Narrow Display Borders via Demultiplexer Circuitry
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing design of electronic devices with displays faces challenges in minimizing the size of inactive borders to accommodate data line fanout, which restricts display layout and aesthetics, and complicates data line routing when border sizes are reduced.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of demultiplexer circuitry between the display driver integrated circuit and the array of pixels reduces the number of lines extending from the display driver integrated circuit, allowing data lines to be routed efficiently around inactive notch regions and under power supply paths, thereby minimizing the inactive border size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the inactive border size is reduced to save space and improve aesthetics, then the display area efficiency is improved, but the data line routing becomes more difficult and may require larger borders
Solution Approach 1:
The data lines are segmented into two groups: first data lines extending from the first display driver integrated circuit, and second data lines extending from the second display driver integrated circuit. This segmentation allows each driver to handle a portion of the pixel array, reducing the fanout requirement for each driver and enabling smaller inactive border areas while maintaining manufacturability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a second dimension to the driver architecture by adding a second display driver integrated circuit along the same edge of the pixel array. This dimensional expansion distributes the data line routing load across multiple drivers, reducing the complexity of routing data lines through the inactive border region
2Area of stationary object
If demultiplexer circuitry is added to reduce the number of lines from the display driver, then the inactive border size is reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The demultiplexer circuitry is merged with the display driver integrated circuit, allowing multiple data lines to be combined into fewer physical connections. This integration reduces the number of lines extending from the display driver through the inactive border, thereby reducing the inactive border size while managing complexity through consolidation
Solution Approach 2:
The demultiplexer circuitry acts as an intermediary between the display driver integrated circuit and the pixel array. It receives data signals from the driver and distributes them to multiple data lines, enabling reduced border size while maintaining the necessary signal distribution function
Data Source
AI summary
A display may have rows and columns of pixels that form an active area for displaying images. A display driver integrated circuit may provide multiplexed data signals to demultiplexer circuitry in the display. The demultiplexer circuitry may demultiplex the data signals and provide the demultiplexed data signals to the pixels on data lines. Gate lines may control the loading of the data signals into the pixels. The display may have a length dimension and a width dimension that is shorter than the length dimension. The data lines may extend parallel to the width dimension and the gate lines may extend parallel to the length dimension such that there are more data lines than gate lines in the display. A notch that is free of pixels may extend into the active area. Data lines extending parallel to the width dimension of the display may be routed around the notch.