Patent ID: 7944412

Claim:
A semiconductor device, comprising: an element to be driven comprising an organic EL element; a power supply line; a switching transistor that operates in response to a selection signal received at a gate of the switching transistor to enable a data signal to transmit through, the switching transistor being formed of an n-channel thin film transistor; an element driving transistor having a drain connected to the power supply line, a source connected to an anode of the organic EL element, and a gate configured to receive the data signal supplied through the switching transistor, the element driving transistor controlling power to be supplied from the power supply line to the element to be driven, and being formed of an n-channel thin film transistor; a storage capacitor having one electrode connected between the element to be driven and the source of the element driving transistor, and the other electrode connected to the gate of the element driving transistor, to hold a gate-source voltage corresponding to the data signal; a pixel having the element to be driven, the switching transistor, the element driving transistor, and the storage capacitor; a first signal output section that periodically applies, to the power supply line, a power supply signal that allows operation of the element to be driven of the one pixel, and a set signal for setting a potential at the source of the element driving transistor of the one pixel to a non-operational potential of the element to be driven of the one pixel at least during a period in which the switching transistor of the one pixel operates in response to the selection signal; and a second signal output section that supplies a precharge signal, for placing the element driving transistor of the one pixel into an operational state, to the switching transistor of the one pixel, before the data signal is supplied to the switching transistor of the one pixel, during the period in which the switching transistor of the one pixel operates in response to the selection signal; wherein the power supply signal and the set signal have different voltages.