A driving method of a display panel and a display device

Abstract

The application discloses a display panel driving method and display device, the driving method comprises the following steps: obtaining the current display brightness level of the display panel; determining the light-emitting duty cycle of the light-emitting control signal of the first display area according to the current display brightness level, wherein one driving period of the display panel comprises a light-emitting phase, the light-emitting duty cycle is the ratio of the effective level of the light-emitting control signal in the light-emitting phase, when the current display brightness level is within the first level range, the light-emitting duty cycle is the first duty cycle, the first duty cycle is less than the preset value, and the maximum display brightness of the display brightness level within the first level range is less than the first set brightness; determining the first display driving data of the first display area according to the current display brightness level and the to-be-displayed picture; and driving the first display area to display the picture according to the first display driving data and the light-emitting duty cycle. The application can solve the problem that the light-emitting brightness of the main screen area is inconsistent with the light-emitting brightness of the auxiliary screen area.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of display technology, and more particularly to a driving method and display device for a display panel. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of display panels, users' demands for screen-to-body ratio are increasing, making full-screen displays a focus of growing attention in the industry. Currently, the under-display camera (UDC) design has emerged. The under-display camera is a front-facing camera located on the non-emitting side of the display panel, and it does not affect the display panel's functionality. When the front-facing camera is not in use, the display area above it (referred to as the secondary screen area) can display images; when the front-facing camera is in use, the display area above it does not display images.

[0003] However, in some cases, the brightness of the full-screen display panel is inconsistent between the secondary screen area and the main screen area (the display area in the display panel excluding the secondary screen area), resulting in a poor display effect. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention provides a driving method and display device for a display panel, which can solve the problem of inconsistent luminous brightness between the main screen area and the secondary screen area.

[0005] According to one aspect of the present invention, a driving method for a display panel is provided, the display panel including a first display area and a second display area, wherein the light transmittance of the first display area is greater than the light transmittance of the second display area;

[0006] The driving method includes the following steps:

[0007] Obtain the current display brightness level of the display panel, wherein the display panel includes at least two display brightness levels, and the minimum display brightness of different display brightness levels is the same, while the maximum display brightness is different;

[0008] The light emission duty cycle of the light emission control signal of the first display area is determined according to the current display brightness level. The display panel has a driving cycle including a light emission phase. The light emission duty cycle is the percentage of the effective level of the light emission control signal in the light emission phase. When the current display brightness level is within the first level range, the light emission duty cycle is the first duty cycle. The first duty cycle is less than a preset value. The maximum display brightness of the display brightness level within the first level range is less than a first set brightness.

[0009] The first display driving data of the first display area is determined based on the current display brightness level and the image to be displayed; wherein, the first display area includes multiple sub-pixels, each sub-pixel includes a driving circuit and a light-emitting unit, the first terminal of the driving circuit is connected to a first power supply voltage, and the second terminal is connected to the light-emitting unit; when the current display brightness level is within the first level range, when the sub-pixel displays a preset grayscale, the absolute value of the difference between the first display driving data and the first power supply voltage is greater than a set value.

[0010] The first display area is driven to display the image based on the first display driving data and the light emission duty cycle.

[0011] Optionally, the first set brightness is less than or equal to 3.8 nits; the preset value is less than or equal to 3.2%.

[0012] Optionally, the driving circuit includes a driving transistor for driving the light-emitting unit to emit light;

[0013] Drive the first display area to display an image according to the first display driving data and the light emission duty cycle, including:

[0014] The gate of the driving transistor is initialized using a first initialization voltage, and the signal receiving end of the light-emitting unit is initialized using a second initialization voltage; wherein the first initialization voltage is greater than the second initialization voltage, and the signal receiving end of the light-emitting unit is connected to the second end of the driving circuit.

[0015] Optionally, before driving the first display area to display the image according to the first display driving data and the light emission duty cycle, the method further includes:

[0016] Determine the first initialization voltage of the first display area based on the current display brightness level;

[0017] Wherein, when the current display brightness level is within the first level range, the first initialization voltage is a first voltage value; when the current display brightness level is within the second level range, the first initialization voltage is a second voltage value; and when the current display brightness level is within the third level range, the first initialization voltage is a third voltage value; the maximum display brightness of each display brightness level in the second level range is greater than or equal to a first set brightness and less than a second set brightness; and the maximum display brightness of each display brightness level in the third level range is greater than or equal to a second set brightness.

[0018] The first voltage value is greater than the second voltage value, and the second voltage value is greater than the third voltage value.

[0019] Optionally, the second level range includes a first sub-range and a second sub-range, and the third level range includes a third sub-range and a fourth sub-range;

[0020] The maximum display brightness of each display brightness level in the first sub-range is less than the maximum display brightness of each display brightness level in the second sub-range, and the maximum display brightness of each display brightness level in the third sub-range is less than the maximum display brightness of each display brightness level in the fourth sub-range;

[0021] In the first sub-range, the higher the maximum display brightness of the display brightness level, the lower the first initialization voltage; in the second sub-range, the first initialization voltage of each display brightness level is equal, and the first initialization voltage of each display brightness level is less than the first initialization voltage of the first sub-range; in the third sub-range, the higher the maximum display brightness of the display brightness level, the lower the first initialization voltage; in the fourth sub-range, the first initialization voltage of each display brightness level is equal, and the first initialization voltage of each display brightness level is less than the first initialization voltage of the third sub-range.

[0022] Optionally, within the first level range, the luminous duty cycle of all display brightness levels is equal;

[0023] When the current display brightness level is within the second level range, the light emission duty cycle is the second duty cycle, which is greater than a preset value. Within the second level range, the second duty cycle increases as the maximum display brightness of the display brightness level increases. The maximum display brightness of each display brightness level within the second level range is greater than or equal to the first set brightness and less than the second set brightness.

