Integrated LED Driver Circuit Vertical Stacking for Compact Display
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current LED display technologies require significant external chip area for driver circuitry, impacting the size and efficiency of display devices due to the need for separate LED and driver circuit components.
Innovation Solution
Integration of LEDs and driver circuits into a single package with vertically stacked components, including a substrate, driver circuits, LEDs, and a conductive redistribution layer for electrical connection, allowing for distributed driver circuits within the display area and enabling compact display devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If driver circuitry is placed externally to LEDs, then control and driving functionality is achieved, but the display device size increases due to significant external chip area requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the driver circuitry and LED arrays into a single integrated display device. The driver circuits are integrated within the display panel structure, eliminating the need for separate external driver chips and reducing overall device footprint while maintaining full control functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a planar integration approach to a three-dimensional stacked architecture. Multiple functional layers including driver circuits, LED arrays, and interconnect structures are vertically stacked to achieve high-density integration within a compact form factor, effectively utilizing the third dimension to reduce chip area.
2Area of stationary object
If driver circuits are integrated into the display area, then device compactness is improved, but addressing and controlling individual driver circuits becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated driver circuitry is segmented into multiple independently addressable driver circuits distributed across the display area. Each driver circuit can be individually controlled through systematic addressing schemes, allowing precise control of corresponding LED zones while maintaining integration benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediary control structures including scan lines, segment lines, and multiplexing circuits that facilitate systematic addressing of integrated driver circuits. These intermediaries enable complex control functions to be achieved through organized signal distribution networks rather than direct complex routing to each driver.
3Ease of manufacture
If LEDs and driver circuits are separately packaged, then manufacturing and assembly is simplified, but the overall device efficiency decreases due to larger size
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines LED arrays and driver circuits into a single integrated display device manufactured using systematic integration processes. This merging enables coordinated optimization of electrical connections, thermal management, and signal routing that improves overall device efficiency while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through established integration techniques.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This integration reduces the size of display devices by allowing driver circuits to be distributed within the display area, improving efficiency and compactness while maintaining control over LED zones through power line communication and addressing schemes.
Implementation Method 1
a power line communication signal supplies power to a driver circuit and encodes one of a plurality of driver control signals as digital data modulated onto a supply voltage
Implementation Method 2
A conductive redistribution layer in between the driver circuit layer and the LED layer electrically connects the LED to the driver circuit for supplying the driver current
Implementation Method 3
one or more LEDs in an LED layer. The LED generates light in response to a driver current
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments relate to a display device that includes a control circuit, an array of light emitting diode (LED) zones, and an array of driver circuits that are distributed in the display area. An integrated LED and driver circuit includes one or more LEDs of a LED zone and one or more driver circuits integrated on a substrate in a single package with the LED and driver circuit vertically stacked over a substrate. An addressing scheme configures addresses of the driver circuits using address lines that connect between adjacent driver circuits. Control data is provided to the driver circuits via a power line communication signal that provides both a supply voltage and digital data modulated onto the supply voltage.