Drive circuitry for four-color organic light-emitting device

• US 6,771,028 B1
• Filed: 04/30/2003
• Issued: 08/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Global OLED Technology LLC (LG Display Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Winters, Dustin
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, DAVID HUNG
• Application Number:
  US10/426,555
• Time in Patent Office: 461 Days
• Field of Search: 315/169.1, 315/169.3, 345/76, 345/77
• US Class Current: 315/169.1
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0452 Details of colour pixel setup, e.g. pixel composed of a red, a blue and two green components
• 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 2300/0809 Several active elements per pixel in active matrix panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0842 forming a memory circuit, e.g. a dynamic memory with one capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3233 with pixel circuitry controlling the current through the light-emitting element
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/121 characterised by the geometry or disposition of pixel elements
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/131 Interconnections, e.g. wiring lines or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/351 comprising more than three subpixels, e.g. red-green-blue-white [RGBW]

Abstract

A four-color organic light-emitting device having pixels which emit light includes a substrate; pixels arranged in rows and columns and each pixel including groups of four subpixels disposed over the substrate and wherein each subpixel includes spaced apart first and second electrodes; and organic EL media disposed between the first and second electrodes of each subpixel. The device also includes drive circuitry disposed relative to the organic EL media over the substrate and arranged to drive each group of four subpixels and having an electrical connection to the first electrode corresponding to each subpixel, and wherein the drive circuitry for each group of four subpixels including four data lines, two power lines, and one select line, the four data lines being shared for each column of the array of pixels, and the select line being shared for each row of the array of pixels.

Claims

1. A four-color organic light-emitting device having pixels which emit light, comprising:

a) a substrate;

b) pixels arranged in rows and columns and each pixel including groups of four subpixels disposed over the substrate and wherein each subpixel includes spaced apart first and second electrodes;

c) organic EL media disposed between the first and second electrodes of each subpixel;

d) drive circuitry disposed relative to the organic EL media over the substrate and arranged to drive each group of four subpixels and having an electrical connection to the first electrode corresponding to each subpixel, and wherein

e) the drive circuitry for each group of four subpixels including four data lines, two power lines, and one select line, the four data lines being shared for each column of the array of pixels, and the select line being shared for each row of the array of pixels.

2. The four-color organic light-emitting device of claim 1 wherein the two power lines are shared by the columns of the array of pixels.

3. The four-color organic light-emitting device of claim 1 wherein the two power lines are shared by the rows of the array of pixels.

4. The four-color organic light-emitting device of claim 1 wherein the drive circuitry includes at least two transistors and a capacitor for each subpixel.

5. The four-color organic light-emitting device of claim 1 wherein the organic EL media is arranged to produce white light and further including red, green, and blue color filters corresponding to three of each four subpixels of each pixel.

6. The four-color organic light-emitting device of claim 1 wherein the organic EL media of each subpixel of each pixel produces different colored light.

7. The four-color organic light-emitting device of claim 6 wherein the subpixels of each pixel produce red, green, blue, and white, respectively.

8. The four-color organic light-emitting device of claim 1 wherein the drive circuitry is disposed over the substrate and under the organic EL media.

9. The four-color organic light-emitting device of claim 1 wherein each power line is arranged to power two different subpixels of each pixel.

10. A four-color organic light-emitting device having pixels which emit light, comprising:

a) a substrate;

b) pixels arranged in rows and columns and each pixel including groups of four subpixels disposed over the substrate and wherein each subpixel includes spaced apart first and second electrodes;

c) organic EL media disposed between the first and second electrodes of each subpixel;

d) drive circuitry disposed relative to the organic EL media over the substrate and arranged to drive each group of four subpixels and having an electrical connection to the first electrode corresponding to each subpixel, and wherein

e) the drive circuitry for each group of four subpixels including four data lines, one power line, and one select line, the four data lines being shared for each column of the array of pixels, and the select line being shared for each row of the array of pixels.

11. The four-color organic light-emitting device of claim 10 wherein the one power line is shared by the columns of the array of pixels.

12. The four-color organic light-emitting device of claim 10 wherein the one power line is shared by the rows of the array of pixels.