[0024] When the current display brightness level is within the third level range, the light emission duty cycle is the third duty cycle, which is greater than the second duty cycle. Within the third level range, the third duty cycle of all display brightness levels is the same, and the maximum display brightness of each display brightness level within the third level range is greater than or equal to the second set brightness.

[0025] Optionally, the driving method provided in this embodiment further includes:

[0026] The second display driving data for the second display area is determined based on the current display brightness level and the image to be displayed.

[0027] The second display area is driven to display the image based on the light emission duty cycle of the first display area and the second display driving data.

[0028] Optionally, different screen refresh rates can have the same luminous duty cycle at the same display brightness level.

[0029] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a display device is provided, the display device comprising a display panel and a driving module;

[0030] The display panel includes a first display area and a second display area, wherein the light transmittance of the first display area is greater than that of the second display area;

[0031] The driver module is used for:

[0032] Obtain the current display brightness level of the display panel, wherein the display panel includes at least two display brightness levels, and the minimum display brightness of different display brightness levels is the same, while the maximum display brightness is different;

[0033] The light emission duty cycle of the light emission control signal of the first display area is determined according to the current display brightness level. The display panel has a driving cycle including a light emission phase. The light emission duty cycle is the percentage of the effective level of the light emission control signal in the light emission phase. When the current display brightness level is within the first level range, the light emission duty cycle is the first duty cycle. The first duty cycle is less than a preset value. The maximum display brightness of the display brightness level within the first level range is less than a first set brightness.

[0034] The first display driving data of the first display area is determined based on the current display brightness level and the image to be displayed; wherein, the first display area includes multiple sub-pixels, each sub-pixel includes a driving circuit and a light-emitting unit, the first terminal of the driving circuit is connected to a first power supply voltage, and the second terminal is connected to the light-emitting unit; when the current display brightness level is within the first level range, when the sub-pixel displays a preset grayscale, the absolute value of the difference between the first display driving data and the first power supply voltage is greater than a set value.

[0035] The first display area is driven to display the image based on the first display driving data and the light emission duty cycle.

[0036] Optionally, the display device further includes: a light emission control circuit and a light intensity sensor;

[0037] The light intensity sensor is used to detect ambient light intensity;

[0038] The driving module is used to determine the current display brightness level based on the ambient light intensity measured by the light intensity sensor;

[0039] The light-emitting control circuit is used to output a light-emitting control signal to the light-emitting control terminal of the driving circuit;

[0040] The driving module is used to output a control signal to the light-emitting control circuit according to the light-emitting duty cycle, control the light-emitting control circuit to output a corresponding light-emitting control signal, and output the first display driving data to the data signal input terminal of the driving circuit, so that the first display area displays the image.

[0041] This embodiment provides a driving method for a display panel. The method first acquires the current display brightness level of the display panel, then determines the light emission duty cycle of the light emission control signal for the first display area based on the current brightness level, and determines the first display driving data for the first display area based on the current brightness level and the image to be displayed. Specifically, if the current brightness level is within a first level range, the light emission duty cycle is controlled to be a first duty cycle, which is less than a preset value. Furthermore, the absolute value of the difference between the first display driving data and the first power supply voltage is controlled to be greater than a set value. Under the first duty cycle, the absolute value of the difference between the first display driving data and the first power supply voltage is greater than the set value, which can increase the driving current of the sub-pixels, thereby improving the brightness of the display panel within the first brightness level range and reducing the brightness difference between the first and second display areas. In summary, the driving method for the display panel provided in this embodiment can solve the problem of inconsistent brightness between the main screen area and the secondary screen area of ​​the display panel under low brightness conditions.

[0042] It should be understood that the description in this section is not intended to identify key or essential features of the embodiments of the present invention, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the invention. Other features of the invention will become readily apparent from the following description. Attached Figure Description

[0043] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0044] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a display panel according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0045] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating a driving method for a display panel according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0046] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a sub-pixel structure provided according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0047] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a driving circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0048] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the relationship between display brightness levels and maximum display brightness according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0049] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the relationship between a first initialization voltage and a display brightness level according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0050] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the relationship between a first initialization voltage and a display brightness level according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0051] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a display device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0052] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of another display device provided according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0053] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a driver module provided according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0054] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present invention, the technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0055] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this invention are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that the embodiments of the invention described herein can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion; for example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that comprises a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units not explicitly listed or inherent to such processes, methods, products, or apparatus.

[0056] The inventors discovered that when the display panel displays a low-brightness image, the display brightness of the secondary screen area is dimmer than that of the main screen area, making the display panel appear as a "black hole".

[0057] This embodiment provides a driving method for a display panel, which can solve the problem of inconsistent brightness between the main screen area and the secondary screen area of ​​the display panel under low brightness.

[0058] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a display panel according to an embodiment of the present invention, with reference to... Figure 1 The display panel provided in this embodiment includes a first display area 100 (also called a secondary screen area) and a second display area 200 (also called a main screen area), wherein the light transmittance of the first display area 100 is greater than the light transmittance of the second display area 200. The driving method for the display panel provided in this embodiment is applied to the display panel provided in this embodiment.

[0059] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating a driving method for a display panel according to an embodiment of the present invention. (Refer to...) Figure 2 The display panel driving method provided in this embodiment includes the following steps:

[0060] S110. Obtain the current display brightness level of the display panel, wherein the display panel includes at least two display brightness levels, the minimum display brightness of the different display brightness levels is the same, and the maximum display brightness is different.

[0061] Specifically, the display panel can include multiple different display brightness levels (DBV). The maximum display brightness varies across different DBV levels, while the minimum display brightness remains the same. For example, the minimum display brightness can always be 0 nits, while the maximum display brightness can be 2 nits, 10 nits, 50 nits, 100 nits, 200 nits, 500 nits, 600 nits, 800 nits, or 1000 nits, etc. Each DBV can display a brightness range that can be divided into 2... n Each grayscale level can be divided into several levels, such as 0-255 grayscale levels or 0-1023 grayscale levels. The same grayscale level corresponds to different brightness levels at different display brightness levels. The current display brightness level of the display panel is the same as the current display brightness level of the image displayed on the display panel.

