Dummy Pixel Circuit Sharing Driving Current for OLED Power Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Display apparatuses, particularly portable ones, face significant challenges in reducing power consumption due to high pixel energy usage, which is exacerbated in battery-driven devices.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a display apparatus that includes a first pixel, a second pixel in the same row, and a dummy pixel circuit, where a controller outputs a control signal based on grayscale values to electrically connect nodes and supply driving current from the dummy pixel circuit to both pixels, optimizing power distribution and reducing consumption by using a dummy pixel circuit to drive multiple pixels in a row.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If each pixel uses its own pixel circuit to drive the light-emitting device, then the display quality and reliability are maintained, but the power consumption is high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple pixel circuits into a single dummy pixel circuit that can drive multiple light-emitting devices simultaneously. When adjacent pixels have the same grayscale value, the dummy pixel circuit shares the driving current between them, reducing the total number of active pixel circuits and thereby lowering power consumption while maintaining display reliability through the switching mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The dummy pixel circuit is designed with multi-functionality to serve both as a regular pixel circuit and as a shared driving circuit for multiple pixels. By incorporating switching transistors that can redirect current, the same circuit structure performs different functions depending on the grayscale values of adjacent pixels, enabling power savings without sacrificing display quality.
2Use of energy by moving object
If a dummy pixel circuit is introduced to share driving current among multiple pixels, then power consumption is reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the dummy pixel circuit with existing pixel circuit structures, using the same transistor types and connection topologies. The switching transistors are integrated into the existing circuit layout, merging the power-saving function with the display driving function without requiring entirely separate circuitry, thus limiting the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The circuit incorporates dynamically controllable switching elements that change their connection states based on the grayscale values of adjacent pixels. This dynamic reconfiguration allows the same physical circuit to serve different functional purposes, reducing the need for additional static circuit components and thereby controlling the overall device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A display apparatus includes a first pixel, a second pixel, and a dummy pixel. The first pixel includes a first light-emitting device connected to a first pixel circuit through a first node. The second pixel is in a same row as the first pixel and includes a second light-emitting device connected to a second pixel circuit through a second node. The dummy pixel includes at dummy pixel circuit with a third node. The controller outputs a first control signal having a first level or a second level based on a first pixel grayscale value corresponding to the first pixel and a second pixel grayscale value corresponding to the second pixel. A switch circuit electrically connects the first node, the second node, and a third node when the first control signal has the first level.