Abstract:
An organic light emitting display is capable of reducing or minimizing the number of wiring lines to improve an aperture ratio. The organic light emitting display includes scan lines and data lines that cross each other at crossing regions, sub pixels located at the crossing regions that display an image in accordance with an amount of current that flows from a first power source to respective organic light emitting diodes in the sub pixels, and first power source lines that are parallel to the data lines, each of the first power source lines corresponding to at least two of the data lines. The first power source lines include a first group of the first power source lines that receive the first power source and a second group of the first power source lines that receive a second power source.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2010-0023761, filed on Mar. 17, 2010, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field 
     One or more embodiments of the present invention relate to an organic light emitting display. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Recently, various flat panel displays (FPDs) capable of reducing weight and volume that are disadvantages of cathode ray tubes (CRTs) have been developed. The FPDs include liquid crystal displays (LCDs), field emission displays (FEDs), plasma display panels (PDPs), organic light emitting displays, and the like. 
     Among the FPDs, the organic light emitting display displays images using organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) that generate light by the recombination of electrons and holes. The organic light emitting display has advantages of a high response speed while being driven with low power consumption. 
     The organic light emitting display includes a plurality of pixels arranged at crossing regions of data lines and scan lines in the form of a matrix. In general, each of the pixels includes an OLED, at least two transistors, and at least one capacitor. 
     In an organic light emitting display, an amount of current that flows to the OLED varies with the threshold voltage variation of the driving transistor included in each of the pixels and non-uniform displaying may therefore occur. That is, properties of the driving transistor, such as its threshold voltage, vary with the manufacturing process of the driving transistor included in each of the pixels, making it very difficult to manufacture all transistors of the organic light emitting display to have the same properties using current manufacturing technologies. Therefore, the threshold voltage variation of the driving transistors occurs. 
     In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a pixel including six transistors and at least one capacitor was suggested in Korean Patent Publication No. 2007-0083072. The conventional pixel is coupled to a plurality of wiring lines including an initialization lines coupled to an initialization power source. 
       FIG. 1  is a view illustrating a related art wiring line structure for a group of sub pixels. In  FIG. 1 , for the sake of convenience, the internal structure of the sub pixels is omitted. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , related art sub pixels  2 R,  2 G, and  2 B are located at crossing regions of data lines Di, Di+1, and Di+2, respectively, and a scan line Si. The red sub pixel  2 R coupled to the i th  data line Di and the i th  scan line Si is additionally coupled to power source lines  10   a  and  10   b  and initialization lines  12   a  and  12   b.    
     Of the power source lines  10   a  and  10   b , the first power source line  10   a  is parallel to the data line Di and receives power from a first power source ELVDD, which may be externally supplied. The first power source line  10   a  is electrically coupled to a transistor included in the red sub pixel  2 R and supplies the voltage of the first power source ELVDD to the red sub pixel  2 R. 
     Of the power source lines  10   a  and  10   b , the second power source line  10   b  is parallel to the scan line Si and is electrically coupled to the first power source line  10   a  by a first contact hole  20 . The second power source line  10   b  is coupled to the first power source line  10   a  to reduce or minimize a voltage drop of the first power source ELVDD. 
     Of the initialization lines  12   a  and  12   b , the first initialization line  12   a  is parallel to the data line Di and is coupled to an initialization power source Vint. The first initialization line  12   a  is electrically coupled to a transistor included in the red sub pixel  2 R and supplies a voltage of the initialization power source Vint to the red sub pixel  2 R. 
     Of the initialization lines  12   a  and  12   b , the second initialization line  12   b  is parallel to the scan line Si and is electrically coupled to the first initialization line  12   a  by a second contact hole  22 . The second initialization line  12   b  is coupled to the first initialization line  12   a  to reduce or minimize a voltage drop of the initialization power source Vint. 
     However, since each of the above sub pixels  2 R,  2 G, and  2 B is coupled to six wiring lines, a layout structure is complicated and an aperture ratio is reduced. For example, as each of the sub pixels  2 R,  2 G, and  2 B is coupled to a plurality of wiring lines, yield is reduced so that manufacturing cost increases. 
     SUMMARY 
     Accordingly, an aspect of embodiments according to the present invention provides an organic light emitting display capable of reducing or minimizing the number of wiring lines to improve an aperture ratio. 
