Abstract:
A driving module drives a display device having a plurality of pixel switches. The driving module includes a gate driving circuit, a plurality of switch components, and a shorting line. The gate driving circuit includes a plurality of output ends correspondingly coupled to the plurality of the pixel switches through a plurality of gate lines for outputting a plurality of gate driving signals and turning on the plurality of the pixel switches. The plurality of the gate lines are coupled to the shorting line through the switch components. Each control end of the switch components is coupled to the gate driving circuit for receiving the gate driving signals in order to refresh the state of the switch components.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a driving module, and more particularly, to a driving module of a liquid crystal display (LCD) device and a method for extending the lifetime of the driving module. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0004]    Please refer to  FIG. 1 . It is a diagram illustrating a conventional LCD device  100  during fabricating process. The pixel area  110  comprises a plurality of gate lines GL 1 ˜GL N , a plurality of data lines DL 1 ˜DL M , and a plurality of pixel switches SW P  interwoven by the gate lines and the data lines. Each pixel switch SW P  of the pixel area  110  comprises a first end  1  coupled to a corresponding data line, a second end  2  coupled to a storage capacitor C S  of a corresponding pixel, and a control end C coupled to a corresponding gate line. For example, the first end  1  of the pixel switch SW P11  is coupled to the data line DL 1 , the second end  2  of the pixel switch SW P11  is coupled to the storage capacitor C S11 , and the control end C of the pixel switch SW P11  is coupled to the gate line GL 1 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , during the fabricating process, the gate lines corresponding to the pixel switches SW P  of the pixel area  110  of the LCD device  100  are short-circuited to two shorting lines GSL 1  and GSL 2 , the data lines corresponding to the pixel switches SW P  of the pixel area  110  of the LCD device  100  are short-circuited to three shorting lines DSL 1 , DSL 2 , and DSL 3 . Test signals are respectively transmitted into the pads GO, GE, R, G, and B for testing the operation of the pixel area  110 . After the testing procedure is done, the following laser cut procedure is executed (as the dash line shown in  FIG. 1 ) for cutting the connections between the shorting lines, the gate lines, and the data lines. After the laser cut procedure is done, the gate driving circuit  120  and the data driving circuit  130  are respectively coupled to the corresponding pads P G  and P D . In this way, the LCD device  100  is completely fabricated. 
         [0005]    However, in the conventional fabricating process, the laser cut procedure is necessary for disconnecting the short-circuited parts, which increases expense of the fabrication. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    To solve the aforementioned problems, the present invention provides a driving module for driving a display device. The display device has a plurality of gate lines, a plurality of data lines, a plurality of pixel switches interwoven by the plurality of gate lines and the plurality of data lines. A control end of each pixel switch is coupled to the corresponding gate line, a first end of each pixel switch is coupled to the corresponding data line. The driving module comprises a gate driving circuit and a plurality of gate shorting switches. The gate driving circuit comprises a plurality of first output ends for sequentially outputting a plurality of first gate driving signals to turn on the plurality of pixel switches of the display device, and at least one second output end for outputting a second gate driving signal after the plurality of the first gate driving signals are outputted. Each gate shorting switch comprises a first end, a second end, and a control end. The control ends of the plurality of the gate shorting switches are coupled to the at least one second output end of the gate driving circuit for receiving the second gate driving signal to control states of the plurality of gate shorting switches. 
         [0007]    The present invention further provides a display device. The display device comprises a pixel area, and a driving module. The pixel area comprises a plurality of gate lines, a plurality of data lines, and a plurality of pixel switches interwoven by the plurality of gate lines and the plurality of data lines. Each pixel switch comprises a control end coupled to a corresponding gate line, and a first end coupled to a corresponding data line. The driving module comprises a gate driving circuit and a plurality of gate shorting switches. The gate driving circuit comprises a plurality of first output ends for outputting a plurality of first gate driving signals to turn on the plurality of pixel switches of the display device, and at least one second output end for outputting at least one second gate driving signal. Each first output end of the gate driving circuit is coupled to a corresponding gate line of pixel area. Each gate shorting switch comprises a first end, a second end, and a control end coupled to the at least one second output end of the gate driving circuit for receiving the at least one second gate driving signal to control state of the gate shorting switch. 
