Display panel, driving method thereof, and display device

Abstract

A display panel, its driving method, and a display device are disclosed. The display panel has a display area, which includes multiple sub-pixel areas. The display panel includes multiple first sub-pixels, multiple second sub-pixels, multiple scan lines, and multiple data lines. At least one first sub-pixel and one second sub-pixel are distributed within each sub-pixel area. The first sub-pixels and second sub-pixels located within the same sub-pixel area are connected to the same scan line or to different scan lines respectively. The first sub-pixels and second sub-pixels located within the same sub-pixel area are respectively connected to different data lines. The second sub-pixel can compensate for the brightness of the sub-pixel area when the brightness of the displayed image is below a first set value.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure pertains to the field of display technology, specifically relating to a display panel, its driving method, and a display device. Background Technology

[0002] OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) displays have attracted widespread attention due to their advantages such as self-illumination, low power consumption, thinness, flexibility, vibrant colors, high contrast, and fast response speed. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This disclosure provides a display panel, a driving method thereof, and a display device.

[0004] In a first aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a display panel having a display area, the display area comprising a plurality of sub-pixel areas.

[0005] The display panel includes multiple first sub-pixels, multiple second sub-pixels, multiple scan lines, and multiple data lines;

[0006] At least one first sub-pixel and one second sub-pixel are distributed within a sub-pixel region.

[0007] The first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel located in the same sub-pixel area are connected to the same scan line or to different scan lines respectively; the first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel located in the same sub-pixel area are connected to different data lines respectively.

[0008] The second sub-pixel can compensate for the brightness of the sub-pixel area at least when the brightness of the displayed image is below a first set value.

[0009] In some embodiments, the plurality of sub-pixel regions are arranged in an array, and each sub-pixel region contains a first sub-pixel and a second sub-pixel;

[0010] The multiple scan lines and the multiple rows of sub-pixel areas correspond one-to-one;

[0011] The multiple data lines correspond one-to-one with the multiple columns of sub-pixel areas; or, each column of sub-pixel areas corresponds to two data lines, with the two data lines located on opposite sides of the column of sub-pixel areas along the array row direction.

[0012] The first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel located in the same sub-pixel region are respectively connected to two adjacent scan lines;

[0013] The first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel located in the same sub-pixel area are respectively connected to two adjacent data lines.

[0014] In some embodiments, the effective light-emitting area of ​​the first sub-pixel is greater than or equal to the effective light-emitting area of ​​the second sub-pixel.

[0015] In some embodiments, the first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel in each column of the sub-pixel region are located in different columns;

[0016] The columns of the first sub-pixel and the columns of the second sub-pixel in the display area are arranged alternately along the row direction of the array;

[0017] Each column of first sub-pixels is connected to one of the data lines; each column of second sub-pixels is connected to one of the data lines;

[0018] The display panel also includes a data switching circuit connected to the data line, used to switch the simultaneous input or time-division input of data for an adjacent column of the first sub-pixel and a column of the second sub-pixel.

[0019] Secondly, embodiments of this disclosure also provide a display device, which includes the aforementioned display panel.

[0020] Thirdly, embodiments of this disclosure also provide a driving method for the above-mentioned display panel, wherein the display panel has a display area, the display area includes a plurality of sub-pixel areas, the display panel includes a plurality of first sub-pixels and a plurality of second sub-pixels; at least one first sub-pixel and one second sub-pixel are distributed in one of the sub-pixel areas;

[0021] The driving method includes: when the brightness of the display screen of the display panel is below a first set value, sensing the brightness distribution of the first sub-pixel in the display panel when displaying the display screen;

[0022] Calculate the brightness compensation data of the second sub-pixel in the display panel based on the brightness distribution when the first sub-pixel displays the display image;

[0023] The brightness of the sub-pixel region is compensated using the brightness compensation data of the second sub-pixel.

[0024] In some embodiments, compensating for the brightness of the sub-pixel region using the brightness compensation data of the second sub-pixel includes:

[0025] When the brightness of the first sub-pixel is higher than the average brightness of the display screen, the brightness of the second sub-pixel is lower than the average brightness of the display screen.

