Display device

Abstract

The invention provides a display device. The display device comprises a display panel, a plurality of driving chips and a plurality of self-locking protection circuits, wherein the self-locking protection circuits are connected in series between a common voltage input end and a common voltage supply end of the driving chips; each self-locking protection circuit is connected in series with a common voltage input end of one driving chip, and a common voltage output end of the driving chip is connected with a common voltage port of the display panel. And the self-locking protection circuit is used for being turned off when the common voltage input end of the target driving chip is short-circuited to the ground end so as to cut off common voltage supply to the common voltage port of the display panel corresponding to the target driving chip. Therefore, when the common voltage input end of the target driving chip is short-circuited to the ground end, the self-locking protection circuit is switched off and common voltage supply is cut off, so that the fault driving chip is isolated, the failure of the whole display panel is prevented, and the display panel has the advantages of quickly isolating the fault and improving the reliability and the positioning efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of display technology, and more specifically to a display device. Background Technology

[0002] In practical applications of display devices, short-circuit faults in the common voltage line have become a critical issue affecting product reliability. In particular, when a short circuit to ground occurs at the input terminal of the driver chip's common voltage (such as the common voltage of the color green light chip, abbreviated as CF COM), it can cause the entire display panel to go black. This black-screen problem makes it difficult for R&D personnel to directly locate the fault point through visual observation; they must repeatedly test the driver chip, circuit connections, and power supply module, making the troubleshooting process time-consuming and lengthy. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This application provides a display device that has the advantages of quickly isolating a short-circuited driver chip, preventing the entire display panel from going black, improving fault location efficiency, and reducing troubleshooting time and costs.

[0004] In a first aspect, the display device provided in the embodiments of this application includes: a display panel, a plurality of driver chips, and a plurality of self-locking protection circuits connected in series between a common voltage input terminal and a common voltage supply terminal of the driver chips; each of the self-locking protection circuits is connected in series to a common voltage input terminal of one of the driver chips, and the common voltage output terminal of the driver chip is connected to the common voltage port of the display panel; The self-locking protection circuit is used to shut off when a short circuit to ground occurs at the common voltage input terminal of the target driver chip, thereby cutting off the common voltage supply to the common voltage port of the display panel corresponding to the target driver chip.

[0005] In summary, the display device provided in this application includes a display panel, multiple driver chips, and a self-locking protection circuit. When a short circuit to ground occurs at the common voltage input terminal of the target driver chip, the self-locking protection circuit turns off, cutting off the common voltage supply, thereby isolating the faulty driver chip and preventing the entire display panel from failing. It has the advantages of being able to quickly isolate faults, improving reliability, and enhancing positioning efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0006] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the accompanying drawings described below are merely for explaining some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative effort.

[0007] Figure 1 This is one of the schematic diagrams of a display device provided for an embodiment of this application.

[0008] Figure 2A second schematic diagram of a display device is provided for an embodiment of this application.

[0009] Figure 3 This is one of the exemplary structural diagrams of the display device in the embodiments of this application.

[0010] Figure 4 This is a second exemplary structural diagram of the display device in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0011] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of them. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0012] The terms "first," "second," etc., used in this invention are used to distinguish different objects, not to describe a specific order. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that includes a series of steps or modules is not limited to the listed steps or modules, but may optionally include steps or modules not listed, or may optionally include other steps or modules inherent to those processes, methods, products, or apparatuses.

[0013] In this document, the term "embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily imply that all embodiments are the same, nor are they independent or alternative embodiments mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0014] This application provides a display device, which includes, but is not limited to, the following embodiments and combinations thereof.

[0015] In some embodiments, Figure 1 One of the schematic diagrams of a display device provided for an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 A second schematic diagram of a display device is provided for embodiments of this application; in conjunction with Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the display device provided in the embodiments of this application can be, but is not limited to, a Mini / Micro LED direct display screen, a splicing display screen, an OLED flexible giant screen, a laser projection ultra-high-definition large screen, or a quantum dot wide color gamut ultra-high-definition display terminal, etc. The display device may include a display panel, a source driving circuit, a gate driving circuit, a timing controller, a power management chip, a substrate, a data line for transmitting data signals DATA, a scan line for transmitting scan signals SCAN, a power line for transmitting the voltage VDD at the positive terminal of the power line or the voltage VSS at the negative terminal of the power line, a pixel array, an encapsulation layer, a polarizer, a color filter, etc.

[0016] The pixel array consists of multiple pixel units arranged in rows and columns, forming multiple pixel rows along the row direction and multiple pixel columns along the column direction. Each pixel row and each pixel column includes multiple pixel units, and each pixel unit includes multiple sub-pixels. Each sub-pixel includes a light-emitting device and pixel circuitry. For ease of description, pixel rows and pixel columns may be referred to as "rows" and "columns" thereafter. The pixel driving circuit may include driving transistors, which are used to control the brightness of the corresponding organic light-emitting devices in the display panel. In actual pixel units, driving transistors may include, but are not limited to, low-temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) and thin-film transistors (TFTs). The TFT may employ a dual-gate structure, with the organic light-emitting device electrically connected to the first or second electrode of the TFT. The organic light-emitting device may include a light-emitting layer, an electron transport layer, a hole transport layer, a cathode, and an anode. Different organic materials can emit light of different wavelengths to achieve full-color display. The encapsulation layer includes a multilayer structure alternating between organic and inorganic materials. The gate driver on array (GOA) circuit is mainly used for scanning and driving pixel rows. For example, the GOA circuit may include cascaded gate driver units, where each stage of the gate driver unit controls one or more pixel rows to achieve pixel unit selection. In some embodiments, the GOA can use single-sided or double-sided driving for multiple pixel rows. Single-sided driving may involve arranging gate driver units only on one side (e.g., left or right side) and scanning and driving multiple pixel rows line by line through cascading. Double-sided driving may involve arranging driver units on both the left and right sides of the multiple pixel row and scanning and driving multiple pixel rows line by line through the coordinated operation of both sides. The source driver circuit is used to provide data signals to the pixel units. The timing controller is used to receive externally input image data and synchronization signals, and generate the signals required by the gate driver circuit and the source driver circuit. The power management chip is used to provide the required operating voltage to various parts of the display panel. It should be noted that... Figure 2This is an illustrative diagram, and the component connections shown are only used to explain the functional logic of the display panel, and are not intended to limit the actual physical structure.

