KR101888439B1 - Display device and method for driving the same - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a display device capable of reducing power consumption and a driving method thereof, and more particularly, to a display panel including a plurality of unit pixels composed of red pixels, green pixels, dark blue pixels and light blue pixels. And three-color unit image data composed of red image data, green image data, and blue image data from outside, and the three-color unit image data is divided into red image data, green image data, dark blue image data, and sky blue image data Color image data and the image modulating unit for modulating the sizes of the dark blue image data and the sky blue image data included in the four-color unit image data; An n-th unit pixel (n is a natural number greater than 1) and an (n-1) th unit pixel adjacent to each other in the horizontal direction share the dark blue pixel; An nth unit pixel and an (n + 1) th unit pixel located adjacent to each other in the horizontal direction share the light blue pixel; The image modulator generates average dark blue image data having an average value between the dark blue image data to be supplied to the nth unit pixel and the dark blue image data to be supplied to the (n-1) th unit pixel, And generates an average sky blue image data having an average value between sky blue image data to be supplied and sky blue image data to be supplied to the (n + 1) th unit pixel.

Description

DISPLAY APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DRIVING THE SAME

The present invention relates to a display device, and more particularly, to a display device capable of reducing power consumption and a driving method thereof.

A typical display device has pixels of three different colors as one unit pixel. That is, the red pixel, the green pixel, and the blue pixel form one unit pixel. Meanwhile, in order to increase the brightness of the display device, four color pixels including red, green, and blue pixels and white pixels may be used as one unit pixel.

The power consumption of the display device for driving the pixels increases as the number of pixels increases as the screen of the display device becomes larger. In the past, there has been no method for reducing the power consumption.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been conceived in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an image display device and a display device which are capable of forming a unit pixel by adding a blue pixel having superior luminance efficiency to other colors, There is provided a display apparatus and a driving method thereof that can reduce power consumption by relatively reducing the number of pixels.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a display device including: a display panel including a plurality of unit pixels including red pixels, green pixels, dark blue pixels, and light blue pixels; And three-color unit image data composed of red image data, green image data, and blue image data from outside, and the three-color unit image data is divided into red image data, green image data, dark blue image data, and sky blue image data Color image data and the image modulating unit for modulating the sizes of the dark blue image data and the sky blue image data included in the four-color unit image data; An n-th unit pixel (n is a natural number greater than 1) and an (n-1) th unit pixel adjacent to each other in the horizontal direction share the dark blue pixel; An nth unit pixel and an (n + 1) th unit pixel located adjacent to each other in the horizontal direction share the light blue pixel; The image modulator generates average dark blue image data having an average value between the dark blue image data to be supplied to the nth unit pixel and the dark blue image data to be supplied to the (n-1) th unit pixel, And generates an average sky blue image data having an average value between sky blue image data to be supplied and sky blue image data to be supplied to the (n + 1) th unit pixel.

In the unit pixel, the dark blue pixel and the light blue pixel are located at both side edges of the unit pixel, and the red pixel and the green pixel are located between the dark blue pixel and the light blue pixel.

A red pixel in one unit pixel and a red pixel in another unit pixel adjacent to the unit pixel in a horizontal direction are facing each other in a diagonal direction; A green pixel in one unit pixel and a green pixel in another unit pixel adjacent to the unit pixel in a horizontal direction are facing each other in a diagonal direction; The dark blue pixels in one unit pixel and the dark blue pixels in the other unit pixel positioned in the vertical direction adjacent to the unit pixel face each other in a diagonal direction; A blue pixel in one unit pixel and a blue pixel in another unit pixel located in a direction perpendicular to the unit pixel face each other in a diagonal direction.

Wherein the image modulator comprises: a line memory for receiving and storing three-color unit image data of one horizontal line corresponding to unit pixels arranged along one horizontal line of the display panel from the outside; A gamma conversion unit for performing gamma conversion on red image data, green image data, and blue image data included in each of the three-color unit image data from the line memory; A color conversion unit for converting the color space coordinates of the red image data, the green image data, and the blue image data included in each of the three-color unit image data from the gamma conversion unit to convert each of the three-color unit image data into four- part; Color image data in a four-color unit image data to be supplied to the n-th unit pixel and a four-color unit image data to be supplied to the (n-1) Color image data in the 4-color unit image data to be supplied to the n-th unit pixel and the 4-color unit image to be supplied to the (n + 1) -th unit pixel, Th unit pixel and the (n-1) -th unit pixel share the average dark blue image data, and the n-th unit pixel and the n + 1-th unit pixel share the average dark blue image data, Color image data so that the first unit pixel shares the average sky blue image data Four-color data modulator; And modulated image data of a horizontal line from the 4-color data modulator, and performs inverse gamma conversion of the red image data, the green image data, the dark blue image data, and the sky blue image data included in the modulated image data And an inverse gamma conversion unit.

The 4-color data modulator further generates average dummy image data to be supplied to the dark blue pixel or the light blue pixel in the unit pixel located at the outermost unit pixel among the unit pixels of the horizontal line.

The 4-color data modulator generates the average dummy image data by averaging between the dark-blue image data in the 4-color unit image data to be supplied to the outermost unit pixel and the predetermined dummy image data.

The 4-color data modulator generates the average dummy image data by averaging the sky blue image data in the 4-color unit image data to be supplied to the outermost unit pixel and the preset dummy image data.

And the dummy image data has a value corresponding to the brightest gray level and a value corresponding to the darkest gray level.

And the 4-color data modulator further performs a sharpness operation of adding predetermined weights to each of the average dark blue image data and the average sky blue image data.

Green pixels, dark blue pixels and light blue pixels are all the same in area.

The areas of the red pixel and the green pixel are the same; The areas of the dark blue pixel and the light blue pixel are the same; The area of the dark blue pixel is larger than the area of the red pixel.

The red pixel, the green pixel, the dark blue pixel, and the light blue pixel all include light emitting diodes; The areas of the red pixel, the green pixel, the dark blue pixel, and the light blue pixel are all the same; The driving current supplied to each of the light emitting diodes of the dark blue pixel and the light blue pixel is larger than the driving current supplied to each of the red pixel and the green pixel.

