Integrated circuit board, display apparatus, display device, and display method

Abstract

The present disclosure provides an integrated circuit board, a display apparatus, a display device, and a display method. The integrated circuit board is electrically connected to a display panel, and the integrated circuit board includes a main control module, a power management module and a level conversion module. The main control module is configured to receive image information, generate an image data signal according to the image information, output the image data signal to the display panel, and output a switching clock signal to the level conversion module; the power management module is connected to the main control module and is configured to output a source driving voltage to the display panel, and output a gate driving voltage to the level conversion module; and the level conversion module is connected to the main control module and the power management module, respectively, and is configured to output a switching level signal to the display panel according to the switching clock signal and the gate driving voltage. The integrated circuit board not only simplifies the television assembly process, enabling the display device to achieve a thinner and simpler form factor, but also reduces signal transmission delays and interference resulting from lengthy signal routing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of screen display, and in particular to an integrated circuit board, a display apparatus, a display device and a display method.Background

[0002] Currently, in many display devices, a display mainboard is electrically connected to a Timing Controller (Tcon) board, and is further electrically connected to a display panel via the Tcon board. This approach requires the use of a connector to connect to the source driver board of the panel, which not only increases the cost of the display architecture, but also complicates the overall assembly process. In addition, it occupies the already limited structural space and is unfavorable to the aesthetic structural design. Moreover, since additional wiring is required, it may also introduce signal delay and interference.Summary

[0003] A main object of the present disclosure is to provide an integrated circuit board, a display apparatus, a display device and a display method, so as to at least solve the problems in the prior art, such as the complex assembly process of the display architecture and the prolonged delay and strong interference during signal transmission.

[0004] In order to achieve the above object, according to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an integrated circuit board electrically connected to a display panel. The integrated circuit board includes a main control module, a power management module and a level conversion module, wherein the main control module is configured to receive image information, generate an image data signal according to the image information, output the image data signal to the display panel, and output a switching clock signal to the level conversion module; the power management module is connected to the main control module, and is configured to output a source driving voltage to the display panel and output a gate driving voltage to the level conversion module; and the level conversion module is connected to the main control module and the power management module, respectively, and is configured to output a switching level signal to the display panel according to the switching clock signal and the gate driving voltage.

[0005] In some embodiments, the integrated circuit board further includes an interface module, wherein the interface module includes a plurality of input ports and a plurality of output ports corresponding to the input ports on a one-to-one basis, and the image data signal, the source driving voltage, and the switching level signal are transmitted to the display panel via the different input ports and the corresponding output ports.

[0006] In some embodiments, the switching level signal outputted by the level conversion module to the display panel includes a clock input signal and a pull-down circuit control signal, so that the display panel controls the turning on or off of each row of pixels in a pixel array in the display panel according to the gate driving voltage, the clock input signal and the pull-down circuit control signal; and the plurality of input ports include first input ports and second input ports, the plurality of output ports include first output ports and second output ports, the clock input signal is transmitted to the display panel via the first input ports and the first output ports, the pull-down circuit control signal is transmitted to the display panel via the second input ports and the second output ports, and the number of the first input ports and the first output ports are the same as the number of rows of pixels in the pixel array.

[0007] In some embodiments, the integrated circuit board further includes a gamma module, wherein the gamma module is in communication connection with the main control module and is configured to output a gamma correction voltage to the display panel under the drive of the main control module.

[0008] In some embodiments, the plurality of input ports include third input ports, the plurality of output ports include third output ports, and the gamma correction voltage is transmitted to the display panel via the third input ports and the third output ports.

[0009] In some embodiments, the main control module is electrically connected to a source driver circuit and is configured to output the image data signal and the switching clock signal, so that the source driver circuit controls, according to the image data signal and the switching clock signal, a switch module in the display panel to charge or discharge pixels in a pixel array in the display panel; the level conversion module is electrically connected to a gate driver circuit and is configured to output the switching level signal, so that the gate driver circuit controls, according to the switching level signal, the switch module to switch each row of pixels in the pixel array; and the source driver circuit and the gate driver circuit are electrically connected to the switch module, respectively, and the display panel includes at least one of the source driver circuit and the gate driver circuit, or at least one of the source driver circuit and the gate driver circuit is disposed externally.

[0010] In some embodiments, the interface module includes a first interface sub-module and a second interface sub-module, wherein the first interface sub-module includes the same number of input ports and output ports, and the second interface sub-module includes the same number of input ports and output ports; and the image data signal, the source driving voltage and the switching level signal are transmitted to the display panel via the first interface sub-module and the second interface sub-module, and the image data signal, the source driving voltage and the switching level signal are transmitted to the display panel via the different input ports, respectively.

[0011] In some embodiments, the switching level signal outputted by the level conversion module to the gate driver circuit includes a clock input signal and a pull-down circuit control signal, so that the gate driver circuit controls the turning on or off of each row of pixels in the pixel array according to the gate driving voltage, the clock input signal and the pull-down circuit control signal; and the first interface sub-module and the second interface sub-module each include first input ports and second input ports, and the first interface sub-module and the second interface sub-module each include first output ports and second output ports, the clock input signal is transmitted to the display panel via the first input ports and the first output ports, the pull-down circuit control signal is transmitted to the display panel via the second input ports and the second output ports, and the number of the first input ports and the first output ports are the same as the number of rows of pixels in the pixel array.

[0012] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a display apparatus, including a display panel and the above integrated circuit board which are electrically connected to each other.

[0013] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is further provided a display device, including the above display apparatus.

[0014] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is further provided a display method, which is applied to the above integrated circuit board, the display method including: image information is sent to a main control module in the integrated circuit board, so that the main control module generates an image data signal according to the image information, outputs the image data signal to a display panel electrically connected to the integrated circuit board, and outputs a switching clock signal to the level conversion module; and a control signal is sent to a power management module in the integrated circuit board, so that the power management module outputs a source driving voltage to the display panel, and outputs a gate driving voltage to the level conversion module, so that the level conversion module outputs a switching level signal to the display panel according to the switching clock signal and the gate driving voltage.

[0015] By applying the technical solution of the present disclosure, after receiving image information, the main control module in the integrated circuit board generates an image data signal according to the image information, and outputs the image data signal to the display panel, and outputs a switching clock signal to the level conversion module. In addition, the power management module outputs a source driving voltage to the display panel, and outputs a gate driving voltage to the level conversion module, so that the level conversion module can output a switching level signal to the display panel according to the switching clock signal and the gate driving voltage. Since the present disclosure achieves an integrated design by integrating the above main control module, power management module, and level conversion module on the same circuit board, compared to the display architecture in the prior art that has a timing controller board and a display main board, various required image signals, voltages, and control signals can be directly transmitted to the display panel by means of a single integrated circuit board to achieve normal display of the display panel. This not only reduces the cost of the display architecture but also simplifies the television assembly process, facilitates aesthetic structural design, enables the display device to have a thinner and simpler form factor, and additionally reduces signal transmission delays and interference caused by lengthy signal routing.Brief Description of the Drawings

[0016] The drawings of the description, constituting a part of the present disclosure, are used for providing further understanding of the present disclosure, and the illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure and illustrations thereof are used for explaining the present disclosure, rather than constitute inappropriate limitation on the present disclosure. In the drawings: Fig. 1 shows a schematic structural diagram of an integrated circuit board electrically connected to a display panel provided according to embodiments of the present disclosure; Fig. 2 shows a schematic structural diagram of an interface module in an integrated circuit board provided according to embodiments of the present disclosure; Fig. 3 shows a schematic structural diagram of a display apparatus provided according to embodiments of the present disclosure; and Fig. 4 shows a structural schematic diagram of another display panel provided according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0017] The figures above include the following reference signs: 10. main control module; 20. power management module; 30. level conversion module; 40. gate driver circuit; 50. source driver circuit; 60. interface module; 601. first interface sub-module; 602. second interface sub-module; 701. first transmission circuit; 702. second transmission circuit; 100. integrated circuit board; 200. display panel.Detailed Description of the Embodiments

[0018] It is to be noted that embodiments in the present disclosure and features in the embodiments may be combined with one another without conflicts. Hereinafter, the present disclosure is described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and in conjunction with the embodiments.

