Drive circuit, display device and method for self-detecting and self-repairing drive circuit

A drive circuit having n (where n is a natural number of 2 or greater) output terminals through which video signals are outputted to a display device and means for detecting and repairing a defect in the drive circuit, the drive circuit comprising:

• n first output circuits, connected disconnectably to the output terminals, which convert input data into video signals;
• p or more (where p is a natural number of 1 to n) second output terminals, connected disconnectably to the output terminals, which convert input data into video signals;
• a third output circuit, not connected to any of the output terminals, which coverts input data into a video signal;
• switching means for selecting p output circuit(s) from among the first output circuits, disconnecting the p output circuit(s) from the output terminal(s), and connecting p output circuit(s) from among the second output circuits to the output terminal(s);
• comparing means for comparing the video signal from the first output circuit thus selected or each of the video signals from the first output circuits thus selected with the video signal from the third output circuit;
• and
• decision means for determining, in accordance with a comparison result sent from the comparing means, whether the first output circuit thus selected or any of the first output circuits thus selected is defective or not.

A drive circuit having n (where n is a natural number of 2 or greater) output terminals through which video signals are outputted to a display device and means for detecting and repairing a defect in the drive circuit, the drive circuit comprising:

• n first output circuits, connected disconnectably to the output terminals, which convert input data into video signals;
• u or more (where u is an even number of 2 to n) second output terminals, connected disconnectably to the output terminals, which convert input data into video signals;
• switching means for selecting u output circuits from among the first output circuits, disconnecting the u output circuits from the output terminals, and connecting u output circuits from among the second output circuits to the output terminals;
• comparing means for, with any two of the first output circuits thus selected serving as first and second selected output circuits respectively, comparing the video signal from the first selected output circuit and the video signal from the second selected output circuit;
• and
• decision means for determining, in accordance with a comparison result sent from the comparing means, whether any of the first output circuits thus selected is defective or not.

A self-detecting and self-repairing method for detecting and repairing a defect in a drive circuit including (i) n (where n is a natural number of 2 or greater) output terminals through which video signals are outputted to a display device, (ii) n first output circuits, connected disconnectably to the output terminals, which convert input data into video signals, (iii) p or more (where p is a natural number of 1 to n) second output terminals, connected disconnectably to the output terminals, which convert input data into video signals, and (iv) a third output circuit, not connected to any of the output terminals, which coverts input data into a video signal, the self-detecting and self-repairing method comprising:

• a switching step of selecting p output circuit(s) from among the first output circuits, disconnecting the p output circuit(s) from the output terminal(s), and connecting p output circuit(s) from among the second output circuits to the output terminal(s);
• a comparing step of comparing the video signal from the first output circuit thus selected or each of the video signals from the first output circuits thus selected with the video signal from the third output circuit;
• and
• a decision step of determining, in accordance with a comparison result of the comparing step, whether the first output circuit thus selected or any of the first output circuits thus selected is defective or not.

A self-detecting and self-repairing method for detecting and repairing a defect in a drive circuit including (i) n (where n is a natural number of 2 or greater) output terminals through which video signals are outputted to a display device, (ii) n first output circuits, connected disconnectably to the output terminals, which convert input data into video signals;

• (iii) u or more (where u is an even number of 2 to n) second output terminals, connected disconnectably to the output terminals, which convert input data into video signals, the self-detecting and self-repairing method comprising:
• a switching step of selecting u output circuits from among the first output circuits, disconnecting the u output circuits from the output terminals, and connecting u output circuits from among the second output circuits to the output terminals;
• a comparing step of, with any two of the first output circuits thus selected serving as first and second selected output circuits respectively, comparing the video signal from the first selected output circuit and the video signal from the second selected output circuit;
• and
• a decision step of determining, in accordance with a comparison result of the comparing step, whether any of the first output circuits thus selected is defective or not.