Driver Circuits for Micro-LED Displays
56 patents in this list
Updated:
Micro-LED displays face significant thermal and electrical challenges at microscale dimensions. Individual LED elements, often just 3-10 micrometers in size, require precise current control while operating at current densities above 1000 A/cm². Managing these current densities while maintaining uniform brightness across millions of pixels demands driver circuitry that can deliver stable performance without thermal degradation.
The fundamental challenge lies in balancing the competing demands of precise current control, thermal management, and circuit density in increasingly compact pixel architectures.
This page brings together solutions from recent research—including cascaded micro-IC architectures, integrated thermal dissipation paths, oxide semiconductor backplanes, and shared driving schemes. These and other approaches focus on practical implementations that enable high-resolution displays while maintaining power efficiency and reliable operation.
1. Multi-Branch Linear LED Driver with Individual Branch Management and Adjustable Comparator Slope
SHENZHEN SENHAIWEI ELECTRONIC CO LTD, 2024
Multi-branch linear LED driver that provides smooth switching and reliable operation for multiple strings of LEDs. The driver has a control circuit that individually manages each branch based on detection of the branch status. A comparator circuit detects if a branch is normal or abnormal based on a threshold voltage difference. The control circuit then adjusts the branch operation accordingly. The comparator output slope is adjusted to make branch switching gentle. This prevents abrupt current changes that could damage the LEDs.
2. LED Display Module with High Voltage Driven Equidistant LED Layout on PCB
ZHEJIANG DEHE PHOTOELECTRIC TECH CO LTD, ZHEJIANG DEHE PHOTOELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY CO LTD, 2024
LED display module and screen that use high voltage to reduce energy consumption compared to standard low voltage displays. The modules have LEDs laid equally on the PCB board, driven by high voltage chips. This allows using higher voltages than the typical 5V for LED displays. The higher voltage reduces the current through the LEDs and PCB wiring, reducing power loss and heat generation compared to low voltage displays.
3. LED Driver with Feedback Current Source and Shared Feedback Pin for Supply Voltage Adjustment
WEILANG CO LTD, 2024
LED driver, lighting system and display device for optimizing supply voltage to improve efficiency. The LED driver has a feedback current source that generates a feedback current based on the headroom voltage of the LED driver. This feedback current is derived from the supply voltage. The LED driver compares the headroom voltage with a reference and adjusts the feedback current accordingly. Multiple LED drivers in a lighting system can share a feedback pin to derive feedback currents. The supply voltage is adjusted based on the feedback voltages. This closed-loop feedback helps stabilize the supply voltage and maximize LED driver efficiency.
4. LED Driving Module with Input Voltage-Based Current Control and Integrated Boost Circuit
2024
LED driving module and method for backlight units that reduces heat generation in the module and overall panel by controlling the current through the LED array based on the input voltage. The module has a boost circuit to amplify the input voltage, a voltage monitoring circuit to compare the input and reference voltages, and a current control circuit to set the LED driving current based on the comparison. This allows adjusting the LED current based on input voltage to prevent overload and reduce heat in the boost circuit and panel.
5. Energy-Saving LED Display Circuit with Buck Converter and Dual Constant Current Drive Modules
XIAN QINGSONG OPTOELECTRONIC TECH CO LTD, XIAN QINGSONG OPTOELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY CO LTD, 2024
An energy-saving circuit for LED displays that reduces power consumption and heat generation of the constant current driver chips. The circuit is used in RGB LED displays with common anode connection. The circuit includes a power module, two constant current drive modules, and a buck converter. The red, green, and blue LED anodes connect to the power module. The red LED cathode connects to the first constant current drive module. The first buck converter connects to the first constant current drive module output and ground. The green and blue LED cathodes connect to the second constant current drive module inputs. This configuration raises the voltage level at the first constant current drive module using the buck converter, reducing its voltage drop and power consumption.
6. LED Driving Device with Direct Current Regulation and Integrated Power Supply and Temperature Monitoring
JIANGSU XINKANG MICROELECTRONIC TECH CO LTD, JIANGSU XINKANG MICROELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY CO LTD, 2024
LED driving device that can directly regulate current and has power supply and temperature monitoring functions. The device aims to improve LED lifetime and reliability by providing quick current adjustment, voltage monitoring, and temperature monitoring. It uses a current mirror to directly regulate the LED current instead of resistors. A reference source provides stable voltages and currents. Monitors check reference voltage, power supply, and temperature to prevent issues like reference voltage drop, excessive voltage, and overheating.