[0019] In order to enable a person skilled in the art to understand the solutions of the present disclosure better, hereinafter, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure will be described clearly and thoroughly with reference to the accompanying drawings of embodiments of the present disclosure. Obviously, the embodiments as described are only some of embodiments of the present disclosure, and are not all the embodiments. On the basis of the embodiments in the present disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by a person of ordinary skill in the art without any inventive effort shall all fall within the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

[0020] It should be noted that the terms "first", "second", etc. in the description, claims and drawings of the present disclosure are used to distinguish similar objects, and are not necessarily used to describe a specific sequence or a precedence order. It should be understood that the data so used may be interchanged where appropriate, so that embodiments of the present disclosure described herein can be implemented in sequences other than those illustrated or described herein. In addition, the terms "include" and "have" and any variations thereof are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, for example, a process, method, system, product or device which includes a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units that are clearly listed, but may include other steps or units that are not clearly listed or inherent to these process, method, product, or device.

[0021] As described in the background, in the display device in the prior art, a display main board is electrically connected to a Tcon board, and is further electrically connected to a display panel via the Tcon board. This approach requires the use of a connector to connect to the source driver board of the panel, which not only increases the cost of the display architecture, but also complicates the overall assembly process. In addition, it occupies the already limited structural space and is unfavorable to the aesthetic structural design. Moreover, since additional wiring is required, it may also introduce signal delay and interference.

[0022] In the traditional display architecture, the main display board outputs image signals, such as Low-Voltage Differential Signaling (LVDS) and a serial transmission protocol (V-BY-ONE). This protocol transmits video and audio signals using a pair of differential lines, and can transmit video data of various resolutions and color depths. Together with various voltages provided by the power management module, as well as the gamma correction voltage required by the control panel, these signals and voltages are sent to the source driver circuit and the gate driver circuit on the control panel. The gate driver circuit is responsible for controlling the switching of each column of the switch devices in the display panel. When the switching devices are turned on, the source driver circuit controls the brightness, grayscale, and other aspects of each pixel, thereby enabling the image to be normally displayed on the display panel.

[0023] In order to solve the problems of the complex assembly process of the display architecture and the prolonged delay and strong interference during signal transmission, the embodiments of the present disclosure provide an integrated circuit board. As shown in Fig. 1, the integrated circuit board is electrically connected to a display panel 200. The integrated circuit board includes a main control module 10, a power management module 20 and a level conversion module 30, wherein: the main control module 10 is configured to receive image information, generate an image data signal according to the image information, output the image data signal to the display panel 200, and output a switching clock signal to the level conversion module 30; the power management module 20 is connected to the main control module 10, and is configured to output a source driving voltage to the display panel 200, and output a gate driving voltage to the level conversion module 30; and the level conversion module 30 is connected to the main control module 10 and the power management module 20, respectively, and is configured to output a switching level signal to the display panel 200 according to the switching clock signal and the gate driving voltage.

[0024] The embodiments of the present disclosure achieve an integrated design by integrating the above main control module, power management module, and level conversion module on the same circuit board, compared to the display architecture in the prior art that has a timing controller board and a display main board, various required image signals, voltages, and control signals can be directly transmitted to the display panel by means of a single integrated circuit board to achieve normal display of the display panel. This not only reduces the cost of the display architecture but also simplifies the television assembly process, facilitates aesthetic structural design, enables the display device to have a thinner and simpler form factor, and additionally reduces signal transmission delays and interference caused by lengthy signal routing.

[0025] Furthermore, the embodiments of the present disclosure can also integrate the functions of the source driver board into the integrated circuit board, thereby eliminating the need for an additional source driver board in the television, reducing various costs such as wiring, the source driver board, and the source driver board bracket, and further simplifying the television assembly process.

[0026] Specifically, as shown in Fig. 1, the integrated circuit board in the embodiments of the present disclosure includes the main control module 10, the power management module 20 and the level conversion module 30. The main control module 10, the power management module 20 and the level conversion module 30 are all electrically connected to the display panel 200, wherein the power management module 20 is responsible for providing various required voltages to the level conversion module 30 and the display panel 200, the main control module 10 forwards image information required by the display panel 200 to the display panel 200, and at the same time, sends a switching clock signal to the level conversion module 30, such that the level conversion module 30 outputs a switching level signal to the display panel 200 according to the switching clock signal and the gate driving voltage provided by the power management module 20, and the display panel 200 sequentially switches the image information according to the switching level signal and an image data signal.

[0027] In some optional embodiments, as shown in Fig. 1, the integrated circuit board in the embodiments of the present disclosure further includes an interface module 60, wherein the interface module 60 includes a plurality of input ports and a plurality of output ports corresponding to the input ports on a one-to-one basis, and the image data signal, the source driving voltage, and the switching level signal outputted from the main control module 10 are transmitted to the display panel 200 via the different input ports and the corresponding output ports.

[0028] In the above optional embodiments, as shown in Fig. 2, the switching level signal output from the level conversion module to the display panel may include clock input signals (CLK1_L, CLK2_L, ..., CLKN_L) and pull-down circuit control signals (LC1_L, ..., LCn_L), so that the display panel controls the turning on or off of each row or column of pixels in a pixel array in the display panel according to the gate driving voltage, the clock input signals (CLK1_L, CLK2_L, ..., CLKN_L) and the pull-down circuit control signals (LC1_L, ..., LCn_L); and the plurality of input ports include first input ports (IN1_1, IN2_1, ..., INN_1) and second input ports (IN1_2, ..., INn_2), the plurality of output ports include first output ports (OUT1_1, OUT2_1, ..., OUTN_1) and second output ports (OUT1_2, ...OUTn_2), the clock input signals (CLK1_L, CLK2_L, ..., CLKN_L) are transmitted to the display panel via the first input ports (IN1_1, IN2_1, ..., INN_1) and the first output ports (OUT1_1, OUT2_1, ..., OUTN_1), and the pull-down circuit control signals (LC1_L, ..., LCn_L) are transmitted to the display panel via the second input ports (IN1_2, ..., INn_2) and the second output ports (OUT1_2, ..., OUTn_2), and the number of the first input ports and the first output ports is the same as the number of rows of pixels in the pixel array, where N is a natural number greater than 2, and n is a natural number greater than 1.

[0029] In some optional embodiments, as shown in Fig. 3, the main control module is electrically connected to the source driver circuit 50 and is configured to output the image data signal and the switching clock signal, so that the source driver circuit 50 controls, according to the image data signal and the switching clock signal, a switch module (not shown in the figure) in the display panel to charge or discharge pixels in the pixel array; the level conversion module is electrically connected to the gate driver circuit 40 and is configured to output the switching level signal, so that the gate driver circuit controls, according to the switching level signal, the above switch module to switch each row of pixels in the pixel array; and the gate driver circuit 40 and the source driver circuit 50 are electrically connected to the switch module, respectively.

