Display device having security function

• US 9,665,739 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2015
• Issued: 05/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Baek, Yun-Ki, Son, Ho-Seok, Goh, Joon-Chul, Park, Mun-San
• Primary Examiner(s): AVERY, JEREMIAH L
• Application Number:
  US14/626,558
• Publication Number:
  US 20160078254A1
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/84 output devices, e.g. displays or monitors

Abstract

Display device includes timing controller, display panel, data driver, and scan driver. The timing controller includes an authentication processing unit configured to generate an authentication result based on an authentication control signal. The timing controller converts an input image data signal to data driver control signal and scan driver control signal when the authentication result represents success. The timing controller deactivates the data driver control signal and the scan driver control signal when the authentication result represents fail. The display panel includes plurality of pixels. The data driver generates plurality of data signals based on the data driver control signal and provides the data signals to the pixels through plurality of data signal lines. The scan driver generates plurality of scan signals based on the scan driver control signal and provides the scan signals to the pixels through plurality of scan signals lines.

Claims

1. A display device comprising:

a display panel including a plurality of pixels that display an image;

a timing controller coupled to the display panel, the timing controller activating or deactivating the display panel, the timing controller comprising;

a first register to store an authentication control signal;

a second register to store an authentication reference value;

a first multiplexer receiving a deactivation logic value and a first control signal, and outputting a data driver control signal that includes the deactivation logic value or the first control signal; and

a second multiplexer receiving the deactivation logic value and a second control signal, and outputting a scan driver control signal that includes the deactivation logic value or the second control signal;

a data driver coupled to the timing controller and the display panel, the data driver receiving the data driver control signal from the first multiplexer and generating a plurality of data signals from the data driver control signal to drive the display panel, the data driver not driving the display panel if the data driver control signal includes the deactivation logic value; and

a scan driver coupled to the timing controller and the display panel, the scan driver receiving the scan driver control signal from the second multiplexer and generating a plurality of scan signals from the scan driver control signal to drive the display panel, the scan driver not driving the display panel if the scan driver control signal includes the deactivation logic value, the timing controller performing operations, comprising;

converting an input image data to the first control signal and the second control signal;

receiving the authentication control signal and storing the authentication control signal in the first register;

comparing the authentication control signal with the authentication reference value;

generating an authentication result representing a success if the authentication control signal stored in the first register is equal to the authentication reference value;

generating the authentication result representing a failure if the authentication control signal stored in the first register is different from the authentication reference value;

controlling the first multiplexer to output the first control signal if the authentication result represents the success, and to output the deactivation logic value if the authentication result represents the failure; and

controlling the second multiplexer to output the second control signal if the authentication result represents the success, and to output the deactivation logic value if the authentication result represents the failure.

2. A display device comprising:

a display panel including a plurality of pixels that display an image;

a timing controller coupled to the display panel, the timing controller activating or deactivating the display panel, the timing controller comprising;

a first register to store an authentication control signal;

a second register to store an authentication reference value;

a third register to store another authentication reference value;

a first multiplexer receiving a deactivation logic value and a first control signal, and outputting a data driver control signal that includes the deactivation logic value or the first control signal; and

a second multiplexer receiving the deactivation logic value and a second control signal, and outputting a scan driver control signal that includes the deactivation logic value or the second control signal;

a data driver coupled to the timing controller and the display panel, the data driver receiving the data driver control signal from the first multiplexer and generating a plurality of data signals from the data driver control signal to drive the display panel, the data driver not driving the display panel if the data driver control signal includes the deactivation logic value; and

a scan driver coupled to the timing controller and the display panel, the scan driver receiving the scan driver control signal from the second multiplexer and generating a plurality of scan signals from the scan driver control signal to drive the display panel, the scan driver not driving the display panel if the scan driver control signal includes the deactivation logic value, the timing controller performing operations, comprising;

converting an input image data to the first control signal and the second control signal;

receiving the authentication control signal and storing the authentication control signal in the first register at a first time point;

receiving the authentication control signal and storing the authentication control signal in the first register at a second time point that follows the first time point;

comparing the authentication control signal with the authentication reference value and with said another authentication reference value;

generating an authentication result representing a success if the authentication control signal stored in the first register at the first time point is equal to the authentication reference value and if the authentication control signal stored in the first register at the second time point is equal to said another authentication reference value, otherwise generating the authentication result representing a failure;

controlling the first multiplexer to output the first control signal if the authentication result represents the success, and to output the deactivation logic value if the authentication result represents the failure; and

controlling the second multiplexer to output the second control signal if the authentication result represents the success, and to output the deactivation logic value if the authentication result represents the failure.

3. An electronic device comprising:

an application processor to generate an authentication control signal and an input image data signal; and

a display device to display an image corresponding to the input image data signal, the display device comprising;

a display panel including a plurality of pixels that display an image;

a timing controller coupled to the display panel, the timing controller activating or deactivating the display panel, the timing controller comprising;

a first register to store an authentication control signal;

a second register to store an authentication reference value;

a first multiplexer receiving a deactivation logic value and a first control signal, and outputting a data driver control signal that includes the deactivation logic value or the first control signal; and

a second multiplexer receiving the deactivation logic value and a second control signal, and outputting a scan driver control signal that includes the deactivation logic value or the second control signal;

a data driver coupled to the timing controller and the display panel, the data driver receiving the data driver control signal from the first multiplexer and generating a plurality of data signals from the data driver control signal to drive the display panel, the data driver not driving the display panel if the data driver control signal includes the deactivation logic value; and

a scan driver coupled to the timing controller and the display panel, the scan driver receiving the scan driver control signal from the second multiplexer and generating a plurality of scan signals from the scan driver control signal to drive the display panel, the scan driver not driving the display panel if the scan driver control signal includes the deactivation logic value, the timing controller performing operations, comprising;

converting an input image data to the first control signal and the second control signal;

receiving the authentication control signal and storing the authentication control signal in the first register;

comparing the authentication control signal with the authentication reference value;

generating an authentication result representing a success if the authentication control signal stored in the first register is equal to the authentication reference value;

generating the authentication result representing a failure if the authentication control signal stored in the first register is different from the authentication reference value;

controlling the first multiplexer to output the first control signal if the authentication result represents the success, and to output the deactivation logic value if the authentication result represents the failure; and

controlling the second multiplexer to output the second control signal if the authentication result represents the success, and to output the deactivation logic value if the authentication result represents the failure.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the application processor inserts the authentication reference value to the authentication control signal during a booting operation of an operating system.

5. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the application processor inserts the authentication reference value to the authentication control signal during a normal operation of an operating system and the normal operation is after a booting operation of the operating system.

6. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the application processor inserts the authentication reference value to the authentication control signal during the normal operation periodically.

7. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the application processor inserts the authentication reference value to the authentication control signal during the normal operation in response to a request of user.