KR20070005850A - Liquid crystal display and the method of driving the same - Google Patents

Abstract

A liquid crystal display device and a driving method thereof are provided to improve convenience of a user by displaying two image signals with different resolutions on divided screens. A liquid crystal display device includes an LCD(Liquid Crystal Display) panel(10), a timing controller(220), first and second gate drivers(240,241), and first and second data drivers(250,251). The LCD panel is divided into first and second display regions with different maximum resolutions. The timing controller receives an image signal and a control signal from the outside and supplies first and second data signals and first and second control signals, which correspond to the first and second display regions, respectively. The first and second gate drivers supply first and second gate control signals, which correspond to the first and second control signals, respectively, from the timing controller to the first and second display regions. The first and second data drivers supply first and second gradation voltages corresponding to the first and second data signals from the timing controller to the first and second display regions.

Description

Liquid crystal display and the method of driving the same {Liquid crystal display and the method of driving the same}

1 is an exploded perspective view of a liquid crystal display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a block diagram illustrating driving of a liquid crystal display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a circuit diagram of a liquid crystal panel of a liquid crystal display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

<Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

100 liquid crystal display device 10 liquid crystal panel

15: drive assembly 16: gate driver

17: data driver 18: printed circuit board

20: backlight unit 211: first display area

212; Second display area 220: timing controller

230: power supply unit 240: first gate driver

241: second gate driver 250: first data driver

251: second data driver 301: thin film transistor

303: liquid crystal capacitor

The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display and a driving method thereof. More particularly, the present invention relates to a liquid crystal display and a driving method thereof capable of displaying two image signals having different resolutions on a screen divided into predetermined regions. will be.

Generally, a liquid crystal display device displays a display that obtains a desired image signal by applying an intensity-controlled electric field to a liquid crystal material having an anisotropic dielectric constant injected between two insulating substrates made of a transparent insulating material. Device. Such a liquid crystal display includes a plurality of gate lines for transmitting a gate selection signal and data lines crossing the gate lines and transferring image data, and are formed in a region surrounded by the gate lines and the data lines, and have a switching role. It includes a plurality of pixel electrodes in the form of a matrix connected through a thin film transistor.

Such a liquid crystal display may display a plurality of image signals by separating one screen. For example, when there are two input image signals, the screen is divided into two, and each type of image is simultaneously displayed on one screen by simultaneously displaying the respective image signals on the separated screens. However, this method has a problem in that different resolutions cannot be displayed due to the characteristics of the liquid crystal display device having a fixed resolution.

An object of the present invention is to provide a liquid crystal display device capable of displaying two image signals having different resolutions on a screen divided into predetermined regions.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of driving such a liquid crystal display.

The technical problems of the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned technical problems, and other technical problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal panel partitioned into first and second display regions having different maximum resolutions, and receives image signals and control signals from an external source. A timing controller providing first and second data signals and first and second control signals respectively corresponding to the first and second display regions, and first and second control signals applied from the timing controller, respectively. First and second gate drivers configured to provide a second gate control signal to the first and second display regions; and first and second gray voltages corresponding to the first and second data signals applied from the timing controller. And first and second data drivers provided in the second display area.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of driving a liquid crystal display device, the timing controller receiving an image signal and a control signal from an external device to the first and second display regions having different maximum resolutions. Providing first and second data signals and first and second control signals respectively corresponding to the first and second display regions of the partitioned liquid crystal panel, and receiving the first and second control signals from the timing controller. Providing the first and second gate drivers to the first and second display regions as first and second gate control signals corresponding to the first and second control signals, respectively, and the first and second data from the timing controller. And providing first and second gray voltages corresponding to the first and second data signals to the first and second display regions by receiving the signal.

Specific details of other embodiments are included in the detailed description and the drawings.

