IP Library Granted Patent US 8,130,176
Granted Patent B2
US 8,130,176 · App. 12/219,535 · Granted Mar 6, 2012

Electro-optical apparatus and method of driving the electro-optical apparatus

Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,130,176
App. No.
12/219,535
Granted
Mar 6, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

The invention provides an electro-optical apparatus that can prevent a shift in a threshold voltage of an amorphous silicon transistor while driving an organic EL device in a pixel circuit including the amorphous silicon transistor. A characteristic-adjustment circuit can be provided, which has a function of returning a shift in the threshold voltage of the amorphous silicon transistor included in the pixel circuit to the original state.

Claims (39)

1. An electro-optical apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of gate lines;

a plurality of data lines; and

a plurality of pixel circuits corresponding to intersections of the plurality of gate lines and the plurality of data lines,

the pixel circuits including a light-emitting element having an anode and a cathode, a circuit that controls a gradation of light emitted from the light-emitting element, current-blocking means that blocks a current path of the light-emitting element, and a potential fixing circuit;

the light-emitting element being driven in a driving period including a light-emitting period and an adjusting period following the light-emitting period;

the pixel circuits having a function of setting the current-blocking means to an active state in at least part of a period in which current flows to the pixel circuits through the data lines; and

the potential fixing circuit supplying a specified potential to a specified transistor included in the pixel circuits, in the adjusting period.

2. The electro-optical apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, in the adjusting period, the potential fixing circuit fixes the potential of at least one terminal of a gate, source or drain of the specified transistor included in the pixel circuits to a specified potential.

3. The electro-optical apparatus according to claim 1 , a plurality of transistors included in the pixel circuits all having n-type polarity.

4. The electro-optical apparatus according to claim 3 , cathodes of the light-emitting elements being commonly coupled among the plurality of the pixel circuits.

5. The electro-optical apparatus according to claim 1 , the pixel circuits including amorphous silicon transistors.

6. The electro-optical apparatus according to claim 1 , the light-emitting elements being organic EL elements.

7. An electro-optical apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of gate lines;

a plurality of data lines; and

a plurality of pixel circuits corresponding to intersections of the plurality of gate lines and the plurality of data lines,

the pixel circuits including a light-emitting element having an anode and a cathode, a circuit that controls a gradation of light emitted from the light-emitting element, short-circuiting means that connects the anode and the cathode of the light-emitting element, and a potential fixing circuit;

the light-emitting element being driven in a driving period including a light-emitting period and an adjusting period following the light-emitting period;

the pixel circuits having a function of setting the short-circuiting means to an active state in at least part of a period in which current flows to the pixel circuits through the data lines; and

the potential fixing circuit supplying a specified potential to a specified transistor included in the pixel circuits, in the adjusting period.

8. A method of driving an electro-optical apparatus that comprises:

a plurality of gate lines;

a plurality of data lines; and

a plurality of pixel circuits corresponding to intersections of the plurality of gate lines and the plurality of data lines,

the pixel circuits including a light-emitting element having an anode and a cathode, a circuit that controls a gradation of light emitted from the light-emitting element, current-blocking means that blocks a current path of the light-emitting element, and a potential fixing circuit;

the method comprising:

driving the light-emitting element in a driving period including a light-emitting period and an adjusting period following the light-emitting period;

setting the current-blocking means to an active state, in at least part of a period in which current flows to the pixel circuits through the data lines; and

supplying a specified potential to a specified transistor included in the pixel circuits, in the adjusting period.

9. A method of driving an electro-optical apparatus that comprises:

a plurality of gate lines;

a plurality of data lines; and

a plurality of pixel circuits corresponding to intersections of the plurality of gate lines and the plurality of data lines,

the pixel circuits including a light-emitting element having an anode and a cathode, a circuit that controls a gradation of light emitted from the light-emitting element, short-circuiting means that connects the anode and the cathode of the light-emitting element, and a potential fixing circuit;

the method comprising:

driving the light-emitting element in a driving period including a light-emitting period and an adjusting period following the light-emitting period;

setting the short-circuiting means to an active state, in at least part of a period in which current flows to the pixel circuits through the data lines; and

supplying a specified potential to a specified transistor included in the pixel circuits, in the adjusting period.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 12, 2023
From: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
To: LUMITEK DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
Reel/Frame 065221/0372 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP 2003-140973 · May 19, 2003 · national
JP 2004-084651 · Mar 23, 2004 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation 10843377 · May 12, 2004
Related Publication 20080316151A1 · Dec 25, 2008