Patent Application
20160351648
A device, such as a mobile device or a wearable device, offers various services to its user. One problem confronted by designers and manufacturers is to provide a display that has superior image quality and is able to sustain an “always on” state due to low power consumption.
According to one aspect, a display device may comprise an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display; and an electrophoretic display (EPD), wherein the OLED display and the EPD share a common substrate. The common substrate may comprise thin-film transistors (TFTs) of the OLED display and TFTs of the EPD thereon.
According to another aspect, a user device may comprise a housing, wherein the housing supports a display, and wherein the display may comprise an OLED display; and an EPD. The OLED display and the EPD may share a common backplane. The common backplane may comprise TFTs of the OLED display and TFTs of the EPD.
According to yet another aspect, a display device may comprise an OLED display; and an EPD. The OLED display and the EPD may share a common substrate. The common substrate may comprise TFTs of the OLED display and TFTs of the EPD. Also, the OLED display may comprise an on-cell sensor layer.
The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numbers in different drawings may identify the same or similar elements.
Differences between display technologies may include power consumption characteristics and quality of image, as well as structural differences, such as whether a backlight system is needed, etc. Given that different display technologies may offer different advantages, designers and manufacturers may wish to integrate two different display technologies into a single display. However, the selection of which display technologies to integrate and how to integrate them can present various structural and operational issues.
Typically, an OLED display unit comprises a power supply, an anode, a cathode, an emissive layer, and a conductive layer. The OLED panel is supported by a substrate. Additionally, typically, an EPD unit comprises a power supply and an EPD foil sandwiched between two electrodes.
According to an exemplary embodiment, a display includes a common backplane (e.g., substrate) for two different thin-film transistor (TFT) layout structures. According to an exemplary embodiment, the two different TFT structures comprise an organic light emitting diode (OLED) TFT and an electrophoretic display (EPD) TFT. According to an exemplary implementation, in order to deposit the two different TFT structures on the common backplane, masks may be used during a photolithography process to enable the two different pixel structures to be deposited on the same backplane (e.g., substrate, a TFT substrate).
According to an exemplary embodiment, the display, which comprises the OLED display and the EPD, comprises a common top layer. According to an exemplary embodiment of the EPD, a stackup of the EPD comprises a reference layer. The reference layer comprises an indium tin oxide (ITO) layer. For example, the ITO layer serves as a ground or a reference layer. Additionally, according to an exemplary embodiment of the OLED display, a stackup of the OLED display comprises an on-cell sensor layer. The on-cell sensor layer also comprises the ITO layer. The ITO layer comprises a touch sensor pattern that provides touch functionality (e.g., touch and/or touchless functionality).
According to other embodiments, with reference to the dual display technologies display, the EPD comprises the ITO layer as the reference layer, and the OLED display does not comprise the ITO layer (e.g., with no touch functionality). According to still other embodiments, the EPD comprises the ITO layer as the reference layer, and the OLED comprises some other conventional or separate touch layer.
According to an exemplary embodiment, the dual display technologies display comprises a dual driver system that supports the two different display technologies. According to an exemplary implementation, the dual driver system comprises a driver for the EPD and a driver for the OLED display. According to an exemplary implementation, the dual driver system comprises two separate driver integrated circuits (ICs), in which each driver supports one of the display technologies. According to another exemplary implementation, the dual driver system comprises a single driver IC that supports both display technologies.
According to an exemplary embodiment, an EPD passive border provides an area to route wiring from the OLED TFT to the dual driver system. According to another exemplary embodiment, the EPD TFT area includes space to route wiring from the OLED TFT to the dual driver system.
According to an exemplary embodiment, the arrangement of the two display technologies is based on an image arrangement to be presented via the display. According to an exemplary embodiment, the EPD passive border matches a color of a background of the EPD. For example, the EPD passive border can be set to any color the rest of the EPD can present. The EPD passive border may be seen or considered as one large pixel. The EPD passive border may change color like any other pixel. According to such an embodiment, the dual display technologies display may appear borderless to a user.
On-cell sensor layer 105 comprises a layer that provides touch functionality. According to an exemplary embodiment, on-cell sensor layer 105 and reference layer 130 comprise the same material. For example, on-cell sensor layer 105 and reference layer 130 comprise indium tin oxide (ITO). On-cell sensor layer 105 comprises a printed touch panel sensor (e.g., a touch screen panel (TSP) ITO pattern). Reference layer 130 is described further below. As illustrated, on-cell sensor layer 105 and reference layer 130 are co-planar.