Advantages and features of the present invention and methods for achieving them will be apparent with reference to the embodiments described below in detail with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but may be embodied in various forms, and the present embodiments are merely provided to make the disclosure of the present invention complete and the general knowledge in the art to which the present invention belongs. It is provided to fully inform the person having the scope of the invention, the invention is defined only by the scope of the claims. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is an exploded perspective view of a liquid crystal display having a multi screen according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the liquid crystal display 100 generally includes a liquid crystal panel 10, a driving assembly 15, a backlight unit 20, a top chassis 30, and a front cover 31.

The liquid crystal panel 10 includes a thin film transistor array panel 11, a common electrode display panel 12, and a liquid crystal (not shown). The driving assembly 15 includes a gate driver 16, a data driver 17, and a printed circuit board. (18) and the like.

The thin film transistor array panel 11 includes a plurality of gate lines and data lines, a thin film transistor, a pixel electrode, and the like, and the common electrode display panel 12 disposed above and facing the thin film transistor array panel 11 is colored. Filters, black matrices, common electrodes and the like are included but are not shown.

In addition, the liquid crystal panel 10 is divided into predetermined regions (not shown) having different maximum resolutions, and configured by varying the number of gate lines and data lines in each region.

In this case, the gate driver 16 is connected to each gate line formed in the thin film transistor array panel 11, and the data driver 17 is connected to each data line formed in the thin film transistor array panel 11.

Here, the gate driver 16 and the data driver 17 have first and second gates and data drivers 16 and 17 connected to separate regions of the liquid crystal panel 10, respectively, and a timing controller (not shown). Predetermined signals are provided to the gate line and the data line of the liquid crystal panel 10.

The liquid crystal panel 10 and the driving assembly 15 will be described later in detail with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

On the other hand, the printed circuit board 18 is capable of processing both the gate driving signal and the data driving signal so that the gate driving signal can be input to the gate driver 16 and the data driving signal can be input to the data driver 17. This is mounted.

The backlight unit 20 is composed of an optical sheet 21, a light guide plate 22, a lamp assembly 23, a reflector 24, a chassis frame 25, and the like.

Here, the light guide plate 22 serves to guide the light supplied to the liquid crystal panel 10. The lamp assembly 23 is inserted into the side of the light guide plate 22 to generate this light.

The reflector 24 is installed under the light guide plate 22 to reflect light emitted to the bottom of the light guide plate 22 to the top. In addition, a reflective plate may be integrally formed on the upper bottom surface of the chassis frame 25.

The optical sheet 21 is installed on the light guide plate 22 to serve to diffuse and collect light transmitted from the light guide plate 22. In addition, the optical sheet 21 may be constituted by a plurality of sheets such as a diffusion plate and a prism sheet.

The chassis frame 25, which is an integrated structure made of metal, functions to receive and fix the components constituting the backlight unit 20. That is, the reflecting plate 24 or the light guide plate 22 or the lamp assembly 23 is fixedly supported by the lower surface of the chassis frame 25, and the diffusion plate or the prism sheet is formed by the upper surface of the chassis frame 25. The optical sheet 21 is fixedly supported.

In addition, the chassis frame 25 corresponds to the top chassis 30 and / or the front cover 31 to form an external shape of the liquid crystal display 100 in which all components such as the liquid crystal panel 10 may be accommodated. do.

At this time, the chassis frame 25 is coupled to the top chassis 30 only, and like the conventional liquid crystal display device, the external shape of the liquid crystal display device 100 is different from the rear cover (not shown) provided with the front cover 31 separately. Naturally, it can be configured by a combination.

The coupling between the top chassis 30 and / or the front cover 31 and the chassis frame 25 may be applied with all known corresponding coupling schemes such as hook coupling and screw coupling.

Here, most of the driving elements mounted on the printed circuit board 18 are operated by high frequency signals, thereby causing generation of electro magnetic interference (EMI) or electrostatic discharge (ESD). The electromagnetic waves and electrostatic discharges not only cause interference with the electrical signals transmitted to the liquid crystal panel 10 but also are emitted to the outside of the liquid crystal display device 100 to cause malfunctions of other peripheral devices.

