Electroluminescent display device having uniform display element column luminosity

• US 5,973,456 A
• Filed: 01/28/1997
• Issued: 10/26/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Nishioka, Ken, Hattori, Tadashi, Kishita, Hiroyuki, Osada, Masahiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Wilson
• Application Number:
  US08/787,049
• Time in Patent Office: 1,001 Days
• Field of Search: 315/169.1, 315/169.3, 315/169.4, 315/169.2, 345/55, 345/76, 345/77
• US Class Current: 315/169.1
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0223 Compensation for problems related to R-C delay and attenuation in electrodes of matrix panels, e.g. in gate electrodes or on-substrate video signal electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/30 using electroluminescent panels

Abstract

To eliminate uneven luminance between columns, and along with this, to eliminate uneven luminance also among EL elements in several columns in an EL display device for performing matrix display, in a matrix type EL display device in which a scan voltage is sequentially applied to scan electrodes and EL elements are caused to electroluminesce by this scan voltage and a data voltage, a pulse width of the scan voltage is kept uniform, and together with this, a charging period for the EL elements is varied in accordance with a number of light emitting pixels in a line scanned and driven to eliminate uneven luminance between columns. Additionally, a holding period for holding a charging voltage is provided to alleviate differences in terminal voltages among the EL elements due to wiring resistance delay and to eliminate uneven luminance among the EL elements.

Claims

1. An EL display device comprising:

an EL display panel having an electroluminescing layer interposed between a plurality of scan electrodes and a plurality of data electrodes, a plurality of EL elements being formed at locations where said scan electrodes and said data electrodes intersect;

first voltage applying means for sequentially applying a voltage pulse to said plurality of scan electrodes; and

second voltage applying means for selectively applying a display voltage to said plurality of data electrodes;

wherein said plurality of EL elements are for emitting light by application of said voltage pulse and said display voltage; and

said first voltage applying means is for applying said voltage pulse to said plurality of scan electrodes by charging said plurality of EL elements during a charging period and holding a charging voltage thereof for a holding period, for detecting a number of EL elements which are to emit light by application of said voltage pulse and said display voltage, and for varying said charging period in accordance with said number of detected EL elements;

said first voltage applying means is further for holding said charging voltage by causing said plurality of scan electrodes to go to high impedance.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said first voltage applying means is further for maintaining an overall period of said charging period and said holding period to be uniform.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein said first voltage applying means is for establishing said charging period to be at least a minimum period.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein said first voltage applying means is for restricting said charging period so that it does not exceed a maximum period.

5. The device of claim 2, wherein said first voltage applying means is for restricting said charging period so that it does not exceed a maximum period.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein said first voltage applying means is for establishing said charging period to be at least a minimum period.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein said first voltage applying means is for restricting said charging period so that it does not exceed a maximum period.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein said first voltage applying means is for restricting said charging period so that it does not exceed a maximum period.

13. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a first power source for supplying voltage to said first voltage applying means through a first supplying path; and

a second power source for supplying voltage differing from voltage supplied from said first power source to said first voltage applying means through a second supplying path;

wherein said first voltage applying means is for holding said charging voltage by causing said plurality of scan electrodes to go to high impedance within a voltage range between voltage supplied from said first power source and voltage supplied from said second power source.

16. The device of claim 13, further comprising:

said first voltage applying means includes a first switch for opening and closing a path between a constant voltage source and said scan electrodes, and a second switch for opening and closing a path between a voltage point differing from said constant voltage source and said scan electrodes, and said EL elements are charged by connecting said constant voltage source and said scan electrodes during a period from operation of said first switch until operation of said second switch; and

said first voltage applying means is for detecting a number of EL elements which are to emit light by application of said voltage pulse and said display voltage, and is for controlling an actuation timing of said first switch and said second switch in accordance with said number of detected EL elements.

9. An EL display device comprising:

an EL display panel having an electroluminescing layer interposed between a plurality of scan electrodes and a plurality of data electrodes, a plurality of EL elements being formed at locations where said scan electrodes and said data electrodes intersect;

first voltage applying means for sequentially applying a voltage pulse to said plurality of scan electrodes; and

second voltage applying means for selectively applying a display voltage to said plurality of data electrodes;

wherein said plurality of EL elements are for emitting light by application of said voltage pulse and said display voltage; and

said first voltage applying means is for applying said voltage pulse to said plurality of scan electrodes by charging said plurality of EL elements during a charging period and holding a charging voltage thereof for a holding period, for detecting a number of EL elements which are to emit light by application of said voltage pulse and said display voltage, and for changing a charging charge quantity in a case where said charging is performed in accordance with said number of detected EL elements;

said first voltage applying means is further for holding said charging voltage by causing said plurality of scan electrodes to go to high impedance.

