Data Driver Sharing Ramp Signals to Reduce Panel Size
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Solution Overview
Problem
As display devices increase in color depth, the size of the panel driver grows exponentially due to the increasing number of resistors, switches, and wirings in digital-analog converters, leading to larger sizes and higher power consumption.
Innovation Solution
A data driver is designed with a ramp signal generator, counter, channels, latch circuits, duplication drivers, and digital-analog converters that share ramp signals across channels, reducing size and power consumption while maintaining uniformity and reducing voltage deviations between channels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the number of resistors, switches, and wirings in digital-analog converters is increased to support higher color depth, then the color depth capability is improved, but the size of the panel driver increases exponentially
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple channels share a common ramp signal generator and counter, merging previously separate functions into unified blocks. This reduces the total number of components while maintaining the ability to support high color depth across all channels, thereby improving adaptability without proportionally increasing panel driver size
Solution Approach 2:
The ramp signal generator and counter are designed as universal components that serve multiple channels simultaneously. These multi-functional blocks replace multiple instance-specific components, enabling the system to support higher color depth across all channels without requiring proportional increases in overall driver size
2Adaptability or versatility
If the number of resistors, switches, and wirings in digital-analog converters is increased to support higher color depth, then the color depth capability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple channels share a common ramp signal generator and counter, merging previously separate functions into unified blocks. This reduces the total number of components while maintaining the ability to support high color depth across all channels, thereby improving adaptability without proportionally increasing power consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The ramp signal generator and counter are designed as universal components that serve multiple channels simultaneously. These multi-functional blocks enable the system to support higher color depth across all channels without requiring proportional increases in overall power consumption
3Adaptability or versatility
If separate ramp signals are provided to each channel, then channel independence is improved, but voltage deviations between channels increase
Solution Approach 1:
All channels share a single ramp signal generator, merging previously separate signal sources into one unified component. This ensures that all channels receive identical ramp signals, eliminating voltage deviations between channels while maintaining coordinated operation across the display
Data Source
AI summary
A data driver includes a ramp signal generator generating a first ramp signal and a second ramp signal, a counter generating a count signal based on a clock signal, and channels each generating a data signal based on the first ramp signal, the second ramp signal, and the count signal. Each channel includes a latch circuit dividing the image data into a first partial data and a second partial data and latching the first and the second partial data, a duplication driver generating first and second reference signals by duplicating the first and second ramp signals, a digital-analog converter generating a driving signal corresponding to a first partial data based on the first and second reference signals, and an output circuit sampling the driving signal by comparing the second partial data with the count signal to output the data signal.