[0026] When the brightness of the first sub-pixel is lower than the average brightness of the displayed image, the brightness of the second sub-pixel is higher than the average brightness of the displayed image.

[0027] In some embodiments, when the brightness of the displayed image is above a second set value, both the first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel in the display panel are controlled to light up. At this time, the display brightness of the sub-pixel area in the display panel is the sum of the display brightness of the first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel; the second set value is greater than the first set value.

[0028] When the brightness of the displayed image is between the first set value and the second set value, the first sub-pixel in the display panel is controlled to light up. At this time, the display brightness of the sub-pixel area in the display panel is the display brightness of the first sub-pixel.

[0029] In some embodiments, the method further includes: configuring a first set of Gamma data for the display panel when the first sub-pixel is lit individually;

[0030] When the second sub-pixel is lit up alone, a second set of Gamma data is configured for the display panel.

[0031] When both the first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel are lit, a third set of Gamma data is configured for the display panel.

[0032] Store the first set of Gamma data, the second set of Gamma data, and the third set of Gamma data;

[0033] Receive display data of the display screen, and analyze the brightness of the display screen based on the display data. When the brightness of the display screen is above the second set value, call the third set of Gamma data to drive the first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel.

[0034] When the brightness of the displayed image is between the first set value and the second set value, the first set of Gamma data is invoked to drive the first sub-pixel;

[0035] When the brightness of the displayed image is below the first set value, the first set of Gamma data and the second set of Gamma data are called simultaneously to drive the first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel.

[0036] In some embodiments, the actual display brightness of the display screen is the sum of the brightness of the first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel.

[0037] The display panel provided in this embodiment reduces the brightness difference in visual effect of low-brightness or low-grayscale display images by setting at least one first sub-pixel and one second sub-pixel in the same sub-pixel area, and the second sub-pixel can compensate for the brightness of the sub-pixel area when the brightness of the displayed image is below a first set value. This improves the uniformity of the brightness of low-brightness or low-grayscale display images. Moreover, the brightness compensation of low-brightness images does not rely on high-performance chips and overly complex algorithms. While ensuring the brightness compensation effect, it does not make the technical cost of the display panel too high, which is conducive to the further improvement of OLED display technology.

[0038] The display device provided in this disclosure improves the brightness uniformity of the display device when displaying low-brightness or low-grayscale images by adopting the above-mentioned display panel; and the brightness compensation of the low-brightness image does not rely on high-performance chips and overly complex algorithms. While ensuring the brightness compensation effect, it does not make the technical cost of the display device too high, which is conducive to the further improvement of OLED display technology. Attached Figure Description

[0039] The accompanying drawings are provided to further illustrate the embodiments of this disclosure and form part of the specification. They are used together with the embodiments of this disclosure to explain the disclosure and do not constitute a limitation thereof. The above and other features and advantages will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from the detailed description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0040] Figure 1A This is a schematic diagram of the sub-pixel arrangement of a display panel according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0041] Figure 1B This is a schematic diagram of the sub-pixel arrangement of another display panel in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0042] Figure 1C This is a schematic diagram of the subpixel arrangement of a current display panel.

[0043] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a color mixing effect in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0044] Figure 3A This is a schematic diagram of a data switching circuit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0045] Figure 3B This is a schematic diagram of another data switching circuit in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0046] Figure 3C This is a timing diagram of the data switching circuit switching simultaneous data input in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0047] Figure 3DThis is a timing diagram of the data switching circuit switching data input in a time-division multiplexing manner in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0048] Figure 4A This is a flowchart of a display panel driving method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0049] Figure 4B This is a flowchart of a display panel driving method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0050] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure, the following describes in further detail a display panel, its driving method, and a display device provided in the embodiments of this disclosure, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific implementation methods.

[0051] Embodiments of this disclosure will be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings; however, the embodiments shown may be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth in this disclosure. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the scope of this disclosure.