[0017] In one embodiment, such as Figure 1 As shown, the display device 100 specifically includes a display panel 101, a plurality of driver chips 102, and a plurality of self-locking protection circuits 103 connected in series between the common voltage input terminal and the common voltage supply terminal of the driver chips 102; each self-locking protection circuit 103 is connected in series to the common voltage input terminal of a driver chip, and the common voltage output terminal of the driver chip is connected to the common voltage port of the display panel 101. The self-locking protection circuit 103 is used to shut off when a short circuit to ground occurs at the common voltage input terminal of the target driver chip, thereby cutting off the common voltage supply to the common voltage port of the display panel 101 corresponding to the target driver chip. The target driver chip is one of the plurality of driver chips 102.

[0018] It should be noted that the self-locking protection circuit 103 can be a circuit capable of detecting specific abnormal conditions and automatically switching states to provide protection, used to cut off the voltage supply when a short circuit to ground is detected at the common voltage input terminal of the target driver chip. Each self-locking protection circuit 103 is connected in series at the common voltage input terminal of a driver chip, so that the common voltage input of each driver chip is independently controlled. For example, a separate protection element, such as a current-limiting resistor, can be set on the common voltage input path of each driver chip to limit abnormal current to a certain extent. The self-locking protection circuit 103 is configured to turn off when a short circuit to ground occurs at the common voltage input terminal of the target driver chip. For example, a simple voltage comparator circuit can be designed to trigger a relay to disconnect when the voltage at the common voltage input terminal abnormally drops to near ground potential.

[0019] As an example, suppose a display device has a display panel driven by multiple driver chips, each responsible for a specific area of ​​the display panel. The display device's common voltage is provided by a power supply module and transmitted through the common voltage supply terminal. Each driver chip's common voltage input terminal has a self-locking protection circuit connected in series. When the display device is operating normally, the common voltage supply terminal provides a stable common voltage (e.g., Vcom) to the common voltage input terminals of all driver chips. Each self-locking protection circuit is in the ON state, allowing the common voltage to flow normally to its corresponding driver chip. Upon receiving the common voltage, the driver chip transmits the processed voltage to the common voltage port of the display panel through its common voltage output terminal, thereby driving the display panel to display images normally.

[0020] For example, when a short circuit to ground occurs at the common voltage input terminal of the target driver chip, the self-locking protection circuit connected in series with the target driver chip immediately detects the short circuit and automatically shuts off, cutting off the connection between the common voltage supply terminal and the common voltage input terminal of the target driver chip. Although the target driver chip has short-circuited, due to the timely intervention of the self-locking protection circuit, the short-circuit current is limited to a local area and cannot continue to draw a large amount of current from the common voltage supply terminal. Other driver chips that have not short-circuited can still obtain normal common voltage supply from the common voltage supply terminal, thereby continuing to drive the rest of the display panel to display normally. In this way, the display device can effectively isolate faults, thereby avoiding a blackout of the entire display device and protecting the power supply module and other normally functioning components.

[0021] This application provides a solution for local fault isolation by introducing a self-locking protection circuit connected in series at the common voltage input terminal of each driver chip. When a short circuit to ground occurs at the common voltage input terminal of the target driver chip, the self-locking protection circuit can respond quickly and turn off, thereby cutting off the common voltage supply to the target driver chip.

[0022] In some embodiments of this application, in a display device with multiple driver chips, a self-locking protection circuit may be responsible for protecting multiple driver chips. This may result in other normally operating driver chips being unnecessarily affected when one of the driver chips is short-circuited, or the efficiency of fault location and isolation may be low.

[0023] Based on this, such as Figure 3 As shown, in one embodiment, a self-locking protection circuit 103 is connected in series between the common voltage input terminal and the common voltage supply terminal of each driver chip.

[0024] Each driver chip's common voltage input can be a specific pin or interface for receiving a common voltage. Driver chips are typically responsible for driving different areas of the display panel, and their respective common voltage inputs require independent and stable voltage supplies.

[0025] The common voltage provider can be a power output terminal that provides a common voltage to the driver chip of the display device. For example, it can be connected to the power supply module of the display device to power all components that require a common voltage.

[0026] Connecting a self-locking protection circuit 103 in series can be done by connecting an independent self-locking protection circuit 103 between the common voltage input terminal and the common voltage supply terminal of each driver chip 102. This ensures that each driver chip has an independently controllable protection mechanism. When an abnormality occurs at the common voltage input terminal of a driver chip, the corresponding self-locking protection circuit can respond and protect independently without affecting other driver chips. For example, the self-locking protection circuit can be a switching circuit with overcurrent detection and self-locking functions, or it can be a power management unit that integrates short-circuit protection functions.