[0030] It should be noted that the display panel 200 may be integrated with the gate driver circuit 40 and the source driver circuit 50, and the display panel 200 is electrically connected to the integrated circuit board 100 via the gate driver circuit 40 and the source driver circuit 50. As shown in Fig. 3, the gate driver circuit 40 and the source driver circuit 50 are also disposed outside the integrated circuit board 100 and the display panel 200. As shown in Fig. 4, the embodiment of the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0031] Specifically, the display panel 200 has a pixel array and a switch module electrically connected to each pixel in the pixel array, and the switch module is configured to control whether the pixel is lighted. The switch module may include Thin Film Transistors (TFT). Upon receipt of the gate driving voltage outputted from the level conversion module 30, the gate driver circuit 40 outputs a switching clock signal to a plurality of scanning lines which are connected to a gate terminal of each thin film transistor and control the turning on or off of each row or column of thin film transistors in the display panel; and upon receipt of the source driving voltage, the source driver circuit 50 outputs the image data signal to a plurality of data lines which are connected to a source end of each thin film transistor; when the thin film transistor is turned on, the source driver circuit 50 can control the brightness, the gray scale, etc. of the pixels electrically connected to the turned-on thin film transistor, so that the pixels can display an image corresponding to the image data signal.

[0032] In the above optional embodiments, the voltage provided by the power management module 20 to the display panel 200 includes a source driving voltage, and the source driving voltage may include a main voltage and a common terminal voltage; and the voltage provided by the power management module 20 to the level conversion module 30 includes a gate driving voltage, and the gate driving voltage may include a turn-on voltage of the switch module, a turn-off voltage of the switch module, and the like. It should be noted that, various voltages provided for the display panel are not limited to the above types, which are not specifically limited in the present disclosure.

[0033] Exemplarily, the above switch device may be a thin film transistor, except for the pixel array and the switch module electrically connected to each pixel in the pixel array, the display panel 200 further includes a liquid crystal capacitor, and one end of the liquid crystal capacitor is electrically connected to a drain of the thin film transistor, and the other end of the liquid crystal capacitor is connected to a common end; the power management module 20 is respectively connected to the source driver circuit 50 and the common end of the thin film transistor, and is configured to output a main voltage AVDD to the source driver circuit 50, and output a common terminal voltage VCOM to the common terminal COM; the source driver circuit 50 is further connected to a source of the thin film transistor, and is configured to output an image data signal Data to the thin film transistor; and the level conversion module 30 is connected to the thin film transistor and is configured to output a switching clock signal CK to the thin film transistor according to the turn-on voltage VGH so as to turn on the thin film transistor, and output the switching clock signal CK to the thin film transistor according to the turn-off voltage VGL so as to turn off the thin film transistor.

[0034] Exemplarily, the power management module 20 is a part of a Timing Controller (Tcon) board in a conventional display architecture. The turn-on voltage (VGH) of the thin film transistor in the display panel 200 needs to be higher than 20 V, and the turn-off voltage (VGL) of the thin film transistor needs to be lower than -5 V, while the high level of the switching clock signal outputted from the main control module 10 is generally 3.3 V, thus the power management module 20 needs to convert the switching clock signal outputted from the main control module 10 into the level required by the display panel 200. Therefore, the power management module 20 can further convert the switching clock signal sent by the main control module 10 into a panel switching signal required by the display panel 200, and send the panel switching signal to the display panel 200.

[0035] Exemplarily, the power management module 20 includes: a DC / DC switching power supply, an LDO linear regulator, and resistors and capacitors in the control section, wherein the DC / DC switching power supply can enables the conversion of different DC voltage levels, converting a DC voltage of one level into a DC voltage of another level; the DC / DC switching power supply can be classified as a boost power supply or a buck power supply based on the voltage level transformation relationship, and as an isolated power supply or a non-isolated power supply based on the input-output relationship; the LDO linear regulator is a type of linear regulator that can maintain a stable output voltage even when the input voltage or load current changes, and it utilizes a transistor or field effect transistor operating in its saturation region; the regulating transistor in the LDO linear regulator is a P-channel MOSFET; because a P-channel MOSFET is voltage-driven and does not require current, it greatly reduces the device's own current consumption; the voltage drop across the P-channel MOSFET is approximately equal to the product of the output current and the on-resistance; since the MOSFET's on-resistance is very small, the voltage drop of the LDO linear regulator is extremely low.

[0036] In some optional embodiments, the integrated circuit board in the embodiments of the present disclosure further includes a gamma module (not shown in the figure), which is in communication connection with the main control module 10 and configured to output a gamma correction voltage to the display panel 200 under the drive of the main control module 10.

[0037] In the above optional embodiments, according to the gamma correction voltage outputted by the gamma module to the display panel 200, the display panel 200 can implement gamma correction on a display image by means of the gamma characteristics, and specifically, at least one of a contrast and brightness of the display image can be adjusted.

[0038] In some optional embodiments, as shown in Fig. 2, the gamma module outputs gamma correction voltages (GM1, GM2, ..., GMN) to the display panel, the plurality of input ports in the interface module 60 further include third input ports (IN1_3, IN2_3, ...), the plurality of output ports in the interface module 60 further include third output ports (OUT1_3, OUT2_3, ...), and the gamma correction voltages are transmitted to the display panel via the third input ports (IN1_3, IN2_3, ...), and the third output ports (OUT1_3, OUT2_3, ...).

[0039] In some optional embodiments, as shown in Fig. 4, the display panel further includes a first transmission circuit 701 and a second transmission circuit 702. One end of the first transmission circuit 701 is electrically connected to the main control module 10 and the power management module 20, and the other end thereof is electrically connected to the source driver circuit 50 and is configured to transmit video data to the source driver circuit 50. One end of the second transmission circuit 702 is electrically connected to the power management module 20, and the other end thereof is electrically connected to the source driver circuit 50 and is configured to transmit a switching clock signal to the source driver circuit 50.

[0040] In some optional embodiments, as shown in Fig. 3, the interface module 60 includes a first interface sub-module 601 and a second interface sub-module 602, the first interface sub-module 601 includes the same number of input ports and output ports, and the second interface sub-module 602 also includes the same number of input ports and output ports; the image data signal, the source driving voltage and the switching level signal are transmitted to the display panel via the first interface sub-module 601 and the second interface sub-module 602, and the image data signal, the source driving voltage and the switching level signal are transmitted via different input ports respectively.

[0041] In the above optional embodiments, as shown in Fig. 3, the display area of the display panel 200 may be divided into symmetrical first display area and second display area. The gate driver circuit 40 and the source driver circuit 50 are electrically connected to the first interface sub-module 601 through the first transmission circuit 701, while the gate driver circuit 40 and the source driver circuit 50 are electrically connected to the second interface sub-module 602 through the second transmitting circuit 702. In this case, the gate driver circuit 40 and the source driver circuit 50 can control the display of the first display area by means of the image data signal, the source driving voltage and the switching level signal transmitted via the first interface sub-module 601, and the gate driver circuit 40 and the source driver circuit 50 can also control the display of the second display area by means of the image data signal, the source driving voltage and the switching level signal transmitted via the second interface sub-module 602.

[0042] In some optional embodiments, as shown in Fig. 3, the interface module 60 in the integrated circuit board 100 is in contact with the display panel 200, and is configured to forward a signal outputted from the integrated circuit board 100 to the display panel 200.

[0043] In the above optional embodiments, the process of attaching the interface module 60 to the display panel 200 may be selected from one of the following: a chip-on-board (COB), a surface mount device package (SMD) and a surface mount technology (SMT), and a person skilled in the art would have been able to reasonably select the described attachment process according to practical situations, which is not specifically limited in the present disclosure.

[0044] In the above optional embodiments, the interface module 60 is a flexible printed circuit (FPC), and the composition material of the FPC includes: an insulation film, a conductor and an adhesive, wherein the insulation film is the basis of the FPC and is prepared by bonding a copper foil onto an insulation layer using the adhesive; the conductor can be obtained by electrodeposition (ED) or plating a copper foil; and the adhesive also be used as a covering layer for protective coating, and can be applied as a covering coating using screen printing technology.

