IP Library Granted Patent US 8,019,039
Granted Patent B1
US 8,019,039 · App. 12/836,577 · Granted Sep 13, 2011

Shift register circuit

Assignee: AU Optronics Corp.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,019,039
App. No.
12/836,577
Granted
Sep 13, 2011
Kind
B1
Abstract

A shift register includes plural shift register stages for providing plural gate signals to plural gate lines. Each shift register stage includes a pull-up unit, an input unit, an energy-store unit, a discharging unit and a pull-down unit. The pull-up unit pulls up a first gate signal according to a driving control voltage and a first clock. The input unit is utilized for inputting a second gate signal generated by a preceding shift register stage to become a driving control voltage which is stored in the energy-store unit. The discharging unit is utilized for performing an alternate pull-down operation on the driving control voltage according to a second clock and a third clock. The pull-down unit is utilized for performing an alternate pull-down operation on the first gate signal according to the second and third clocks.

Claims (164)

1. A shift register circuit for providing plural gate signals to plural gate lines, the shift register circuit comprising a plurality of shift register stages, an Nth shift register stage of the shift register stages comprising:

a pull-up unit, electrically connected to an Nth gate line of the gate lines, for pulling up an Nth gate signal of the gate signals according to a driving control voltage and a first clock;

an input unit for inputting an (N−1)th gate signal generated by an (N−1)th shift register stage of the shift register stages to become the driving control voltage, wherein the input unit comprises a transistor having a first end electrically connected to the (N−1)th shift register stage for receiving the (N−1)th gate signal, a gate end for receiving a fourth clock, and a second end electrically connected to the pull-up unit;

an energy-store unit, electrically connected to the pull-up unit and the second end of the transistor, for storing the driving control voltage;

a discharging unit, electrically connected to the energy-store unit, for performing an alternate pull-down operation on the driving control voltage according to a second clock and a third clock; and

a pull-down unit, electrically connected to the Nth gate line, for performing an alternate pull-down operation on the Nth gate signal according to the second clock and the third clock;

wherein a high-level pulse of the first clock, a high-level pulse of the second clock, a high-level pulse of the third clock and a high-level pulse of the fourth clock are not overlapped to each other.

2. The shift register circuit of claim 1 , wherein the energy-store unit comprises:

a capacitor electrically connected between the input unit and the Nth gate line.

3. The shift register circuit of claim 1 , wherein the pull-up unit comprises a transistor, the transistor comprising:

a first end for receiving the first clock;

a gate end, electrically connected to the input unit, for receiving the driving control voltage; and

a second end electrically connected to the Nth gate line;

wherein the transistor is an N-type thin film transistor or an N-type field effect transistor.

4. The shift register circuit of claim 1 ,

wherein the transistor is an N-type thin film transistor or an N-type field effect transistor.

5. The shift register circuit of claim 1 , wherein the input unit further comprises:

a capacitor electrically connected between the gate and second ends of the transistor.

6. The shift register circuit of claim 1 , wherein:

the discharging unit comprises:

a first transistor comprising:

a first end electrically connected to the energy-store unit;

a gate end for receiving the second clock; and

a second end for receiving a first low power voltage; and

a second transistor comprising:

a first end electrically connected to the first end of the first transistor;

a gate end for receiving the third clock; and

a second end for receiving the first low power voltage; and

the pull-down unit comprises:

a third transistor comprising:

a first end electrically connected to the Nth gate line;

a gate end for receiving the second clock; and

a second end for receiving a second low power voltage greater than the first low power voltage; and

a fourth transistor comprising:

a first end electrically connected to the first end of the third transistor;

a gate end for receiving the third clock; and

a second end for receiving the second low power voltage;

wherein the first transistor, the second transistor, the third transistor and the fourth transistor are N-type thin film transistors or N-type field effect transistors.

