Self-Repairing Drive Circuit for Display Devices
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional liquid crystal driving semiconductor integrated circuits lack a comprehensive self-detection and self-repair mechanism for defective DAC circuits, leading to complex wiring and increased circuit board size when attempting to replace faulty components.
Innovation Solution
A driving circuit with m+1 output circuit blocks, including a spare output circuit block with a spare output buffer, allows for self-detection and self-repair by comparing output signals with those from the spare circuit, determining defective circuits, and switching connections to adjacent healthy circuits, thereby simplifying wiring and enabling self-repair without human intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a spare output circuit block is added to enable self-detection and self-repair, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The operational amplifiers serve dual functions: during normal operation they act as output buffers for the m output terminals, and during self-detection operation they function as comparing means to compare output signals with test signals. This multi-functionality allows the same hardware components to enable self-detection and self-repair capabilities without adding separate dedicated components, thus improving reliability while minimizing the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The driving circuit performs self-detection and self-repair operations autonomously without requiring external intervention or additional complex control systems. The control circuit switches the operational amplifiers between buffer mode and comparison mode, and the connection switching circuit automatically reconnects output terminals to functional output circuit blocks, enabling the system to detect and repair itself using its own internal resources.
2Reliability
If conventional methods are used to replace defective output circuits, then reliability is maintained, but device complexity and circuit board size increase due to complex wiring
Solution Approach 1:
The connection between output terminals and output circuit blocks is made dynamic through the connection switching circuit. Instead of fixed wiring that would require complex reconfiguration for repairs, the switching circuit allows dynamic reconnection of output terminals to different output circuit blocks based on functionality. This dynamic connection system simplifies the overall wiring architecture while enabling automatic repair operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection switching circuit acts as an intermediary between output terminals and output circuit blocks. It mediates the connection relationships, allowing output terminals to be dynamically connected to either normal output circuits or the spare output circuit block. This intermediary switching mechanism simplifies wiring by providing a centralized control point rather than requiring direct complex wiring between all components.
3Ease of repair
If multiple output circuit blocks are provided with switching capabilities, then ease of repair is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control circuit automatically performs detection and repair operations without requiring external control or complex manual intervention. The control circuit switches operational amplifiers between buffer and comparison modes, controls the connection switching circuit to reconnect output terminals, and manages the entire self-repair process autonomously, simplifying the control architecture while achieving automatic repair functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The control circuit combines multiple functions into a single integrated control unit that manages both normal operation and self-detection/self-repair operations. It integrates the control of operational amplifier switching, connection switching, and defect determination logic, reducing the need for separate control circuits and simplifying the overall device complexity while maintaining ease of repair capabilities.
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
The solution enables self-repair of defective output circuits, reducing the complexity of wiring and circuit board size while ensuring continuous operation of display devices by automatically switching to adjacent healthy output circuits.
Implementation Method 1
the comparing means being constituted by the operational amplifiers of the output circuit blocks, the operational amplifiers of the output circuit blocks being controlled by switching control of the control means so that (i) the operational amplifiers switch to serving as the output buffers during the normal operation by receiving the output signals from the output circuits through positive input terminals and having their outputs negatively fed back through negative input terminals and (ii) the operational amplifiers switch to serving as the comparing means during the self-detection repairing operation by receiving the output signals from the output circuits through the positive input terminals and receiving the output signal from the spare output circuit through the negative input terminals
Data Source
AI summary
A driving circuit of at least one embodiment includes: m output terminals; m+1 video signal output sections including m+1 output circuits, respectively; a decision section for determining the quality of each of the video signal output sections; and switches for switching connections between the output terminals and the video signal output sections in accordance with a result of determination made by the decision section. When the decision section has determined the ith (i being a natural number of m or less) video signal output section to be defective, the switches connect the jth (j being a natural number of i−1 or less) video signal output section to the jth output terminal and connect the (k+1)th (k being a natural number of i or more to m or less) video signal output section to the kth output terminal. Thus provided is a driving circuit, capable of self-repairing a defective one of the video signal output sections, which has more simplified wires connected to the video signal output sections.