Abstract:
The present invention discloses a multi-display system, comprising: a system circuit device, having a circuit layout disposed thereon; a main flexible circuit device, electrically connected to the system circuit device; and at least a display device, electrically connected to the main flexible circuit device. Moreover, the display device further comprises: a main panel, electrically connected to the main flexible circuit device; at least an auxiliary flexible circuit device, electrically connected to the main panel; at least an auxiliary panel group, electrically connected to the auxiliary flexible circuit device; at least a data driver; and at least a scan driver; wherein one of the data drivers is optionally connected to a device selected from the group consisting of the auxiliary panel group and another data driver connecting to the auxiliary panel group; and one of the scan drivers is optionally connected to a device selected from the group consisting of the auxiliary panel group and another scan driver connecting to the auxiliary panel group.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to a multi-display system, and more particularly, to a system with multiple display panels having a driver circuit shared by the main panel and sub-panels thereof.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Currently, flat panel displays are commonly used in many applications, such as computer, cellular phone, TV, digital camera, digital camcorder, watch, instrument panel for automobile, and billiard boards of various sizes, etc. Among those applications, dual-panel display or multi-panel display are quite popular recently, e.g. most of the folding cellular phones adopt dual-panel display for displaying simple information on the sub-panel thereof and major content on the main panel thereof.  
         [0003]     Refer to  FIG. 1A , which is a schematic view showing a multi-display system of prior art. As seen in  FIG. 1A , the multi-display system comprises: a main panel  11   b , being connected to a system circuit board  11  by a flexible printed circuit board (FPC)  112 ; and a sub-panel  11   a , being connected to the system circuit board  11  by another flexible printed circuit board (FPC)  111 ; wherein the multi-display system of  FIG. 1  is characterized in that: (1) the sub-panel  11   a  is not directly connected to the main panel  11   b , that is, the FPC  111  connecting the sub-panel  11   a  is separated from the FPC  112  connecting the main panel  11   b  that both are connected to the system circuit board  11  in respective; (2) the main panel  11   a  is equipped with a data driver IC and a scan driver IC which are independent to another data driver IC and scan driver IC for driving the sub-panel  11   a , that is, two set of driving devices, each consisting of a data driver IC and a scan driver IC, are required and are functioned separately and independently to output images to the main panel  11   b  and the sub-panel  11   a  in respective.  
         [0004]     Similarly, as seen in  FIG. 1B , four sub-panels  12   a ,  12   b ,  12   d , and  12   e  and two main panels  12   c  and  12   f  are connected to a system circuit board  12  respectively and independently by FPCs  121 ,  122 ,  123 ,  124 , and  125 , that each display panel will have a set of driving device consisting of a data driver IC and a scan driver IC for driving the same, and each set of driving device is independent to each other.  
         [0005]     Therefore, in a conventional multi-display system, each display panel will have its own wiring connecting the same to the system circuit board and independent driving device for driving the same, such that the device using the conventional multi-display system will have complex internal circuitry causing the device to be bulky and costly. By virtue of this, a multi-display system of simplified circuit layout is in great demand.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     It is the primary object of the invention to provide a multi-display system having data driver ICs and scan driver ICs shared or partially shared by the main panel and sub-panels thereof.  
         [0007]     It is another object of the invention to provide a multi-display system, capable of connecting at least two display panels electrically by way of a plurality of flexible circuit devices like FPCs so as to shorten the circuit layout of the system and reduce manufacturing cost.  
         [0008]     To achieve the aforesaid objects, the present invention provides a multi-display system, comprising: a system circuit device, having a circuit layout disposed thereon; a main flexible circuit device, electrically connected to the system circuit device; and at least a display device, electrically connected to the main flexible circuit device.  
         [0009]     The display device further comprises: a main panel, electrically connected to the main flexible circuit device; at least an auxiliary flexible circuit device, electrically connected to the main panel; at least an auxiliary panel group, electrically connected to the auxiliary flexible circuit device; at least a data driver; and at least a scan driver; wherein one of the data drivers is optionally connected to a device selected from the group consisting of the auxiliary panel group and another data driver connecting to the auxiliary panel group; and one of the scan drivers is optionally connected to a device selected from the group consisting of the auxiliary panel group and another scan driver connecting to the auxiliary panel group.  
         [0010]     In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the auxiliary panel group is a single sub-panel, electrically connected to the auxiliary flexible circuit device.  