The image modulator supplies three-color unit image data corresponding to each of the kth, k + 1th, and k + 2th unit pixels adjacent to each other among unit pixels arranged along one horizontal line of the display panel from the outside A first block memory for storing and storing; A second block for receiving and storing three-color unit image data corresponding to k + 2, k + 3, and k + 4th unit pixels adjacent to each other among the unit pixels arranged along the horizontal line, Memory; A gamma conversion unit for gamma-converting red image data, green image data, and blue image data included in each of the three-color unit image data from any one of the first and second block memories; A color conversion unit for converting the color space coordinates of the red image data, the green image data, and the blue image data included in each of the three-color unit image data from the gamma conversion unit to convert each of the three-color unit image data into four- part; Color image data in the 4-color unit image data to be supplied to the (n-1) th unit pixel and the dark-blue image data in the 4-color unit image data to be supplied to the Color image data in the 4-color unit image data to be supplied to the (n + 1) -th unit pixel and the sky blue image data in the 4-color unit image data to be supplied to the Th unit pixel and the (n-1) th unit pixel share the average dark blue image data, and the n-th unit pixel and the (n + 1) Color image data to modulate each of the four-color unit image data so as to share the average sky blue image data Section; And an inverse gamma conversion unit that receives the modulated image data from the four-color data modulator and performs inverse gamma conversion of the red image data, the green image data, the dark blue image data, and the sky blue image data included in the modulated image data, And the like.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of driving a display device including a display panel including a plurality of unit pixels including a red pixel, a green pixel, a dark blue pixel, and a sky blue pixel, Th unit pixel and the (n-1) th unit pixel sharing the dark blue pixel and the (n + 1) th unit pixel positioned adjacent to each other in the horizontal direction, A method of driving a display device having a pixel structure sharing a pixel, the method comprising: receiving three-color unit image data composed of red image data, green image data, and blue image data from outside, , Green image data, dark blue image data, and sky blue image data into four-color unit image data, 4 including A modulating the size of the dark blue image data and blue image data contained in the color unit image data; Wherein the step A generates average dark blue image data having an average value between the dark blue image data to be supplied to the nth unit pixel and the dark blue image data to be supplied to the (n-1) th unit pixel, And generates an average sky blue image data having an average value between sky blue image data to be supplied and sky blue image data to be supplied to the (n + 1) th unit pixel.

The step A includes storing three-color unit image data of one horizontal line corresponding to the unit pixels arranged along one horizontal line of the display panel. In step A-1, A-2 step of performing gamma conversion on the red image data, the green image data, and the blue image data included in the image data, respectively; The color space coordinates of the red image data, the green image data, and the blue image data included in each of the three-color unit image data from the step A-2 are converted to convert the color space coordinates of each of the three-color unit image data into A Step 3; A fourth color unit image data to be supplied to the n-th unit pixel, and a fourth color unit image data to be supplied to the (n-1) Color image data in the four-color unit image data to be supplied to the n-th unit pixel and the four-color unit data to be supplied to the (n + 1) -th unit pixel, Th unit pixel and the n-th unit pixel share the average dark blue image data, and the n-th unit pixel and the n-th unit pixel share the average dark blue image data, A-4 for modulating each of the four-color unit image data so that the +1 th unit pixel shares the average sky blue image data System; And A (4) for receiving the modulated image data of the horizontal line from the step A-4 and for inverse gamma converting the red image data, the green image data, the dark blue image data and the sky blue image data included in the modulated image data -5 step.

The step A-4 further generates average dummy image data to be supplied to the dark blue pixel or the light blue pixel in the outermost unit pixel among the unit pixels of the horizontal line.

In the step A-4, the average dummy image data is generated by averaging between the dark-blue image data in the four-color unit image data to be supplied to the outermost unit pixel and the predetermined dummy image data.

In the step A-4, the average dummy image data is generated by averaging the sky blue image data in the four-color unit image data to be supplied to the outermost unit pixel and the preset dummy image data.

The display device and the driving method thereof according to the present invention have the following effects.

First, in the present invention, an image having almost the same luminance as that of the conventional art can be realized even at a relatively low power using a sky blue pixel having excellent luminance efficiency.

Second, in the present invention, since the color is converted by using both the dark blue image data and the sky blue image data, when using only one of the two color image data, the rendering cracking that may occur at the boundary between unit pixels can be minimized.

Thirdly, according to the present invention, although a sky blue pixel is further added, since the adjacent two unit pixels share the blue pixel and the dark blue pixel (visual rendering), ppi (pixel per inch) does not increase and resolution .

Fourth, in the present invention, predetermined weight values are added to the average dark blue image data and the average sky blue image data through the sharpness algorithm, so that when a unit image size difference between two neighboring unit pixels is large, It is possible to prevent a blur phenomenon.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 shows a display device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig.
2 is a view showing a pixel structure formed in a part of the display panel of Fig.
3 is a diagram for explaining a method of generating average dummy image data of unit pixels located at the outermost perimeter.
4 is a detailed block diagram of the video modulator of FIG.
5 is a diagram illustrating a process of processing image data by the image modulator of FIG.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a case where all the unit pixels of FIG. 1 display unit images of gradation corresponding to white. FIG.
7 is a diagram showing the gradation of each unit pixel for displaying violet on the display panel of the present invention.
8 is another detailed block diagram of the video modulator of FIG.
9 is a view for explaining the effect of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a view showing a display device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a view showing a pixel structure formed in a part of the display panel of FIG.

1, a display device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a display panel DSP, a system SYS, a timing controller TC, a data driver DD, a gate driver GD, (IMB).

The display panel DSP includes a plurality of pixels, a plurality of gate lines GL1 to GLi for transmitting a plurality of gate signals for sequentially driving the pixels on a horizontal line basis, And a plurality of data lines (DL1 to DLj) for transmitting data lines DL1 to DLj.

These pixels are arranged in a matrix form on the display panel DSP. These pixels include a red pixel R for displaying red, a green pixel G for displaying green, a dark blue pixel DB for displaying deep blue and a sky blue pixel SB for displaying sky blue, Respectively. Here, the red pixel R, the green pixel G, the dark blue pixel DB, and the sky blue pixel SB adjacent to each other constitute a unit pixel UPX for displaying one unit image.