Encapsulation layer 110 comprises a layer that encapsulates both OLED substrate 115 and EPD foil 135. Encapsulation layer 110 may comprise glass or other suitable material (e.g., an oxide layer, a polymer layer, etc.). Encapsulation layer 110 may serve as a protective layer (e.g., to prevent dust, oxygen, and moisture damage). As illustrated, encapsulation layer 110, which is usually formed in the OLED stackup, extends over EPD foil 135. As illustrated, encapsulation layer 110 is below on-cell sensor layer 105 and reference layer 130. Encapsulation layer 110 may be formed on an electrode of OLED substrate 115.
OLED substrate 115 comprises an organic stack and conducting layers (e.g., electrodes). For example, the organic material may comprise a fluorescent material, a phosphorescent material, or other type of organic molecules or polymers (e.g., an electroluminescent conductive polymer, etc.). The conducting layers may serve as the anode and the cathode. OLED substrate 115 may comprise any conventional OLED stack or stacks comprising organic materials and conducting layers.
OLED TFT 120 and EPD TFT 140 comprise a common substrate on which both OLED TFTs and EPD TFTs are formed. For example, a TFT arrangement for OLED and EPD may be formed on a common backplane. The substrate may comprise silicon or other suitable material (e.g., low temperature polysilicon (LTPS), indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO), etc.). As previously described, masks may be used, for example, during a photolithography process to make the two different pixel structures associated with OLED and EPD on the same substrate. For example, a first array of OLED pixels and a second array of EPD pixels may be formed.
Reference layer 130 comprises a layer that serves as a common electrode (e.g., a transparent electrode layer, a counter electrode layer, etc.). According to an exemplary embodiment, reference layer 130 comprises a same material as on-cell sensor layer 105. For example, reference layer 130 comprises indium tin oxide (ITO).
EPD foil 135 comprises a foil layer. For example, EPD foil 135 may comprise a metal material (e.g., aluminum, etc.) or some other suitable electrophoretic imaging layer (e.g., an electronic ink film).
Passive border 145 comprises an electrophoretic display material. Passive border 145 may have a color that is substantially the same as the background of the EPD. For example, passive border 145 is switchable between colors that are available in the EPD. The number of colors and type of colors may vary depending on the implementation. For example, passive border 145 may be switchable of up to four different colors. Passive border 145 may also be switchable to a color other than white and black. In this way, a viewer of the dual display technologies display may have the impression that a displayed image extends towards the edge (e.g., borderless) of the display module. Passive border 145 may be used to conceal electrical connections for both the EPD portion and the OLED portion of the dual display technologies display.
With respect to each of
Dual driver system 315 comprising EPD driver 320 and OLED driver 325, or dual driver system 340 comprising integrated driver 345 may be implemented as a chip-on-glass (COG), a chip-on-foil, a chip-on-flex, a flexible printed circuit (FPC), etc. However, a chip-on-foil implementation may minimize the size of the border to a greater degree than a chip-on-glass.
Referring to both
According to an exemplary embodiment, passive border 425 does not show any graphical content but has the same color as EPD TFT portion 415. In this way, dual display technologies displays 400 and 450 may appear to be borderless. For example, passive border 425 may change color from white to black, as a whole. According to other examples, passive border 425 may change between colors different from black and/or white.
As previously described, the arrangement of the two display technologies may be based on an image arrangement to be presented via the dual display technologies display. For example, an “always on” image may be displayed via the EPD of the dual display technologies display since the EPD offers minimal power consumption. Additionally, for example, the OLED display of the dual display technologies display may be used for displaying high quality images on an as-needed basis.
The arrangements illustrated in
Embodiments of a display comprising dual display technologies, as described herein, may be implemented within various types of user devices.
Processor 805 comprises one or multiple processors, microprocessors, data processors, co-processors, and/or some other type of component that interprets and/or executes instructions and/or data. Processor 805 may be implemented as hardware (e.g., a microprocessor, etc.) or a combination of hardware and software (e.g., a system-on-chip (SoC), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), etc.). Processor 805 performs one or multiple operations based on an operating system and/or various applications or programs (e.g., software 815).
Memory/storage 810 comprises one or multiple memories and/or one or multiple other types of storage mediums. For example, memory/storage 810 may include a random access memory (RAM), a dynamic random access memory (DRAM), a cache, a read only memory (ROM), a programmable read only memory (PROM), and/or some other type of memory. Memory/storage 810 may include a hard disk (e.g., a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optic disk, a solid state disk, etc.).
Software 815 comprises an application or a program that provides a function and/or a process. Software 815 may include firmware. By way of example, software 815 may comprise a telephone application, a multi-media application, an e-mail application, a contacts application, a calendar application, an instant messaging application, a web browsing application, a location-based application (e.g., a Global Positioning System (GPS)-based application, etc.), a camera application, etc. Software 815 comprises an operating system (OS). For example, depending on the implementation of user device 600, the operating system may correspond to iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Symbian, or another type of operating system (e.g., proprietary, BlackBerry OS, Windows, Linux, etc.).
Communication interface 820 permits user device 600 to communicate with other devices, networks, systems, etc. Communication interface 820 may include one or multiple wireless interfaces and/or wired interfaces. Communication interface 820 may include one or multiple transmitters, receivers, and/or transceivers. Communication interface 820 operates according to one or multiple protocols, a communication standard, and/or the like.
Input 825 permits an input into user device 600. For example, input 825 may include a button, a switch, a touch pad, an input port, speech recognition logic, and/or a display (e.g., a touch display, a touchless display). Output 830 permits an output from user device 600. For example, output 830 may include a speaker, a display, a light, an output port, and/or some other type of output component.
User device 600 may perform a process and/or a function in response to processor 805 executing software 815 stored by memory/storage 810. By way of example, instructions may be read into memory/storage 810 from another memory/storage 810 or read into memory/storage 810 from another device via communication interface 820. The instructions stored by memory/storage 810 causes processor 805 to perform the process or the function. Alternatively, user device 600 may perform a process or a function based on the operation of hardware (processor 805, etc.).
The foregoing description of embodiments provides illustration, but is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise form disclosed. Accordingly, modifications to the embodiments described herein may be possible.
The terms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to be interpreted to include one or more items. Further, the phrase “based on” is intended to be interpreted as “based, at least in part, on,” unless explicitly stated otherwise. The term “and/or” is intended to be interpreted to include any and all combinations of one or more of the associated items.
The terms “comprise,” “comprises” or “comprising,” as well as synonyms thereof (e.g., include, etc.), when used in the specification is meant to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, or components but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components, or groups thereof. In other words, these terms are to be interpreted as inclusion without limitation.
The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example.” Any embodiment or implementation described as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments or implementations.
Spatially relative terms, such as “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper,” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element's or feature's relationship to another element or feature as illustrated in the figures. For example, if the element in the figure is turned over, an element described as “below” or “beneath” another element or another feature would then be oriented “above” the other element or the other feature. Thus, for example, the exemplary terms “below” or “beneath” may encompass both an orientation of above and below depending on the orientation of a display device or a user device. In the instance that the display device may be oriented in a different manner (e.g., rotated at 90 degrees or at some other orientation), the spatially relative terms used herein should be interpreted accordingly.
In the preceding specification, various embodiments have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, various modifications and changes may be made thereto, and additional embodiments may be implemented, without departing from the broader scope of the invention as set forth in the claims that follow. The specification and drawings are accordingly to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive.
In the specification and illustrated by the drawings, reference is made to “an exemplary embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “embodiments,” etc., which may include a particular feature, structure or characteristic in connection with an embodiment(s). However, the use of the phrase or term “an embodiment,” “embodiments,” etc., in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to all embodiments described, nor does it necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor are separate or alternative embodiments necessarily mutually exclusive of other embodiment(s). The same applies to the term “implementation,” “implementations,” etc.
No element, act, or instruction described in the present application should be construed as critical or essential to the embodiments described herein unless explicitly described as such.
Use of ordinal terms such as “first,” “second,” “third,” etc., in the claims to modify a claim element does not by itself connote any priority, precedence, or order of one claim element over another, but are used merely as labels to distinguish one claim element having a certain name from another element having a same name (but for use of the ordinal term) to distinguish the claim elements.
