KR100933444B1 - Liquid crystal display device and driving method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device and a driving method thereof in which various timing option pins around a timing controller are removed and the timing can be controlled by software in a system. It is characterized in that it further comprises a mux unit for directly receiving the output information related to the timing control signal from the system in the timing controller for applying the control signal to the liquid crystal panel, the driving method of the liquid crystal display device is the image information transmitted from the system and various timing A liquid crystal display further comprising a mux unit for directly receiving control information related to timing control signals from a system inside a timing controller for applying a control signal to the liquid crystal panel, wherein the timing control signal related outputs are output through a system internal display setting menu. Changing the information as it is characterized.

Description

Liquid crystal display device and method for driving the same

1 is a block diagram schematically showing the internal structure of a general liquid crystal module

FIG. 2A is a schematic diagram illustrating a method of driving a liquid crystal display device consisting of only an option pin and control of a system; FIG.

2B is a schematic diagram illustrating a method of driving a conventional liquid crystal display device further including a memory unit on a PCB;

3 is a schematic view showing a driving method of a liquid crystal display according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

4 is a schematic view illustrating a driving method of a liquid crystal display according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a block diagram illustrating an internal structure of the mux part of FIGS. 3 and 4.

* Description of symbols on the main parts of the drawings *

30: PCB 31: system

32: timing controller 33: memory

34: mux part 40: PCB

42: timing controller 44: memory section                 

45: musbu

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device, and more particularly, to a liquid crystal display device and a driving method thereof in which various timing option pins around a timing controller are removed and timing can be controlled in software in a system.

As the information society develops, the demand for display devices is increasing in various forms, and in recent years, liquid crystal display devices (LCDs), plasma display panels (PDPs), electro luminescent displays (ELD), and vacuum fluorescent (VFD) Various flat panel display devices such as displays have been studied, and some of them are already used as display devices in various devices.

Among them, LCD is the most widely used as the substitute for CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) for mobile image display device because of its excellent image quality, light weight, thinness, and low power consumption. In addition to the use of the present invention has been developed in various ways such as a television and a computer monitor for receiving and displaying broadcast signals.

In order to use such a liquid crystal display as a general screen display device in various parts, it is a matter of how high quality images such as high definition, high brightness and large area can be realized while maintaining the characteristics of light weight, thinness and low power consumption. Can be.

A general liquid crystal display device may be largely divided into a liquid crystal panel displaying an image and a driving unit for applying a driving signal to the liquid crystal panel, wherein the liquid crystal panel includes first and second glass substrates bonded to each other with a predetermined space; It consists of a liquid crystal layer injected between the said 1st, 2nd glass substrate.

Here, the first glass substrate (TFT array substrate) has a plurality of gate lines arranged in one direction at regular intervals, a plurality of data lines arranged at regular intervals in a direction perpendicular to the gate lines, A plurality of pixel electrodes formed in a matrix form in each pixel region defined by crossing a gate line and a data line, and a plurality of thin film transistors switched by signals of the gate line to transfer the signal of the data line to each pixel electrode. Is formed.

In the second glass substrate (color filter array substrate), a light shielding layer for blocking light in portions other than the pixel region, an R, G, and B color filter layer for expressing color colors are common to implement an image. An electrode is formed.

The driving principle of the general liquid crystal display device uses the optical anisotropy and polarization property of the liquid crystal. Since the liquid crystal is thin and long in structure, the liquid crystal has directivity in the arrangement of molecules, and the direction of the arrangement of molecules can be controlled by artificially applying an electric field to the liquid crystal.

Therefore, if the molecular arrangement direction of the liquid crystal is arbitrarily adjusted, the molecular arrangement of the liquid crystal is changed, and light can be bent in the molecular arrangement direction of the liquid crystal by optical anisotropy to express image information.

Currently, an active matrix LCD, in which a thin film transistor and pixel electrodes connected to the thin film transistor are arranged in a matrix manner, is attracting the most attention due to its excellent resolution and ability to implement video.

Hereinafter, a module inside and a driving method of a conventional liquid crystal display will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a block diagram schematically illustrating an internal structure of a general liquid crystal module.

As shown in FIG. 1, a general liquid crystal module includes a liquid crystal panel 1 having a thin film transistor array including a gate line and a data line, a gate driver 8 for driving the gate line, and a data line. The source driver 9, a timing controller 3 that receives a signal from the system (or host) 10, and outputs an internal timing signal, and applies a signal from the system 10 and the timing controller 3. A DC / DC converter 4 for receiving the required voltage and outputting the required voltage, and a common voltage signal applied from the DC / DC converter 4 and the timing controller 3 to apply the common voltage signal to the liquid crystal panel 1. The voltage generator 6 receives a gate voltage signal from the DC / DC converter 4 and applies a gate voltage signal to the gate driver 8, and a voltage from the DC / DC converter 4. Is received is formed it to a gamma reference voltage unit (5) for applying a predetermined conversion to the source driver (9).