[0027] Specifically, this application achieves independent control and protection for each driver chip by configuring an independent self-locking protection circuit for the common voltage input terminal of each driver chip in the display device, and connecting it in series between the common voltage input terminal and the common voltage supply terminal. When the display device is operating normally, each self-locking protection circuit is in the conducting state, ensuring that the common voltage supply terminal can stably supply operating voltage to the common voltage input terminal of its corresponding driver chip. If a short-circuit fault to ground occurs at the common voltage input terminal of a target driver chip, the self-locking protection circuit corresponding to that target driver chip will immediately detect the abnormality and quickly shut down, simultaneously cutting off the common voltage supply to the faulty target driver chip without affecting the common voltage supply to other normally operating driver chips. This independent control and protection mechanism makes fault isolation more precise, preventing the failure of the entire display device or a large display area due to a local fault, thereby improving the overall reliability and stability of the display device.

[0028] As an example, in a display device containing N driver chips, such as driver chip 1, driver chip 2, ..., driver chip N, a common voltage supply terminal is connected to the common voltage input terminal of each of the N driver chips via N independent common voltage lines. On each common voltage line, i.e., between the common voltage input terminal and the common voltage supply terminal of each driver chip, an independent self-locking protection circuit is connected in series. For example, self-locking protection circuit 1 is connected in series between the common voltage input terminal and the common voltage supply terminal of driver chip 1, self-locking protection circuit 2 is connected in series between the common voltage input terminal and the common voltage supply terminal of driver chip 2, and so on, with self-locking protection circuit N connected in series between the common voltage input terminal and the common voltage supply terminal of driver chip N. When a short circuit to ground occurs at the common voltage input terminal of driver chip 1, only self-locking protection circuit 1 will shut down, cutting off the common voltage supply to driver chip 1, while self-locking protection circuits 2 through N remain conductive, ensuring that driver chips 2 through N can continue to operate normally. Figure 3As shown, assuming that a foreign object in the bonding area of ​​the gold finger region causes a short circuit to ground at the common voltage input terminal of the target driver chip, the transistor (Q1) of the self-locking protection circuit connected to the common voltage input terminal of the target driver chip will be turned off to block the short-circuit current from flowing to the power supply module, so as to prevent the power supply module from triggering overcurrent protection.

[0029] The display device of this application can provide independent and precise protection for the common voltage supply of each driver chip. When a short-circuit fault to ground occurs at the common voltage input terminal of a driver chip, only the self-locking protection circuit corresponding to the faulty driver chip will be shut down, thereby effectively cutting off the common voltage supply to the faulty driver chip. In this way, it is avoided that the failure of a single driver chip will affect other normally operating driver chips, improving the efficiency and accuracy of fault isolation.

[0030] In some embodiments of this application, when the display device contains a large number of driver chips, configuring an independent self-locking protection circuit for each driver chip may lead to increased system complexity and cost.

[0031] Based on this, such as Figure 4 As shown, in one embodiment, one end of each self-locking protection circuit 103 is connected to the common voltage input terminal of at least two driver chips 102, and the other end is connected to the common voltage supply terminal.

[0032] One end of the self-locking protection circuit 103 is connected to the common voltage input terminal of at least two driver chips, allowing a single self-locking protection circuit to be configured to simultaneously monitor and protect the common voltage input of multiple driver chips. This connection method changes the traditional one-to-one correspondence between the self-locking protection circuit and the driver chips into a one-to-many protection mode.

[0033] Specifically, this application achieves centralized protection for multiple driver chips by connecting a self-locking protection circuit to the common voltage input terminal of at least two driver chips. When a short circuit to ground occurs at the common voltage input terminal of any target driver chip, the self-locking protection circuit can detect this short circuit. Upon detection, the self-locking protection circuit immediately shuts off, thereby cutting off the common voltage supply to all connected driver chips. This effectively reduces the number of required self-locking protection circuits while maintaining short-circuit protection for the driver chips, optimizing the circuit layout and lowering the overall hardware cost.

[0034] As an example, suppose the display device contains six driver chips. For protection, these six driver chips can be divided into two groups, each containing three driver chips. For example, the first group includes driver chip 1, driver chip 2, and driver chip 3, and the second group includes driver chip 4, driver chip 5, and driver chip 6. Two self-locking protection circuits can then be configured. One end of the first self-locking protection circuit can be connected in parallel to the common voltage input terminal of driver chips 1, 2, and 3, while the other end is connected to the common voltage supply terminal. Similarly, one end of the second self-locking protection circuit can be connected in parallel to the common voltage input terminal of driver chips 4, 5, and 6, while the other end is also connected to the common voltage supply terminal. When a short circuit to ground occurs at the common voltage input terminal of driver chip 2, the first self-locking protection circuit will shut down, thereby cutting off the common voltage supply to driver chips 1, 2, and 3. Thus, by employing a shared self-locking protection circuit, this application effectively reduces the number of self-locking protection circuits in the display device. This not only simplifies circuit design and wiring complexity but also significantly reduces overall hardware costs. At the same time, it ensures that when any protected driver chip experiences a short circuit to ground at its common voltage input terminal, the common voltage supply to that group of driver chips is promptly cut off, thereby effectively isolating the fault, preventing the short circuit current from affecting the normal operation of the entire display device, and improving the system's reliability and economy.

[0035] This application effectively reduces the number of self-locking protection circuits in the display device by employing a shared self-locking protection circuit. This simplifies circuit design and wiring complexity, and reduces overall hardware costs. Simultaneously, it ensures that in the event of a short circuit to ground at the common voltage input terminal of any protected driver chip, the common voltage supply to that group of driver chips is promptly cut off, thereby effectively isolating the fault, preventing short-circuit current from affecting the normal operation of the entire display device, and improving system reliability and economy.

