Patent Application
20220189394
The present disclosure relates to the field of electronic technology, and more particular, to a display apparatus and an electronic device.
With developments of communication technology, electronic devices such as smart phones are becoming more and more popular. During uses of the electronic device, the electronic device can use its display screen to display images.
In order to have better display effects and user experiences, the size of a display screen is getting larger and larger, but it is difficult to hold the display screen of an electronic device when it exceeds a certain size, so it is more and more important to increase a screen-to-body ratio of the display screen. In the related art, a camera is set on the backside of the display of the display apparatus, and the display apparatus is provided with a light transmission channel corresponding to the camera. The camera is used to form images by obtaining external light signals through the light transmission channel. The light transmission channel is small in size and can increase the screen-to-body ratio of the display apparatus. However, the light transmission channel cannot display images, which makes a display area of the display apparatus incomplete.
The embodiments of the present application provide a display apparatus and an electronic device, which can increase a screen-to-body ratio of the display apparatus and make a display area of the display apparatus complete.
An embodiment of the present application provides a display apparatus, comprising a first display area, a first driving unit, a second display area, and a second driving unit.
The first display area comprises a plurality of first pixels, the plurality of first driving units arranged in the first display area, and each of the first driving units is electrically connected to the first pixel to drive the first pixel.
The second display area is adjacent to the first display area, the second display area comprises a plurality of second pixels, and the plurality of second driving units arranged in the first display area. Each of the second driving units is electrically connected to one or more of the second pixels to drive the one or more of the second pixels, and the number of thin film transistors included in one second driving unit is smaller than the number of thin film transistors included in one first driving unit.
An embodiment of the present application also provides an electronic device comprising a display apparatus and a camera, wherein the display apparatus is the above-mentioned display apparatus. The camera comprises a lens that is disposed toward the second display area. The camera is used to form images by obtaining external light signals passing through the second display area.
In order to more clearly describe technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the following will briefly introduce the drawings that need to be used in the description of the embodiments.
The embodiments of the present application provide an electronic device and a display apparatus thereof. The electronic device may include a display apparatus and a camera. The lens of the camera is set relative to the display apparatus, that is, the camera forms images by obtaining external light signals passing through the display apparatus. It can be understood that the light transmittance of conventional display apparatus is low, and the imaging effect of the camera through the display apparatus is not good. For this reason, the embodiment of the present application may divide the display apparatus into a plurality of areas, for example, setting the light transmittance of a portion of the display apparatus corresponding to the camera to be greater than the light transmittance of other positions of the display apparatus, which can improve the imaging effect of the camera. Technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application.
Electronic devices provided by embodiments of the application can be mobile terminal devices such as mobile phones and tablet computers, and can also be gaming devices, augmented reality (AR) devices, virtual reality (VR) devices, on-board computers, laptop computers, data storage apparatus, audio player, video player, wearable devices and other devices with display apparatus, wherein the wearable devices can be smart bracelets, smart glasses, etc.
An embodiment of the present application provides a display apparatus, comprising a first display area, a first driving unit, a second display area, and a second driving unit.
The first display area comprising a plurality of first pixels, the plurality of first driving units arranged in the first display area, and each of the first driving units is electrically connected to the first pixel to drive the first pixel.
The second display area is adjacent to the first display area, the second display area comprises a plurality of second pixels, the plurality of second driving units arranged in the first display area, each of the second driving units is electrically connected to one or more of the second pixels to drive the one or more of the second pixels, and the number of thin film transistors included in one second driving unit is smaller than the number of thin film transistors included in one first driving unit.
The second display area comprises a plurality of first pixel sets, each of the first pixel sets comprises a plurality of the second pixels connected in parallel, and one second driving unit is electrically connected to all the second pixels connected in parallel in one first pixel set.
The first pixel set comprises a plurality of the second pixels of different colors or the first pixel set comprises a plurality of the second pixels of the same color.
The second display area comprises a plurality of pixel units, and each of the pixel units comprises at least three second pixels of different colors.
A second pixel in one of the pixel units is connected in parallel with a second pixel in at least one of the other pixel units, and the at least two second pixels connected in parallel form the first pixel set.