The timing controller 3 processes the image data of the system 10 to fit the panel and generates various control signals.                         

The main role of the timing controller is to receive an RGB signal from the system 10, distribute the data into data that can be processed by each source driver 9, control the gate driver 8, and the source driver 9. The basic timing of the timing controller 3 is set in accordance with the timing of the gate driver 8.

Inside the timing controller 3, several blocks are basically formed.

Typically, there is a polarity bit generation block, a gate / data clock divider block, a data processing block, and the like, and a timing simulation is performed to verify the entire function.

In addition, the timing controller 3 may include a power on reset (Power_On_Reset) function, an abnormality detection function of the DC / DC converter 4, an abnormality detection function of an input signal, and an interface with the system 10. It may be formed with a receiver circuit.

In the liquid crystal panel 1, thin film transistors are formed in each pixel, a gate electrode of the thin film transistor is connected to a gate line as a scan line, and a source electrode of the thin film transistor is connected to a data line as a signal line.

When the ON signal Vg_on is applied to the scan line, a channel is formed in the thin film transistor connected to the gate line, and the voltage of the signal line is applied to the pixel electrode via the source electrode and the drain electrode.

The resolution of the liquid crystal panel 1 is determined according to the number of gate lines and data lines.

The gate driver 8 driving the gate line has a relatively simple structure because only the ON / OFF signal is sequentially applied to the gate line.

That is, the gate driver 8 adjusts the output logic level of the bi-direction shift register and the shift register, which sequentially move the data (start pulse) value having a logic input of "1" by one line time interval. A single or multiple gate driver IC is composed of a level shifter that converts the gate line to an ON / OFF voltage and a current buffer that amplifies the current in consideration of the load of the gate line.

The adjacent gate driver IC sequentially transfers logic values to the final stage in synchronization with a clock signal through the SIR-SIL and SOL-SOR connections according to the condition of the L / R terminal that determines the shift direction. The liquid crystal panel 1 is usually provided with three to six gate drivers.

The source driver 9 latches data of each RGB sequentially received in accordance with the dot clock by the timing controller 3 to set the timing scheme of the Dot at a Time Scanning line at a Time Scanning method. Change to Every horizontal line period, the data stored in the first latch is transferred to the second latch in accordance with a transfer enable signal. The data stored in the second latch is transferred in accordance with the transfer enable signal. The data stored in the second latch is converted into an analog voltage by the A / D converter, and is then applied to the data line via a current buffer.

The image quality of the liquid crystal panel 1 depends particularly on the setting of the gamma reference voltage. The gamma reference voltage is determined in consideration of the electro-optical characteristics of the liquid crystal panel.                         

The DC / DC converter 4 and the gamma voltage unit 5 provide reference voltages for driving the gate driver 8 and the source driver 9. The DC / DC converter 4 often uses a single chip.

FIG. 2A is a schematic diagram illustrating a method of driving a liquid crystal display device including only option pins and control of a system, and FIG. 2B is a schematic diagram illustrating a method of driving a conventional liquid crystal display device having a memory unit on a PCB. .

As shown in FIG. 2A, a conventional method of driving a liquid crystal display device applies an image signal and various timing control signals from the system 21 to the timing controller 22 so that the timing controller 22 fits each block. By processing and changing and outputting timing related control signals.

At this time, the timing controller is formed on the PCB (Printed Circuit Board) 20, the option pin (PCB) on the PCB 20 is connected to the timing controller to control the timing signal of the initial state to meet each specification option pin (24). The number of the option pins 24 may vary according to each specification, and additionally, when various timing signals are initially required.

Each of the option pins 24 is connected to a high level and a low level power supply voltage corresponding to the output of the timing controller 22 and has a resistance on a wire connected to the power supply voltage. In general, for high level, it is connected to Vcc (3.3V), and for low level, it is connected to Vss (0V).

On the other hand, the option pin 24 acts as a resistor and acts as a power consuming element on the substrate.

In the case of FIG. 2B, the conventional liquid crystal display device further includes a memory unit 23 on the PCB 20 and connects it to the system 21 to separately set timing input / output related information in the system 21. If it is.

By varying the input / output related information stored in the memory unit 23 according to each specification of the liquid crystal display device, the memory unit 23 is connected to the system to adjust the timing control signal output to the system 21. have.

However, the conventional liquid crystal display device as described above has the following problems.

Since the option pin to apply the timing-related signal is mounted on the PCB, once the option pin is formed, it is impossible to change it, and the option pin is additionally occupied on the PCB, thus reducing the PCB utilization area. As a result, parasitic capacitance with other wirings is generated, resulting in a problem of signal distortion.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and provides a liquid crystal display device and a driving method thereof in which various timing option pins around a timing controller are removed and timing can be controlled in software by a system. There is a purpose.

In order to achieve the above object, the liquid crystal display of the present invention includes a mux unit that directly receives timing control signal related output information from a system inside a timing controller that applies image information and various timing control signals transmitted from a system to a liquid crystal panel. Its features are further provided.

