Patent Abstract:
A pixel driving circuit includes first to seventh switches, a capacitor and a light emitting unit. The first and sixth switches are connected and receive data voltage and second reference voltage according to second and third control signals, respectively. One capacitor end connects to the serial-connected first and sixth switches and the other capacitor end connects to a control end of the second switch. The serial-connected third and fourth switches are connected between the control and first end of the second switch. The third and fourth switches are ON by the second control signal. The fifth switch is ON by a first control signal. An end of the fifth switch connects to the serial-connected third and fourth switches and another end receives a first reference voltage. The seventh switch is connected between the second switch and the light emitting unit. The seventh switch is ON by the third control signal.

Full Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to a pixel driving circuit, and more particularly to a pixel driving circuit of OLED display. 
     BACKGROUND 
     At present, OLED display have been widely used in various types of display apparatuses, wherein it is understood that the luminance of an OLED corresponds to the driving current thereof and the driving current is controlled by a related driving transistor. However, because the driving transistors of pixels in a display apparatus may not have the same threshold voltage (Vth) due to the manufacturing process, the driving transistors may generate different driving currents and accordingly the OLEDs in different pixels may have different luminance. Hence, the display apparatus may have non-uniformity problem while displaying images. Thus, it is quite important to develop a pixel driving circuit capable of compensating the threshold voltage of driving transistor. 
     SUMMARY 
     Therefore, an aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a plurality of pixel driving circuits capable of compensating the threshold voltage of driving transistor thereby having improved luminance uniformity while displaying images. 
     The present disclosure provides a pixel driving circuit, which includes a first switch, a second switch, a third switch, a fourth switch, a fifth switch, a sixth switch, a seventh switch, a capacitor and a light emitting unit. The first switch has a first end, a second end and a control end. The first switch is configured to have its first end electrically coupled to a data voltage. The second switch has a first end, a second end and a control end. The second switch is configured to have its first end electrically coupled to a first operation voltage source. The third switch has a first end, a second end and a control end. The third switch is configured to have its first end electrically coupled to the control end of the second switch. The fourth switch has a first end, a second end and a control end. The fourth switch is configured to have its first end electrically coupled to the second end of the third switch and its second end electrically coupled to the second end of the second switch. The fifth switch has a first end, a second end and a control end. The fifth switch is configured to have its control end electrically coupled to a first control signal, its first end electrically coupled between the second end of the third switch and the first end of the fourth switch, and its second end electrically coupled to a first reference voltage. The fifth switch receives the first reference voltage according to the first control signal. The first, third and fourth switches are further configured to have their control ends electrically coupled to a second control signal, respectively, and are ON/OFF according to the second control signal. The capacitor is electrically coupled between the second end of the first switch and the control end of the second switch. The sixth switch has a first end, a second end and a control end. The sixth switch is configured to have its control end electrically coupled to a third control signal, its first end electrically coupled to a second reference voltage, and its second end electrically coupled between the second end of the first switch and the capacitor. The sixth switch receives the second reference voltage according to the third control signal. The seventh switch has a first end, a second end and a control end. The seventh switch is configured to have its control end electrically coupled to the third control signal and its first end electrically coupled to the second end of the second switch. The seventh switch is ON/OFF according to the third control signal. The light emitting unit has a first end and a second end. The light emitting unit is configured to have its first end electrically coupled to the second end of the seventh switch and its second end electrically coupled to a second operation voltage source. 
     The present disclosure further provides a pixel driving circuit, which includes a first switch, a second switch, a third switch, a fourth switch, a fifth switch, a sixth switch, a seventh switch, a capacitor and a light emitting unit. The first switch has a first end, a second end and a control end. The first switch has a first end, a second end and a control end. The first switch is configured to have its first end electrically coupled to a data voltage. The second switch has a first end, a second end and a control end. The third switch has a first end, a second end and a control end. The third switch is configured to have its first end electrically coupled to the control end of the second switch. The fourth switch has a first end, a second end and a control end. The fourth switch is configured to have its first end electrically coupled to the second end of the third switch and its second end electrically coupled to the first end of the second switch. The fifth switch has a first end, a second end and a control end. The fifth switch is configured to have its control end electrically coupled to a first control signal, its first end electrically coupled between the second end of the third switch and the first end of the fourth switch, and its second end electrically coupled to a first reference voltage. The fifth switch receives the first reference voltage according to the first control signal. The first, third and fourth switches are further configured to have their control ends electrically coupled to a second control signal, respectively, and are ON/OFF according to the second control signal. The capacitor is electrically coupled between the second end of the first switch and the control end of the second switch. The sixth switch has a first end, a second end and a control end. The sixth switch is configured to have its control end electrically coupled to a third control signal, its first end electrically coupled to a second reference voltage, and its second end electrically coupled between the second end of the first switch and the capacitor. The sixth switch receives the second reference voltage according to the third control signal. The seventh switch has a first end, a second end and a control end. The seventh switch is configured to have its control end electrically coupled to the third control signal, its first end electrically coupled to a first operation voltage source, and its second end electrically coupled to the first end of the second switch. The seventh switch is ON/OFF according to the third control signal. The light emitting unit has a first end and a second end. The light emitting unit is configured to have its first end electrically coupled to the second end of the second switch and its second end electrically coupled to a second operation voltage source. 
