Organic light emitting display and driving method thereof

• US 20060071221A1
• Filed: 09/20/2005
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Inventors: Oh, Choon Yul, Park, Sung Chon
• Application Number:
  US11/231,372
• Publication Number:
  US 20060071221A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/89
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0465 Improved aperture ratio, e.g. by size reduction of the pixel circuit, e.g. for improving the pixel density or the maximum displayable luminance or brightness
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0804 Sub-multiplexed active matrix panel, i.e. wherein one active driving circuit is used at pixel level for multiple image producing elements
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0842 forming a memory circuit, e.g. a dynamic memory with one capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0861 with additional control of the display period without amending the charge stored in a pixel memory, e.g. by means of additional select electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0224 Details of interlacing
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3233 with pixel circuitry controlling the current through the light-emitting element
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/399 using two or more bit-mapped memories, the operations of which are switched in time, e.g. ping-pong buffers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/12 Active-matrix OLED [AMOLED] displays
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/131 Interconnections, e.g. wiring lines or terminals

Abstract

An organic light emitting display and a driving method thereof, with an improved aperture ratio is disclosed. In one embodiment, the organic light emitting display comprises: a plurality of scan lines and a plurality of emission control lines, which are arranged in a horizontal direction; a plurality of data lines arranged in a vertical direction; and a pixel portion comprising a plurality of pixel circuits electrically connected to the scan line, the emission control line and the data line, wherein each pixel circuit is connected to two organic light emitting diodes placed on different two horizontal lines, and two emission control lines are connected to the organic light emitting diodes placed on two horizontal lines in a zigzag pattern. With this configuration, the present invention provides an organic light emitting display and a driving method thereof, in which organic light emitting diodes placed on two horizontal lines are controlled by one scan line, so that the number of scan lines can be decreased, thereby reducing manufacturing costs and enhancing the aperture ratio. Further, the organic light emitting diodes placed on two horizontal line are sequentially driven by one control circuit for one frame period, to further improve the aperture ratio.

Claims

1. An organic light emitting display comprising:

a plurality of scan lines arranged in a horizontal direction;

a plurality of emission control lines arranged in the horizontal direction;

a plurality of data lines arranged in a vertical direction; and

a pixel portion comprising a plurality of pixel circuits electrically connected to the scan line, the emission control line and the data line,

wherein each pixel circuit is connected to two organic light emitting diodes placed on different two horizontal lines, and two emission control lines are zigzag connected to the organic light emitting diodes placed on two horizontal lines.

2. The organic light emitting display according to claim 1, wherein each scan line is provided in every two horizontal lines and connected to the pixel circuit.

3. The organic light emitting display according to claim 2, wherein the emission control lines are provided in every horizontal line and connected to the pixel circuit.

4. The organic light emitting display according to claim 1, wherein each pixel circuit comprises:

a driving unit connected to the scan line and the data line;

a first sequence control unit connected between the driving unit and a first organic light emitting diode between two organic light emitting diodes; and

a second sequence control unit connected between the driving unit and a second organic light emitting diode between two organic light emitting diodes.

5. The organic light emitting display according to claim 4, wherein the (i−

1)^th emission control line is connected to the first sequence control unit that is disposed on a odd numbered vertical line among the first sequence control units placed on the (i−

1)^th horizontal line, and is connected to the second sequence control unit that is disposed on an even numbered vertical line among the second sequence control units placed on the i^th horizontal line, where i is a natural number.

6. The organic light emitting display according to claim 5, wherein the i^th emission control line is connected to the first sequence control unit that is disposed on the even numbered vertical line among the first sequence control units placed on the (i−

1)^th horizontal line, and is connected to the second sequence control unit that is disposed on the odd numbered vertical line among the second sequence control units placed on the i^th horizontal line.

7. The organic light emitting display according to claim 4, wherein the (i−

1)^th emission control line is connected to the first sequence control unit that is disposed on an even numbered vertical line among the first sequence control units placed on the (i−

1)^th horizontal line, and is connected to the second sequence control unit that is disposed on the odd numbered vertical line among the second sequence control units placed on the i^th horizontal line, where i is a natural number.

