Liquid crystal display panel with color washout improvement and applications of same

1. A liquid crystal display (LCD) panel, comprising:

a. a common electrode;

b. a plurality of scanning lines, {G n }, n=1, 2, . . . , N, spatially arranged along a row direction;

c. a plurality of data lines, {D m }, m=1, 2, . . . , M, spatially arranged crossing the plurality of scanning lines {G n } along a column direction perpendicular to the row direction; and

d. a plurality of pixels, {P n,m }, spatially arranged in the form of a matrix, each pixel P n,m defined between two neighboring scanning lines G n and G n+1 and two neighboring data lines D m and D m+1 , and comprising at least a first sub-pixel, P n,m ( 1 ), and a second sub-pixel, P n,m ( 2 ), wherein each of the first sub-pixel P n,m ( 1 ) and the second sub-pixel P n,m ( 2 ) comprises a sub-pixel electrode, a liquid crystal (LC) capacitor and a storage capacitor both electrically connected between the sub-pixel electrode and the common electrode in parallel, and a transistor having a gate electrically connected to the scanning line G n , a source electrically connected to the sub-pixel electrode and a drain, and

wherein the drain of the transistor of the first sub-pixel P n,m ( 1 ) of the pixel P n,m is electrically connected to the data line D m , and the drain of the transistor of the second sub-pixel P n,m ( 2 ) of the pixel P n,m is electrically connected to the sub-pixel electrode of the first sub-pixel P k,m ( 1 ) of the pixel P k,m , or wherein the drain of the transistor of the second sub-pixel P n,m ( 2 ) of the pixel P n,m is electrically connected to the data line D m , and the drain of the transistor of the first sub-pixel P n,m ( 1 ) of the pixel P n,m is electrically connected to the sub-pixel electrode of the second sub-pixel

P k,m ( 2 ) of the pixel P k,m , wherein k=1, 2, . . . , N, and k≠n,

wherein when a scanning signal is applied to a scanning line G a to turn on the corresponding transistors connected to the scanning line G n , a plurality of data signals is simultaneously applied to the plurality of data lines {D n }, respectively, so as to charge the corresponding LC capacitors and storage capacitors of each pixel of the corresponding pixel row for aligning states of corresponding liquid crystal cells associated with the pixel row to control light transmittance therethrough.

2. The LCD panel of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of data signals comprises a plurality of gray level voltages, each gray level voltage being associated with a gray level, g, of an image to be displayed on a pixel in the pixel row such that when the gray level voltage is applied the pixel, a potential difference, ΔV 12 (g), is generated in the sub-pixel electrodes of the first and second sub-pixels of the pixel, which varies with the gray level g of the image to be displayed on the pixel, wherein g=0, 1, 2, . . . , R corresponding to one of the shades of grey of the image expressed in h bits, h being an integer greater than zero and R=(2 h −1).

3. The LCD panel of claim 2 , wherein

a. when the gray level g is in the range from 0 to g a , the potential difference ΔV 12 (g) for the gray level g is less than the potential difference ΔV 12 (g+1) for the gray level (g+1); and

b. when the gray level g is in the range from g b to R, the potential difference ΔV 12 (g) for the gray level g is greater than the potential difference ΔV 12 (g+1) for the gray level (g+1),

wherein 0<g a ≦g b <R, g a and g b each being an integer greater than zero.

4. The LCD panel of claim 2 , wherein

a. when the gray level g is in the range from 0 to g a , the potential difference ΔV 12 (g) for the gray level g has a constant voltage, V a ;

b. when the gray level g is in the range from g a to g b , the potential difference ΔV 12 (g) for the gray level g has a constant voltage, V b ; and

c. when the gray level g is in the range from g b to R, the potential difference ΔV 12 (g) for the gray level g has a constant voltage, V c ,

wherein 0<g a ≦g b <R, g a and g b each being an integer greater than zero, and

wherein V a >V b >V c .

