Display device

Abstract

A display device is provided. The display device includes: a display panel including a plurality of pixels; and a driving controller configured to: generate a data signal corresponding to input image data; generate a data voltage based on the data signal; and output the data voltage to the pixel, wherein the driving controller is configured to: output the data signal at at least one driving frequency higher than a predetermined low frequency during an image transition period in a low-frequency driving mode, and the data signal is output at a low frequency during the low-frequency driving mode.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Aspects of some example embodiments generally relate to a display device and a method of driving the same. Background Art

[0002] Flat panel display (FPD) devices are widely used as display devices of electronic devices because they are relatively lightweight and thin compared to cathode ray tube (CRT) display devices. Examples of FPD devices include liquid crystal display (LCD) devices, field emission display (FED) devices, plasma display panel (PDP) devices, and organic light emitting diode (OLED) display devices.

[0003] In order to reduce power consumption of the OLED display device, a low-frequency driving method may be used. When an image displayed on a display panel is changed in a low-frequency driving mode, there is a problem that a sticking image of a previous image may be generated.

[0004] The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not constitute the prior art. Summary of the invention

[0005] Some example embodiments provide a display device capable of improving display quality.

[0006] Some example embodiments provide a driving method of a display device capable of improving display quality.

[0007] According to aspects of some example embodiments, a display device may include: a display panel including a plurality of pixels; and a drive controller configured to: generate a data signal corresponding to input image data; generate a data voltage based on the data signal; and output the data voltage to the pixel. The drive controller may output the data signal at at least one driving frequency higher than a predetermined low frequency during an image transition period in a low-frequency driving mode, the data signal being output at a low frequency during the low-frequency driving mode.

[0008] According to some example embodiments, the driving controller may sequentially reduce the driving frequency during the image transition period.

[0009] According to some example embodiments, the driving controller may non-sequentially change the driving frequency during the image transition period.

[0010] According to some example embodiments, the driving controller may output the data signal at a first driving frequency and a second driving frequency.

[0011] According to some example embodiments, the first driving frequency may be higher than the second driving frequency.

[0012] According to some example embodiments, the first driving frequency may be lower than the second driving frequency.

[0013] According to some example embodiments, the driving controller may output the data signal at a first driving frequency at least once.

[0014] According to some example embodiments, the driving controller may output the data signal at the second driving frequency at least once.

[0015] According to some example embodiments, the driving controller may output the data signal at a predetermined low frequency before the image transition period and after the image transition period.

[0016] According to some example embodiments, the driving controller may output the data signal at a predetermined low frequency before the image transition period, and output the data signal at a low frequency different from the predetermined low frequency after the image transition period.

[0017] According to some example embodiments, when first input image data is changed to second input image data in a low-frequency driving mode, the driving controller may drive the display panel to include: a first low-frequency period, configured to output a first data signal corresponding to the first input image data at a first low frequency; an image transition period, configured to output a second data signal corresponding to the second input image data at at least one driving frequency; and a second low-frequency period, configured to output a second data signal corresponding to the second input image data at a second low frequency.

[0018] According to some example embodiments, the second low frequency may be the same as the first low frequency.

[0019] According to some example embodiments, the second low frequency may be different from the first low frequency.

[0020] According to some example embodiments, the driving frequency may be sequentially reduced during the image transition period.

[0021] According to some example embodiments, the driving frequency may be changed non-sequentially during the image transition period.

[0022] According to some example embodiments, at least one of driving frequencies at which the second data signal is output during the image transition period may be higher than the first low frequency.

[0023] According to some example embodiments, the second data signal may be output at the first driving frequency and the second driving frequency during the image transition period.

[0024] According to some example embodiments, the second driving frequency may be lower than the first driving frequency.

[0025] According to some example embodiments, the second driving frequency may be higher than the first driving frequency.

[0026] According to some example embodiments, the second data signal may be output at the first driving frequency at least once during the image transition period.

[0027] According to some example embodiments, the second data signal may be output at the second driving frequency at least once during the image transition period.