8. The organic light emitting display according to claim 7, wherein the i^th emission control line is connected to the first sequence control unit that is disposed on the odd numbered vertical line among the first sequence control units placed on the (i−

1)^th horizontal line, and is connected to the second sequence control unit that is disposed on the even numbered vertical line among the second sequence control units placed on the i^th horizontal line.

9. The organic light emitting display according to claim 4, wherein the driving unit comprises:

a first transistor connected to the scan line and the data line;

a storage capacitor to be charged with voltage corresponding to a data signal transmitted though the data line;

a second transistor to supply current corresponding to the voltage charged in the storage capacitor.

10. The organic light emitting display according to claim 9, wherein the first sequence control unit comprises a third transistor connected between the second transistor and the first organic light emitting diode.

11. The organic light emitting display according to claim 9, wherein the second sequence control unit comprises a fourth transistor connected between the second transistor and the second organic light emitting diode.

12. An organic light emitting display comprising:

a scan driver to drive a plurality of scan line and a plurality of emission control lines;

a mapping unit to generate second data by rearranging external first data;

a data driver to generate a data signal based on the second data and supply the data signal to a plurality of data lines;

a pixel portion comprising a plurality of pixel circuits electrically connected to the scan lines, the emission control lines and the data lines,

wherein the mapping unit generates the second data to zigzag supply the data signal to the organic light emitting diodes placed on different two horizontal lines.

13. The organic light emitting display according to claim 12, wherein the pixel circuit is electrically connected to one scan line and two emission control lines.

14. The organic light emitting display according to claim 13, wherein one frame is divided at least two fields.

15. The organic light emitting display according to claim 14, wherein the scan driver sequentially supplies scan signals to the scan lines in the respective fields.

16. The organic light emitting display according to claim 15, wherein the scan driver sequentially supplies turning-on signals to an odd numbered emission control line among the emission control lines while sequentially supplying the scan signals to the scan lines in a first field period between two fields, and sequentially supplies the turning-on signals to an even numbered emission control line among the emission control lines while sequentially supplying the scan signals to the scan lines in a second field period.

17. The organic light emitting display according to claim 15, wherein the scan driver sequentially supplies turning-on signals to an even numbered emission control line among the emission control lines while sequentially supplying the scan signals to the scan lines in a first field period between two fields, and sequentially supplies the turning-on signals to an odd numbered emission control line among the emission control lines while sequentially supplying the scan signals to the scan lines in a second field period.

18. The organic light emitting display according to claim 16, wherein the supplying period of the turning-on signal is shorter than each field period.

19. The organic light emitting display according to claim 14, wherein the mapping unit comprises:

first and second line memories to store first data corresponding to one horizontal line, respectively;

a first extractor to extract some data from the first data stored in the first line memory;

a second extractor to extract some data from the second data stored in the second line memory; and

an arranger to generate the second data by rearranging the data extracted by the first and second extractors.

20. The organic light emitting display according to claim 19, wherein the first extractor extracts the first data to be supplied to an odd numbered data line from the first data stored in the first line memory in the first field period between two fields, and the second extractor extracts the first data to be supplied to an even numbered data line from the first data stored in the second line memory in the first field period between two fields.

21. The organic light emitting display according to claim 20, wherein the first extractor extracts the first data to be supplied to the even numbered data line from the first data stored in the second line memory in the first field period between two fields, and the second extractor extracts the first data to be supplied to the odd numbered data line from the first data stored in the second line memory in the second field period between two fields.

22. The organic light emitting display according to claim 19, wherein the first extractor extracts the first data to be supplied to an even numbered data line from the first data stored in the first line memory in the first field period between two fields, and the second extractor extracts the first data to be supplied to an odd numbered data line from the first data stored in the second line memory in the first field period between two fields.

23. The organic light emitting display according to claim 22, wherein the first extractor extracts the first data to be supplied to the odd numbered data line from the first data stored in the second line memory in the first field period between two fields, and the second extractor extracts the first data to be supplied to the even numbered data line from the first data stored in the second line memory in the second field period between two fields.