[0045] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, there is further provided a display apparatus, including an integrated circuit board and a display panel, the integrated circuit board including a main control module, a power management module and a level conversion module, wherein the main control module is configured to receive image information, generate an image data signal according to the image information, output the image data signal to the display panel, and output a switching clock signal to the level conversion module; the power management module is connected to the main control module and is configured to output a source driving voltage to the display panel, and output a gate driving voltage to the level conversion module; and the level conversion module is connected to the main control module and the power management module, respectively, and is configured to output a switching level signal to the display panel according to the switching clock signal and the gate driving voltage.

[0046] It should be noted that, the above display apparatus according to the embodiments of the present disclosure may include the integrated circuit board in the above embodiments.

[0047] The display apparatus according to the embodiments of the present disclosure achieves an integrated design by integrating the above main control module, power management module, and level conversion module on the same circuit board, compared to the display architecture in the prior art that has a timing controller board and a display main board, various required image signals, voltages, and control signals can be directly transmitted to the display panel by means of a single integrated circuit board to achieve normal display of the display panel. This not only reduces the cost of the display architecture but also simplifies the television assembly process, facilitates aesthetic structural design, enables the display device including the display apparatus to have a thinner and simpler form factor, and additionally reduces signal transmission delays and interference caused by lengthy signal routing.

[0048] In some optional embodiments, the display apparatus in the embodiments of the present disclosure further includes a backlight module disposed at one side of the display panel and configured to provide a light source to the display panel.

[0049] In the above optional embodiments, a backlight module is provided at one side of the display panel, and since the display panel itself is non-emissive, the backlight module is required to provide sufficient brightness and a uniformly distributed light source to the display panel, enabling it to normally display images.

[0050] In the above optional embodiments, the types of backlight modules include Electroluminescent Panels (ELP), Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamps (CCFL), and Light Emitting Diodes (LED). Based on the distribution position of the light source, they are classified into edge-lit type and direct-lit type. A person skilled in the art may reasonably select from the above types of backlight modules, which is not specifically limited in the present disclosure.

[0051] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, there is further provided a display device, including the display apparatus in the foregoing embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0052] The display device provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure may be a mobile phone. The display device may also be any electronic product having a display function, including but not limited to, a notebook computer, a tablet computer, a digital camera, a television, a desktop display, a smart wristband, smart glasses, a vehicle-mounted display, an industrial control device, a medical display screen, a touch interaction terminal, etc., which are not specifically limited in the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0053] According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, there is further provided a display method applied to the above integrated circuit board, the display method including: image information is sent to a main control module in the integrated circuit board, so that the main control module generates an image data signal according to the image information, outputs the image data signal to a display panel electrically connected to the integrated circuit board, and outputs a switching clock signal to the level conversion module; and a control signal is sent to a power management module in the integrated circuit board, so that the power management module outputs a source driving voltage to the display panel, and outputs a gate driving voltage to the level conversion module, so that the level conversion module outputs a switching level signal to the display panel according to the switching clock signal and the gate driving voltage.

[0054] It should also be noted that the terms "include", "include", or any other variations thereof are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, so that a process, method, commodity or device that includes a series of elements not only includes those elements, but also includes other elements that are not explicitly listed, or further includes inherent elements of the process, method, commodity, or device. Without further limitation, an element defined by a sentence "include a ..." does not exclude other same elements existing in the process, method, commodity, or device that includes the element.

[0055] From the description above, it can be determined that the embodiments of the present disclosure achieve the following technical effects: 1). the embodiments of the present disclosure achieve an integrated design by integrating the above main control module, power management module, and level conversion module on the same circuit board, compared to the display architecture in the prior art that has a timing controller board and a display main board, various required image signals, voltages, and control signals can be directly transmitted to the display panel by means of a single integrated circuit board to achieve normal display of the display panel. This not only reduces the cost of the display architecture but also simplifies the television assembly process, facilitates aesthetic structural design, enables the display device to have a thinner and simpler form factor, and additionally reduces signal transmission delays and interference caused by lengthy signal routing; and 2). the embodiments of the present disclosure can further integrate the functions of the source driver board into the integrated circuit board, thereby eliminating the need for an additional source driver board in the television, reducing various costs such as wiring, the source driver board, and the source driver board bracket, and further simplifying the television assembly process.

[0056] The content above merely relates to preferred embodiments of the present disclosure, and is not intended to limit the present disclosure. For a person skilled in the art, the present disclosure may have various modifications and changes. Any modifications, equivalent replacements, improvements and the like made within the spirit and principle of the present disclosure shall all fall within the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0018]It is to be noted that embodiments in the present disclosure and features in the embodiments may be combined with one another without conflicts. Hereinafter, the present disclosure is described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and in conjunction with the embodiments.

[0019]In order to enable a person skilled in the art to understand the solutions of the present disclosure better, hereinafter, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure will be described clearly and thoroughly with reference to the accompanying drawings of embodiments of the present disclosure. Obviously, the embodiments as described are only some of embodiments of the present disclosure, and are not all the embodiments. On the basis of the embodiments in the present disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by a person of ordinary skill in the art without any inventive effort shall all fall within the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

[0020]It should be...

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of screen display, and in particular to an integrated circuit board, a display apparatus, a display device and a display method.Background

[0002] Currently, in many display devices, a display mainboard is electrically connected to a Timing Controller (Tcon) board, and is further electrically connected to a display panel via the Tcon board. This approach requires the use of a connector to connect to the source driver board of the panel, which not only increases the cost of the display architecture, but also complicates the overall assembly process. In addition, it occupies the already limited structural space and is unfavorable to the aesthetic structural design. Moreover, since additional wiring is required, it may also introduce signal delay and interference.Summary

[0003] A main object of the present disclosure is to provide an integrated circuit board, a display apparatus, a display device and a display method, so as to at least solve the problems in the prior art, such as the complex assembly process of the display architecture and the prolonged delay and strong interference during signal transmission.

[0004] In order to achieve the above object, according to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an integrated circuit board electrically connected to a display panel. The integrated circuit board includes a main control module, a power management module and a level conversion module, wherein the main control module is configured to receive image information, generate an image data signal according to the image information, output the image data signal to the display panel, and output a switching clock signal to the level conversion module; the power management module is connected to the main control module, and is configured to output a source driving voltage to the display panel and output a gate driving voltage to the level conversion module; and the level conversion module is connected to the main control module and the power management module, respectively, and is configured to output a switching level signal to the display panel according to the switching clock signal and the gate driving voltage.

[0005] In some embodiments, the integrated circuit board further includes an interface module, wherein the interface module includes a plurality of input ports and a plurality of output ports corresponding to the input ports on a one-to-one basis, and the image data signal, the source driving voltage, and the switching level signal are transmitted to the display panel via the different input ports and the corresponding output ports.

[0006] In some embodiments, the switching level signal outputted by the level conversion module to the display panel includes a clock input signal and a pull-down circuit control signal, so that the display panel controls the turning on or off of each row of pixels in a pixel array in the display panel according to the gate driving voltage, the clock input signal and the pull-down circuit control signal; and the plurality of input ports include first input ports and second input ports, the plurality of output ports include first output ports and second output ports, the clock input signal is transmitted to the display panel via the first input ports and the first output ports, the pull-down circuit control signal is transmitted to the display panel via the second input ports and the second output ports, and the number of the first input ports and the first output ports are the same as the number of rows of pixels in the pixel array.

[0007] In some embodiments, the integrated circuit board further includes a gamma module, wherein the gamma module is in communication connection with the main control module and is configured to output a gamma correction voltage to the display panel under the drive of the main control module.

