Power voltage generating circuit and display apparatus having the same and method of protecting data driver using the same

A display apparatus comprising:

• a display panel configured to display an image;
• a gate driver configured to output a gate signal to the display panel;
• a data driver configured to output a data voltage to the display panel;
• and
• a power voltage generator configured to provide a gate driver power voltage to the gate driver, configured to provide a data driver power voltage to the data driver, and comprising a data driver power voltage generator that is configured to generate the data driver power voltage, the data driver power voltage generator comprising:
• an input capacitor comprising a first end connected to an input node and a second end connected to a ground;
• an inductor;
• an input switching element connected between the input node and a first end of the inductor;
• a control switching element comprising a control electrode connected to a switching controller that is configured to apply a switching control signal, an input electrode connected to a resistor, and an output electrode connected to a second end of the inductor;
• a diode comprising a first electrode connected to the second end of the inductor, and a second electrode connected to an output node;
• and
• an output capacitor connected between the output node and the ground,
• wherein the data driver power voltage generator is configured to turn off the input switching element when a short circuit of a load connected to the output node is detected in a monitoring period.

A method of protecting a data driver, the method comprising:

• generating a gate driver power voltage;
• outputting the gate driver power voltage to a gate driver;
• generating a data driver power voltage;
• outputting the data driver power voltage to the data driver;
• outputting a gate signal to a display panel based on the gate driver power voltage;
• outputting a data voltage to the display panel based on the data driver power voltage;
• turning off a control switching element and measuring a voltage drop of the data driver power voltage outputted from an output node in a monitoring period;
• and
• turning off an input switching element when the voltage drop of the data driver power voltage is equal to or greater than a reference voltage drop.