         [0011]     ,In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the auxiliary panel group is consisted of at least two sub-panels and at least a subsidiary flexible circuit device, electrically connected to the sub-panels, wherein one of the plural sub-panels is electrically connected to the auxiliary flexible circuit device directly, and the other sub-panels are electrically connected to the directly-connected sub-panel by way of the subsidiary flexible circuit device.  
         [0012]     In addition, the data driver is arranged at a side of the main panel, and similarly the scan driver can also be arranged at a side of the main panel.  
         [0013]     It is preferred that the multi-display system further comprises a timing controller, electrically connected to the main panel. Moreover, the timing controller is substantially an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and the data drivers and the scan drivers can be integrated into one ASIC. Besides, the main flexible circuit device can be a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) and the auxiliary flexible circuit device can be a flexible printed circuit board (FPC).  
         [0014]     In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the main panel of the multi-display system is a display selected from the group consisting of organic light emitting display (OLED), passive matrix liquid crystal display (PM-LCD), active matrix liquid crystal display (AM-LCD), low temperature poly silicon liquid crystal display (LTPS-LCD), reflective display and reflective liquid crystal display. Moreover, the sub-panels of the auxiliary panel group are at least a display selected from the group consisting of organic light emitting display (OLED), passive matrix liquid crystal display (PM-LCD), active matrix liquid crystal display (AM-LCD), low temperature poly silicon liquid crystal display (LTPS-LCD), reflective display and reflective liquid crystal display.  
         [0015]     Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent upon study of the remaining portions of the specification and drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]      FIG. 1A  is a schematic view showing a multi-display system of prior art  
         [0017]      FIG. 1B  is a schematic view showing another multi-display system of prior art  
         [0018]      FIG. 2  is a schematic view showing a multi-display system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0019]      FIG. 3  is a schematic view showing a multi-display system according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0020]      FIG. 4  is a schematic view of a multi-display system having a data driver shared by the display panels thereof according to the present invention.  
         [0021]      FIG. 5  is a schematic view of a multi-display system having a scan driver shared by the display panels thereof according to the present invention.  
         [0022]      FIG. 6A  is a functional block diagram showing a dual screen display of prior art.  
         [0023]      FIG. 6B  is a functional block diagram showing a dual-display system of the invention.  
         [0024]      FIG. 7A  is a schematic illustration of a preferred embodiment of the invention.  
         [0025]      FIG. 7B  is a schematic illustration of another preferred embodiment of the invention.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0026]     Please refer to  FIG. 2 , which is a schematic view showing a multi-display system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The multi-display system  2  of  FIG. 2  comprises a main panel  21 , a sub-panel  22 , two flexible printed circuit boards (FPCs)  23  and  24 . Wherein, the main panel  21  is electrically connected to the FPC  23  by outer lead bonding (OLB), and the FPC  23  is electrically connected to a system circuit board (not shown) such that the main panel  21  is enabled to receive electrical data from the FPC  23 .  
         [0027]     The main panel  21  further comprises a display area  211  and two drivers  212 ,  213  arranged thereon, wherein the driver  212  acted as a data driver is capable of operating cooperatively with the driver  213  acted as a scan driver for enabling the display area  211  to display images.  
         [0028]     The main panel  21  is further electrically connected to the FPC  24  by outer lead bonding (OLB), and the FPC  24  is further electrically connected to the sub-panel  22 , such that the sub-panel  22  having a display area  221  can also be driven by the two drivers  212  and  213  for enabling the display area  221  to display images.  
         [0029]     Please refer to  FIG. 3 , which is a schematic view showing a multi-display system according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention. The multi-display system  3  of  FIG. 3  comprises a main panel  31 , two sub-panels  32 ,  33 , two FPCs  34 ,  35 . Wherein, the main panel  31  is electrically connected to the FPC  34  by outer lead bonding (OLB), and the FPC  34  is electrically connected to a system circuit board (not shown) such that the main panel  31  is enabled to receive electrical data from the FPC  34 .  
         [0030]     The main panel  31  further comprises a display area  311  and two drivers  312 ,  313  arranged thereon, wherein the driver  312  acted as a data driver is capable of operating cooperatively with the driver  313  acted as a scan driver for enabling the display area  311  to display images.  
         [0031]     The main panel  31  is further electrically connected to the FPC  35  by outer lead bonding (OLB), and the FPC  35  is further electrically connected to the sub-panel  32 , such that the sub-panel  32  having a display area  321  can also be driven by the two drivers  312  and  313  for enabling the display area  321  to display images.  
         [0032]     Moreover, the FPC  34  is further electrically connected to the sub-panel  33  such that the sub-panel  33  having a display area  331  can also be driven by the two drivers  312  and  313  for enabling the display area  331  to display images.  
