Display device

• US 7,298,347 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2003
• Issued: 11/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Koyama, Jun, Yamazaki, Shunpei, Hosoki, Kazue
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Wilson
• Application Number:
  US10/347,241
• Publication Number:
  US 20030132716A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,764 Days
• Field of Search: 3151691-1694, 345 34- 38, 345 76- 84, 345/45, 345 92- 94, 345 98-100
• US Class Current: 345/46
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0842 forming a memory circuit, e.g. a dynamic memory with one capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/027 Details of drivers for data electrodes, the drivers handling digital grey scale data, e.g. use of D/A converters
• 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 2320/041 Temperature compensation
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/043 Preventing or counteracting the effects of ageing
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/045 Compensation of drifts in the characteristics of light emitting or modulating elements
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2022 using sub-frames
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3233 with pixel circuitry controlling the current through the light-emitting element

Abstract

The image quality of a display device using a bottom gate TFT is improved. In particular, fluctuation in luminance is controlled and the frequency characteristic of a driver circuit is compensated by suppressing a change in amount of current flowing through an EL element which is caused by a change in surrounding temperature while the device is in use. A monitoring EL element is provided in addition to a pixel portion EL element. The monitoring EL element constitutes a temperature compensation circuit together with a buffer amplifier and the like. A current is supplied to the pixel portion EL element through the temperature compensation circuit. This makes it possible to keep the amount of current flowing through the pixel portion EL element constant against a change in temperature, and to control the fluctuation in luminance. An input signal is subjected to time base expansion to perform sampling with accuracy.

Claims

1. An active matrix EL display device comprising:

a plurality of pixels each having a thin film transistor connected to an EL element;

a constant current generator;

a monitoring EL element for monitoring a change in amount of current flowing into the EL element of a pixel, wherein the monitoring EL element has at least a first electrode, a second electrode and an EL layer between the first electrode and the second electrode; and

a buffer amplifier having a non-inversed input terminal, an inversed input terminal and an output terminal,

wherein the EL element of a pixel is electrically connected to the output terminal of the buffer amplifier, and

wherein the non-inversed input terminal of the buffer amplifier is electrically connected to the first electrode of the monitoring EL element.

2. An active matrix EL display device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one of the constant current generator and the buffer amplifier is composed of a thin film transistor.

3. An active matrix EL display device according to claim 1, wherein the first electrode is a cathode and the second electrode is an anode.

4. An active matrix EL display device according to claim 1, wherein the EL layer comprise at least an organic EL material.

5. An active matrix EL display device according to claim 1, wherein the active matrix EL display device is incorporated into an electronic equipment selected from the group consisting of a personal computer, a video camera, a head mounted display, an image playback device and a mobile computer.

26. The active matrix EL display device according claim 1, wherein the change in amount of current flowing into the EL element of a pixel is due to a temperature change.

6. An active matrix EL display device comprising:

a constant current generator;

a monitoring EL element having at least a first electrode, a second electrode and an EL layer between the first electrode and the second electrode;

a buffer amplifier having a non-inversed input terminal, an inversed input terminal and an output terminal;

a plurality of pixels in a pixel portion, wherein each of the plurality of pixels has a thin film transistor electrically connected to an EL element; and

a power supply line for supplying a voltage to the plurality of pixels,

wherein the non-inversed input terminal of the buffer amplifier is electrically connected to the first electrode of the monitoring EL element,

wherein the EL element of a pixel is electrically connected to the output terminal of the buffer amplifier via the power supply line, and

wherein the monitoring EL element is formed separately from the pixel portion and monitors a change in amount of current flowing into the EL element of a pixel.

7. An active matrix EL display device according to claim 6, wherein the at least one of the constant current generator and the buffer amplifier is composed of a thin film transistor.

8. An active matrix EL display device according to claim 6, wherein the first electrode is a cathode and the second electrode is an anode.

9. An active matrix EL display device according to claim 6, wherein the EL layer comprise at least an organic EL material.

10. An active matrix EL display device according to claim 6, wherein the active matrix EL display device is incorporated into an electronic equipment selected from the group consisting of a personal computer, a video camera, a head mounted display, an image playback device and a mobile computer.

27. The active matrix EL display device according claim 6, wherein the change in amount of current flowing into the EL element of a pixel is due to a temperature change.

