DC-DC converter and organic light emitting display device using the same

• US 9,535,440 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Seo, Jeong-Min, Park, Sung-Cheon
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar, Srilakshmi K
• Assistant Examiner(s): GUPTA, PARUL H
• Application Number:
  US13/836,358
• Publication Number:
  US 20140118414A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,390 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/595 semiconductor devices connected in series
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/028 Generation of voltages supplied to electrode drivers in a matrix display other than LCD
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3208 organic, e.g. using organic light-emitting diodes [OLED]
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/156 with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/158 including plural semiconductor devices as final control devices for a single load
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/122 in field-effect transistor switches
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3725 Switched mode power supply [SMPS]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/38 using boost topology
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/44 with an active control inside an LED matrix
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/60 Circuit arrangements for operating LEDs comprising organic material, e.g. for operating organic light-emitting diodes [OLED] or polymer light-emitting diodes [PLED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]

Abstract

There are provided a DC-DC converter and an organic light emitting display device using the same. A DC-DC converter includes a converting module and a sensing unit. The converting module includes a switching module and a control module. The switching module has a plurality of switches, and each of the plurality of switches converts an input voltage into a first voltage and outputs the first voltage while being turned on/off in response to a corresponding pulse width modulation (PWM) signal. The control module controls a switching operation of the switching module by generating the PWM signal. The sensing unit senses driving current supplied to a load to which the first voltage is provided.

Claims

1. An organic light emitting display device, comprising:

a display panel that has a plurality of pixels, and displays a gray scale according to the luminance of an organic light emitting diode in each pixel;

a timing controller that provides the display panel with scan and data signals for allowing the organic light emitting diode in each pixel to emit light; and

a DC-DC converter that receives an input voltage, which is supplied at an input node, so as to generate first and second voltages for supplying current to the organic light emitting diode and to provide the first and second voltages to the display panel, wherein the DC-DC converter comprises;

a first converting module that receives the input voltage to generate the first voltage and to output the first voltage at a first output node;

a second converting module that receives the input voltage to generate the second voltage and to output the second voltage at a second output node; and

a sensing unit that senses driving current supplied to the display panel, the sensing unit including a third switch, wherein the first converting module comprises;

a switching module that has a plurality of switches, the switching module converting the input voltage into the first voltage and outputting the first voltage at the first output node, each of the plurality of switches being turned on or off in response to a corresponding PWM signal; and

a control module that controls a switching operation of the switching module by generating the PWM signal, wherein the control module is configured to adaptively control the frequency of the PWM signal according to the sensed result of the sensing unit, wherein the switching module includes a second switch connected between the input node and the first output node to form or block a current path, the third switch of the sensing unit connected between the second switch and the first output node, the second switch and third switch of the sensing unit being connected in series, wherein the control module increases the frequency of the PWM signal when the driving current increases, and decreases the frequency of the PWM signal when the driving current decreases.

2. The organic light emitting display device according to claim 1, wherein the switching module of the first converting module comprises:

a first switch coupled between the input node and a first node so as to form or block a current path, the second switch connected between the first node and a second node; and

an inductor coupled between the first node and a ground;

wherein the control module of the second converting module comprises;

a PWM signal generating unit that generates the PWM signal having a frequency determined according to the sensed result of the sensing unit; and

a switch driving unit that controls the first and second switches.

3. The organic light emitting display device according to claim 2, wherein the sensing unit is coupled between an output node of the first converting module and the first output node to sense the driving current.

4. The organic light emitting display device according to claim 3, wherein the sensing unit comprises:

a sensing voltage generating unit coupled to both terminals of the third switch so as to output a sensing voltage according to the driving current, the third switch coupled between the output node of the first converting module and the first output node.

5. The organic light emitting display device according to claim 4, wherein the PWM signal generating unit comprises:

a frequency selection unit that compares the sensing voltage with a plurality of reference voltages, and generates a plurality of frequency selection signals according to the compared result;

a sawtooth wave generating unit that generates a sawtooth wave having a corresponding frequency in response to the frequency selection signal; and

a square wave generating unit that converts the sawtooth wave into the PWM signal, using offset information on a feedback voltage generated by dividing the output voltage and a setting voltage.

6. The organic light emitting display device according to claim 2, wherein the sensing unit is coupled between the second node and a second output node from which the second voltage is provided to the display panel so as to sense the driving current.

7. An organic light emitting display device, comprising:

a display panel that has a plurality of pixels, and displays a gray scale according to the luminance of an organic light emitting diode in each pixel;

a timing controller that provides the display panel with scan and data signals for allowing the organic light emitting diode in each pixel to emit light; and

a DC-DC converter that receives an input voltage so as to generate first and second voltages for supplying current to the organic light emitting diode and to provide the first and second voltages to the display panel, wherein the DC-DC converter comprises;

a first converting module that receives the input voltage so as to generate the first voltage;

a second converting module that receives the input voltage so as to generate the second voltage; and

a sensing unit that senses driving current supplied to the display panel, wherein each of the first and second converting modules comprises;

a switching module that has a plurality of switches, each of the plurality of switches converting an input voltage into a first voltage and outputting the first voltage while being turned on or off in response to a corresponding PWM signal; and

a control module that controls a switching operation of the switching module by generating the PWM signal, wherein at least one of the control modules of the first and second converting modules is configured to adaptively control the frequency of the PWM signal according to the sensed result of the sensing unit, wherein said at least one of the control modules of the first and second converting modules increases the frequency of the PWM signal when the driving current increases, and decreases the frequency of the PWM signal when the driving current decreases, wherein the switching module of the first converting module comprises;

a first inductor coupled between the input node and a first node;

a first switch coupled between the first node and a ground so as to form or block a current path; and

a second switch coupled between the first node and a second node so as to form or block a current path, wherein the control module of the first converting module comprises;

a first PWM signal generating unit that generates a first PWM signal having a frequency determined according to the sensed result of the sensing unit; and

a first switch driving unit that controls the first and second switches, wherein the switching module of the second converting module comprises;

a third switch coupled between the input node and a third node so as to form or block a current path;

a second inductor coupled between the third node and a ground; and

a fourth switch coupled between the third node and a fourth node so as to form or block a current path, wherein the control module of the second converting module comprises;

a second PWM signal generating unit that generates a second PWM signal having a frequency determined according to the sensed result of the sensing unit; and

a second switch driving unit that controls the third and fourth switches.

8. The organic light emitting display device according to claim 7, wherein the sensing unit is coupled between the second node and a first output node from which the first voltage is provided to the display panel so as to sense the driving current.

9. The organic light emitting display device according to claim 8, wherein the sensing unit comprises:

a third switch coupled between the second node and the first output node; and

a sensing voltage generating unit coupled to both terminals of the third switch so as to sense a sensing voltage according to the driving current.

10. The organic light emitting display device according to claim 9, wherein each of the first and second PWM signal generating units comprises:

a frequency selection unit that compares the sensing voltage with a plurality of reference voltages, and generates frequency selection signals according to the compared result;

a sawtooth wave generating unit that generates a sawtooth wave having a corresponding frequency in response to the frequency selection signal; and

a square wave generating unit that converts the sawtooth wave into the first or second PWM signal, using offset information on a feedback voltage generated by dividing the output voltage and a setting voltage.