     In summary, through employing seven transistors, one capacitor and one light emitting unit with specific configuration, the luminance of the light emitting unit in the pixel driving circuit of the present disclosure is not affected by the threshold voltage of the related transistor; and consequentially, a display apparatus employing the pixel driving circuit of the present disclosure has improved luminance uniformity while displaying images. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present disclosure will become more readily apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art after reviewing the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a circuit view of a pixel driving circuit in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a timing chart of the control signals related to the pixel driving circuit of  FIG. 1  in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 3  is a circuit view of a pixel driving circuit in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure; and 
         FIG. 4  is a timing chart of the control signals related to the pixel driving circuit of  FIG. 3  in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present disclosure will now be described more specifically with reference to the following embodiments. It is to be noted that the following descriptions of preferred embodiments of this disclosure are presented herein for purpose of illustration and description only. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to be limited to the precise form disclosed. 
       FIG. 1  is a circuit view of a pixel driving circuit in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the pixel driving circuit  100  in the present embodiment includes switches  11 ,  12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  15 ,  16  and  17 , a capacitor  18  and a light emitting unit  19 . The switch  11  has a first end  11 - 1 , a second end  11 - 2  and a control end  11 - 3 . The switch  11  is configured to have its first end  11 - 1  electrically coupled to a data voltage Vdata. The switch  12  has a first end  12 - 1 , a second end  12 - 2  and a control end  12 - 3 . The switch  12  is configured to have its first end  12 - 1  electrically coupled to an operation voltage source OVDD. The switch  13  has a first end  13 - 1 , a second end  13 - 2  and a control end  13 - 3 . The switch  13  is configured to have its first end  13 - 1  electrically coupled to the control end  12 - 3  of the switch  12 . The switch  14  has a first end  14 - 1 , a second end  14 - 2  and a control end  14 - 3 . The switch  14  is configured to have its first end  14 - 1  electrically coupled to the second end  13 - 2  of the switch  13  and its second end  14 - 2  electrically coupled to the second end  12 - 2  of the switch  12 . 
     Further, the switch  15  has a first end  15 - 1 , a second end  15 - 2  and a control end  15 - 3 . The switch  15  is configured to have its control end  15 - 3  electrically coupled to a control signal S 1 , its first end  15 - 1  electrically coupled between the second end  13 - 2  of the switch  13  and the first end  14 - 1  of the switch  14 , and its second end  15 - 2  electrically coupled to a reference voltage Vref 1 . Thus, according to the above circuit configuration, the switch  15  receives the reference voltage Vref 1  according to the control signal S 1 . The switches  11 ,  13  and  14  are configured to have their control ends  11 - 3 ,  13 - 3  and  14 - 3  electrically coupled to a control signal S 2 , respectively. Thus, according to the above circuit configuration, the switches  11 ,  13  and  14  are ON/OFF according to the control signal S 2 . The capacitor  18  is electrically coupled between the second end  11 - 2  of the switch  11  and the control end  12 - 3  of the switch  12 . The switch  16  has a first end  16 - 1 , a second end  16 - 2  and a control end  16 - 3 . The switch  16  is configured to have its control end  16 - 3  electrically coupled to a control signal EM, its first end  16 - 1  electrically coupled to a reference voltage Vref 2 , and its second end  16 - 2  electrically coupled between the second end  11 - 2  of the switch  11  and the capacitor  18 . Thus, according to the above circuit configuration, the switch  16  receives the reference voltage Vref 2  according to the control signal EM. 