24. The organic light emitting display according to claim 19, wherein the arranger alternately arranges the first data extracted by the first and second extractors to generate the second data.

25. The organic light emitting display according to claim 14, wherein each pixel circuit comprises:

a driving unit connected to the scan line and the data line;

a first sequence control unit connected between the driving unit and a first organic light emitting diode between two organic light emitting diodes; and

a second sequence control unit connected between the driving unit and a second organic light emitting diode between two organic light emitting diodes.

26. The organic light emitting display according to claim 25, wherein the (i−

1)^th emission control line is connected to the first sequence control unit that is disposed on a odd numbered vertical line among the first sequence control units placed on the (i−

1)^th horizontal line, and is connected to the second sequence control unit that is disposed on an even numbered vertical line among the second sequence control units placed on the i^th horizontal line, where i is a natural number.

27. The organic light emitting display according to claim 26, wherein the i^th emission control line is connected to the first sequence control unit that is disposed on the even numbered vertical line among the first sequence control units placed on the (i-1)^th horizontal line, and is connected to the second sequence control unit that is disposed on the odd numbered vertical line among the second sequence control units placed on the i^th horizontal line.

28. The organic light emitting display according to claim 25, wherein the (i−

1)^th emission control line is connected to the first sequence control unit that is disposed on an even numbered vertical line among the first sequence control units placed on the (i−

1)^th horizontal line, and is connected to the second sequence control unit that is disposed on the odd numbered vertical line among the second sequence control units placed on the i^th horizontal line, where i is a natural number.

29. The organic light emitting display according to claim 28, wherein the i^th emission control line is connected to the first sequence control unit that is disposed on the odd numbered vertical line among the first sequence control units placed on the (i−

1)^th horizontal line, and is connected to the second sequence control unit that is disposed on the even numbered vertical line among the second sequence control units placed on the i^th horizontal line.

30. The organic light emitting display according to claim 25, wherein the driving unit comprises:

a first transistor connected to the scan line and the data line;

a storage capacitor to be charged with voltage corresponding to a data signal transmitted though the data line;

a second transistor to supply current corresponding to the voltage charged in the storage capacitor.

31. The organic light emitting display according to claim 30, wherein the first sequence control unit comprises a third transistor connected between the second transistor and the first organic light emitting diode.

32. The organic light emitting display according to claim 30, wherein the second sequence control unit comprises a fourth transistor connected between the second transistor and the second organic light emitting diode.

33. A method of driving an organic light emitting display, comprising:

controlling control circuits electrically connected two organic light emitting diodes placed different horizontal lines to control the organic light emitting diodes placed difference horizontal lines to zigzag emit light for a first field period of a frame; and

controlling the other organic light emitting diodes that does not emit light for the first period to emit light for a second field period of the frame.

34. The method according to claim 33, wherein the organic light emitting diode that is disposed on an odd numbered vertical line among the organic light emitting diodes placed on a first horizontal line of the different horizontal lines, and the organic light emitting diode that is disposed on an even numbered vertical line among the organic light emitting diodes placed on a second horizontal line of the different horizontal lines, are controlled to emit light for the first field period.

35. The method according to claim 34, wherein the organic light emitting diode that is disposed on the even numbered vertical line among the organic light emitting diodes placed on a first horizontal line of the different horizontal lines, and the organic light emitting diode that is disposed on the odd numbered vertical line among the organic light emitting diodes placed on a second horizontal line of the different horizontal lines, are controlled to emit light for the second field period.

36. The method according to claim 33, wherein the organic light emitting diode that is disposed on an even numbered vertical line among the organic light emitting diodes placed on a first horizontal line of the different horizontal lines, and the organic light emitting diode that is disposed on an odd numbered vertical line among the organic light emitting diodes placed on a second horizontal line of the different horizontal lines, are controlled to emit light for the first field period.

