Active-matrix type display device

• US 6,885,356 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2001
• Issued: 04/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Electronics Corporation (Renesas Electronics Corporation)
• Inventors: Hashimoto, Yoshiharu
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Henry N.
• Application Number:
  US09/906,996
• Publication Number:
  US 20030016200A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,379 Days
• Field of Search: 345/55, 345/82, 345/205, 345/206, 345/83, 345/44, 345/46, 345/78, 345/204, 345/91, 345/92, 345/72, 345/76, 345/36, 345/45, 345/211, 345/212, 345/214, 345/202, 315/169.1, 315/169.3, 315/169.4, 713/310, 713/320
• US Class Current: 345/77
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0417 Special arrangements specific to the use of low carrier mobility technology
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0842 forming a memory circuit, e.g. a dynamic memory with one capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/029 by monitoring one or more pixels in the display panel, e.g. by monitoring a fixed reference pixel
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/043 Preventing or counteracting the effects of ageing
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/048 using evaluation of the usage time
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/021 Power management, e.g. power saving
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2014 by modulation of the duration of a single pulse during which the logic level remains constant
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3258 with pixel circuitry controlling the voltage across the light-emitting element
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/02 characterised by the way in which colour is displayed details of colour display specific for CRTs G09G1/28; specific for flat matrix panels other than liquid crystal displays G09G3/2003; specific for liquid crystal displays G09G3/3607
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/027 by controlling a display operation or backlight unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A display device is provided which is capable of controlling luminance of a pixel by a bias voltage of a light emitting device making up the pixel to change a current that flows through the light emitting device.

EL (ElectroLuminescent) devices, TFTs, data lines, scanning lines, and variable bias lines are disposed in a matrix form. A bias voltage control circuit, in response to judging information fed from a judging circuit, outputs control information to a variable voltage generating circuit. The variable voltage generating circuit, in response to the control information, controls currents that are passed through the variable bias line to the EL device so that the EL device emits light at a value of the luminance corresponding to the fed current.

Claims

1. An active matrix-type display device comprising:

a plurality of scanning lines;

a plurality of data lines each crossing said plurality of said scanning lines;

a plurality of light emitting elements;

a plurality of switches;

a plurality of transistors;

a bias voltage line;

each of said transistors being connected between an associated one of said light emitting elements and said bias voltage line, each of said switches being connected between an associated one of said data lines and a gate of an associated one of said transistors and being rendered one of ON and OFF states by an associated one of said scanning lines;

a driving unit driving said scanning and data lines to display an image; and

a variable bias voltage generating circuit electrically connected to said bias voltage line;

said variable bias voltage generating circuit responding to a first control signal which represents that a content of said image is not changed for a predetermined period of time and changing a bias voltage on said bias voltage line such that luminance of said light emitting elements is lower than the luminance of said light emitting elements during said predetermined period of time.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first control signal is produced when no key operation is made during said predetermined period of time.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said variable bias voltage generating circuit further responds to a second control signal that takes a first state when said driving unit drives said scanning and data lines in response to first information and a second state when said driving unit drives said scanning and data lines in response to second information, said variable bias voltage generating circuit changing the bias voltage of said bias voltage line such that the luminescence of said light emitting elements in said first state of said second control signal is lower than the luminescence of said light emitting elements in said second state of said second control signal.

4. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said second control signal takes said first state when said first information is a static image such as wallpaper on a screen.

5. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said variable bias voltage generating circuit further responds to a third control signal that takes a first state when said driving unit drives said scanning and data lines in response to third information and a second state when said driving unit drives said scanning and data lines in response to fourth information, said variable bias voltage generating circuit changing the bias voltage of said bias voltage line such that the luminescence of said light emitting elements in said first state of said third control signal is higher than the luminescence of said light emitting elements in said second state of said third control signal.

6. The device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said third control signal takes said second state when said third information is to be highlighted.

7. An active matrix-type display device comprising:

a plurality of scanning lines;

a plurality of data lines each crossing said scanning lines;

a plurality of light emitting elements;

a plurality of switches;

a plurality of transistors;

a bias voltage line;

each of said transistors being connected between an associated one of said light emitting elements and said bias voltage line, each of said switches being connected between an associated one of said data lines and a gate of an associated one of said transistors and being rendered one of ON and OFF states by an associated one of said scanning lines;

a driving unit driving said scanning and data lines to display an image; and

a variable bias voltage generating circuit electrically connected to said bias voltage line;

said variable bias voltage generating circuit responding to a control signal that takes a first state when said driving unit drives said scanning and data lines in response to first information and a second state when said driving unit drives said scanning and data lines in response to second information, said variable bias voltage generating circuit changing the bias voltage of said bias voltage line such that the luminescence of said light emitting elements in said first state of said control signal is different from the luminescence of said light emitting elements in said second state of said control signal.

8. The device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said variable bias voltage generating circuit changes the bias voltage of said bias voltage line such that the luminescence of said light emitting elements in said first state of said control signal is lower than the luminescence of said light emitting elements in said second state of said control signal, and said control signal takes said first state when said first information is a static image such as wallpaper on a screen.

9. The device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said variable bias voltage generating circuit changes the bias voltage of said bias voltage line such that the luminescence of said light emitting elements in said first state of said control signal is higher than the luminescence of said light emitting elements in said second state of said control signal, and said control signal takes said first state when said first information is to be highlighted.

10. An active matrix-type display device comprising:

a plurality of scanning lines;

first, second and third groups of data lines each crossing said plurality of said scanning lines;

first, second and third groups of light emitting elements which are provided respectively for first, second and third colors;

first, second and third groups of switches;

first, second and third groups of transistors;

first, second and third bias voltage lines supplied respectively with first, second and third bias voltages;

each of said first group of transistors being connected between an associated one of said first group of light emitting elements and said first bias voltage line, each of said first group of switches being connected between an associated one of said first group of data lines and a gate of an associated one of said first group of transistors and being rendered one of ON and OFF states by an associated one of said scanning lines;

each of said second group of transistors being connected between an associated one of said second group of light emitting elements and said second bias voltage line, each of said second group of switches being connected between an associated one of said second group of data lines and a gate of an associated one of said second group of transistors and being rendered one of ON and OFF states by an associated one of said scanning lines, each of said third group of transistors being connected between an associated one of said third group of light emitting elements and said third bias voltage line, each of said third group of switches being connected between an associated one of said third group of data lines and a gate of an associated one of said third group of transistors and being rendered one of ON and OFF states by an associated one of said scanning lines;

a driving unit driving said scanning lines and said first, second and third groups of data lines to display an image; and

a variable bias voltage generating circuit electrically connected to said first, second and third bias voltage lines and controlling first, second and third bias voltages such that a good color balance among said first, second and third colors emitted respectively from said first, second and third groups of light emitting elements is attained.

11. The device as claimed in claim 10, wherein a variable bias voltage generating circuit further controls, when a content of said image is not changed for a predetermined period of time, said first, second and third bias voltages such that luminance of said first, second and third groups of light emitting elements is lower than the luminance of said first, second and third groups of light emitting elements during said predetermined period of time.