[0028] According to some example embodiments, the driving controller may include: a driving mode determiner, a data signal generator and a data voltage generator, the driving mode determiner is configured to determine a driving mode of the display panel, the data signal generator is configured to: generate a data signal corresponding to input image data, determine a driving frequency of the data signal, and output the data signal based on the driving frequency, and the data voltage generator is configured to generate a data voltage based on the data signal.

[0029] According to some example embodiments, the data signal generator may output the data signal at at least one driving frequency during the image transition period in the low frequency driving mode.

[0030] According to aspects of some example embodiments, a driving method of a display device may include: an operation of determining a driving mode of a display panel, an operation of determining whether an image transition occurs when the display panel is driven in a low-frequency driving mode, and an operation of outputting a data signal corresponding to input image data at at least one driving frequency in response to determining that the image transition occurs in the low-frequency driving mode.

[0031] According to some example embodiments, when an image transition occurs, the driving frequency may be sequentially reduced.

[0032] According to some example embodiments, when an image transition occurs, the driving frequency may be changed non-sequentially.

[0033] According to some example embodiments, the data signal may be output at a predetermined low frequency in a low frequency driving mode, and may be output at at least one driving frequency higher than the predetermined low frequency when an image transition occurs.

[0034] According to some example embodiments, when an image transition occurs, a data signal may be output at a first driving frequency and a second driving frequency.

[0035] According to some example embodiments, the first driving frequency may be higher than the second driving frequency.

[0036] According to some example embodiments, the first driving frequency may be lower than the second driving frequency.

[0037] According to some example embodiments, the data signal may be output at the first driving frequency at least once.

[0038] According to some example embodiments, the data signal may be output at the second driving frequency at least once.

[0039] Therefore, when the image changes in the low-frequency driving mode, the display device and the driving method of the display device can prevent or reduce the occurrence of residual images due to the response speed of the pixels by outputting data signals at at least one driving frequency higher than the predetermined low frequency. In addition, the display device and the driving method of the display device can prevent or reduce the occurrence of flickering due to rapid brightness changes by outputting data signals at at least one driving frequency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0040] Illustrative, non-limiting example embodiments will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0041] Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating a display device according to some example embodiments.

[0042] Figure 2A is a diagram used to describe aspects of the prior art.

[0043] Figure 2B are diagrams used to describe aspects of some example embodiments of the present invention.

[0044] Figure 3 It is shown that the Figure 1 A circuit diagram of an example of a pixel in a display device.

[0045] Figure 4 is a block diagram illustrating a driving controller included in a display device according to some example embodiments.

[0046] Figure 5 It is used to describe the Figure 4 A diagram of the operation of a data signal generator in a drive controller.

[0047] FIG. 6A to FIG. 6D Shown for describing the included Figure 4 An example of the operation of a data signal generator in a drive controller.

[0048] Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating a driving method of a display device according to some example embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0049] Hereinafter, aspects of some example embodiments of the inventive concept will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0050] Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating a display device according to some example embodiments. Figure 2A is a diagram used to describe aspects of the prior art. Figure 2B are diagrams used to describe aspects of some example embodiments of the present invention. Figure 3 It is shown that the Figure 1 A circuit diagram of an example of a pixel in a display device.

[0051] Reference Figure 1 , the display device 100 may include a display panel 110 , a driving controller 120 , and a scan driver 130 .

[0052] Generally, when the input data is a still image, the display device may drive the display panel at a low frequency to reduce power consumption. Figure 2A When the image displayed on the display panel changes in the low-frequency driving mode, there may be Figure 2A The problem described in the above description is that a residual image of a previous image is generated due to the response speed of the pixel PX. Figure 2B As described in Figure 1 The display device 100 can prevent or reduce the generation of a residual image on the display panel 110 by outputting a data signal at at least one driving frequency during an image transition period in which an image is changed in the low-frequency driving mode. Hereinafter, the display device 100 will be described in more detail.