[0036] In some embodiments of this application, even if the self-locking protection circuit can cut off the voltage supply to the faulty driver chip, a short circuit event may still cause a large current to flow from the main power supply terminal, causing the main power module to trigger its internal overcurrent protection mechanism, thereby causing the power supply of the entire display device to be interrupted and affecting the normal operation of the non-faulty area.

[0037] Based on this, in one embodiment, the display device 100 further includes a power supply module, the output terminal of which is connected to the common voltage supply terminal to provide operating voltage for the common voltage line of the display device 100; when the self-locking protection circuit 103 is turned off, it blocks the short-circuit current from flowing to the power supply module to prevent the power supply module from triggering overcurrent protection.

[0038] The power supply module is a circuit unit that converts external power into a stable DC operating voltage required by the display device. Its core function is to provide continuous and stable power to the common voltage line of the entire display device. The output terminal of the power supply module is the interface for providing stable operating voltage, while the common voltage supply terminal is the starting point or main line of the common voltage line inside the display device.

[0039] Specifically, this application combines a power supply module with a self-locking protection circuit 103. When a short circuit to ground occurs at the common voltage input terminal of a target driver chip in the display device, the self-locking protection circuit connected in series with it will quickly respond and shut down. This not only cuts off the common voltage supply to the target driver chip, thus partially isolating the fault, but also establishes an effective current blocking barrier between the short circuit point and the power supply module. The power supply module, as the energy source of the entire display device's common voltage line, has its output terminal directly connected to the common voltage supply terminal. Without this additional solution, the short circuit current might flow directly from the power supply module to the short circuit point, causing a sharp increase in the power supply module's output current, which would then trigger its internal overcurrent protection mechanism, resulting in a power outage for the entire display device. However, by introducing the power supply module and having it work in conjunction with the self-locking protection circuit, the self-locking protection circuit can effectively block the short circuit current from flowing back to the power supply module when it shuts down. In this way, even if a local short circuit occurs, the output current of the power supply module will not rise abnormally, thereby avoiding the power supply module triggering overcurrent protection. This ensures that when a local short circuit fault occurs, the power supply module can continue to stably provide operating voltage to other normal parts of the display device, maintaining normal display in non-faulty areas.

[0040] As an example, the power supply module could be a DC-DC buck converter integrated on the display device's motherboard, which converts the externally input 12V DC power supply into the 3.3V common operating voltage required by the display device, and connects to the common voltage supply terminal through its output pin. When a short circuit to ground occurs at the common voltage input terminal of a driver chip, its corresponding latching protection circuit (e.g., a circuit consisting of a MOSFET and control logic) will immediately detect the voltage anomaly and quickly cut off. At this time, the cut-off state of the latching protection circuit prevents the short-circuit current from flowing from the common voltage supply terminal (i.e., the output terminal of the power supply module) to the short-circuit point.

[0041] When a short circuit to ground occurs at the common voltage input terminal of a driver chip in the display device, the self-locking protection circuit not only promptly cuts off the voltage supply to the faulty driver chip, but more importantly, it effectively blocks the short-circuit current from flowing back to the power supply module. This prevents the power supply module from triggering its built-in overcurrent protection mechanism due to excessive short-circuit current, thus preventing a power outage for the entire display device. Therefore, even if a local short-circuit fault occurs, other normally operating areas of the display device can still maintain normal power supply and display, significantly improving the fault tolerance, stability, and overall reliability of the display device, and avoiding the problem of the entire display system being paralyzed due to a local fault.

[0042] In some embodiments of this application, the specific implementation of the self-locking protection circuit, particularly how its internal components effectively cut off and block current when a short circuit occurs, still needs further clarification.

[0043] Based on this, such as Figure 3 and 4 As shown, in one embodiment, the self-locking protection circuit 103 includes a transistor (Q1) and a bias resistor (R); the transistor includes a first electrode connected to the common voltage input terminal of the driver chip, a second electrode connected to the common voltage supply terminal through the bias resistor, and a grounded control electrode; wherein, when a short circuit to ground occurs at the common voltage input terminal of the target driver chip, the transistor of the self-locking protection circuit connected to the common voltage input terminal of the target driver chip is turned off to block the short-circuit current from flowing to the power supply module, thereby preventing the power supply module from triggering overcurrent protection.

[0044] In this system, the transistor is used as a controlled switch, its on or off state controlled by the potential or current of the control electrode, thereby controlling the common voltage path. Transistors can be of various types, such as bipolar junction transistors (BJTs) or field-effect transistors (FETs).

[0045] A bias resistor is a resistor used to provide a specific voltage or current in a circuit to ensure that a semiconductor device (such as a transistor) operates stably at its intended operating point. In this application, the bias resistor is connected in series with the second electrode of the transistor and connected to the common voltage supply terminal. Its function is to provide the necessary bias conditions for the transistor, enabling it to be in a conducting state during normal operation and to quickly turn off when an abnormality is detected. In this embodiment, the first and second electrodes can be determined according to the type of transistor. For example, the first electrode can be the source of the transistor, and the second electrode can be the drain of the transistor; alternatively, the first electrode can be the drain, and the second electrode can be the source. This embodiment does not limit this. In this application, the first electrode is connected to the common voltage input terminal of the driver chip, serving as part of the path for the common voltage to enter the driver chip. The second electrode is connected to the common voltage supply terminal through the bias resistor, serving as another part of the path for the common voltage to flow from the power supply module to the driver chip. The control electrode is used to receive control signals to adjust the conduction state of the transistor. In this application, the transistor can be a bipolar junction transistor (BJT) or a field-effect transistor (FET), wherein the control electrode can be the base of the BJT or the gate of the FET. Transistor cutoff occurs when a transistor transitions from a conducting state (low impedance) to a non-conducting state (high impedance), thereby blocking current from flowing through its main current path. When a transistor is cut off, the supply of common voltage is effectively interrupted, preventing further flow of short-circuit current.