5. The LCD panel of claim 1 , wherein k=n+1 or n−1.

6. The LCD panel of claim 1 , wherein the sub-pixel electrode of the first sub-pixel has an area A 1 , and the sub-pixel electrode of the second sub-pixel has an area A 2 , and wherein the ratio of A 1 /A 2 is in a range of about 0.2-5.0.

7. A method of driving a liquid crystal display (LCD) with color washout improvement, comprising the steps of:

a. providing an LCD panel comprising:

(i). a common electrode;

(ii). a plurality of scanning lines, {G}, n=1, 2, . . . , N, spatially arranged along a row direction;

(iii). a plurality of data lines, {D m }, m=1, 2, . . . , M, spatially arranged crossing the plurality of scanning lines {G n } along a column direction perpendicular to the row direction; and

(iv). a plurality of pixels, {P n,m }, spatially arranged in the form of a matrix, each pixel P n,m defined between two neighboring scanning lines G n and G n+1 and two neighboring data lines D m and D m+1 , and comprising at least a first sub-pixel, P n,m ( 1 ), and a second sub-pixel, P n,m ( 2 ), wherein each of the first sub-pixel P n,m ( 1 ) and the second sub-pixel P n,m ( 2 ) comprises a sub-pixel electrode, a liquid crystal (LC) capacitor and a storage capacitor both electrically connected between the sub-pixel electrode and the common electrode in parallel, and a transistor having a gate electrically connected to the scanning line G n , a source electrically connected to the sub-pixel electrode and a drain,

wherein the drain of the transistor of the first sub-pixel P n,m (a) of the pixel P n,m is electrically connected to the data line D m , and the drain of the transistor of the second sub-pixel P n,m ( 2 ) of the pixel P n,m is electrically connected to the sub-pixel electrode of the first sub-pixel P k,m ( 1 ) of the pixel P k,m , or wherein the drain of the transistor of the second sub-pixel P n,m ( 2 ) of the pixel P n,m is electrically connected to the data line D m , and the drain of the transistor of the first sub-pixel P n,m ( 1 ) of the pixel P n,m is electrically connected to the sub-pixel electrode of the second sub-pixel P k,m ( 2 ) of the pixel P k,m , wherein k=1, 2, . . . , N, and k≠n; and

b. applying a plurality of driving signals to the LCD panel so as to generate a potential difference, ΔV 12 (g), in the sub-pixel electrodes of the first and second sub-pixels of each pixel, respectively.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising the step of generating the plurality of driving signals.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of driving signals comprises a plurality of scanning signals sequentially applied to the plurality of scanning lines, a plurality of data signals simultaneously applied to the plurality of data lines, and a common signal applied to the common electrode, respectively.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of data signals comprises a plurality of gray level voltages, each gray level voltage being associated with a gray level, g, of an image to be displayed on a pixel in the pixel row such that when the gray level voltage is applied the pixel, the potential difference ΔV 12 (g) generated in the sub-pixel electrodes of the first and second sub-pixels of the pixel varies with the gray level g of the image to be displayed on the pixel, wherein g=0, 1, 2, . . . , R corresponding to one of the shades of grey of the image expressed in h bits, h being an integer greater than zero and R=(2 h −1).

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein

a. when the gray level g is in the range from 0 to g a , the potential difference ΔV 12 (g) for the gray level g is less than the potential difference ΔV 12 (g+1) for the gray level (g+1); and

b. when the gray level g is in the range from g b to R, the potential difference ΔV 12 (g) for the gray level g is greater than the potential difference ΔV 12 (g+1) for the gray level (g+1),

wherein 0<g a ≦g b <R, g a and g b each being an integer greater than zero.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein

a. when the gray level g is in the range from 0 to g a , the potential difference ΔV 12 (g) for the gray level g has a constant voltage, V a ;

b. when the gray level g is in the range from g a to g b , the potential difference ΔV 12 (g) for the gray level g has a constant voltage, V b ; and

c. when the gray level g is in the range from g b to R, the potential difference ΔV 12 (g) for the gray level g has a constant voltage, V c ,

wherein 0<g a ≦g b <R, g a and g b each being an integer greater than zero, and

wherein V a >V b >V c .