[0053] The display panel 110 may include data lines DL, scan lines SL, and a plurality of pixels PX. The scan lines SL may extend along a first direction D1 and be arranged along a second direction D2 perpendicular to the first direction D1. The data lines DL may extend along a second direction D2 and be arranged along the first direction D1. The first direction D1 may be parallel to a long side of the display panel 110, and the second direction D2 may be parallel to a short side of the display panel 110. Each pixel PX may be located between or near a crossing region of the data lines DL and the scan lines SL.

[0054] Reference Figure 3 , each pixel PX may include a first type of switching element and a second type of switching element different from the first type. For example, the first type of switching element may be a polysilicon thin film transistor. For example, the first type of switching element may be a low temperature polysilicon (LTPS) thin film transistor. For example, the second type of switching element may be an oxide thin film transistor. For example, the first type of switching element may be a P-channel metal oxide semiconductor (PMOS) transistor, and the second type of switching element may be an N-channel metal oxide semiconductor (NMOS) transistor.

[0055] For example, the data write gate signals GWP and GWN may include a first data write gate signal GWP and a second data write gate signal GWN. The first data write gate signal GWP may be provided to a PMOS transistor and has a low-level activation signal in the data write timing of the pixel PX. The second data write gate signal GWN may be provided to an NMOS transistor and has a high-level activation signal in the data write timing of the pixel PX.

[0056] Each pixel PX may include first to seventh switching elements T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6 and T7, a storage capacitor CST and an organic light emitting diode OLED. The first switching element T1 may have a gate electrode coupled to the first node N1, a first electrode coupled to the second node N2 and a second electrode coupled to the third node N3. For example, the first switching element T1 may be a polysilicon thin film transistor. The first switching element T1 may be a PMOS transistor. The first electrode of the first switching element T1 may be a source electrode, and the second electrode of the first switching element T1 may be a drain electrode. The second switching element T2 may have a gate electrode for receiving a first data write gate signal GWP, a first electrode for receiving a data voltage Vdata and a second electrode coupled to the second node N2. For example, the second switching element T2 may be a polysilicon thin film transistor. The second switching element T2 may be a PMOS transistor. The first electrode of the second switching element T2 may be a source electrode, and the second electrode of the second switching element T2 may be a drain electrode. The third switching element T3 may have a gate electrode for receiving a second data write gate signal GWN, a first electrode coupled to the first node N1 and a second electrode coupled to the third node N3. For example, the third switching element T3 may be an oxide thin film transistor. The third switching element T3 may be an NMOS transistor. The first electrode of the third switching element T3 may be a source electrode, and the second electrode of the third switching element T3 may be a drain electrode. The fourth switching element T4 may have a gate electrode for receiving a data initialization gate signal GI, a first electrode for receiving an initialization voltage VI, and a second electrode coupled to the first node N1. For example, the fourth switching element T4 may be an oxide thin film transistor. The fourth switching element T4 may be an NMOS transistor. The first electrode of the fourth switching element T4 may be a source electrode, and the second electrode of the fourth switching element T4 may be a drain electrode. The fifth switching element T5 may have a gate electrode for receiving an emission control signal EM, a first electrode for receiving a high power supply voltage ELVDD, and a second electrode coupled to the second node N2. For example, the fifth switching element T5 may be a polysilicon thin film transistor. The fifth switching element T5 may be a PMOS transistor. The first electrode of the fifth switching element T5 may be a source electrode, and the second electrode of the fifth switching element T5 may be a drain electrode. The sixth switch element T6 may have a gate electrode for receiving the emission control signal EM, a first electrode coupled to the third node N3, and a second electrode coupled to the anode electrode of the organic light emitting diode OLED. For example, the sixth switch element T6 may be a polysilicon thin film transistor. The sixth switch element T6 may be a PMOS transistor. The first electrode of the sixth switch element T6 may be a source electrode, and the second electrode of the sixth switch element T6 may be a drain electrode.The seventh switching element T7 may have a gate electrode for receiving an organic light emitting diode initialization gate signal GB, a first electrode for receiving an initialization voltage VI, and a second electrode coupled to an anode electrode of the organic light emitting diode OLED. For example, the seventh switching element T7 may be an oxide thin film transistor. The seventh switching element T7 may be an NMOS transistor. The first electrode of the seventh switching element T7 may be a source electrode, and the second electrode of the seventh switching element T7 may be a drain electrode. The storage capacitor CST may have a first electrode for receiving a high power supply voltage ELVDD and a second electrode coupled to a first node N1. The organic light emitting diode OLED may have an anode electrode and a cathode electrode for receiving a low power supply voltage ELVSS. Figure 3 The pixel PX can prevent or reduce leakage current from occurring at the gate electrode of the driving transistor (eg, the first switching element T1) in the low-frequency driving mode. Therefore, the display quality of the display device 100 can be improved.