     In order to achieve the foregoing and/or other aspects of the present invention, according to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an organic light emitting display, including scan lines and data lines crossing each other at crossing regions, sub pixels located at the crossing regions and configured to display an image in accordance with an amount of current that flows from a first power source to respective organic light emitting diodes in the sub pixels, and first power source lines parallel to the data lines, each of the first power source lines corresponding to at least two of the data lines, the first power source lines including a first group of the first power source lines configured to receive a first power from the first power source and a second group of the first power source lines that are different from the first group and configured to receive a second power from a second power source. 
     The first power source lines may be located at substantially the same distance from each other. 
     At least two adjacent ones of the first power source lines are organized as a block. 
     The block may include at least one of the second group of the first power source lines. 
     The organic light emitting display may further include second power source lines that are parallel to the scan lines and electrically coupled to the first group of the first power source lines via first contact holes. 
     The second power source lines may be electrically coupled to the sub pixels. 
     Each of the second power source lines may be located at a corresponding one of horizontal lines. 
     The organic light emitting display may further include third power source lines that are parallel to the scan lines and electrically coupled to the second group of the first power source lines via second contact holes. 
     Each of the third power source lines may be located at a corresponding one of horizontal lines. 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an organic light emitting display including scan lines and data lines crossing each other at crossing regions, sub pixels located at the crossing regions and configured to display an image in accordance with an amount of current that flows from a first power source to respective organic light emitting diodes in the sub pixels, and first power source lines that are parallel to the data lines, each of the first power source lines corresponding to at least two of the data lines. 
     The organic light emitting display may further include second power source lines that are parallel to the scan lines, each of the second power source lines being located at a corresponding one of horizontal lines and electrically coupled to the first power source lines via first contact holes. 
     In the organic light emitting display according to embodiments of the present invention, since one first power source line is provided for every at least two data lines, the number of wiring lines may be reduced or minimized. In addition, in the first power source lines, a first group of first power source lines receives a first power source and the second group of first power source line receives a power source different from the first power source. That is, according to embodiments of the present invention, at least two power sources may be supplied to sub pixels using the first power source lines separated from each other by substantially the same distance so that a wiring line structure may be simplified. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings, together with the specification, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the present invention, and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the present invention. 
         FIG. 1  is a view illustrating a related art wiring line structure; 
         FIG. 2  is a view illustrating an organic light emitting display according to one embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram illustrating a wiring line structure according to the embodiment of the present invention shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Hereinafter, certain exemplary embodiments according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Here, when a first element is described as being coupled to a second element, the first element may be directly coupled to the second element or may be indirectly coupled to the second element via one or more other elements. Further, some of the elements that are not essential to a complete understanding of the invention are omitted for clarity. Also, like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. The embodiments of the present invention may have different forms, and should not be construed as being limited to the descriptions set forth herein. Accordingly, hereinafter the exemplary embodiments by which those skilled in the art may perform the present invention are described in detail with reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3  to merely explain aspects of embodiments according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a view illustrating an organic light emitting display according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the organic light emitting display includes a display unit  130  including sub pixels  140  located at crossing regions of scan lines S 1  to Sn and data lines D 1  to Dm, a scan driver  110  for driving the scan lines S 1  to Sn, a data driver  120  for driving the data lines D 1  to Dm, and a timing controller  150  for controlling the scan driver  110  and the data driver  120 . 
     The scan driver  110  generates scan signals through control by the timing controller  150  and supplies (e.g., sequentially supplies) the generated scan signals to the scan lines S 1  to Sn. 
     The data driver  120  generates data signals through control by the timing controller  150  and supplies the generated data signals to data lines D 1  to Dm in synchronization with the scan signals. 
     The timing controller  150  controls the scan driver  110  and the data driver  120 . In addition, the timing controller  150  realigns data, which may be externally supplied, and transmits the realigned data to the data driver  120 . 
     The display unit  130  includes the sub pixels  140  located at the crossing regions of the scan lines S 1  to Sn and the data lines D 1  to Dm. The sub pixels  140  receive power from a first power source ELVDD and a second power source ELVSS, both of which may be externally supplied. The sub pixels  140  are selected when the scan signals are supplied, allowing the sub pixels to receive the data signals and supply current corresponding to the received data signals from the first power source ELVDD to the second power source ELVSS via OLEDs to generate light. 
