Display Panel Gate Driver Layout for Parallel Pixel Sensing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Light emitting display apparatuses experience significant lag times and increased power consumption due to the time required to sense all pixels, especially in large screens, as each gate line is sensed sequentially, leading to user frustration and inefficiency.

Innovation Solution

The apparatus senses pixels connected to at least two gate lines simultaneously by utilizing a configuration where at least two gate lines are connected to the same stage, with a signal output unit sequentially outputting gate pulses and a sensing selector storing a selection signal to control the output during the sensing period.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of time

If pixels are sensed one gate line at a time during the sensing period, then the sensing process can be completed systematically, but the sensing time becomes excessively long causing user frustration and increased power consumption

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesensing timeVSAvoidgate line sensing configuration
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The gate lines are divided into multiple groups, with each group connected to a separate stage in the gate driver. Each stage can sense its connected gate lines independently and simultaneously, rather than sensing all gate lines sequentially through a single stage. This segmentation enables parallel sensing operations across multiple stages, significantly reducing the total sensing time required to measure threshold voltages of all pixels.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a multi-stage architecture that adds a temporal and structural dimension to the sensing process. Instead of a single sequential sensing path, multiple stages operate in parallel, effectively transforming the sensing operation from a one-dimensional sequential process to a multi-dimensional parallel process, thereby reducing overall sensing time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Productivity

If a multi-stage gate driver is used to sense multiple gate lines simultaneously, then sensing time is reduced, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesensing speedVSAvoidgate driver structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Each stage in the gate driver is designed with multi-functionality, serving both as a gate signal output unit during display operation and as a sensing unit during the sensing period. The same structural elements (transistors, capacitors, control circuits) are reused for both functions, eliminating the need for separate dedicated sensing hardware and thus minimizing the increase in device complexity while achieving parallel sensing capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the gate driving function and pixel sensing function into a unified multi-stage gate driver structure. The stages combine signal output and sensing capabilities, allowing the same circuitry to perform both display control and threshold voltage measurement without requiring additional separate sensing circuits, thereby limiting the complexity increase.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Use of energy by stationary object

If sequential gate line sensing is used, then the sensing process is simple to implement, but power consumption increases due to extended sensing duration

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidsensing period duration
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by stationary objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The gate driver is configured to perform sensing operations during display periods when the light emitting display apparatus is in a low-power state or during blank screen periods. By initiating sensing actions in advance or during idle time, the system can complete threshold voltage measurements without extending the overall operational time, thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining simple implementation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4207172B1Light emitting display apparatus
Publication Date: 2025.12.31 LG DISPLAY CO LTD
  • EP4207172B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4207172B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4207172B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

A emitting display apparatus can include a display panel (100) including a plurality of pixels (110); a plurality of gate lines (GL1 to GLg) configured to supply gate signals (GS) to the pixels (110); and a plurality of stages (201, Stage 1 to Stage g) connected to the plurality of gate lines (GL1 to GLg), and configured to output gate pulses (GP1 to GPg) to a group of pixels connected to at least two gate lines among the plurality of gate lines (GL1 to GLg) for sensing a characteristic of each pixel among the group of pixels during a sensing period (SP).