Driving voltage generation device and method for controlling driving voltage generation device

• US 20050206602A1
• Filed: 03/10/2005
• Published: 09/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Collabo Innovations, Inc. (Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kojima, Tomokazu
• Granted Patent: US 7,411,585 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/96
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3655 Details of drivers for counter electrodes, e.g. common electrodes for pixel capacitors or supplementary storage capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3696 Generation of voltages supplied to electrode drivers

Abstract

A driving voltage generation device includes: a first selector section for receiving a plurality of first supply voltages and outputting one of the first supply voltages; a second selector section for receiving a plurality of second supply voltages and outputting one of the second supply voltages; first to fourth switches connected in series between the first selector section and the second selector section; a first specified voltage supply section for supplying a first specified voltage to a first interconnection node between the first switch and the second switch; and a second specified voltage supply section for supplying a second specified voltage to a second interconnection node between the third switch and the fourth switch. The first specified voltage supply section does not supply the first specified voltage when the first switch is on. The second specified voltage supply section does not supply the second specified voltage when the fourth switch is on. An output of the first specified voltage supply section has a lower impedance than that of the second selector section. An output of the second specified voltage supply section has a lower impedance than that of the first selector section.

Claims

1. A driving voltage generation device, comprising:

a first selector section for receiving a plurality of first supply voltages and outputting one of the first supply voltages;

a second selector section for receiving a plurality of second supply voltages and outputting one of the second supply voltages;

first to fourth switches connected in series between the first selector section and the second selector section;

a first specified voltage supply section for supplying a first specified voltage to a first interconnection node between the first switch and the second switch; and

a second specified voltage supply section for supplying a second specified voltage to a second interconnection node between the third switch and the fourth switch, wherein;

the first switch is connected between the first selector section and the second switch;

the second switch is connected between the first switch and the third switch;

the third switch is connected between the second switch and the fourth switch;

the fourth switch is connected between the third switch and the second selector section;

the first specified voltage supply section does not supply the first specified voltage when the first switch is on;

the second specified voltage supply section does not supply the second specified voltage when the fourth switch is on;

an output of the first specified voltage supply section has a lower impedance than that of the second selector section; and

an output of the second specified voltage supply section has a lower impedance than that of the first selector section.

2. The driving voltage generation device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first ladder resistor connected in series between a first reference node receiving a first reference voltage and a second reference node receiving a second reference voltage for generating N (N is a natural number) first supply voltages of different voltage levels; and

a second ladder resistor connected in series between a third reference node receiving a third reference voltage and a fourth reference node receiving a fourth reference voltage for generating M (M is a natural number) second supply voltages of different voltage levels, wherein;

the first selector section outputs one of the N first supply voltages generated by the first ladder resistor;

the second selector section outputs one of the M second supply voltages generated by the second ladder resistor;

the first specified voltage supply section includes a fifth switch connected between a first input node receiving the first specified voltage and the first interconnection node;

the second specified voltage supply section includes a sixth switch connected between a second input node receiving the second specified voltage and the second interconnection node;

the fifth switch is off when the first switch is on; and

the sixth switch is off when the fourth switch is on.

3. The driving voltage generation device according to claim 2, wherein:

an on resistance of the fifth switch is smaller than a resistance of the second ladder resistor; and

an on resistance of the sixth switch is smaller than a resistance of the first ladder resistor.

4. The driving voltage generation device according to claim 2, wherein:

the first reference voltage is higher than the second reference voltage;

the third reference voltage is higher than the fourth reference voltage;

the first specified voltage satisfies

(second reference voltage)≦

(first specified voltage)≦

(first reference voltage);

and

the second specified voltage satisfies

(fourth reference voltage)≦

(second specified voltage)≦

(third reference voltage).

5. The driving voltage generation device according to claim 2, wherein:

the first ladder resistor includes N first taps for outputting the N supply voltages;

the second ladder resistor includes M second taps for outputting the M supply voltages;

the first selector section includes N first selection transistors corresponding respectively to the N first taps included in the first ladder resistor;

the second selector section includes M second selection transistors corresponding respectively to the M second taps included in the second ladder resistor;

each of the N first selection transistors is connected between the corresponding first tap and the first switch-transistor; and

each of the M second selection transistors is connected between the corresponding second tap and the second switch transistor.

6. The driving voltage generation device according to claim 2, further comprising a control section for controlling the first to sixth switch transistors, the control section having first to fourth modes, wherein:

in the first mode, the control section turns off the first, second and sixth switch transistors and turns on the third, fourth and fifth switch transistors;

in the second mode, the control section turns off the first, third and sixth switch transistors and turns on the second, fourth and fifth switch transistors;

in the third mode, the control section turns on the first, second and sixth switch transistors and turns off the third, fourth and fifth switch transistors; and

in the fourth mode, the control section turns on the first, third and sixth switch transistors and turns off the second, fourth and fifth switch transistors.

13. The driving voltage generation device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first differential amplifier circuit connected between the first selector section and the first switch; and

a second differential amplifier circuit connected between the second selector section and the fourth switch.