37. The method according to claim 36, wherein the organic light emitting diode that is disposed on the odd numbered vertical line among the organic light emitting diodes placed on a first horizontal line of the different horizontal lines, and the organic light emitting diode that is disposed on the even numbered vertical line among the organic light emitting diodes placed on a second horizontal line of the different horizontal lines, are controlled to emit light for the second field period.

38. An organic light emitting display comprising:

a plurality of scan lines arranged in a horizontal direction;

a plurality of emission control lines arranged in the horizontal direction;

a plurality of data lines arranged in a vertical direction; and

a scan driver to drive the plurality of scan lines and the plurality of emission control lines;

a mapping unit to generate second data by rearranging external first data;

a data driver to generate a data signal based on the second data and supply the data signal to the plurality of data lines;

a pixel portion comprising a plurality of pixel circuits electrically connected to the scan lines, the emission control lines and the data lines, wherein each of said pixel circuits comprise two organic light emitting diodes disposed on different horizontal lines of the organic light emitting display,

wherein the second data mapping unit generates the second data used to supply the drive signal to the pixel circuits, and

wherein the scan driver supplies a drive signal based on the second data to drive light emitting diodes to emit light in a zigzag pattern.

39. The organic light emitting display according to claim 38, wherein each pixel circuit is electrically connected to one scan line and two emission control lines.

40. The organic light emitting display according to claim 38, wherein the second data is divided into a plurality of frames, and wherein each frame is divided into at least two fields.

41. The organic light emitting display according to claim 40, wherein the organic light emitting diodes are configured to correspond to two fields.

42. The organic light emitting display according to claim 38, wherein the scan driver sequentially supplies scan signals to the scan lines in the respective two fields.

43. The organic light emitting display according to claim 38, wherein the scan driver sequentially supplies turn-on signals to an odd numbered emission control line among the emission control lines while sequentially supplying the scan signals to the scan lines in a first field display period, and sequentially supplies the turn-on signals to an even numbered emission control line among the emission control lines while sequentially supplying the scan signals to the scan lines in a second field display period.

44. The organic light emitting display according to claim 43, wherein the scan driver sequentially supplies turn-on signals to an even numbered emission control line among the emission control lines while sequentially supplying the scan signals to the scan lines in a first field display period, and sequentially supplies the turn-on signals to an odd numbered emission control line among the emission control lines while sequentially supplying the scan signals to the scan lines in a second field display period.

45. The organic light emitting display according to claim 43, wherein the supplying period of the turn-on signal is shorter than each field period.

46. The organic light emitting display according to claim 40, wherein the mapping unit comprises:

first and second line memories to store first data corresponding to one horizontal line, respectively;

a first extractor to extract selected data from the first data stored in the first line memory;

a second extractor to extract selected data from the second data stored in the second line memory; and

an arranger to generate the second data by rearranging the data extracted by the first and second extractors.

47. The organic light emitting display according to claim 46, wherein the first extractor extracts the first data to be supplied to an odd numbered data line from the first data stored in the first line memory in the first field period between two fields, and the second extractor extracts the first data to be supplied to an even numbered data line from the first data stored in the second line memory in the first field period between two fields.

48. The organic light emitting display according to claim 47, wherein the first extractor extracts the first data to be supplied to the even numbered data line from the first data stored in the second line memory in the first field period between two fields, and the second extractor extracts the first data to be supplied to the odd numbered data line from the first data stored in the second line memory in the second field period between two fields.

49. The organic light emitting display according to claim 46, wherein the first extractor extracts the first data to be supplied to an even numbered data line from the first data stored in the first line memory in the first field period between two fields, and the second extractor extracts the first data to be supplied to an odd numbered data line from the first data stored in the second line memory in the first field period between two fields.

50. The organic light emitting display according to claim 49, wherein the first extractor extracts the first data to be supplied to the odd numbered data line from the first data stored in the second line memory in the first field period between two fields, and the second extractor extracts the first data to be supplied to the even numbered data line from the first data stored in the second line memory in the second field period between two fields.

51. The organic light emitting display according to claim 46, wherein the arranger alternately arranges the first data extracted by the first and second extractors to generate the second data.