[0052] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in this application shall have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains. The terms “a,” “an,” “an,” “the,” and similar words used in this application do not indicate quantity limitation and may indicate singular or plural. The terms “comprising,” “including,” “having,” and any variations thereof used in this application are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion; for example, a process, method, system, product, or device that includes a series of steps or modules (units) is not limited to the listed steps or units, but may also include steps or units not listed, or may include other steps or units inherent to these processes, methods, products, or devices. The terms “connected,” “linked,” “coupled,” and similar words used in this application are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but may include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. “Multiple” used in this application refers to two or more. “And / or” describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships may exist; for example, “A and / or B” can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, and B alone. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following objects are in an "or" relationship. The terms "first," "second," and "third" used in this application are merely to distinguish similar objects and do not represent a specific ordering of objects. "Above," "below," "left," and "right" are only used to indicate relative positional relationships; when the absolute position of the described object changes, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly.

[0053] As used herein, “parallel” and “perpendicular” include the described situation and situations that are similar to the described situation, within an acceptable range of deviation, which is determined by those skilled in the art taking into account the measurement under discussion and the error associated with the measurement of a particular quantity (i.e., the limitations of the measurement system). For example, “parallel” includes absolute parallelism and approximate parallelism, where an acceptable range of deviation for approximate parallelism may be, for example, within 5°; “perpendicular” includes absolute perpendicularity and approximate perpendicularity, where an acceptable range of deviation for approximate perpendicularity may also be, for example, within 5°.

[0054] It should be understood that when a layer or element is referred to as being on another layer or substrate, it can mean that the layer or element is directly on the other layer or substrate, or that there is an intermediate layer between the layer or element and the other layer or substrate.

[0055] This document describes exemplary embodiments with reference to sectional views and / or plan views, which are idealized exemplary drawings. In the drawings, the thickness of layers and regions is enlarged for clarity. Therefore, variations in shape relative to the drawings are contemplated due to, for example, manufacturing techniques and / or tolerances. Therefore, exemplary embodiments should not be construed as limited to the shapes of the regions shown herein, but rather include shape deviations due to, for example, manufacturing processes. Thus, the regions shown in the drawings are schematic in nature, and their shapes are not intended to show the actual shapes of the regions of the device, nor are they intended to limit the scope of the exemplary embodiments.

[0056] Currently, as OLED display panel technology continues to mature, the usage rate of OLED display panels in terminal products such as smart wearables, consumer electronics, and automotive displays is increasing.

[0057] However, the inherent defects of OLED display panels have not yet been effectively resolved. First, because OLED devices emit light through current control, it is difficult to precisely control the current of the driving transistors that control the light emission when displaying low grayscale images. This can easily lead to uneven light emission distribution in the display area of ​​the panel. In addition, the differences in the threshold voltage of the driving transistors that control the light emission of OLED devices (caused by the manufacturing process of the driving transistors) and the objective factor that the human eye is more sensitive to changes in brightness in dark areas will make the brightness non-uniformity in low grayscale images even more prominent. Second, because the light-emitting materials of OLED devices inevitably age and degrade, their lifespan is also a very significant shortcoming.

[0058] Currently, methods to solve the problem of uneven brightness in low grayscale display include using high bit depth driver chips to refine grayscale control voltage, high-frequency PWM (pulse width modulation) or DC-like dimming, detecting pixel brightness through sensors and dynamically adjusting voltage, and using more precise Demura algorithms. These methods have achieved certain beneficial effects, but they have also brought higher technical costs and the compensation effect is not ideal.

[0059] To address the aforementioned problems in the related art, in a first aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a display panel, such as... Figure 1A and Figure 1B As shown, the display area 100 includes multiple sub-pixel areas 101. The display panel includes multiple first sub-pixels 1, multiple second sub-pixels 2, multiple scan lines 3, and multiple data lines 4. At least one first sub-pixel 1 and one second sub-pixel 2 are distributed within a sub-pixel area 101. The first sub-pixel 1 and the second sub-pixel 2 located in the same sub-pixel area 101 are connected to the same scan line 3 or are connected to different scan lines 3 respectively. The first sub-pixel 1 and the second sub-pixel 2 located in the same sub-pixel area 101 are connected to different data lines 4 respectively. The second sub-pixel 2 can compensate for the brightness of the sub-pixel area 101 at least when the brightness of the displayed image is below a first set value.

[0060] For example, the range of the first set value is 40-80 nits. Both the first sub-pixel 1 and the second sub-pixel 2 can be OLED devices. The colors of the first sub-pixel 1 and the second sub-pixel 2 located in the same sub-pixel area 101 can be the same or different; for example, the colors of the first sub-pixel 1 and the second sub-pixel 2 can both be red, or both be green or blue; or the color of the first sub-pixel 1 can be red, and the color of the second sub-pixel 2 can be green or blue.

[0061] In this embodiment, when the brightness of the displayed image is below a first set value, the displayed image is a low-brightness image or a low-grayscale image, and the display panel is in a low-brightness mode. By setting at least one first sub-pixel 1 and one second sub-pixel 2 in the same sub-pixel area 101, and the second sub-pixel 2 can compensate for the brightness of the sub-pixel area 101 at least when the brightness of the displayed image is below the first set value, when the brightness of the displayed image is below the first set value, if the first sub-pixel 1 is too bright, the second sub-pixel 2 applies a brightness compensation method lower than the average brightness of the displayed image to the sub-pixel area 101; if the first sub-pixel 1 is too dark, the second sub-pixel 2 applies a brightness compensation method higher than the average brightness of the displayed image to the sub-pixel area 101, thereby reducing the brightness difference in visual effect of low-brightness or low-grayscale display images and improving the uniformity of brightness of low-brightness or low-grayscale display images; and the brightness compensation of this low-brightness image does not rely on high-performance chips and overly complex algorithms, ensuring the brightness compensation effect without making the technical cost of the display panel too high, which is conducive to the further improvement of OLED display technology.

[0062] In this embodiment, when the brightness of the displayed image is below a first set value, both the first sub-pixel 1 and the second sub-pixel 2 are lit. Through the color mixing effect re-formed by the first sub-pixel 1 and the second sub-pixel 2, the brightness or grayscale of the sub-pixel area 101 is lower than that when the first sub-pixel 1 is displayed alone, thereby reducing the brightness or grayscale difference between different areas of the displayed image, and also making the displayed image appear to have a reduced brightness. Figure 2 As shown, when red has 127 gray levels, adding 64 gray levels of blue and green for mixing results in a lower visual brightness in the entire filled area.

[0063] In some embodiments, when the brightness of the displayed image on the display panel is above a second set value, the first sub-pixel 1 and the second sub-pixel 2 in the display panel are both lit up; at this time, the display brightness of the sub-pixel area 101 in the display panel is the sum of the display brightness of the first sub-pixel 1 and the second sub-pixel 2; the second set value is greater than the first set value; when the brightness of the displayed image is between the first set value and the second set value, the first sub-pixel 1 in the display panel is lit up; at this time, the display brightness of the sub-pixel area 101 in the display panel is the display brightness of the first sub-pixel 1.

[0064] For example, the range of the second setting value is 180-200 nits. When the brightness of the displayed image is above the second setting value, the display panel is in high brightness mode, and both the first sub-pixel 1 and the second sub-pixel 2 are lit. At this time, the actual brightness in the sub-pixel area 101 is the sum of the brightness of the first sub-pixel 1 and the second sub-pixel 2, compared to the current situation where only one sub-pixel 5 is set in a sub-pixel area 101 (e.g., ...). Figure 1CAs shown in the figure, and the actual brightness of a sub-pixel area 101 is the brightness of that sub-pixel 5, in this embodiment, the brightness of the individual first sub-pixel 1 and the individual second sub-pixel 2 is less than the brightness of the individual sub-pixel 5 in the current sub-pixel area 101. As a result, the operating current of the individual first sub-pixel 1 and the individual second sub-pixel 2 in this embodiment is less than the operating current of the individual sub-pixel 5 in the current sub-pixel area 101 (i.e., no second sub-pixel is set in a sub-pixel area). Consequently, this embodiment reduces the operating current of the first sub-pixel 1 and the second sub-pixel 2 in the sub-pixel area 101, thereby reducing the aging and decay rate of the first sub-pixel 1 and the second sub-pixel 2 in the sub-pixel area 101 and extending the service life of the first sub-pixel 1 and the second sub-pixel 2 in the sub-pixel area 101. When the brightness of the display screen is between the first and second set values, such as between 40-200 nits, the display panel is in medium brightness mode, and the first sub-pixel 1 is lit. While achieving the actual brightness of the sub-pixel area 101, it can also reduce the display power consumption of the sub-pixel area 101, thereby reducing the display power consumption of the display panel.