         [0008]    These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating a conventional LCD device during fabricating process. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating an LCD device of the present invention during the fabricating process. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a diagram illustrating the LCD device after the fabricating process. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a timing diagram illustrating the gate driving signals when the LCD device displays frames. 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a diagram illustrating the gate driving circuit of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a timing diagram illustrating the gate driving signals when the LCD device displays frames. 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is a flowchart illustrating the steps of the method of the present invention for extending lifetime of driving module of an LCD device. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    Please refer to  FIG. 2 . It is a diagram illustrating an LCD device  200  of the present invention during the fabricating process. The difference between the conventional LCD device  100  and the LCD device  200  of the present invention during the fabricating process is that, in the LCD device  200 , shorting switches SW G1 ˜SW GN , and SW D1 ˜SW DM  are further disposed between the shorting lines GSL 1 , and GSL 2 , and the pads P G , and are disposed between the shorting lines DSL 1 , DSL 2 , and DSL 3 , and the pads P D  respectively. As shown in  FIG. 2 , during the fabricating process, in the LCD device  200 , the gate lines GL 1 ˜GL N  of the pixel area  210  are coupled to the shorting lines GSL 1  and GSL 2  through the pads P G  and the gate shorting switches SW G1 ˜SW GN  respectively, and the data lines DL 1 ˜DL N  are coupled to the shorting lines DSL 1 , DSL 2 , and DSL 3  through the pads P D  and the data shorting switches SW D1 ˜SW DM  respectively. Each of the gate/data shorting switches SW G1 ˜SW GN  and SW D1 ˜SW DM  comprises a first end  1 , a second end  2 , and a control end C. For example, the first end  1  of the gate shorting switch SW G1  is coupled to the gate line GL 1  through a pad P G , the second end  2  of the gate shorting switch SW G1  is coupled to the shorting line GSL 1 , and the control end C of the gate shorting switch SW G1  is coupled to the pad X 1 ; the first end  1  of the gate shorting switch SW G2  is coupled to the gate line GL 2  through a pad P G , the second end  2  of the gate shorting switch SW G2  is coupled to the shorting line GSL 2 , and the control end C of the gate shorting switch SW G2  is coupled to the pad X 1  . . . and so on. The first end  1  of the data shorting switch SW D1  is coupled to the data line DL 1  through a pad P D , the second end  2  of the data shorting switch SW D1  is coupled to the shorting line DSL 1 , and the control end C of the data shorting switch SW D1  is coupled to the pad X 2 ; the first end  1  of the data shorting switch SW D2  is coupled to the data line DL 2  through a pad P D , the second end  2  of the data shorting switch SW D2  is coupled to the shorting line DSL 2 , and the control end C of the data shorting switch SW D2  is coupled to the pad X 2  . . . and so on. During the testing procedure, all the shorting switches SW G1 ˜SW GN  and SW D1 ˜SW DN  are turned on by the controlling signals transmitted from the pads X 1  and X 2 , namely, the test signals are transmitted to the gate lines GL 1 ˜GL N  through the pads GO and GE, and to the data lines DL 1 ˜DL M  through the pads R, G, and B. After the testing procedure is done, the gate driving circuit  220 , the data driving circuit  230 , and the switch controlling circuit  240  are coupled to the corresponding pads P G , P D , X 1 , and X 2  (for example, the driving circuits may be ICs bonded on the LCD device) respectively and consequently the fabrication of the LCD device  200  is completed. The switch controlling circuit  240  controls the gate shorting switches SW G1 ˜SW GN  and data shorting switches SW D1 ˜SW DM  to be turned off for avoiding interfering with the regular operation of the LCD device  200 . Thus, it is unlike the conventional art, the laser cut procedure can be omitted in the present invention. 
