IP Library Granted Patent US 11,922,886
Granted Patent B2
US 11,922,886 · App. 18/137,348 · Granted Mar 5, 2024

Scan driver

Inventors: Haijung In (Yongin-si, KR); Wonkyu Kwak (Yongin-si, KR); Kimyeong Eom (Yongin-si, KR)
Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
G09G3/3266
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,922,886
App. No.
18/137,348
Granted
Mar 5, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

According to an embodiment, a scan driver includes a plurality of stages. An output controller of each of the stages includes a pull-down transistor, and the pull-down transistor includes a first gate and a second gate, where the first gate is electrically connected to a third control node or a node electrically connected to the third control node, and the second gate is connected to a third voltage input terminal to which a third voltage of a second voltage level is applied.

Claims (89)

1. A scan driver comprising a plurality of stages, wherein each of the plurality of stages comprises:

a first node controller connected to an input terminal, a first clock terminal, and a first control node, wherein a start signal is applied to the input terminal, and a first clock signal is applied to the first clock terminal;

a second node controller connected to the first clock terminal, a first voltage input terminal, a second voltage input terminal, and a second control node, wherein a first voltage of a first voltage level is applied to the first voltage input terminal, and a second voltage of a second voltage level is applied to the second voltage input terminal;

a third node controller, which is connected between the first voltage input terminal and a second clock terminal and controls a voltage level of a third control node according to a voltage level of the second control node; and

a first output controller comprising a first pull-up transistor and a first pull-down transistor, wherein the first pull-up transistor is connected between the first voltage input terminal and a first output terminal and outputs a first gate control signal of the first voltage level to the first output terminal, and the first pull-down transistor is connected between the second voltage input terminal and the first output terminal and outputs a first gate control signal of the second voltage level to the first output terminal,

wherein the first pull-down transistor comprises a first gate and a second gate, and

a gate of the first pull-up transistor and the first gate of the first pull-down transistor are connected to the third control node or a node electrically connected to the third control node.

2. The scan driver of claim 1 , wherein the second gate of the first pull-down transistor is connected to a third voltage input terminal to which a third voltage of the second voltage level is applied, and

the third voltage is less than the second voltage.

3. The scan driver of claim 2 , wherein the third voltage varies over time.

4. The scan driver of claim 2 , further comprising a fourth node controller connected between the third node controller and the first output controller,

wherein the fourth node controller comprises:

a third control transistor, which is connected between the first voltage input terminal and a fourth control node, and of which a gate is connected to the third control node;

a fourth control transistor, which is connected to the second voltage input terminal and the fourth control node, and of which a first gate is connected to the third control node and a second gate is connected to the third voltage input terminal;

a fifth control transistor, which is connected between the first voltage input terminal and a fifth control node, and of which a gate is connected to the fourth control node; and

a sixth control transistor, which is connected between the second voltage input terminal and the fifth control node, and of which a first gate is connected to the fourth control node and a second gate is connected to a fourth voltage input terminal to which a fourth voltage of the second voltage level is applied,

wherein the gate of the first pull-up transistor and the first gate of the first pull-down transistor are connected to the fifth control node, and

the fourth voltage is less than the second voltage.

5. The scan driver of claim 4 , wherein a second gate control signal corresponding to a voltage level of the third control node or the fifth control node is output from a second output terminal connected to the third control node or the fifth control node, and

a timing at which the second gate control signal is output at the second voltage level is the same as a timing at which the first gate control signal is output at the first voltage level.

6. The scan driver of claim 1 , wherein the third node controller comprises:

a first control transistor, which is connected between the first voltage input terminal and the third control node, and of which a gate is connected to the second control node; and

a second control transistor, which is connected between the second clock terminal and the third control node, and of which a gate is connected to the first control node,

wherein a second gate control signal corresponding to the voltage level of the third control node is output from a second output terminal connected to the third control node, and

a timing at which the second gate control signal is output at the second voltage level is the same as a timing at which the first gate control signal is output at the first voltage level.

7. The scan driver of claim 1 , further comprising a second output controller comprising a second pull-up transistor, which is connected between the first voltage input terminal and a second output terminal, of which a gate is connected to the second control node, and which outputs a second gate control signal of the first voltage level to the second output terminal, and a second pull-down transistor, which is connected between the second clock terminal and the second output terminal, of which a gate is connected to the first control node, and which outputs a second gate control signal of the second voltage level to the second output terminal,

wherein a timing at which the second gate control signal is output at the second voltage level is the same as a timing at which the first gate control signal is output at the first voltage level.

8. The scan driver of claim 7 , wherein the second gate control signal output from the second output terminal includes a carry signal.

9. The scan driver of claim 1 , wherein a carry signal corresponding to the voltage level of the third control node is output from a carry output terminal connected to the third control node, and

a timing at which the carry signal is output at the second voltage level is the same as a timing at which the first gate control signal is output at the first voltage level.

10. A scan driver comprising a plurality of stages, wherein each of the plurality of stages comprises:

a first node controller connected to an input terminal, a first clock terminal, and a first control node, wherein a start signal is applied to the input terminal, and a first clock signal is applied to the first clock terminal;

a second node controller connected to the first clock terminal, a second clock terminal, a first voltage input terminal, a second voltage input terminal, and a second control node, wherein a second clock signal is applied to the second clock terminal, a first voltage of a first voltage level is applied to the first voltage input terminal, and a second voltage of a second voltage level is applied to the second voltage input terminal;

a first output controller comprising a first pull-up transistor, which is connected between the first voltage input terminal and a first output terminal, of which a gate is connected to the second control node, and which outputs a first gate control signal of the first voltage level to the first output terminal, and a first pull-down transistor, which is connected between the second clock terminal and the first output terminal, of which a gate is connected to the first control node, and which outputs a first gate control signal of the second voltage level to the first output terminal;

a third node controller, which is connected between the first voltage input terminal and a third clock terminal to which a third clock signal is applied, and controls a voltage level of a third control node according to voltage levels of the first control node and the second control node; and

a second output controller comprising a second pull-up transistor, which is connected between the first voltage input terminal and a second output terminal and outputs a second gate control signal of the first voltage level to the second output terminal, and a second pull-down transistor, which is connected between the second voltage input terminal and the second output terminal and outputs a second gate control signal of the second voltage level to the second output terminal,

wherein the second pull-down transistor comprises a first gate and a second gate, and

a gate of the second pull-up transistor and the first gate of the second pull-down transistor are connected to the third control node.

11. The scan driver of claim 10 , wherein the second gate of the second pull-down transistor is connected to a third voltage input terminal to which a third voltage of the second voltage level is applied, and

the third voltage is less than the second voltage.

12. The scan driver of claim 11 , wherein the third voltage varies over time.

13. The scan driver of claim 11 , further comprising:

a fourth node controller, which is connected between the first voltage input terminal and a fourth clock terminal to which a fourth clock signal is applied, and controls a voltage level of a fourth control node according to the voltage levels of the first control node and the second control node; and

a third output controller comprising a third pull-up transistor, which is connected between the first voltage input terminal and a third output terminal and outputs a third gate control signal of the first voltage level to the third output terminal, and a third pull-down transistor, which is connected between the second voltage input terminal and the third output terminal and outputs a third gate control signal of the second level to the third output terminal,

wherein the third pull-down transistor comprises a first gate and a second gate,

a gate of the third pull-up transistor and the first gate of the third pull-down transistor are connected to the fourth control node, and

the second gate of the third pull-down transistor is connected to the third voltage input terminal.

14. The scan driver of claim 13 , wherein the fourth node controller comprises:

a third control transistor, which is connected between the first voltage input terminal and the fourth control node, and of which a gate is connected to the second control node; and

a fourth control transistor, which is connected between the fourth clock terminal and the fourth control node, and of which a gate is connected to the first control node,

wherein the second clock signal is applied by shifting a phase of the first clock signal, and

the fourth clock signal is applied in a same phase as the second clock signal.

15. The scan driver of claim 10 , wherein the second gate control signal output from each of the stages is applied to a pixel of a pixel row corresponding to the each stage and a pixel of a pixel row corresponding to a next stage.

16. The scan driver of claim 10 , wherein the first gate control signal output from the first output terminal includes a carry signal.

17. The scan driver of claim 10 , wherein a carry signal corresponding to the voltage level of the third control node is output from a carry output terminal connected to the third control node, and

a timing at which the carry signal is output at the second voltage level is the same as a timing at which the first gate control signal is output at the second voltage level.

18. The scan driver of claim 10 , wherein the third node controller comprises:

a first control transistor, which is connected between the first voltage input terminal and the third control node, and of which a gate is connected to the second control node; and

a second control transistor, which is connected between the third clock terminal and the third control node, and of which a gate is connected to the first control node.

19. The scan driver of claim 10 , wherein the second clock signal is applied by shifting a phase of the first clock signal, and

the third clock signal is applied in a same phase as the second clock signal.

20. The scan driver of claim 10 , wherein, when a displayed image includes a moving image, the plurality of stages sequentially output on-voltage levels of the first gate control signal and the second gate control signal,

when the displayed image includes a still image, the plurality of stages sequentially output the on-voltage level of the first gate control signal and continuously output the off-voltage level of the second gate control signal, and

the displayed image includes a frame image or a partial image of the frame image.

21. A scan driver comprising a plurality of stages, wherein each of the plurality of stages comprises:

a first node controller connected to an input terminal, a first clock terminal, and a first control node, wherein a start signal is applied to the input terminal, and a first clock signal is applied to the first clock terminal;

a second node controller connected to the first clock terminal, a second clock terminal, a first voltage input terminal, a second voltage input terminal, and a second control node, wherein a second clock signal is applied to the second clock terminal, a first voltage of a first voltage level is applied to the first voltage input terminal, and a second voltage of a second voltage level is applied to the second voltage input terminal;

a third node controller, which is connected between the first voltage input terminal and the second clock terminal and controls a voltage level of a third control node according to voltage levels of the first control node and the second control node;

a first output controller comprising a first pull-up transistor, which is connected between the first voltage input terminal and a first output terminal, of which a gate is connected to the second control node, and which outputs a first gate control signal of the first voltage level to the first output terminal, and a first pull-down transistor, which is connected between the second clock terminal and the first output terminal, of which a gate is connected to the first control node, and which outputs a first gate control signal of the second voltage level to the first output terminal; and

a second output controller comprising a second pull-up transistor, which is connected between a fourth voltage input terminal, to which a fourth voltage of the first voltage level is applied, and a second output terminal, and outputs a second gate control signal of the first voltage level to the second output terminal, and a second pull-down transistor, which is connected between the second voltage input terminal and the second output terminal and outputs a second gate control signal of the second voltage level to the second output terminal,

wherein the second pull-down transistor comprises a first gate and a second gate, and

a gate of the second pull-up transistor and the first gate of the second pull-down transistor are connected to the third control node.

22. The scan driver of claim 21 , wherein the second gate of the second pull-down transistor is connected to a third voltage input terminal to which a third voltage of the second voltage level is applied, and

the third voltage is less than the second voltage.

23. The scan driver of claim 22 , wherein the third voltage varies over time.

24. The scan driver of claim 22 , further comprising a third output controller comprising a third pull-up transistor, which is connected between a fifth voltage input terminal, to which a fifth voltage of the first voltage level is applied, and a third output terminal, and outputs a third gate control signal of the first voltage level to the third output terminal, and a third pull-down transistor, which is connected between the second voltage input terminal and the third output terminal and outputs a third gate control signal of the second voltage level to the third output terminal,

wherein the third pull-down transistor comprises a first gate and a second gate,

a gate of the third pull-up transistor and the first gate of the third pull-down transistor are connected to the third control node, and

the second gate of the third pull-down transistor is connected to the third voltage input terminal.

25. The scan driver of claim 21 , wherein the second gate control signal output from each of the stages is applied to a pixel of a pixel row corresponding to the each stage and a pixel of a pixel row corresponding to a next stage.

26. The scan driver of claim 21 , wherein the first gate control signal output from the first output terminal includes a carry signal.

27. The scan driver of claim 21 , wherein a carry signal corresponding to the voltage level of the third control node is output from a carry output terminal connected to the third control node, and

a timing at which the carry signal is output at the second voltage level is the same as a timing at which the first gate control signal is output at the second voltage level.

28. The scan driver of claim 21 , wherein the third node controller comprises:

a first control transistor, which is connected between the first voltage input terminal and the third control node, and of which a gate is connected to the second control node; and

a second control transistor, which is connected between the second clock terminal and the third control node, and of which a gate is connected to the first control node.

29. The scan driver of claim 21 , wherein, when a displayed image includes a moving image, the plurality of stages sequentially output on-voltage levels of the first gate control signal and the second gate control signal,

when the displayed image includes a still image, the plurality of stages sequentially output the on-voltage level of the first gate control signal and continuously output an off-voltage level of the second gate control signal, and

the displayed image includes a frame image or a partial image of the frame image.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 20, 2023
From: IN, HAIJUNG; KWAK, WONKYU; EOM, KIMYEONG
To: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 063407/0997 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2022-0054437 · May 2, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230351972A1 · Nov 2, 2023
Cited By (3)
US 12,431,207 US 12,664,947 US 12,664,948