[0046] Specifically, the self-locking protection circuit of this application, through a combination of a transistor and a bias resistor, enables the rapid and effective blocking of short-circuit current flowing to the power supply module when a short circuit to ground occurs at the common voltage input terminal of the target driver chip. Specifically, the transistor in the self-locking protection circuit has its first electrode connected to the common voltage input terminal of the target driver chip, its second electrode connected to the common voltage supply terminal via a bias resistor, and its control electrode grounded. During normal operation of the display device, the transistor is in the conducting state, allowing the common voltage to be supplied normally from the common voltage supply terminal through the bias resistor and the transistor to the common voltage input terminal of the target driver chip. When a short circuit to ground occurs at the common voltage input terminal of the target driver chip, the potential of the first electrode connected to this input terminal drops sharply due to the short circuit. Since the control electrode is grounded, the change in the potential of the first electrode directly affects the bias condition of the transistor, causing the transistor to rapidly switch from the conducting state to the cutoff state. After the transistor is cut off, it exhibits extremely high impedance between the first and second electrodes, thereby effectively cutting off the current path from the common voltage supply terminal to the short circuit point. This prevents the power supply module from triggering protection due to overcurrent, ensuring the stable operation of other parts of the display device. It also enables the self-locking protection circuit to respond quickly to local short-circuit faults and isolate the fault area, thereby improving the reliability of the entire display device. As an example, the transistor in the self-locking protection circuit can be an NPN bipolar junction transistor. In this configuration, the control electrode (base) of the NPN transistor is grounded. The first electrode (e.g., the collector) is connected to the common voltage input terminal of the target driver chip, and the second electrode (e.g., the emitter) is connected to the common voltage supply terminal through a bias resistor. When the display device is operating normally and the common voltage supply is normal, the bias resistor provides a control current to the control electrode of the NPN transistor that meets the conduction condition, putting the transistor in the conducting state and allowing the common voltage to pass normally. When a short circuit to ground occurs at the common voltage input terminal of the target driver chip, the potential of the first electrode of the transistor connected to this input terminal drops sharply, changing the bias state of the NPN transistor and causing it to quickly switch from the conducting state to the cutoff state. After the transistor is cut off, it forms a high impedance between the first and second electrodes, effectively blocking the short-circuit current from flowing from the common voltage supply terminal to the short-circuit point, thereby preventing the short-circuit current from flowing back to the power supply module. This application grounds the control electrode of the transistor and cuts it off when a short circuit occurs. This solution can accurately block the short circuit current and prevent it from flowing to the power supply module, thereby enhancing the robustness of the display device in the face of partial short circuit faults and avoiding the power supply module triggering overcurrent protection, which would cause the entire display device to shut down or malfunction, thus improving the stability and reliability of the display device.

[0047] In some embodiments of this application, how to ensure that the transistor can reliably conduct under normal operating conditions to guarantee the normal supply of common voltage, while also being able to quickly cut off when a short circuit occurs, is a problem that needs to be further solved.

[0048] Based on this, in one embodiment, the transistor is an NPN bipolar junction transistor. When the common voltage supply at the common voltage port is normal, the bias resistor provides a control current to the control electrode of the NPN transistor that meets the conduction condition, so that the transistor is in the conduction state.

[0049] The NPN bipolar junction transistor is a current-controlled device consisting of two N-type semiconductor regions sandwiching a P-type semiconductor region. It has three electrodes: emitter, base, and collector. When a forward voltage and sufficient current are applied between the base and emitter, the transistor turns on, allowing a large current to flow between the collector and emitter.

[0050] The purpose of a bias resistor is to limit the current flowing through the base of an NPN transistor and to provide a suitable voltage to the base, keeping it in the conducting state. By appropriately selecting the value of the bias resistor, the base current can be precisely controlled, thus ensuring stable conduction of the transistor under normal operating voltage. The bias resistor can be directly connected between the common voltage supply terminal and the base of the NPN transistor, forming a simple voltage divider circuit to provide a forward bias voltage to the base. Alternatively, the bias resistor can be used in conjunction with a Zener diode or an additional voltage source to more precisely control the base voltage and current, ensuring stable conduction of the transistor over a wide voltage range.

[0051] To keep the transistor in the on state, the latching protection circuit allows current to flow without hindering the normal operation of the driver chip when the common voltage supply is normal. This can be achieved by adjusting the value of the bias resistor, so that the base current of the NPN transistor reaches the minimum value required for saturation conduction, thus keeping the transistor in a fully on state with minimal collector-emitter voltage drop. Alternatively, a feedback circuit can be designed to monitor the transistor's on state and dynamically adjust the bias current to ensure the transistor is always in an optimal on state. For example, a comparator can be used to compare the voltage drop across the transistor and adjust the base current accordingly.