Accordingly, the electromagnetic wave or electrostatic discharge may be ground-dissipated by electrically contacting the flexible circuit board which transmits the driving / control signal generated by the printed circuit board 18 to the liquid crystal panel 10 and the chassis frame 25 made of a conductive material. Can be.

In this case, the chassis frame 25 may be formed by combining the ordinary mold frame and the bottom chassis integrally to form a wider ground area, thereby increasing the grounding effect.

In addition, in this embodiment, the lamp assembly 23 of the backlight unit 20 is shown as an edge type, but this is only one example, the lamp assembly 23 of the backlight unit 20 of the present invention is a direct type or edge Any type of sentence may be used.

Hereinafter, a driving method and a liquid crystal panel of the liquid crystal display will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

2 is a block diagram illustrating driving of a liquid crystal display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of a liquid crystal panel of the liquid crystal display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 2, the liquid crystal display 200 may include a timing controller 220, a power supply unit 230, first and second gray voltage generators 260 and 261, and first and second electrodes. A liquid crystal panel 10 partitioned into data drivers 250 and 251, first and second gate drivers 240 and 241, and first and second display regions 211 and 212 having different resolutions. do.

The liquid crystal panel 10 is divided into a first display area 211 and a second display area 212 having different maximum resolutions, and the first and second display areas 211 and 212 each include a plurality of gate lines and data. The lines are arranged to cross each other, and the liquid crystal cells (not shown) are positioned in an area provided at the intersection of the gate line and the data line.

In addition, the liquid crystal panel 10 is provided with a pixel electrode and a common electrode for applying an electric field to each of the liquid crystal cells. The pixel electrode is formed for each liquid crystal cell on the thin film transistor array panel, and the common electrode is integrally formed on the entire surface of the common electrode display panel.

Here, the first display area 211 of the liquid crystal panel 10 includes a plurality of gate lines and data lines that cross each other, and the second display area 212 is an integer multiple of the gate line of the first display area 211. An in gate line and a data line intersecting the gate line.

In addition, a predetermined gate line may be present in the first display area 211 and the second display area 212, and may be connected to ends of the first and second display areas 211 and 212. It is operated by the first and second gate drivers (not shown). This liquid crystal panel 10 will be described in detail later with reference to FIG. 3.

The timing controller 220 receives the image signal and the control signal from the outside and electrically connects the first and second data drivers 250 and 251 to the first and second display areas 211 and 212 of the liquid crystal panel 10. First and second gate signals to provide first and second data signals and first and second control signals, and are electrically connected to the first and second display regions 211 and 212 of the liquid crystal panel 10. 240 and 241 are also configured to provide first and second control signals.

That is, the timing controller 220 generates first and second data signals based on two types of RGB image signals input from an external graphic controller (not shown), and generates a vertical sync signal Vsync and a horizontal sync signal ( The first and second signals based on the vertical sync signal Vsync and the horizontal sync signal Hsync, which receive the Hsync, the main clock MCLK, and the data enable signal DE, and control the display of the RGB image signal. Generate a control signal. The first and second control signals generated in this way are provided to the first and second gate drivers 240 and 241, and the first and second control signals and the first and second data signals are first and second data. It is provided to the drive part 250,251.

Here, the first and second control signals provided to the first and second data drivers 250 and 251 are scanned with a load signal LOAD or TP that starts outputting to the first and second data drivers 250 and 251. The first and second control signals provided to the first and second gate drivers 240 and 241, which include the horizontal synchronization start signal STH indicating the start of the lines, are gates for controlling the gate turn-on / off output. A select signal (Gate CLK or CPV), a vertical sync start signal (STV) for selection of the first scan line, and an output enable signal (OE).

In addition, a low voltage differential signal (LVDS) interface and a TTL interface are used to transmit RGB image signals and control signals from an external graphic controller (not shown). It can also be integrated into a chip.

