Electro-optical Device Holding Capacitor Display Region Layout

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electro-optical devices with holding capacitors outside the display region lead to enlarged non-display areas, which is inefficient in terms of miniaturization and space utilization.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a first capacitor within the display region to hold gradation voltage, potentially supplemented by an inter-wiring capacitor formed between a fixed potential line and a wiring, allowing for reduced non-display area by eliminating the need for separate capacitor elements outside the display region.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of moving object

If a holding capacitor is provided in the portion other than the display region, then the pixel circuit can be miniaturized, but the non-display region area is enlarged

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepixel circuit areaVSAvoidnon-display region area

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of moving objectVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The holding capacitor is moved from the non-display region to the display region, utilizing the two-dimensional space within the display area. This dimensional relocation allows the capacitor to share space with the pixel circuit, thereby reducing the non-display region area while maintaining the pixel circuit's miniaturization benefits.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The holding capacitor function is merged with existing structures in the display region. Specifically, the capacitor utilizes the data line and a dedicated capacitor line as its electrodes, combining multiple functions (signal transmission and charge storage) within the same spatial footprint, thus eliminating the need for separate non-display region allocation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If a separate capacitor element is provided in the display region, then the holding capacity is sufficient, but the display region area increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveholding capacityVSAvoiddisplay region area

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSArea of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The data line serves dual purposes: as a signal transmission line for driving the pixel circuit and as one electrode of the holding capacitor. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for dedicated separate capacitor electrodes, maintaining sufficient holding capacity while minimizing the display region area occupied by capacitor structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The holding capacitor structure is nested within the existing pixel circuit layout. The capacitor is formed by utilizing the data line and a capacitor line that are already present in the pixel circuit structure, effectively nesting the capacitor function within the existing spatial framework without requiring additional area.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentUS11132950B2Electro-optical device and electronic apparatus

Publication Date: 2021.09.28 SEIKO EPSON CORP

AI summary

Provided is an electro-optical device including a display region including a pixel circuit and a data line corresponding to the pixel circuit, a data line drive circuit configured to output a gradation voltage, and a first capacitor configured to hold a gradation voltage output from the data line drive circuit, and the capacitor is provided in the display region.