[0052] Specifically, when the common voltage supply is normal, the bias resistor draws voltage from the common voltage supply terminal and provides a control current to the control electrode (base) of the NPN transistor to meet its conduction conditions. This control current keeps the NPN transistor in the conducting state, forming a low-resistance path between its first electrode (collector) and second electrode (emitter). Thus, the common voltage supply terminal can transmit the common voltage normally to the common voltage input terminal of the driver chip through the conducting NPN transistor, thereby providing a stable common voltage to the common voltage port of the display panel. When a short circuit occurs to ground at the common voltage input terminal of the target driver chip, since the control electrode (base) of the transistor is grounded, the short circuit causes a change in the base-emitter voltage of the transistor, making it impossible for the base current of the NPN transistor to maintain the conduction condition, thereby causing the transistor to quickly turn off. After the transistor is turned off, its collector and emitter become a high-resistance state, effectively blocking the current flowing from the common voltage supply terminal to the short-circuit point. This not only cuts off the common voltage supply to the short-circuit driver chip, preventing the short-circuit current from damaging the display panel or driver chip, but also blocks the short-circuit current from flowing back to the power supply module, thereby preventing the power supply module from triggering overcurrent protection and ensuring the power supply continuity of other normally operating parts of the display device.

[0053] As an example, the transistor can be an NPN bipolar junction transistor (BJT). Its collector, as the first electrode, is connected to the common voltage input terminal of the driver chip. Its emitter, as the second electrode, is connected to the common voltage supply terminal via a bias resistor. The base, as the control electrode, is directly grounded. When the common voltage supply terminal outputs a normal voltage, by appropriately selecting the value of the bias resistor, sufficient current can be ensured to flow through the bias resistor and into the emitter of the NPN transistor. This forward-biassses the base-emitter junction of the NPN transistor, causing it to saturate and conduct. Thus, the common voltage can smoothly reach the common voltage input terminal of the driver chip through the transistor. When a short circuit to ground occurs at the common voltage input terminal of the driver chip, the emitter voltage drops rapidly due to the grounded base. This causes the base-emitter voltage to be insufficient to maintain the transistor's conduction, and the transistor quickly turns off, thus interrupting the short-circuit current.

[0054] This application provides a control current that meets the conduction conditions to the control electrode of the NPN transistor by using a bias resistor, ensuring that the transistor can reliably be in the conduction state when the common voltage supply is normal. This ensures that the common voltage can be smoothly transmitted to the driver chip and avoids power interruption caused by malfunction of the protection circuit.

[0055] In some embodiments of this application, when the self-locking protection circuit is activated, although the short circuit is effectively isolated, the user or system may not be able to intuitively perceive which driver chip has failed, nor can they directly understand the specific impact of the failure on the display effect, which brings inconvenience to fault location and subsequent maintenance.

[0056] Based on this, in one embodiment, when the common voltage input terminal of the target driver chip is short-circuited to ground, the display area driven by the target driver chip in the display panel experiences a display abnormality, which includes at least one of blank screen, distorted screen, or color abnormality.

[0057] Display anomalies can manifest as unexpected, abnormal, or non-compliant visual effects in specific areas of the display panel. These anomalies can take many forms. For example, a blank display might show no images or text, appearing as black, white, or another single background color. This could be caused by the driver chip losing power and failing to drive its assigned pixels. A distorted display might show a jumble of pixels, lines, or color blocks in the display area, making the image content unrecognizable. This could be due to interruptions in some drive signals or data transmission, causing pixel display chaos or misalignment. Color anomalies can occur when the colors in the display area do not match the normal display content, exhibiting color cast, uneven color blocks, or color distortion. This could be due to abnormal drive voltage or current, causing pixel color distortion.

[0058] Specifically, this application achieves rapid response and isolation of short-circuit faults by connecting a self-locking protection circuit in series between the common voltage input terminal and the common voltage supply terminal of each driver chip. When a short circuit to ground occurs at the common voltage input terminal of a target driver chip, its corresponding self-locking protection circuit will immediately shut down, thereby cutting off the common voltage supply to that target driver chip. Since the target driver chip loses its normal common voltage supply, it will not function properly, resulting in the display panel area it drives failing to receive the correct drive signal or failing to drive the pixels correctly. Therefore, the display area will directly exhibit obvious display abnormalities, such as blank spaces, screen distortion, or color anomalies.

[0059] As an example, suppose a display panel is divided into multiple independent display areas, each driven by a separate driver chip. For instance, the upper left corner of the display panel is driven by driver chip A, the upper right corner by driver chip B, and so on. When a short circuit to ground unexpectedly occurs at the common voltage input terminal of driver chip A, the self-locking protection circuit connected in series at its common voltage input terminal will quickly detect the abnormality and immediately shut down. The common voltage supply to driver chip A is cut off, causing driver chip A to stop working. At this time, the upper left corner area of ​​the display panel driven by driver chip A will immediately show a display abnormality.

[0060] In this application, when a short circuit to ground occurs at the common voltage input terminal of the driver chip inside the display device, the self-locking protection circuit effectively isolates the fault and prevents the power supply module from triggering overcurrent protection. More importantly, the fault directly causes a clearly visible display abnormality on the affected display area of ​​the display panel, such as blank screen, distorted display, or abnormal color, providing users or maintenance personnel with an immediate and clear fault indication. This makes fault location faster and more convenient, allowing for preliminary identification of the fault area without the need for additional diagnostic tools, thus greatly simplifying the fault diagnosis process, improving maintenance efficiency, and reducing maintenance costs.

[0061] In some embodiments of this application, it is difficult to quickly and accurately locate the specific driver chip that has failed simply by observing the abnormal display, which brings inconvenience to subsequent fault diagnosis and repair.

[0062] Accordingly, in one embodiment, the display device further includes a controller, which integrates a diagnostic module; the diagnostic module is used to monitor the display data stream of the display panel or the status information of the driver chip to identify display abnormalities.

[0063] The controller is the core control unit of the display device, responsible for coordinating and managing its various functions. It can be a microcontroller, microprocessor, field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), the choice depending on the complexity and performance requirements of the display device. The controller integrates a diagnostic module. This module monitors the display data stream on the display panel. By monitoring the data stream, the diagnostic module can analyze whether the data sent to the display panel is correct and complete, and whether any patterns related to display anomalies exist.

[0064] Specifically, to effectively identify and locate anomalies, the display device is further equipped with a controller, which integrates a diagnostic module. This diagnostic module functions by continuously monitoring the display data stream of the display panel or the status information of each driver chip. Specifically, when a display anomaly occurs, the diagnostic module can analyze the display data stream flowing to the display panel, such as checking data integrity, timing, or whether abnormal patterns appear in pixel values, thereby inferring the abnormal area. Simultaneously, the diagnostic module can also actively or passively communicate with each driver chip, reading their internal status registers or error flags to determine which driver chip reported an anomaly or is in an abnormal operating state. Through dual or single monitoring mechanisms, the diagnostic module can associate observed display anomalies with specific driver chips, thereby achieving preliminary location of the faulty driver chip. In this way, the display device can autonomously perform preliminary diagnosis when a fault occurs, providing crucial information support for subsequent troubleshooting and repair, significantly improving the efficiency and accuracy of fault location.

[0065] As an example, when the display device is operating normally, the diagnostic module continuously monitors the display data stream flowing to the display panel through the display interface, performing real-time analysis of the data packet checksum, timing, and pixel values ​​in specific areas. Simultaneously, the diagnostic module periodically queries the internal status registers of each driver chip via a serial communication interface (e.g., I2C or SPI), such as error status registers, power management status registers, or temperature sensor data. If the diagnostic module detects an anomaly in the display data stream (e.g., pixel data in a certain display area is consistently zero, a fixed error pattern appears, or data packet checksums fail), or if a driver chip's status register reports an error (e.g., undervoltage, overcurrent, overtemperature, or internal logic error is detected), the diagnostic module immediately identifies the display anomaly and, based on the monitored information, preliminarily determines the driver chip that may be faulty.

[0066] This application introduces a controller and integrates a diagnostic module into the display device, enabling it to monitor the display data stream of the display panel or the status information of the driver chip. The solution provided by this application can effectively identify display anomalies. When a display anomaly occurs due to the shutdown of the self-locking protection circuit, the diagnostic module can promptly detect and locate the abnormal area or the faulty driver chip. This solves the problem of difficulty in quickly and accurately locating the faulty driver chip by visual inspection alone, improving the efficiency and accuracy of fault diagnosis, facilitating the maintenance and repair of the display device, and reducing the time and cost of troubleshooting.

[0067] In some implementations, simply knowing the logical identifier of the target driver chip may not be sufficient to quickly and accurately locate the specific physical component on the circuit board, especially in display devices with a large number of driver chips and a complex layout. This can make it difficult for maintenance personnel to locate the chip and affect the efficiency of troubleshooting.

[0068] Based on this, in one embodiment, the diagnostic module pre-stores a display mapping table and a physical mapping table. The display mapping table includes the association between the display area of ​​the display panel and the logical identifier of the driver chip, and the physical mapping table includes the association between the logical identifier of the driver chip and its physical location information on the circuit board. The physical location information includes at least one of the following: the component number of the driver chip on the circuit board and coordinate information.

[0069] The display mapping table is a data structure used to store the correspondence between a specific display area of ​​a display panel and the logical identifier of the driver chip responsible for driving that area.

[0070] Specifically, when the diagnostic module detects a display anomaly, it first uses a pre-stored display mapping table to quickly query and determine the logical identifier of the driver chip responsible for the display area of ​​the affected display panel. Then, the diagnostic module uses a pre-stored physical mapping table, with this logical identifier as the query condition, to obtain the specific physical location information of the target driver chip on the circuit board, such as its component number or coordinate information. Through this two-stage mapping query mechanism, the diagnostic module can transform abstract display anomalies and logical identifiers into specific, operable physical location information, thus providing clear guidance for maintenance personnel and enabling the faulty driver chip to be located quickly and accurately. This effectively compensates for the inability to perform physical location based solely on logical identifiers, significantly improving the efficiency of fault diagnosis and repair.

[0071] This application's solution pre-stores display and physical mapping tables in the diagnostic module and establishes associations between display areas and driver chip logic identifiers, as well as between driver chip logic identifiers and physical location information. This solution directly links identified display anomalies to specific physical components on the circuit board, solving the problem in complex display devices where logic identifiers alone are insufficient for quickly locating faulty physical components. When display anomalies occur, maintenance personnel no longer need to manually consult numerous schematics or perform tedious troubleshooting. The diagnostic module can provide the component number or precise coordinates of the faulty driver chip, thereby improving the accuracy and efficiency of fault diagnosis, shortening repair time, and reducing maintenance costs.

[0072] In some implementations, after the system detects a display anomaly and identifies the logical identifier of the target driver chip, maintenance personnel still need to manually query the physical mapping table to determine the actual physical location of the faulty chip. This increases the time and complexity of troubleshooting, especially when the display device has a complex structure and a large number of driver chips, making it difficult to quickly locate and repair the fault.

[0073] Based on this, in one embodiment, the diagnostic module is further configured to, after detecting a display abnormality, identify the logical identifier of the target driver chip based on the display mapping table, obtain the physical location information of the target driver chip through the physical mapping table, and control the display panel to display the physical location information of the target driver chip in the normal display area.

