Display device and method for operating the same

A method for operating a display device that includes a display panel and a plurality of source drivers configured to convert image data into a data voltage and provide the data voltage to the display panel,

• wherein each of the plurality of source drivers includes a reception circuit configured to reconstruct at least one of the image data, control data, and a clock from a data packet received from a timing controller,
• the method comprises:
• providing a lock signal indicating an output stable state between the timing controller and the plurality of source drivers;
• deactivating a transmission circuit of the timing controller and the reception circuit in response to the lock signal being deactivated during a skip frame in a variable refresh rate mode operation, wherein the variable refresh rate mode operates at a first refresh rate during a first period, and a second refresh rate during a second period, the second refresh rate different from the first refresh rate,
• wherein during the skip frame of the second period, the reception circuit of a first source driver in the plurality of source drivers is configured to be deactivated in response to a first lock signal from the transmission circuit, and provide a second lock signal to an adjacent second source driver in the plurality of source drivers, and the reception circuit of the adjacent second source driver is configured to be deactivated in response to the second lock signal during the skip frame;
• and
• while the transmission circuit and the reception circuit are deactivated during the skip frame, maintaining and outputting, by a source output circuit of each source driver, a data voltage corresponding to image data latched at a last time during a refresh frame.

A method for operating a display device, the display device including a display panel, the method comprising:

• converting image data into data voltage, and providing the data voltage to the display panel;
• and
• providing a lock signal indicating an output stable state between a timing controller and a source driver;
• deactivating reconstruction of at least one of image data, control data, and a clock from a data packet received from the timing controller in response to the lock signal being deactivated during a skip frame in a variable refresh rate mode operation, wherein the variable refresh rate mode operates at a first refresh rate during a first period, and a second refresh rate during a second period, the second refresh rate different from the first refresh rate,
• wherein during the skip frame of the second period, the reception circuit of a first source driver in the plurality of source drivers is configured to be deactivated in response to a first lock signal from the transmission circuit, and provide a second lock signal to an adjacent second source driver in the plurality of source drivers, and the reception circuit of the adjacent second source driver is configured to be deactivated in response to the second lock signal during the skip frame;
• and
• while the reconstruction is deactivated during the skip frame, maintaining and outputting the data voltage corresponding to image data latched at a last time during a refresh frame.