[0062] When the display panel is in full-screen mode, the display brightness level of the first display area is equal to that of the second display area. Therefore, when obtaining the current display brightness level of the display panel, it is possible to obtain the current display brightness level of either the first or the second display area.

[0063] S120. Determine the light emission duty cycle of the light emission control signal for the first display area based on the current display brightness level. Here, one driving cycle of the display panel includes a light emission phase, and the light emission duty cycle is the percentage of the effective level of the light emission control signal during the light emission phase. When the current display brightness level is within the first level range, the light emission duty cycle is the first duty cycle. The first duty cycle is less than a preset value, and the maximum display brightness of the display brightness level within the first level range is less than the first set brightness.

[0064] Specifically, within the first display area, each display brightness level has its corresponding emission duty cycle. The effective level is the level signal that makes the display panel emit light; the effective level can be either low or high.

[0065] The display panel includes multiple sub-pixels, each comprising a driving circuit and a light-emitting unit. A driving cycle of the display panel includes a data writing phase and a light-emitting phase. During the data writing phase, driving data is written to the driving circuit. During the light-emitting phase, the driving circuit provides driving current to the light-emitting units, causing them to emit light. In the light-emitting phase, a higher light-emitting duty cycle results in a longer light-emitting duration for the sub-pixel. The light-emitting phase may include a black-insertion phase, during which the sub-pixel does not emit light. When the total duration of the light-emitting phase is fixed, a longer black-insertion phase results in a smaller light-emitting duty cycle.

[0066] The initial brightness setting can be determined based on the actual display conditions of the display panel. For example, the initial brightness setting can be 3.8 nits, which means that when the current display brightness level is within the first level range, the display panel is in a low-brightness display state. The preset value can be determined based on the driving characteristics of the driving circuit. For example, the preset value can be a small value such as 3.2%.

[0067] S130. Determine the first display driving data of the first display area based on the current display brightness level and the image to be displayed; wherein, the first display area includes multiple sub-pixels, each sub-pixel includes a driving circuit and a light-emitting unit, the first end of the driving circuit is connected to the first power supply voltage, and the second end is connected to the light-emitting unit, when the current display brightness level is within the first level range, when the sub-pixel displays a preset grayscale, the absolute value of the difference between the first display driving data and the first power supply voltage is greater than the set value.

[0068] Specifically, Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a sub-pixel structure provided according to an embodiment of the present invention, with reference to... Figure 3 The first driving circuit terminal of the driving circuit 110 is connected to the first power supply terminal, the second terminal of the driving circuit 110 is connected to the light-emitting unit 120, and the first terminal of the driving circuit 110 is used to receive the first power supply voltage VDD input from the first power supply terminal.

[0069] Different preset gray levels correspond to different setting values, which can be determined based on the emission duty cycle and target brightness corresponding to the preset gray level. The absolute value of the difference between the first display driving data and the first power supply voltage VDD is greater than the setting value. For example, when the driving transistor in the driving circuit 110 is a P-type transistor, the first power supply voltage VDD is greater than the first display driving data, and the first display driving data is less than the difference between the first power supply voltage VDD and the setting value.

[0070] The light emission brightness of a sub-pixel, as observed by the human eye, is related to its emission duty cycle and driving current. A higher driving current results in greater light emission brightness, a higher emission duty cycle, and a longer emission duration, all of which contribute to the perceived brightness. The driving current is also related to the first display driving data; the greater the absolute value of the difference between the first display driving data and the first power supply voltage VDD, the greater the driving current of the sub-pixel.

[0071] By setting the current display brightness level within the first level range, when the absolute value of the difference between the first display driving data and the first power supply voltage is greater than the set value, the driving current of the sub-pixel can be increased. By reducing the light emission duty cycle of the sub-pixel, the light emission brightness of the sub-pixel in the first display area when displaying low-brightness images is increased, while the brightness transition between the first display area and the second display area is made more natural.

[0072] Before the display panel leaves the factory, the method for determining the first display driving data within the first brightness level range can be as follows: reduce the light emission duty cycle, then adjust the first display driving data. When the brightness of the first display area corresponding to the adjusted first display driving data is consistent with the brightness of the second display area, or the brightness difference is within the required range, the first display driving data is stored. For example, if the driving transistors in the driving circuit are all P-type transistors, then after reducing the light emission duty cycle, the first display driving data needs to be reduced to increase the light emission brightness of the sub-pixels in the first display area, so that the brightness of the first display area and the brightness of the second display area are indistinguishable to the human eye.

[0073] S140. Drive the first display area to display the image according to the first display driving data and the light emission duty cycle.

[0074] This embodiment provides a driving method for a display panel. The method first acquires the current display brightness level of the display panel, then determines the light emission duty cycle of the light emission control signal for the first display area based on the current brightness level, and determines the first display driving data for the first display area based on the current brightness level and the image to be displayed. Specifically, if the current brightness level is within a first level range, the light emission duty cycle is the first duty cycle, which is less than a preset value, and the absolute value of the difference between the first display driving data and the first power supply voltage is greater than a set value. By setting the absolute value of the difference between the first display driving data and the first power supply voltage to be greater than a set value when the current brightness level is within a first level range, the driving current of the sub-pixels can be increased, thereby increasing the light emission brightness of the sub-pixels in the first display area. Furthermore, by reducing the light emission duty cycle of the sub-pixels, while increasing the light emission brightness of the sub-pixels in the first display area when displaying low-brightness images, the brightness transition between the first and second display areas becomes more natural, thus solving the problem of inconsistent light emission brightness between the main screen area and the secondary screen area under low brightness conditions.