[0065] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1A and Figure 1B As shown, multiple sub-pixel regions 101 are arranged in an array, with a first sub-pixel 1 and a second sub-pixel 2 distributed within each sub-pixel region 101; multiple scan lines 3 are arranged sequentially along the column direction Y of the array, and each scan line 3 extends along the row direction X of the array; multiple scan lines 3 correspond one-to-one with multiple rows of sub-pixel regions 101; multiple data lines 4 are arranged sequentially along the row direction X of the array, and each data line 4 extends along the column direction Y of the array; multiple data lines 4 correspond one-to-one with multiple columns of sub-pixel regions 101; or, each column of sub-pixel regions 101 corresponds to two data lines 4, and the two data lines 4 are respectively located on opposite sides of the column of sub-pixel regions 101 along the row direction X of the array; the first sub-pixel 1 and the second sub-pixel 2 located in the same sub-pixel region 101 are respectively connected to two adjacent scan lines 3; the first sub-pixel 1 and the second sub-pixel 2 located in the same sub-pixel region 101 are respectively connected to two adjacent data lines 4.

[0066] In some embodiments, the effective light-emitting area of ​​the first sub-pixel 1 is greater than or equal to the effective light-emitting area of ​​the second sub-pixel 2.

[0067] The effective light-emitting area of ​​the first sub-pixel 1 refers to the opening area in the pixel confinement layer where the first sub-pixel 1 is located. The effective light-emitting area of ​​the second sub-pixel 2 refers to the opening area in the pixel confinement layer where the second sub-pixel 2 is located. This setting of the effective light-emitting area ensures that the first sub-pixel 1 can be displayed normally in low-brightness, medium-brightness, and high-brightness modes.

[0068] In some embodiments, the first sub-pixel 1 and the second sub-pixel 2 in each column of sub-pixel area 101 are located in different columns; the columns of the first sub-pixel 1 and the columns of the second sub-pixel 2 in the display area 100 are arranged alternately along the row direction X of the array; each column of the first sub-pixel 1 is connected to a data line 4; each column of the second sub-pixel 2 is connected to a data line 4; the display panel also includes a data switching circuit 6 connected to the data line 4, used to switch the simultaneous input or time-division input of data of an adjacent column of the first sub-pixel 1 and a column of the second sub-pixel 2.

[0069] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3A and Figure 3B As shown, the data switching circuit 6 includes multiple sub-units 60. Each sub-unit 60 is connected to a set of data lines 4 located between two adjacent columns of sub-pixel areas 101. Each sub-unit 60 is also connected to a first control line 7 and a second control line 8.

[0070] In this embodiment, as Figure 1A As shown, a set of data lines 4 located between two adjacent columns of sub-pixel areas 101 includes two data lines 4, one connected to a column of first sub-pixels 1, and the other connected to a column of second sub-pixels 2. Figure 3A As shown, sub-unit 60 includes a first transistor T1 and a second transistor T2. The control electrode of the first transistor T1 is connected to a first control line 7, the first electrode of the first transistor T1 is connected to a data driving circuit, and the second electrode of the first transistor T1 is connected to a data line 4 connected to a column of first sub-pixels 1. The control electrode of the second transistor T2 is connected to a second control line 8, the first electrode of the second transistor T2 is connected to a data driving circuit, and the second electrode of the second transistor T2 is connected to another data line 4 connected to a column of second sub-pixels 2. When any scan line 3 in the display panel is scanning, this sub-unit 60 can switch the data of an adjacent column of first sub-pixels 1 and a column of second sub-pixels 2 to be input simultaneously during the scanning time of that scan line 3. Figure 3C As shown, this is the control timing of the first control line 7 and the second control line 8 when the data of an adjacent column of first sub-pixels 1 and a column of second sub-pixels 2 are simultaneously input in sub-unit 60.

