METHOD FOR DRIVING LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY DEVICE

• US 20110175873A1
• Filed: 01/13/2011
• Published: 07/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: MIYAKE, Hiroyuki
• Granted Patent: US 8,773,338 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/207
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13624 having more than one switching element per pixel
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2203/09 transflective
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0235 Field-sequential colour display
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/103 Detection of image changes, e.g. determination of an index representative of the image change
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/021 Power management, e.g. power saving
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/023 using energy recovery or conservation
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0435 Change or adaptation of the frame rate of the video stream
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3648 using an active matrix G09G3/367 - G09G3/3696 take precedence

Abstract

In an image signal writing period, a first image signal is supplied to a first liquid crystal element and a first capacitor from a first signal line. In a backlight lighting period, display is performed in a light-transmitting pixel portion in response to the first image signal. In a black grayscale signal writing period, a signal for black display is supplied to a second liquid crystal element and a second capacitor from a second signal line. In a still image signal writing period, a second image signal is supplied to the first liquid crystal element, the first capacitor, the second liquid crystal element, and the second capacitor from the first signal line. In a still image signal holding period, display is performed in the reflective pixel portion in response to the second image signal.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal display device comprising:

a pixel having a light-transmitting pixel portion and a reflective pixel portion,

the light-transmitting pixel portion comprising;

a first pixel transistor whose first terminal is electrically connected to a first signal line and whose gate is electrically connected to a scan line; and

a first liquid crystal element and a first capacitor which are electrically connected to a second terminal of the first pixel transistor,

the reflective pixel portion comprising;

a second pixel transistor whose first terminal is electrically connected to the second terminal of the first pixel transistor and whose gate is electrically connected to a first selection line;

a second liquid crystal element and a second capacitor which are electrically connected to a second terminal of the second pixel transistor; and

a third pixel transistor whose first terminal is electrically connected to a second signal line, whose gate is electrically connected to a second selection line, and whose second terminal is electrically connected to the second liquid crystal element and the second capacitor.

2. The liquid crystal display device, according to claim 1, further comprising:

an optical sensor which controls a backlight.

3. The liquid crystal display device, according to claim 1,

wherein at least one of the first pixel transistor, the second pixel transistor, and the third pixel transistor includes an oxide semiconductor layer.

4. The liquid crystal display device, according to claim 1,

wherein a carrier concentration of at least one of the first pixel transistor, the second pixel transistor, and the third pixel transistor is lower than 1×

10¹⁴/cm³.

5. The liquid crystal display device, according to claim 1,

wherein an off-state current of at least one of the first pixel transistor, the second pixel transistor, and the third pixel transistor is less than or equal to 1×

10<sup>−

17</sup> A/μ

m.

6. The liquid crystal display device, according to claim 1,

wherein a part of the scan line and the first capacitor are provided so as to surround an electrode of the first liquid crystal element.

7. The liquid crystal display device, according to claim 1,

wherein the second pixel transistor and the second capacitor are provided to overlap with an electrode of the second liquid crystal element.

8. A method for driving a liquid crystal display device comprising a plurality of pixels,

wherein each of the pixels comprises a light-transmitting pixel portion and a reflective pixel portion,

wherein the light-transmitting pixel portion comprises a first pixel transistor whose first terminal is electrically connected to a first signal line and whose gate is electrically connected to a scan line, and a first liquid crystal element and a first capacitor which are electrically connected to a second terminal of the first pixel transistor, and

wherein the reflective pixel portion comprises a second pixel transistor whose first terminal is electrically connected to the second terminal of the first pixel transistor and whose gate is electrically connected to a first selection line, a second liquid crystal element and a second capacitor which are electrically connected to a second terminal of the second pixel transistor, and a third pixel transistor whose first terminal is electrically connected to a second signal line, whose gate is electrically connected to a second selection line, and whose second terminal is electrically connected to the second liquid crystal element and the second capacitor,

the method for driving the liquid crystal display device, comprising the steps of:

in a first period, turning on the first pixel transistor, turning off the second pixel transistor, and supplying a first image signal to the first liquid crystal element and the first capacitor from the first signal line;

in a second period, performing display in the light-transmitting pixel portion in response to the first image signal supplied in the first period;

in a third period, turning on the third pixel transistor, and supplying a signal for black display to the second liquid crystal element and the second capacitor from the second signal line;

repeating the first to third periods so that a moving image is displayed;

in a fourth period, turning on the first pixel transistor, turning on the second pixel transistor, turning off the third pixel transistor, and supplying a second image signal to the first liquid crystal element, the first capacitor, the second liquid crystal element, and the second capacitor from the first signal line;

in a fifth period, performing display in the reflective pixel portion in response to the second image signal supplied in the fourth period; and

repeating the fourth and fifth periods so that a still image is displayed.

