Background technology
At present, various forms of reflective electronic paper display development are very fast.Shown with the traditional liquid crystal of transmission-type
Device (LCD) etc. is compared, and electric paper display has good ambient light adaptability, suitable to read;The display back of the body of transmission-type
Radiant needs to pass through each structure sheaf of display screen, and transmitance is typically below 20%, and light source utilization ratio is low, electric paper display
Use environment light source or reflective lighting source, the utilization rate of light source are high;The image of electric paper display is maintained without power-up,
Display material has multistable performance;Therefore electric paper display is low in energy consumption, environmental protection, and the display such as traditional liquid crystal
Compared to very big advantage.
Current electric paper display technology is related to that field is very wide, including E-ink electronic ink technologies, Sipix
Micro- silicon cup technology, Japanese BridgeStone swift electron powder Flow Technique, etc..Especially univ cambridge uk is derived from me
State obtains electric paper display technology develop, based on smectic phase liquid crystal (Smectic Liquid Crystal)
(ZL200710175959.9).Compared with other electric paper display technologies:It does not need complicated special production technology, than passing
Double distortion type liquid crystal (DSTN) display technologies of system are also simple;By rationally controlling the voltage for being applied to conductive electrode layer big
Small, frequency or action time, the arrangement form for making liquid crystal molecule different with dye molecule presentation, you can realize macroscopically medium
Switching between transparent and coloured shading status, and with " multistable " characteristic for keeping current state, therefore, with very strong
Advantage.Figure 1A shows the arrangement of the smectic phase liquid crystal molecule frosted state under smectic phase multistable state liquid srystal lower frequency, figure
1B shows the arrangement of the smectic phase liquid crystal transparent state under smectic phase multistable state liquid srystal upper frequency.According to Figure 1A and Figure 1B,
Smectic phase liquid crystal material, as a kind of dimming medium, is the mixing of a certain proportion of smectic phase liquid crystal 31 and other additives 32
Thing.Rationally signal frequency, amplitude and the time of control conductive electrode layer 4, smectic phase liquid crystal molecule can be made to be changed into part torsion
Song, so as to produce different degrees of astigmatism, different intermediatenesses, display pattern are produced transparent between shading.
According to the development of current techniques, 30-200V, more than 1000Hz AC signal driving can be used, can be not
Into the time of 1 second, pixel materials are made to return to the state of all-transparent from opaque state;Use 30-200V, 50-
200Hz AC signal, action time, less than 1 second, makes pixel materials enter opaque state from the state of all-transparent.And
And according to specific material property, after the amplitude for driving AC signal is more than the threshold voltage of effect, voltage it is higher, it is necessary to
Umber of pulse it is fewer, the time of effect is shorter.
According to the characteristics of smectic phase liquid crystal electronic paper displayer material and technology, the mode of passive matrix can be used to constitute
Matrix display (ZL 200710304410.5).Fig. 2 shows the passive dot matrix of smectic phase multistable state liquid srystal.Such as Fig. 2, in glass
Process transparent conductive electrode, strip shaped electric poles 141 and the square crossing of strip shaped electric poles 151 on substrate, strip shaped electric poles it is vertical
Crosspoint 7 forms the pixel of display, and forms the MXN dot matrix of display.Fig. 3 shows smectic phase liquid crystal, passive 3x3
Dot matrix R ripples/D ripples driving example, according to Fig. 3, by applying corresponding drive in strip shaped electric poles layer 14 and strip shaped electric poles layer 15
Dynamic signal R ripples and D ripples, it is possible to achieve the turntable driving of display.