[0071] In this embodiment, as Figure 1B As shown, a set of data lines 4 located between two adjacent columns of sub-pixel areas 101 includes a single data line 4, which is simultaneously connected to a column of first sub-pixels 1 and a column of second sub-pixels 2. Figure 3BAs shown, sub-unit 60 includes a first transistor T1 and a second transistor T2. The control electrode of the first transistor T1 is connected to the first control line 7, the first electrode of the first transistor T1 is connected to the data driving circuit, and the second electrode of the first transistor T1 is connected to a data line 4 located between two adjacent columns of sub-pixel areas 101. The control electrode of the second transistor T2 is connected to the second control line 8, the first electrode of the second transistor T2 is connected to the data driving circuit, and the second electrode of the second transistor T2 is connected to the same data line 4 located between two adjacent columns of sub-pixel areas 101. When any scan line 3 in the display panel is scanning, this sub-unit 60 can switch the data of an adjacent column of first sub-pixels 1 and a column of second sub-pixels 2 to be input in a time-division manner during the scanning time of that scan line 3. Figure 3D As shown, this is the control timing sequence of the first control line 7 and the second control line 8 when the data of an adjacent column of first sub-pixels 1 and a column of second sub-pixels 2 are switched in a time-division manner in sub-unit 60.

[0072] In this embodiment, the display panel Figure 1A and Figure 1B Taking the Real RGB (red, green, blue) subpixel arrangement structure as an example, the subpixel arrangement structure in the display panel is also applicable to subpixel arrangement structures such as diamond structure, Delta structure, 2in1 structure, and Pentile structure.

[0073] Based on the above-described structure of the display panel, this disclosure also provides a driving method for the display panel, such as... Figure 4A and Figure 4B As shown, the process includes: Step S01: When the brightness of the display screen on the display panel is below a first set value, the brightness distribution of the first sub-pixel in the display panel when displaying the display screen is sensed.

[0074] Step S02: Calculate the brightness compensation data of the second sub-pixel in the display panel based on the brightness distribution when the first sub-pixel displays the display image.

[0075] Step S03: Store the brightness compensation data.

[0076] Step S04: Use the brightness compensation data of the second sub-pixel to compensate for the brightness of the sub-pixel area.

[0077] The aforementioned driving method for the display panel reduces the brightness difference in visual effects of low-brightness or low-grayscale display images, and improves the uniformity of brightness in low-brightness or low-grayscale display images. Furthermore, the brightness compensation of the low-brightness image does not rely on high-performance chips and overly complex algorithms. While ensuring the brightness compensation effect, it does not make the technical cost of the display panel too high, which is conducive to the further improvement of OLED display technology.

[0078] In some embodiments, the brightness of the sub-pixel area is compensated using the brightness compensation data of the second sub-pixel, including: when the brightness of the first sub-pixel is higher than the average brightness of the display screen, the brightness of the second sub-pixel is lower than the average brightness of the display screen; when the brightness of the first sub-pixel is lower than the average brightness of the display screen, the brightness of the second sub-pixel is higher than the average brightness of the display screen.

[0079] In some embodiments, when the brightness of the displayed image is above a second set value, the first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel in the display panel are both lit up. At this time, the display brightness of the sub-pixel area in the display panel is the sum of the display brightness of the first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel. The second set value is greater than the first set value. When the brightness of the displayed image is between the first set value and the second set value, the first sub-pixel in the display panel is lit up. At this time, the display brightness of the sub-pixel area in the display panel is the display brightness of the first sub-pixel.

[0080] In this embodiment, when the brightness of the displayed image is above the second set value, both the first and second sub-pixels in the display panel are lit. Compared to the current situation where only one sub-pixel is set in a sub-pixel area and the actual brightness of a sub-pixel area is the brightness of that single sub-pixel, the brightness of the individual first and second sub-pixels in this embodiment is lower than the brightness of a single sub-pixel in the current sub-pixel area. As a result, the operating current of the individual first and second sub-pixels in this embodiment is lower than the operating current of a single sub-pixel in a sub-pixel area (i.e., no second sub-pixel is set in a sub-pixel area). Consequently, this embodiment reduces the operating current of the first and second sub-pixels in the sub-pixel area, thereby reducing the aging and decay rate of the first and second sub-pixels in the sub-pixel area and extending their service life.

