Display device and method of operating a display device

1. A display device comprising:

a display panel including a plurality of sub-pixels arranged in a first pixel arrangement structure; and

a display driver which receives input image data corresponding to a second pixel arrangement structure different from the first pixel arrangement structure,

wherein, when the display device is in a normal driving mode, the display driver generates first output image data for all of the plurality of sub-pixels by performing a first rending operation on the input image data, and drives all of the plurality of sub-pixels based on the first output image data, and

wherein, when the display device is in a low power driving mode, the display driver generates second output image data for a portion of the plurality of sub-pixels by performing a second rending operation different from the first rending operation on the input image data, and drives the portion of the plurality of sub-pixels based on the second output image data,

wherein the display panel includes a plurality of pixel groups,

wherein each of the plurality of pixel groups is defined by first and second red sub-pixels, first through fourth green sub-pixels and first and second blue sub-pixels,

wherein, with respect to each of the plurality of pixel groups, the input image data include first through fourth red sub-pixel data, first through fourth green sub-pixel data and first through fourth blue sub-pixel data, and

wherein one red sub-pixel of the first and second red sub-pixels, two green sub-pixels of the first through fourth green sub-pixels, and one blue sub-pixel of the first and second blue sub-pixels in each of the plurality of pixel groups are driven in the low power driving mode.

2. The display device of claim 1 , wherein, to perform the first rendering operation, the display driver calculates sub-pixel data for the first red sub-pixel based on the first and second red sub-pixel data of the input image data, calculates sub-pixel data for the second red sub-pixel based on the third and fourth red sub-pixel data of the input image data, determines the first through fourth green sub-pixel data of the input image data as sub-pixel data for the first through fourth green sub-pixels, calculates sub-pixel data for the first blue sub-pixel based on the first and second blue sub-pixel data of the input image data, and calculates sub-pixel data for the second blue sub-pixel based on the third and fourth blue sub-pixel data of the input image data.

3. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the one red sub-pixel, the two green sub-pixels and the one blue sub-pixel driven in the low power driving mode are arranged in a diamond shape.

4. The display device of claim 1 , wherein, to perform the second rendering operation, the display driver calculates sub-pixel data for the one red sub-pixel based on the first through fourth red sub-pixel data of the input image data, calculates sub-pixel data for the two green sub-pixels based on the first through fourth green sub-pixel data of the input image data, and calculates sub-pixel data for the one blue sub-pixel based on the first through fourth blue sub-pixel data of the input image data.

5. The display device of claim 1 , wherein

to perform the second rendering operation, the display driver

calculates sub-pixel data for the one red sub-pixel based on the following equation: RD=(IRD 1 +IRD 2 +IRD 3 +IRD 4 )/4, wherein RD denotes the sub-pixel data for the one red sub-pixel, and IRD 1 , IRD 2 , IRD 3 and IRD 4 denotes the first, second, third and fourth red sub-pixel data of the input image data, respectively,

calculates sub-pixel data for each of the two green sub-pixels based on the following equation: GD=(IGD 1 +IGD 2 +IGD 3 +IGD 4 )/4, wherein GD denotes the sub-pixel data for each of the two green sub-pixels, and IGD 1 , IGD 2 , IGD 3 and IGD 4 denote the first, second, third and fourth green sub-pixel data of the input image data, respectively, and

calculates sub-pixel data for the one blue sub-pixel based on the following equation: BD =(IBD 1 +IBD 2 +IBD 3 +IBD 4 )/ 4 , wherein BD denotes the sub-pixel data for the one blue sub-pixel, and IBD 1 , IBD 2 , IBD 3 and IBD 4 denote the first, second, third and fourth blue sub-pixel data of the input image data, respectively.

6. The display device of claim 1 , wherein,

to perform the second rendering operation, the display driver

calculate sub-pixel data for the one red sub-pixel based on the following equation: RD=(IRD 1 +IRD 2 +IRD 3 +IRD 4 )/4, wherein RD denotes the sub-pixel data for the one red sub-pixel, and IRD 1 , IRD 2 , IRD 3 and IRD 4 denote the first, second, third and fourth red sub-pixel data of the input image data, respectively,

calculate sub-pixel data for a first one of the two green sub-pixels based on the following equation: GD 1 =(IGD 1 +IGD 3 )/2, wherein GD 1 denotes the sub-pixel data for the first one of the two green sub-pixels, and IGD 1 and IGD 3 denote the first and third green sub-pixel data of the input image data, respectively,

calculate sub-pixel data for a second one of the two green sub-pixels based on the following equation: GD 2 =(IGD 2 +IGD 4 )/2, wherein GD 2 denotes the sub-pixel data for the second one of the two green sub-pixels, and IGD 2 and IGD 4 denote the second and fourth green sub-pixel data of the input image data, respectively, and

calculate sub-pixel data for the one blue sub-pixel based on the following equation: BD=(IBD 1 +IBD 2 +IBD 3 +IBD 4 )/4, wherein BD denotes the sub-pixel data for the one blue sub-pixel, and IBD 1 , IBD 2 , IBD 3 and IBD 4 denote the first, second, third and fourth blue sub-pixel data of the input image data, respectively.

7. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the display driver performs an edge dimming operation on the second output image data in the low power driving mode.

8. The display device of claim 7 , wherein, to perform the edge dimming operation, the display driver multiplies sub-pixel data for sub-pixels located in an edge region among the portion of the plurality of sub-pixels by a dimming rate, and wherein the dimming rate is greater than or equal to 0, and is less than or equal to 1.