11. An active matrix EL display device comprising:

a plurality of pixels each having a thin film transistor electrically connected to an EL element;

a constant current generator;

a monitoring EL element for monitoring a change in amount of current flowing into the EL element of a pixel, wherein the monitoring EL element has at least a first electrode, a second electrode and an EL layer between the first electrode and the second electrode;

a buffer amplifier having a non-inversed input terminal, an inversed input terminal and an output terminal; and

an adder circuit having an input terminal and an output terminal,

wherein the non-inversed input terminal of the buffer amplifier is electrically connected to the first electrode of the monitoring EL element,

wherein the input terminal of the adder circuit is electrically connected to the output terminal of the buffer amplifier, and

wherein the output terminal of the adder circuit is electrically connected to the EL element of a pixel.

12. An active matrix EL display device according to claim 11, wherein the at least one of the constant current generator and the buffer amplifier is composed of a thin film transistor.

13. An active matrix EL display device according to claim 11, wherein the first electrode is a cathode and the second electrode is an anode.

14. An active matrix EL display device according to claim 11, wherein the EL layer comprise at least an organic EL material.

15. An active matrix EL display device according to claim 11, wherein the active matrix EL display device is incorporated into an electronic equipment selected from the group consisting of a personal computer, a video camera, a head mounted display, an image playback device and a mobile computer.

28. The active matrix EL display device according claim 11, wherein the change in amount of current flowing into the EL element of a pixel is due to a temperature change.

16. An active matrix EL display device comprising:

a plurality of pixels each having a thin film transistor electrically connected to an EL element;

a constant current generator;

a monitoring EL element having a first electrode, a second electrode and an EL layer between the first electrode and the second electrode;

a buffer amplifier having a non-inversed input terminal, an inversed input terminal and an output terminal; and

an adder circuit having an input terminal and an output terminal,

wherein the non-inversed input terminal of the buffer amplifier is electrically connected to the first electrode of the monitoring EL element,

wherein the input terminal of the adder circuit is electrically connected to the output terminal of the buffer amplifier,

wherein the output terminal of the adder circuit is electrically connected to the EL element of a pixel, and

wherein the adder circuit comprises a non-inversion amplifier circuit.

17. An active matrix EL display device according to claim 16, wherein the at least one of the constant current generator and the buffer amplifier is composed of a thin film transistor.

18. An active matrix EL display device according to claim 16, wherein the first electrode is a cathode and the second electrode is an anode.

19. An active matrix EL display device according to claim 16, wherein the EL layer comprise at least an organic EL material.

20. An active matrix EL display device according to claim 16, wherein the active matrix EL display device is incorporated into an electronic equipment selected from the group consisting of a personal computer, a video camera, a head mounted display, an image playback device and a mobile computer.

21. An active matrix EL display device comprising:

a constant current generator;

a monitoring EL element having a first electrode, a second electrode and an EL layer between the first electrode and the second electrode;

a buffer amplifier having a non-inversed input terminal, an inversed input terminal and an output terminal;

a power supply line for supplying a voltage to the plurality of pixels,

an adder circuit having an input terminal and an output terminal; and

a plurality of pixels in a pixel portion, wherein each of the plurality of pixels has a thin film transistor electrically connected to an EL element,

wherein the non-inversed input terminal of the buffer amplifier is electrically connected to the first electrode of the monitoring EL element,

wherein the input terminal of the adder circuit is electrically connected to the output terminal of the buffer amplifier,

wherein the EL element of a pixel is electrically connected to the output terminal of the adder circuit via the power supply line, and

wherein the monitoring EL element is formed separately from the pixel portion and monitors a change in amount of current flowing into the EL element of a pixel.

22. An active matrix EL display device according to claim 21, wherein the at least one of the constant current generator and the buffer amplifier is composed of a thin film transistor.

23. An active matrix EL display device according to claim 21, wherein the first electrode is a cathode and the second electrode is an anode.

24. An active matrix EL display device according to claim 21, wherein the EL layer comprise at least an organic EL material.

25. An active matrix EL display device according to claim 21, wherein the active matrix EL display device is incorporated into an electronic equipment selected from the group consisting of a personal computer, a video camera, a head mounted display, an image playback device and a mobile computer.

29. The active matrix EL display device according claim 21, wherein the change in amount of current flowing into the EL element of a pixel is due to a temperature change.