Pixel and display device including the pixel
A pixel and a display device including the pixel are provided. The pixel includes a light-emitting element, a driving transistor connected between a first node coupled to the light-emitting element and a third node coupled to a high-potential driving voltage line, with a gate electrode connected to a second node, a switching transistor connected between a data line and the second node, with a gate electrode configured to receive a first scan signal, a sensing transistor connected between the driving transistor and a readout line, with a gate electrode configured to receive a third scan signal, a connection transistor connected between the light-emitting element and a light-emitting element of an adjacent pixel, and a connection control transistor connected between the sensing transistor and the light-emitting element, with a gate electrode configured to receive a third light-emission signal.
1 . A pixel comprising:
a light-emitting element;
a driving transistor connected to a first node coupled to the light-emitting element and a third node coupled to a high-potential driving voltage line, the driving transistor including a gate electrode connected to a second node;
a switching transistor connected to a data line and the second node, the switching transistor including a gate electrode configured to receive a first scan signal;
a sensing transistor connected to the driving transistor and a readout line, the sensing transistor including a gate electrode configured to receive a third scan signal;
a connection transistor connected to the light-emitting element and a light-emitting element of an adjacent pixel; and
a connection control transistor connected to the sensing transistor and the light-emitting element, the connection control transistor including a gate electrode configured to receive a third light-emission signal.
2 . The pixel of claim 1 , wherein the connection transistor is turned on based on the sensing transistor being turned on and electrically connecting the light-emitting element to the light-emitting element of the adjacent pixel, and the connection control transistor is turned off based on the sensing transistor being turned on and electrically separating a sensing path via the sensing transistor from a light-emission path via the connection transistor.
3 . The pixel of claim 1 , wherein the connection transistor is configured to receive the third scan signal or a fifth scan signal.
4 . The pixel of claim 3 , wherein the third scan signal and the fifth scan signal are applied at a turn-off level for one frame based on the pixel being driven in a display driving process, and are applied at a turn-on level for one frame based on the pixel being driven in a sensing driving process.
5 . The pixel of claim 4 , wherein, during a sensing driving process the sensing transistor is turned on and outputs a sensing current including a characteristic value of the driving transistor to the readout line, the connection transistor is turned on to apply a driving current, which is applied to the light-emitting element of the adjacent pixel, to the light-emitting element, and the connection control transistor electrically separates a current path of the sensing current from a current path of the driving current.
6 . The pixel of claim 1 , further comprising:
an initialization transistor connected to a reference voltage line and the second node, the initialization transistor including a gate electrode configured to receive a second scan signal;
a first light-emission transistor connected to the high-potential driving voltage line and the third node, the first light-emission transistor including a gate electrode configured to receive a first light-emission signal;
a second light-emission transistor connected to a fourth node, which is connected to the sensing transistor and the connection control transistor, and the first node, the second light-emission transistor including a gate electrode configured to receive a second light-emission signal; and
an anode initialization transistor connected to the light-emitting element and an initialization voltage line, the anode initialization transistor including a gate electrode configured to receive a fourth scan signal.
7 . The pixel of claim 6 , further comprising:
a first capacitor connected to the first node and the second node; and
a second capacitor connected to the first node and the high-potential driving voltage line.
8 . A display device comprising:
a display panel comprising pixels;
a data driver configured to apply data voltages to the pixels through data lines;
a gate driver configured to apply a first scan signal to a fifth scan signal and a first light-emission signal to a third light-emission signal to the pixels through gate lines and emission lines; and
a timing controller configured to control operation timings of the data driver and the gate driver,
wherein each of the pixels comprises:
a light-emitting element;
a driving transistor connected to a first node coupled to the light-emitting element and a third node coupled to a high-potential driving voltage line, the driving transistor including a gate electrode connected to a second node;
a switching transistor connected to a data line and the second node, the switching transistor including a gate electrode configured to receive the first scan signal;
a sensing transistor connected to the driving transistor and a readout line, the sensing transistor including a gate electrode configured to receive the third scan signal;
a connection transistor connected to the light-emitting element and a light-emitting element of an adjacent pixel, the connection transistor configured to receive the third scan signal or the fifth scan signal; and
a connection control transistor connected to the sensing transistor and the light-emitting element, the connection control transistor including a gate electrode configured to receive the third light-emission signal.
