Backlight device and display apparatus including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11320694-B2
Application number	US-202016928177-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 14, 2020
Priority date	Jul 22, 2019
Publication date	May 3, 2022
Grant date	May 3, 2022

Abstract

A backlight device includes a substrate and a plurality of light emitters on the substrate. Each of the plurality of light emitters includes a brightness controller disposed on the substrate, and a pad unit disposed on the substrate. The brightness controller generates a light-emission current, a light-emitting diode is allowed to be disposed on the pad unit, and the light-emitting diode emits light based on the light-emission current.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A backlight device comprising:
a substrate; and
a plurality of light emitters on the substrate,
wherein each of the plurality of light emitters comprises:
a brightness controller comprising a thin-film transistor disposed on the substrate, wherein the thin-film transistor generates a light-emission current with a magnitude corresponding to a level of a data voltage applied to the thin-film transistor; and
a pad unit disposed on the substrate, wherein a light-emitting diode is disposed on the pad unit, and the thin-film transistor drives the light-emitting diode to emit light based on the light-emission current.

2. The backlight device of claim 1 ,
wherein the thin-film transistor comprises:
a semiconductor layer disposed on the substrate and including a first area and a second area;
a gate electrode at least partially overlapping the semiconductor layer;
a first connection electrode electrically connected to the first area; and
a second connection electrode electrically connected to the second area, and

the thin-film transistor generates the light-emission current with the magnitude corresponding to the level of the data voltage applied to the gate electrode.

3. The backlight device of claim 2 , wherein
the pad unit comprises
a first pad to be connected to a first electrode of the light-emitting diode, and
a second pad connected to the first connection electrode and to be connected to a second electrode of the light-emitting diode.

4. The backlight device of claim 3 , further comprising:
a plurality of data lines on the substrate;
a plurality of first power lines on the substrate; and
a plurality of second power lines on the substrate,
wherein each of the plurality of light emitters is connected to a corresponding data line from among the plurality of data lines, a corresponding first power line from among the plurality of first power lines, and a corresponding second power line from among the plurality of second power lines.

5. The backlight device of claim 4 , wherein
the corresponding data line is connected to the gate electrode,
the corresponding first power line is connected to the first pad, and
the corresponding second power line is connected to the second connection electrode.

6. The backlight device of claim 5 , further comprising:
a driving board connected to the substrate,
wherein the driving board comprises:
a voltage controller which outputs the data voltage to the corresponding data line; and
a power supply which outputs a first driving voltage to the corresponding first power line and a second driving voltage to the corresponding second power line.

7. The backlight device of claim 6 , wherein
the driving board further comprises a first resistor and a second resistor connected to each other in series between the corresponding second power line and the power supply.

8. The backlight device of claim 7 , wherein
the driving board further comprises a sensor which senses a voltage of a sensing node between the first resistor and the second resistor.

9. The backlight device of claim 8 ,
wherein the voltage controller adjusts a level of the data voltage based on the voltage of the sensing node sensed by the sensor.

10. The backlight device of claim 7 , wherein
the first resistor has a resistance value corresponding to a distance between a light emitter corresponding thereto and the power supply, and
the light emitter corresponding to the first resistor is connected to the first resistor between the corresponding second power line and the power supply via the corresponding second power line.

11. The backlight device of claim 1 , wherein
the pad unit is provided in plural such that a plurality of light-emitting diodes is disposed thereon, and
the plurality of light-emitting diodes is connected to one another in series and emits light based on the light-emission current.

12. A backlight device comprising:
a substrate;
a thin-film transistor comprising a semiconductor layer, a gate electrode, a first connection electrode, and a second connection electrode, wherein the semiconductor layer is disposed on the substrate and includes a first area and a second area, the gate electrode at least partially overlaps the semiconductor layer, the first connection electrode is electrically connected to the first area, and the second connection electrode is electrically connected to the second area;
a pad unit comprising a first pad and a second pad, wherein the second pad is connected to the first connection electrode;
a data line disposed on the substrate, wherein the data line transmits a data voltage to the gate electrode;
a first power line disposed on the substrate, wherein the first power line transmits a first driving voltage to the first pad; and
a second power line disposed on the substrate and connected to the second connection electrode.

13. The backlight device of claim 12 , further comprising
a light-emitting diode disposed on the first pad and the second pad,
wherein a first electrode of the light-emitting diode is connected to the first pad, and
a second electrode of the light-emitting diode is connected to the second pad.

14. The backlight device of claim 12 , further comprising:
a first resistor connected between the second power line and a sensing node; and
a second resistor connected between the sensing node, and a node to which a second driving voltage is applied.

15. The backlight device of claim 14 , wherein
a resistance value of the first resistor decreases as a sum of a length of the first power line and a length of the second power line increases.

16. The backlight device of claim 14 , further comprising
a voltage controller adjusts a level of the data voltage based on a voltage of the sensing node.

17. The backlight device of claim 12 , further comprising:
a plurality of light emitters disposed on the substrate,
wherein each of the plurality of light emitters comprises the thin-film transistor and the pad unit.

18. A display apparatus comprising:
a backlight unit; and
a display panel disposed on the backlight unit, wherein a plurality of pixels are disposed in the display panel,
wherein the backlight unit comprises a substrate and a plurality of light emitters disposed on the substrate, and
each of the plurality of light emitters comprises:
a thin-film transistor disposed on the substrate, wherein the thin-film transistor generates a light-emission current, and the thin-film transistor generates the light-emission current with a magnitude corresponding to a level of a data voltage applied to the thin-film transistor;
a pair of pads on the substrate; and
a light emitter disposed on the pair of pads and connected to the thin-film transistor in series such that the thin-film transistor drives the light emitter to emit light based on the light-emission current.

19. The display apparatus of claim 18 , wherein
the thin-film transistor comprises:
a semiconductor layer disposed on the substrate and including a first area and a second area;
a gate electrode at least partially overlapping the semiconductor layer;
a first connection electrode connected between the first area and a pad among the pair of pads; and
a second connection electrode electrically connected to the second area, and
the thin-film transistor generates the light-emission current with the magnitude corresponding to the level of the data voltage applied to the gate electrode.

20. The display apparatus of cla

Assignees

• Samsung Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Jeong Minjae
• Woo Minkyu
• Lee Misun
• Chung Kyunghoon
• Chai Chongchul
• Hong Sungchul

Classifications

• H10W90/00 Primary

  Package configurations · CPC title

• H10H29/142

  Two-dimensional arrangements, e.g. asymmetric LED layout · CPC title

• G02F1/133603 Primary

  with LEDs · CPC title

• G09G3/3685

  Details of drivers for data electrodes · CPC title

• G02F1/133611

  including means for improving the brightness uniformity · CPC title