Display device and method of operating a display device

An electronic device comprising:

• a processor configured to provide input image data;
• and
• a display device configured to receive the input image data from the processor, and to display an image based on the input image data, the display device comprising:
• a display panel comprising a plurality of pixels;
• a gamma reference voltage generator configured to generate first gamma reference voltages in a first mode, and to generate second gamma reference voltages in a second mode;
• a data driver configured to sequentially provide first data voltages generated based on the first gamma reference voltages to the plurality of pixels on a row-by-row basis in the first mode, and to sequentially provide second data voltages generated based on the second gamma reference voltages to the plurality of pixels on the row-by-row basis in the second mode;
• a scan driver configured to sequentially provide scan signals to the plurality of pixels on the row-by-row basis in each of the first mode and the second mode;
• a first select driver configured to provide a first select signal having an on-level to the plurality of pixels in the first mode, and to provide the first select signal having an off-level to the plurality of pixels in the second mode;
• a second select driver configured to provide a second select signal having the off-level to the plurality of pixels in the first mode, and to provide the second select signal having the on-level to the plurality of pixels in the second mode;
• and
• a controller configured to control the gamma reference voltage generator, the data driver, the scan driver, the first select driver, and the second select driver,
• wherein each of the plurality of pixels comprises:
• a first light emitting element having a first viewing angle;
• a second light emitting element having a second viewing angle different from the first viewing angle;
• a pixel circuit configured to generate a driving current;
• a first transistor configured to provide the driving current to the first light emitting element in response to the first select signal;
• and
• a second transistor configured to provide the driving current to the second light emitting element in response to the second select signal, and
• wherein, in a mode switching frame period between the first mode and the second mode, the first select driver is configured to sequentially provide the first select signal to the plurality of pixels on the row-by-row basis, and the second select driver is configured to sequentially provide the second select signal to the plurality of pixels on the row-by-row basis such that one of the first and second light emitting elements turns on and stays on for a remainder of the mode switching frame period and an other one of the first and second light emitting elements turns off and stays off for the remainder of the mode switching frame period.

A method of operating a display device in which each of a plurality of pixels comprises a first light emitting element and a second light emitting element having different viewing angles, is configured to drive the first light emitting element based on a first select signal, and is configured to drive the second light emitting element based on a second select signal, the method comprising:

• determining whether a mode of the display device is switched;
• generating second gamma reference voltages corresponding to a second mode in a first mode switching frame period in which a mode of the display device is switched from a first mode to the second mode;
• sequentially providing second data voltages generated based on the second gamma reference voltages to the plurality of pixels on a row-by-row basis in the first mode switching frame period;
• sequentially providing the first select signal having an off-level to the plurality of pixels on the row-by-row basis in the first mode switching frame period such that one of the first and second light emitting elements turns on and stays on for a remainder of the mode switching frame period;
• sequentially providing the second select signal having an on-level to the plurality of pixels on the row-by-row basis in the first mode switching frame period such that an other one of the first and second light emitting elements turns off and stays off for the remainder of the mode switching frame period;
• generating first gamma reference voltages corresponding to the first mode in a second mode switching frame period in which the mode of the display device is switched from the second mode to the first mode;
• sequentially providing first data voltages generated based on the first gamma reference voltages to the plurality of pixels on the row-by-row basis in the second mode switching frame period;
• sequentially providing the first select signal having the on-level to the plurality of pixels on the row-by-row basis in the second mode switching frame period;
• and
• sequentially providing the second select signal having the off-level to the plurality of pixels on the row-by-row basis in the second mode switching frame period.