[0075] Optionally, the first setting brightness is less than or equal to 3.8 nits; the preset value is less than or equal to 3.2%.

[0076] Specifically, since the brightness difference between the first and second display areas is quite noticeable when the brightness of the display panel is below 3.8 nits, this embodiment sets the first preset brightness to be less than or equal to 3.8 nits to better improve the brightness difference between the first and second display areas under low brightness conditions. Additionally, setting the preset value to be less than or equal to 3.2% allows for a more natural brightness transition between the first and second display areas when viewed by the human eye after increasing the driving current of the first display area, thus improving the display panel's display effect.

[0077] Optionally, the driving circuit includes a driving transistor for driving the light-emitting unit to emit light; driving the first display area to display an image according to the first display driving data and the light emission duty cycle includes: initializing the gate of the driving transistor with a first initialization voltage, and initializing the signal receiving end of the light-emitting unit with a second initialization voltage; wherein the first initialization voltage is greater than the second initialization voltage, and the signal receiving end of the light-emitting unit is connected to the second end of the driving circuit.

[0078] Specifically, the light-emitting unit provided in this embodiment can be a light-emitting diode. Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a driving circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention, for reference. Figure 4The driving circuit provided in this embodiment may include a driving transistor T1, a second transistor T2, a third transistor T3, a fourth transistor T4, a fifth transistor T5, a sixth transistor T6, a seventh transistor T7, and a storage capacitor C1. The control terminal of the second transistor T2 is connected to the second scan signal input terminal S2, and its first terminal is connected to the data line to receive the data voltage VDATA transmitted by the data line. The second terminal of the second transistor T2 is connected to the first terminal of the driving transistor T1. The control terminal of the third transistor T3 is connected to the second scan signal input terminal S2, and its first terminal is connected to the gate of the driving transistor T1. The second terminal of the third transistor T3 is connected to the first terminal of the sixth transistor T6. The control terminal of the fourth transistor T4 is connected to the first scan signal input terminal S1, and its first terminal is connected to the first initialization terminal vrefc. The second terminal of the fourth transistor T4 is connected to the gate of the driving transistor T1. The first initialization terminal vrefc is used to receive the first initialization voltage. The control terminal of the fifth transistor T5 is connected to the light emission control signal input terminal EM, and its first terminal is connected to the first power supply terminal. The first power supply terminal is used to receive the data voltage VDATA transmitted by the data line. A power supply voltage VDD is applied. The second terminal of the fifth transistor T5 is connected to the first terminal of the driving transistor T1. The control terminal of the sixth transistor T6 is connected to the light-emitting control signal input terminal EM. The first terminal of the sixth transistor T6 is connected to the second terminal of the driving transistor T1. The second terminal of the sixth transistor T6 is connected to the anode of the light-emitting diode OLED. The control terminal of the seventh transistor T7 is connected to the third scan signal input terminal S3. The first terminal of the seventh transistor T7 is connected to the second initialization terminal vrefa. The second terminal of the seventh transistor T7 is connected to the anode of the light-emitting diode OLED. The second initialization terminal vrefa is used to receive the second initialization voltage. The anode of the light-emitting diode OLED is the signal receiving terminal of the light-emitting unit. The first terminal of the storage capacitor C1 is connected to the first power supply terminal. The second terminal of the storage capacitor C1 is connected to the gate of the driving transistor T1. The cathode of the light-emitting diode OLED is connected to the second power supply terminal. The second power supply terminal is used to input the second power supply voltage VSS.

[0079] The data voltage VDATA is the first display driving data for the sub-pixel. One driving cycle includes a first initialization phase, a data writing phase, a second initialization phase, and a light-emitting phase. In the first initialization phase, the first initialization voltage needs to be written to the gate of the driving transistor T1, which affects the charging time of the storage capacitor C1. In the data writing phase, the data voltage VDATA needs to be written to the gate of the driving transistor T1. During the data writing phase, the voltage across the storage capacitor C1 needs to change from the first initialization voltage to the data voltage VDATA. Therefore, the smaller the difference between the data voltage VDATA and the first initialization voltage, the shorter the time required for the voltage change across the storage capacitor C1, i.e., the shorter the charging time of the storage capacitor C1.

[0080] This embodiment reduces the difference between the voltage across the storage capacitor C1 and the data voltage VDATA after initialization by setting the first initialization voltage to be greater than the second initialization voltage. This shortens the charging time of the storage capacitor C1 and increases its charging rate, allowing the storage capacitor C1 to be fully charged during the data writing phase. This, in turn, increases the driving current of the OLED during the light-emitting phase, preventing the driving circuit from failing to meet display requirements due to insufficient charging of the storage capacitor C1 during the data writing phase.

[0081] Furthermore, a first initialization voltage is set to be greater than a second initialization voltage. The second initialization voltage can be set according to the initialization requirements of the OLED to meet those requirements. For example, the difference between the second initial voltage and the second power supply voltage VSS input to the second power supply terminal can be set to be less than the OLED's emission threshold voltage, thereby preventing the OLED from emitting light before the emission phase.

[0082] Optionally, before driving the first display area to display the image according to the first display driving data and the light emission duty cycle, the method further includes: determining a first initialization voltage for the first display area based on the current display brightness level; wherein, when the current display brightness level is within the first level range, the first initialization voltage is a first voltage value; when the current display brightness level is within the second level range, the first initialization voltage is a second voltage value; when the current display brightness level is within the third level range, the first initialization voltage is a third voltage value; the maximum display brightness of each display brightness level in the second level range is greater than or equal to a first set brightness and less than a second set brightness; the maximum display brightness of each display brightness level in the third level range is greater than or equal to a second set brightness; the first voltage value is greater than the second voltage value, and the second voltage value is greater than the third voltage value.