[0008] In some embodiments, the plurality of input ports include third input ports, the plurality of output ports include third output ports, and the gamma correction voltage is transmitted to the display panel via the third input ports and the third output ports.

[0009] In some embodiments, the main control module is electrically connected to a source driver circuit and is configured to output the image data signal and the switching clock signal, so that the source driver circuit controls, according to the image data signal and the switching clock signal, a switch module in the display panel to charge or discharge pixels in a pixel array in the display panel; the level conversion module is electrically connected to a gate driver circuit and is configured to output the switching level signal, so that the gate driver circuit controls, according to the switching level signal, the switch module to switch each row of pixels in the pixel array; and the source driver circuit and the gate driver circuit are electrically connected to the switch module, respectively, and the display panel includes at least one of the source driver circuit and the gate driver circuit, or at least one of the source driver circuit and the gate driver circuit is disposed externally.

[0010] In some embodiments, the interface module includes a first interface sub-module and a second interface sub-module, wherein the first interface sub-module includes the same number of input ports and output ports, and the second interface sub-module includes the same number of input ports and output ports; and the image data signal, the source driving voltage and the switching level signal are transmitted to the display panel via the first interface sub-module and the second interface sub-module, and the image data signal, the source driving voltage and the switching level signal are transmitted to the display panel via the different input ports, respectively.

[0011] In some embodiments, the switching level signal outputted by the level conversion module to the gate driver circuit includes a clock input signal and a pull-down circuit control signal, so that the gate driver circuit controls the turning on or off of each row of pixels in the pixel array according to the gate driving voltage, the clock input signal and the pull-down circuit control signal; and the first interface sub-module and the second interface sub-module each include first input ports and second input ports, and the first interface sub-module and the second interface sub-module each include first output ports and second output ports, the clock input signal is transmitted to the display panel via the first input ports and the first output ports, the pull-down circuit control signal is transmitted to the display panel via the second input ports and the second output ports, and the number of the first input ports and the first output ports are the same as the number of rows of pixels in the pixel array.

[0012] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a display apparatus, including a display panel and the above integrated circuit board which are electrically connected to each other.

[0013] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is further provided a display device, including the above display apparatus.

[0014] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is further provided a display method, which is applied to the above integrated circuit board, the display method including: image information is sent to a main control module in the integrated circuit board, so that the main control module generates an image data signal according to the image information, outputs the image data signal to a display panel electrically connected to the integrated circuit board, and outputs a switching clock signal to the level conversion module; and a control signal is sent to a power management module in the integrated circuit board, so that the power management module outputs a source driving voltage to the display panel, and outputs a gate driving voltage to the level conversion module, so that the level conversion module outputs a switching level signal to the display panel according to the switching clock signal and the gate driving voltage.

[0015] By applying the technical solution of the present disclosure, after receiving image information, the main control module in the integrated circuit board generates an image data signal according to the image information, and outputs the image data signal to the display panel, and outputs a switching clock signal to the level conversion module. In addition, the power management module outputs a source driving voltage to the display panel, and outputs a gate driving voltage to the level conversion module, so that the level conversion module can output a switching level signal to the display panel according to the switching clock signal and the gate driving voltage. Since the present disclosure achieves an integrated design by integrating the above main control module, power management module, and level conversion module on the same circuit board, compared to the display architecture in the prior art that has a timing controller board and a display main board, various required image signals, voltages, and control signals can be directly transmitted to the display panel by means of a single integrated circuit board to achieve normal display of the display panel. This not only reduces the cost of the display architecture but also simplifies the television assembly process, facilitates aesthetic structural design, enables the display device to have a thinner and simpler form factor, and additionally reduces signal transmission delays and interference caused by lengthy signal routing.Brief Description of the Drawings

[0016] The drawings of the description, constituting a part of the present disclosure, are used for providing further understanding of the present disclosure, and the illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure and illustrations thereof are used for explaining the present disclosure, rather than constitute inappropriate limitation on the present disclosure. In the drawings: Fig. 1 shows a schematic structural diagram of an integrated circuit board electrically connected to a display panel provided according to embodiments of the present disclosure; Fig. 2 shows a schematic structural diagram of an interface module in an integrated circuit board provided according to embodiments of the present disclosure; Fig. 3 shows a schematic structural diagram of a display apparatus provided according to embodiments of the present disclosure; and Fig. 4 shows a structural schematic diagram of another display panel provided according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0017] The figures above include the following reference signs: 10. main control module; 20. power management module; 30. level conversion module; 40. gate driver circuit; 50. source driver circuit; 60. interface module; 601. first interface sub-module; 602. second interface sub-module; 701. first transmission circuit; 702. second transmission circuit; 100. integrated circuit board; 200. display panel.Detailed Description of the Embodiments

[0018] It is to be noted that embodiments in the present disclosure and features in the embodiments may be combined with one another without conflicts. Hereinafter, the present disclosure is described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and in conjunction with the embodiments.

[0019] In order to enable a person skilled in the art to understand the solutions of the present disclosure better, hereinafter, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure will be described clearly and thoroughly with reference to the accompanying drawings of embodiments of the present disclosure. Obviously, the embodiments as described are only some of embodiments of the present disclosure, and are not all the embodiments. On the basis of the embodiments in the present disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by a person of ordinary skill in the art without any inventive effort shall all fall within the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

[0020] It should be noted that the terms "first", "second", etc. in the description, claims and drawings of the present disclosure are used to distinguish similar objects, and are not necessarily used to describe a specific sequence or a precedence order. It should be understood that the data so used may be interchanged where appropriate, so that embodiments of the present disclosure described herein can be implemented in sequences other than those illustrated or described herein. In addition, the terms "include" and "have" and any variations thereof are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, for example, a process, method, system, product or device which includes a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units that are clearly listed, but may include other steps or units that are not clearly listed or inherent to these process, method, product, or device.

[0021] As described in the background, in the display device in the prior art, a display main board is electrically connected to a Tcon board, and is further electrically connected to a display panel via the Tcon board. This approach requires the use of a connector to connect to the source driver board of the panel, which not only increases the cost of the display architecture, but also complicates the overall assembly process. In addition, it occupies the already limited structural space and is unfavorable to the aesthetic structural design. Moreover, since additional wiring is required, it may also introduce signal delay and interference.

[0022] In the traditional display architecture, the main display board outputs image signals, such as Low-Voltage Differential Signaling (LVDS) and a serial transmission protocol (V-BY-ONE). This protocol transmits video and audio signals using a pair of differential lines, and can transmit video data of various resolutions and color depths. Together with various voltages provided by the power management module, as well as the gamma correction voltage required by the control panel, these signals and voltages are sent to the source driver circuit and the gate driver circuit on the control panel. The gate driver circuit is responsible for controlling the switching of each column of the switch devices in the display panel. When the switching devices are turned on, the source driver circuit controls the brightness, grayscale, and other aspects of each pixel, thereby enabling the image to be normally displayed on the display panel.

[0023] In order to solve the problems of the complex assembly process of the display architecture and the prolonged delay and strong interference during signal transmission, the embodiments of the present disclosure provide an integrated circuit board. As shown in Fig. 1, the integrated circuit board is electrically connected to a display panel 200. The integrated circuit board includes a main control module 10, a power management module 20 and a level conversion module 30, wherein: the main control module 10 is configured to receive image information, generate an image data signal according to the image information, output the image data signal to the display panel 200, and output a switching clock signal to the level conversion module 30; the power management module 20 is connected to the main control module 10, and is configured to output a source driving voltage to the display panel 200, and output a gate driving voltage to the level conversion module 30; and the level conversion module 30 is connected to the main control module 10 and the power management module 20, respectively, and is configured to output a switching level signal to the display panel 200 according to the switching clock signal and the gate driving voltage.

