a refresh control signal, and two data terminals coupled between the second switch and the image data storage capacitor. The first switch is turned on to perform a sample operation on the pixel element. The third switch is turned on to perform a refresh operation on the pixel element. When the sample operation is performed, the second switch is for storing an image data of the image data storage capacitor in a parasitic gate capacitor existing on its control terminal. The stored image data in the second switch is maintained by the parasitic gate capacitor from the sample operation to the refresh operation. The second switch is selectively for electrically connecting its first and second data terminals with each other according to stored image data in the parasitic gate capacitor.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a display panel is provided. The display panel includes an active matrix pixel array, a gate driver, and a source driver. The active matrix pixel array includes a number of gate lines, a number of source lines, and a number of pixel elements. The gate driver drives the gate lines. The source driver drives the source lines. The pixel elements are arranged in a matrix. Each pixel element includes an image data storage capacitor, a gate switch, a first switch, a second switch, and a third switch. The image data storage capacitor is for storing an image data. The gate switch has a control terminal coupled to a corresponding gate line, and two data terminals coupled between a corresponding source line and the image data storage capacitor. The first switch has a control terminal for receiving a sample control signal. The third switch is turned on to perform a refresh operation on the pixel element. The second switch has a control terminal coupled to the image data storage capacitor via the first switch, a first data terminal coupled to the corresponding source line of the pixel element, and a second data terminal coupled to the image data storage capacitor. The third switch has a control terminal for receiving a refresh control signal, and two data terminals coupled between the second switch and the image data storage capacitor. The first switch is turned on to perform a sample operation on the pixel element. When the sample operation is performed, the second switch is for storing an image data of the image data storage capacitor in a parasitic gate capacitor existing on its control terminal. The stored image data in the second switch is maintained by the parasitic gate capacitor from the sample operation to the refresh operation. The second switch is selectively for electrically connecting its first and second data terminals with each other according to stored image data in the parasitic gate capacitor.
The above and other aspects of the invention will become better understood with regard to the following detailed description of the preferred but non-limiting embodiment(s). The following description is made with reference to the accompanying drawings.
A switch circuit, a pixel element and a display panel are provided in a number of exemplary embodiments as follows. In an embodiment, in order to realize high aperture ratio or high resolution such as pixels per inch (PPI), a parasite gate capacitor existing in a switch is served as a sampling capacitor for use in refreshing a memory in pixel (MIP). Further description is provided as follows with reference to accompanying drawings.
The first switch 211 can be turned on to perform a sample operation on the pixel element P(x, y). When the sample operation is performed, the second switch 212 can be used for storing the image data of the image data storage capacitor C in a parasitic gate capacitor existing on its control terminal 212g. For example, when the sample operation is performed, the voltage on a pixel electrode of the image data storage capacitor C is biased at the control terminal 212g of the second switch 212 via the turn-on first switch 211. At this time, the parasitic gate capacitor existing on the control terminal 212g of the second switch 212 is used to maintain the biased voltage of the control terminal 212g. This means the image data of the image data storage capacitor C can be stored in the second switch 212, or more specifically in the parasitic gate capacitor thereof during the sample operation. The stored image data in the second switch 212 is maintained by the parasitic gate capacitor from the sample operation to a refresh operation during which the pixel element P(x, y) is refreshed. The second switch 212 is selectively for electrically connecting its first and second data terminals with each other according to stored image data in the parasitic gate capacitor.
In other words, the second switch 212 reveals not only the characteristic of a switch, but also the one of a capacitive element or a memory for storing image data. In this way, when switch circuit 210 is implemented in the pixel element P(x, y) to form an MIP, the layout area of an extra memory can be saved. As compared with a conventional MIP where a memory or a sampling capacitor is used, the MIP implemented by the pixel element P(x, y) of this disclosure can have less circuit elements, and a reduced circuit complexity. In view of this, high aperture ratio or high resolution can be realized.
