Electronic devices include those with both sensors and displays.
This document describes techniques, methods, systems, and other mechanisms for constructing a multi-resolution display panel that incorporates lower resolution areas that reduce image degradation in the lower resolution areas. A multi-resolution display panel may be used so that a camera may be placed behind an area of the display panel that has a lower resolution so that the display panel causes less degradation in quality of images captured by the camera compared to placing the camera behind a region of the display with higher resolution. For example, the display panel may have more open spaces in the area that has lower resolution so that light that passes through the display panel in that area undergoes less interference (e.g., attenuation, diffraction and/or scatter) than light that passes through the display panel in an area with higher resolution. Similarly, various sensors such as an ambient light sensor, depth sensor, or some other sensor may additionally or alternatively be placed behind the area with lower resolution to reduce interference caused by the display panel.
However, a lower resolution area on the display may present images with image degradation compared to a higher resolution area. For example, the lower resolution area may display images with aliasing of detailed content, or exhibit greater non-uniform luminance (in some case referred to as screen door effect) than the higher resolution area displays. Pixels in the lower resolution area of a multi-resolution display panel may be arranged to reduce image degradation.
Generally, the pixels in the lower resolution area may be arranged so that green sub-pixels are evenly distributed in the display panel. For example, the pixels in the multi-resolution display panel may be arranged so that the higher resolution area includes green sub-pixels in a grid and the lower resolution area includes green sub-pixels arranged in a diamond pattern.
One innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this specification is embodied in a display panel that includes a first set of pixels that each include a respective red sub-pixel and a respective green sub-pixel and a second set of pixels that each include a respective blue sub-pixel and a respective green sub-pixel, where the first set of pixels and the second set of pixels are arranged on the display panel such that at least one side of each of the pixels in the first set of pixels is adjacent to at least one of the pixels in the second set of pixels, at least one side of each of the pixels in the first set of pixels is not adjacent to any pixel, and the green sub-pixels are arranged on the display panel such that the green sub-pixels are evenly distributed in the display panel.
The foregoing and other embodiments can each optionally include one or more of the following features, alone or in combination. For instance, in some aspects the first set of pixels and the second set of pixels are arranged along a grid where the green sub-pixels are spaced apart every four columns and between each row the green sub-pixels are offset by two columns. In certain aspects, a position of the green sub-pixels in the first set of pixels relative to the red sub-pixels is different than a position of the green sub-pixels in the second set of pixels relative to the blue sub-pixels.
In some implementations, the pixels of the first set of pixels are spaced apart every four columns and every two rows, and are not offset from one another between rows, and the pixels of the second set of pixels are also spaced apart every four columns and every two rows, and are not offset from one another between rows. In certain aspects, the pixels of the first set of pixels are spaced apart every four columns and every two rows, and are offset from one another by two columns every two rows, and the pixels of the second set of pixels are also spaced apart every four columns and every two rows, and are offset from one another by two columns every two rows.
In some aspects, the first set of pixels and the second set of pixels are arranged along a grid where the green sub-pixels are spaced apart every two columns and every two rows. In some implementations, the first set of pixels and the second set of pixels are clustered into clusters of two by two pixels that each include two of the pixels of the first set of pixels adjacent to each other and two of the pixels of the second set of pixels that are also adjacent to each other. In certain aspects, a position of the green sub-pixels in the first set of pixels relative to the red sub-pixels is different than a position of the green sub-pixels in the second set of pixels relative to the blue sub-pixels. In some aspects, the clusters are spaced apart in a period which is four columns and four rows and are not offset from one another between rows.
In some implementations, the clusters are spaced apart in a period which is four columns and four rows and are offset from one another by two columns every two rows. In certain aspects, sub-pixels of a same color in a particular cluster are driven by a single pixel circuit. In some aspects, sub-pixels of a same color in a particular cluster are driven by different pixel circuits that have a shared address line. In some implementations, sub-pixels of a same color in a particular cluster are driven by with a shared column data signal. In certain aspects, the green sub-pixels are shifted relative to the pixel circuits for driving the green sub-pixels differently from green sub-pixels in a high resolution region such that the green-sub-pixels are not directly above the pixel circuits for driving the green sub-pixels.
Another innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this specification is embodied in a display panel that includes a first set of pixels that each include a respective red sub-pixel and a respective green sub-pixel and a second set of pixels that each include a respective green sub-pixel and a respective green sub-pixel, where the first set of pixels and the second set of pixels are arranged on the display panel such that at least one side of each of the pixels in the first set of pixels is not adjacent to any pixel, and the first set of pixels and the second set of pixels are arranged along a grid where the green sub-pixels are spaced apart every six columns and between each row the green sub-pixels are offset by two columns.