[0024] The embodiments of the present disclosure achieve an integrated design by integrating the above main control module, power management module, and level conversion module on the same circuit board, compared to the display architecture in the prior art that has a timing controller board and a display main board, various required image signals, voltages, and control signals can be directly transmitted to the display panel by means of a single integrated circuit board to achieve normal display of the display panel. This not only reduces the cost of the display architecture but also simplifies the television assembly process, facilitates aesthetic structural design, enables the display device to have a thinner and simpler form factor, and additionally reduces signal transmission delays and interference caused by lengthy signal routing.

[0025] Furthermore, the embodiments of the present disclosure can also integrate the functions of the source driver board into the integrated circuit board, thereby eliminating the need for an additional source driver board in the television, reducing various costs such as wiring, the source driver board, and the source driver board bracket, and further simplifying the television assembly process.

[0026] Specifically, as shown in Fig. 1, the integrated circuit board in the embodiments of the present disclosure includes the main control module 10, the power management module 20 and the level conversion module 30. The main control module 10, the power management module 20 and the level conversion module 30 are all electrically connected to the display panel 200, wherein the power management module 20 is responsible for providing various required voltages to the level conversion module 30 and the display panel 200, the main control module 10 forwards image information required by the display panel 200 to the display panel 200, and at the same time, sends a switching clock signal to the level conversion module 30, such that the level conversion module 30 outputs a switching level signal to the display panel 200 according to the switching clock signal and the gate driving voltage provided by the power management module 20, and the display panel 200 sequentially switches the image information according to the switching level signal and an image data signal.

[0027] In some optional embodiments, as shown in Fig. 1, the integrated circuit board in the embodiments of the present disclosure further includes an interface module 60, wherein the interface module 60 includes a plurality of input ports and a plurality of output ports corresponding to the input ports on a one-to-one basis, and the image data signal, the source driving voltage, and the switching level signal outputted from the main control module 10 are transmitted to the display panel 200 via the different input ports and the corresponding output ports.

[0028] In the above optional embodiments, as shown in Fig. 2, the switching level signal output from the level conversion module to the display panel may include clock input signals (CLK1_L, CLK2_L, ..., CLKN_L) and pull-down circuit control signals (LC1_L, ..., LCn_L), so that the display panel controls the turning on or off of each row or column of pixels in a pixel array in the display panel according to the gate driving voltage, the clock input signals (CLK1_L, CLK2_L, ..., CLKN_L) and the pull-down circuit control signals (LC1_L, ..., LCn_L); and the plurality of input ports include first input ports (IN1_1, IN2_1, ..., INN_1) and second input ports (IN1_2, ..., INn_2), the plurality of output ports include first output ports (OUT1_1, OUT2_1, ..., OUTN_1) and second output ports (OUT1_2, ...OUTn_2), the clock input signals (CLK1_L, CLK2_L, ..., CLKN_L) are transmitted to the display panel via the first input ports (IN1_1, IN2_1, ..., INN_1) and the first output ports (OUT1_1, OUT2_1, ..., OUTN_1), and the pull-down circuit control signals (LC1_L, ..., LCn_L) are transmitted to the display panel via the second input ports (IN1_2, ..., INn_2) and the second output ports (OUT1_2, ..., OUTn_2), and the number of the first input ports and the first output ports is the same as the number of rows of pixels in the pixel array, where N is a natural number greater than 2, and n is a natural number greater than 1.

[0029] In some optional embodiments, as shown in Fig. 3, the main control module is electrically connected to the source driver circuit 50 and is configured to output the image data signal and the switching clock signal, so that the source driver circuit 50 controls, according to the image data signal and the switching clock signal, a switch module (not shown in the figure) in the display panel to charge or discharge pixels in the pixel array; the level conversion module is electrically connected to the gate driver circuit 40 and is configured to output the switching level signal, so that the gate driver circuit controls, according to the switching level signal, the above switch module to switch each row of pixels in the pixel array; and the gate driver circuit 40 and the source driver circuit 50 are electrically connected to the switch module, respectively.

[0030] It should be noted that the display panel 200 may be integrated with the gate driver circuit 40 and the source driver circuit 50, and the display panel 200 is electrically connected to the integrated circuit board 100 via the gate driver circuit 40 and the source driver circuit 50. As shown in Fig. 3, the gate driver circuit 40 and the source driver circuit 50 are also disposed outside the integrated circuit board 100 and the display panel 200. As shown in Fig. 4, the embodiment of the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0031] Specifically, the display panel 200 has a pixel array and a switch module electrically connected to each pixel in the pixel array, and the switch module is configured to control whether the pixel is lighted. The switch module may include Thin Film Transistors (TFT). Upon receipt of the gate driving voltage outputted from the level conversion module 30, the gate driver circuit 40 outputs a switching clock signal to a plurality of scanning lines which are connected to a gate terminal of each thin film transistor and control the turning on or off of each row or column of thin film transistors in the display panel; and upon receipt of the source driving voltage, the source driver circuit 50 outputs the image data signal to a plurality of data lines which are connected to a source end of each thin film transistor; when the thin film transistor is turned on, the source driver circuit 50 can control the brightness, the gray scale, etc. of the pixels electrically connected to the turned-on thin film transistor, so that the pixels can display an image corresponding to the image data signal.

[0032] In the above optional embodiments, the voltage provided by the power management module 20 to the display panel 200 includes a source driving voltage, and the source driving voltage may include a main voltage and a common terminal voltage; and the voltage provided by the power management module 20 to the level conversion module 30 includes a gate driving voltage, and the gate driving voltage may include a turn-on voltage of the switch module, a turn-off voltage of the switch module, and the like. It should be noted that, various voltages provided for the display panel are not limited to the above types, which are not specifically limited in the present disclosure.

[0033] Exemplarily, the above switch device may be a thin film transistor, except for the pixel array and the switch module electrically connected to each pixel in the pixel array, the display panel 200 further includes a liquid crystal capacitor, and one end of the liquid crystal capacitor is electrically connected to a drain of the thin film transistor, and the other end of the liquid crystal capacitor is connected to a common end; the power management module 20 is respectively connected to the source driver circuit 50 and the common end of the thin film transistor, and is configured to output a main voltage AVDD to the source driver circuit 50, and output a common terminal voltage VCOM to the common terminal COM; the source driver circuit 50 is further connected to a source of the thin film transistor, and is configured to output an image data signal Data to the thin film transistor; and the level conversion module 30 is connected to the thin film transistor and is configured to output a switching clock signal CK to the thin film transistor according to the turn-on voltage VGH so as to turn on the thin film transistor, and output the switching clock signal CK to the thin film transistor according to the turn-off voltage VGL so as to turn off the thin film transistor.

[0034] Exemplarily, the power management module 20 is a part of a Timing Controller (Tcon) board in a conventional display architecture. The turn-on voltage (VGH) of the thin film transistor in the display panel 200 needs to be higher than 20 V, and the turn-off voltage (VGL) of the thin film transistor needs to be lower than -5 V, while the high level of the switching clock signal outputted from the main control module 10 is generally 3.3 V, thus the power management module 20 needs to convert the switching clock signal outputted from the main control module 10 into the level required by the display panel 200. Therefore, the power management module 20 can further convert the switching clock signal sent by the main control module 10 into a panel switching signal required by the display panel 200, and send the panel switching signal to the display panel 200.