9 . The display device of claim 8 , wherein the timing controller selects at least one sensing pixel among the pixels to sense a characteristic value during one frame, and the gate driver applies the third scan signal and the fifth scan signal at a turn-on level to the at least one sensing pixel during the one frame.
10 . The display device of claim 9 , wherein, in the at least one sensing pixel,
the sensing transistor is turned on and outputs a sensing current, including a characteristic value of the driving transistor, to the readout line,
the connection transistor is turned on to apply a driving current, which is applied to the light-emitting element of an adjacent pixel, to the light-emitting element, and the connection control transistor electrically separates a current path of the sensing current from a current path of the driving current.
11 . The display device of claim 9 , wherein the gate driver applies the third scan signal and the fifth scan signal at a turn-off level to remaining pixels, which are not selected as the at least one sensing pixel, during the one frame.
12 . The display device of claim 9 , wherein the gate driver comprises:
a plurality of stage circuits connected in cascade;
a first switching unit configured to connect a previous stage circuit to either a next-stage circuit or a second-next-stage circuit in response to the third scan signal or the fifth scan signal; and
a second switching unit configured to apply the third scan signal or the fifth scan signal to a corresponding stage circuit in response to the third scan signal or the fifth scan signal.
13 . The display device of claim 12 , wherein each of the plurality of stage circuits comprises:
an output terminal configured to output a scan signal or a light-emission signal;
a first input terminal configured to receive a start signal or an output signal of a previous stage circuit; and
a second input terminal configured to receive the third scan signal or the fifth scan signal,
wherein the first switching unit connects the output terminal of the previous stage circuit to the first input terminal of the next-stage circuit or the second-next-stage circuit in response to the third scan signal or the fifth scan signal, and
the second switching unit applies the third scan signal or the fifth scan signal to the second input terminal of the corresponding stage circuit in response to the third scan signal or the fifth scan signal.
14 . The display device of claim 13 , wherein the first switching unit comprises:
a first switching element connected to the output terminal of the previous stage circuit and the first input terminal of the next-stage circuit, the first switching element including a gate electrode configured to receive the third scan signal or the fifth scan signal; and
a second switching element connected to the output terminal of the previous stage circuit and the first input terminal of the second-next-stage circuit, the second switching element including a gate electrode configured to receive the third scan signal or the fifth scan signal,
wherein the second switching unit comprises a third switching element connected to an output terminal of the third scan signal or the fifth scan signal and the second input terminal of the corresponding stage circuit, the second switching unit including a gate electrode configured to receive the third scan signal or the fifth scan signal.
15 . The display device of claim 14 , wherein the first switching unit further comprises a first inverting element connected to an output terminal of the third scan signal or the fifth scan signal and the gate electrode of the first switching element.
16 . The display device of claim 14 , wherein the first switching element is an P-type transistor, and the second switching element is a N-type transistor.
17 . The display device of claim 14 , wherein the second switching unit further comprises a second inverting element connected to the third switching element and the second input terminal.
18 . The display device of claim 8 , wherein the display panel comprises:
a display area where the pixels are arranged; and
a non-display area around the display area,
wherein the gate driver comprises shift registers disposed in the non-display area on both left and right sides of the display area and configured to be symmetrical to each other.
19 . The display device of claim 18 , wherein the shift registers comprise:
a first shift register to a fifth shift register configured to output the first scan signal to the fifth scan signal, respectively; and
a sixth shift register to an eighth shift register configured to output the first light-emission signal to the third light-emission signal, respectively,
wherein the third shift register and the fifth shift register are disposed farthest from the display area.