Two unit pixels UPX adjacent in the horizontal direction share the dark blue pixel DB or the light blue pixel SB. That is, the reference unit pixel UPX (hereinafter referred to as a reference unit pixel UPX) and the unit pixel UPX located on the left side of the reference unit pixel UPX (Hereinafter referred to as a left unit pixel UPX) share a light blue pixel SB and are connected to the reference unit pixel UPX and a unit pixel UPX Right unit pixel UPX) share the dark blue pixel DB. When the reference unit pixel UPX and the left unit pixel UPX share the dark blue pixel DB, the reference unit pixel UPX and the right unit pixel UPX are connected to each other, Share. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, an n-th unit pixel UPX and an (n-1) th unit pixel UPX adjacent to each other in a horizontal direction are arranged in a light blue pixel SB, And the nth unit pixel UPX and the (n + 1) th unit pixel UPX, which are adjacent to each other in the horizontal direction, share the dark blue pixels DB.

On the other hand, each unit pixel UPX independently includes the red pixel R and the green pixel G without sharing.

Four pixels in one unit pixel UPX are arranged in a quad shape. 2, the dark blue pixel DB and the sky blue pixel SB are located at both side edges of the unit pixel UPX in one unit pixel UPX, and the red pixels R and The green pixel G is located between the dark blue pixel DB and the sky blue pixel SB. A red pixel R in one unit pixel UPX and a red pixel R in another unit pixel UPX adjacent to the unit pixel UPX in a horizontal direction are opposed to each other in a diagonal direction . Likewise, the green pixel G in one unit pixel UPX and the green pixel G in the other unit pixel UPX adjacent to the unit pixel UPX in the horizontal direction are opposed to each other in the diagonal direction . Accordingly, the red and green pixels R and G in the unit pixels UPX arranged along one horizontal line are opposed to each other in the diagonal direction with the light blue pixel SB (or the dark blue pixel DB) see.

The dark blue pixel DB in one unit pixel UPX and the dark blue pixel DB in the other unit pixel UPX positioned vertically adjacent to the unit pixel UPX face each other in a diagonal direction . Similarly, the light blue pixel SB in one unit pixel UPX and the light blue pixel SB in the other unit pixel UPX positioned vertically adjacent to the unit pixel UPX face each other in a diagonal direction .

In addition, the red pixel R, the green pixel G, the dark blue pixel DB, and the sky blue pixel SB in each unit pixel UPX may all have the same area.

In addition, a plurality of unit pixels UPX located on the same horizontal line are commonly connected to one gate line. That is, the red pixel R, the green pixel G, the dark blue pixel DB, and the light blue pixel SB in each unit pixel UPX located on the same horizontal line are commonly connected to one gate line. The red pixel R, green pixel G, dark blue pixel DB and light blue pixel SB in each unit pixel UPX are independently connected to different data lines.

A red pixel R, a green pixel G, a dark blue pixel DB and a sky blue pixel SB of the display panel DSP may be a light emitting diode . On the other hand, a liquid crystal display device, a plasma display device, or the like can be used as the display device of the present invention.

The system SYS outputs a vertical synchronizing signal, a horizontal synchronizing signal, a clock signal, and three-color unit image data Data_3c through an interface circuit via a low voltage differential signaling (LVDS) transmitter of a graphic controller. The vertical / horizontal synchronizing signal and the clock signal output from the system SYS are supplied to the timing controller TC. In addition, the three-color unit image data (Data_3c) sequentially output from the system SYS is modulated through the image modulator (IMB) and supplied to the timing controller (TC).

The timing controller TC generates a data control signal DSC and a gate control signal GSC using a horizontal synchronizing signal, a vertical synchronizing signal and a clock signal input to the timing controller TC and supplies them to the data driver DD and the gate driver GD ). The timing controller TC receives the modulated image data from the image modulator IMB and rearranges the modulated image data to supply the modulated image data to the data driver DD.

The data driver DD samples the modulated image data Mdata_revg in accordance with the data control signal from the timing controller TC and then outputs the modulated image data Mdata_revg to a horizontal line for every horizontal period (1H, 2H, ...) Latches the corresponding sampled modulation image data and supplies the latched modulated image data to the data lines DL1 to DLj. That is, the data driver DD converts the modulated image data from the timing controller TC into analog modulated image data using the gamma voltage input from the power supply unit, and supplies the modulated image data to the data lines DL1 to DLj.

The gate driver GD outputs gate signals in accordance with a control signal from the timing controller TC. At this time, the gate driver GD sequentially outputs i gate signals from the first gate signal to the i < th > gate signal every frame, and sequentially supplies the i gate signals to the i gate lines GL1 through GLi.

The image modulator IMB receives the three-color unit image data Data_3c from the system SYS. The three-color unit image data (Data_3c) is composed of red image data, green image data, and blue image data. The video modulation unit (IMB) converts the three-color unit video data (Data_3c) into four-color unit video data. The four-color unit image data is composed of red image data, green image data, dark blue image data, and sky blue image data. The image modulator (IMB) modulates the sizes of the deep blue image data and the sky blue image data included in the four-color unit image data. Specifically, the image modulator IMB generates average dark blue image data having an average value between the dark blue image data to be supplied to the nth unit pixel UPX and the dark blue image data to be supplied to the (n-1) th unit pixel UPX And generates an average sky blue image data having an average value between sky blue image data to be supplied to the nth unit pixel UPX and sky blue image data to be supplied to the (n + 1) th unit pixel UPX.

The image modulator IMB converts the average dummy image data to be supplied to the dark blue pixel DB or the light blue pixel SB in the unit pixel UPX located at the outermost unit pixel UPX of one horizontal line . This will be described in detail as follows.

3 is a diagram for explaining a method of generating average dummy image data of the unit pixel UPX located at the outermost unit.