Fig. 4 shows R ripples/D ripples synthesis example of smectic phase liquid crystal, passive dot matrix driving.In order to not make non-driven row
(current state for referring to the pixel is identical with previous state, it is not necessary between different states with driving row inoperative pixel
Change) produce misoperation make meticulous arrangement it is necessary to R ripples and D ripples to driving.According to Fig. 4, first, R ripples are used as scanning
Ripple, only working line have corresponding driving R wave impulses, and the drive signal of other inoperative rows is zero;Secondly, for all D
Ripple, its amplitude is sufficiently low, so for all Non-scanning mode rows, and during D ripples are exported, Non-scanning mode row will not produce malfunction
Make;Finally, for the working pixel of scan line, it is desirable to the reverse-phase of R ripples and D ripples, so that on the electrode of pixel both sides
The signal more than material threshold voltage is obtained, pixel operation is driven, and for the inoperative pixel of scan line, R ripples and D ripples
Phase is identical, and the virtual voltage amplitude of such pixel electrode is less than the threshold voltage of material, and pixel does not change;By sweeping line by line
Retouch, the image of MxN dot matrix can be obtained.
Passive matrix display has the advantages that certain, but also has disadvantages that, is based on accordingly, it would be desirable to design one kind
Active matrix, low-tension supply driving, smectic phase liquid crystal electronic paper displayer, play smectic phase liquid crystal electronic paper displayer
While advantage, the shortcoming of existing implementation is overcome.
Embodiment
The preferred embodiment of the present invention is described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, shows that the present invention's is excellent in the accompanying drawings
Select embodiment.However, the present invention may be realized in various forms and should not be construed and be limited by embodiments set forth here.
On the contrary, thesing embodiments are provided so that the present invention is more thorough and complete, also, convey the scope of the invention to completely
Those skilled in the art.
Passive matrix display, which has, implements simple advantage, but shortcoming is also apparent from:First, sufficient row scan mode
Whole screen refresh time and the line number of scanning are directly proportional, and the row of display is more, and whole display refresh rate is slower.This is also nothing
Source row scans the general shortcoming of display.Therefore in terms of the driving of passive smectic phase multistable state liquid srystal screen, " smectic is had also been proposed
State night scene display screen column pulse dual-side driving method, application number:201010139674.1 ", its essence is by big display
It is divided into multiple small time domains independently to drive to reduce the refresh time entirely shielded.Secondly, for the electronics using smectic phase liquid crystal
For paper display, if the driving voltage of pixel is in more than 30V, passive display screen is accomplished by the D ripples using 30V amplitudes
(+/- 100V R ripples and +/- 50V D ripples has been used to drive in ZL200710304410.5 with the R ripples of 60V amplitudes
Dynamic threshold voltage is more than 50V pixel).The use of high-voltage signal is an extremely unsafe factor in the interface of display:Letter
Spacing very little between number line, only tens to hundreds of microns, easy short circuit causes damage to device;The amplitude of voltage pulse
It is also very dangerous for the personnel used more than the safe voltage (36V) of human body.In addition, using two independent signal sources
Synthesize the alternating current drive signal of single pixel, alternating driving signal be respectively using two independent signal sources a positive high voltage and
One secondary high pressure subtracts each other what is obtained, and alternating driving signal symmetry is bad, and the electrical property for being easily caused liquid crystal material is degenerated, so that
Influence the life-span of display.In last point, the row scanning process of passive matrix, although the inoperative of Non-scanning mode row and scan line
Pixel (refer to the new state of pixel is identical with laststate, without adjustment) is less than the situation of threshold voltage in drive signal amplitude
Under do not produce transparent or frosted conversion, compares figure 3 and Fig. 4, it is assumed that scanning behavior the first row, working pixel be T11 and
T13, during driving, still there are the work of D ripples driving voltage, T12 pixels two in the 2nd row and all pixel two ends of the third line
The signal at end is the difference of R ripples and D ripples, therefore the inoperative pixel of Non-scanning mode row and scan line still has dark current to pass through, except
Outside extra unnecessary power consumption, unnecessary heat can be also produced, making the drive characteristic of pixel materials becomes complicated, is driving
Need to consider the complicated factors such as temperature in journey, add the complexity (application for a patent for invention of control circuit:
201010104302.5)。
There is provided a kind of smectic phase liquid crystal multistable according to the driving feature of smectic phase multistable Electronic Paper liquid crystal by the present invention
The image element circuit of electric paper display, is controlled to cache a terminal voltage of electric capacity by active transistor, caches the other end of electric capacity
Fixed medium voltage is connect, so that obtain opposite polarity at caching electric capacity two ends, be zero, floating high-impedance state, it is corresponding, solid
The output end of state transformer obtains driving the output of high-voltage pulse, no-voltage and the high resistant of the symmetrical specific frequency of pixel, leads to
Cross and different source driving voltages, frequency are set, and keep medium voltage constant, it is possible to achieve the driving frosted of pixel and transparent
Control, while realizing inoperative pixel zero current.The invention can realize whole screen driving, realize that efficient screen display refreshes.Excellent
In the embodiment of choosing, low-voltage safety and green low-power consumption driving are also achieved, so as to lift the security performance of display, is shown
Performance, further reduces energy consumption, realizes more precise control.
