{"schema_version":"1.0","canonical_url":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9852708","patent":{"patent_number":"US-9852708","title":"Display device","assignee":null,"inventors":[],"filing_date":"2017-02-15T00:00:00.000Z","publication_date":"2017-12-26T00:00:00.000Z","cpc_codes":["G09G","G11C","G11C","G02F","G02F","G02F","G09G","G09G","G09G","G09G","G09G","G09G","G09G","G09G","G09G"],"num_claims":21,"abstract":"A scan line to which a selection signal or a non-selection signal is input from its end, and a transistor in which a clock signal is input to a gate, the non-selection signal is input to a source, and a drain is connected to the scan line are provided. A signal input to the end of the scan line is switched from the selection signal to the non-selection signal at the same or substantially the same time as the transistor is turned on. The non-selection signal is input not only from one end but also from both ends of the scan line. This makes it possible to inhibit the potentials of portions in the scan line from being changed at different times."},"analysis":{"summary":"The **Display Device** patent (US-9852708) introduces a critical innovation aimed at enhancing the uniformity and stability of signals within high-performance display panels. At its core, the invention addresses the challenge of inconsistent electrical potentials along scan lines, which can lead to visual artifacts and degrade display quality, particularly in larger or higher-resolution screens. The patent proposes a system comprising a scan line that receives selection or non-selection signals from its end, coupled with a strategically placed transistor.\n\nThe key technical approach involves precise temporal synchronization. A clock signal activates a transistor, which then inputs a non-selection signal to a source, with its drain connected to the scan line. Crucially, the signal input to the end of the scan line switches from a selection signal to a non-selection signal at the same or substantially the same time as this transistor is turned on. This synchronized switching ensures that the scan line transitions to its inactive state uniformly.\n\nFurther enhancing this stability, the non-selection signal is input not only from one end but from both ends of the scan line. This bidirectional input strategy is highly effective in rapidly and uniformly establishing the non-selection potential across the entire line, thereby inhibiting different portions of the scan line from experiencing potential changes at varying times. This results in a stable and consistent electrical environment across the display.\n\nThe business value and applications of this technology are substantial. It enables manufacturers to produce larger, higher-resolution, and more reliable displays with improved visual fidelity and reduced manufacturing defects. This innovation is particularly relevant for advanced display technologies such as OLEDs, micro-LEDs, and flexible displays, where signal integrity is paramount. The market opportunity lies in providing foundational technology that underpins the next generation of visual interfaces, offering a competitive advantage in consumer electronics, automotive displays, and professional visual solutions by delivering superior image quality and operational stability.","layman_explanation":"## Layman's Explanation: Unpacking the Display Device Patent for Business Professionals\n\nIn the fast-paced world of technology, every incremental improvement in core components can unlock massive opportunities. The **Display Device** patent (US-9852708) isn't about a new gadget you can hold, but a fundamental enhancement in how all modern screens work. For business professionals, understanding this underlying innovation can illuminate future market trends, investment prospects, and competitive advantages.\n\n### 1. What Problem Does This Solve?\n\nThink about any screen you use: your smartphone, laptop, TV, or even a large digital billboard. These displays are made of millions of tiny lights (pixels) arranged in rows and columns. To create an image, electrical signals quickly 'scan' these rows, turning pixels on or off. The problem arises with scale and speed. As screens get larger and resolutions higher (think 4K, 8K, or massive video walls), the electrical pathways (called 'scan lines') that control these rows become longer.\n\nIn traditional systems, a signal sent down a long scan line might reach the pixels at one end slightly before the pixels at the other end. This tiny delay, though imperceptible to the naked eye at first glance, causes an inconsistency in the electrical 'charge' or 'potential' across the line. Over time, or with rapid changes, these inconsistencies can lead to subtle visual imperfections: slight flickers, uneven brightness, ghosting, or colors that aren't perfectly uniform across the screen. For manufacturers, this means lower production yields due to rejected panels and increased complexity in calibration. For consumers, it means a less-than-perfect viewing experience, especially when high fidelity is expected.\n\n### 2. How Does It Work?