OLED Pixel Driving Circuit Leakage Current Compensation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Luminance deviations between pixels in OLED display devices due to voltage differences caused by leakage currents and driving TFT characteristic deviations, leading to image quality issues and reduced lifespan.

Innovation Solution

An OLED display device with a pixel driving circuit that compensates for driving TFT characteristic deviations and high-potential voltage drops, using a method that controls anode voltages to minimize leakage currents by setting adjacent pixels to a non-emission state during the sampling and programming periods, thereby maintaining consistent luminance across pixels.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If a common single layer is used for hole injection and hole transporting layers in all pixels, then device structure is simplified, but voltage difference between adjacent pixel anodes causes leakage current and data voltage deviation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructure complexityVSAvoiddata voltage accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the previously common single layer into separate hole injection layer and hole transporting layer structures, or introduces isolation structures between adjacent pixels to prevent electrical interaction through the common layer, thereby eliminating leakage current while maintaining structural simplicity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an isolation layer or isolation structure as an intermediary between adjacent pixel anodes to prevent direct electrical connection through the common organic layer, blocking leakage current while allowing the common layer structure to be maintained for manufacturing simplicity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If driving TFT operates without compensation, then device complexity is reduced, but luminance deviation between pixels occurs due to TFT threshold voltage variation and mobility differences

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecircuit complexityVSAvoidluminance uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements compensation circuits that use feedback mechanisms to detect and correct variations in driving TFT threshold voltages and mobility, adjusting drive currents to maintain uniform luminance across all pixels despite manufacturing variations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes operating parameters such as TFT channel width, layer thickness, or material composition to optimize TFT characteristics and reduce threshold voltage variation and mobility differences between pixels, thereby improving luminance uniformity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Illumination intensity

If high-potential voltage VDD is applied to drive OLED, then luminance output is improved, but voltage drop occurs causing current variation and luminance deviation

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveluminanceVSAvoidcurrent uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs compensation circuits with feedback mechanisms that monitor voltage drops across the high-potential voltage line and adjust driving currents accordingly to maintain uniform luminance despite voltage variations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary compensation by pre-calibrating or pre-adjusting driving currents to account for expected voltage drops, or by designing the circuit to compensate for voltage drop before it significantly affects luminance uniformity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3166100B1OLED display device
Publication Date: 2022.08.31 LG DISPLAY CO LTD
  • EP3166100B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3166100B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3166100B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided is an OLED display device including a circuit that controls a voltage of an Nth row unit pixel and a voltage of anodes of pixel lines adjacent to the Nth row unit pixel in order to minimize a voltage difference between the Nth row unit pixel and the pixel lines adjacent to the Nth row unit pixel to suppress a decrease in luminance of the Nth row unit pixel caused by a leakage current introduced to the Nth row unit pixel. The circuit is configured to set the voltage of the anodes of pixel lines adjacent to the Nth row unit pixel to be equal to or lower than a voltage of an anode of the Nth row unit pixel when the Nth row unit pixel is in a sampling period or a programming period during a driving timing of an OLED display device.. Accordingly, it is possible to minimize flow of an unintended leakage current toward a low-potential anode via a common single layer caused by a voltage difference in anode between a pixel including a high-potential anode and a pixel including the low-potential anode.