Drive Voltage Generating Circuit for Liquid Crystal Display

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional liquid crystal displays using amorphous silicon thin film transistors (a-Si TFT) face challenges in maintaining driving capability at varying temperatures, as the gate signal voltage levels required to turn on/off pixels are insufficient at lower temperatures, necessitating a solution to adjust gate-on and gate-off voltage levels accordingly.

Innovation Solution

A drive voltage generating circuit is introduced, comprising a first and second shifter that adjust voltage levels, and a drive voltage controller that adjusts the shifting amounts based on temperature, ensuring the gate driver outputs appropriate gate signals by continuously varying the second drive voltage in response to temperature changes, thereby maintaining pixel operation and display quality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a-Si TFT is used to generate gate signals, then manufacturing cost and size are reduced, but driving capability deteriorates at low temperature

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing costVSAvoiddriving capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the voltage level parameters of gate signals dynamically based on temperature. A temperature sensing unit detects temperature changes, and a voltage level adjusting unit modifies the gate-on voltage and gate-off voltage accordingly. This ensures that the gate signals maintain sufficient voltage levels to drive the a-Si TFT across the operating temperature range, resolving the contradiction between using cost-effective a-Si TFT and maintaining reliable driving capability at low temperatures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Device complexity

If fixed voltage levels are used for gate signals, then circuit complexity is reduced, but display quality deteriorates under temperature variations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecircuit complexityVSAvoiddisplay quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces dynamic adjustment of gate signal voltage levels based on temperature conditions. The voltage level adjusting unit continuously adapts the gate-on and gate-off voltage levels according to the detected temperature, transforming the static voltage system into a dynamic one. This maintains optimal display quality across temperature variations while adding only minimal circuit complexity through temperature sensing and voltage adjustment mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS8730146B2Drive voltage generating circuit and liquid crystal display including the same
Publication Date: 2014.05.20 SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO LTD
  • US8730146B2 patent drawing
  • US8730146B2 patent drawing
  • US8730146B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A drive voltage generating circuit which has a first shifter receiving an input voltage and outputting a first drive voltage obtained by first shifting a voltage level of the input voltage; a second shifter receiving outputting the second drive voltage obtained by second shifting a voltage level of the first drive voltage; and a drive voltage controller adjusting one of a shifting amount of the first shifter and a shifting amount of the second shifter in accordance with a surrounding temperature, wherein the second drive voltage is continuously varied in an analog manner, in accordance with the surrounding temperature.