Fig. 5 A give the active pixel of the smectic phase liquid crystal electronic paper displayer according to one embodiment of the present invention
Circuit diagram, Fig. 5 B are the active pixel device junction compositions of smectic phase liquid crystal electronic paper displayer.According to Fig. 5 A, MxN dot matrix
Liquid crystal, represents row using i, represents row using j, the circuit of the i-th j pixels includes:Transistor Tij, caching electric capacity Cij, solid-state
Step-up transformer PTijWith pixel CPij;Input signal includes:Gate control voltage VGi, source driving voltage VSjWith centre electricity
Press Vmidij;Wherein, i row transistors TijGrid and gate control voltage VGiIt is connected, j rowed transistors TijSource electrode and
Source driving voltage VSjIt is connected, caching electric capacity CijOne end and transistor TijDrain terminal and solid-state step-up transformer PTij
One input terminal of primary be connected, caching electric capacity CijThe other end and a medium voltage VmidijSignal and solid-state liter
Pressure transformer PTijAnother primary input terminal be connected, solid-state step-up transformer PTijSecondary high pressure output end and near
Crystalline state liquid crystal electronic paper displayer pixel CPijTwo pole plates be connected, wherein, M be liquid crystal line number, N be liquid crystal row
Number, i is the positive integer less than or equal to M, and j is the positive integer less than or equal to N.
Transistor TijIt is the device made using thin film transistor (TFT) (Thin Film Transistor-TFT) technique, and
The TFT preparation method of transistor of existing AMLCD is identical.
Cache electric capacity CijFrom the storage capacitance of preparation method, and AMLCD
(StorageCapacitor) preparation method is identical.Cache electric capacity CijSize and pixel CPijThe size of electric capacity and solid
State step-up transformer PTijIt is relevant, principle, caching electric capacity C are obtained according to charge conservationijSize be equal to pixel CPijCapacitance multiplies
Upper solid-state step-up transformer PTijStep-up ratio again divided by solid-state step-up transformer PTijEfficiency.