[0083] Specifically, the second brightness setting can be 120 nits. Figure 5This is a schematic diagram illustrating the relationship between display brightness levels and maximum display brightness according to an embodiment of the present invention. (Refer to...) Figure 5 , Figure 5 The x-axis in the figure is DBV. Figure 5 The x-coordinate values ​​in the table are in hexadecimal. Figure 5 The vertical axis represents the maximum display brightness corresponding to the display brightness level (also the display brightness corresponding to the maximum grayscale). Figure 5 In this display panel, all brightness levels are divided into three ranges: the first range has a DBV range of [0, 71), the second range has a DBV range of [71, 3F6), and the third range has a DBV range of [3F6, 7FF]. Within the first range, all brightness levels have the first duty cycle.

[0084] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the relationship between a first initialization voltage and a display brightness level according to an embodiment of the present invention. (Refer to...) Figure 4 and reference Figure 6 When the driving transistor T1, the second transistor T2 to the seventh transistor T7 are all P-type transistors, Figure 6 The first initialization voltage VREFC is negative, and the first display driving data is negative. The higher the display brightness, the smaller the value of the first display driving data, and the first initialization voltage is less than or equal to the first display driving data. When the driving transistor T1, the second transistor T2 to the seventh transistor T7 are all P-type transistors, the luminous brightness of the display panel is the lowest in the first level range, the first display driving data is the highest, and the set first voltage value is the highest. This can reduce the difference between the first voltage value and the first display driving data, shorten the charging time of the storage capacitor C1 in the first level range, improve the charging rate of the storage capacitor C1, thereby increasing the driving current in the first level range, and further increasing the luminous brightness of the display brightness level in the first level range, further reducing the brightness difference between the first display area and the second display area.

[0085] In the second level range, the maximum display brightness of the display panel is greater than the maximum display brightness of all display brightness levels in the first level range. The range of the first display driving data is large, and some of the first display driving data is small. The second voltage value is set to be smaller than the first voltage value, so that when the current display brightness level is in the second level range, the difference between most of the first display driving data and the second voltage value is small, ensuring that the storage capacitor C1 has a high charging rate, thereby ensuring that the display brightness of the first display area in the second level range meets the requirements.

[0086] In the third level range, the maximum display brightness of the display panel is greater than the maximum display brightness of all display brightness levels in the second level range. The range of the first display driving data is large, and some of the first display driving data is small. The third voltage value is set to be smaller than the second voltage value, so that when the current display brightness level is in the third level range, the difference between most of the first display driving data and the third voltage value is small, ensuring that the storage capacitor C1 has a high charging rate, thereby ensuring that the display brightness of the first display area in the third level range meets the requirements.

[0087] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the relationship between a first initialization voltage and a display brightness level according to an embodiment of the present invention. (Refer to...) Figure 4 and Figure 7 When the driving transistor T1, the second transistor T2 to the seventh transistor T7 are all N-type transistors, Figure 7 The first initialization voltage VREFC is positive, and the first voltage value is greater than the second voltage value, and the second voltage value is greater than the third voltage value.

[0088] Optionally, the second level range includes a first sub-range and a second sub-range, and the third level range includes a third sub-range and a fourth sub-range; the maximum display brightness of each display brightness level in the first sub-range is less than the maximum display brightness of each display brightness level in the second sub-range, and the maximum display brightness of each display brightness level in the third sub-range is less than the maximum display brightness of each display brightness level in the fourth sub-range; in the first sub-range, the display brightness level with a larger maximum display brightness has a smaller first initialization voltage; in the second sub-range, the first initialization voltage of each display brightness level is equal, and the first initialization voltage of each display brightness level is less than the first initialization voltage of the first sub-range; in the third sub-range, the display brightness level with a larger maximum display brightness has a smaller first initialization voltage; in the fourth sub-range, the first initialization voltage of each display brightness level is equal, and the first initialization voltage of each display brightness level is less than the first initialization voltage of the third sub-range.

[0089] For details, please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 6 and Figure 7 The first sub-range DBV interval can be [71, F7), the second sub-range DBV interval can be [F7, 3F6), the third sub-range DBV interval can be [3F6, 674), and the fourth sub-range DBV interval can be [674, 7FF]. Different first initialization voltages are set within different DBV intervals to further ensure that the first display driving data under different DBVs has a small difference from the first initialization voltage, ensuring a high charging rate of the storage capacitor, so that the display brightness level of the first display area has a small difference from the display brightness of the second display area within the corresponding DBV interval.

[0090] Optionally, within the first level range, the luminous duty cycle of all display brightness levels is equal; when the current display brightness level is within the second level range, the luminous duty cycle is the second duty cycle, which is greater than a preset value. Within the second level range, the second duty cycle increases as the maximum display brightness of the display brightness level increases. The maximum display brightness of each display brightness level within the second level range is greater than or equal to the first preset brightness and less than the second preset brightness; when the current display brightness level is within the third level range, the luminous duty cycle is the third duty cycle, which is greater than the second duty cycle. Within the third level range, the third duty cycle of all display brightness levels is the same, and the maximum display brightness of each display brightness level within the third level range is greater than or equal to the second preset brightness.

[0091] For details, please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 5 Within the first level range (DBV interval [0, 71)), the display panel can employ DC dimming, meaning the luminous duty cycle is equal for all brightness levels. Different DBVs are adjusted by regulating the first display driving data, thereby regulating the luminous brightness of the light-emitting units. Within the first level range, the first display driving data corresponding to the same grayscale differs at different brightness levels. Within the first level range, due to the flexible adjustment method of the display driving data, using DC dimming makes it easier to reduce the brightness difference between the first and second display areas. Combined with the overall adjustment of the luminous duty cycle, this makes the transition between the first and second display areas less noticeable to the human eye.