Preferably, the timing control signal related output information from the system is stored in the memory unit.

The memory unit may be embedded in a timing controller or formed on a PCB outside the timing controller.

In the initial state, the MUX unit extracts an output value through output information stored in a memory unit. After initial driving, the MUX unit receives a timing control signal from a system and selectively applies a high level signal and a low level signal to the timing controller. Do.

In addition, the driving method of the liquid crystal display device of the present invention for achieving the above object is to output the timing control signal related output information from the system inside the timing controller for applying the image information transmitted from the system and various timing control signals to the liquid crystal panel. A liquid crystal display further comprising a mux unit directly applied to the liquid crystal display, wherein the timing control signal related output information is changed through a system internal display setting menu.

Hereinafter, a liquid crystal display and a driving method thereof according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

3 is a diagram schematically illustrating a driving method of a liquid crystal display according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 3, the driving method of the liquid crystal display according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a mux unit 34 in the timing controller 32.

That is, the MUX unit 34 of the timing controller 32 receives the timing related control signal from the system 31, converts the timing related signal to each block of the liquid crystal module, and in the initial state, the timing controller 32. Information about the initial state is read from the memory 33 formed on the PCB 30 outside the 32, and the timing related signals are converted and applied to each block of the liquid crystal module that requires the initial value.

The memory unit 33 is connected to the system 31 to transmit timing related information of an initial state, and after driving, a signal is normally applied from the system 31 to the mux unit 34 of the timing controller 32. Be sure to

4 is a diagram schematically illustrating a driving method of a liquid crystal display according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 4, the driving method of the liquid crystal display according to the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a memory unit 44 inside the timing controller 42.

The mux unit 45 provided in the timing controller 42 receives a timing-related control signal from the system 31, converts the timing-related signal to each block of the liquid crystal module, and applies the timing controller 42 to an initial state. Information about the initial state is read from the memory unit 44 formed in a built-in type, and a timing related signal is converted and applied to each block of the liquid crystal module requiring the initial value.

The memory unit 44 is connected to the system 31 to transmit timing related information of an initial state, and after driving, a signal is normally applied from the system 31 to the mux unit 45 of the timing controller 42. Be sure to

As described above, the second embodiment is the same as the first embodiment in terms of its configuration and function, except that the memory unit 44 is formed in the timing controller 44 in a built-in manner.

5 is a block diagram illustrating an internal structure of the mux part of FIGS. 3 and 4.

As shown in FIG. 5, the muxes 34 and 45 configured in FIGS. 3 and 4 draw an output value through output information stored in the memory units 33 and 44 in an initial state, and after the initial driving, the system A timing control signal is applied from (31), and a high level signal and a low level signal are selectively applied to the timing controllers 32 and 42.

The control signals applied from the system 31 in the muxes 34 and 45 include, for example, a scan signal applied to a gate driver, an image signal applied to a source driver, and the like. The number may vary according to the resolution of the display device and the block configuration in the liquid crystal module, and each output terminal has an initial value controlled by a value set in the memory unit.

That is, according to the driving method of the liquid crystal display of the present invention, the initial driving of the system 31 is driven in accordance with the timing related information set in the memory units 33 and 44 formed in the interior or exterior of the timing controller 42 in advance. However, by controlling the predetermined output value of the muxes 34 and 45 by receiving a control signal from the system 31, high or low level information of various options can be obtained.

The liquid crystal display and the method of driving the liquid crystal display of the present invention as described above have the following effects.

By having a memory unit that stores information on timing-related initial state as an external or built-in timing controller, the initial value can be output to a desired state, which can be managed in the display menu of the system. Since it is possible to omit the wiring problem, the information on the initial state stored in the memory unit can be changed, and the initial state can be arbitrarily adjusted.

Claims (6)

A timing controller which has a function of applying image information and various timing control signals transmitted from the system to the liquid crystal panel and directly receives output information related to timing control signals from the system; And It comprises a memory unit for storing the output information related to the timing control signal of the initial state from the system, The MUX unit, in the initial state withdraws the output value through the output information related to the timing control signal of the initial state stored in the memory unit, And after the first driving, directly outputs timing information related to timing control signal from the system, and outputs the output value of the timing controller according to the selectively applied high level or low level signal. delete The method of claim 1, And the memory unit is embedded in a timing controller. The method of claim 1, And the memory unit is formed on a PCB outside the timing controller. delete A timing controller having a mux unit for directly applying image information and various timing control signals transmitted from a system to a liquid crystal panel and directly receiving output information related to timing control signals from the system, and a timing control signal of an initial state from the system. In the driving method of the liquid crystal display device comprising a memory unit for storing the associated output information, Change output information related to the timing control signal through a display setting menu inside the system; The MUX unit, in the initial state, withdraws the output value through the output information related to the timing control signal of the initial state stored in the memory unit, After the initial driving, the output information related to the timing control signal is directly received from the system, and outputs the output value of the timing controller according to the selectively applied high level or low level signal. Driving method.

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