The intermediate voltage signal Vmid of i-th j pixelsijEqual to middle voltage VM id, VMid, which is fixed, is equal to source driving electricity
Voltage source VSjCeiling voltage VSmaxWith minimum voltage VSminHalf (the VS of summax+VSmin)/2。
Solid-state step-up transformer PTijIt can use and the compatible chemical gaseous phase of Active Matrix Display pixel processing method
Deposit the processing of the method such as (CVD) or the enhanced chemical vapor deposition of plasma (PCVD).Solid-state step-up transformer PTij's
Purposes is to caching electric capacity CijLow pressure alternating signal carry out voltage amplitude amplification, be amplified to liquid crystal pixel CPijThe electricity of work
Press scope.Traditionally, solid-state step-up transformer PTijStep-up ratio be to be designed according to the working frequency of alternating signal, that is, exist
There is the step-up ratio of maximum at the working frequency of design.The solid-state step-up transformer PT that the present invention is referred toijNeed under two frequencies
Work, can select a frequency usage prior art being located between the two frequencies to design solid-state step-up transformer PTij,
Fig. 6 shows some solid-state step-up transformer PT designedijThe relation of step-up ratio and signal frequency.Select smectic phase many
Two driving frequencies of stable liquid crystal, such as 50Hz (being used for sanding operation) and 2KHz (being used for transparent operation) intermediate frequency
Fo, with voltage step-up ratio r0, according to Fig. 6, it may be determined that step-up ratio of the solid-state transformer under 50Hz and 2KHz frequencies
R1 and r2.
For the solid-state step-up transformer PT designedij, measure solid-state step-up transformer PTijIn two working frequencies
Under step-up ratio r1 and r2, in response to step-up ratio r1 and r2 under two working frequencies difference be less than 5%, select phase
Same maximum source drive signal VSmaxWith minimum source driving letter VSmin;In response to the step-up ratio r1 under two working frequencies
It is more than 5% with r2 difference, subdivision source driving voltage is VSmax_lf、VSmax_hf、VSmin_1fAnd VSmin_hf, height is corresponded to respectively
Driving voltage under frequency hf signals and low frequency 1f, and (VSmax_lf+·VSmin_1f)/2=(VSmax_hf+
VSmin_hf)/2, that is to say, that meet middle voltage VM id under two driving frequencies equal.That is, when display frosted and
The step-up ratio difference of transparent two driving signal frequencies is when within 5%, source driving voltage VSjIt is three level drivers
Signal, is VS respectivelymax, VMid and VSmin;When the step-up ratio difference of display frosted and transparent two driving signal frequencies is big
When 5%, source driving voltage VSjIt is five level drive signals, is VS respectivelymax_hf、VSmax_lf、VMid、VSmin_hf
And VSmin_lf。
On active pixel dot matrix drive voltage signal VGiAnd VSjSelection, Fig. 7 shows smectic phase liquid crystal electron
The active pixel dot matrix gate control voltage VG of paper displayi, source driving voltage VSjWith caching electric capacity CijBoth end voltage Δ VCij
And liquid crystal pixel CPijTwo ends driving voltage Δ VCPijRelation.For the gate control voltage VG of the i-th rowi, drive liquid crystal
During pixel operation, gate control voltage VGiSignal is more than (VSmax+ Vth), transistor TijLeakage (Drain) source (Source)
Conducting, wherein Vth is active transistor TijThreshold voltage.Transistor TijLeakage (Drain) source (Source) conducting,
Driving voltage VSjThe caching electric capacity C of pixel will be passed toijElectrode and solid-state step-up transformer PTijInput, can
So that liquid crystal pixel CP can be obtained in the following wayijDrive voltage signal:If the corresponding source driving electricity of pixel ij
Press VSjIn active transistor TijIt is respectively VS during conductingmaxAnd VSmin, then electric capacity C is internally cachedijTwo ends can be with
Amplitude is obtained for (VSmax-VSminThe low pressure alternating voltage of)/2, by the solid-state step-up transformer PT of n times of voltage amplificationij, closely
The voltage at crystalline state liquid crystal multistable display picture element two ends is (VSmax-VSmin) * n/2 and-(VSmax-VSmin)*n/2。
In one embodiment, for example, can be by following side for below the 36V that realizes display screen low-voltage driving