[0092] Within the second brightness level range (DBV interval [71, 3F6)), the display panel can employ EM dimming, where different DBVs alter the luminous brightness of the light-emitting units by changing the luminous duty cycle. Within this range, all display brightness levels at the same grayscale can use the same first display drive data. For example, within the second brightness level range, all display brightness levels at the same grayscale can use the first display drive data when DBV is 71. Within the second brightness level range, the second duty cycle increases with the increase of the maximum display brightness of the brightness level. For example, when DBV is 71, the second duty cycle is 3.2%, and when DBV is 3F6, the second duty cycle is 99.8%. The range of the second duty cycle within the second brightness level range can be [3.2%, 99.8%). Employing EM dimming within the second brightness level range ensures that the brightness of each grayscale at each display brightness level can achieve the set brightness for the display panel, and only one set of drive data needs to be adjusted, shortening the adjustment time.

[0093] Within the third level range (DBV interval [3F6, 7FF]), the display panel can employ DC dimming, with a third duty cycle of 99.8%. Within this third level range, the first display drive data corresponding to the same grayscale differs at different display brightness levels. Because the adjustment of display drive data is more flexible within this third level range, using DC dimming makes it easier to reduce the brightness difference between the first and second display areas. Combined with the overall adjustment of the emission duty cycle, this makes the transition between the first and second display areas less noticeable to the human eye.

[0094] Optionally, the driving method for the display panel provided in this embodiment further includes: determining second display driving data for the second display area based on the current display brightness level and the image to be displayed; and driving the second display area to display the image based on the light emission duty cycle of the first display area and the second display driving data.

[0095] Specifically, when the first display area and the second display area are at the same display brightness level, the light emission duty cycle of the first display area can be the same as that of the second display area. However, at the same grayscale, the driving data for the first display area and the driving data for the second display area are different. Using the same light emission duty cycle for the first display area and the second display area can reduce the driving difficulty of the display panel.

[0096] Optionally, different screen refresh rates can have the same luminous duty cycle at the same display brightness level.

[0097] Specifically, before the display panel leaves the factory, it needs to be debugged, which requires determining the luminous duty cycle and the first display driver data for different display brightness levels. The debugging method in this embodiment is: debugging is performed at a higher screen refresh rate, and the luminous duty cycle determined at the higher screen refresh rate is used as the luminous duty cycle for all screen refresh rates. The higher screen refresh rate can be 120Hz.

[0098] This embodiment sets the same light emission duty cycle for different screen refresh rates at the same display brightness level. This ensures that the brightness difference between the first and second display areas is small at low brightness levels under different screen refresh rates, while reducing the debugging time of the display panel, reducing the amount of driver data storage, and reducing the driving difficulty.

[0099] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of a display device according to an embodiment of the present invention, with reference to... Figure 8 The display device provided in this embodiment includes: a display panel 300 and a driving module 400; the display panel 300 includes a first display area 100 and a second display area 200, and the light transmittance of the first display area 100 is greater than the light transmittance of the second display area 200;

[0100] The driving module 400 is used to acquire the current display brightness level of the display panel, determine the light emission duty cycle of the light emission control signal of the first display area based on the current display brightness level, determine the first display driving data of the first display area based on the current display brightness level and the image to be displayed, and drive the first display area to display the image based on the first display driving data and the light emission duty cycle. The display panel includes at least two display brightness levels, with the same minimum display brightness and different maximum display brightness for different display brightness levels. One driving cycle of the display panel includes a light emission phase, and the light emission duty cycle is the percentage of the effective level of the light emission control signal during the light emission phase. When the current display brightness level is within a first level range, the light emission duty cycle is a first duty cycle, which is less than a preset value. The maximum display brightness of the display brightness level within the first level range is less than a first set brightness. The first display area includes multiple sub-pixels, each sub-pixel including a driving circuit and a light emission unit. The first terminal of the driving circuit is connected to a first power supply voltage, and the second terminal is connected to the light emission unit. When the current display brightness level is within the first level range, and the sub-pixel displays a preset grayscale, the absolute value of the difference between the first display driving data and the first power supply voltage is greater than a set value.

[0101] Specifically, the driver module 400 can be a driver IC.

[0102] Optionally, the display device provided in this embodiment further includes: a light emission control circuit and a light intensity sensor; the light intensity sensor is used to detect the ambient light intensity; the driving module is used to determine the current display brightness level based on the ambient light intensity measured by the light intensity sensor; the light emission control circuit is used to output a light emission control signal to the light emission control terminal of the driving circuit; the driving module is used to output a control signal to the light emission control circuit according to the light emission duty cycle, control the light emission control circuit to output the corresponding light emission control signal, and output first display driving data to the data signal input terminal of the driving circuit, so that the first display area displays the image.

[0103] Specifically, the greater the ambient light intensity detected by the light intensity sensor, the greater the maximum display brightness corresponding to the current display brightness level determined by the driving module. Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of another display device provided according to an embodiment of the present invention, with reference to... Figure 9The light intensity sensor 430 is electrically connected to the driving module 400, and the driving module 400 is connected to the light emission control circuit 410. The driving module 400 determines the current display brightness level based on the ambient light intensity measured by the light intensity sensor 430. Based on the current display brightness level, the driving module 400 outputs control signals to the light emission control circuit 410, including a first clock signal and a second clock signal. The light emission control circuit 410 outputs a light emission control signal to the light emission control terminal of the driving circuit 101 based on the first clock signal and the second clock signal. The light emission control signal can be a high-level signal or a low-level signal, and it can control whether the light-emitting unit emits light or not.