52. The organic light emitting display according to claim 40, wherein each pixel circuit comprises:

a driving unit connected to a scan line and a data line;

a first sequence control unit connected between the driving unit and a first one of the organic light emitting diodes; and

a second sequence control unit connected between the driving unit and a second one of the organic light emitting diodes.

53. The organic light emitting display according to claim 52, wherein the (i−

1)^th emission control line is connected to the first sequence control unit that is disposed on a odd numbered vertical line among the first sequence control units placed on the (i−

1) horizontal line, and is connected to the second sequence control unit that is disposed on an even numbered vertical line among the second sequence control units placed on the i^th horizontal line, where i is a natural number.

54. The organic light emitting display according to claim 53, wherein the i^th emission control line is connected to the first sequence control unit that is disposed on the even numbered vertical line among the first sequence control units placed on the (i−

1)^th horizontal line, and is connected to the second sequence control unit that is disposed on the odd numbered vertical line among the second sequence control units placed on the i^th horizontal line.

55. The organic light emitting display according to claim 52, wherein the (i−

1)^th emission control line is connected to the first sequence control unit that is disposed on an even numbered vertical line among the first sequence control units placed on the (i−

1)^th horizontal line, and is connected to the second sequence control unit that is disposed on the odd numbered vertical line among the second sequence control units placed on the i^th horizontal line, where i is a natural number.

56. The organic light emitting display according to claim 55, wherein the i^th emission control line is connected to the first sequence control unit that is disposed on the odd numbered vertical line among the first sequence control units placed on the (i−

1)^th horizontal line, and is connected to the second sequence control unit that is disposed on the even numbered vertical line among the second sequence control units placed on the i^th horizontal line.

57. The organic light emitting display according to claim 52, wherein the driving unit comprises:

a first transistor connected to the scan line and the data line;

a storage capacitor to be charged with voltage corresponding to a data signal transmitted though the data line; and

a second transistor to supply current corresponding to the voltage charged in the storage capacitor.

58. The organic light emitting display according to claim 57, wherein the first sequence control unit comprises a third transistor connected between the second transistor and the first organic light emitting diode.

59. The organic light emitting display according to claim 57, wherein the second sequence control unit comprises a fourth transistor connected between the second transistor and the second organic light emitting diode.

60. A method of driving an organic light emitting display, comprising:

controlling a plurality of control circuits, each continual circuit being electrically connected to two organic light emitting diodes placed on different horizontal lines, to emit light for a first field period of a frame in a first zigzag pattern; and

controlling the organic light emitting diodes that do not emit light for the first period to emit light for a second field period of the frame in a second zigzag pattern.

61. The method according to claim 60, wherein the organic light emitting diode that is disposed on an odd numbered vertical line among the organic light emitting diodes is placed on a first horizontal line of the different horizontal lines, and the organic light emitting diode that is disposed on an even numbered vertical line among the organic light emitting diodes is placed on a second horizontal line of the different horizontal lines, are controlled to emit light for the first field period.

62. The method according to claim 61, wherein the organic light emitting diode that is disposed on the even numbered vertical line among the organic light emitting diodes is placed on a first horizontal line of the different horizontal lines, and the organic light emitting diode that is disposed on the odd numbered vertical line among the organic light emitting diodes is placed on a second horizontal line of the different horizontal lines, are controlled to emit light for the second field period.

63. The method according to claim 62, wherein the organic light emitting diode that is disposed on an even numbered vertical line among the organic light emitting diodes is placed on a first horizontal line of the different horizontal lines, and the organic light emitting diode that is disposed on an odd numbered vertical line among the organic light emitting diodes is placed on a second horizontal line of the different horizontal lines, are controlled to emit light for the first field period.

64. The method according to claim 63, wherein the organic light emitting diode that is disposed on the odd numbered vertical line among the organic light emitting diodes is placed on a first horizontal line of the different horizontal lines, and the organic light emitting diode that is disposed on the even numbered vertical line among the organic light emitting diodes is placed on a second horizontal line of the different horizontal lines, are controlled to emit light for the second field period.