         [0033]     Please refer to  FIG. 4 , which is a schematic view of a multi-display system having a data driver shared by the display panels thereof according to the present invention. The multi-display system  4  of  FIG. 4  comprises a main panel  41 , a sub-panel  42 , and a FPC  43 , wherein the main panel  41  is electrically connected to the FPC  43 , and the FPC  43  is electrically connected to the sub-panel  42 . In addition, the main panel  41  is composed of x 1  data lines (i.e. data line  1 , data line  2 , . . . , and data line x 1  in respective) and n scan lines (i.e. scan line  1 , scan line  2 , . . . , and scan line n in respective) and has a data driver  411  arranged therein; and the sub-panel  42  is composed of x 2  data lines (i.e. data line  1 , data line  2 , . . . , and data line x 2  in respective) and m scan lines (i.e. scan line n+1, scan line n+2, . . . , and scan line n+m in respective).  
         [0034]     As seen in  FIG. 4 , while x 1 ≧x 2  and using the electrical connection provided by the FPC  43 , the data driver  411  not only is capable of driving the x 1  data lines of the main panel  41 , but also is capable of driving the x 2  data lines of the sub-panel  42  simultaneously. However, while x 1 &lt;x 2 , the data driver  411  can drive all x 1  data lines of the main panel  41  and partial data lines of the sub-panel  42 , that is, x 1  out of x 2  data lines of the sub-panel  42 , and the excess data lines of the sub-panel, i.e. the remaining x 2 −x 1  data lines, is driven by another data driver (not shown) arranged either in the main panel  41  or the sub-panel  42 .  
         [0035]     In order to use the same data driver  411  for driving all data lines, the scan lines are sequentially aligned from the main panel  41  to the sub-panel  42 , that is, sequentially arranging the scan lines from scan line  1 , scan line  2 , . . . , scan line n, scan line n+1, scan line n+2 . . . , scan line n+m, or vice versa, and the main panel  41  is controlled by a generated shift clock (not shown). Moreover, the main panel  41  and sub-panel  42  use different scan drivers (not shown), where the scan drivers can be an integrated circuit (IC) or can be a device integrally manufactured on the substrate of the main panel or sub-panel by LTPS.  
         [0036]     In addition, the data driver  411  can be an IC or can be a device integrally manufactured on the substrate of the main panel or sub-panel by LTPS. The multi-display system  4  further comprises a timing controller, which can be integrated with the data driver  411 .  
         [0037]     Please refer to  FIG. 5 , which is a schematic view of a multi-display system having a scan driver shared by the display panels thereof according to the present invention. The multi-display system  5  of  FIG. 5  comprises a main panel  51 , a sub-panel  52 , and a FPC  53 , wherein the main panel  51  is electrically connected to the FPC  53 , and the FPC  53  is electrically connected to the sub-panel  52 . In addition, the main panel  51  is composed of x data lines (i.e. data line  1 , data line  2 , . . . , and data line x in respective) and n scan lines (i.e. scan line  1 , scan line  2 , . . . , and scan line n in respective) and has a scan driver  511  arranged therein; and the sub-panel  52  is composed of y data lines (i.e. data line  1 , data line  2 , . . . , and data line y in respective) and m scan lines (i.e. scan line  1 , scan line  2 , . . . , and scan-line m in respective).  
         [0038]     As seen in  FIG. 5 , while n≧m and using the electrical connection provided by the FPC  53 , the scan driver  511  not only is capable of driving then scan lines of the main panel  51 , but also is capable of driving the m scan lines of the sub-panel  52  simultaneously. Moreover, the main panel  51  and sub-panel  52  use different data drivers (not shown), where the data drivers can be an integrated circuit (IC) or can be a device integrally manufactured on the substrate of the main panel or sub-panel by LTPS.  
         [0039]     In addition, the data drive can be mounted on the FPC  53  or integrally manufactured on the substrate of the main panel or sub-panel by LTPS. The multi-display system  5  further comprises a timing controller, which can be integrated with the data driver  511 .  
         [0040]     As seen in  FIG. 5 , since the main panel  51  and the sub-panel  52  use different data drivers in respective, the data driver of the sub-panel  52  can be disposed on the sub-panel so as to minimize the layout requirement of wiring.  