13. The four-color organic light-emitting device of claim 10 wherein the drive circuitry includes at least two transistors and a capacitor for each subpixel.

14. The four-color organic light-emitting device of claim 10 wherein the organic EL media is arranged to produce white light and further including red, green, and blue color filters corresponding to three of each four subpixels of each pixel.

15. The four-color organic light-emitting device of claim 10 wherein the organic EL media of each subpixel of each pixel produces different colored light.

16. The four-color organic light-emitting device of claim 15 wherein the subpixels of each pixel produce red, green, blue, and white, respectively.

17. The four-color organic light-emitting device of claim 10 wherein the drive circuitry is disposed over the substrate and under the organic EL media.

18. A four-color organic light-emitting device having pixels which emit light, comprising:

a) a substrate;

b) pixels arranged in rows and columns and each pixel including groups of four subpixels disposed over the substrate and wherein each subpixel includes spaced apart first and second electrodes;

c) organic EL media disposed between the first and second electrodes of each subpixel;

d) drive circuitry disposed relative to the organic EL media over the substrate and arranged to drive each group of four subpixels and having an electrical connection to the first electrode corresponding to each subpixel, and wherein

e) the drive circuitry for each group of four subpixels including two data lines, two power lines, and two select lines, the two data lines being shared for each column of the array of pixels, and the select lines being shared for each row of the array of pixels.

19. The four-color organic light-emitting device of claim 18 wherein the two power lines are shared by the columns of the array of pixels.

20. The four-color organic light-emitting device of claim 18 wherein the two power lines are shared by the rows of the array of pixels.

21. The four-color organic light-emitting device of claim 18 wherein the drive circuitry includes at least two transistors and a capacitor for each subpixel.

22. The four-color organic light-emitting device of claim 18 wherein the organic EL media is arranged to produce white light and further including red, green, and blue color filters corresponding to three of each four subpixels of each pixel.

23. The four-color organic light-emitting device of claim 18 wherein the organic EL media of each subpixel of each pixel produces different colored light.

24. The four-color organic light-emitting device of claim 23 wherein the subpixels of each pixel produce red, green, blue, and white, respectively.

25. The four-color organic light-emitting device of claim 18 wherein the drive circuitry is disposed over the substrate and under the organic EL media.

26. The four-color organic light-emitting device of claim 18 wherein each select line is arranged to activate two different subpixels of each pixel.

27. The four-color organic light-emitting device of claim 18 wherein each power line is arranged to power two different subpixels of each pixel.

28. A four-color organic light-emitting device having pixels which emit light, comprising:

a) a substrate;

b) pixels arranged in rows and columns and each pixel including groups of four subpixels disposed over the substrate and wherein each subpixel includes spaced apart first and second electrodes;

c) organic EL media disposed between the first and second electrodes of each subpixel;

d) drive circuitry disposed relative to the organic EL media over the substrate and arranged to drive each group of four subpixels and having an electrical connection to the first electrode corresponding to each subpixel, and wherein

e) the drive circuitry for each group of four subpixels including two data lines, one power line, and two select lines, the two data lines being shared for each column of the array of pixels, and the select lines being shared for each row of the array of pixels.

29. The four-color organic light-emitting device of claim 28 wherein the power line is shared by the columns of the array of pixels.

30. The four-color organic light-emitting device of claim 28 wherein the power line is shared by the rows of the array of pixels.

31. The four-color organic light-emitting device of claim 28 wherein the drive circuitry includes at least two transistors and a capacitor for each subpixel.

32. The four-color organic light-emitting device of claim 28 wherein the organic EL media is arranged to produce white light and further including red, green, and blue color filters corresponding to three of each four subpixels of each pixel.

33. The four-color organic light-emitting device of claim 28 wherein the organic EL media of each subpixel of each pixel produces different colored light.

34. The four-color organic light-emitting device of claim 33 wherein the subpixels of each pixel produce red, green, blue, and white, respectively.

35. The four-color organic light-emitting device of claim 28 wherein the drive circuitry is disposed over the substrate and under the organic EL media.

36. The four-color organic light-emitting device of claim 28 wherein each select line is arranged to activate two different subpixels of each pixel.