         [0017]    Please refer to  FIG. 3 . It is a diagram illustrating the LCD device  200  after the fabricating process. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the LCD device  200  comprises a pixel area  210 , and a driving module  300 . After the testing procedure is done, the gate driving circuit  220 , the data driving circuit  230 , and the switch controlling circuit  240  are further installed onto the LCD device  200 . The driving module  300  comprises the gate driving circuit  220 , the data driving circuit  230 , the switch controlling circuit  240 , the gate shorting switches SW G1 ˜SW GN , and the data shorting switches SW D1 ˜SW DM . The gate driving circuit  220  comprises N first output ends O G1 ˜O GN  for sequentially outputting gate driving signals G 1 ˜G N  and at least one second output end O GX  for outputting a gate driving signal G X . The first output ends O G1 ˜O GN  of the gate driving circuit  220  coupled to the corresponding gate lines GL 1 ˜GL N  through the pads P G  output gate driving signals G 1 ˜G N  sequentially to the pixel area  210 . More particularly, the control end C of the pixel switch SW P  of the pixel area  210  receives a corresponding gate driving signal through the corresponding gate line, and when the control end C of a pixel switch SW P  of the pixel area  210  receives a corresponding gate driving signal, the first end  1  of the pixel switch SW P  is coupled to the second end  2  of the pixel switch SW P . For example, as shown in  FIG. 3 , when the control end C of the pixel switch SW P11  receives the gate driving signal G 1 , the first end  1  of the pixel switch SW P11  is coupled to the second end of the pixel switch SW P11  so that the data driving signal on the data line DL 1  can be transmitted to the capacitor C S11  of the pixel through the pixel switch SW P11 . The data driving circuit  230  comprises M output ends O D1 ˜O DM  for outputting data signals. The output ends O D1 ˜O DM  of the data driving circuit  230  coupled to the corresponding data lines DL 1 ˜DL M  through the pads P D  output data signals to the pixel area  210 . Each of the gate shorting switches SW G1 ˜SW GN , and the data shorting switches SW D1 ˜SW DM  comprises a first end  1 , a second end  2 , and a control end C as the same as the description for  FIG. 2 . Each of the gate shorting switches SW G1 ˜SW GN , and the data shorting switches SW D1 ˜SW DM  is coupled to the shorting lines GSL 1 , GSL 2 , DSL 1 , DSL 2 , and DSL 3 , the switch controlling circuit  240 , the gate driving circuit  220  through the pads P G , and the data driving circuit  230  through the pads P D , respectively. 
         [0018]    The switch controlling circuit  240  controls the shorting switches SW G1 ˜SW GN , and SW D1 ˜SW DM  to be turned “on” or turned “off”. More particularly, the switch controlling circuit  240  controls the shorting switches SW G1 ˜SW GN , and SW D1 ˜SW DM  to be turned off for avoiding interfering with the operation of the LCD device  200  when the control end C of a pixel switch SW P  of the pixel area  210  receives a corresponding gate driving signal. The switch controlling circuit  240  coupled to the second output end OG X  of the gate driving circuit  220  outputs the switch controlling signals S 1  and S 2  respectively to control the gate shorting switches SW G1 ˜SW GN , and the data shorting switches SW D1 ˜SW DM  according to the gate driving signal G X  received from the gate driving circuit  220 . For example, when the switch controlling circuit  240  outputs the switch controlling signals S 1  and S 2  of logic “0” (low voltage level), the shorting switches SW G1 ˜SW GN , and SW D1 ˜SW DM  are all turned off. However, if all the shorting switches SW G1 ˜SW GN , and SW D1 ˜SW DM  are kept at the “off” state permanently, the lifetimes of the shorting switches SW G1 ˜SW GN , and SW D1 ˜SW DM  will be shortened and it will lead to unwanted characteristics, e.g. current leakage. More particularly, because the laser cut procedure is omitted, the shorting switches SW G1 ˜SW GN , and SW D1 ˜SW DM  are required to be turned off during the regular operation. In order to extend the lifetimes of the shorting switches, the present invention, on an appropriate occasion, refreshes the on/off states of the shorting switches SW G1 ˜SW GN , and SW D1 ˜SW DM . That is, the shorting switches SW G1 ˜SW GN , and SW D1 ˜SW DM  can be turned on by changing the voltage of the switch controlling signals to refresh the states of the shorting switches SW G1 ˜SW GN , and SW D1 ˜SW DM  at a suitable time during the operation of the LCD device of the present invention for extending the lifetimes of the gate/data shorting switches. 