Formula selection gate controls voltage VGi, source driving voltage VSjWith middle voltage VM id:For under display frosted and transparent frequency
Step-up ratio is 6 solid-state step-up transformer PTij, transistor TijVth be less than 1V, select 25V and 0V gate control electricity
Press VGi, select VSmaxEqual to 24V, VSminEqual to 0V, VMid=12V.Gate control voltage VG is selected as pixel ijiFor
When 25V, transistor TijConducting, caching electric capacity CijWith transistor TijThe connected terminal voltage of drain electrode drives equal to source
Voltage VSj, respectively 0V, 12V and 24V, caching electric capacity CijWith medium voltage VmidijA connected terminal voltage, which is fixed, to be equal to
12V, therefore, caching electric capacity CijVoltage can be -12V, 0V and 12V, corresponding, solid-state step-up transformer PTijIt is secondary
With liquid crystal pixel CPijThe voltage at two ends is -72V, 0V and 72V, control gate control voltage VGiOpen transistor TijFrequency
With source driving voltage VSjCorresponding level, it is possible to obtain driving liquid crystal pixel CPijFrosted or transparent driving letter
Number.As pixel ij gate control voltage VGiWhen for 0V, transistor TijCut-off, caching electric capacity CijAnd solid-state transformer
P TijPrimary adjustable electric pressure side is high-impedance state, solid-state transformer PTijSecondary and liquid crystal pixel CPijTwo ends are also high resistant
State, no electric current flows through liquid crystal pixel CPij。
Using the electric paper display of active pixel matrix, it can be worked by the way of progressive scan, it would however also be possible to employ
The mode that whole screen updates drives.It is corresponding, using under row scan mode, the gate control voltage VG of Non-scanning mode rowiFor 0V, liquid crystal
Pixel CPijTwo ends are high-impedance states, and no electric current flows through liquid crystal pixel CPij;The gate control voltage VG of scan line inoperative pixeli
For transistor TijEffective cut-in voltage, but source driving voltage VSjEqual to VMid, therefore liquid crystal pixel CPijTwo ends electricity
Press as 0V, also no electric current flows through liquid crystal pixel CPij.Two kinds of state of a controls do not change liquid crystal pixel CPijState, and
Harmful ohm heat is not produced really to realize low power consumption control.
Under the type of drive that whole screen updates, in order to realize frosted or transparent control that active matrix entirely shields, then need
Will in pixel control signal half period Multi-level microstep signal.As Fig. 8 shows having for smectic phase liquid crystal electronic paper displayer
The working method of source pixel dot matrix screen-refresh.Tdrv is the cycle of pixel frosted or transparent drive signal, such as, uses
50Hz signal driving pixel frosted, then Tdrv is equal to 20 milliseconds;Pixel frosted is driven using 2KHz signal, then Tdrv
Equal to 500 microseconds.According to the line number of electric paper display screen, Tdrv is segmented, for the display of M rows, the grid often gone
Control voltage VGiOpening time only account for Tdrv/2 1/M, i.e. Tdrv/2M.Respective pixel ij gate control voltages VGiOpen
The moment is opened, if pixel ij dispaly state needs to update, source driving voltage VS is setjRespectively VSmax、VSmin, it is right
Two half periods of drive signal are answered, if pixel ij dispaly state need not update, source driving voltage VS is setj
For VMid, so as to realize that all displays liquid crystal pixel updates the drive signal needed in Tdrv time interval.It is right
Answer Fig. 8 waveform, the pixel of the 1st row and j1 row can obtain the drive signal of respective frequencies, pixel produce frosted or
Transparent change;The pixel arranged for the 1st row and j2, the drive signal at pixel two ends is zero, and pixel keeps original state
It is constant;The pixel of 2nd row jth 1 and j2 row, the drive signal at pixel two ends is all zero, and pixel keeps original state not
Become.
Particular embodiments described above, has been carried out further in detail to the purpose of the present invention, technical scheme and beneficial effect
Describe in detail it is bright, should be understood that the foregoing is only the present invention specific embodiment, be not intended to limit the invention, it is all
Within the spirit and principles in the present invention, any modification, equivalent substitution and improvements done etc., should be included in the guarantor of the present invention
Within the scope of shield.