     Further, the switch  17  has a first end  17 - 1 , a second end  17 - 2  and a control end  17 - 3 . The switch  17  is configured to have its control end  17 - 3  electrically coupled to the control signal EM and its first end  17 - 1  electrically coupled to the second end  12 - 2  of the switch  12 . Thus, according to the above circuit configuration, the switch  17  is ON/OFF according to the control signal EM. The light emitting unit  19  has a first end  19 - 1  and a second end  19 - 2 . The light emitting unit  19  is configured to have its first end  19 - 1  electrically coupled to the second end  17 - 2  of the switch  17  and its second end  19 - 2  electrically coupled to an operation voltage source OVSS. The light emitting unit  19  is implemented with an organic light emitting diode. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , it is to be noted that all of the switches  11 ,  12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  15 ,  16  and  17  in the pixel driving circuit  100  in the present embodiment are exemplarily implemented with P-type transistors. 
       FIG. 2  is a timing chart of the control signals related to the pixel driving circuit of  FIG. 1  in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Please refer to  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The pixel driving circuit  100  is operated in a first period, a second period and a third period sequentially. In the first period, the switch  15  is ON by receiving the control signal S 1  and the switches  11 ,  13 ,  14 ,  16  and  17  are OFF. In the second period, the switches  11 ,  13  and  14  are ON by receiving the control signal S 2  and the switch  15  is still ON within a predetermined time t 1  in the second period; wherein the length of the predetermined time t 1  is shorter than the second period. In the following third period, the switches  16 ,  17  are ON by receiving the control signal EM and the switches  11 ,  13 ,  14  and  15  are OFF. 
     Specifically, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , when the pixel driving circuit  100  is operated in the first period, the switch  15  is ON by receiving the control signal S 1  through its control end  15 - 3 . Thus, in the first period, the voltage at the first end  15 - 1  of the switch  15  is equal to the reference voltage Vref 1 . When the pixel driving circuit  100  is operated within the predetermined time t 1  in the second period, the switches  11 ,  13  and  14  are ON by receiving the control signal S 2  through their control ends  11 - 3 ,  13 - 3  and  14 - 3 , respectively, and the switch  15  is still ON by receiving the control signal S 1  through its control end  15 - 3 . Thus, within the predetermined time t 1  in the second period, the voltage at the end of the capacitor  18  electrically coupled to the second end  11 - 2  of the switch  11  is equal to the data voltage Vdata and the end of the capacitor  18  electrically coupled to the control end  12 - 3  of the switch  12  is equal to the reference voltage Vref 1 . When the pixel driving circuit  100  is operated in the second period except the predetermined time t 1 , the switch  15  is OFF and the switches  11 ,  13  and  14  are still ON. Thus, in the second period except the predetermined time t 1 , the voltage at the control end  12 - 3  of the switch  12  is equal to OVDD−Vth, where Vth denotes the threshold voltage of the switch  12 . 
     When the pixel driving circuit  100  is operated in the third period, the switches  11 ,  13   14  and  15  are OFF and the switches  16 ,  17  are ON by receiving the control signal EM through their control ends  16 - 3 ,  17 - 3 , respectively. Thus, in the third period, the voltage at the end of the capacitor  18  electrically coupled to the second end  16 - 2  of the switch  16  is changed from Vdata in the second period to Vref 2  and has a voltage change Vref 2 −Vdata. Correspondingly, the voltage at the end of the capacitor  18  electrically coupled to the control end  12 - 3  of the switch  12  is changed from OVDD−Vth in the second period to OVDD−Vth+Vref 2 −Vdata. Because the voltage at the control end  12 - 3  (or, Vg) of the switch  12  is OVDD−Vth+Vref 2 −Vdata and the voltage at the first end  12 - 1  (i.e., Vs) of the switch  12  is OVDD, the current flowing through the switch  12  is Id=K(Vdata−Vref 2 ) 2 , which is obtained based on the transistor current equation Id=K(Vsg−|Vth|) 2 =K(Vs−Vg−|Vth|) 2 , where K denotes a dielectric constant. In addition, because the light emitting unit  19  is driven by the current flowing thorough the turned-on switch  12 , it is to be noted that the luminance of the light emitting unit  19  is no longer affected by the threshold voltage Vth of the switch  12  in the present embodiment; as a result, the object of the present disclosure is achieved. 
       FIG. 3  is a circuit view of a pixel driving circuit in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. The component/signal having the same label number in  FIGS. 1, 3  represents the same component/signal. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the pixel driving circuit  300  in the present embodiment includes switches  31 ,  32 ,  33 ,  34 ,  35 ,  36  and  37 , a capacitor  38  and a light emitting unit  39 . The switch  31  has a first end  31 - 1 , a second end  31 - 2  and a control end  31 - 3 . The switch  31  is configured to have its first end  31 - 1  electrically coupled to a data voltage Vdata. The switch  32  has a first end  32 - 1 , a second end  32 - 2  and a control end  32 - 3 . The switch  33  has a first end  33 - 1 , a second end  33 - 2  and a control end  33 - 3 . The switch  33  is configured to have its first end  33 - 1  electrically coupled to the control end  32 - 3  of the switch  32 . The switch  34  has a first end  34 - 1 , a second end  34 - 2  and a control end  34 - 3 . The switch  34  is configured to have its first end  34 - 1  electrically coupled to the second end  33 - 2  of the switch  33  and its second end  34 - 2  electrically coupled to the first end  32 - 1  of the switch  32 . 