         [0019]    Alternatively, in another modified embodiment, the switch controlling circuit  240  is simplified to be at least one wire coupling the control ends C of the shorting switches SW G1 ˜SW GN , and SW D1 ˜SW DM  to the output ends of the gate driving circuit  220 , respectively. However, the output ends of the gate driving circuit  220 , coupled to the control ends of the shorting switches SW G1 ˜SW GN , and SW D1 ˜SW DM , have to be different from those output ends O G1 ˜O GN  of the gate driving circuit  220  coupled to the gate lines GL 1 ˜GL N  of the pixel area  210  for outputting the gate driving signals G 1 ˜G N . The shorting switches SW G1 ˜SW GN  and SW D1 ˜SW DM  can be turned on for refreshing by the selected gate driving signals. For example, the gate driving circuit  220  can comprises (N+1) output ends O G1 ˜O GN  (first output ends), and O G(N+1)  (second output end OG X ) for sequentially transmitting gate driving signals G 1 ˜G N , and G (N+1) . The output ends O G1 ˜O GN  of the gate driving circuit  220  are coupled to the gate lines GL 1 ˜GL N , respectively. Therefore, the output end O G(N+1)  of the gate driving circuit  220  for outputting the gate driving signal G (N+1)  can be utilized as the switch controlling signals S 1  and S 2 . That is, the switch controlling circuit  240  is simplified to be one wire coupling the control ends C of the shorting switches SW G1 ˜SW GN , and SW D1 ˜SW DM  to the output end O G(N+1)  (OG X ) of the gate driving circuit  220 . 
         [0020]    Please refer to  FIG. 4 . It is a timing diagram illustrating the gate driving signals while the LCD device displays frames. As shown in  FIG. 4 , while the frame X is displayed, the gate driving signals G 1 ˜G N  are transmitted to the corresponding gate lines, as the switch controlling signals S 1  and S 2  are logic “0” for turning off the shorting switches SW G1 ˜SW GN , and SW D1 ˜SW DM . Similarly, while the frame (X+1) is displayed, the gate driving signals G 1 ˜G N  are again transmitted to the corresponding gate lines as well, as the switch controlling signals S 1  and S 2  are logic “0” for turning off the shorting switches SW G1 ˜SW GN , and SW D1 ˜SW DM . During the period T B , which is between the frames X and (X+1) and is so-called the blanking period, there are no gate driving signals transmitted to the gate lines of the pixel area  210 . The present invention utilizes the period T B  for refreshing the state of the shorting switches SW G1 ˜SW GN , and SW D1 ˜SW DM . More particularly, the switch controlling circuit  240  outputs the switch controlling signals S 1  and S 2  of logic “1” (high voltage level) for turning on the shorting switches SW G1 ˜SW GN , and SW D1 ˜SW DM  during the period T B  for refreshing. Since during the period T B , there are no gate driving signals that would be transmitted to the gate lines of the pixel area  210 , it will not affect the regular operation for the pixel area  210 . 
         [0021]    Please refer to  FIG. 5 . It is a diagram illustrating the gate driving circuit  220  of the present invention. Generally, the number of the gate driving signals of the gate driving circuit  220  (namely, the number of the output pin) are more than the number of the gate lines of the pixel area  210 . In other words, the amount of the gate driving signals generated from the gate driving circuit  220  is more than the gate lines of the pixel area  210  required. For example, the number of the gate lines of the pixel area  210  is designed to be N, and the number of the gate driving signals of the gate driving circuit  220  is designed to be K, which is greater than N. Therefore, the gate driving circuit  220  can sequentially outputs gate driving signals G 1 ˜G K . The switch controlling circuit  240  can be realized by utilizing the gate driving signals G (N+1) ˜G K . More particularly, any gate driving signal from the gate driving signals G (N+1) ˜G K  can be appropriately selected to be the switch controlling signals S 1  and S 2 . For example, the switch controlling signal S 1  can be utilized with the gate driving signal G (N+1) , and the switch controlling signal S 2  can be utilized with the gate driving signal G (N+2) , or, both of the switch controlling signals S 1  and S 2  can be utilized with the same gate driving signal G (N+1) . 
