US 8,300,033 B2 · Method and apparatus for driving display panel

Abstract

A method and apparatus for driving a display panel in which a bus link between a timing controller and a source driver block is altered in order to simplify the structure of a circuit. The apparatus includes a timing controller to generate signals including data and a reference signal for driving the display panel at a display driving time. A plurality of source drivers generate signals for driving data lines of the display panel using the signals generated by the timing controller. First signal transmission means are provided for transmitting the data from the timing controller to each of the plurality of source drivers using a point-to-point connection link, and a bus for transmitting the reference signal generated by the timing controller to one of the plurality of source drivers. Also, second signal transmission means are provided for transmitting the reference signal between the plurality of source drivers using a serial cascade connection link.

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Drawings

Claims23

Dependent claims

An apparatus for driving a display panel, comprising:

a timing controller structured to generate a first signal, second signals, and a third signal to drive the display panel;
a plurality of source drivers structured to drive data lines of the display panel, at least a first source driver of the source drivers being structured to directly receive the first signal from the timing controller when the third signal is in a first logic state;
at least one point-to-point connection link directly coupling each of the plurality of source drivers to the timing controller, the at least one point-to-point connection link structured to transmit the second signals;
at least one serial cascade connection link cascaded between the first source driver and a second source driver, the at least one serial cascade connection link structured to transmit the first signal from the first source driver to the second source driver when the third signal is in the first logic state,
wherein the timing controller is structured to directly transmit the second signals to each of the plurality of source drivers.

2 more elements

An apparatus for driving a display panel, comprising:

a first group of buses structured to transmit first display data between a timing controller and a first source driver, the first display data being driven by the first source driver through one or more data lines coupled to the display panel;
a single bus structured to transmit a reference signal between the timing controller and the first source driver;
second through an nth groups of buses structured to directly transmit second through nth display data, respectively, between the timing controller and each of second through nth source drivers, the second through nth display data being respectively driven by the second through nth source drivers through the one or more data lines coupled to the display panel;
control buses structured to directly transmit respective control signals between the timing controller and each of first through nth source drivers;
a first cascaded bus structured to transmit the referenCe signal from the first source driver to the second source driver that is serially cascaded to the first source driver;
and
second through (n−1)th cascaded buses structured to transmit the respective reference signals reproduced in second through (n−1)th source drivers,
wherein for each source driver, a reference signal is input when the respective control signal is in a first logic state and a reference signal is output when the respective control signal is in the first logic state.

5 more elements

An apparatus for driving a display panel, comprising:

a timing controller structured to generate signals including data, a first reference signal, a second reference signal, first control signals, and second control signals to drive the display panel at a display driving time;
a first source driver block comprising a plurality of source drivers structured to generate signals to drive data lines of the display panel using the signals generated by the timing controller;
a second source driver block comprising a plurality of source drivers structured to generate signals to drive data lines of the display panel using the signals generated by the timing controller;
a first signal transmission means comprising buses for transmitting the data from the timing controller to each of the plurality of source drivers of the first source driver block using a point-to-point connection link, and a bus for transmitting the first reference signal generated by the timing controller to one of the plurality of source drivers of the first source driver block;
a second signal transmission means comprising buses for transmitting the data from the timing controller to each of the plurality of source drivers of the second source driver block using the point-to-point connection link, and a bus for transmitting the second reference signal generated by the timing controller to one of the plurality of source drivers of the second source driver block;
a third signal transmission means comprising buses for transmitting the first reference signal between the plurality of source drivers of the first source driver block using a serial cascade connection link;
and
a fourth signal transmission means comprising buses for transmitting the second reference signal between the plurality of source drivers of the second source driver block using the serial cascade connection link,
wherein the apparatus is structured such that the first control signals are transmitted from the timing controller to the plurality of source drivers of the first source driver block, respectively,
wherein the apparatus is structured such that the second control signals are transmitted from the timing controller to the plurality of source drivers of the second source driver block, respectively,
wherein the first source driver block is structured such that the first reference signal is input when the respective first control signals are in a first logic state and the first reference signal is output when the respective first control signals are in the first logic state, and
wherein the second source driver block is structured such that the second reference signal is input when the respective second control signals are in a first logic state and the second reference signal is output when the respective second control signals are in the first logic state.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description7,486 words

Summary2,218 words

#This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2007-0050259, filed on May 23, 2007, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.

#1. Field of the Invention

#The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for driving a display panel, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for driving a display panel in which a bus link between a timing controller and a source driver block is altered in order to simplify the structure of a circuit.

Brief description of the drawings7 figures

#The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings in which:

#FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a conventional apparatus for driving a display panel;

#FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram including an apparatus for driving a display panel according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Detailed description5,073 words

#The attached drawings for illustrating preferred embodiments of the present invention are referred to in order to gain a sufficient understanding of the present invention, the merits thereof, and the objectives accomplished by the implementation of the present invention.

#Hereinafter, the present invention will be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown.

#FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram including an apparatus 200 for driving a display panel 210 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 2, the apparatus 200 for driving the display panel 210 may comprise the display panel 210, a printed circuit board (PCB) 230, which may provide a place to mount a timing controller 220, and a film 240 that couples the display panel 210 and the PCB 230. Three source drivers 250-1, 250-2, and 250-3 for driving the display panel 210 may be mounted on the film 240.

Facts

Application

12/126,286Filed 23 May 2008

Priority

KR 10-2007-005025923 May 2007

Published

US 2008/0291181 A127 Nov 2008

Granted

30 Oct 2012

Term ends

27 Oct 2030

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment, including 887 days of adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification3 codes

G09G 3/3611
Using liquid crystals: control of matrices with row and column drivers
G09G 2370/08
Aspects of data communication: details of image data interface between the display device controller and the data line driver circuit
G09G
Arrangements or circuits for control of indicating devices using static means to

Timeline

23 May 2007Priority claimedKR 10-2007-0050259
23 May 2008Application filedUS 12/126,286
23 May 2008Assigned to Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.assignment of assignor's interest
27 Nov 2008PublishedUS 2008/0291181 A1
30 Oct 2012GrantedUS 8,300,033 B2
12 Oct 2026TodayWithin its term
27 Oct 2030Term endsEstimated, includes 887 days of adjustment

Method and apparatus for driving display panel

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for driving display panel

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims23

Description7,486 words

Drawings

Description7,486 words

Classification3 codes

Life of this patent