3, since the unit pixels UPX located at the outermost of each horizontal line have no unit pixels UPX on the left or right side thereof, the image modulating unit IMB includes units located at the outermost unit pixels UPX, For the pixels UPX, the average dark blue image data or the average sky blue image data is calculated using the dummy image data. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the first unit pixel UPX1 is located at the leftmost side of the first horizontal line HL1, and the first unit pixel UPX1 is located at the leftmost pixel of the first unit pixel UPX1. The average image data to be supplied is set to an average value between the dark blue image data to be supplied to the dark blue pixel DB and the preset dummy image data DdL. This average value is the average dummy image data to be supplied to the dark blue pixel DB in the first unit pixel UPX1. The unit pixel UPXe is located on the rightmost side of the first horizontal line HL1 and the average image data to be supplied to the light blue pixel SB in the unit pixel UPXe is the light blue pixel SB) and the preset dummy image data DdR. This average value is the average dummy image data to be supplied to the light blue pixel SB in the e unit pixel UPXe. Likewise, the light blue pixel SB in the first unit pixel UPX1 located at the leftmost side of the i th horizontal line HLi and the dark blue pixel DB in the eighth unit pixel UPXe located at the rightmost side are also the same as the above The average dummy image data is supplied. On the other hand, the dummy image data DdL and DdR in FIG. 3 are not supplied to a separate pixel. That is, the block in which the dummy image data DdL and DdR in FIG. 3 are located is a virtual block to help understand the method of calculating the average dummy image data. In the actual display device, No block is formed.

The dummy image data DdL and DdR may have a value corresponding to the lightest gradation (white gradation) or a value corresponding to the darkest gradation (black gradation).

For the above-described operation, the image modulator (IMB) may have the following configuration.

FIG. 4 is a detailed block diagram of the image modulator (IMB) of FIG. 1, and FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a process of processing image data by the image modulator (IMB) of FIG.

4, the image modulation section IMB includes a line memory 401, a gamma conversion section 402, a color conversion section 403, a four-color data modulation section 404, and an inverse gamma conversion section 405).

The line memory 401 receives and stores the three-color unit image data Data_3c of one horizontal line corresponding to the unit pixels UPX arranged along one horizontal line of the display panel DSP from the system SYS . That is, the line memory 401 stores three-color unit image data (Data_3c) corresponding to one horizontal line. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the three-color unit image data (Data_3c) for one horizontal line includes first three-color unit image data to third three-color unit image data (3cd1 to 3cd3) . The first three-color unit image data 3cd1 is composed of the first red image data Rd1, the first green image data Gd1 and the first blue image data Bd1, The third color image data 3cd2 is composed of the second red image data Rd2, the second green image data Gd2 and the second blue image data Bd2, and the third three- The third green video data Gd3, and the third blue video data Bd3.

The gamma conversion unit 402 reads all three-color unit image data (Data_3c) stored in the line memory 401 and performs gamma conversion on them. That is, the gamma conversion unit 402 performs gamma conversion on the red image data, the green image data, and the blue image data included in each of the three-color unit image data Data_3c. This gamma conversion is intended to prevent color drift in the subsequent color conversion process.

The color conversion unit 403 receives three-color unit image data (Data_3c) of a horizontal line subjected to gamma conversion from the gamma conversion unit 402. [ Then, the color space coordinates of the red image data, the green image data, and the blue image data included in each of the three-color unit image data (Data_3c) are converted to convert each three-color unit image data into four-color unit image data. That is, the color conversion unit 403 converts the entire gradation and hue of the three-color unit image data (Data_3c) into four-color unit image data so as not to be changed from the original value by using the color coordinates and the transformation matrix algorithm. At this time, the red image data of the three-color unit image data (Data_3c) and the corresponding red color image data of the four-color unit image data may have different gradations, and the green image data of the three-color unit image data (Data_3c) Green image data of the corresponding four-color unit image data may have different gradations. 5, the four-color unit image data for one horizontal line are divided into first four-color unit image data to third four-color unit image data 4cd1 to 4cd3 . The first four-color unit image data 4cd1 includes the first dark blue image data DBd1, the first red image data Rd1 ', the first green image data Gd1', and the first sky blue image data SBd1 And the second four-color unit image data 4cd2 includes the second sky blue image data SBd2, the second green image data Gd2 ', the second red image data Rd2' and the second dark blue image data The third red image data Rd3 ', the third green image data Gd3', and the third green image data Gd2 ', and the third four-color unit image data 4cd3 is composed of the third deep-blue image data DBd3, the third red image data Rd3' And sky blue video data SBd3.

The four-color data modulating unit 404 receives the four-color unit image data of one horizontal line from the color converting unit 403. An average dark blue image having an average value between the dark blue image data in the four-color unit image data to be supplied to the n-th unit pixel UPX and the dark blue image data in the four-color unit image data to be supplied to the (n-1) And the average value of the sky blue image data in the four-color unit image data to be supplied to the n-th unit pixel UPX and the sky blue image data in the four-color unit image data to be supplied to the (n + 1) Thereby generating an average sky blue image data having At this time, the four-color data modulator 404 uses the dummy image data DdL and DdR to generate the dark blue pixel DB or the light blue pixel BL in the unit pixel UPX located at the outermost unit pixel UPX of one horizontal line, And further generates average dummy image data to be supplied to the pixel SB. The n-th unit pixel UPX and the (n-1) th unit pixel UPX share the average dark blue image data and the n-th unit pixel UPX and the (n + And modulates each of the four-color unit image data so as to share data.

For example, as shown in Fig. 5, the four-color data modulating section 404 converts the second sky blue image data SBd2 in the second four-color unit image data 4cd2 and the first two- The first average sky color image data SBda1 having an average value between the first sky blue image data SBd1 in the image data 4cd1 and the second average dark blue image data SBda1 in the second four color unit image data 4cd2, Dark blue image data DBda2 having an average value between the first dark-blue image data DBd2 and the third dark-color image data DBd3 in the third four-color unit image data 4cd3. The four-color data modulating section 404 converts the first average dummy dark blue image data having an average value between the first dark-and-dark image data DBd1 and the dummy image data DdL in the first four-color unit image data 4cd1, And generates an e-average dummy sky blue image data SBdae having an average value between the p-th dark blue image data and the dummy image data DdR in the e-th four-color unit image data.

Thus, the four-color data modulating section 404 outputs the modulated image data MData corresponding to one horizontal line. The modulated image data MData includes a plurality of red image data Rd1 ', Rd2', Rd3 ', ..., a plurality of green image data Gd1', Gd2 ', Gd3' A plurality of average blue-dark image data (DBda1, DBda2, ...) including the average dummy dark blue image data, and a plurality of average sky blue image data SBda1, SBda2, ..., SBdae including the average dummy sky blue image data do. The red image data Rd1 ', Rd2', Rd3 ', ... included in the modulated image data MData and the green image data Gd1', Gd2 ', Gd3' Gd2 ', Gd3',...) Provided from the unit 403 and the red image data (Rd1 ', Rd2', Rd3 ', ...) and the green image data Gd1', Gd2 ', Gd3',.

The four-color data modulator 404 receives the four-color unit image data of one horizontal line from the color conversion unit 403 and receives the blue color image data of the four-color unit image data to be supplied to the n- Unit pixel UPX to be supplied to the n-th unit pixel UPX and the average blue pixel data having an average value between the blue pixel data in the 4-color unit image data to be supplied to the (n-1) The average dark blue image data having an average value between the dark blue image data in the data and the dark blue image data in the four-color unit image data to be supplied to the (n + 1) th unit pixel UPX may be generated. The n-th unit pixel UPX and the (n-1) th unit pixel UPX share an average blue color image data, and the n-th unit pixel UPX and the (n + It is also possible to modulate each of the four-color unit image data so as to share data.

The inverse gamma converter 405 receives the modulated image data Mdata from the four-color data modulator 404 and generates a plurality of red image data Rd1 ', Rd2', and Rd3 'included in the modulated image data MData, A plurality of average dark blue image data DBda1, DBda2, ..., Rd3 'including a plurality of green image data Gd1', Gd2 ', Gd3',. ), And degenerates a plurality of average sky blue image data SBda1, SBda2, ..., SBdae including the average dummy sky blue image data.

The modulated image data (Mdata_revg) output from the inverse gamma conversion unit 405 and output from the inverse gamma conversion unit 405 is supplied to the data driver DD via the timing controller TC.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a case where all the unit pixels UPX of FIG. 1 display a unit image of a gray level corresponding to white.

In order for one unit pixel UPX to display white when the image data is 8 bits, the red image data supplied to the red pixel R is supplied to 255 gray scales and the green image data supplied to the green pixel G is supplied to the 222- The dark blue image data supplied to the dark blue pixel DB should be set to 183 gray scales and the sky blue image data supplied to the sky blue pixels SB should be set to 255 gray scales. However, since the unit pixels UPX adjacent to each other share the dark blue pixel DB and the light blue pixel SB in the present invention, the image data supplied to the dark blue pixel DB and the light blue pixel SB are divided into two neighboring unit pixels Is set to the average of the gray level values required in each of the UPXs. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, in order that both the n-th unit pixel UPXn and the (n-1) -th unit pixel UPXn-1 display white, the two unit pixels UPXn and UPXn- The average sky blue image data of 255 tones should be supplied to the light blue pixel SB shared by the light blue pixels SB. That is, in order to display white, the sky blue pixel SB of the n-th unit pixel UPXn requires sky blue image data of 255 gray scales, and in order to display white, The light blue pixel SB also requires sky blue image data of 255 gray scales. If the sum of the gray scales of the two sky blue image data (510 = 255 + 255) is divided by 2, the average value becomes 255. This 255 value is the gray value of the average sky blue image data to be supplied to the light blue pixel SB shared by the n-th unit pixel UPXn and the (n-1) th unit pixel UPXn-1. Similarly, in order to display white, the dark blue pixel DB of the n-th unit pixel UPXn requires 183-gradation dark blue image data and the n + 1-th unit pixel UPXn + 1 (366 = 183 + 183), which is the sum of the grayscales of the two dark blue image data, divided by two, the average value is 183. The value of 183 becomes the tone value of the average dark blue image data to be supplied to the dark blue pixel DB shared by the n-th unit pixel UPXn and the (n + 1) th unit pixel UPXn + 1.

As another example not shown, the sky blue pixel SB of the n-th unit pixel UPXn needs blue color image data of 220 gray scales to display the first specific color, and to display the second specific color Assuming that the light blue pixel SB of the (n-1) th unit pixel UPXn-1 requires blue color image data of 160 gray levels, the sum of the gray levels of the two blue color image data (380 = 220 + 160) 2, the average value is 190. At this time, the value of 190 is a tone value of the average sky blue image data to be supplied to the sky blue pixel SB shared by the n-th unit pixel UPXn and the (n-1) th unit pixel UPXn-1.

On the other hand, the gradation of the average image data to be supplied to the dark blue pixel DB or the light blue pixel SB in the unit pixel UPX located at the outermost of one horizontal line is calculated by the dummy image data. For example, when the n-1th unit pixel UPXn-1 in FIG. 6 is the leftmost unit pixel, the dark blue pixel DB in the (n-1) th unit pixel UPXn- (183 = 183 + 0), which is the sum of the 183-gradation dark blue image data and the 0-gradation (black gradation) image data, divided by 2, the average value is 91 . The value of 91 is the tone value of the average dummy dark blue image data to be supplied to the dark blue pixel DB of the n-th unit pixel UPXn. Similarly, in order to display white when the (n + 3) th unit pixel UPXn + 3 in Fig. 6 is the rightmost unit pixel, the light blue pixel SB in the (n + (255 = 255 + 0) obtained by summing up the 255 gray-scale sky blue image data and the 0 gray-scale (black gradation) dummy image data is divided by 2, the average value is 127 . This 127 value becomes the tone value of the average dummy sky blue image data to be supplied to the sky blue pixel SB of the (n + 3) th unit pixel UPXn + 3. On the other hand, the above-described average value is a value obtained by taking Gauss.

7 is a diagram showing the gradation of each unit pixel UPX for displaying purple on the display panel DSP of the present invention.

7, in order to display a purple color on the entire screen of the display panel DSP, red image data of 255 gradations must be supplied to the red pixel R in each unit pixel UPX, Green gray image data of 255 gray scales and green gray image data of 0 gray scales should be supplied to the green pixel G and the sky blue pixel SB, respectively. Meanwhile, in the present invention, since the adjacent unit pixels UPX share the dark blue pixel DB, when comparing the conventional display device having the blue pixel corresponding to the dark blue pixel DB with the display device of the present invention, The display device has a number of dark blue pixels (DB) which is 1/2 times smaller than that of the conventional display device. Accordingly, when the light blue pixels SB are all displayed in black as shown in FIG. 7, such a purple color may not be displayed correctly on the display screen.

In the present invention, therefore, it is proposed to set the area of the dark blue pixel DB to be larger than the area of the other pixels as shown in Fig. For example, the area of the dark blue pixel DB among the dark blue pixel DB, the red pixel R, the green pixel G and the light blue pixel SB included in each unit pixel UPX is maximized The luminance of the dark blue pixel DB is relatively increased as compared with the pixels of the other colors, so that the problem of the number of the dark blue pixels DB can be canceled. At this time, the areas of the remaining red pixels R and green pixels G are set to be equal to each other, and the area of the sky blue pixel SB can be set larger than that of the red pixel R and smaller than that of the dark blue pixel DB.

On the other hand, it is also possible to set the area of the sky blue pixel SB to be equal to the area of the dark blue pixel DB described above for the accurate representation of the purple color described above. That is, the area of the red pixel R and the area of the green pixel G are set to be the same, the areas of the dark blue pixel DB and the light blue pixel SB are set to be equal to each other, It is also possible to set each area of the red pixel SB to be larger than the area of the red pixel R. [

On the other hand, in order to accurately express the purple color described above, the areas of the red pixel R, the green pixel G, the dark blue pixel DB, and the light blue pixel SB are all formed to be the same, DB and the light blue pixels SB may be set larger than the driving current supplied to the light emitting diodes of the red pixel R and the green pixel G . This method is also applicable to a liquid crystal display device. However, at this time, the magnitude of the pixel voltage, not the drive current, will change.

In order to change the magnitude of the driving current (or pixel voltage), the magnitudes of the dark blue image data and the sky blue image data supplied to the dark blue pixel DB and the sky blue pixel SB are referred to as the red pixel R and the green pixel G, And the green image data and the green image data. That is, if the red pixel R, the green pixel G, the dark blue pixel DB, and the light blue pixel SB included in one unit pixel UPX all require image data of the same gray level, The gradation of the dark blue image data supplied to the image DB can be set higher than the gradation of the image data required by the pixels of the other colors.

As another example, if the red pixel R, the green pixel G, the dark blue pixel DB, and the light blue pixel SB included in one unit pixel UPX all require image data of the same gradation The gradation of the sky blue image data supplied to the light blue pixel SB can be set higher than the gradation of the image data required for the other color pixels.

As another example, if the red pixel R, the green pixel G, the dark blue pixel DB, and the light blue pixel SB included in one unit pixel UPX all require image data of the same gradation It is possible to set the respective gradations of the deep blue image data supplied to the dark blue pixel DB and the sky blue image data supplied to the light blue pixel SB higher than the gradation of the image data required for the pixels of the other colors.

The gradation modulation process for the dark blue image data and / or the sky blue image data may be performed in the color conversion unit 403. That is, the color conversion unit 403 converts the color space coordinates of the red image data, the green image data, and the blue image data included in each of the three-color unit image data (Data_3c) Data can be further converted to data, and when the above-described conditions are satisfied, it is possible to further modulate the gradation of at least one of the dark-blue image data and the sky blue image data in each of the four-color unit image data.

In addition, the image modulator (IMB) of the present invention may further perform a sharpness operation of adding predetermined weights to the average dark blue image data and the average sky blue image data. That is, since adjacent unit pixels UPX share the average dark blue image data through the four-color data modulating unit 404 in the image modulating unit IMB, when the unit image size difference between the two unit pixels UPX is large The contrast of the boundary between the two unit images may not become clear and blurring may occur. The four-color data modulating unit 404 may be configured such that the four-color unit image data between two neighboring unit pixels UPX Average dark blue image data or average sky blue image data to be supplied to pixels (dark blue pixel DB or light blue pixel SB) located between the two neighboring unit pixels UPX ) Is added to the value of " 0 " This weight can be set within a range of 5% to 30% of the average image data (average dark blue image data or average sky blue image data) according to the magnitude of the gradation of the four-color unit image data of the neighboring two unit pixels UPX have. That is, the larger the sum of the four-color unit image data of the neighboring two unit pixels UPX, the larger the weighting ratio. Alternatively, the weight may be a sum of four color unit image data of two neighboring unit pixels UPX.

In the meantime, the image modulator (IMB) of the present invention may include two block memories having smaller capacity than one line memory 401. This will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

8 is another detailed block diagram of the image modulator (IMB) of FIG.

8, the image modulator IMB includes a first block memory 801a, a second block memory 801b, a gamma converter 802, a color converter 803, a four-color data modulation (804) and an inverse gamma conversion unit (805).

The first block memory 801a includes a kth unit pixel, a k + 1th unit pixel, and a (k + 2) th unit pixel adjacent to each other among unit pixels UPX arranged along one horizontal line of the display panel DSP Color unit video data (Data_3c) corresponding to the three-color unit video data from the system SYS and stores them.

The second block memory 801b includes 3 (k + 2) -th unit pixels, k + 3-th unit pixels and k + 4-th unit pixels corresponding to the adjacent unit pixel And receives the color unit video data (Data_3c) from the system SYS and stores them. (K + 2) -th unit pixel data corresponding to the (k + 2) -th unit pixel, among the three three-color unit image data Data_3c stored in the first block memory 801a Image data) is also redundantly stored in the second block memory 801b. At this time, the (k + 2) th unit video data is stored in the second block memory 801b in the earliest order. Then, the first block memory 801a stores the three-color unit image data Data_3c corresponding to the (k + 4) th unit pixel, the (k + 5) th unit pixel and the (k + 6) th unit pixel. Similarly, among the three three-color unit image data Data_3c stored in the second block memory 801b, unit image data (image data corresponding to k + 4th unit pixel / k + 4th unit Image data) is also redundantly stored in the first block memory 801a. At this time, the (k + 4) th unit video data is stored in the first block memory 801a in the earliest order.

The gamma conversion unit 402 converts red image data, green image data, and blue image data included in each of the three-color unit image data Data_3c from any one of the first and second block memories 801a and 801b into gamma Conversion. Since the operation of the gamma converter 802 is substantially the same as that of the gamma converter 402 of FIG. 4 described above, the description of the gamma converter 802 of FIG. 8 is replaced with the foregoing description. In particular, the gamma conversion unit 802 in FIG. 8 alternately reads the first block memory and the second block memory.

The color conversion unit 803 converts the color space coordinates of the red image data, green image data, and blue image data included in each of the three-color unit image data (Data_3c) from the gamma conversion unit 802, And converts the data into four-color unit image data. Since the operation of the color conversion unit 803 is substantially the same as that of the color conversion unit 403 of FIG. 4 described above, the description of the color conversion unit 803 of FIG. 8 is replaced with the description above.

The 4-color data modulator 804 receives the 4-color unit image data from the color converter 803, and supplies the 4-color unit image data in the 4-color unit image data to be supplied to the (n-1) Color image data in the 4-color unit image data to be supplied to the n-th unit pixel and the blue-color image data in the 4-color unit image data to be supplied to the (n + And generates average sky blue image data having an average value of sky blue image data in the four-color unit image data to be processed. The 4-color data modulator 804 then converts the average blue color image data so that the n-th unit pixel and the (n-1) -th unit pixel share the average dark blue image data, And modulates each of the four-color unit video data so as to be shared. The operation of the four-color data modulating section 804 is substantially the same as that of the four-color data modulating section 404 of FIG. 4 described above. Therefore, the description of the four-color data modulating section 408 of FIG. .

The inverse gamma converter 805 receives the modulated image data Mdata from the four-color data modulator 804 and outputs the red image data, the green image data, the average dummy dark blue color Average dark blue image data including image data, and average sky blue image data including average dummy sky blue image data. Since the operation of the inverse gamma converter 805 is substantially the same as that of the inverse gamma converter 405 of FIG. 4 described above, the description of the inverse gamma converter 805 of FIG. 8 is replaced with the description above .

9 is a diagram for explaining the effect of the present invention.

FIG. 9A is a view showing two images displayed on a display panel (DSP) of a conventional display device, FIG. 9B is a view showing two images displayed on a display panel (DSP) FIG. As shown in Figs. 9A and 9B, it can be seen that there is almost no difference between the image in the display device of the present invention using the sky blue pixel SB and the image in the conventional display device. As described above, in the present invention, an image having almost the same brightness as the conventional one can be realized even with relatively low power using a sky blue pixel SB having excellent luminance efficiency.

In addition, the color conversion unit 403 in the present invention converts color using both the dark blue image data and the sky blue image data, so that when using only one of the two color image data, The cracking phenomenon can be minimized.

In the present invention, a sky blue pixel SB is further added. However, since two adjacent unit pixels UPX share the sky blue pixel SB and the dark blue pixel DB (visual rendering), ppi the pixel per inch does not increase and the resolution does not decrease.

In addition, since a predetermined weight is added to each of the average dark blue image data and the average sky blue image data through the sharpness algorithm, when a unit image size difference between two neighboring unit pixels UPX is large, It is possible to prevent a blur phenomenon.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. Will be clear to those who have knowledge of.

IMB: Video modulation part SYS: System
GD: Gate driver DD: Data driver
TC: Timing controller DSP: Display panel
DL #: 1st data line GL #: 1st gate line

Claims (18)

A display panel including a plurality of unit pixels constituted by red pixels, green pixels, dark blue pixels and light blue pixels; And
Color image data composed of red image data, green image data, and blue image data is supplied from the outside, and the three-color unit image data is divided into four color image data composed of red image data, green image data, Unit image data, and modulates the size of the dark blue image data and the sky blue image data included in the four-color unit image data;
An n-th unit pixel (n is a natural number greater than 1) and an (n-1) th unit pixel adjacent to each other in the horizontal direction share the dark blue pixel;
An nth unit pixel and an (n + 1) th unit pixel located adjacent to each other in the horizontal direction share the light blue pixel;
The image modulator generates average dark blue image data having an average value between the dark blue image data to be supplied to the nth unit pixel and the dark blue image data to be supplied to the (n-1) th unit pixel, The average sky blue image data having an average value between sky blue image data to be supplied and sky blue image data to be supplied to the (n + 1) th unit pixel. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the dark blue pixel and the light blue pixel are located at both side edges of the unit pixel in one unit pixel and the red pixel and the green pixel are located between the dark blue pixel and the light blue pixel. 3. The method of claim 2,
A red pixel in one unit pixel and a red pixel in another unit pixel adjacent to the unit pixel in a horizontal direction are facing each other in a diagonal direction;
A green pixel in one unit pixel and a green pixel in another unit pixel adjacent to the unit pixel in a horizontal direction are facing each other in a diagonal direction;
The dark blue pixels in one unit pixel and the dark blue pixels in the other unit pixel positioned in the vertical direction adjacent to the unit pixel face each other in a diagonal direction; And,
Wherein the light blue pixels in one unit pixel and the light blue pixels in the other unit pixel vertically adjacent to the unit pixel face each other in a diagonal direction. The method of claim 3,
Wherein the image modulator comprises:
A line memory for receiving and storing three-color unit image data of one horizontal line corresponding to unit pixels arranged along one horizontal line of the display panel;
A gamma conversion unit for performing gamma conversion on red image data, green image data, and blue image data included in each of the three-color unit image data from the line memory;
A color conversion unit for converting the color space coordinates of the red image data, the green image data, and the blue image data included in each of the three-color unit image data from the gamma conversion unit to convert each of the three-color unit image data into four- part;
Color image data in a four-color unit image data to be supplied to the n-th unit pixel and a four-color unit image data to be supplied to the (n-1) Color image data in the 4-color unit image data to be supplied to the n-th unit pixel and the 4-color unit image to be supplied to the (n + 1) -th unit pixel, Th unit pixel and the (n-1) -th unit pixel share the average dark blue image data, and the n-th unit pixel and the n + 1-th unit pixel share the average dark blue image data, Color image data so that the first unit pixel shares the average sky blue image data Four-color data modulator; And
Color image data supplied from the 4-color data modulator and receiving the modulated image data of the horizontal line, and performing inverse gamma conversion of the red image data, the green image data, the dark blue image data, and the sky blue image data included in the modulated image data, And a conversion unit. 5. The method of claim 4,
Wherein the four-color data modulator further generates average dummy image data to be supplied to the dark blue pixel or the light blue pixel in the unit pixel located at the outermost one of the unit pixels of the horizontal line. 6. The method of claim 5,
Wherein the 4-color data modulator generates the average dummy image data by averaging between the dark-blue image data in the 4-color unit image data to be supplied to the outermost unit pixel and the preset dummy image data. 6. The method of claim 5,
Wherein the four-color data modulator generates the average dummy image data by averaging between the sky blue image data in the four-color unit image data to be supplied to the outermost unit pixel and the predetermined dummy image data. 8. The method according to any one of claims 6 and 7,
Wherein the dummy image data has a value corresponding to the brightest gray level and a value corresponding to the darkest gray level. 5. The method of claim 4,
Wherein the 4-color data modulator further performs a sharpness operation of adding a predetermined weight to each of the average dark blue image data and the average sky blue color image data. The method according to claim 1,
A red pixel, a green pixel, a dark blue pixel, and a light blue pixel. The method according to claim 1,
The areas of the red pixel and the green pixel are the same;
The areas of the dark blue pixel and the light blue pixel are the same; And,
And the area of the dark blue pixel is larger than the area of the red pixel. The method according to claim 1,
The red pixel, the green pixel, the dark blue pixel, and the light blue pixel all include light emitting diodes;
The areas of the red pixel, the green pixel, the dark blue pixel, and the light blue pixel are all the same; And,
Wherein a drive current supplied to each of the light emitting diodes of the dark blue pixel and the light blue pixel is larger than a drive current supplied to each light emitting diode of the red pixel and the green pixel. The method of claim 3,
Wherein the image modulator comprises:
A first unit for receiving and storing three-color unit image data corresponding to each of kth, k + 1th, and k + 2th unit pixels adjacent to each other among unit pixels arranged along one horizontal line of the display panel, Block memory;
A second block for receiving and storing three-color unit image data corresponding to k + 2, k + 3, and k + 4th unit pixels adjacent to each other among the unit pixels arranged along the horizontal line, Memory;
A gamma conversion unit for gamma-converting red image data, green image data, and blue image data included in each of the three-color unit image data from any one of the first and second block memories;
A color conversion unit for converting the color space coordinates of the red image data, the green image data, and the blue image data included in each of the three-color unit image data from the gamma conversion unit to convert each of the three-color unit image data into four- part;
Color image data in the 4-color unit image data to be supplied to the (n-1) th unit pixel and the dark-blue image data in the 4-color unit image data to be supplied to the Color image data in the 4-color unit image data to be supplied to the (n + 1) -th unit pixel and the sky blue image data in the 4-color unit image data to be supplied to the Th unit pixel and the (n-1) th unit pixel share the average dark blue image data, and the n-th unit pixel and the (n + 1) Color image data to modulate each of the four-color unit image data so as to share the average sky blue image data Section; And
And an inverse gamma conversion unit for receiving the modulated image data from the 4-color data modulation unit and inverse gamma converting the red image data, the green image data, the dark blue image data, and the sky blue image data included in the modulated image data / RTI > (N is a natural number greater than 1) unit pixel positioned adjacent to each other in the horizontal direction and a (n-1) -th unit pixel arranged in the horizontal direction and including a plurality of unit pixels composed of red pixels, green pixels, A method of driving a display device having a pixel structure in which unit pixels share the dark blue pixel, and an nth unit pixel and an (n + 1) th unit pixel located adjacent to each other in the horizontal direction share the light blue pixel,
Color image data composed of red image data, green image data, and blue image data is supplied from the outside, and the three-color unit image data is divided into four color image data composed of red image data, green image data, Unit image data; and modulating magnitudes of the dark blue image data and the sky blue image data included in the four-color unit image data;
Wherein the step A generates average dark blue image data having an average value between the dark blue image data to be supplied to the nth unit pixel and the dark blue image data to be supplied to the (n-1) th unit pixel, And the average sky blue image data having an average value between sky blue image data to be supplied and sky blue image data to be supplied to the (n + 1) th unit pixel. 15. The method of claim 14,
In the step A,
A-1 step of storing three-color unit image data of one horizontal line corresponding to unit pixels arranged along one horizontal line of the display panel;
A-2 step of gamma-converting red image data, green image data, and blue image data included in each of the three-color unit image data from step A-1;
The color space coordinates of the red image data, the green image data, and the blue image data included in each of the three-color unit image data from the step A-2 are converted to convert the color space coordinates of each of the three-color unit image data into A Step 3;
A fourth color unit image data to be supplied to the n-th unit pixel, and a fourth color unit image data to be supplied to the (n-1) Color image data in the four-color unit image data to be supplied to the n-th unit pixel and the four-color unit data to be supplied to the (n + 1) -th unit pixel, Th unit pixel and the n-th unit pixel share the average dark blue image data, and the n-th unit pixel and the n-th unit pixel share the average dark blue image data, A-4 for modulating each of the four-color unit image data so that the +1 th unit pixel shares the average sky blue image data System; And
A-5, which receives the modulated image data of the horizontal line from step A-4 and performs inverse gamma conversion on the red image data, the green image data, the dark blue image data and the sky blue image data included in the modulated image data, And a driving method of the display device. 16. The method of claim 15,
In the step A-4, the average dummy image data to be supplied to the dark blue pixel or the light blue pixel in the outermost unit pixel among the unit pixels of the horizontal line is further generated. 17. The method of claim 16,
In the step A-4, the average dummy image data is generated by averaging between the dark-blue image data in the four-color unit image data to be supplied to the outermost unit pixel and the predetermined dummy image data. 17. The method of claim 16,
In the step A-4, the average dummy image data is generated by averaging between the sky blue image data in the four-color unit image data to be supplied to the outermost unit pixel and the predetermined dummy image data.

Images