Details of one or more implementations are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.
Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.
The pixels in the display panel 100A are arranged in a higher resolution area 140 and in a lower resolution area 130. A display panel 100A may be made up columns and rows, where the intersection of columns and rows define cells that may or may not be filled with pixels. For example, the display panel 100A shows twelve columns and twenty four rows for a total of twenty hundred eighty eight cells. In the higher resolution area 140, each cell in the grid may include a pixel. In the lower resolution area 130, only one out of every four cells in the grid includes a pixel. Accordingly, the lower resolution area 130 of the display panel 100A may be considered at a resolution of one quarter pixel density of the higher resolution area 140.
In the lower resolution area 130, the display panel 100A includes pixels that include red sub-pixels adjacent and to the left of pixels that include blue sub-pixels, where the pixels that include red-subpixels are spaced out every four columns and every other row, the only pixels that include blue-subpixels are adjacent and to the right of the red-sub-pixels, where there is no offset between the rows. Accordingly, each red or blue sub-pixel in the lower resolution area 130 of the display panel 100A is adjacent to only a single red or blue sub-pixel.
In the arrangement shown in the display panel 100A, the green sub-pixels are not evenly distributed in the lower resolution area 130 of the display panel 100A. For example, each row includes two green sub-pixels that are adjacent to each other and are spaced out by two columns from the next green sub-pixel. As the green sub-pixels are not evenly distributed, the lower resolution area 130 of the display panel 100A may show green with non-uniform luminance and less detail reproduction. For example, the display panel 100A may show green with a visible pattern that causes a “screen door” effect when looking at featureless images such as uniform fields.
While
Additionally, in the display panel 100B, a position of the green sub-pixels relative to the red sub-pixels is different than a position of the green sub-pixels relative to the blue sub-pixels. For example, as shown in
While
The display panel 100C may result in a camera below the display panel 100C capturing an image with more haziness than the display panel 100A or the display panel 100B. However, the display panel 100C may display images on the panel with improved resolution in red and blue compared to the display panel 100B as the display panel 100C avoids the column structure of red and blue which the display panel 100B includes.
In the display panel 200B, a position of the green sub-pixels in the first set of pixels relative to the red sub-pixels is different than a position of the green sub-pixels in the second set of pixels relative to the blue sub-pixels. For example, the green sub-pixel 114 is to the lower left of the red sub-pixel 112 and the green sub-pixel 124 is to the lower right of the blue sub-pixel 122. In the display panel 200B, the clusters are spaced apart every two columns and every two rows, and are not offset from one another between rows. The green sub pixels are spaced evenly on alternating columns and rows.
In some implementations, the display panels 200A-C may be configured such that sub-pixels of a same color in a particular cluster are driven with by the same row and column drive signals. In some embodiments, a pair of adjacent like-colored pixels may be driven by a single pixel drive circuit. For example, the red sub-pixel 112 and the red sub-pixel in the diagonally adjacent cell may both be driven with the same signals and both respond with the same luminance output. They may also be driven by the same pixel circuit so that the sub-pixels always emit light at a same intensity between each other. Driving two sub-pixels with the same pixel circuit may save costs and reduce complexity as less pixel circuits may be needed. Driving two sub-pixels with common address and current wiring may increase the available aperture for camera imaging.
In some implementations, display panels 200A-C may be configured such that sub-pixels of a same color in a particular cluster are driven by different pixel circuits that have a shared address line. For example, the red sub-pixel 112 and the red sub-pixel in the diagonally adjacent cell may be driven by different pixel circuits that share an input so always emit light at a same intensity between each other. Sharing address lines between driving pixel circuits may save costs and reduce complexity as fewer separate address lines to the pixel circuits may be needed. A reduction in the number of address and data lines may also increase the open aperture to improve the image quality of a camera behind the display panel.
While this specification contains many specific implementation details, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of what may be claimed, but rather as descriptions of features that may be specific to particular embodiments. Certain features that are described in this specification in the context of separate embodiments can also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features that are described in the context of a single embodiment can also be implemented in multiple embodiments separately or in any suitable subcombination. Moreover, although features may be described above as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, one or more features from a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from the combination, and the claimed combination may be directed to a subcombination or variation of a subcombination. Thus, though particular embodiments of the subject matter have been described. These, and other embodiments, may fall within the scope of the following claims.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/881,918 filed Aug. 1, 2019 and entitled “PIXEL ARRANGEMENT FOR MULTI-RESOLUTION DISPLAY PANEL,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20210035485 A1 | Feb 2021 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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62881918 | Aug 2019 | US |