Image-capturing and display apparatus and photographing method using the same

• US 10,057,541 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2011
• Issued: 08/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Chung, Jin-Koo, Park, Chan-Young, Choi, Jun-Ho, Lee, Joo-Hyeon, Kim, Seong-Min, Choi, Sang-Moo
• Primary Examiner(s): Haskins, Twyler
• Assistant Examiner(s): Quiett, Carramah J
• Application Number:
  US13/102,744
• Publication Number:
  US 20120162490A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,664 Days
• Field of Search: 34833308
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/631 Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/745 Circuitry for generating timing or clock signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/144 camera and display on the same optical axis, e.g. optically multiplexing the camera and display for eye to eye contact

Abstract

In an image capturing apparatus and a photographing method using the same, the image capturing apparatus comprises: a transparent display panel; and a camera facing a bottom surface of the transparent display panel for synchronizing a shutter time with a period when the transparent display panel displays a black image, and for capturing an image positioned in front of the transparent display panel, thereby capturing a clear image without interference between images due to light-leakage property.

Claims

1. An image capturing apparatus, comprising:

a transparent display panel including a plurality of pixels of which each pixel comprises;

a first region which includes a light-emitting device displaying an image, and

a second region adjacent to the first region and through which external light is transmitted; and

an image sensor facing a bottom surface of the transparent display panel and synchronizing an image capturing time with a period when an entire region of the transparent display panel is in a transmissive state according to a driving mode, and capturing an image of an object positioned in front of the transparent display panel; and

wherein the second region of each pixel is absent of any thin film transistors, capacitors, and organic light-emitting devices, the second region functions as a transmissive window through which external light is transmitted.

2. The image capturing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a driver transmitting to the image sensor a control signal to enable synchronization of the image capturing time with the period when the transparent display panel is in the transmissive state.

3. The image capturing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the driving mode comprises a first period of a frame in which the plurality of pixels are in a non-emission state while a data signal is supplied to all pixels, and a second period of the frame in which the plurality of pixels are simultaneously in an emission state after the data signal is supplied to all pixels.

4. The image capturing apparatus of claim 3 wherein the image capturing time synchronizes with the first period.

5. The image capturing apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a power source shutting a driving current supplied to the light-emitting device of the first region in the first period.

6. The image capturing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the driving mode comprises a first period of a frame in which the plurality of pixels emit light sequentially when a data signal is supplied to the pixels, and a second period in which the plurality of pixels are in a non-emission state after the first period.

7. The image capturing apparatus of claim 6, wherein the image capturing time synchronizes with the second period.

8. The image capturing apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a power source shutting a driving current supplied to the light-emitting device of the first region in the second period.

9. The image capturing apparatus of claim 1, the image capturing time is not greater than the period when the entire region of the transparent display panel is in the transmissive state.

10. The image capturing apparatus of claim 1, the image sensor captures the image at a predetermined frequency which is not greater than a frame rate of an output image.

11. The image capturing apparatus of claim 1, the transparent display panel is a transparent organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display panel.

12. The image capturing apparatus of claim 1, the image sensor is a camera, and the image capturing time corresponds to a shutter time of the camera.

13. The image capturing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first region further comprises a pixel circuit electrically connected to the light-emitting device.

14. The image capturing apparatus of claim 1, the image sensor is spaced apart from the bottom surface of the transparent display panel by a predetermined distance, and a space from the bottom surface of the transparent display panel to the image sensor is a dark room, and where the dark room is comprised of walls enclosing the space from the bottom surface of the transparent display panel to the image sensor.

15. A photographing method using an image capturing apparatus, the photographing method comprising the steps of:

determining a driving mode of a transparent display panel including a plurality of pixels of which each pixel comprises;

a first region which includes a light-emitting device displaying an image, and

a second region not including a light-emitting device, adjacent to the first region and through which external light is transmitted; and

capturing an image of an object positioned in front of the transparent display panel during a shutter time, synchronized with a period when an entire region of the transparent display panel is in a transmissive state according to the driving mode, by a camera facing a bottom surface of the transparent display panel

wherein the second region of each pixel is absent of any thin film transistors, capacitors, and organic light-emitting devices, the second region functions as a transmissive window through which external light is transmitted.

16. The photographing method of claim 15, the shutter time is not greater than the period when the entire region of the transparent display panel is in the transmissive state.

17. The photographing method of claim 15, the camera captures the image at a predetermined frequency which is not greater than a frame rate of an output image.

18. The photographing method of claim 15,

wherein the driving mode comprises a first period of a frame in which the plurality of pixels are in a non-emission state while a data signal is supplied to all pixels, and a second period of the frame in which the plurality of pixels are in an emission state after the data signal is supplied to all pixels.

19. The photographing method of claim 18, the step of capturing the image comprises capturing the image by the camera during the first period of the frame.

20. The photographing method of claim 18, further comprising shutting a driving current supplied to the light-emitting device of the first region in the first period.

21. The photographing method of claim 15,

wherein the driving mode comprises a first period of a frame in which the plurality of pixels emit light sequentially when a data signal is supplied to the pixels, and a second period in which the plurality of pixels are in a non-emission state after the first period.

22. The photographing method of claim 21, further comprising shutting a driving current supplied to the light-emitting device of the first region in the second period.

23. The photographing method of claim 21, the step of capturing the image comprises capturing the image by the camera during the second period.

24. The photographing method of claim 15, the transparent display panel is a transparent organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display panel.