7. LED Driver Control System with Dual Units for Current Regulation and Bias Voltage Adjustment
SHANGHAI TANMU SEMICONDUCTOR TECH CO LTD, SHANGHAI TANMU SEMICONDUCTOR TECHNOLOGY CO LTD, 2024
Control system and method for LED driver to optimize efficiency and reduce heat generation by maintaining constant current while minimizing voltage applied to the LEDs. The system has two control units, one to provide driving current to the LEDs and the other to adjust the bias voltage based on the current. This allows using lowest voltage to optimize efficiency while maintaining constant current.
8. Integrated LED Array Drive Circuit with Combined Control and Driving Modules
HEFEI WEIGUO SEMICONDUCTOR CO LTD, 2023
LED array drive circuit for displays that integrates the control and driving functions into a single chip to simplify design, reduce circuit board area, and improve reliability compared to separate control and driver chips. The integrated circuit has a control module that writes data into the driving module. The driving module then uses that data to control the LED array's brightness. This integrated approach allows miniaturization of LED displays by reducing the overall solution size.
9. LED Display Drive Circuit with Current Mirror and Feedback-Controlled Low Transition Voltage
GUANGDONG BAOLUN ELECTRONIC CO LTD, 2023
Low transition voltage LED display drive circuit that reduces power consumption and improves display quality by using current mirrors and feedback control to lower the turning voltage. The circuit has a reference voltage generation module and a constant current output module. The reference current generating circuit uses current mirrors formed by N-type MOS tubes to stabilize the output current. A feedback loop with operational amplifiers adjusts the output further. This reduces the transition voltage compared to traditional circuits.
10. Stacked Multi-Color Pixel Micro-LED Display with Integrated Driver Circuit and Metal Wire Connections
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, 2023
Micro-LED display with stacked multi-color pixels and an integrated driver circuit for high-resolution displays with compact pixel sizes and reduced power consumption. The display has a normal driver circuit and a pixel structure where red, green, and blue sub-pixels are stacked on top of each other. The sub-pixels are electrically connected to the driver circuit through metal wires. The stacked pixel design reduces pixel size while still providing full-color capability. The pixels are fabricated by growing and stacking layers for each sub-pixel color, then cutting and connecting them to the driver circuit.
11. LED Driver Circuit with Separate Voltage Limiting and Temperature Compensation Modules
WUXI ROIDMI INF TECH CO LTD, WUXI ROIDMI INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CO LTD, 2023
Simplified, low-cost LED constant current driver circuit that provides stable current and reduces temperature sensitivity compared to conventional circuits. The circuit uses separate voltage limiting and temperature compensation modules to maintain constant current and reduce temperature effects on the LED driver module. The voltage limiter clamps the voltage at the driver output to a fixed level. The temperature compensator adjusts the driver input voltage based on ambient temperature to counteract temperature effects. This allows keeping the driver output current stable and reduces temperature sensitivity compared to direct feedback-based current regulation.
12. Adaptive Constant Current Driving Circuit with Voltage Feedback Loop for Common Cathode RGB LEDs
FUJIAN QIANGLI PHOTOELECTRICITY CO LTD, 2023
Self-adaptive constant current driving circuit for LED displays that eliminates the need for multiple power supplies when driving RGB LEDs with common cathode structure. The circuit has an adaptive constant current driving chip with a voltage feedback loop that adjusts the drive voltage to prevent excessive voltage drop in the constant current driver. The feedback loop collects the working voltage of the driver and compares it to a threshold. If it's too high, it adjusts the drive frequency to lower the voltage. This prevents excessive heat and power consumption in the drivers.
13. Display Panel with Integrated Metal Heat Dissipation Path for Micro-LED Pixel Units
Shanghai Tianma Micro-Electronics Co., Ltd., 2023
Display panel with improved heat dissipation for micro-LEDs to avoid efficiency loss and extend lifespan. The panel has pixel units with driving circuits between the substrate and light-emitting components. For units with micro-LEDs, the circuit includes a thin-film transistor connected to a metal structure. This forms a heat dissipation path from the micro-LED to the metal layer away from the substrate.