The second pixels of the same color in the at least two pixel units are connected in parallel, and the at least two second pixels of the same color connected in parallel form the first pixel set.
The second display area comprises a plurality of pixel units, and each of the pixel units comprises at least three second pixels of different colors, at least two second pixels of different colors in the pixel unit are connected in parallel, and the at least two second pixels of different colors connected in parallel form the first pixel set.
The first driving unit is 7T1C or 5T1C, and the second driving unit is 2T1C.
The display apparatus further comprises a third display area, the third display area being connected to the second display area via the first display area, the first display area comprises a plurality of second pixel sets, each of the second pixel sets comprises at least two first pixels connected in parallel, a plurality of the first pixels connected in parallel in one second pixel set are electrically connected to one first driving unit, the third display area comprises a plurality of third pixels and a plurality of third driving units, and each of the third driving units is electrically connected to one of the third pixels.
The second pixel set comprises a plurality of the first pixels of different colors, or the second pixel set comprises a plurality of the first pixels of the same color.
One of the second pixel sets is arranged corresponding to one of the first driving units and at least one of the second driving units.
One of the first pixels in the second pixel set is arranged corresponding to one of the first driving units, and another one of the first pixels is arranged corresponding to one of the second driving units.
The display apparatus further comprises a driving chip and a plurality of driving signal lines, the driving chip controlling the first driving unit and the second driving unit through the plurality of driving signal lines, wherein at least one of the driving signal lines is electrically connected to the first driving unit and the second driving unit.
A distribution density of the second pixels is smaller than a distribution density of the first pixels.
An embodiment of the present application further provides an electronic device comprising the display apparatus described above and a camera.
The second display area comprises a plurality of first pixel sets, each of the first pixel sets comprises a plurality of the second pixels connected in parallel, and one second driving unit is electrically connected to all the second pixels connected in parallel in one first pixel set.
The second display area comprises a plurality of pixel units, each of the pixel units comprises at least three second pixels of different colors, a second pixel in one of the pixel units is connected in parallel with a second pixel in at least one of the other pixel units, and the at least two second pixels connected in parallel form the first pixel set.
The second pixels of the same color in the at least two pixel units are connected in parallel, and the at least two second pixels of the same color connected in parallel form the first pixel set.
The display apparatus further comprises a third display area, and the third display area is connected to the second display area via the first display area, the first display area comprises a plurality of second pixel sets, each of the second pixel sets comprises at least two first pixels connected in parallel, a plurality of the first pixels connected in parallel in one second pixel set are electrically connected to one first driving unit, and the third display area comprises a plurality of third pixels and a plurality of third driving units, and each of the third driving units is electrically connected to one of the third pixels.
The display apparatus further comprises a substrate, a driving unit layer, and a light-emitting layer, wherein the driving unit layer is disposed on the substrate, and the light-emitting layer is disposed on the driving unit layer.
The substrate is disposed between the camera and the light-emitting layer, wherein the substrate has a first mounting hole facing the second display area, and the camera lens is at least partially located in the first mounting hole.
The drive unit layer has a second mounting hole facing the camera lens, wherein the second mounting hole communicates with the first mounting hole, and the camera lens is at least partially located in the second mounting hole.
Please refer to
For better understanding of the display apparatus in the embodiment of the present application, the display apparatus will be described in detail below.
Please refer to
Please refer to
The second driving unit 248 may also be disposed in the first display area 220. The second driving unit 248 may be a driving circuit simpler than the first driving unit 228. For example, the first driving unit 228 is 7T1C, and the second driving unit 248 is 2T1C. The number of thin film transistors included in one second driving unit 248 is less than the number of thin film transistors included in one first driving unit 228. The smaller the number of thin film transistors (TFTs) in the second driving unit 248, the smaller the size thereof, so that the second driving unit 248 may be disposed between the plurality of first driving units 228 in the first display area 220. For example, one second driving unit 248 is provided between two or four first driving units 228.