[0074] "After detecting a display abnormality" could mean that the diagnostic module has confirmed a display abnormality by monitoring the display data stream of the display panel or the status information of the driver chip.

[0075] Identifying the logical identifier of the target driver chip based on the display mapping table can be achieved by the diagnostic module using a pre-stored display mapping table to associate detected abnormal display areas with the logical identifier of the driver chip responsible for driving that area. The display mapping table records the logical correspondence between each display area of ​​the display panel and its corresponding driver chip.

[0076] Obtaining the physical location information of the target driver chip through a physical mapping table can be achieved by the diagnostic module identifying the logical identifier of the target driver chip and then using a pre-stored physical mapping table to query the actual physical location information of the driver chip on the circuit board corresponding to that logical identifier. The physical mapping table stores the correspondence between the logical identifier of the driver chip and its actual physical location (such as component number, coordinate information, etc.). Controlling the display panel to display the physical location information of the target driver chip in a normal display area can also be achieved by the diagnostic module, after obtaining the physical location information of the target driver chip, instructing the display panel to visually present the physical location information in a normal display area where no display abnormalities occur.

[0077] Specifically, when a display device malfunctions, the diagnostic module first, according to preset logic, accurately detects and confirms the occurrence of the display malfunction by monitoring the display data stream of the display panel or the status information of the driver chip. The diagnostic module immediately initiates the fault location process. Based on a pre-stored display mapping table, it matches the abnormally displayed area with the logical identifier of the driver chip responsible for driving that area, thereby identifying the logical identifier of the faulty target driver chip. Subsequently, the diagnostic module uses another pre-stored physical mapping table to quickly query and obtain the chip's specific physical location information on the circuit board, such as its component number or precise coordinates, based on the identified target driver chip's logical identifier. Finally, the diagnostic module displays the obtained physical location information of the target driver chip intuitively in the unaffected, normally displayed area of ​​the display panel. This simplifies the fault diagnosis process, eliminating the need for maintenance personnel to manually consult documentation.

[0078] This application, through the aforementioned technical solution, enables rapid and intuitive location of faulty driver chips in display devices. When a display device experiences a display abnormality, the diagnostic module can automatically identify the logical identifier of the faulty chip and obtain its physical location information. This physical location information is then directly displayed in the normal area of ​​the display panel, simplifying the troubleshooting process and avoiding the need for maintenance personnel to manually consult complex technical documents or circuit diagrams. This shortens the fault location time, improves maintenance efficiency, and reduces maintenance costs. The display device provided in the embodiments of this application has been described in detail above. Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this application. The description of the above embodiments is only for the purpose of helping to understand the technical solutions and core ideas of this application. Those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments or make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

Claims

1. A display device, characterized in that, The display device comprises a display panel, a plurality of driving chips and a plurality of self-locking protection circuits connected in series between a common voltage input end of the driving chips and a common voltage supply end. Each self-locking protection circuit is connected in series between a common voltage input end of one driving chip and the common voltage supply end. The self-locking protection circuit is configured to be turned off when a common voltage input end of a target driving chip is short-circuited to ground, so as to cut off the supply of common voltage to a common voltage port of the display panel corresponding to the target driving chip. One self-locking protection circuit is connected in series between a common voltage input end of each driving chip and the common voltage supply end.

2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein One end of each self-locking protection circuit is connected to the common voltage input end of at least two driving chips, and the other end is connected to the common voltage supply end.

3. The display device according to claim 2, wherein The display device further comprises a power supply module, an output end of the power supply module is connected to the common voltage supply end, and the power supply module is configured to provide working voltage for a common voltage circuit of the display device; when the self-locking protection circuit is turned off, the short-circuit current is blocked from flowing to the power supply module, so as to prevent the power supply module from triggering overcurrent protection.

4. The display device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by The self-locking protection circuit comprises a transistor and a bias resistor; the transistor comprises a first electrode connected to the common voltage input end of the driving chip, a second electrode connected to the common voltage supply end through the bias resistor, and a control electrode connected to ground; when the common voltage input end of the target driving chip is short-circuited to ground, the transistor of the self-locking protection circuit connected to the common voltage input end of the target driving chip is turned off, so as to block the short-circuit current from flowing to the power supply module, thereby preventing the power supply module from triggering overcurrent protection.

5. The display device according to claim 4, wherein The transistor is an NPN bipolar junction transistor; when the supply of common voltage of the common voltage port is normal, the bias resistor provides a control current for the control electrode of the NPN transistor, so that the transistor is in an on state.

6. The display device according to claim 5, wherein When the common voltage input end of the target driving chip is short-circuited to ground, a display area in the display panel driven by the target driving chip has a display abnormality, and the display abnormality comprises at least one of blanking, mura or color abnormality.

7. The display device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein The display device further comprises a controller integrated with a diagnostic module.

8. The display device according to claim 7, wherein The diagnostic module is configured to monitor display data flow of the display panel or state information of the driving chips, so as to identify the display abnormality. The diagnostic module pre-stores a display mapping table and a physical mapping table; the display mapping table comprises an association relationship between a display area of the display panel and a logical identifier of the driving chip; the physical mapping table comprises an association relationship between the logical identifier of the driving chip and physical position information on a circuit board; the physical position information comprises at least one of a component number and coordinate information of the driving chip on the circuit board.

9. The display device according to claim 8, wherein ​ 10. The display device according to claim 9, wherein The diagnostic module is further configured to, after detecting the display abnormality, identify a logical identifier of the target drive chip based on the display mapping table, acquire physical position information of the target drive chip through the physical mapping table, and control the display panel to display the physical position information of the target drive chip in a normal display area.

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