14. Macro-Pixel Display Driver Architecture with Shared Circuitry for Enhanced Bit Depth in Micro-LED Arrays
Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC, 2023
A display driver architecture for micro-LED displays that reduces pixel pitch and increases bit depth with shared circuitry to improve performance and manufacturability. The architecture uses a macro-pixel design with multiple pixels sharing circuits like comparators and leveraging contiguous layout regions to reduce transitions. This allows fitting more bit cells and additional logic in the same area. By grouping circuits, using standard bit cells, and sharing certain components, it enables higher bit depths per pixel in dense micro-LED arrays.
15. LED Driver Circuit with Temperature Compensated Current Source, Transmission Gate, and Variable Capacitor for Flicker-Free Operation
JILIN UNIV, JILIN UNIVERSITY, 2023
A high power utilization rate LED driver circuit that eliminates flicker and dead time for LED displays. The circuit has a temperature compensated current source, a compensation capacitor, and a low pass filter. The AC-DC converter provides pulsed DC to the LEDs through a transmission gate. During low input voltages, the capacitor discharges to prevent LEDs from turning off. The current source maintains the voltage above LED threshold. The capacitor size controls dead time based on input AC. The filter removes noise. The temperature compensation ensures stable current in varying temperatures.
16. Interleaved Vled and Cathode Contact Layout with Cathode Redistribution Ring for Uniform Current Distribution in CMOS Driver Electronics
Lumileds LLC, 2023
Optimizing CMOS driver electronics layout for micro-LED displays to uniformly distribute current and reduce hotspots. The layout uses interleaved Vled and cathode contact areas along two sides, surrounded by a cathode redistribution ring connecting to the cathode µbumps, instead of injecting current from three sides. This spreads current along the display edges for uniform distribution and avoids excessive density at the corners.
17. Integrated LED Display Module with Gradual Brightness Control and Unified Power Regulation System
GYX OPTOELECTRONICS CO LTD, 2023
Integrated LED display module with gradual brightness control for uniformity and cost savings. The module has a 5V power supply, LDO regulator, main controller, communication interface, LED driver chip, and LED matrix. The LDO provides stable 3.3V power for the controller and LED driver. The controller has a crystal oscillator and communicates over a serial port. This integrated design allows gradual brightness adjustment of each LED for uniformity without separate power, driver, and controller boards.
18. CMOS Driver Electronics Layout with Interleaved Vled and Cathode Contact Areas and Cathode Redistribution Ring for Micro-LED Displays
Lumileds LLC, 2023
Optimized layout of CMOS driver electronics for micro-LED displays to reduce power losses and improve reliability. The layout uses a power plane design with interleaved Vled and cathode contact areas along the sides of the display, surrounded by a cathode redistribution ring. This allows uniform injection of cathode current along all four sides of the display area to distribute current and avoid hotspots.
19. LED Lamp Driving Circuit with Control Chip, Switch Module, and Adjustable PWM-Based Current Regulation
SHOUGANG JINGTANG UNITED IRON & STEEL CO LTD, 2023
LED lamp driving circuit with improved efficiency, reliability, and adjustability. The circuit has a control chip, switch module, drive module, and adjustment module. The control chip receives a PWM signal from an external device and adjusts the LED lamp current based on it. This improves LED-electric-to-light efficiency. The circuit simplifies LED lamp driving, extends life, enhances immunity, precisely controls lamp current, and stabilizes performance. It also has features like over-temp protection and brightness adjustment.
20. Micro-LED Display Panel with Integrated Pixel-Level Driver Circuitry
Hong Kong Beida Jade Bird Display Limited, 2022
A display panel that uses micro-LEDs and integrated driver circuitry to reduce power consumption compared to conventional display technologies like LCD and OLED. The display panel has an array of micro-LED pixels where each pixel contains a micro-LED and an integrated driver circuit. This allows each pixel to control its own LED brightness and color directly without additional driver circuitry. The integrated driver circuitry reduces power consumption by eliminating the need for separate driver components for each pixel. The micro-LED pixels can be densely packed to achieve high-resolution displays with improved brightness and energy efficiency.
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The display industry could undergo a transformation because of advancements in micro-LED driver circuitry technology. Advancements in heat management, power efficiency, and pixel miniaturization open up new possibilities for high-performance micro-LED displays.