[0081] In this embodiment, when the brightness of the displayed image is between the first set value and the second set value, the first sub-pixel in the display panel is lit up by controlling the actual brightness of the sub-pixel area, while also reducing the display power consumption of the sub-pixel area, thereby reducing the display power consumption of the display panel.

[0082] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4BAs shown, the driving method further includes: configuring a first set of Gamma data for the display panel when the first sub-pixel is lit alone; configuring a second set of Gamma data for the display panel when the second sub-pixel is lit alone; configuring a third set of Gamma data for the display panel when both the first and second sub-pixels are lit; storing the first, second, and third sets of Gamma data; receiving display data from the display screen and analyzing the brightness of the display screen based on the display data; when the brightness of the display screen is above a second set value, calling the third set of Gamma data to drive the first and second sub-pixels; when the brightness of the display screen is between the first and second set values, calling the first set of Gamma data to drive the first sub-pixel; when the brightness of the display screen is below the first set value, simultaneously calling the first and second sets of Gamma data to drive the first and second sub-pixels.

[0083] The Gamma data includes data such as voltage, brightness, and color coordinates for each grayscale point. Because the second sub-pixel compensates for the brightness of the first sub-pixel in low-brightness mode, it needs to provide the second sub-pixel with corresponding grayscale brightness data. Therefore, the second sub-pixel also needs its own set of Gamma data. The premise for the second sub-pixel's brightness compensation to the first sub-pixel is that its Gamma data is calculated and stored in advance. When compensating for the brightness of the first sub-pixel, the brightness compensation data for the second sub-pixel is first calculated based on the brightness distribution of the first sub-pixel, and then the corresponding Gamma data for the second sub-pixel is retrieved based on this brightness compensation data.

[0084] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3C and Figure 3D As shown, when the display panel is driven in low brightness mode, the signal on the first control line 7 changes from high level to low level, triggering the first set of Gamma data of the first sub-pixel during the low level phase. At the same time, the data driving circuit outputs the data signal of the first sub-pixel to the corresponding data line. Similarly, the signal on the second control line 8 changes from high level to low level, triggering the second set of Gamma data of the second sub-pixel during the low level phase. At the same time, the data driving circuit outputs the data signal of the second sub-pixel to the corresponding data line.

[0085] In some embodiments, the actual display brightness of the screen is the sum of the brightness of the first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel. That is, for the high brightness mode, medium brightness mode, and low brightness mode of the display panel, in principle, the actual display brightness of any sub-pixel area is the sum of the brightness of the first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel in that sub-pixel area, and thus the actual display brightness of the entire screen is also the sum of the brightness of the first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel in the entire display area.

[0086] The display panel provided in this embodiment reduces the brightness difference in visual effect of low-brightness or low-grayscale display images by setting at least one first sub-pixel and one second sub-pixel in the same sub-pixel area, and the second sub-pixel can compensate for the brightness of the sub-pixel area when the brightness of the displayed image is below a first set value. This improves the uniformity of the brightness of low-brightness or low-grayscale display images. Moreover, the brightness compensation of low-brightness images does not rely on high-performance chips and overly complex algorithms. While ensuring the brightness compensation effect, it does not make the technical cost of the display panel too high, which is conducive to the further improvement of OLED display technology.

[0087] Secondly, embodiments of this disclosure also provide a display device, including the display panel described in the above embodiments.

[0088] By adopting the display panel in the above embodiments, the brightness uniformity of the display device is improved when displaying low-brightness or low-grayscale images; and the brightness compensation of the low-brightness image does not rely on high-performance chips and overly complex algorithms. While ensuring the brightness compensation effect, the technical cost of the display device is not too high, which is conducive to the further improvement of OLED display technology.

[0089] The display device provided in this disclosure can be any product or component with display function, such as an OLED panel, OLED TV, OLED billboard, monitor, mobile phone, or navigator.

[0090] It is understood that the above embodiments are merely exemplary embodiments used to illustrate the principles of this disclosure, and this disclosure is not limited thereto. For those skilled in the art, various modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the spirit and substance of this disclosure, and these modifications and improvements are also considered to be within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A display panel, wherein, It has a display area, which includes multiple sub-pixel areas. The display panel includes multiple first sub-pixels, multiple second sub-pixels, multiple scan lines, and multiple data lines; At least one first sub-pixel and one second sub-pixel are distributed within a sub-pixel region. The first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel located in the same sub-pixel area are connected to the same scan line or to different scan lines respectively; the first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel located in the same sub-pixel area are connected to different data lines respectively. The second sub-pixel can compensate for the brightness of the sub-pixel area at least when the brightness of the displayed image is below a first set value.