7. The shift register circuit of claim 1 , wherein:

the discharging unit comprises:

a first transistor comprising:

a first end electrically connected to the energy-store unit;

a gate end for receiving the second clock; and

a second end for receiving a low power voltage; and

a second transistor comprising:

a first end electrically connected to the first end of the first transistor;

a gate end for receiving the third clock; and

a second end for receiving the low power voltage; and

the pull-down unit comprises:

a third transistor comprising:

a first end electrically connected to the Nth gate line;

a gate end for receiving the second clock; and

a second end for receiving the low power voltage; and

a fourth transistor comprising:

a first end electrically connected to the first end of the third transistor;

a gate end for receiving the third clock; and

a second end for receiving the low power voltage;

wherein the first transistor, the second transistor, the third transistor and the fourth transistor are N-type thin film transistors or N-type field effect transistors.

8. A shift register circuit for providing plural gate signals to plural gate lines, the shift register circuit comprising a plurality of shift register stages, an Nth shift register stage of the shift register stages comprising:

a pull-down unit, electrically connected to an Nth gate line of the gate lines, for pulling down an Nth gate signal of the gate signals according to a driving control voltage and a first clock;

an input unit, for inputting an (N−1)th gate signal generated by an (N−1)th shift register stage of the shift register stages to become the driving control voltage, wherein the input unit comprises a transistor having a first end electrically connected to the (N−1)th shift register stage for receiving the (N−1)th gate signal, a gate end for receiving a fourth clock, and a second end electrically connected to the pull-down unit;

an energy-store unit, electrically connected to the pull-down unit and the second end of the transistor, for storing the driving control voltage;

a charging unit, electrically connected to the energy-store unit, for performing an alternate pull-up operation on the driving control voltage according to a second clock and a third clock; and

a pull-up unit, electrically connected to the Nth gate line, for performing an alternate pull-up operation on the Nth gate signal according to the second clock and the third clock;

wherein a low-level pulse of the first clock, a low-level pulse of the second clock, a low-level pulse of the third clock and a low-level pulse of the fourth clock are not overlapped to each other.

9. The shift register circuit of claim 8 , wherein the energy-store unit comprises:

a capacitor electrically connected between the input unit and the Nth gate line.

10. The shift register circuit of claim 8 , wherein the pull-down unit comprises a transistor, the transistor comprising:

a first end for receiving the first clock;

a gate end, electrically connected to the input unit, for receiving the driving control voltage; and

a second end electrically connected to the Nth gate line;

wherein the transistor is a P-type thin film transistor or a P-type field effect transistor.

11. The shift register circuit of claim 8 ,

wherein the transistor is a P-type thin film transistor or a P-type field effect transistor.

12. The shift register circuit of claim 8 , wherein the input unit further comprises:

a capacitor electrically connected between the gate and second ends of the transistor.

13. The shift register circuit of claim 8 , wherein:

the charging unit comprises:

a first transistor comprising:

a first end electrically connected to the energy-store unit;

a gate end for receiving the second clock; and

a second end for receiving a first high power voltage; and

a second transistor comprising:

a first end electrically connected to the first end of the first transistor;

a gate end for receiving the third clock; and

a second end for receiving the first high power voltage; and

the pull-up unit comprises:

a third transistor comprising:

a first end electrically connected to the Nth gate line;

a gate end for receiving the second clock; and

a second end for receiving a second high power voltage less than the first high power voltage; and

a fourth transistor comprising:

a first end electrically connected to the first end of the third transistor;

a gate end for receiving the third clock; and

a second end for receiving the second high power voltage;

wherein the first transistor, the second transistor, the third transistor and the fourth transistor are P-type thin film transistors or P-type field effect transistors.

14. The shift register circuit of claim 8 , wherein:

the charging unit comprises:

a first transistor comprising:

a first end electrically connected to the energy-store unit;

a gate end for receiving the second clock; and

a second end for receiving a high power voltage; and

a second transistor comprising:

a first end electrically connected to the first end of the first transistor;

a gate end for receiving the third clock; and

a second end for receiving the high power voltage; and

the pull-up unit comprises:

a third transistor comprising:

a first end electrically connected to the Nth gate line;

a gate end for receiving the second clock; and

a second end for receiving the high power voltage; and

a fourth transistor comprising:

a first end electrically connected to the first end of the third transistor;

a gate end for receiving the third clock; and

a second end for receiving the high power voltage;

wherein the first transistor, the second transistor, the third transistor and the fourth transistor are P-type thin film transistors or P-type field effect transistors.