Please refer to
In order to facilitate understanding of multiple second pixels in parallel, the second driving unit of 2T1C is taken as an example for description in the following, as shown in
Herein, the first pixel set 262 may comprise a plurality of second pixels 246 of the same color. For example, the first pixel set 262 may only comprise a plurality of blue second pixels 246, that is, a plurality of blue second pixels 246 are connected in parallel to form one first pixel set 262. Of course, the first pixel set 262 may also only comprise a plurality of red second pixels 246, and the first pixel set 262 may also only comprise a plurality of green second pixels 246. The first pixel set may also comprise a plurality of second pixels of different colors. For example, the first pixel set may comprise red, green, and blue second pixels.
The plurality of second pixels in second display area may be arranged in a manner of pixel units. The first pixel set can be disposed according to pixel units. Please refer to
The second display area includes a gate line (not shown in the figure) and a data line. The gate line, the data line and the second driving unit cooperate to drive each second pixel 246. The gate lines and the data lines may be arranged in different layers and arranged alternately. For example, the gate lines are arranged in rows and the data lines are arranged in columns. The arrangement of the second pixels 246 in the second display area can be one of a standard RGB arrangement, a pentile arrangement or a delta arrangement. It should be noted that the data line and the second pixel 246 are not in the same layer.
When a plurality of second pixels 246 of the same color connected in parallel are parallel to the data line and arranged in a column, a first driving signal line 2462 is provided between two columns of second pixels 246. The first driving signal line 2462 is parallel to the data line and is electrically connected to the second pixel 246 through the second driving signal line 2464 perpendicular to the first driving signal line 2462. Different pixel arrangements have different parallel modes, as specifically shown in
When the plurality of parallel second pixels of the same color are arranged in an array, the second pixels have different parallel modes. Please refer to
For ease of understanding,
When multiple second pixels of the same color connected in parallel are perpendicular to the data line, the second pixels have different parallel modes. Please refer to
In addition to the second pixels of the same color in different second pixel units being connected in parallel to form a first pixel set, the second pixels in one second pixel unit can also be connected in parallel with the second pixels in at least one of other second pixel units to form a first pixel set. For example, the R pixel of one second pixel unit and the G pixel and B pixel of another second pixel unit are connected in parallel to form a first pixel set. For another example, the R pixel of one second pixel unit, the G pixel of another second pixel unit, and the B pixel of the third second pixel unit are connected in parallel to form a first pixel set. Mixed-color display can be performed as required. For example, the second display area is displayed with a specific icon, and the second pixels in the second display area can be connected in parallel according to the specific icon.
In addition, the first pixel set may also be formed by connecting at least two second pixels of different colors in the same pixel unit in parallel. As shown in
It should be noted that the display apparatus may also only comprise a first display area and a second display area. The first display area comprises a plurality of first pixels and a plurality of first driving units, and one first driving unit drives one first pixel. The second driving unit is arranged in the first display area. For example, one second driving unit being arranged between the plurality of first driving units, can also be understood that the space between the plurality of first driving units is used for accommodating one second driving unit. In order to better arrange the second driving unit in the first display area, the distribution density of the first driving units in the first display area may be appropriately reduced, so as to better accommodate the second driving unit.
Please refer to
The first display area 220 is adjacent to the second display area 240, and the area of the first display area 220 is much smaller than that of the third display area 260, which serves as the main display area of the display apparatus. It should be noted that the first display area 220 in the figure is disposed on both sides of the second display area 240. In some other embodiments, the first display area may surround the second display area.
The third display area 260 comprises a plurality of third pixels 266 and a plurality of third driving units. One third driving unit is electrically connected to one third pixel 266 and drives the third pixel 266.
The physical structure of the pixels in the first display area and the third display area may be the same. The size, arrangement, and distribution density of the first pixels in the first display area and the third pixels in the third display area may be the same. The first pixels and the third pixels can be processed in the same process, without additional processes, and without changing the operating equipment. The first pixel and the third pixel can be formed in one process, which simplifies the processing process, improves the processing efficiency, and reduces the cost.
The plurality of first pixels 226 of the first display area 220 are connected in parallel to form one second pixel set 264, obtaining a plurality of the second pixel sets 264. It can also be understood that the first display area 220 comprises a plurality of second pixel sets 264, and each second pixel set 264 comprises at least two first pixels 226 connected in parallel. A plurality of first pixel 226 connected in parallel in one second pixel sets 264 are electrically connected to one first driving unit 228. The plurality of first pixels 226 in the first display area 220 share one first driving unit 228. The first driving unit is not provided under some of the first pixels, and the first display area 220 has an accommodation space in a layer where the first driving unit 228 is provided. The accommodation space can be used to accommodate the second driving unit 248.