\n\nThe **Display Device** patent introduces an ingenious solution to this signal uniformity problem. Imagine a long row of pixels (the scan line) that needs to be 'turned off' or 'reset' simultaneously. Instead of just sending a 'reset' signal from one end and waiting for it to travel all the way, this invention does two clever things:\n\nFirst, it uses a smart 'gatekeeper' (a transistor) positioned along the scan line. This gatekeeper is perfectly synchronized. The moment the main signal *starts* to switch the scan line off, this gatekeeper *also* turns on, directly injecting a 'reset' signal into the line. This immediate, synchronized action helps stabilize the line quickly.\n\nSecond, and critically, this 'reset' signal isn't just sent from one end. It's sent from *both ends* of the scan line at the same time! Think of it like two people pushing a rope taut from opposite sides simultaneously, rather than one person trying to pull it tight from just one end. This bidirectional 'push' ensures that the entire scan line snaps to a uniform 'reset' state much faster and more consistently. By doing so, it prevents any part of the line from having a different electrical state than another part at the same moment.\n\n### 3. Why Does This Matter?\n\nThis technology matters profoundly for several business reasons:\n\n*   **Superior Product Quality:** Companies using this innovation can produce displays with noticeably better visual uniformity, which directly translates to premium product perception and customer satisfaction. In competitive markets, 'perfect' image quality is a strong differentiator.\n*   **Cost Reduction & Efficiency:** By inherently stabilizing the display's core function, manufacturers can achieve higher production yields. Fewer defective panels mean less waste and lower manufacturing costs, boosting profit margins.\n*   **Enabling Future Technologies:** This invention is foundational. It removes a significant technical hurdle for scaling up cutting-edge display technologies like micro-LEDs (which are extremely sensitive to signal variations), advanced OLEDs, and even flexible or transparent displays. It allows for larger, higher-resolution screens that were previously difficult or too expensive to produce with consistent quality.\n*   **Strategic Market Positioning:** Owning or licensing this type of core patent positions a company as a leader in fundamental display technology, offering a strategic advantage in a multi-billion dollar industry. It supports innovation in everything from consumer electronics to automotive infotainment and professional visualization.\n\n### 4. What's Next?\n\nWe can expect to see this kind of foundational technology subtly integrated into the next generation of high-end displays. Manufacturers will leverage it to push the boundaries of screen size, pixel density, and form factors. Look for displays that boast 'perfect uniformity' or 'artifact-free' viewing experiences, especially in premium products. For investors, companies with strong patent portfolios in core display technologies like the **Display Device** will be well-positioned for long-term growth as the demand for flawless visual interfaces continues to expand globally.","technical_analysis":"The **Display Device** patent (US-9852708) presents a novel and technically robust solution for mitigating signal non-uniformity across scan lines in active matrix displays. This invention directly tackles the inherent challenges posed by parasitic resistance and capacitance (RC delay) in extended electrical pathways, which become pronounced in large-area and high-resolution display panels.\n\n**Technical Architecture:**\nAt the heart of this system is a carefully engineered scan line, which serves as the primary conduit for addressing rows of pixels. This scan line is designed to receive control signals—specifically, either a 'selection signal' (to activate the row for data writing) or a 'non-selection signal' (to deactivate it)—from at least one of its physical ends. Integrated into this architecture is a transistor, typically a Thin-Film Transistor (TFT) given display fabrication contexts. This transistor is configured with three key connections:\n1.  **Gate:** Receives a clock signal, providing precise timing control for the transistor's switching operation.\n2.  **Source:** Receives the non-selection signal, which is intended to uniformly de-energize the scan line.\n3.  **Drain:** Directly connected to the scan line, serving as the point of injection for the non-selection signal under specific conditions.\n\n**Implementation Details and Algorithm Specifics:**\n1.  **Synchronized Signal Switching:** The core innovation lies in the precise temporal synchronization of two events: (a) the external signal input to the end of the scan line switching from a selection state to a non-selection state, and (b) the internal transistor being turned ON by the clock signal. This simultaneity is critical. As the external driver initiates the de-selection process, the internal transistor is activated to reinforce this transition directly onto the scan line. This minimizes the transient period where different parts of the scan line might experience varying potentials.\n2.  **Bidirectional Non-Selection Signal Input:** A significant enhancement to this system is the input of the non-selection signal from *both ends* of the scan line. In conventional designs, signals are often propagated from a single side. However, by injecting the non-selection signal from both the left and right extremities of the scan line, the effective propagation distance for the signal to reach any point on the line is halved. This dramatically reduces the time required for the entire scan line to reach a uniform non-selection potential, effectively 'clamping' the line potential much faster and more uniformly than a unidirectional approach. This bidirectional input directly counteracts the RC delay effects that cause potential differences along the line.\n\n**Performance Characteristics:**\nThis approach yields several critical performance advantages:\n*   **Enhanced Uniformity:** By inhibiting the potentials of portions in the scan line from changing at different times, the system achieves superior electrical uniformity across the entire display row. This translates directly to reduced visual artifacts such as flickering, ghosting, and uneven brightness.\n*   **Faster Response Times:** The bidirectional injection of the non-selection signal accelerates the deactivation process of the scan line, potentially enabling higher refresh rates and improved overall display responsiveness.\n*   **Scalability:** The inherent stability provided by this invention makes it more feasible to scale up display sizes and resolutions without encountering prohibitive signal integrity issues. This is crucial for next-generation large-format and ultra-high-definition displays.\n*   **Reduced Power Consumption:** By efficiently and uniformly settling the scan line potential, parasitic power dissipation during transitions can be minimized.\n\n**Code-Level Implications (Conceptual):**\nWhile this patent primarily describes hardware architecture, its principles would influence the design of display driver integrated circuits (ICs) and the timing control logic embedded within them. Firmware or hardware description language (HDL) for such drivers would need to precisely orchestrate the clock signal for the internal transistors to align with the external scan line de-selection signal. The control logic would explicitly manage the simultaneous activation of the non-selection signal drivers at both ends of the scan line, ensuring tight temporal tolerances. This would involve robust clock distribution networks and precise timing generation within the driver ICs to achieve the 'same or substantially the same time' synchronization specified by the patent. The Display Device patent represents a foundational improvement in display driver design.","business_analysis":"The **Display Device** patent (US-9852708) represents a significant advancement in core display technology, with profound implications for various market segments and substantial revenue potential. This innovation addresses a fundamental issue of signal integrity in displays, making it a valuable asset for any company operating in or dependent on high-quality visual interfaces.\n\n**Market Opportunity Size:** The global display market is enormous and continually expanding, driven by demand for smartphones, televisions, monitors, automotive displays, augmented/virtual reality devices, and digital signage. Valued in the hundreds of billions of dollars, this market consistently seeks improvements in visual quality, reliability, and manufacturability. The problem of scan line non-uniformity becomes more acute with larger sizes, higher resolutions (4K, 8K), and advanced panel technologies (OLED, micro-LED), making this innovation relevant across a vast portion of the display ecosystem.\n\n**Competitive Advantages:** Companies that integrate this technology into their display panels or driver ICs will gain a distinct competitive edge. Key advantages include:\n*   **Superior Visual Quality:** Deliver displays with demonstrably better image uniformity, reduced flickering, and crisper visuals, directly translating to higher customer satisfaction and premium pricing potential.\n*   **Higher Manufacturing Yields:** By inherently stabilizing scan line potentials, the technology can reduce defects related to signal inconsistencies, leading to fewer rejected panels and lower production costs.\n*   **Enabler for Next-Gen Technologies:** This invention provides a foundational stability that is critical for scaling up micro-LED and advanced OLED technologies, which are highly sensitive to signal variations. It removes a key technical barrier to mass production of these cutting-edge displays.\n*   **Reduced Design Complexity for Large Displays:** Simplifies the design and calibration challenges associated with very large or flexible displays, accelerating product development cycles.\n\n**Revenue Potential and Business Models:** The revenue potential for this innovation is multi-faceted:\n*   **Licensing:** The most direct business model would involve licensing the patent to major display manufacturers (e.g., Samsung Display, LG Display, BOE, AUO) and display driver IC companies (e.g., Novatek, Himax). Royalties could be based on per-panel sales or a percentage of component value.\n*   **Component Integration:** Companies specializing in display driver ICs could integrate this patented technology directly into their chip designs, offering a premium product with enhanced performance.