Flat panel display capable of digital data transmission

A flat panel display, comprising:

• a power unit operable to generate a constant voltage;
• a gate voltage generating unit operable to generate a gate on/off voltage;
• a controller operable to generate scan and column control signals, and digital gamma data representing a plurality of values for gradation and to output RGB data externally received, the scan and column control signals, and the digital gamma data, respectively;
• a scan driver unit operable to receive the scan control signal and the gate on/off voltage and to generate a scan signal;
• a column driver unit operable to convert the digital gamma data into an analog gradation voltage and to generate a column signal based on the column control signal, the RGB data and the analog gradation voltage;
• and
• a flat display panel operable to display an image based on the scan and column signals.

A flat panel display, comprising:

• a power unit generating a constant voltage;
• a gate voltage generating unit generating a gate on/off voltage;
• a controller receiving driving data and a driving control signal and generating a scan control signal, a column control signal, RGB data and digital gamma data having a plurality of gradation values with reference to the constant voltage from the power unit, wherein the controller encodes the scan control signal, the column control signal, the RGB data in a differential signal format;
• a scan driver unit decoding the differential signal and generating a scan signal based on the scan control signal and the gate on/off voltage;
• a column driver unit decoding the differential signal, converting the digital gamma data into an analog gradation voltage, and outputting a column signal based on the column control signal, RGB data and the analog gradation voltage;
• and
• a flat display panel displaying an image based on the scan signal and the column signal.

A column driver unit for a display device, comprising a plurality of column driver integrated circuits (“IC”), each of the column driver ICs comprising:

• a memory storing digital gamma data from a controller;
• a decoder decoding the digital gamma data stored in the memory;
• a first digital/analog (“D/A”) converter converting the decoded digital gamma data into an analog gradation voltage;
• a shift register sequentially shifting an output;
• a data latch storing RGB data from the controller and outputting the stored RGB data in accordance with the output from the shift register;
• a second D/A converter receiving the analog gradation voltage from the first D/A converter and the RGB data from the data latch, selecting a gradation value corresponding to the RGB data from the data latch and generating a gradation voltage based on the selecting gradation value;
• and
• a buffer buffering the gradation voltage from the second D/A converter and generating a column signal.