2. The display panel according to claim 1, wherein, The plurality of sub-pixel regions are arranged in an array, and each sub-pixel region contains a first sub-pixel and a second sub-pixel; The multiple scan lines and the multiple rows of sub-pixel areas correspond one-to-one; The multiple data lines correspond one-to-one with the multiple columns of sub-pixel areas; or, each column of sub-pixel areas corresponds to two data lines, with the two data lines located on opposite sides of the column of sub-pixel areas along the array row direction. The first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel located in the same sub-pixel region are respectively connected to two adjacent scan lines; The first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel located in the same sub-pixel area are respectively connected to two adjacent data lines.

3. The display panel according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The effective light-emitting area of ​​the first sub-pixel is greater than or equal to the effective light-emitting area of ​​the second sub-pixel.

4. The display panel according to claim 2, wherein, The first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel in each column of the sub-pixel area are located in different columns; The columns of the first sub-pixel and the columns of the second sub-pixel in the display area are arranged alternately along the row direction of the array; Each column of first sub-pixels is connected to one of the data lines; each column of second sub-pixels is connected to one of the data lines; The display panel also includes a data switching circuit connected to the data line, used to switch the simultaneous input or time-division input of data for an adjacent column of the first sub-pixel and a column of the second sub-pixel.

5. A display device, wherein, Includes the display panel as described in any one of claims 1-4.

6. A driving method for a display panel as described in any one of claims 1-4, wherein, The display panel has a display area, which includes multiple sub-pixel areas. The display panel includes multiple first sub-pixels and multiple second sub-pixels; at least one first sub-pixel and one second sub-pixel are distributed within each sub-pixel area. The driving method includes: when the brightness of the display screen of the display panel is below a first set value, sensing the brightness distribution of the first sub-pixel in the display panel when displaying the display screen; Calculate the brightness compensation data of the second sub-pixel in the display panel based on the brightness distribution when the first sub-pixel displays the display image; The brightness of the sub-pixel region is compensated using the brightness compensation data of the second sub-pixel.

7. The driving method according to claim 6, wherein, The step of compensating the brightness of the sub-pixel region using the brightness compensation data of the second sub-pixel includes: When the brightness of the first sub-pixel is higher than the average brightness of the display screen, the brightness of the second sub-pixel is lower than the average brightness of the display screen. When the brightness of the first sub-pixel is lower than the average brightness of the displayed image, the brightness of the second sub-pixel is higher than the average brightness of the displayed image.

8. The driving method according to claim 6, wherein, When the brightness of the displayed image is above the second set value, the first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel in the display panel are both lit up. At this time, the display brightness of the sub-pixel area in the display panel is the sum of the display brightness of the first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel; the second set value is greater than the first set value. When the brightness of the displayed image is between the first set value and the second set value, the first sub-pixel in the display panel is controlled to light up. At this time, the display brightness of the sub-pixel area in the display panel is the display brightness of the first sub-pixel.

9. The driving method according to claim 8, wherein, It also includes: configuring a first set of Gamma data for the display panel when the first sub-pixel is lit up alone; When the second sub-pixel is lit up alone, a second set of Gamma data is configured for the display panel. When both the first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel are lit, a third set of Gamma data is configured for the display panel. Store the first set of Gamma data, the second set of Gamma data, and the third set of Gamma data; Receive display data of the display screen, and analyze the brightness of the display screen based on the display data. When the brightness of the display screen is above the second set value, call the third set of Gamma data to drive the first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel. When the brightness of the displayed image is between the first set value and the second set value, the first set of Gamma data is invoked to drive the first sub-pixel; When the brightness of the displayed image is below the first set value, the first set of Gamma data and the second set of Gamma data are called simultaneously to drive the first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel.

10. The driving method according to claim 9, wherein, The actual display brightness of the displayed image is the sum of the brightness of the first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel.

Images