14. The device of claim 9, further comprising:

a first power source for supplying voltage to said first voltage applying means through a first supplying path; and

a second power source for supplying voltage differing from voltage supplied from said first power source to said first voltage applying means through a second supplying path;

wherein said first voltage applying means is for holding said charging voltage by causing said plurality of scan electrodes to go to high impedance within a voltage range between voltage supplied from said first power source and voltage supplied from said second power source.

17. The device of claim 14, further comprising:

said first voltage applying means includes a first switch for opening and closing a path between a constant voltage source and said scan electrodes, and a second switch for opening and closing a path between a voltage point differing from said constant voltage source and said scan electrodes, and said EL elements are charged by connecting said constant voltage source and said scan electrodes during a period from operation of said first switch until operation of said second switch; and

said first voltage applying means is for detecting a number of EL elements which are to emit light by application of said voltage pulse and said display voltage, and is for controlling an actuation timing of said first switch and said second switch in accordance with said number of detected EL elements.

10. An EL display device comprising:

an EL display panel having an electroluminescing layer interposed between a plurality of scan electrodes and a plurality of data electrodes, a plurality of EL elements being formed where said scan electrodes and said data electrodes intersect;

means for driving said scan electrodes to sequentially apply a scan voltage to said plurality of scan electrodes; and

means for driving data electrodes to selectively apply a data voltage to said plurality of data electrodes;

wherein said plurality of EL elements are for emitting light by application of said scan voltage and said data voltage;

said scan electrode driving means is for applying a scan voltage of uniform pulse width to said plurality of scan electrodes by charging said plurality of EL elements during a charging period and holding a charging voltage thereof for a holding period, for detecting a number of EL elements which are to emit light by application of said scan voltage and said data voltage, and for varying said charging period in accordance with said number of detected EL elements;

said scan electrode driving means is further for holding said charging voltage by causing said plurality of scan electrodes to go to high impedance.

15. The device of claim 10, further comprising:

a first power source for supplying voltage to said means for driving said scan electrodes through a first supplying path; and

a second power source for supplying voltage differing from voltage supplied from said first power source to said means for driving said scan electrodes through a second supplying path;

wherein said means for driving said scan electrodes is for holding said charging voltage by causing said plurality of scan electrodes to go to high impedance within a voltage range between voltage supplied from said first power source and voltage supplied from said second power source.

18. The device of claim 15, further comprising:

said means for driving said scan electrodes includes a first switch for opening and closing a path between a constant voltage source and said scan electrodes, and a second switch for opening and closing a path between a voltage point differing from said constant voltage source and said scan electrodes, and said EL elements are charged by connecting said constant voltage source and said scan electrodes during a period from operation of said first switch until operation of said second switch; and

said means for driving said scan electrodes is for detecting a number of EL elements which are to emit light by application of said voltage pulse and said display voltage, end is for controlling an actuation timing of said first switch and said second switch in accordance with said number of detected EL elements.

11. An EL display device comprising:

an EL display panel having an electroluminescing layer interposed between a plurality of scan electrodes and a plurality of data electrodes, a plurality of EL element being formed at locations where said scan electrodes and said data electrodes intersect;

first voltage applying means for sequentially applying a voltage pulse to said plurality of scan electrodes; and

second voltage applying means for selectively applying a display voltage to said plurality of data electrodes;

said first voltage applying means includes a first switch for opening and closing a path between a constant voltage source and said scan electrodes, and a second switch for opening and closing a path between a voltage point differing from said constant voltage source and said scan electrodes, and said EL elements are actuated by connecting said constant voltage source and said scan electrodes during a period from operation of said first switch until operation of said second switch in a negative field operation of said first voltage applying means and during a period from operation of said second switch until operation of said first switch in a positive field operation of said first voltage applying means; and

said first voltage applying means is for detecting a number of EL elements which are to emit light by application of said voltage pulse and said display voltage, and is for controlling an actuation timing of said first switch and said second switch in accordance with said number of detected EL elements.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein a voltage of said constant voltage is a uniform voltage while said first switch and said second switch are actuated.

19. An EL device comprising:

an EL display panel having an electroluminescing layer interposed between a plurality of scan electrodes and a plurality of data electrodes, a plurality of EL elements being formed at locations where said scan electrodes and said data electrodes intersect;

first voltage applying means for sequentially applying a voltage pulse to said plurality of scan electrodes by inputting electric current; and

second voltage applying means for selectively applying a display voltage to said plurality of data electrodes by inputting electric current;

wherein said plurality of EL elements are for emitting light by application of said voltage pulse and said display voltage; and

said first voltage applying means is for applying said voltage pulse to said plurality of scan electrodes by charging said plurality of EL elements during a charging period, and then stopping the electric current input to the plurality of scan electrodes and holding a charging voltage thereof for a holding period, for detecting a number of EL elements which are to emit light by application of said voltage pulse and said display voltage, and for varying said charging period in accordance with said number of detected EL elements.