[0035] Exemplarily, the power management module 20 includes: a DC / DC switching power supply, an LDO linear regulator, and resistors and capacitors in the control section, wherein the DC / DC switching power supply can enables the conversion of different DC voltage levels, converting a DC voltage of one level into a DC voltage of another level; the DC / DC switching power supply can be classified as a boost power supply or a buck power supply based on the voltage level transformation relationship, and as an isolated power supply or a non-isolated power supply based on the input-output relationship; the LDO linear regulator is a type of linear regulator that can maintain a stable output voltage even when the input voltage or load current changes, and it utilizes a transistor or field effect transistor operating in its saturation region; the regulating transistor in the LDO linear regulator is a P-channel MOSFET; because a P-channel MOSFET is voltage-driven and does not require current, it greatly reduces the device's own current consumption; the voltage drop across the P-channel MOSFET is approximately equal to the product of the output current and the on-resistance; since the MOSFET's on-resistance is very small, the voltage drop of the LDO linear regulator is extremely low.

[0036] In some optional embodiments, the integrated circuit board in the embodiments of the present disclosure further includes a gamma module (not shown in the figure), which is in communication connection with the main control module 10 and configured to output a gamma correction voltage to the display panel 200 under the drive of the main control module 10.

[0037] In the above optional embodiments, according to the gamma correction voltage outputted by the gamma module to the display panel 200, the display panel 200 can implement gamma correction on a display image by means of the gamma characteristics, and specifically, at least one of a contrast and brightness of the display image can be adjusted.

[0038] In some optional embodiments, as shown in Fig. 2, the gamma module outputs gamma correction voltages (GM1, GM2, ..., GMN) to the display panel, the plurality of input ports in the interface module 60 further include third input ports (IN1_3, IN2_3, ...), the plurality of output ports in the interface module 60 further include third output ports (OUT1_3, OUT2_3, ...), and the gamma correction voltages are transmitted to the display panel via the third input ports (IN1_3, IN2_3, ...), and the third output ports (OUT1_3, OUT2_3, ...).

[0039] In some optional embodiments, as shown in Fig. 4, the display panel further includes a first transmission circuit 701 and a second transmission circuit 702. One end of the first transmission circuit 701 is electrically connected to the main control module 10 and the power management module 20, and the other end thereof is electrically connected to the source driver circuit 50 and is configured to transmit video data to the source driver circuit 50. One end of the second transmission circuit 702 is electrically connected to the power management module 20, and the other end thereof is electrically connected to the source driver circuit 50 and is configured to transmit a switching clock signal to the source driver circuit 50.

[0040] In some optional embodiments, as shown in Fig. 3, the interface module 60 includes a first interface sub-module 601 and a second interface sub-module 602, the first interface sub-module 601 includes the same number of input ports and output ports, and the second interface sub-module 602 also includes the same number of input ports and output ports; the image data signal, the source driving voltage and the switching level signal are transmitted to the display panel via the first interface sub-module 601 and the second interface sub-module 602, and the image data signal, the source driving voltage and the switching level signal are transmitted via different input ports respectively.

[0041] In the above optional embodiments, as shown in Fig. 3, the display area of the display panel 200 may be divided into symmetrical first display area and second display area. The gate driver circuit 40 and the source driver circuit 50 are electrically connected to the first interface sub-module 601 through the first transmission circuit 701, while the gate driver circuit 40 and the source driver circuit 50 are electrically connected to the second interface sub-module 602 through the second transmitting circuit 702. In this case, the gate driver circuit 40 and the source driver circuit 50 can control the display of the first display area by means of the image data signal, the source driving voltage and the switching level signal transmitted via the first interface sub-module 601, and the gate driver circuit 40 and the source driver circuit 50 can also control the display of the second display area by means of the image data signal, the source driving voltage and the switching level signal transmitted via the second interface sub-module 602.

[0042] In some optional embodiments, as shown in Fig. 3, the interface module 60 in the integrated circuit board 100 is in contact with the display panel 200, and is configured to forward a signal outputted from the integrated circuit board 100 to the display panel 200.

[0043] In the above optional embodiments, the process of attaching the interface module 60 to the display panel 200 may be selected from one of the following: a chip-on-board (COB), a surface mount device package (SMD) and a surface mount technology (SMT), and a person skilled in the art would have been able to reasonably select the described attachment process according to practical situations, which is not specifically limited in the present disclosure.

[0044] In the above optional embodiments, the interface module 60 is a flexible printed circuit (FPC), and the composition material of the FPC includes: an insulation film, a conductor and an adhesive, wherein the insulation film is the basis of the FPC and is prepared by bonding a copper foil onto an insulation layer using the adhesive; the conductor can be obtained by electrodeposition (ED) or plating a copper foil; and the adhesive also be used as a covering layer for protective coating, and can be applied as a covering coating using screen printing technology.

[0045] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, there is further provided a display apparatus, including an integrated circuit board and a display panel, the integrated circuit board including a main control module, a power management module and a level conversion module, wherein the main control module is configured to receive image information, generate an image data signal according to the image information, output the image data signal to the display panel, and output a switching clock signal to the level conversion module; the power management module is connected to the main control module and is configured to output a source driving voltage to the display panel, and output a gate driving voltage to the level conversion module; and the level conversion module is connected to the main control module and the power management module, respectively, and is configured to output a switching level signal to the display panel according to the switching clock signal and the gate driving voltage.

[0046] It should be noted that, the above display apparatus according to the embodiments of the present disclosure may include the integrated circuit board in the above embodiments.

[0047] The display apparatus according to the embodiments of the present disclosure achieves an integrated design by integrating the above main control module, power management module, and level conversion module on the same circuit board, compared to the display architecture in the prior art that has a timing controller board and a display main board, various required image signals, voltages, and control signals can be directly transmitted to the display panel by means of a single integrated circuit board to achieve normal display of the display panel. This not only reduces the cost of the display architecture but also simplifies the television assembly process, facilitates aesthetic structural design, enables the display device including the display apparatus to have a thinner and simpler form factor, and additionally reduces signal transmission delays and interference caused by lengthy signal routing.

[0048] In some optional embodiments, the display apparatus in the embodiments of the present disclosure further includes a backlight module disposed at one side of the display panel and configured to provide a light source to the display panel.

[0049] In the above optional embodiments, a backlight module is provided at one side of the display panel, and since the display panel itself is non-emissive, the backlight module is required to provide sufficient brightness and a uniformly distributed light source to the display panel, enabling it to normally display images.

[0050] In the above optional embodiments, the types of backlight modules include Electroluminescent Panels (ELP), Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamps (CCFL), and Light Emitting Diodes (LED). Based on the distribution position of the light source, they are classified into edge-lit type and direct-lit type. A person skilled in the art may reasonably select from the above types of backlight modules, which is not specifically limited in the present disclosure.

[0051] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, there is further provided a display device, including the display apparatus in the foregoing embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0052] The display device provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure may be a mobile phone. The display device may also be any electronic product having a display function, including but not limited to, a notebook computer, a tablet computer, a digital camera, a television, a desktop display, a smart wristband, smart glasses, a vehicle-mounted display, an industrial control device, a medical display screen, a touch interaction terminal, etc., which are not specifically limited in the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0053] According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, there is further provided a display method applied to the above integrated circuit board, the display method including: image information is sent to a main control module in the integrated circuit board, so that the main control module generates an image data signal according to the image information, outputs the image data signal to a display panel electrically connected to the integrated circuit board, and outputs a switching clock signal to the level conversion module; and a control signal is sent to a power management module in the integrated circuit board, so that the power management module outputs a source driving voltage to the display panel, and outputs a gate driving voltage to the level conversion module, so that the level conversion module outputs a switching level signal to the display panel according to the switching clock signal and the gate driving voltage.

[0054] It should also be noted that the terms "include", "include", or any other variations thereof are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, so that a process, method, commodity or device that includes a series of elements not only includes those elements, but also includes other elements that are not explicitly listed, or further includes inherent elements of the process, method, commodity, or device. Without further limitation, an element defined by a sentence "include a ..." does not exclude other same elements existing in the process, method, commodity, or device that includes the element.