         [0041]     Please refer to  FIG. 6A , which is a functional block diagram showing a dual screen display of prior art. As seen in  FIG. 6A , two shift registers  631  and  641  respectively arranged in two display panels  63  and  64  receive different electrical data separately from a main system circuit  67 , and then the level of the electrical data received by each shift register is raised by the corresponding level shifter units  6311  and  6411  in respective so that the level-raised electrical data are sent to the corresponding buffer units  6312  and  6412  in respective for driving the corresponding display panels  63  and  64 .  
         [0042]     Please refer to  FIG. 6B , which is a functional block diagram showing a dual-display system of the invention. As seen, the main panel  65  is electrically connected to a FPC  68 , and the FPC  68  is electrically connected to a sub-panel  66 . Moreover, there is only a single shift register  651  arranged in the main panel  65 , such that a single electrical data is received by the single shift register  651 , and then the received data is sent separately to the two level shifter units  6511  and  6512  for raising the level thereof, and then the level-raise electrical data of the level shifter unit  6511  is sent to the buffer unit  6513  for driving the main panel  65  and the level-raise electrical data of the level shifter unit  6512  is sent to the buffer unit  6514  to be further transmitted by way of the FPC  68  for driving the sub-panel  66 . While n≧m, the electrical data of the level shifter  1  of the level shifter unit  6511  is shared by the level shifter  1  of the level shifter unit  6512 , and the electrical data of the level shifter  2  of the level shifter unit  6511  is shared by the level shifter  2  of the level shifter unit  6512 , and so forth, i.e. the electrical data of the first m level shifter of the level shifter unit  6511  is identical to those of the corresponding m level shifters of the level shifter unit  6512 . In this regard, the sub-panel  66  can be driven by way of the transmission of the FPC  68  such that the amount of devices arranged on the sub-panel  66  is reduced and simplified, and also enable the sub-panel  66  to be made of a cheaper material like a-Si. Vice versa, the main panel  65  can be driven by the sub-panel  66  having the single shift register  651  arranged thereon for reducing the amount of devices arranged on the main panel  65 . In a preferred embodiment, the data driver can be arranged on the main panel  65  and the scan driver can be arranged on the sub-panel  66  that the data driver and the scan driver are enabled to work cooperatively, or vice versa,  
         [0043]     Please refer to  FIG. 7A , which is a schematic illustration of a preferred embodiment of the invention. The multi-display system  71  comprises a system circuit board  711 , a main panel  712 , two sub-panels  713 ,  714 , wherein the system circuit board  711  is electrically connected to the main panel  712  and the two sub-panels  713 ,  714  respectively by three flexible printed circuit boards  715 ,  716  and  727 .  
         [0044]     Please refer to  FIG. 7B , which is a schematic illustration of another preferred embodiment of the invention. The multi-display system  72  comprises a system circuit board  721 , a main panel  722 , two sub-panels  723 ,  724 , wherein the system circuit board  721  is electrically connected to the main panel  722  and the sub-panel  723  respectively by three flexible printed circuit boards  725 ,  726 , and the sub-panel  723  is further connected to the sub-panel  724  by a flexible printed circuit board  717 .  
         [0045]     In view of the above description, the multi-display system of the invention has advantages list as following: 
        (a) Every signal transmitted between the main system circuit board and the sub-panels will pass through the main panel;     (b) The driving device including data drivers and scan drivers can be arranged either only in the main panel, or only in any one of the sub-panels, or partially in the main panel and partially in the sub-panel.     (c) The main panel and the sub-panels can adopt different type of display, such as organic light emitting display (OLED), passive matrix liquid crystal display (PM-LCD), low temperature poly silicon liquid crystal display (LTPS-LCD), reflective display and reflective liquid crystal display.     (d)The main panel can be used to drive a plurality of sub-panels by the proper connection formed therebetween using a plurality of flexible printed circuit boards, since the driving circuit is integrally formed on the glass substrate of the main panel while manufacturing the same by LTPS.     (e) There are a plurality of variations for connecting more than three display panels, as seen in  FIG. 7A and 7B .        
 
         [0051]     It is preferred that the multi-display system further comprises a timing controller, electrically connected to the main panel. Moreover, the timing controller is substantially an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and the data drivers and the scan drivers can be integrated into one ASIC. Besides, while data driver and/or scan driver are shared, the main panel is manufactured by LTPS and the sub-panels are manufactured using technology of amorphous silicon (a-Si). Moreover, the data lines and/or scan lines of the sub-panels can adopt multiplexer design (MUX) to reduce the wire on FPC/glass.  
         [0052]     While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been set forth for the purpose of disclosure, modifications of the disclosed embodiment of the invention as well as other embodiments thereof may occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to cover all embodiments which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention.