# US 12,190,817 B2 · Pixel circuit, display panel, display device, and composite display device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,190,817 B2 - Document ID: US12190817B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/563,360 - Filed: 2022-05-09 - Published: 2024-07-04 - Granted: 2025-01-07 - Earliest claimed: 2021-05-26 - Assignees: KYOCERA Corporation - Applicants: KYOCERA Corporation - Inventors: Yohei Sato; Takanobu Suzuki; Hiroaki Ito - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12190817B2 ## CPC - G09G 3/3233: with pixel circuitry controlling the current through the light-emitting element - G09F 9/30: in which the desired character or characters are formed by combining individual elements (panels comprising a number of electrodes in a single cell controlling light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. electro-optical or magneto-optical cell, G02F1/00) - G09F 9/33: being semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes - G09G 3/20: for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix {no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters} - G09G 3/32: semiconductive, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED] - H10H 20/80: Constructional details - G09G 2300/0426: Layout of electrodes and connections - G09G 2300/0804: Sub-multiplexed active matrix panel, i.e. wherein one active driving circuit is used at pixel level for multiple image producing elements - G09G 2300/0842: forming a memory circuit, e.g. a dynamic memory with one capacitor - G09G 2300/0861: with additional control of the display period without amending the charge stored in a pixel memory, e.g. by means of additional select electrodes - G09G 2330/10: Dealing with defective pixels - G09G: ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION (arrangements for transferring data between digital computers and displays G06F3/14; static indicating arrangements comprising an association of a number of separate sources or light control cells G09F9/00; static indicating arrangements comprising integral associations of a number of light sources H01J, H01K, H10H, H05B33/12; scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission, details thereof H04N1/00) - G09F: DISPLAYING; ADVERTISING; SIGNS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; SEALS - H10H: INORGANIC LIGHT-EMITTING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES HAVING POTENTIAL BARRIERS ## Abstract A pixel circuit includes a first and a second subpixel circuits. The first subpixel circuit includes a first and a second light emitters, and a first setter that sets the first and second light emitters to an emissive or a non-emissive state. The second subpixel circuit includes a third and a fourth light emitters, and a second setter that functions in the same manner as the first setter. The pixel circuit is in at least one of a connection different or an emitter number different state. In the connection different state, a connection between the first and second light emitters is a series or a parallel connection and a connection between the third and fourth light emitters is the other connections. In the emitter number different state, the first and second light emitters are emissive wholly or selectively and the third and fourth light emitter is in the opposite manner. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A pixel circuit, comprising: a first subpixel circuit including a first light emitter, a second light emitter, and a first setter, the first setter being configured to set each of the first light emitter and the second light emitter selectively to one of an emissive state or a non-emissive state; and a second subpixel circuit including a third light emitter, a fourth light emitter, and a second setter, the second setter being configured to set each of the third light emitter and the fourth light emitter selectively to one of the emissive state or the non-emissive state, wherein the first subpixel circuit and the second subpixel circuit are in at least one of a connection different state or an emitter number different state, where the connection different state is a state in which a connection between the first light emitter and the second light emitter is one of a series connection or a parallel connection and a connection between the third light emitter and the fourth light emitter is the other of the series connection or the parallel connection, and the emitter number different state is a state in which an emission status of the first light emitter and the second light emitter set by the first setter is in one of a first emission setting or a second emission setting and an emission status of the third light emitter and the fourth light emitter set by the second setter is in the other of the first emission setting or the second emission setting, where the first emission setting is a setting to cause the first light emitter and the second light emitter or the third light emitter and the fourth light emitter to be in the emissive state, and the second emission setting is a setting to selectively cause one of the first light emitter or the second light emitter or one of the third light emitter or the fourth light emitter to be in the emissive state. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The pixel circuit according to claim 1, wherein the first light emitter and the second light emitter emits light of a first color, and the third light emitter and the fourth light emitter emits light of a second color different from the first color. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The pixel circuit according to claim 1, wherein the first light emitter and the second light emitter are connected in parallel, the first setter includes a first switch connected in series to the first light emitter and a second switch connected in series to the second light emitter, and the first setter is configured to set the first light emitter and the second light emitter to the emissive state by switching the first switch and the second switch to a conductive state, the third light emitter and the fourth light emitter are connected in parallel, and the second setter includes a third switch connected in series to the third light emitter and a fourth switch connected in series to the fourth light emitter, and the second setter is configured to selectively set one of the third light emitter or the fourth light emitter to the emissive state by selectively switching one of the third switch or the fourth switch to the conductive state. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The pixel circuit according to claim 3, wherein the third switch includes a transistor of a first conductivity type and the fourth switch includes a transistor of a second conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type, or the third switch includes a transistor of the second conductivity type and the fourth switch includes a transistor of the first conductivity type. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The pixel circuit according to claim 3, wherein the first setter is configured to selectively set one of the first light emitter or the second light emitter to the non-emissive state by selectively switching one of the first switch or the second switch to a nonconductive state. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The pixel circuit according to claim 1, wherein the first light emitter and the second light emitter are connected in series, the first setter includes a first switch connected in parallel to the first light emitter and a second switch connected in parallel to the second light emitter, and the first setter is configured to selectively set one of the first light emitter or the second light emitter to the emissive state by selectively switching one of the first switch or the second switch to a nonconductive state, the third light emitter and the fourth light emitter are connected in series, and the second setter includes a third switch connected in parallel to the third light emitter and a fourth switch connected in parallel to the fourth light emitter, and the second setter is configured to set the third light emitter and the fourth light emitter to the emissive state by switching the third switch and the fourth switch to the nonconductive state. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The pixel circuit according to claim 6, wherein the first switch includes a transistor of a first conductivity type and the second switch includes a transistor of a second conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type, or the first switch includes a transistor of the second conductivity type and the second switch includes a transistor of the first conductivity type. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The pixel circuit according to claim 6, wherein the second setter is configured to selectively set one of the third light emitter or the fourth light emitter to the non-emissive state by selectively switching one of the third switch or the fourth switch to a conductive state. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The pixel circuit according to claim 1, wherein the first light emitter and the second light emitter are connected in parallel, the first setter includes a first switch connected in series to the first light emitter and a second switch connected in series to the second light emitter, and the first setter is configured to set the first light emitter and the second light emitter to the emissive state by switching the first switch and the second switch to a conductive state, the third light emitter and the fourth light emitter are connected in series, and the second setter includes a third switch connected in parallel to the third light emitter and a fourth switch connected in parallel to the fourth light emitter, and the second setter is configured to set the third light emitter and the fourth light emitter to the emissive state by switching the third switch and the fourth switch to a nonconductive state. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The pixel circuit according to claim 1, further comprising: a setting controller configured to output a setting control signal to the first setter and the second setter, wherein the first setter is configured to set each of the first light emitter and the second light emitter selectively to one of the emissive state or the non-emissive state in response to the setting control signal, and the second setter is configured to set each of the third light emitter and the fourth light emitter selectively to one of the emissive state or the non-emissive state in response to the setting control signal. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) A display panel, comprising: a plurality of the pixel circuits according to claim 10, each of the plurality of pixel circuits including the setting controller. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The pixel circuit according to claim 1, wherein the connection between the first light emitter and the second light emitter is settable selectively to one of the series connection or the parallel connection, and the connection between the third light emitter and the fourth light emitter is settable selectively to one of the series connection or the parallel connection. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A display panel, comprising: a plurality of the pixel circuits according to claim 1; and a setting controller configured to output a setting control signal to the first setter and the second setter in each of the plurality of pixel circuits, wherein the first setter is configured to set each of the first light emitter and the second light emitter selectively to one of the emissive state or the non-emissive state in response to the setting control signal, and the second setter is configured to set each of the third light emitter and the fourth light emitter selectively to one of the emissive state or the non-emissive state in response to the setting control signal. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A display device, comprising: the display panel according to claim 13; and a drive electrically connected to the plurality of pixel circuits. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The display device according to claim 14, further comprising: a substrate including a display surface, a non-display surface opposite to the display surface, and a side surface connecting the display surface and the non-display surface, wherein the plurality of pixel circuits is located on the display surface of the substrate, and the drive is located on the non-display surface of the substrate. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A composite display device, comprising: a plurality of the display devices according to claim 15, the plurality of display devices including a composite display surface with side surfaces of substrates of the plurality of display devices being adjacent to or in contact with one another. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) A display device, comprising: a plurality of the pixel circuits according to claim 1; and a drive electrically connected to the plurality of pixel circuits, the drive being configured to output a setting control signal to the first setter and the second setter in each of the plurality of pixel circuits, wherein in each of the plurality of pixel circuits, the first setter is configured to set each of the first light emitter and the second light emitter selectively to one of the emissive state or the non-emissive state in response to the setting control signal, and in each of the plurality of pixel circuits, the second setter is configured to set each of the third light emitter and the fourth light emitter selectively to one of the emissive state or the non-emissive state in response to the setting control signal.