[0055] From the description above, it can be determined that the embodiments of the present disclosure achieve the following technical effects: 1). the embodiments of the present disclosure achieve an integrated design by integrating the above main control module, power management module, and level conversion module on the same circuit board, compared to the display architecture in the prior art that has a timing controller board and a display main board, various required image signals, voltages, and control signals can be directly transmitted to the display panel by means of a single integrated circuit board to achieve normal display of the display panel. This not only reduces the cost of the display architecture but also simplifies the television assembly process, facilitates aesthetic structural design, enables the display device to have a thinner and simpler form factor, and additionally reduces signal transmission delays and interference caused by lengthy signal routing; and 2). the embodiments of the present disclosure can further integrate the functions of the source driver board into the integrated circuit board, thereby eliminating the need for an additional source driver board in the television, reducing various costs such as wiring, the source driver board, and the source driver board bracket, and further simplifying the television assembly process.

[0056] The content above merely relates to preferred embodiments of the present disclosure, and is not intended to limit the present disclosure. For a person skilled in the art, the present disclosure may have various modifications and changes. Any modifications, equivalent replacements, improvements and the like made within the spirit and principle of the present disclosure shall all fall within the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0018]It is to be noted that embodiments in the present disclosure and features in the embodiments may be combined with one another without conflicts. Hereinafter, the present disclosure is described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and in conjunction with the embodiments.

[0019]In order to enable a person skilled in the art to understand the solutions of the present disclosure better, hereinafter, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure will be described clearly and thoroughly with reference to the accompanying drawings of embodiments of the present disclosure. Obviously, the embodiments as described are only some of embodiments of the present disclosure, and are not all the embodiments. On the basis of the embodiments in the present disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by a person of ordinary skill in the art without any inventive effort shall all fall within the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

[0020]It should be...

Claims

1. An integrated circuit board, wherein the integrated circuit board is electrically connected to a display panel, and the integrated circuit board comprises a main control module, a power management module and a level conversion module, wherein: the main control module is configured to receive image information, generate an image data signal according to the image information, output the image data signal to the display panel, and output a switching clock signal to the level conversion module; the power management module is connected to the main control module, and is configured to output a source driving voltage to the display panel and output a gate driving voltage to the level conversion module; and the level conversion module is connected to the main control module and the power management module, respectively, and is configured to output a switching level signal to the display panel according to the switching clock signal and the gate driving voltage.

2. The integrated circuit board according to claim 1, further comprising an interface module, wherein the interface module comprises a plurality of input ports and a plurality of output ports corresponding to the input ports on a one-to-one basis, and the image data signal, the source driving voltage, and the switching level signal are transmitted to the display panel via different input ports and the output ports corresponding to the different input ports.

3. The integrated circuit board according to claim 2, wherein, the switching level signal outputted by the level conversion module to the display panel comprises a clock input signal and a pull-down circuit control signal, so that the display panel controls turning on or off of each row of pixels in a pixel array in the display panel according to the gate driving voltage, the clock input signal and the pull-down circuit control signal; and the plurality of input ports comprise first input ports and second input ports, the plurality of output ports comprise first output ports and second output ports, the clock input signal is transmitted to the display panel via the first input ports and the first output ports, the pull-down circuit control signal is transmitted to the display panel via the second input ports and the second output ports, and a number of the first input ports and the first output ports are same as a number of rows of pixels in the pixel array.

4. The integrated circuit board according to claim 2, further comprising a gamma module, wherein the gamma module is in communication connection with the main control module and is configured to output a gamma correction voltage to the display panel under drive of the main control module.

5. The integrated circuit board according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of input ports comprise third input ports, the plurality of output ports comprise third output ports, and the gamma correction voltage is transmitted to the display panel via the third input ports and the third output ports.

6. The integrated circuit board according to claim 2, wherein, the main control module is electrically connected to a source driver circuit and is configured to output the image data signal and the switching clock signal, so that the source driver circuit controls, according to the image data signal and the switching clock signal, a switch module in the display panel to charge or discharge pixels in a pixel array in the display panel; the level conversion module is electrically connected to a gate driver circuit and is configured to output the switching level signal, so that the gate driver circuit controls, according to the switching level signal, the switch module to switch each row of pixels in the pixel array; and the source driver circuit and the gate driver circuit are electrically connected to the switch module, respectively, and the display panel comprises at least one of the source driver circuit and the gate driver circuit, or at least one of the source driver circuit and the gate driver circuit is disposed externally.

7. The integrated circuit board according to claim 6, wherein, the interface module comprises a first interface sub-module and a second interface sub-module, wherein the first interface sub-module comprises a same number of the input ports and the output ports, and the second interface sub-module comprises a same number of the input ports and the output ports; and the image data signal, the source driving voltage and the switching level signal are transmitted to the display panel via the first interface sub-module and the second interface sub-module, and the image data signal, the source driving voltage and the switching level signal are transmitted to the display panel via the different input ports, respectively.

8. The integrated circuit board according to claim 7, wherein, the switching level signal outputted by the level conversion module to the gate driver circuit comprises a clock input signal and a pull-down circuit control signal, so that the gate driver circuit controls turning on or off of each row of pixels in the pixel array according to the gate driving voltage, the clock input signal and the pull-down circuit control signal; and the first interface sub-module and the second interface sub-module each comprise first input ports and second input ports, and the first interface sub-module and the second interface sub-module each comprise first output ports and second output ports, the clock input signal is transmitted to the display panel via the first input ports and the first output ports, and the pull-down circuit control signal is transmitted to the display panel via the second input ports and the second output ports, where a number of the first input ports and the first output ports are same as a number of rows of pixels in the pixel array.

9. The integrated circuit board according to claim 6, wherein the switch module comprises a thin film transistor.

10. The integrated circuit board according to claim 9, wherein, the source driving voltage comprises a main voltage and a common terminal voltage; the display panel further comprises a liquid crystal capacitor, and one end of the liquid crystal capacitor is electrically connected to a drain of the thin film transistor, another end of the liquid crystal capacitor is connected to a common terminal of the thin film transistor, and the power management module is connected to the source driver circuit and the common terminal, respectively, and is configured to output the main voltage to the source driver circuit, and output the common terminal voltage to the common terminal; and the source driver circuit is further connected to a source of the thin film transistor and is configured to output an image data signal to the thin film transistor.

11. The integrated circuit board according to claim 9, wherein, the gate driving voltage comprises a turn-on voltage of the switch module and a turn-off voltage of the switch module; and the level conversion module is connected to the thin film transistor and is configured to output a switching clock signal to the thin film transistor according to the turn-on voltage so as to turn on the thin film transistor, and output the switching clock signal to the thin film transistor according to the turn-off voltage so as to turn off the thin film transistor.

12. The integrated circuit board according to claim 1, wherein the power management module comprises a DC / DC switching power supply and an LDO linear regulator.

13. A display apparatus, comprising a display panel and the integrated circuit board according to any one of claims 1 to 12 which are electrically connected to each other.

14. A display device comprising the display apparatus according to claim 13.

15. A display method, applied to the integrated circuit board according to any one of claims 1 to 12, the display method comprising: sending image information to a main control module in the integrated circuit board, so that the main control module generates an image data signal according to the image information, outputs the image data signal to a display panel electrically connected to the integrated circuit board, and outputs a switching clock signal to the level conversion module; and sending a control signal to a power management module in the integrated circuit board, so that the power management module outputs a source driving voltage to the display panel, and outputs a gate driving voltage to the level conversion module, so that the level conversion module outputs a switching level signal to the display panel according to the switching clock signal and the gate driving voltage.

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