Source Driver Circuit Time Division Multiplexing for Flat Panel Displays
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
As the resolution of LCD panels increases, the number of source lines driven by conventional source drivers also increases, leading to higher production costs and decreased productivity for large-sized high-resolution displays.
Innovation Solution
A source driver circuit design that includes a multiplexer, inversion circuit, latch circuit, gamma decoder, buffer, and channel selection unit, allowing each circuit unit to drive multiple source lines in a single horizontal scan period, reducing circuit complexity and increasing efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the number of source lines is increased to achieve higher resolution, then the display resolution is improved, but the number of source driver chips must increase in proportion, leading to increased production costs and decreased productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The source driver circuit is divided into multiple channel section units, each capable of driving multiple source lines through time-division multiplexing. Each channel section unit includes a latch circuit, gamma decoder, and buffer that operate in time-division to drive different source lines during different time periods within one horizontal scan period, thereby reducing the number of required driver chips while maintaining high resolution capability
Solution Approach 2:
The source driver uses time-division periodic action where each channel section unit drives multiple source lines by sequentially switching between them within one horizontal scan period. The latch circuit stores data for multiple channels, and the buffer outputs data to different source lines at different time periods, enabling one driver chip to control multiple source lines through periodic time-division operation
2Manufacturing precision
If the number of source driver chips is increased to drive more source lines, then the display resolution is improved, but the production cost increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Each channel section unit is designed with multi-functionality to drive multiple source lines through time-division multiplexing. The latch circuit can store data for multiple channels (e.g., 6 channels), and the buffer can sequentially output data to different source lines within one horizontal scan period, making a single driver chip perform the function of multiple chips and thereby improving productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a time dimension to the driving scheme by using time-division multiplexing. Instead of requiring one chip per source line (spatial dimension only), the system uses time-division to allow one chip to serve multiple lines sequentially, adding the time dimension to the driver architecture and reducing the number of chips required
Data Source
AI summary
A source driver and method of driving a flat panel display is provided. As a circuit unit including a multiplexer and a channel selection unit, a source driver performs a single operation to drive one source line in a segment of a horizontal scan period and repeats the single operation multiple times to drive a plurality of source lines in the horizontal scan period.