DETECTING DEFECTS IN DISPLAY PANEL PIXELS

1 . A method of detecting a defect in a display panel, comprising:

(a) providing a display panel comprising a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix form, wherein each pixel comprises a static memory and emits light according to data stored in the static memory;

(b) writing data to the static memory of each pixel;

(c) reading the data stored in the static memory of each pixel; and

(d) comparing the data written and read for each pixel to produce a respective comparison result indicating presence of a defect.

2 . A display panel comprising:

(a) a display array having a plurality of pixels arranged in rows and columns, wherein each pixel comprises a static memory and emits light according to data stored in the static memory;

(b) a plurality of data lines connected to the pixels in each respective pixel column;

(c) a data driver connected to the plurality of the data lines for supplying data to the pixels and for reading values from the static memories in the pixels;

(d) a plurality of gate lines connected to the pixels in each respective pixel row;

(e) a row shift register connected to the plurality of gate lines for activating each pixel row to either read or write data; and

(f) a control circuit for selectively controlling the data driver and row shift register for writing data to or reading data from each pixel.

3 . The display panel of claim 2 , further comprising:

(g) a comparator connected to each data line and to the control circuit for acquiring and storing first data on a data line, then comparing stored first data with second data on the data line and providing the resulting comparison result to the control circuit.

4 . The display panel of claim 2 , wherein the control circuit causes image data to be displayed in an effective display region having fewer pixels than the display array.

5 . The display panel of claim 4 , wherein the location of the effective display region is not fixed.

6 . The display panel of claim 5 , wherein the location of the effective display region within the display array is changed to a plurality of different position after a predetermined number of frames of image data.

7 . The display panel of claim 5 ,

wherein the control circuit compares the data written and read to each pixel to create defect positions;

further comprising a defect information memory for storing information about defect positions,

and wherein the position of the effective display region is set based on information in the defect information memory.

8 . A unit pixel, comprising a plurality of sub-pixels which can be exchanged with each other.

9 . The unit pixel of claim 8 , wherein the sub-pixels have respectively different display brightness.

10 . The unit pixel of claim 9 , wherein the sub-pixels have respectively different surface areas.

11 . The unit pixel of claim 9 , wherein the sub-pixels have the same surface area, and wherein each sub-pixel has a different magnitude of drive current.