Refer to both
In order for the second switch 212 to store image data, its parasitic gate capacitance Cg is required to have a capacitance sufficient to maintain the gate-to-source voltage Vgs. In a practical example, the parasitic gate capacitor Vg has a capacitance around a range of dozens of femto-farad (fF), such as 40 fF or 50 fF, but it depends on experience and experimental results and this invention is not limited thereto. Since the gate-to-body capacitor Cgb is small when the first switch 211 is turned off, marinating the gate-to-source voltage Vgs relies on the fringe capacitance such as the gate-to-drain capacitor Cgd or the gate-to-source capacitor Cgs. Applicants found that the capacitances of the gate-to-drain capacitor Cgd and the gate-to-source capacitor Cgs are related to a number of factors, which at least include the width of the channel layer 212CL, the depth De or the permittivity of the dielectric layer 212DL, and a layout area or a dimensional size of the second switch 212. Therefore, by adjusting at least one of these related factors, it is able to implement a switch having a parasitic capacitor whose capacitance is sufficient to stably maintain the gate-to-source voltage Vgs.
The pixel element P(x, y) further includes a first switch 211, a second switch 212, and a third switch 213. The first switch 211 has a control terminal for receiving a sample control signal SAMPLE. The second switch 212 has a control terminal 212g coupled to a pixel electrode (denoted as a node PE) of the image data storage capacitor C via the first switch 211. The second switch 212 further has a first data terminal 212s coupled to the corresponding source line Dx of the pixel element P(x, y), and a second data terminal 212d coupled to the image data storage capacitor C via the third switch 213. The third switch 213 has a control terminal for receiving a refresh control signal REFRESH, and two data terminals coupled between the second switch 212 and the image data storage capacitor C. In practice, the pixel element P(x, y) is referred to as an MIP with 4 T, i.e., four switches, one of which, i.e., the second switch 212 in this example, has both the characteristics of a switch and a capacitive element or a memory for the MIP.
In this pixel element P(x, y), there is a parasitic gate capacitance existing on the control terminal of the second switch 212. The parasitic gate capacitor is designed as being sufficient to maintain the biased voltage of the control terminal 212g. Therefore, the second switch 212 can be regarded as having an equivalent circuit of a switch, as well as a capacitive element or a memory connected between for example its control terminal 212g and the corresponding source line Dx. In this way, an extra memory between the control terminal 212g and the corresponding source line Dx can be saved, thus realizing high aperture ratio or high resolution.
In a practical example, in order to realize high aperture ratio, these switches 211, 212, and 213 are for example about their minimal acceptable dimensional sizes. At this time, the second switch 212 has its physical structure different from that of the first and third switches 211 and 213 since it serves not only a switch but also a capacitive element. In correspondence thereto, the second switch 212 may have a parasitic gate capacitor whose capacitance is for example larger than that of the two switches 211 and 213, but smaller than that of the image data storage capacitor C.
In an embodiment, these switches 211, 212, and 213 can be implemented by thin film transistors as in
More specifically, the operation of refreshing the pixel element P(x, y) in
Then, refer to a precharge phase in
After that, refer to a refresh phase in
Analogically, the pixel voltage Vpix(black) for binary low image data can also be refreshed properly, as can be seen from
In view of aforementioned description for the operation of the pixel element P(x, y), the second switch 212 is not only served or behaves as a switch element but also a capacitor for storing image data. Therefore, the second switch 212 can be regarded as having an equivalent circuit of a switch, as well as a capacitive element or a memory connected between for example its control terminal 212g and the corresponding source line Dx. In this way, an extra memory between the control terminal 212g and the corresponding source line Dx can be saved, thus realizing high aperture ratio or high resolution.
According to the switch circuit, the pixel element and the display panel disclosed in the embodiments of the invention, a parasite gate capacitor existing in a switch is served as a memory for use in an MIP. In this way, high aperture ratio, or high resolution can be realized.
While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of the preferred embodiment(s), it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. On the contrary, it 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.