The first and second gray voltage generators 260 and 261 are configured to supply a gray voltage that is a reference voltage of a digital to analog converter (DAC) used in the first and second data drivers 250 and 251. These gray voltages are determined by the producer based on the transmittance-voltage characteristic of the liquid crystal panel 10.

The power supply 230 supplies operating power of each component, and generates and supplies a common electrode voltage of the liquid crystal panel 10.

The first and second gate drivers 240 and 241 turn on / off the thin film transistors arranged on the liquid crystal panel 10 in response to the first and second control signals input from the timing controller 220. The control signal is provided to the first and second display areas 211 and 212 of the liquid crystal panel.

Here, when the vertical synchronization signal Vsync is input from the timing controller 220, the first gate driver 240 sequentially processes the thin film transistors connected to the plurality of gate lines of the first display area 211 of the liquid crystal panel 10. The gate line is turned on / off to supply a gate voltage of a high state to activate the gate line.

Similarly, the second gate driver 241 sequentially turns on / off thin film transistors connected to the plurality of gate lines of the second display area 212 of the liquid crystal panel 10 to obtain a high gate voltage. Supply to activate the gate line.

The first and second gate drivers 240 and 241 provide different gate control signals to the first and second display areas 211 and 212 of the liquid crystal panel 10 according to the type of the input image signal. In addition, the first and second gate drivers 240 and 241 are connected to one ends of the first and second display areas 211 and 212 of the liquid crystal panel 10, and are disposed to face each other.

The first and second data drivers 250 and 251 select corresponding gray voltages in response to the first and second control signals and the first and second data signals input from the timing controller 220, and select the selected gray voltages. Is supplied to the first and second display areas 211 and 212 of the liquid crystal panel 10 to control the rotation angle of the liquid crystal.

Here, the first data driver 250 may input first data input whenever the gate line of the first display area 211 of the liquid crystal panel 10 is sequentially turned on / off by the first gate driver 240. The gray voltage corresponding to the signal is applied to the data line of the first display area 211.

Similarly, the second data driver 251 corresponds to the input second data signal whenever the gate lines of the second display area 212 of the liquid crystal panel 10 are sequentially selected by the second gate driver 241. The gray voltage is applied to the data line of the second display area 212.

The first and second gate drivers 240 and 241 and the first and second data drivers 250 and 251 may directly drive a chip in the gate region and the data region of the liquid crystal panel 10 without a separate structure. A COG (Chip On Glass) mounting method and a Tape Automated Bonding (TAB) mounting method that indirectly mounts the gate area and the data area of the liquid crystal panel 10 through a tape carrier package (TCP) equipped with a driving chip. Can be formed.

In addition, although the driving device of the liquid crystal panel 10 using one timing controller 220 is illustrated in this embodiment, this is only an example, and the timing controller 220 of the present invention is not limited thereto. ) May be used to drive the liquid crystal panel 10.

As shown in FIG. 3, the liquid crystal panel 10 is divided into a first display area 211 and a second display area 212 having different maximum resolutions.

In addition, the first and second display areas 211 and 212 of the liquid crystal panel 10 may include a plurality of gate lines 300 and 310 and data lines 320 and 330, a gate line 300 and 310, and a data line ( And a liquid crystal capacitor 303 connected to the thin film transistor 301 and the thin film transistor 301 formed at the intersection of the 320 and 330, respectively.

The liquid crystal capacitor 303 is a capacitor formed between the common electrode facing the liquid crystal and the pixel electrode formed on the thin film transistor array panel, and the data lines 320 and 330 of the first and second display regions 211 and 212. It is possible to control the light transmittance by charging the gray scale voltage input through the () to drive the liquid crystal.

The first display area 211 of the liquid crystal panel 10 intersects each other with n gate lines 300 and m data lines 320, and the gate lines 300 may include a first gate driver (refer to FIG. 2). 240), and the data line 320 is electrically connected to the first data driver (see 250 of FIG. 2).