[0104] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of a driver module according to an embodiment of the present invention, with reference to... Figure 10 The driving module 400 includes a display brightness level acquisition module 210, a light emission duty cycle determination module 220, a driving data determination module 230, and a driving submodule 240. The display brightness level acquisition module 210 acquires the current display brightness level of the display panel, wherein the display panel includes at least two display brightness levels, with the same minimum display brightness and different maximum display brightness levels. The light emission duty cycle determination module 220 determines the light emission duty cycle of the light emission control signal for the first display area based on the current display brightness level. One driving cycle of the display panel includes a light emission phase, and the light emission duty cycle is the percentage of the effective level of the light emission control signal during the light emission phase. When the current display brightness level is within the first level range, the light emission... The duty cycle is a first duty cycle, which is less than a preset value. The maximum display brightness of the display brightness level within the first level range is less than the first set brightness. The drive data determination module 230 is used to determine the first display drive data of the first display area based on the current display brightness level and the image to be displayed. The first display area includes multiple sub-pixels, each sub-pixel including a drive circuit and a light-emitting unit. The first terminal of the drive circuit is connected to a first power supply voltage, and the second terminal is connected to the light-emitting unit. When the current display brightness level is within the first level range, and the sub-pixel displays a preset grayscale, the absolute value of the difference between the first display drive data and the first power supply voltage is greater than the set value. The drive sub-module 240 is used to drive the first display area to display the image based on the first display drive data and the light-emitting duty cycle.

[0105] Optionally, the first setting brightness is less than or equal to 3.8 nits; the preset value is less than or equal to 3.2%.

[0106] Optionally, the driving circuit includes a driving transistor for driving the light-emitting unit to emit light; the driving module is used to initialize the gate of the driving transistor with a first initialization voltage and initialize the signal receiving end of the light-emitting unit with a second initialization voltage; wherein the first initialization voltage is greater than the second initialization voltage, and the signal receiving end of the light-emitting unit is connected to the second end of the driving circuit.

[0107] Optionally, the driving device provided in this embodiment further includes a first initialization voltage determination module;

[0108] The first initialization voltage determination module is used to determine the first initial voltage of the first display area based on the current display brightness level; wherein, when the current display brightness level is within the first level range, the first initialization voltage is a first voltage value; when the current display brightness level is within the second level range, the first initialization voltage is a second voltage value; and when the current display brightness level is within the third level range, the first initialization voltage is a third voltage value; the maximum display brightness of each display brightness level in the second level range is greater than or equal to the first set brightness and less than the second set brightness; the maximum display brightness of each display brightness level in the third level range is greater than or equal to the second set brightness; the first voltage value is greater than the second voltage value, and the second voltage value is greater than the third voltage value.

[0109] Optionally, the second level range includes a first sub-range and a second sub-range, and the third level range includes a third sub-range and a fourth sub-range; the maximum display brightness of each display brightness level in the first sub-range is less than the maximum display brightness of each display brightness level in the second sub-range, and the maximum display brightness of each display brightness level in the third sub-range is less than the maximum display brightness of each display brightness level in the fourth sub-range; in the first sub-range, the display brightness level with a larger maximum display brightness has a smaller first initialization voltage; in the second sub-range, the first initialization voltage of each display brightness level is equal, and the first initialization voltage of each display brightness level is less than the first initialization voltage of the first sub-range; in the third sub-range, the display brightness level with a larger maximum display brightness has a smaller first initialization voltage; in the fourth sub-range, the first initialization voltage of each display brightness level is equal, and the first initialization voltage of each display brightness level is less than the first initialization voltage of the third sub-range.

[0110] Optionally, within the first level range, the luminous duty cycle of all display brightness levels is equal; when the current display brightness level is within the second level range, the luminous duty cycle is the second duty cycle, which is greater than a preset value. Within the second level range, the second duty cycle increases as the maximum display brightness of the display brightness level increases. The maximum display brightness of each display brightness level within the second level range is greater than or equal to the first preset brightness and less than the second preset brightness; when the current display brightness level is within the third level range, the luminous duty cycle is the third duty cycle, which is greater than the second duty cycle. Within the third level range, the third duty cycle of all display brightness levels is the same, and the maximum display brightness of each display brightness level within the third level range is greater than or equal to the second preset brightness.

[0111] Optionally, the drive data determination module is further configured to determine the second display drive data of the second display area based on the current display brightness level and the image to be displayed; the drive submodule is further configured to drive the second display area to display the image based on the light emission duty cycle of the first display area and the second display drive data.

[0112] Optionally, different screen refresh rates can have the same luminous duty cycle at the same display brightness level.

[0113] The display panel driving device provided in this embodiment of the invention has corresponding beneficial effects with the display panel driving method provided in any embodiment of the invention. The technical details not described in this embodiment are not detailed here. The display panel driving method provided in any embodiment of the invention is described in detail here.

[0114] It should be understood that the various forms of processes shown above can be used, with steps reordered, added, or deleted. For example, the steps described in this invention can be executed in parallel, sequentially, or in different orders, as long as the desired result of the technical solution of this invention can be achieved, and this is not limited herein.

[0115] The specific embodiments described above do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of this invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that various modifications, combinations, sub-combinations, and substitutions can be made according to design requirements and other factors. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this invention should be included within the scope of protection of this invention.

Claims

1. A driving method for a display panel, characterized in that, The display panel includes a first display area and a second display area, wherein the light transmittance of the first display area is greater than that of the second display area; The driving method includes the following steps: Obtain the current display brightness level of the display panel, wherein the display panel includes at least two display brightness levels, and the minimum display brightness of different display brightness levels is the same, while the maximum display brightness is different; The light emission duty cycle of the light emission control signal of the first display area is determined according to the current display brightness level. The display panel has a driving cycle including a light emission phase. The light emission duty cycle is the percentage of the effective level of the light emission control signal in the light emission phase. When the current display brightness level is within the first level range, the light emission duty cycle is the first duty cycle. The first duty cycle is less than a preset value. The maximum display brightness of the display brightness level within the first level range is less than a first set brightness. The first display driving data of the first display area is determined based on the current display brightness level and the image to be displayed; wherein, the first display area includes multiple sub-pixels, each sub-pixel includes a driving circuit and a light-emitting unit, the first terminal of the driving circuit is connected to a first power supply voltage, and the second terminal is connected to the light-emitting unit; when the current display brightness level is within the first level range, when the sub-pixel displays a preset grayscale, the absolute value of the difference between the first display driving data and the first power supply voltage is greater than a set value. When the current display brightness level is in the first range, the display panel is in a low brightness display state. The first display area is driven to display the image based on the first display driving data and the light emission duty cycle.