13. A liquid crystal display (LCD) panel, comprising:

a. a plurality of pixels, {P n,m }, spatially arranged in the form of a matrix, n=1, 2, . . . , N, and m=1, 2, . . . , M, and N, M being an integer greater than zero, each pixel P n,m comprising at least a first sub-pixel, P n,m ( 1 ), having a sub-pixel electrode, and a second sub-pixel, P n,m ( 2 ), having a sub-pixel electrode,

wherein the plurality of pixels {P n,m } is configured such that when a gray level voltage associated with a gray level, g, of an image to be displayed on a pixel P n,m is applied to the pixel P n,m , a potential difference, ΔV 12 (g), is generated in the sub-pixel electrodes of the first and second sub-pixels of the pixel P n,m , and varies with the gray level g, such that

(i). when the gray level g is in the range from 0 to g a , the potential difference ΔV 12 (g) for the gray level g is less than the potential difference ΔV 12 (g+1) for the gray level (g+1); and

(ii). when the gray level g is in the range from g b to R, the potential difference ΔV 12 (g) for the gray level g is greater than the potential difference ΔV 12 (g+1) for the gray level (g+1),

wherein g=0, 1, 2, . . . , R corresponding to one of the shades of grey of the image expressed in h bits, h being an integer greater than zero and R=(2 h −1), and

wherein 0<g a ≦g b <R, g a and g b each being an integer greater than zero.

14. The LCD panel of claim 13 , further comprising:

a. a common electrode;

b. a plurality of scanning lines, {G n }, n=1, 2, . . . , N, spatially arranged along a row direction; and

c. a plurality of data lines, {D m }, m=1, 2, . . . , M, spatially arranged crossing the plurality of scanning lines {G n } along a column direction perpendicular to the row direction,

wherein each pixel P n,m of the plurality of pixels {P n,m } is defined between two neighboring scanning lines G n and G n+1 and two neighboring data lines D m and D m+1 .

15. The LCD panel of claim 14 , wherein each of the first sub-pixel P n,m ( 1 ) and the second sub-pixel P n,m ( 2 ) of each pixel P n,m further comprises a liquid crystal (LC) capacitor and a storage capacitor both electrically connected between the sub-pixel electrode and the common electrode in parallel, and a transistor having a gate electrically connected to the scanning line G n , a source electrically connected to the sub-pixel electrode and a drain.

16. The LCD panel of claim 15 , wherein the drain of the transistor of the first sub-pixel P n,m ( 1 ) of the pixel P n,m is electrically connected to the data line D m , and the drain of the transistor of the second sub-pixel P n,m ( 2 ) of the pixel P n,m is electrically connected to the sub-pixel electrode of the first sub-pixel P k,m ( 1 ) of the pixel P k,m , wherein k=1, 2, . . . , N, and k≠n.

17. The LCD panel of claim 15 , wherein the drain of the transistor of the second sub-pixel P n,m ( 2 ) of the pixel P n,m is electrically connected to the data line D m , and the drain of the transistor of the first sub-pixel P n,m ( 1 ) of the pixel P n,m is electrically connected to the sub-pixel electrode of the second sub-pixel P k,m ( 2 ) of the pixel P k,m , wherein k=1, 2, . . . , N, and k≠n.

18. A liquid crystal display (LCD) panel, comprising:

a. a plurality of pixels, {P n,m }, spatially arranged in the form of a matrix, n=1, 2, . . . , N, and m=1, 2, . . . , M, and N, M being an integer greater than zero, each pixel P n,m comprising at least a first sub-pixel, P n,m ( 1 ), having a sub-pixel electrode and a second sub-pixel, P n,m ( 2 ), having a sub-pixel electrode,

wherein the plurality of pixels {P n,m } is configured such that when a gray level voltage associated with a gray level, g, of an image to be displayed on a pixel is applied to the pixel P n,m , a potential difference, ΔV 12 (g), is generated in the sub-pixel electrodes of the first and second sub-pixels of the pixel P n,m , and varies with the gray level g, such that