15. A shift register circuit for providing plural gate signals to plural gate lines, the shift register circuit comprising a plurality of shift register stages, an Nth shift register stage of the shift register stages comprising:

a pull-up unit, electrically connected to an Nth gate line of the gate lines, for pulling up an Nth gate signal of the gate signals according to a driving control voltage and a first clock;

an input unit, electrically connected to the pull-up unit and an (N−1)th shift register stage of the shift register stages, for inputting an (N−1)th gate signal generated by the (N−1)th shift register stage to become the driving control voltage;

an energy-store unit, electrically connected to the pull-up unit and the input unit, for storing the driving control voltage;

a discharging unit for performing an alternate pull-down operation on the driving control voltage according to a second clock and a third clock, the discharging unit comprising:

a first transistor having:

a first end electrically connected to the energy-store unit;

a gate end for receiving the second clock; and

a second end for receiving a first low power voltage; and

a second transistor having:

a first end electrically connected to the first end of the first transistor;

a gate end for receiving the third clock; and

a second end for receiving the first low power voltage; and

a pull-down unit for performing an alternate pull-down operation on the Nth gate signal according to the second clock and the third clock, the pull-down unit comprising:

a third transistor having:

a first end electrically connected to the Nth gate line;

a gate end for receiving the second clock; and

a second end for receiving a second low power voltage greater than the first low power voltage; and

a fourth transistor having:

a first end electrically connected to the first end of the third transistor;

a gate end for receiving the third clock; and

a second end for receiving the second low power voltage;

wherein a pulse rising edge of the first clock, a pulse rising edge of the second clock and a pulse rising edge of the third clock are sequentially staggered.

16. The shift register circuit of claim 15 , wherein the first through fourth transistors are N-type thin film transistors or N-type field effect transistors.

17. A shift register circuit for providing plural gate signals to plural gate lines, the shift register circuit comprising a plurality of shift register stages, an Nth shift register stage of the shift register stages comprising:

a pull-down unit, electrically connected to an Nth gate line of the gate lines, for pulling down an Nth gate signal of the gate signals according to a driving control voltage and a first clock;

an input unit, electrically connected to the pull-down unit and an (N−1)th shift register stage of the shift register stages, for inputting an (N−1)th gate signal generated by the (N−1)th shift register stage to become the driving control voltage;

an energy-store unit, electrically connected to the pull-down unit and the input unit, for storing the driving control voltage;

a charging unit for performing an alternate pull-up operation on the driving control voltage according to a second clock and a third clock, the charging unit comprising:

a first transistor having:

a first end electrically connected to the energy-store unit;

a gate end for receiving the second clock; and

a second end for receiving a first high power voltage; and

a second transistor having:

a first end electrically connected to the first end of the first transistor;

a gate end for receiving the third clock; and

a second end for receiving the first high power voltage; and

a pull-up unit for performing an alternate pull-up operation on the Nth gate signal according to the second clock and the third clock, the pull-up unit comprising:

a third transistor comprising:

a first end electrically connected to the Nth gate line;

a gate end for receiving the second clock; and

a second end for receiving a second high power voltage less than the first high power voltage; and

a fourth transistor comprising:

a first end electrically connected to the first end of the third transistor;

a gate end for receiving the third clock; and

a second end for receiving the second high power voltage;

wherein a pulse falling edge of the first clock, a pulse falling edge of the second clock and a pulse falling edge of the third clock are sequentially staggered.

18. The shift register circuit of claim 15 , wherein the first through fourth transistors are P-type thin film transistors or P-type field effect transistors.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2023
From: AUO CORPORATION
To: OPTRONIC SCIENCES LLC
Reel/Frame 064658/0572 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded May 25, 2023
From: AU OPTRONICS CORPORATION
To: AUO CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 063785/0830 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 15, 2010
From: TSAI, TSUNG-TING
To: AU OPTRONICS CORP.
Reel/Frame 024687/0568 →
Priority Claims (1)
TW 99114766 A · May 10, 2010 · national