2. The driving method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first set brightness is less than or equal to 3.8 nits; the preset value is less than or equal to 3.2%.

3. The driving method according to claim 1, characterized in that... The driving circuit includes a driving transistor, which is used to drive the light-emitting unit to emit light. Drive the first display area to display an image according to the first display driving data and the light emission duty cycle, including: The gate of the driving transistor is initialized using a first initialization voltage, and the signal receiving end of the light-emitting unit is initialized using a second initialization voltage; wherein the first initialization voltage is greater than the second initialization voltage, and the signal receiving end of the light-emitting unit is connected to the second end of the driving circuit.

4. The driving method according to claim 3, characterized in that, Before driving the first display area to display the image according to the first display driving data and the light emission duty cycle, the method further includes: Determine the first initialization voltage of the first display area based on the current display brightness level; Wherein, when the current display brightness level is within the first level range, the first initialization voltage is a first voltage value; when the current display brightness level is within the second level range, the first initialization voltage is a second voltage value; and when the current display brightness level is within the third level range, the first initialization voltage is a third voltage value; the maximum display brightness of each display brightness level in the second level range is greater than or equal to a first set brightness and less than a second set brightness; and the maximum display brightness of each display brightness level in the third level range is greater than or equal to a second set brightness. The first voltage value is greater than the second voltage value, and the second voltage value is greater than the third voltage value.

5. The driving method according to claim 4, characterized in that: The second level range includes a first sub-range and a second sub-range, and the third level range includes a third sub-range and a fourth sub-range; The maximum display brightness of each display brightness level in the first sub-range is less than the maximum display brightness of each display brightness level in the second sub-range, and the maximum display brightness of each display brightness level in the third sub-range is less than the maximum display brightness of each display brightness level in the fourth sub-range; In the first sub-range, the display brightness level with the higher maximum display brightness has a lower first initialization voltage; in the second sub-range, the first initialization voltage of each display brightness level is equal, and the first initialization voltage of each display brightness level is less than the first initialization voltage of the first sub-range; in the third sub-range, the display brightness level with the higher maximum display brightness has a lower first initialization voltage; in the fourth sub-range, the first initialization voltage of each display brightness level is equal, and the first initialization voltage of each display brightness level is less than the first initialization voltage of the third sub-range.

6. The driving method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Within the first level range, the luminous duty cycle of all display brightness levels is equal; When the current display brightness level is within the second level range, the light emission duty cycle is the second duty cycle, which is greater than a preset value. Within the second level range, the second duty cycle increases as the maximum display brightness of the display brightness level increases. The maximum display brightness of each display brightness level within the second level range is greater than or equal to the first set brightness and less than the second set brightness. When the current display brightness level is within the third level range, the light emission duty cycle is the third duty cycle, which is greater than the second duty cycle. Within the third level range, the third duty cycle of all display brightness levels is the same, and the maximum display brightness of each display brightness level within the third level range is greater than or equal to the second set brightness.

7. The driving method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: The second display driving data for the second display area is determined based on the current display brightness level and the image to be displayed. The second display area is driven to display the image based on the light emission duty cycle of the first display area and the second display driving data.

8. The driving method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Different screen refresh rates have the same luminous duty cycle at the same display brightness level.

9. A display device, characterized in that, Display panel and driver module; The display panel includes a first display area and a second display area, wherein the light transmittance of the first display area is greater than that of the second display area; The driver module is used for: Obtain the current display brightness level of the display panel, wherein the display panel includes at least two display brightness levels, and the minimum display brightness of different display brightness levels is the same, while the maximum display brightness is different; The light emission duty cycle of the light emission control signal of the first display area is determined according to the current display brightness level. The display panel has a driving cycle including a light emission phase. The light emission duty cycle is the percentage of the effective level of the light emission control signal in the light emission phase. When the current display brightness level is within the first level range, the light emission duty cycle is the first duty cycle. The first duty cycle is less than a preset value. The maximum display brightness of the display brightness level within the first level range is less than a first set brightness. The first display driving data of the first display area is determined based on the current display brightness level and the image to be displayed; wherein, the first display area includes multiple sub-pixels, each sub-pixel includes a driving circuit and a light-emitting unit, the first terminal of the driving circuit is connected to a first power supply voltage, and the second terminal is connected to the light-emitting unit; when the current display brightness level is within the first level range, when the sub-pixel displays a preset grayscale, the absolute value of the difference between the first display driving data and the first power supply voltage is greater than a set value. When the current display brightness level is in the first range, the display panel is in a low brightness display state. The first display area is driven to display the image based on the first display driving data and the light emission duty cycle.

10. The display device according to claim 9, characterized in that, Also includes: Light emission control circuit and light intensity sensor; The light intensity sensor is used to detect ambient light intensity; The driving module is used to determine the current display brightness level based on the ambient light intensity measured by the light intensity sensor; The light-emitting control circuit is used to output a light-emitting control signal to the light-emitting control terminal of the driving circuit; The driving module is used to output a control signal to the light-emitting control circuit according to the light-emitting duty cycle, control the light-emitting control circuit to output a corresponding light-emitting control signal, and output the first display driving data to the data signal input terminal of the driving circuit, so that the first display area displays the image.

Images