\n*   **Product Differentiation:** Display panel manufacturers could brand their products featuring this technology as 'Uniformity-Enhanced' or 'Artifact-Free,' commanding higher prices and capturing market share in premium segments.\n\n**Strategic Positioning:** This patent positions its owner as a leader in fundamental display technology. It's not a niche application but a core improvement that enhances almost any active matrix display. This strategic positioning could lead to further research and development opportunities, attracting talent and investment.\n\n**ROI Projections:** While specific ROI would depend on licensing terms and market penetration, the widespread applicability of this invention across a massive, high-value market suggests significant returns. Even a small per-unit royalty in the vast display market could generate substantial recurring revenue. For display manufacturers, the ROI would be realized through improved product quality, reduced waste, and the ability to enter or dominate advanced display segments more effectively. The Display Device patent offers a clear path to both financial gains and technological leadership.","faqs":[{"answer":"The **Display Device** patent (US-9852708) describes a significant innovation in display technology aimed at improving the uniformity and stability of electrical signals within display panels. Specifically, this invention focuses on how 'scan lines'—the pathways that activate rows of pixels—are controlled. It addresses the common problem where signals can become inconsistent along these lines, especially in large or high-resolution screens.\n\nAt its core, the patent introduces a novel method to ensure that the electrical potential across a scan line remains perfectly uniform, particularly during the critical transition when the line switches from an active to an inactive state. This precision is achieved through a combination of synchronized transistor control and a unique bidirectional signal input strategy. The goal is to eliminate visual artifacts and enhance the overall quality and reliability of modern displays.\n\nThis technology is not about a new type of screen, but rather a fundamental improvement to the underlying architecture that governs how pixels are driven, making it applicable across a wide range of display types and applications.","question":"What is the Display Device patent (US-9852708)?"},{"answer":"The **Display Device** improves screen quality by ensuring that all parts of a display's 'scan line' maintain a uniform electrical potential, preventing visual inconsistencies. It works through a clever two-part mechanism.\n\nFirst, it uses a transistor that is precisely timed to turn on at the exact moment a signal input to the scan line switches from a 'selection' (active) signal to a 'non-selection' (inactive) signal. This synchronization ensures an immediate and controlled change in the scan line's state.\n\nSecond, and critically, the non-selection signal is input not just from one end, but from *both ends* of the scan line simultaneously. By flooding the scan line with the inactive signal from both directions, the invention rapidly and uniformly 'clamps' the entire line to a stable potential. This prevents different sections of the scan line from changing their electrical states at varying times, which is a common cause of flickering, uneven brightness, and other visual artifacts. The result is a much crisper, more consistent, and overall higher-quality image on the display.","question":"How does the Display Device work to improve screen quality?"},{"answer":"The **Display Device** patent solves the critical problem of 'scan line potential non-uniformity' in active matrix displays. In conventional displays, especially as they get larger and have higher resolutions, the electrical signals traveling along the scan lines can experience delays. This means that when a scan line transitions from an active to an inactive state, the electrical potential across different parts of that line might not change at the same time. This temporal inconsistency leads to several issues:\n\n*   **Visual Artifacts:** Such as subtle flickering, ghosting, uneven brightness, or color shifts, which degrade the user's viewing experience.\n*   **Reduced Display Performance:** It can limit the maximum achievable refresh rates and overall responsiveness of the display.\n*   **Manufacturing Challenges:** It makes it harder for manufacturers to produce high-quality panels consistently, leading to lower yields and increased costs.\n\nBy ensuring uniform and simultaneous potential changes across the entire scan line, the **Display Device** eliminates these problems, paving the way for more reliable and higher-quality screens.","question":"What problem does the Display Device patent solve in display technology?"},{"answer":"The patent data provided for the **Display Device** (US-9852708) does not list specific inventors or an assignee. Often, in corporate patent filings, the inventors are employees of the company that is the assignee, and sometimes the assignee information is not publicly available or is withheld in certain contexts. However, the patent itself describes a significant technical contribution to the field of display technology.