     Further, the switch  35  has a first end  35 - 1 , a second end  35 - 2  and a control end  35 - 3 . The switch  35  is configured to have its control end  35 - 3  electrically coupled to a control signal S 1 , its first end  35 - 1  electrically coupled between the second end  33 - 2  of the switch  33  and the first end  34 - 1  of the switch  34 , and its second end  35 - 2  electrically coupled to a reference voltage Vref 1 . Thus, according to the above circuit configuration, the switch  15  receives the reference voltage Vref 1  according to the control signal S 1 . The switches  31 ,  33  and  34  are configured to have their control ends  31 - 3 ,  33 - 3  and  34 - 3  electrically coupled to a control signal S 2 , respectively. Thus, according to the above circuit configuration, the switches  31 ,  33  and  34  are ON/OFF according to the control signal S 2 . The capacitor  38  is electrically coupled between the second end  31 - 2  of the switch  31  and the control end  32 - 3  of the switch  32 . The switch  36  has a first end  36 - 1 , a second end  36 - 2  and a control end  36 - 3 . The switch  36  is configured to have its control end  36 - 3  electrically coupled to a control signal EM, its first end  36 - 1  electrically coupled to a reference voltage Vref 2 , and its second end  36 - 2  electrically coupled between the second end  31 - 2  of the switch  31  and the capacitor  38 . Thus, according to the above circuit configuration, the switch  36  receives the reference voltage Vref 2  according to the control signal EM. 
     Further, the switch  37  has a first end  37 - 1 , a second end  37 - 2  and a control end  37 - 3 . The switch  37  is configured to have its control end  37 - 3  electrically coupled to the control signal EM, its first end  37 - 1  electrically coupled to an operation voltage source OVSS, and its second end  37 - 2  electrically coupled to the first end  32 - 1  of the switch  32 . Thus, according to the above circuit configuration, the switch  37  is ON/OFF according to the control signal EM. The light emitting unit  39  has a first end  39 - 1  and a second end  39 - 2 . The light emitting unit  39  is configured to have its first end  39 - 1  electrically coupled to the second end  32 - 2  of the switch  32  and its second end  39 - 2  electrically coupled to the operation voltage source OVSS. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , it is to be noted that all of the switches  31 ,  32 ,  33 ,  34 ,  35 ,  36  and  37  in the pixel driving circuit  300  in the present embodiment are exemplarily implemented with N-type transistors. 
       FIG. 4  is a timing chart of the control signals related to the pixel driving circuit of  FIG. 3  in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. Please refer to  FIGS. 3 and 4 . The pixel driving circuit  300  is operated in a first period, a second period and a third period sequentially. In the first period, the switch  35  is ON and the switches  31 ,  33 ,  34 ,  36  and  37  are OFF. In the second period, the switches  31 ,  33  and  34  are ON and the switch  35  is still ON within a predetermined time t 2  in the second period; wherein the length of the predetermined time t 2  is shorter than the second period. In the third period, the switches  36 ,  37  are ON and the switches  31 ,  33 ,  34  and  35  are OFF. In one embodiment, the predetermined time t 2  in  FIG. 4  is equal to the predetermined time t 1  in  FIG. 2 . 
     Same as the pixel driving circuit  100  of  FIG. 1  in the previous embodiment, the luminance of the light emitting unit  39  in the pixel driving circuit  300  of  FIG. 3  in the present embodiment is no longer affected by the threshold voltage Vth of the switch  32 ; as a result, the object of the present disclosure is achieved. Because the pixel driving circuit  300  of  FIG. 3  and the pixel driving circuit  100  of  FIG. 1  have a similar circuit configuration, no redundant detail is to be given herein. 
     In summary, through employing seven transistors, one capacitor and one light emitting unit with specific configuration, the luminance of the light emitting unit in the pixel driving circuit of the present disclosure is not affected by the threshold voltage of the related transistor; and consequentially, a display apparatus employing the pixel driving circuit of the present disclosure has improved luminance uniformity while displaying images. 
     While the disclosure has been described in terms of what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the disclosure needs not be limited to the disclosed embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims which are to be accorded with the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures.

Technology Classification (CPC): 6