[0057] The driving controller 120 may generate a data signal corresponding to the input image data IMG, and generate a data voltage Vdata based on the data signal, and output the data voltage Vdata to the pixel PX.

[0058] The driving controller 120 may determine a driving mode of the display panel 110 based on the input image data IMG. For example, when the input image data IMG is a moving image, the driving controller 120 may drive the display panel 110 in a high-frequency driving mode, and when the input image data IMG is a still image, the driving controller 120 may drive the display panel 110 in a low-frequency driving mode.

[0059] The drive controller 120 may output a data signal based on the drive mode of the display panel 110. The drive controller 120 may convert the input image data IMG into a data signal by applying an algorithm for compensating the input image data IMG provided from an external device. When the display panel 110 is driven in a high-frequency drive mode, the drive controller 120 may output a data signal at a high frequency (e.g., a predetermined high frequency). For example, the high frequency (e.g., a predetermined high frequency) may be higher than 60 Hz. For example, the high frequency (e.g., a predetermined high frequency) may be 120 Hz. When the display panel 110 is driven in a low-frequency drive mode, the drive controller 120 may output a data signal at a low frequency (e.g., a predetermined low frequency). For example, the low frequency (e.g., a predetermined low frequency) may be lower than 15 Hz. For example, the low frequency (e.g., a predetermined low frequency) may be 1 Hz.

[0060] When the image changes in the low-frequency driving mode, the driving controller 120 may output a data signal at at least one driving frequency higher than a predetermined low frequency during the image transition period. In some example embodiments, the driving controller 120 may sequentially reduce the driving frequency during the image transition period. In other example embodiments, the driving controller 120 may change the driving frequency non-sequentially during the image transition period. The driving frequency changed during the image transition period may be higher than the low frequency (e.g., the predetermined low frequency). The driving controller 120 may increase the response speed of the pixel PX by outputting a data signal at a driving frequency higher than the low frequency (e.g., the predetermined low frequency) during the image transition period in the low-frequency driving mode. Therefore, when the image changes in the low-frequency driving mode, the display device 100 may prevent or reduce the situation where a residual image is generated on the display panel 110. In addition, the driving controller 120 may prevent or reduce the situation where flickering is generated due to a rapid brightness difference by outputting a data signal at at least one driving frequency during the image transition period in the low-frequency driving mode.

[0061] The driving controller 120 may generate a data voltage Vdata corresponding to a data signal based on a gamma voltage (eg, a predetermined gamma voltage). The driving controller 120 may output the data voltage Vdata to the pixel PX.

[0062] The driving controller 120 may generate a scanning control signal CTLS for controlling the scanning driver 130 based on an input control signal CON provided from an external device. For example, the scanning control signal CTLS may include a vertical start signal and a clock signal. The driving controller 120 may provide the scanning control signal CTLS to the scanning driver 130.

[0063] The scan driver 130 may generate a scan signal SS based on the scan control signal CTLS. The scan driver 130 may output the scan signal SS to the pixel PX. For example, the scan signal SS may be provided to the pixel PX. Figure 3 The scan driver 130 may be mounted on the display panel 110 or may be coupled to the display panel 110 by being implemented as a chip on film (COF).

[0064] As described above, the display device 100 according to some example embodiments can prevent or reduce the generation of a residual image during an image transition period in a low-frequency driving mode by outputting a data signal at at least one driving frequency higher than a low frequency (e.g., a predetermined low frequency). In addition, the display device 100 according to some example embodiments can prevent or reduce the generation of a flicker due to a rapid brightness change during an image transition period by outputting a data signal at at least one driving frequency.

[0065] Figure 4 is a block diagram illustrating a driving controller included in a display device. Figure 5 It is used to describe the Figure 4 A diagram of the operation of a data signal generator in a drive controller.

[0066] Reference Figure 4 , the driving controller 120 may include a driving mode determiner 122 , a data signal generator 124 , and a data voltage generator 126 .

[0067] The driving mode determiner 122 may determine the driving mode of the display panel based on the input image data IMG. For example, the driving mode determiner 122 may compare the input image data IMG of consecutive frames, and determine whether the image displayed on the display panel is a moving image or a still image based on the comparison result. When the input image data IMG is a moving image, the driving mode determiner 122 may drive the display panel in the high-frequency driving mode HDM, and when the input image data IMG is a still image, the driving mode determiner 122 may drive the display panel in the low-frequency driving mode LDM.

[0068] The data signal generator 124 may generate a data signal DS corresponding to the input image data IMG, determine a driving frequency of the data signal DS, and output the data signal DS based on the driving frequency.

[0069] The data signal generator 124 may generate a data signal DS corresponding to input image data IMG.

[0070] The data signal generator 124 may determine the driving frequency of the data signal DS based on the driving mode of the display panel, and output the data signal DS based on the driving frequency. When the display panel is driven in the high frequency driving mode HDM, the data signal generator 124 may determine the driving frequency of the data signal DS as a high frequency (e.g., a predetermined high frequency) and output the data signal DS at a high frequency (e.g., a predetermined high frequency). When the display panel is driven in the low frequency driving mode LDM, the data signal generator 124 may determine the driving frequency of the data signal DS as a low frequency (e.g., a predetermined low frequency) and output the data signal DS at a low frequency (e.g., a predetermined low frequency). When the image changes in the low frequency driving mode LDM, the data signal generator 124 may output the data signal DS at at least one driving frequency.

[0071] Reference Figure 5 , when the first input image data IMG1 is changed to the second input image data IMG2 in the low frequency driving mode LDM, the data signal generator 124 may drive the display panel in the first low frequency period LP1 , the image transition period CP, and the second low frequency period LP2 .

[0072] The data signal generator 124 may generate a first data signal DS1 corresponding to the first input image data IMG1 during the first low frequency period LP1 and output the first data signal DS1 at a first low frequency (eg, a predetermined first low frequency) LF1. For example, the first low frequency LF1 may be 1 Hz.

[0073] The data signal generator 124 may generate a second data signal DS2 corresponding to the second input image data IMG2, and output the second data signal DS2 at a first transition frequency CF1, a second transition frequency CF2, a third transition frequency CF3, and a fourth transition frequency CF4. Here, at least one of the first transition frequency CF1, the second transition frequency CF2, the third transition frequency CF3, and the fourth transition frequency CF4 may be higher than the first low frequency LF1. In some example embodiments, the first transition frequency CF1, the second transition frequency CF2, the third transition frequency CF3, and the fourth transition frequency CF4 may be sequentially reduced. For example, the first transition frequency CF1 may be 60 Hz, the second transition frequency CF2 may be 30 Hz, the third transition frequency CF3 may be 15 Hz, and the fourth transition frequency CF4 may be 7.5 Hz.