         [0022]    Please refer to  FIG. 6 . It is a timing diagram illustrating the gate driving signals when the LCD device displays frames. As shown in  FIG. 6 , a period T B  exists between the frames X and (X+1). During the period T B , the gate driving circuit  220  outputs gate driving signals G (N+1) ˜G K , nevertheless, there are no gate driving signals that would be transmitted to the gate lines of the pixel area  210 . The present invention utilizes at least one of the gate driving signals G (N+1) ˜G K  during this period T B  to refresh the state of the shorting switches SW G1 ˜SW GN , and SW D1 ˜SW DM . More particularly, the switch controlling circuit  240  can utilize any of the gate driving signals G (N+1) ˜G K  as the switch controlling signals S 1  and S 2  for turning on the shorting switches SW G1 ˜SW GN , and SW D1 ˜SW DM  (or only changing the voltage on the control ends of the shorting switches SW G1 ˜SW GN , and SW D1 ˜SW DM ) during the period T B . That is, the switch controlling circuit  240  is simplified to be at least one wire coupling to the output ends which transmit the gate driving signals G (N+1) ˜G K  respectively. 
         [0023]    Please refer to  FIG. 7 . It is a flowchart illustrating the steps of the method  700  of the present invention for extending lifetime of driving module  300  of the LCD device  200 . The steps of the method  700  are described as follows:
   Step  701 : The gate driving circuit  220  sequentially outputs a plurality of gate driving signals G 1 ˜G N  to the gate lines GL 1 ˜GL N  of the pixel area  210  and sequentially outputs at least one gate driving signal G X  to the switch controlling circuit  240 ;   Step  702 : The data driving circuit  230  outputs a plurality of data signals to the data lines DL 1 ˜DL M  of the pixel area  210  when the plurality of gate driving signals G 1 ˜G N  are transmitted to the gate lines GL 1 ˜GL N  of the pixel area  210 ;   Step  703 : The switch controlling circuit  240  outputs the switch controlling signals S 1  and/or S 2  to the control ends C of the plurality of shorting switches SW G1 ˜SW GN , and/or SW D1 ˜SW DM  according to the at least one gate driving signal G X  thereby refreshing them while there is no gate driving signal transmitted to the gate lines GL 1 ˜GL N  of the pixel area  210 ;   Step  704 : The gate driving circuit  220  sequentially outputs a plurality of gate driving signals G 1 ˜G N  to the gate lines GL 1 ˜GL N  again after all shorting switches SW G1 ˜SW GN , and/or SW D1 ˜SW DM  are turned off.
 
In step  701 , the gate driving signal G X  can be at least one of the gate driving signals G (N+1) ˜G K  as disclosed in  FIG. 5 . That is, the at least one gate driving signal G X  can be only the gate driving signal G (N+1) , or can be comprised with two of the gate driving signals G (N+1)  and G (N+2) . In step  703 , the switch controlling signals S 1  and S 2  are outputted according to the at least one gate driving signal G X . Therefore, when the gate driving signal G X  is only the gate driving signal G (N+1) , the switch controlling signal S 1  and S 2  are both the same as the gate driving signal G (N+1) , and when the at least one gate driving signal G X  comprises two gate driving signals G (N+1)  and G (N+2) , the switch controlling signals S 1  and S 2  can be the same as the gate driving signals G (N+1)  and G (N+2) , respectively.
   
 
         [0028]    To sum up, the driving module of the LCD device of the present invention utilizes the blanking period between one frame and another frame for refreshing the states of the shorting switches. In this way, the lifetimes of the shorting switches can be extended and consequently the lifetime of the LCD device is extended as well, which increases convenience. 
         [0029]    Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device and method may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention.