IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,705,918
Granted Patent B2
US 12,705,918 · App. 19/067,585 · Granted Aug 11, 2026

Pixel circuit, display device including the same and electronic device including the same

Inventors: Hyang-A Park (Yongin-si, KR); Jungwoo Park (Yongin-si, KR); Soo Yeong Hong (Yongin-si, KR)
Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
G06V40/13G06V40/1318G09G3/3233G09G3/32G09G2300/0819G09G2360/14
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,705,918
App. No.
19/067,585
Filed
Feb 28, 2025
Granted
Aug 11, 2026
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2626
USPC
382/124
Abstract

A pixel circuit includes a light emitter including an emission driving transistor to output a driving current based on a data voltage, a write transistor to apply the data voltage to the emission driving transistor in response to a write gate signal, and a light-emitting element to emit light based on the driving current, and a light sensor to sense the light, and including a sensing driving transistor including a first control electrode for receiving a reset voltage and a sensing voltage, and a second control electrode for receiving an adjustable photodiode voltage, for generating a sensing current in response to the sensing voltage, a sensing initialization transistor to apply the reset voltage to the first control electrode in response to a photo initialization gate signal, and a sensing output transistor to apply the sensing current to a sensing line in response to an output gate signal.

Claims (71)

1 . A pixel circuit comprising:

a light emitter configured to emit light, and comprising:

an emission driving transistor configured to output a driving current based on a data voltage;

a write transistor configured to apply the data voltage to the emission driving transistor in response to a write gate signal; and

a light-emitting element configured to emit light based on the driving current; and

a light sensor configured to sense the light of the light emitter, and comprising:

a sensing driving transistor comprising a first control electrode for receiving a reset voltage and a sensing voltage, and a second control electrode for receiving an adjustable photodiode voltage, and configured to generate a sensing current in response to the sensing voltage, the photodiode voltage being configured to be changed based on the sensing current;

a sensing initialization transistor configured to apply the reset voltage to the first control electrode of the sensing driving transistor in response to a photo initialization gate signal; and

a sensing output transistor configured to apply the sensing current to a sensing line in response to an output gate signal,

wherein the photodiode voltage is configured to be changed based on a sensing code corresponding to the sensing current.

2 . The pixel circuit of claim 1 , wherein the photodiode voltage is configured to have a voltage level that is lower than a reference photodiode voltage when a number of the sensing code is lower than a number of an initial sensing code.

3 . The pixel circuit of claim 2 , wherein the initial sensing code is configured to be set in a manufacturing process.

4 . The pixel circuit of claim 2 , wherein the reference photodiode voltage is configured to be set based on an initial threshold voltage of the sensing driving transistor and the initial sensing code.

5 . The pixel circuit of claim 1 , wherein the sensing current is based on the sensing voltage and the photodiode voltage.

6 . The pixel circuit of claim 1 , wherein the light emitter further comprises a light-emitting element initialization transistor configured to apply a light-emitting element initialization voltage to a first electrode of the light-emitting element, and

wherein a first electrode of the sensing driving transistor is configured to receive the light-emitting element initialization voltage.

7 . The pixel circuit of claim 1 , wherein the output gate signal comprises the write gate signal.

8 . The pixel circuit of claim 1 , wherein the light sensor comprises a photodiode comprising:

a first sub-photodiode configured to generate a first sensing voltage; and

a second sub-photodiode configured to generate a second sensing voltage, and

wherein the light sensor further comprises:

a first transfer transistor configured to apply the first sensing voltage to the first control electrode of the sensing driving transistor in response to a first transfer signal; and

a second transfer transistor configured to apply the second sensing voltage to the first control electrode of the sensing driving transistor in response to a second transfer signal that is different from the first transfer signal.

9 . A pixel circuit comprising:

a light emitter; and

a light sensor comprising:

a photodiode;

a sensing driving transistor comprising a first control electrode connected to a fifth node, a second control electrode for receiving a photodiode voltage, a first electrode for receiving a reference voltage, and a second electrode connected to a sixth node, the photodiode voltage being configured to be changed based on a sensing current through the sixth node;

a sensing initialization transistor comprising a control electrode for receiving a photo initialization gate signal, a first electrode for receiving a reset voltage, and a second electrode connected to the fifth node; and

a sensing output transistor comprising a control electrode for receiving a write gate signal, a first electrode connected to the sixth node, and a second electrode connected to a sensing line,

wherein the photodiode voltage is configured to be changed based on a sensing code corresponding to the sensing current.

