Patent Publication Number: US-7595777-B2

Title: Organic electroluminescent module

Description:
This application is a Continuation Application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/434,473 filed on May 9, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,972,743, which claims the benefit of the Korean Application No. P2002-25559 filed on May 9, 2002, whose entire disclosures are incorporated herein by reference. 

   BACKGROUND 
   1. Field 
   The present disclosure relates to an organic electroluminescent (EL) module, in which aging can be carried out in a state that the fabrication of an organic EL module is finished. 
   2. Background of the Related Art 
   Recently, the EL device is favored as a prospective self-luminescent type flat display. Of the EL devices, different from an inorganic EL device, the organic EL device requires no AC or a high voltage. Moreover, it is comparatively easy for the organic EL device to provide a variety of colors, as there are a variety of organic compounds. 
   Recently, researches on application of the organic EL displays to full color displays and the like are active. Particularly, a structure which has a high luminance even at a low voltage is under development. 
   The inorganic EL device has a field excited type light emission. Different from this, the organic EL device has a so-called carrier injection type light emission, in which a light is emitted as a hole is injected from an anode and an electron is injected from a cathode. A positive carrier and a negative carrier injected from the two electrodes move to opposite electrodes, and when they couple, an exciton is formed. A light emitted when the exciton is moderated is a light the organic EL device. 
   The problem of defects is very important in the organic EL device. Particularly, the problem of short circuit occurred at the anode and the cathode due to impurities, such as particles from a substrate, is very important, along with a substrate cleaning problem. 
   In order to eliminate such substrate problems in advance, though the substrates are subjected to aging or burning in manufacturing, the particles cannot be removed fully. 
   As another method for solving the problem, the short circuit is removed by aging in a state an organic EL panel is fabricated. However, short circuit occurred as time goes by caused by particles is still a cause of defective modules. 
   Thus, there have been requirements for aging in a modular state for solving the problem. 
   SUMMARY 
   The present application discloses an organic EL module including a plurality of scan lines and data lines comprising: a scan driver having inverse voltage applying transistors respectively connected to the plurality of scan lines, a data driver having ground voltage applying transistors respectively connected to the plurality of data lines, and a driver controller controlling the scan driver and the data driver so that an inverse voltage is applied to a relevant scan line and a ground voltage is applied to a relevant data line at the same time. 
   The present application discloses an organic EL module including a plurality of scan lines and data lines comprising: a scan driver having inverse voltage applying transistors and ground voltage applying transistors respectively connected to the plurality of scan lines, a data driver having static current sources and ground voltage applying transistors respectively connected to the plurality of data lines, and a driver controller controlling the scan driver and the data driver, wherein the scan driver applies a ground voltage to the scan lines to be driven and applies a reverse voltage to the scan lines not to be driven, and at the same time with this, the data driver applies a data signal to the data lines to be driven and applies a ground voltage to the data line not to be driven. 
   The present application discloses an organic EL module including a plurality of scan lines and data lines comprising: a scan driver having inverse voltage applying transistors and ground voltage applying transistors respectively connected to the plurality of scan lines, a data driver having static current sources and ground voltage applying transistors respectively connected to the plurality of data lines, and a driver controller controlling the scan driver and the data driver, wherein the driver controller turns on at least one ground voltage applying transistors in the data driver for grounding a relevant data line and at the same time with this, the driver controller turns on at least one of the inverse voltage applying transistors in the scan driver for applying an inverse voltage to a relevant scan lines. 
   It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the embodiment as claimed. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the disclosure and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention: 
     In the drawings: 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a circuit of an organic EL module in accordance with an embodiment, schematically; and 
       FIG. 2  illustrates an aging circuit of an organic EL module in accordance with an embodiment. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.  FIG. 1  illustrates a circuit of an organic EL module in accordance with an embodiment, schematically. 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , the organic EL module includes a plurality of scan lines  11 , a plurality of data lines  13 , a plurality of light emitting diodes  19 , a scan driver  15 , and a data driver  17 . Though not shown, the organic EL module further includes a driver controller for controlling the scan driver  15  and the data driver  17 . 
   The light emitting diodes  19  are formed at every cross of the plurality of scan lines  11  and the plurality of data lines  13 . 