9. The method for driving a liquid crystal display device, according to claim 8,

wherein the first image signal is an image signal corresponding to any color of R, G, and B, and

wherein a backlight which emits the corresponding color of R, G, and B is sequentially operated in the second period.

10. The method for driving a liquid crystal display device, according to claim 8,

wherein the second image signal is an image signal for displaying an image at a lower grayscale level than an image of the first image signal.

11. The method for driving a liquid crystal display device, according to claim 8,

wherein time for displaying one image in the fourth and fifth periods is longer than time for displaying one image in the first to third periods.

12. The method for driving a liquid crystal display device, according to claim 8,

wherein supply of a driver circuit control signal for driving the scan line and the first signal line is stopped in the fifth period.

13. The method for driving a liquid crystal display device, according to claim 8, further comprising the step of:

switching between a first mode including the first to third periods and a second mode including the fourth and fifth periods.

14. The method for driving a liquid crystal display device, according to claim 8, further comprising the step of:

switching between a first mode including the first to third periods and a second mode including the fourth and fifth periods is performed on basis of the first or second image signal.

15. The method for driving a liquid crystal display device, according to claim 8,

wherein a frame frequency is higher than or equal to 60 Hz in the first to third periods.

16. The method for driving a liquid crystal display device, according to claim 8,

wherein a frame frequency is lower than or equal to 0.017 Hz in the fourth and fifth periods.

17. The method for driving a liquid crystal display device, according to claim 8, further comprising the step of:

controlling a backlight by an optical sensor in the fifth period.

18. A method for driving a liquid crystal display device comprising a plurality of pixels,

wherein each of the pixels comprises a light-transmitting pixel portion and a reflective pixel portion,

wherein the light-transmitting pixel portion comprises a first pixel transistor whose first terminal is electrically connected to a first signal line and whose gate is electrically connected to a scan line, and a first liquid crystal element and a first capacitor which are electrically connected to a second terminal of the first pixel transistor, and

wherein the reflective pixel portion comprises a second pixel transistor whose first terminal is electrically connected to the second terminal of the first pixel transistor and whose gate is electrically connected to a first selection line, a second liquid crystal element and a second capacitor which are electrically connected to a second terminal of the second pixel transistor, and a third pixel transistor whose first terminal is electrically connected to a second signal line, whose gate is electrically connected to a second selection line, and whose second terminal is electrically connected to the second liquid crystal element and the second capacitor,

the method for driving the liquid crystal display device, comprising the steps of:

in a first period, turning on the first pixel transistor, turning off the second pixel transistor, turning off the third pixel transistor, and supplying a first image signal to the first liquid crystal element and the first capacitor from the first signal line;

in a second period, performing display in the light-transmitting pixel portion in response to the first image signal supplied in the first period;

in a third period, turning off the first pixel transistor, turning off the second pixel transistor, turning on the third pixel transistor, and supplying a signal for black display to the second liquid crystal element and the second capacitor from the second signal line in the reflective pixel portion;

repeating the first to third periods so that a moving image is displayed;

in a fourth period, turning on the first pixel transistor, turning on the second pixel transistor, turning off the third pixel transistor, and supplying a second image signal to the first liquid crystal element, the first capacitor, the second liquid crystal element, and the second capacitor from the first signal line;

in a fifth period, performing display in the reflective pixel portion in response to the second image signal supplied in the fourth period; and

repeating the fourth period and the fifth period so that a still image is displayed.

19. The method for driving a liquid crystal display device, according to claim 18,

wherein the first image signal is an image signal corresponding to any color of R, G, and B, and

wherein a backlight which emits the corresponding color of R, G, and B is sequentially operated in the second period.

20. The method for driving a liquid crystal display device, according to claim 18,

wherein the second image signal is an image signal for displaying an image at a lower grayscale level than an image of the first image signal.

21. The method for driving a liquid crystal display device, according to claim 18,

wherein time for displaying one image in the fourth and fifth periods is longer than time for displaying one image in the first to third periods.

22. The method for driving a liquid crystal display device, according to claim 18,

wherein supply of a driver circuit control signal for driving the scan line and the first signal line is stopped in the fifth period.

23. The method for driving a liquid crystal display device, according to claim 18, further comprising the step of:

switching between a first mode including the first to third periods and a second mode including the fourth and fifth periods.

24. The method for driving a liquid crystal display device, according to claim 18, further comprising the step of:

switching between a first mode including the first to third periods and a second mode including the fourth and fifth periods is performed on basis of the first or second image signal.

25. The method for driving a liquid crystal display device, according to claim 18,

wherein a frame frequency is higher than or equal to 60 Hz in the first to third periods.

26. The method for driving a liquid crystal display device, according to claim 18,

wherein a frame frequency is lower than or equal to 0.017 Hz in the fourth and fifth periods.

27. The method for driving a liquid crystal display device, according to claim 18, further comprising the step of:

controlling a backlight by an optical sensor in the fifth period.