Herein, a second pixel set 264 can be arranged corresponding to one first driving unit 228 and at least one second driving unit 248, as shown in
For example, one first pixel 226 in a second pixel set 264 is arranged corresponding to one first driving unit 228, and another first pixel 226 is further arranged corresponding to one second driving unit 248. For example, the second pixel set 264 comprises four first pixels 226, one first pixel 226 is arranged with one first driving unit 228, and the other three first pixels 226 are arranged corresponding to one second driving unit 248, respectively.
In another example, because the second driving unit 248 can be 2T1C and the size of the second driving unit 248 is small, one first pixel 226 in a second pixel set 264 is arranged corresponding to one first driving unit 228, and another pixel 226 is further provided corresponding to at least two second driving units 248. It can also be understood that at least two second driving units 248 are disposed under one first pixel 226. For example, the second pixel set 264 comprises two first pixels 226, wherein one first pixel 226 is arranged with one first driving unit 228, and the other first pixel 226 is arranged corresponding to two second driving units 248.
It should be noted that the parallel connection of multiple first pixels in the first display area may adopt a structure similar to the parallel connection of multiple second pixels in the second display area, which will not be repeated here.
The second pixel 246 of the second display area 240 may have the same structure as the first pixel 226 of the first display area 220. For example, the second pixels 246 of the second display area 240 and the first pixels 226 of the first display area 220 have the same size, the same spacing, the same arrangement, etc.
In order to further increase a light transmittance of the second display area 240, a distribution density of the second pixels 246 in the second display area 240 may be less than a distribution density of the first pixels 226 in the first display area 220, or it may be less than a distribution density of the third pixels in the third display area.
For example, please continue to refer to
In another example, the size of the second pixel is the same as the size of the first pixel, and the spacing between the second pixels is greater than the spacing between the first pixels, so that the distribution density of the second pixels in the second display area is smaller than the distribution density of the first pixels in the first display area. The light transmittance of the pixel definition layer is greater than that of the second pixel. The smaller the distribution density of the second pixels, the smaller the area ratio occupied by the second pixel, and the higher the area ratio occupied by the pixel definition layer, and the higher the light transmittance of the second display area.
Please refer to
It should be noted that the display apparatus in the above embodiment may be the display apparatus in the electronic device shown in
In the electronic device, a lens of the camera faces the substrate of the display apparatus, and the camera is used to form images by obtaining external light signals passing through the second display area. In order to reduce the space occupied by the camera, the lens of the camera can be close to or adjacent to the substrate of the display apparatus. The substrate of the display apparatus is mainly used to carry other layer structures of the display apparatus, and does not need special functions. In order to further reduce the space occupied by the camera, the camera portion can be arranged in the substrate. Please refer to
Because the driving circuit layer of the second display area is not provided with a second driving unit, and the driving circuit layer has no special function, the camera can be installed in the driving circuit layer. Please refer to
It should be noted that the camera 60 facing the second display area 240 can be used as a front camera 60 of the electronic device. The front camera is generally a camera with a lens that cannot be moved. The substrate 291 and the drive circuit layer 292 of the display apparatus can be provided with a first installation hole 2912 and a second mounting hole 2922. The camera 60 facing the second display area 240 can be a camera 60 with a movable lens 62, and the lens 62 of the camera 60 can be movable for realizing functions such as auto-focus. If the lens 62 of the camera 60 can be moved for functions such as auto-focusing, the lens 62 of the camera 60 can be located in the second mounting hole 2922 when needed, and not located in the second mounting hole 2922 in some cases.
It can be understood that, in any of the above embodiments, the size and shape of the second pixel in the second display area can be set as required. For example, the second pixel may be rectangular or circular-like. The second pixel that is circular-like may be a circle, an ellipse, a rounded rectangle, or the like. Because the edge of the circular-like second pixel has an arc-shaped transition, the diffraction problem in the second display area can be improved.