10 . The pixel circuit of claim 9 , wherein the photodiode comprises a first electrode connected to the fifth node, and a second electrode for receiving a second power voltage.

11 . The pixel circuit of claim 9 , wherein the light emitter comprises:

a first transistor comprising a control electrode connected to a first node, a first electrode connected to a second node, and a second electrode connected to a third node;

a second transistor comprising a control electrode for receiving the write gate signal, a first electrode for receiving a data voltage, and a second electrode connected to the second node;

a third transistor comprising a control electrode for receiving a compensation gate signal, a first electrode connected to the third node, and a second electrode connected to the first node;

a fourth transistor comprising a control electrode for receiving an initialization gate signal, a first electrode for receiving an initialization voltage, and a second electrode connected to the first node;

a fifth transistor comprising a control electrode for receiving an emission signal, a first electrode for receiving a first power voltage, and a second electrode connected to the second node;

a sixth transistor comprising a control electrode for receiving the emission signal, a first electrode connected to the third node, and a second electrode connected to a fourth node;

a seventh transistor comprising a control electrode for receiving a light-emitting element initialization gate signal, a first electrode for receiving a light-emitting element initialization voltage, and a second electrode connected to the fourth node; and

a light-emitting element comprising a first electrode connected to the fourth node, and a second electrode for receiving a second power voltage, and

wherein the reference voltage comprises the light-emitting element initialization voltage.

12 . The pixel circuit of claim 11 , wherein the photodiode voltage comprises the first power voltage.

13 . The pixel circuit of claim 11 , wherein the write gate signal is configured to swing between a high voltage, and a low voltage that is lower than the high voltage, and

wherein the photodiode voltage comprises the low voltage.

14 . The pixel circuit of claim 9 , wherein the photodiode comprises a first sub-photodiode and a second sub-photodiode, and

wherein the light sensor further comprises:

a first transfer transistor comprising a control electrode for receiving a first transfer signal, a first electrode connected to the fifth node, and a second electrode connected to the first sub-photodiode; and

a second transfer transistor comprising a control electrode for receiving a second transfer signal different from the first transfer signal, a first electrode connected to the fifth node, and a second electrode connected to the second sub-photodiode.

15 . An electronic device comprising:

a display panel comprising a pixel circuit;

a gate driver configured to apply a gate signal to the display panel;

a data driver configured to apply a data voltage to the display panel;

an emission driver configured to apply an emission signal to the display panel; and

a driving controller configured to control the gate driver, the data driver, and the emission driver,

wherein the pixel circuit comprises:

a light emitter configured to emit light, and comprising:

an emission driving transistor configured to output a driving current based on the data voltage;

a write transistor configured to apply the data voltage to the emission driving transistor in response to a write gate signal; and

a light-emitting element configured to emit light based on the driving current; and

a light sensor configured to sense the light of the light emitter, and comprising:

a sensing driving transistor comprising a first control electrode for receiving a reset voltage and a sensing voltage, and a second control electrode for receiving an adjustable photodiode voltage, and configured to generate a sensing current in response to the sensing voltage, the photodiode voltage being configured to be changed based on the sensing current;

a sensing initialization transistor configured to apply the reset voltage to the first control electrode of the sensing driving transistor in response to a photo initialization gate signal; and

a sensing output transistor configured to apply the sensing current to a sensing line in response to an output gate signal,

wherein the photodiode voltage is configured to be changed based on a sensing code corresponding to the sensing current.

16 . The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the photodiode voltage is configured to have a voltage level that is lower than a reference photodiode voltage when a number of the sensing code is lower than a number of an initial sensing code.

17 . The electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the reference photodiode voltage is configured to be set based on an initial threshold voltage of the sensing driving transistor and the initial sensing code.

18 . The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the sensing current is configured to be generated based on the sensing voltage and the photodiode voltage.

19 . The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the sensing initialization transistor comprises a control electrode for receiving the photo initialization gate signal, a first electrode for receiving the reset voltage, and a second electrode connected to a fifth node,

wherein the sensing driving transistor comprises the first control electrode connected to the fifth node, a first electrode for receiving a reference voltage, and a second electrode connected to a sixth node, and

wherein the sensing output transistor comprises a control electrode for receiving the write gate signal, a first electrode connected to the sixth node, and a second electrode connected to the sensing line.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 6, 2025
From: PARK, HYANG-A; PARK, JUNGWOO; HONG, SOO YEONG
To: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 070427/0613 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2024-0073178 · Jun 4, 2024 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250371903A1 · Dec 4, 2025
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