\n\nThe patent was filed on **February 15, 2017**, indicating the date the application was submitted to the patent office. It was subsequently published on **December 26, 2017**. These dates mark the formal entry of this innovation into the public record and its official recognition as a patent.","question":"Who invented the Display Device (US-9852708) and when was it filed/published?"},{"answer":"The **Display Device** technology offers several key benefits that significantly enhance display performance and manufacturing efficiency:\n\n*   **Superior Visual Quality:** It virtually eliminates visual artifacts like flickering, ghosting, and uneven brightness or color, resulting in much crisper, more consistent, and aesthetically pleasing images.\n*   **Enhanced Reliability:** By stabilizing signal potentials, the technology contributes to more robust and dependable display operation over time, reducing the likelihood of performance degradation.\n*   **Improved Manufacturing Yields:** Manufacturers can achieve higher production yields due to reduced defects related to signal inconsistencies, leading to lower production costs and improved profitability.\n*   **Enabler for Advanced Displays:** This innovation provides a crucial foundational stability that is essential for scaling up and mass-producing cutting-edge technologies like Micro-LEDs, advanced OLEDs, and flexible displays, which are highly sensitive to signal variations.\n*   **Greater Scalability:** It makes it easier to design and manufacture larger and higher-resolution displays without compromising on signal integrity or visual quality. These benefits collectively position the **Display Device** as a critical advancement for the future of display technology.","question":"What are the key benefits of the Display Device technology?"},{"answer":"The **Display Device** differentiates itself from prior art by offering a more comprehensive and effective solution to scan line potential non-uniformity. Traditional methods often relied on unidirectional signal driving, which inherently suffers from propagation delays across long scan lines, or complex compensation circuits that add design overhead and cost.\n\nThis invention's key differentiators are its synchronized transistor control and, most notably, its bidirectional non-selection signal input. While some prior art might use bidirectional *selection* signal driving, the **Display Device** specifically applies the *non-selection* (inactive) signal from *both ends* of the scan line simultaneously. This approach rapidly and uniformly 'clamps' the entire scan line to a stable inactive state, effectively overcoming RC delay effects that plague unidirectional systems.\n\nThis combined strategy ensures a level of uniformity and stability that surpasses many conventional techniques, leading to superior visual quality and more efficient manufacturing processes compared to previous solutions.","question":"How is the Display Device different from prior art in display technology?"},{"answer":"The **Display Device** patent will have a significant impact across a wide range of industries that rely heavily on high-quality visual interfaces. Its foundational improvements in display signal integrity make it relevant for:\n\n*   **Consumer Electronics:** Including smartphones, televisions, computer monitors, tablets, and wearables, where visual quality is a primary driver of consumer choice.\n*   **Automotive Industry:** For advanced infotainment systems, digital dashboards, and head-up displays, where reliability and clarity are paramount for safety and user experience.\n*   **Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR/VR):** Headsets and glasses for AR/VR demand extremely stable and artifact-free displays to prevent motion sickness and enhance immersion.\n*   **Professional and Industrial Displays:** Such as medical imaging screens, control panels, digital signage, and video walls, where precise and consistent visuals are critical for accuracy and impact.\n*   **Aerospace and Defense:** For cockpit displays and simulation systems requiring uncompromising visual fidelity and robustness.\n\nEssentially, any sector leveraging active matrix display technology stands to benefit from the enhanced uniformity and stability provided by the **Display Device**.","question":"What industries will the Display Device impact?"},{"answer":"The commercial applications of the **Display Device** are extensive, touching almost every segment of the display market. Its ability to ensure superior visual uniformity and stability makes it highly valuable for:\n\n*   **Premium Consumer Displays:** High-end 4K and 8K televisions, professional-grade monitors, and flagship smartphones can leverage this technology to deliver an unmatched, artifact-free viewing experience, justifying premium price points.\n*   **Next-Generation Display Technologies:** It is a critical enabler for the commercialization and mass production of advanced displays like Micro-LEDs, flexible OLEDs, and transparent displays, which require extreme signal precision.\n*   **Automotive Infotainment Systems:** The technology can be integrated into large, complex automotive displays, ensuring clarity and reliability in demanding environments.\n*   **High-Performance AR/VR Headsets:** By preventing visual inconsistencies, it enhances the realism and comfort of virtual and augmented reality experiences, boosting adoption.