   The scan driver  15  includes inverse voltage applying transistors  21  and ground voltage applying transistors  23  respectively connected to the plurality of scan lines  11 . The data driver  17  includes ground voltage applying transistors  27  and static current sources  25  respectively connected to the plurality of data lines  13 . 
   The scan driver  15  and the data driver  17  are connected to power sources Vpp and Vdd for providing signals to the scan lines  11  and the data lines  13 . 
   Particularly, the driver controller turns on at least one of the inverse voltage applying transistors  21  in the scan driver  15  for applying a high inverse voltage lower than a breakdown voltage from the power source Vpp to a relevant scan line  11 . At the same time with this, the driver controller turns on at least one ground voltage applying transistors  27  in the data driver  17  for grounding a relevant data line  13 . As a result of this, the light emitting diode  19  can have a high inverse voltage applied thereto. 
   Thus, the organic EL module includes a scan driver  15  having inverse voltage applying transistors  21  and ground voltage applying transistors  23  connected to a plurality of scan lines  11 , and a data driver having ground voltage applying transistors  27  and static current sources  25  connected to a plurality of data lines  13 . 
   The foregoing organic EL module displays a picture as follows. 
   In regular operation, for a fixed time period for every frame, the scan driver  15  turns on the ground voltage applying transistors  23  and applies a ground voltage to scan lines  11  to be driven, and turns on inverse voltage applying transistors  21  and applies an inverse voltage Vpp to the scan lines  11  not to be driven. 
   At the same time with this, for the fixed time period for every frame, the data driver  17  applies a data signal to the data line  13  to be driven through the static current source  25 , and applies a ground voltage to the data lines  13  not to be driven by turning on the ground voltage applying transistors  23 . 
   Consequently, the organic EL module can form a picture by using a voltage difference applied to parts the plurality of scan lines  11  and the data lines  13  crosses. 
   However, in a case there is a defect caused by impurities, such as particles, in an inside of the organic EL panel (that is, the scan line  11  and the data line  13  are short circuited), a line form of defective picture can be formed along the scan line  11  or the data line  13 . For prevention of such a defect, it is necessary to subject the organic EL module to aging. 
   The embodiment disclosed prevents a poor picture quality caused by impurities and prolongs a lifetime of an organic EL module by providing a method for aging the organic EL module or the organic EL module mounted on a mobile device, directly.  FIG. 2  illustrates an aging circuit of an organic EL module in accordance with an embodiment. 
   Referring to  FIG. 2 , in the method for aging an organic EL module, a ground voltage is applied to the data lines  13  connected to the data driver  17 , and an inverse voltage Vpp is applied to the scan lines connected to the scan driver  15 . 
   In this instance, as described before, the driver controller the driver controller turns on at least one of the inverse voltage applying transistors  21  in the scan driver  15  for applying a high inverse voltage lower than a breakdown voltage from the power source Vpp to a relevant scan line  11 . At the same time with this, the driver controller turns on at least one ground voltage applying transistors  27  in the data driver  17  for grounding a relevant data line  13 . As a result of this, the light emitting diode  19  has a high inverse voltage applied thereto. The inverse voltage burns particles between the data lines  13  and the scan lines  11  so as to remove electrical connection between the lines at a voltage below a breakdown voltage. 
   In comparison of output voltages of the data driver  17  and the scan driver  15 , the output voltage of the data driver  17  may be set to a low or a ground voltage, and the output voltage of the scan driver  15  may be set to a high or a voltage higher than a predetermined voltage. 
   Or, the organic EL module can have an inverse voltage applied thereto by controlling operation of the data driver  17  and the scan driver  15  according a fixed waveform preset at the driver controller. 
   The turn on/off operation of the ground voltage applying transistors  27  and the inverse voltage applying transistors  21  in the data driver  17  and the scan driver  15  may be carried out according to a state of a pin preset at the driver controller. 
   It is preferable that the output voltage of the scan driver  15  is limited below to a preset voltage of a level enough to remove the particles present in the organic EL module. 
   Moreover, the method for aging an organic EL module may be designed to apply the inverse voltage to the data driver  17  and the scan driver  15  on hardware basis or software basis for removing the impurity, such as particles. 
   Furthermore, the organic EL module may be mounted on a mobile device, so that a user subjects the organic EL module to aging by directly selecting an aging menu or a key on the mobile device. 
   As described, the organic EL module applies a ground voltage to the data lines  13  and a high inverse voltage to the scan lines  11  in a state fabrication of the organic EL module is finished. As a result, an electrical connection between the data line  13  and the scan line  11  occurred by particles can be removed, to prolong a lifetime of the organic EL module and improve a picture quality. 
   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 disclosure. Thus, it is intended that the present disclosure cover the modifications and variations of this disclosure provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.