The display apparatus may have a regular shape, such as a rectangle, a rounded rectangle, or a circle. Of course, in some other possible embodiments, the display apparatus may also have an irregular shape, which is not limited in the embodiment of the present application.
One camera or multiple cameras can be set under the second display area. Multiple cameras can be cameras that cooperate with each other, such as two identical cameras, one normal camera and one virtual camera or black-and-white camera. Under the second display area, in addition to the camera, may also be provided with other functional devices, such as proximity sensors, light sensor, distance measuring sensor, fingerprint recognition sensor, etc.
For more comprehensive understanding of the electronic devices in the embodiments of the present application, the structure of the electronic device is further explained below. Please continue to refer to
The housing 40 may comprise a back cover (not shown in the figure) and a frame 420, and the frame 420 is arranged around a periphery of the back cover. The display apparatus 20 may be disposed in the frame 420, and the display apparatus 20 and the back cover may be used as two opposite sides of the electronic device 10. The camera 60 is provided between the back cover of the housing 40 and the display apparatus 20. The display apparatus 20 may be an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display apparatus 20. The display apparatus 20 may be a full screen, that is, the display surface of the display apparatus 20 is almost a display area. The display apparatus 20 may also be provided with a cover plate. The cover plate covers the display apparatus 20 to protect the display apparatus 20 and prevent the display apparatus 20 from being scratched or damaged. Herein, the cover plate may be a transparent glass cover plate, so that a user can observe the information displayed by the display apparatus 20 through the cover plate. For example, the cover plate may be a cover plate made of sapphire.
Electronic devices can also comprise a circuit board, a battery, and a middle plate. The frame 420 is arranged around the middle plate, wherein the frame 420 and the middle plate may form a middle frame of the electronic device 10. The middle plate and the frame 420 form an accommodation cavity on both sides of the middle plate. One accommodation cavity is used for accommodating the display apparatus 20, and the other accommodation cavity is used for accommodating the circuit board, battery and other electronic components or functional components of the electronic device 10.
Among them, the middle plate may have a thin plate or sheet-like structure, or a hollow frame structure. The middle frame is used to provide support for the electronic components or functional components in the electronic device 10 so as to install the electronic components and functional components in the electronic device 10 together. The camera 60, receiver, battery and other functional components of the electronic device 10 can all be mounted on the middle frame or circuit board for fixing. It is understandable that the material of the middle frame may include metal or plastic.
The circuit board can be installed on the middle frame. The circuit board may be a mother board of the electronic device 10. Herein, the circuit board may be integrated with one or more of functional components such as a microphone, a speaker, a receiver, a headphone interface, an acceleration sensor, a gyroscope, and a processor. At the same time, the display apparatus 20 may be electrically connected to the circuit board to control the display of the display apparatus 20 through a processor on the circuit board. The display apparatus 20 and the camera 60 may both be electrically connected to the processor; when the processor receives a shooting instruction, the processor controls the second display area to turn off the display, and controls the camera 60 to collect images through the second display area 240. When the processor does not receive a shooting instruction and receives an image display instruction, the processor controls the first display area 220 and the second display area 240 to display images together.
It is understood that if the display apparatus only comprises the first display area and the second display area, the processor can independently control whether the first display area displays. If the display apparatus comprises a first display area, a second display area, and a third display area, the processor is not only used to control whether the first display area displays, but also to control the third display area, that is, to control the first display area and the third display area at the same time to display together or not.
The battery can be installed on the middle frame. At the same time, the battery is electrically connected to the circuit board, so that the battery can supply power to the electronic device 10. Herein, a power management circuit may be provided on the circuit board. The power management circuit is used to distribute the voltage provided by the battery to various electronic components in the electronic device 10.
It should be understood that the “plurality” mentioned herein refers to two or more.
The display apparatus and electronic device provided in the embodiments of the present application have been described in detail above. Specific examples are used in this article to describe the principle and implementation of the application, and the description of the above examples is only used to help understand the application. At the same time, for those skilled in the art, according to the idea of the application, there will be changes in the specific implementation and the application scope. In summary, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation to the application.
This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/CN2019/114573, filed Oct. 31, 2019, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | PCT/CN2019/114573 | Oct 2019 | US |
| Child | 17685887 | US |