     Each of the sub pixels  140  additionally receives an initialization power from an initialization power source or a reference power source, both of which may be externally provided, to compensate for the threshold voltage of a driving transistor or a voltage drop of the first power source ELVDD. 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram illustrating a wiring line structure according to one embodiment of the present invention. In  FIG. 3 , for the sake of convenience, the internal structure of the sub pixels is not illustrated. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , sub pixels  140 R,  140 G, and  140 B are located at the crossing regions of data lines D 1  to D 3  and a scan line S 1 , although it should be understood that other sub pixels may be located at crossing regions of other data lines and scan lines. That is, each sub pixel is coupled to one data line (one of D 1  to Dm) and one scan line (one of S 1  to Sn). 
     The sub pixels  140 R,  140 G, and  140 B are the red sub pixel  140 R, the green sub pixel  140 G, and the blue sub pixel  140 B, respectively, as determined by the wavelength or wavelengths of light they may generate. For example, the red sub pixel  140 R generates red light having brightness corresponding to a data signal, the green sub pixel  140 G generates green light having brightness corresponding to a data signal, and the blue sub pixel  140 B generates blue light having brightness corresponding to a data signal. The red sub pixel  140 R, the green sub pixel  140 G, and the blue sub pixel  140 B that are adjacent each other constitute one pixel  142 . 
     First power source lines  210  are each located among no less than i (“i” is a natural number no less than 2) data lines to run parallel to the data lines D 1  to Dm. For example, there may be a first power source line  210  for every group of sub pixels, that is, for every three data lines (i.e., a first power source line  210  for D 1  to D 3 , a first power source line  210  for D 4  to D 6 , etc.). 
     The first power source lines  210  located among the data lines D 1  to Dm are separated from each other by substantially the same distance (e.g., the power source lines  210  are located at regular intervals). Among the first power source lines  210  arranged by substantially the same distance, a first group of first power source lines  210   a  is coupled to the first power source ELVDD and a second group of first power source lines  210   b  is coupled to a power source different from the first power source (for example, an initialization power source Vint or a reference power source Vsus). 
     The first group of first power source lines  210   a  may be a block in units of j (“j” is a natural number no less than 2) adjacent first power source lines  210 , and are coupled to the first power source ELVDD. For example, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the first group of first power source lines  210   a  may be a block in units including four first power source lines  210 . 
     The first group of first power source lines  210   a  is electrically coupled to second power source lines  212  that are parallel to the scan lines S 1  to Sn via first contact holes  200 . The second power source lines  212  may each be located at one of the horizontal lines and are electrically coupled to transistors included in each of the sub pixels  140 R,  140 G, and  140 B. The second power source lines  212  transmit power from the first power source ELVDD via the first group of first power source lines  210   a  to the sub pixels  140 R,  140 G, and  140 B. 
     The second group of first power source lines  210   b  is each among the first power source lines  210  that constitute a block (e.g., a group) by at least one. In other words, at least one of the second group of first power source lines is in each block (e.g., as a group). For example, and as shown in  FIG. 3 , there may be one second group first power source line  210   b  for every four first group first power source lines  210   a.    
     The power source (e.g., the initialization power source Vint or the reference power source Vsus) to which the second group of first power source lines  210   b  is coupled does not supply current to sub pixels  142 R,  142 G, and  142 B. That is, the voltage drop is substantially not generated in a power source to which the second group of first power source lines  210   b  is coupled. Therefore, although the sub pixels  142 R,  142 G, and  142 B are arranged among the first power source lines  210  that constitute a block, the sub pixels  142 R,  142 G, and  142 B may be stably driven. 
     The second group of first power source lines  210   b  are electrically coupled via second contact holes  202  to third power source lines  203 , which are parallel to the scan lines S 1  to Sn. The third power source lines  203  may each be at a corresponding one of the horizontal lines and are electrically coupled to transistors included in each of the sub pixels  140 R,  140 G, and  140 B. The third power source lines  203  transmit power from the power source (such as the initialization power source Vint or the reference power source Vsus) via the second group of first power source lines  210   b  to the sub pixels  140 R,  140 G, and  140 B. 
     According to the above-described embodiment, since the first power source lines  210  are located among (e.g., corresponding to or shared by) two or more data lines, as opposed to only one data line, the number of wiring lines may be reduced or minimized. In addition, according to embodiments of the present invention, at least two power sources are supplied to the first power source lines  210  that are separated by substantially the same distance from each other (e.g., located at regular intervals), so that the number of wiring lines required for supplying power from a power source may be reduced or minimized. 
     While the present invention has been described in connection with certain exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the exemplary embodiments described herein should be considered in a descriptive sense only, and that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, and equivalents thereof.