[0074] In other example embodiments, the first transition frequency CF1, the second transition frequency CF2, the third transition frequency CF3, and the fourth transition frequency CF4 may be changed non-sequentially. For example, the first transition frequency CF1 may be 60 Hz, the second transition frequency CF2 may be 30 Hz, the third transition frequency CF3 may be 15 Hz, and the fourth transition frequency CF4 may be 10 Hz. Figure 5 1 and 2 describe the data signal generator 124 that outputs the second data signal DS2 at the first to fourth transition frequencies CF1 to CF4 during the image transition period CP, but the operation of the data signal generator 124 may not be limited thereto. For example, the data signal generator 124 may output the second data signal DS2 at the first to eighth transition frequencies.

[0075] The data signal generator 124 may generate a second data signal DS2 corresponding to the second input image data IMG2 during the second low frequency period LP2, and output the second data signal DS2 at a low frequency (e.g., a predetermined low frequency) LF2. In some example embodiments, the second low frequency LF2 may be the same as the first low frequency LF1. For example, the first low frequency LF1 and the second low frequency LF2 may be 1 Hz. In other example embodiments, the second low frequency LF2 may be different from the first low frequency LF1. For example, the first low frequency LF1 may be 1 Hz, and the second low frequency LF2 may be 2 Hz.

[0076] Reference Figure 4, the data voltage generator 126 may generate a data voltage Vdata corresponding to the data signal DS based on a gamma voltage (e.g., a predetermined gamma voltage). For example, the data voltage generator 126 may generate a first data voltage corresponding to the first data signal based on the gamma voltage, and generate a second data voltage corresponding to the second data signal. The data voltage generator 126 may output the data voltage Vdata to the pixel.

[0077] As described above, when the first input image data IMG1 is changed to the second input image data IMG2 in the low-frequency driving mode, the driving controller 120 can improve the response speed of the pixel by including an image transition period CP, and output the second data signal DS2 at a first low-frequency driving frequency higher than the first data signal DS1 during the image transition period CP. Therefore, image sticking of the first input image data IMG1 can be prevented or reduced. In addition, the driving controller 120 can prevent or reduce the occurrence of flickering due to rapid brightness changes by outputting the second data signal DS2 at at least one driving frequency during the image transition period CP.

[0078] Fig. 6A and Figure 6B Shown for describing the included Figure 4 1. An example of the operation of the data signal generator 124 in the driving controller.

[0079] Reference Fig. 6A , in the low-frequency driving mode, the data signal generator 124 may output the first data signal DS1 corresponding to the first input image data IMG1 at 1 Hz during the first low-frequency period LP1, and the image corresponding to the first input image data IMG1 is displayed on the display panel during the first low-frequency period LP1. When the first input image data IMG1 is changed to the second input image data IMG2, the data signal generator 124 may output the second data signal DS2 corresponding to the second input image data IMG2 at 60 Hz, 30 Hz, 15 Hz, 7 Hz, and 5 Hz during the image transition period CP. The data signal generator 124 may output the second data signal DS2 corresponding to the second input image data IMG2 at 1 Hz during the second low-frequency period LP2.

[0080] Reference Figure 6B, in the low frequency driving mode, the data signal generator 124 may output the first data signal DS1 corresponding to the first input image data IMG1 at 2 Hz during the first low frequency period LP1, and the image corresponding to the first input image data IMG1 is displayed on the display panel during the first low frequency period LP1. When the first input image data IMG1 is changed to the second input image data IMG2, the data signal generator 124 may output the second data signal DS2 corresponding to the second input image data IMG2 at 60 Hz, 35 Hz, 10 Hz, 15 Hz, 3 Hz, 4 Hz, and 3 Hz during the image transition period CP. The data signal generator 124 may output the second data signal DS2 corresponding to the second input image data IMG2 at 2 Hz during the second low frequency period LP2.

[0081] Reference Figure 6C In the low-frequency driving mode, the data signal generator 124 may output the first data signal DS1 corresponding to the first input image data IMG1 at 2 Hz during the first low-frequency period LP1, and an image corresponding to the first input image data IMG1 is displayed on the display panel during the first low-frequency period LP1. When the first input image data IMG1 is changed to the second input image data IMG2, the data signal generator 124 may output the second data signal DS2 corresponding to the second input image data IMG2 at 60 Hz, 30 Hz, 30 Hz, 10 Hz, 4 Hz, 4 Hz, and 4 Hz during the image transition period CP. The data signal generator 124 may output the second data signal DS2 corresponding to the second input image data IMG2 at least once. Figure 6C The data signal generator 124 may output the second data signal DS2 corresponding to the second input image data IMG2 at 2 Hz during the second low frequency period LP2.

[0082] Reference Fig.6D In the low-frequency driving mode, the data signal generator 124 may output the first data signal DS1 corresponding to the first input image data IMG1 at 1 Hz during the first low-frequency period LP1, and an image corresponding to the first input image data IMG1 is displayed on the display panel during the first low-frequency period LP1. When the first input image data IMG1 is changed to the second input image data IMG2, the data signal generator 124 may output the second data signal DS2 corresponding to the second input image data IMG2 at 60 Hz, 60 Hz, 30 Hz, 30 Hz, 15 Hz, 15 Hz, 15 Hz, and 5 Hz during the image transition period CP. The data signal generator 124 may output the second data signal DS2 corresponding to the second input image data IMG2 at least once. Fig.6DThe data signal generator 124 may output the second data signal DS2 corresponding to the second input image data IMG2 at 2 Hz during the second low frequency period LP2. That is, the second low frequency in the second low frequency period LP2 may be different from the first low frequency in the first low frequency period LP1.

[0083] As described above, the data signal generator 124 can prevent or reduce the situation of the residual image due to the response speed of the pixel by temporarily increasing the driving frequency of the second data signal DS2 during the image transition period CP. In addition, the data signal generator 124 can prevent or reduce the situation of flickering due to rapid brightness changes by gradually changing the driving frequency of the second data signal DS2 during the image transition period CP.

[0084] Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating a driving method of a display device according to some example embodiments.

[0085] Reference Figure 7 , the driving method of the display device may include: an operation of determining a driving mode of the display panel (S100), an operation of determining whether the image changes in the low-frequency driving mode (S200), and an operation of outputting a data signal corresponding to the input image data at at least one driving frequency when the image changes in the low-frequency driving mode (S300). However, the embodiments of the present invention may be changed, and some example embodiments may include additional or optional operations, and unless otherwise explicitly or implicitly stated, the order of operations may be changed according to some example embodiments.

[0086] The driving method of the display device may determine a driving mode of the display panel (S100). The driving method of the display device may determine the driving mode of the display panel based on the input image data. For example, the driving method of the display device may compare the input image data of consecutive frames and determine whether the image displayed on the display panel is a moving image or a still image. When the input image data is a moving image, the driving method of the display device may drive the display panel in a high-frequency driving mode, and when the input image data is a still image, the driving method of the display device may drive the display panel in a low-frequency driving mode.

[0087] The driving method of the display device may determine whether the image changes in the low frequency driving mode (S200). For example, the driving method of the display device may compare input image data of consecutive frames in the low frequency driving mode and determine whether the image changes based on the comparison result.

[0088] When the image changes in the low-frequency driving mode, the driving method of the display device may output a data signal corresponding to the input image data at at least one driving frequency (S300). In the low-frequency driving mode, the driving method of the display device may output the data signal at a low frequency (e.g., a predetermined low frequency). When the image changes in the low-frequency driving mode, the driving method of the display device may output the data signal at at least one driving frequency higher than the low frequency (e.g., a predetermined low frequency). In some example embodiments, the driving frequency may be sequentially reduced. In other example embodiments, the driving frequency may be changed non-sequentially. For example, when the image changes in the low-frequency driving mode, the data signal may be output at a first driving frequency and a second driving frequency. In some example embodiments, the first driving frequency may be higher than the second driving frequency. In other example embodiments, the first driving frequency may be lower than the second driving frequency. In some example embodiments, the data signal may be output at least once at the first driving frequency. In other example embodiments, the data signal may be output at least once at the second driving frequency.