7. A driving voltage generation device, comprising:

a first selector section for receiving a plurality of first supply voltages and selecting one of the first supply voltages;

a supply current generation section for generating a supply current having a current value according to an amplitude signal indicating a predetermined potential difference;

first to fourth switches connected in series between the first selector section and the supply current generation section;

a first line connecting the first selector section and the first switch with each other;

a second line connecting the supply current generation section and the fourth switch with each other;

a second resistor connected between a first node along the first line and a second node along the second line;

a clamp circuit connected to the first line for restricting a potential at the first line within a predetermined range;

a first specified voltage supply section for outputting a first specified voltage to a first interconnection node between the first switch and the second switch; and

a second specified voltage supply section for outputting a second specified voltage to a second interconnection node between the third switch and the fourth switch, wherein;

the first switch is connected between the first selector section and the second switch;

the second switch is connected between the first switch and the third switch;

the third switch is connected between the second switch and the fourth switch;

the fourth switch is connected between the third switch and the supply current generation section;

the first specified voltage supply section does not output the first specified voltage when the first switch is on;

the second specified voltage supply section does not output the second specified voltage when the fourth switch is on;

an impedance of an output of the first specified voltage supply section is lower than that of an output of the supply current generation section; and

an impedance of an output of the second specified voltage supply section is lower than that of an output of the first selector section.

8. The driving voltage generation device according to claim 7, further comprising a first differential amplifier circuit connected between the first node along the first line and the first selector section, wherein:

the supply current generation section includes;

a first supply transistor and a second resistor connected in series between a first reference node and a second reference node;

a second differential amplifier circuit having one input terminal connected to an interconnection node between the first supply transistor and the second resistor, another input terminal at which to receive the amplitude signal, and an output terminal connected to a gate of the first supply transistor; and

a second supply transistor, a first clamp transistor and a second clamp transistor connected in series between the second node along the second line and the first reference node;

the second supply transistor is connected between the first reference node and the first clamp transistor, and receives at the gate thereof a gate voltage generated at the gate of the first supply transistor;

the first clamp transistor is connected between the first supply transistor and the second clamp transistor, and receives at the gate thereof a first bias voltage; and

the second clamp transistor is connected between the second node along the second line and the first clamp transistor, and receives at the gate thereof a second bias voltage.

9. The driving voltage generation device according to claim 8, wherein a voltage value of the first bias voltage is such that a gate-source voltage of the first clamp transistor is equal to a voltage value of the amplitude information.

10. The driving voltage generation device according to claim 8, wherein a voltage value of the second bias voltage is equal to a gate-source voltage of the second clamp transistor.

11. The driving voltage generation device according to claim 7, further comprising a first differential amplifier circuit connected between the first node along the first line and the first selector section, wherein:

the supply current generation section includes;

a first supply transistor and a second resistor connected in series between a first reference node and a second reference node;

a second differential amplifier circuit having one input terminal connected to an interconnection node between the first supply transistor and the second resistor, another input terminal at which to receive the amplitude signal, and an output terminal connected to a gate of the first supply transistor;

a second supply transistor, a first clamp transistor, a second clamp transistor and a third supply transistor connected in series between the first reference node and a third reference node; and

a third clamp transistor and a fourth supply transistor connected in series between the second node along the second line and the third reference node;

the second supply transistor is connected between the first reference node and the first clamp transistor, and receives at the gate thereof a gate voltage generated at the gate of the first supply transistor;

the first clamp transistor is connected between the first supply transistor and the second clamp transistor, and receives at the gate thereof a first bias voltage;

the second clamp transistor is connected between the first clamp transistor and the third supply transistor, and receives at the gate thereof a second bias voltage;

the third supply transistor is connected between the second clamp transistor and the third reference node, with a gate and a drain thereof being connected to each other;

the third clamp transistor is connected between the second node along the second line and the fourth supply transistor, and receives at the gate thereof a third bias voltage; and

the fourth supply transistor is connected between the third clamp transistor and the third reference node, and receives at the gate thereof a gate voltage generated at the gate of the third supply transistor.

12. The driving voltage generation device according to claim 11, wherein:

a gate-source voltage of the second clamp transistor is equal to a gate-source voltage of the third clamp transistor; and

the second and third bias voltages are equal to the gate-source voltage of the second clamp transistor and/or the gate-source voltage of the third clamp transistor.

14. The driving voltage generation device according to claim 8, further comprising:

a first differential amplifier circuit connected between the first node along the first line and the first selector section; and

a second differential amplifier circuit connected between the second node along the second line and the fourth switch.

15. A method for controlling a driving voltage generation device, the driving voltage generation device comprising:

a first selector section for receiving a plurality of first supply voltages and outputting one of the first supply voltages;

a second selector section for receiving a plurality of second supply voltages and outputting one of the second supply voltages;

first to fourth switches connected in series between the first selector section and the second selector section;

a fifth switch connected between a first interconnection node and a first input node receiving a first specified voltage, the first interconnection node being present between the first switch and the second switch; and

a sixth switch connected between a second interconnection node and a second input node receiving a second specified voltage, the second interconnection node being present between the third switch and the fourth switch, wherein;

an impedance of the first specified voltage supplied via the fifth switch is lower than that of an output of the second selector section; and

an impedance of the second specified voltage supplied via the sixth switch is lower than an output of the first selector section, the control method comprising;

a step (A) of turning off the first, second and sixth switches and turning on the third, fourth and fifth switches;

a step (B) of turning off the first, second and sixth switches and turning on the third, fourth and fifth switches;

a step (C) of turning on the third switch and turning on the second switch, and then turning on the first and sixth switches and turning off the fourth and fifth switches, the step (C) being performed when an operation is switched from the step (A) to the step (B); and

a step (D) of turning on the second switch and turning off the third switch, and then turning on the fourth and sixth switches and turning off the first and sixth switches, the step (D) being performed when an operation is switched from the step (B) to the step (A).