(i). when the gray level g is in the range from 0 to g a , the potential difference ΔV 12 (g) for the gray level g has a constant voltage, V a ;

(ii). when the gray level g is in the range from g a to g b , the potential difference ΔV 12 (g) for the gray level g has a constant voltage, V b ; and

(iii). when the gray level g is in the range from g b to R, the potential difference ΔV 12 (g) for the gray level g has a constant voltage, V c ,

wherein g=0, 1, 2, . . . , R corresponding to one of the shades of grey of the image expressed in h bits, h being an integer greater than zero and R=(2 h −1),

wherein 0<g a ≦g b <R, g a and g b each being an integer greater than zero, and

wherein V a >V b >V c .

19. A liquid crystal display (LCD) panel, comprising:

a. a plurality of pixels, {P n,m }, spatially arranged in the form of a matrix, n=1, 2, . . . , N, and m=1, 2, . . . , M, and N, M being an integer greater than zero, each pixel P n,m comprising at least a first sub-pixel, P n,m ( 1 ), having a sub-pixel electrode, and a second sub-pixel, P n,m ( 2 ), having a sub-pixel electrode,

wherein the plurality of pixels, {P n,m }, is configured such that when a gray level voltage associated with a gray level, g, of an image to be displayed on a pixel is applied to the pixel P n,m , a potential difference, ΔV 12 (g), is generated in the sub-pixel electrodes of the first and second sub-pixels of the pixel P n,m , which varies with the gray level g of the image to be displayed on the pixel, wherein g=0, 1, 2, . . . , R corresponding to one of the shades of grey of the image expressed in h bits, h being an integer greater than zero and R=(2 h −1).

20. The LCD panel of claim 19 , wherein

a. when 0≦g≦g a , ΔV 12 (g)<ΔV 12 (g+1); and

b. when g b ≦g≦R, ΔV 12 (g)>ΔV 12 (g+1),

wherein 0<g a ≦g b <R, g a and g b each being an integer greater than zero.

21. The LCD panel of claim 19 , wherein

a. when 0≦g≦g a , ΔV 12 (g)=V a ;

b. when g a ≦g≦g b , ΔV 12 (g)=V b ; and

c. when g b ≦g≦R, ΔV 12 (g)=V c ,

wherein 0<g a ≦g b <R, g a and g b each being an integer greater than zero, and

wherein V a , V b and V c are constant voltages with V a >V b >V c .

22. A method of driving a liquid crystal display (LCD) with color washout improvement, comprising the steps of:

a. providing an LCD panel comprising a plurality of pixels, {P n,m }, spatially arranged in the form of a matrix, n=1, 2, . . . , N, and m=1, 2, . . . , M, and N, M being an integer greater than zero, each pixel P n,m comprising at least a first sub-pixel, P n,m ( 1 ), having a sub-pixel electrode, and a second sub-pixel, P n,m ( 2 ), having a sub-pixel electrode; and

b. applying a plurality of driving signals to the LCD panel so as to generate potential difference, ΔV 12 (g), in the sub-pixel electrodes of the first and second sub-pixels of each pixel, respectively, which varies with a gray level g of an image to be displayed on the pixel, wherein g=0, 1, 2, . . . , R corresponding to one of the shades of grey of the image expressed in h bits, h being an integer greater than zero and R=(2 h −1).

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein

b. when 0≦g≦g a , ΔV 12 (g)<ΔV 12 (g+1); and

c. when g b ≦g≦R, ΔV 12 (g)>ΔV 12 (g+1),

wherein 0<g a ≦g b <R, g a and g b each being an integer greater than zero.

24. The method of claim 22 , wherein

a. when 0≦g≦g a , ΔV 12 (g)=V a ;

b. when g a ≦g≦g b , ΔV 12 (g)=V b ; and

c. when g b ≦g≦R, ΔV 12 (g)=V c ,

wherein 0<g a ≦g b <R, g a and g b each being an integer greater than zero, and

wherein V a , V b and V c are constant voltages with V a >V b >V c .

25. The method of claim 22 , further comprising the step of generating the plurality of driving signals.