[0089] As described above, when an image changes in a low frequency driving mode, the driving method of the display device can prevent or reduce image sticking by outputting a data signal at at least one driving frequency higher than a low frequency (eg, a predetermined low frequency).

[0090] Embodiments of the inventive concept can be applied to display devices and electronic devices having display devices. For example, embodiments of the inventive concept can be applied to computer monitors, laptop computers, digital cameras, cellular phones, smart phones, smart tablets, televisions, personal digital assistants (PDAs), portable multimedia players (PMPs), MP3 players, navigation systems, game consoles, video phones, etc.

[0091] The foregoing is an illustration of aspects of some example embodiments and should not be construed as limiting thereof. Although some example embodiments have been described, it will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that many modifications in the example embodiments are possible without departing substantially from the novel teachings and features of the inventive concept. Therefore, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the inventive concept as defined in the claims. Therefore, it should be understood that the foregoing is an illustration of various example embodiments and should not be construed as being limited to the specific example embodiments disclosed, and modifications to the disclosed example embodiments and other example embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A display device, the display device include: A display panel including a plurality of pixels; as well as A driving controller configured to: generate a data signal corresponding to input image data; generating a data voltage based on the data signal; and outputting the data voltage to the plurality of pixels, The drive controller is configured to output the data signal at a driving frequency that changes over time across multiple driving frequencies higher than a predetermined low frequency during an image transition period in a low frequency driving mode, wherein the data signal is output at a low frequency during the low frequency driving mode.

2. The display device according to claim 1, in, The plurality of driving frequencies include a first driving frequency and a second driving frequency.

3. The display device according to claim 2, in, The first driving frequency is higher than the second driving frequency.

4. The display device according to claim 2, in, The first driving frequency is lower than the second driving frequency.

5. The display device according to claim 2, in, The driving controller is configured to output the data signal at the first driving frequency at least once.

6. The display device according to claim 2, in, The driving controller is configured to output the data signal at the second driving frequency at least once.

7. The display device according to claim 1, in, The driving controller is configured to output the data signal at the predetermined low frequency before the image transition period and after the image transition period.

8. The display device according to claim 1, in, The driving controller is configured to output the data signal at the predetermined low frequency before the image transition period, and to output the data signal at a low frequency different from the predetermined low frequency after the image transition period.

9. The display device according to claim 1, in, In response to the first input image data being changed to the second input image data in the low-frequency driving mode, the driving controller is configured to drive the display panel to include: a first low frequency period, during which a first data signal corresponding to the first input image data is output at a first low frequency; the image transition period after the first low frequency period, during which a second data signal corresponding to the second input image data is output at the driving frequency that changes with time across the plurality of driving frequencies; and A second low frequency period after the image transition period, during which the second data signal corresponding to the second input image data is output at a second low frequency.

10. The display device according to claim 9, in, The second low frequency is the same as the first low frequency.

11. The display device according to claim 9, in, The second low frequency is different from the first low frequency.

12. The display device according to claim 9, in, At least one of the driving frequencies at which the second data signal is output during the image transition period is higher than the first low frequency.

13. The display device according to claim 9, in, The plurality of driving frequencies include a first driving frequency and a second driving frequency.

14. The display device according to claim 13, in, The second driving frequency is lower than the first driving frequency.

15. The display device according to claim 13, in, The second driving frequency is higher than the first driving frequency.

16. The display device according to claim 13, in, The second data signal is output at the first driving frequency at least once during the image transition period.

17. The display device according to claim 13, in, The second data signal is output at the second driving frequency at least once during the image transition period.

18. The display device according to claim 1, in, The drive controller comprises: a driving mode determiner configured to determine a driving mode of the display panel; a data signal generator configured to: generate the data signal corresponding to the input image data; determine a driving frequency of the data signal; and output the data signal based on the driving frequency; and The data voltage generator is configured to generate the data voltage based on the data signal.

19. The display device according to claim 18, in, The data signal generator is configured to output the data signal at the driving frequency that changes with time across the plurality of driving frequencies during the image transition period in the low-frequency driving mode.

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