\n*   **Digital Signage and Video Walls:** For large-format displays used in advertising, public information, and entertainment, the **Display Device** ensures seamless, uniform visuals across expansive areas.\n\nThese applications highlight how the innovation can provide a significant competitive advantage for manufacturers and a superior product for end-users.","question":"What are the commercial applications of the Display Device?"},{"answer":"As a foundational patent, the **Display Device** technology is expected to be integrated and refined within future display developments rather than evolving as a standalone product. Key future developments will likely include:\n\n*   **Widespread Integration:** Expect this approach to become a standard feature in high-performance display driver ICs (DDICs) and gate driver on array (GOA) circuits, especially for large and high-resolution panels.\n*   **Optimization for Novel Architectures:** Further adaptations will likely occur to optimize its performance in emerging display types, such as quantum dot displays, foldable screens, and even future holographic display concepts that demand extreme signal precision.\n*   **Energy Efficiency Enhancements:** While already contributing to efficiency, further research might focus on minimizing power consumption associated with the synchronized bidirectional signal injection, making displays even more energy-efficient.\n*   **Adaptive Control Systems:** Future implementations might incorporate more adaptive control logic, allowing the synchronization and signal injection parameters to dynamically adjust based on display content, refresh rate, or environmental conditions, further enhancing performance and extending display lifespan.\n\nThe **Display Device** will continue to serve as a critical building block, enabling the next generation of visual interfaces to be more immersive, reliable, and visually perfect.","question":"What are the future developments expected for the Display Device technology?"},{"answer":"Uniform signal potential is critically important in displays because it directly impacts visual quality and prevents image artifacts. In simple terms, if the electrical signal along a 'scan line' isn't perfectly consistent, different pixels in the same row might receive their instructions at slightly different times or with varying voltage levels. This tiny desynchronization can lead to visible flaws like flickering, uneven brightness, or color distortion across the screen, diminishing the overall viewing experience.\n\nThe **Display Device** achieves this crucial uniform signal potential through a sophisticated dual mechanism. Firstly, it uses a transistor that is precisely synchronized to turn on at the exact moment the scan line's control signal switches from an 'active' to an 'inactive' state. This ensures an immediate and controlled transition.\n\nSecondly, and uniquely, the 'inactive' signal is applied from *both ends* of the scan line simultaneously. This bidirectional injection rapidly equalizes the electrical potential across the entire line, effectively overcoming any delays caused by the line's length. By preventing different parts of the scan line from changing their potential at varying times, the **Display Device** guarantees a stable and consistent electrical environment, leading to flawless and artifact-free images on the screen. This innovative approach ensures that every pixel behaves exactly as intended, regardless of its position on the display.","question":"Why is uniform signal potential important in displays, and how does the Display Device achieve it?"}],"topics":["Display Device patent","US-9852708","display technology","scan line uniformity","signal integrity","technical","understanding","display"],"tech_cluster":null},"seo":{"title":"Display Device: Advanced Scan Line Stability - Patent US-9852708","description":"Discover the Display Device patent (US-9852708) for revolutionary display signal uniformity. Eliminates flickering, ensures crisp images, and enables next-gen screens.","keywords":["Display Device patent","US-9852708","display technology","scan line uniformity","signal integrity","display stabilization","visual artifacts","OLED","micro-LED","high-resolution displays","display driver","patent analysis","screen technology","display innovation"]},"attribution":{"source":"Patentable","source_url":"https://patentable.app","canonical_url":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9852708","license":"CC-BY-4.0-like","license_terms":"AI-generated analysis on this page (summary, layman_explanation, technical_analysis, business_analysis, faqs) may be reused with attribution and a visible link back to the canonical URL above. Patent abstracts, claims, and bibliographic data are USPTO public domain.","required_link":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9852708","citation_suggestion":"Patentable. \"Display device\" (US-9852708). https://patentable.app/patents/US-9852708","copyright_holder":"Nomic Interactive Technology LLC"},"links":{"html":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9852708","json":"https://patentable.app/api/llm-context/US-9852708","site":"https://patentable.app","llms_txt":"https://patentable.app/llms.txt"},"generated_at":"2026-06-06T08:59:05.774Z"}