The second display area 212 of the liquid crystal panel 10 includes n 'gate lines 310 and m' data lines 330 obtained by multiplying the gate lines 300 of the first display area 211 with each other. The gate lines 310 are electrically connected to the second gate driver (see 241 in FIG. 2), and the data lines 330 are electrically connected to the second data driver (see 251 in FIG. 2). do.

In addition, the gate line 310 of the second display area 212 of the liquid crystal panel 10 may have a first gate line group 311 electrically connected to the gate line 300 of the first display area 211. The second gate line group 313 is positioned at. In addition, the first gate line group 311 may not be electrically connected to the gate line 300 of the first display area 211.

The gate and data lines 300 and 320 of the first display area 211 and the gate and data lines 310 and 330 of the second display area 212 are formed on one thin film transistor array panel, and the first and second The ratio of dividing the two display areas 211 and 212 is determined by the producer.

As such, the first display area 211 and the second display area 212 of the liquid crystal panel 10 are composed of different numbers of gate lines 300 and 310 and data lines 320 and 330, respectively. Two image signals having different resolutions may be divided into predetermined regions.

For example, the first display area 211 of the liquid crystal panel 10 configures the gate and data lines 300 and 320 to have a resolution of 800 * 600, and the second display area 212 is 1600 * 1200. When the gate and data lines 300 and 320 of the first display area 211 are configured to double the first display area 211, the first display area 211 displays image information having a resolution of up to 800 * 600. The second display area 212 can display image information having a maximum resolution of 1600 * 1200. Further, the first display area 211 and the second display area 212 can display image information at the same resolution, which is the lower of the maximum resolutions that can be displayed on the first and second display areas 211 and 212. To the right side.

In addition, in the present exemplary embodiment, the gate line 300 of the second display area 212 is formed by integrally multiplying the gate line 300 of the first display area 211 of the liquid crystal panel 10. The data line 330 of the second display area 212 may also be configured by multiplying the data line 320 of the first display area 211.

Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains may implement the present invention in other specific forms without changing the technical spirit or essential features thereof. I can understand that. Therefore, the embodiments described above are to be understood in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

As described above, according to the liquid crystal display of the present invention, there is an advantage in that two image signals having different resolutions can be displayed on a screen divided into predetermined regions.

Claims (6)

A liquid crystal panel partitioned into first and second display regions having different maximum resolutions; A timing controller which receives an image signal and a control signal from an external source and provides first and second data signals and first and second control signals corresponding to the first and second display regions, respectively; First and second gate drivers providing first and second gate control signals corresponding to the first and second control signals applied from the timing controller to the first and second display regions; And And first and second data drivers configured to provide first and second gray level voltages corresponding to the first and second data signals applied from the timing controller to the first and second display regions. According to claim 1, The first display area includes a plurality of first gate lines and first data lines that cross each other, and the second display area includes a second gate line that is an integer multiple of the first gate line and the second gate line. And a second data line intersecting, wherein the first gate line is connected to a predetermined line of the second gate line. According to claim 1, The first and second gate drivers are connected to one end of the first and second display regions, respectively, and disposed on both sides of the liquid crystal panel. First and second data corresponding to the first and second display regions of the liquid crystal panel divided into first and second display regions in which the timing controller, which receives an image signal and a control signal from the outside, have different maximum resolutions, respectively. Providing a signal and first and second control signals; First and second gates that receive the first and second control signals from the timing controller, respectively, corresponding to the first and second control signals in the first and second display regions, respectively. Providing as a control signal; And First and second gray level voltages corresponding to the first and second data signals in the first and second display areas, wherein the first and second data drivers receive the first and second data signals from the timing controller. Method of driving a liquid crystal display comprising the step of providing. The method of claim 4, wherein The first display area includes a plurality of first gate lines and first data lines that cross each other, and the second display area includes a second gate line and an integer multiple of the first gate line, and the second gate line. And a second data line crossing the first gate line, wherein the first gate line is connected to a predetermined line of the second gate line. The method of claim 4, wherein And the first and second gate drivers are connected to one end of the first and second display regions, respectively, and disposed on both sides of the liquid crystal panel.

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