9. The display device of claim 1 , wherein

the first pixel arrangement structure is a diamond pixel arrangement structure, in which adjacent four sub-pixels are arranged in a diamond shape, and

the second pixel arrangement structure is a stripe pixel arrangement structure.

10. The display device of claim 1 , wherein

the display panel includes a plurality of pixel groups, and

each of the plurality of pixel groups includes:

a first pixel defined by the first red sub-pixel and the first green sub-pixel;

a second pixel located adjacent to the first pixel along a first direction, and defined by the first blue sub-pixel and the second green sub-pixel;

a third pixel located adjacent to the first pixel along a second direction, and defined by the second blue sub-pixel and the third green sub-pixel; and

a fourth pixel located adjacent to the second pixel along the second direction and adjacent to the third pixel along the first direction, and defined by the second red sub-pixel and the fourth green sub-pixel.

11. The display device of claim 10 , wherein the first green sub-pixel, the first blue sub-pixel, the second green sub-pixel and the second red sub-pixel in each of the plurality of pixel groups are driven in the low power driving mode.

12. The display device of claim 10 , wherein the first green sub-pixel, the second blue sub-pixel, the third green sub-pixel and the second red sub-pixel in each of the plurality of pixel groups are driven in the low power driving mode.

13. The display device of claim 10 , wherein

the first green sub-pixel, the first blue sub-pixel, the second green sub-pixel and the second red sub-pixel in each of the plurality of pixel groups are driven in a first frame period of the low power driving mode, and

wherein the first red sub-pixel, the second blue sub-pixel, the third green sub-pixel and the fourth green sub-pixel in each of the plurality of pixel groups are driven in a second frame period of the low power driving mode.

14. The display device of claim 1 , wherein

the display panel includes a plurality of pixel groups, and

each of the plurality of pixel groups includes:

a first pixel defined by the first green sub-pixel and the first blue sub-pixel;

a second pixel located adjacent to the first pixel along a first direction, and defined by the second green sub-pixel and the first red sub-pixel;

a third pixel located adjacent to the first pixel along a second direction, and defined by the third green sub-pixel and the second red sub-pixel; and

a fourth pixel located adjacent to the second pixel along the second direction and adjacent to the third pixel along the first direction, and defined by the fourth green sub-pixel and the second blue sub-pixel, and

wherein the first green sub-pixel, the first blue sub-pixel, the second green sub-pixel and the second red sub-pixel in each of the plurality of pixel groups are driven in the low power driving mode.

15. The display device of claim 1 , wherein

the display panel includes a plurality of pixel groups, and

each of the plurality of pixel groups includes:

a first pixel having the first blue sub-pixel and the first green sub-pixel;

a second pixel located adjacent to the first pixel along a first direction, and defined by the first red sub-pixel and the second green sub-pixel;

a third pixel located adjacent to the first pixel along a second direction, and defined by the second red sub-pixel and the third green sub-pixel; and

a fourth pixel located adjacent to the second pixel along the second direction and adjacent to the third pixel along the first direction, and defined by the second blue sub-pixel and the fourth green sub-pixel, and

wherein the first red sub-pixel, the third green sub-pixel, the second blue sub-pixel and the fourth green sub-pixel in each of the plurality of pixel groups are driven in the low power driving mode.

16. The display device of claim 1 , wherein

the display panel includes a plurality of pixel groups, and

each of the plurality of pixel groups includes:

a first pixel having the first green sub-pixel and the first red sub-pixel;

a second pixel located adjacent to the first pixel along a first direction, and defined by the second green sub-pixel and the first blue sub-pixel;

a third pixel located adjacent to the first pixel along a second direction, and defined by the third green sub-pixel and the second blue sub-pixel; and

a fourth pixel located adjacent to the second pixel along the second direction and adjacent to the third pixel along the first direction, and defined by the fourth green sub-pixel and the second red sub-pixel, and

wherein the first red sub-pixel, the third green sub-pixel, the second blue sub-pixel and the fourth green sub-pixel in each of the plurality of pixel groups are driven in the low power driving mode.

17. A method of operating a display device including a plurality of sub-pixels arranged in a first pixel arrangement structure, the method comprising:

receiving input image data corresponding to a second pixel arrangement structure different from the first pixel arrangement structure;

generating first output image data for all of the plurality of sub-pixels by performing a first rending operation on the input image data when the display device is in a normal driving mode;

driving all of the plurality of sub-pixels based on the first output image data when the display device is in the normal driving mode;

generating second output image data for a portion of the plurality of sub-pixels by performing a second rending operation different from the first rending operation on the input image data when the display device is in a low power driving mode; and

driving the portion of the plurality of sub-pixels based on the second output image data when the display device is in the low power driving mode.

wherein a display panel of the display device includes a plurality of pixel groups,

wherein each of the plurality of pixel groups is defined by first and second red sub-pixels, first through fourth green sub-pixels and first and second blue sub-pixels,

wherein, with respect to each of the plurality of pixel groups, the input image data include first through fourth red sub-pixel data, first through fourth green sub-pixel data and first through fourth blue sub-pixel data, and

wherein one red sub-pixel of the first and second red sub-pixels, two green sub-pixels of the first through fourth green sub-pixels, and one blue sub-pixel of the first and second blue sub-pixels in each of the plurality of pixel groups are driven in the low power driving mode.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

performing an edge dimming operation on the second output image data in the low power driving mode.