Self-compensating circuit for faulty display pixels

• US 9,997,100 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2017
• Issued: 06/12/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: X Display Company Technology Limited (Sensinnovat BVBA)
• Original Assignee: X-Celeprint Limited
• Inventors: Rotzoll, Robert R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cerullo, Liliana
• Application Number:
  US15/705,341
• Publication Number:
  US 20180005565A1
• Time in Patent Office: 270 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/08 Active matrix structure, i.e. with use of active elements, inclusive of non-linear two terminal elements, in the pixels together with light emitting or modulating elements
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/08 Fault-tolerant or redundant circuits, or circuits in which repair of defects is prepared
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2092 Details of a display terminals using a flat panel, the details relating to the control arrangement of the display terminal and to the interfaces thereto suitable for both CRT and flat panel G09G5/003; specific for a CRT G09G1/165
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/32 semiconductive, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A self-compensating circuit for controlling pixels in a display includes a plurality of light-emitter circuits. Each light-emitter circuit includes a light emitter, a drive transistor, and a compensation circuit. The compensation circuit is connected to the light emitter of one or more different light-emitter circuits.

Claims

1. A self-compensating circuit for controlling pixels in a display, comprising:

a plurality of light-emitter circuits, each light-emitter circuit comprising;

a light emitter comprising a power connection to a power supply and an emitter connection;

a drive transistor comprising a gate connected to a drive signal, a drain directly connected to the emitter connection, and a source connected to a ground;

a compensation diode directly connected to the emitter connection and directly connected to a common compensation connection; and

a transfer diode connected to the emitter connection and directly connected to the common compensation connection with a polarity that is the reverse of a polarity of the compensation diode,

wherein the common compensation connection of each of the plurality of light-emitter circuits is electrically connected in common such that, for each of the plurality of light-emitter circuits, the emitter connection in the light-emitter circuit is connected to the emitter connection of each other light-emitter circuit in the plurality of light-emitter circuits through the compensation diode in the light-emitter circuit, wherein the compensation diode in the light-emitter circuit is connected in series with the transfer diode in each other light-emitter circuit.

2. The self-compensating circuit of claim 1, wherein the light emitters are inorganic light emitting diodes.

3. The self-compensating circuit of claim 2, wherein each light-emitting diode has at least one of a width from 2 to 5 μ

m, 5 to 10 μ

m, 10 to 20 μ

m, or 20 to 50 μ

m, a length from 2 to 5 μ

m, 5 to 10 μ

m, 10 to 20 μ

m, or 20 to 50 μ

m, and a height from 2 to 5 μ

m, 5 to 10 μ

m, 10 to 20 μ

m, or 20 to 50 μ

m.

4. The self-compensating circuit of claim 1, wherein the compensation diodes in a light-emitter circuit have a size equal to or smaller than the drive transistor.

5. A self-compensating display, comprising an array of light emitters disposed in rows and columns on a display substrate, each light emitter in the array of light emitters controlled by a self-compensating circuit comprising:

the light emitter, wherein the light emitter comprises a power connection to a power supply and an emitter connection;

a drive transistor comprising a gate connected to a drive signal, a drain directly connected to the emitter connection, and a source connected to a ground;

a compensation diode directly connected to the emitter connection and directly connected to a common compensation connection; and

a transfer diode connected to the emitter connection and directly connected to the common compensation connection with a polarity that is the reverse of a polarity of the compensation diode,

wherein, for each light emitter in the array of light emitters, the common compensation connection connected to the light emitter is electrically connected in common to the common compensation connection of at least one other light emitter in the array of light emitters such that the emitter connection connected to the light emitter is connected to the emitter connection(s) connected to the at least one other light emitter through the compensation diode connected to the light emitter, wherein the compensation diode connected to the light emitter is connected in series with the transfer diode(s) connected to the at least one other light emitter.

6. The display of claim 5, wherein the display substrate comprises at least one of a polymer, plastic, resin, polyimide, PEN, PET, metal, metal foil, glass, a semiconductor, and sapphire.

7. The self-compensating display of claim 5, wherein the light emitters are arranged in exclusive groups of adjacent light emitters so that each light emitter is a member of only one group and wherein each light emitter in an exclusive group is connected to the same common compensation connection.

8. The self-compensating display of claim 7, wherein each group of adjacent light emitters comprises two light emitters located in adjacent rows.

9. The self-compensating display of claim 7, wherein each group of adjacent light emitters comprises two light emitters located in adjacent columns.

10. The self-compensating display of claim 7, wherein each group of adjacent light emitters comprises four light emitters located in a two by two array forming two rows and two columns.

11. The self-compensating display of claim 7, wherein each group of adjacent light emitters is disposed on a pixel substrate that is independent and separate from the display substrate and the pixel substrates are disposed on the display substrate.

12. The self-compensating display of claim 7, wherein each light emitter is disposed on a pixel substrate that is independent and separate from the display substrate and the pixel substrates are disposed on the display substrate.

13. The self-compensating display of claim 7, wherein each group of adjacent light emitters comprises five light emitters, the five light emitters arranged with a central light emitter, a left light emitter to the left of the central light emitter, a right light emitter to the right of the central light emitter, an upper light emitter above the central light emitter, and a lower light emitter below the central light emitter.

14. The self-compensating display of claim 7, wherein each group of adjacent pixels comprises nine light emitters, the nine light emitters arranged in a 3×

3 array.

15. The self-compensating display of claim 5, wherein the compensation diodes in a light-emitter circuit have a size equal to or smaller than the drive transistor.

16. The self-compensating display of claim 5, wherein the light emitters are inorganic light-emitting diodes.

17. The self-compensating display of claim 16, wherein each inorganic light-emitting diode has at least one of a width from 2 to 5 μ

m, 5 to 10 μ

m, 10 to 20 μ

m, or 20 to 50 μ

m, a length from 2 to 5 μ

m, 5 to 10 μ

m, 10 to 20 μ

m, or 20 to 50 μ

m, and a height from 2 to 5 μ

m, 4 to 10 μ

m, 10 to 20 μ

m, or 20 to 50 μ

m.