Scan Driver With Shared Controller For Reduced Mounting Area
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing scan drivers for display devices occupy a significant mounting area, limiting the available space for other components and hindering the miniaturization of display systems.
Innovation Solution
A scan driver design where adjacent stages share a controller to stabilize the voltage of a node, minimizing the mounting area by optimizing the configuration of clock signals and transistors, and utilizing a pull-up and pull-down unit to control node voltages efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If each stage is equipped with an independent controller, then the voltage control reliability is improved, but the mounting area increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the controller functionality for the (i-1)th stage and the ith stage into a single shared controller. This controller simultaneously manages the nodes Q(i-1) and Qi, reducing the total number of controllers from two to one, thereby decreasing the mounting area while maintaining voltage control capability for both stages.
Solution Approach 2:
The shared controller is designed with multi-functional capability to control multiple stages. It receives clock signals and control voltages to regulate the voltage levels at different nodes (Q(i-1) and Qi) across adjacent stages, making a single controller perform the work of multiple independent controllers.
2Stability of the object's composition
If more controllers are used to control each stage independently, then the voltage stability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple control functions into a single controller unit. Instead of having separate controllers for each stage, one controller manages the voltage stability for multiple stages by controlling the nodes Q(i-1) and Qi through shared circuitry and timing signals.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller is segmented into functional units that can independently manage different aspects of voltage control. The controller includes separate transistor pairs (first and second transistors) that can be independently controlled by different clock signals, allowing modular voltage regulation across multiple stages.
3Area of stationary object
If the mounting area is reduced by sharing controllers, then the space for other components is improved, but the transistor count per stage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges control functions across stages by implementing a shared controller that uses transistor pairs to control multiple nodes. The first transistor controls node Q(i-1) while the second transistor controls node Qi, with both transistors managed by the same controller unit, thereby reducing overall device complexity despite increased transistors per controlled node.
Data Source
AI summary
In a scan driver including a plurality of stages configured to supply scan signals to scan lines, the scan driver includes: an i−1th stage configured to supply an i−1th scan signal to an i−1th scan line while controlling a node Qi−1 (i is a natural number) in response to a first clock signal, a third clock signal, and a control voltage; an ith stage configured to supply an ith scan signal to an ith scan line while controlling a node Qi in response to a second clock signal, a fourth clock signal, and the control voltage; and a controller connected to the i−1th stage and the ith stage, and configured to supply the control voltage.