Display apparatus

• US 10,186,191 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2016
• Issued: 01/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Kang, Kinyeng, Choi, Jonghyun, Kim, Sunkwang, Sim, Suyeon, Yoon, Joosun
• Primary Examiner(s): Sasinowski, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US15/210,842
• Publication Number:
  US 20170162111A1
• Time in Patent Office: 922 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0426 Layout of electrodes and connections
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0439 Pixel structures
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0819 used for counteracting undesired variations, e.g. feedback or autozeroing
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0232 Special driving of display border areas
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0262 The addressing of the pixel, in a display other than an active matrix LCD, involving the control of two or more scan electrodes or two or more data electrodes, e.g. pixel voltage dependent on signals of two data electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0407 Resolution change, inclusive of the use of different resolutions for different screen areas
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3225 using an active matrix
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3233 with pixel circuitry controlling the current through the light-emitting element
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8426 Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/844 Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/121 characterised by the geometry or disposition of pixel elements
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/131 Interconnections, e.g. wiring lines or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/873 Encapsulations

Abstract

A display apparatus includes a substrate, a display unit on the substrate and including a display region including a first display region having a plurality of first pixel circuits configured to drive a plurality of first light-emitting devices, and a second display region having a plurality of second pixel circuits configured to drive a plurality of second light-emitting devices, a plurality of scan lines crossing the display region in a first direction, and a plurality of data lines crossing the display region in a second direction, wherein resolutions of the first and second display regions are different, wherein a total number of the first light-emitting devices driven by one of the first pixel circuits is different from a total number of the second light-emitting devices driven by one of the second pixel circuits, and wherein the display unit and the substrate define at least one through portion in the second display region.

Claims

1. A display apparatus comprising:

a substrate;

a display unit on the substrate and comprising;

a display region comprising;

a first display region having therein a plurality of first pixel circuits, and a plurality of first light-emitting devices configured to be driven by the plurality of first pixel circuits; and

a second display region having therein a plurality of second pixel circuits, and a plurality of second light-emitting devices configured to be driven by the plurality of second pixel circuits;

a plurality of scan lines crossing the display region in a first direction; and

a plurality of data lines crossing the display region in a second direction that is different from the first direction,

wherein each of the plurality of first light-emitting devices and the plurality of second light-emitting devices comprises a pixel electrode and an intermediate layer comprising an organic emission layer on the pixel electrode,

wherein a total number of the first light-emitting devices driven by one of the first pixel circuits is less than a total number of the second light-emitting devices driven by one of the second pixel circuits, and

wherein the display unit and the substrate collectively define at least one through portion in the second display region.

2. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein a number of the first light-emitting devices per unit area is equal to a number of the second light-emitting devices per unit area.

3. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of data lines comprise:

a first data line disconnected at the at least one through portion in the second display region, and directly connected to the one of the second pixel circuits; and

a second data line continuously extending over the first display region and the second display region, electrically connected to the first data line by a first connection line, and directly connected to the one of the first pixel circuits.

4. The display apparatus of claim 3, wherein the plurality of data lines further comprise a third data line aligned with the first data line, and separated from the first data line by the at least one through portion,

wherein the second data line and the third data line are electrically connected to each other by a second connection line, and

wherein a same data signal is applied to the first data line and the third data line.

5. The display apparatus of claim 4, wherein the second data line terminates at a boundary between the first display region and the second display region.

6. The display apparatus of claim 4, wherein each of the second pixel circuits comprises:

a thin film transistor comprising;

an active layer;

a gate electrode;

a source electrode; and

a drain electrode, and

a storage capacitor comprising;

a second electrode; and

a first electrode that comprises the gate electrode of the thin film transistor, and

wherein the first connection line and the second connection line are at a same layer as the gate electrode, the source electrode, the drain electrode, or the second electrode.

7. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least two of the second light-emitting devices are simultaneously driven by one second pixel circuit, and

wherein the pixel electrodes of the at least two second light-emitting devices are electrically connected to each other.

8. The display apparatus of claim 7, wherein the intermediate layers of the at least two second light-emitting devices are configured to emit light having a same color.

9. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the first pixel circuits comprises a first thin film transistor,

wherein each of the second pixel circuits comprises a second thin film transistor, and

wherein a magnitude of a driving current of the first thin film transistor is different from a magnitude of a driving current of the second thin film transistor.

10. The display apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a thin film encapsulation layer that encapsulates the display unit, and that comprises at least one organic layer and at least one inorganic layer,

wherein the display unit comprises a non-display region at an edge of the at least one through portion to surround the at least one through portion, and

wherein the thin film encapsulation layer extends to the non-display region.

11. The display apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a dam unit that surrounds the at least one through portion at the non-display region,

wherein an end of the organic layer faces or contacts a lateral surface of the dam unit facing the display region,

wherein the inorganic layer covers the dam unit, and

wherein an end of the inorganic layer is closer to the at least one through portion than to the dam unit.

12. The display apparatus of claim 10, wherein the inorganic layer contacts a lateral surface of the substrate exposed by the at least one through portion.

13. A display apparatus comprising:

a substrate;

a display unit on the substrate, the substrate and the display unit collectively defining at least one through portion; and

a thin film encapsulation layer that encapsulates the display unit, and that comprises an organic layer and an inorganic layer,

wherein the display unit comprises;

a display region comprising first and second display regions having different resolutions;

a non-display region at an edge of, and surrounding, the at least one through portion; and

a dam unit within the non-display region and surrounding the at least one through portion,

wherein the organic layer faces or contacts a lateral surface of the dam unit that faces the display region, and

wherein the inorganic layer covers the dam unit, and contacts a lateral surface of the substrate exposed by the at least one through portion.

14. The display apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

a plurality of first pixel circuits;

a plurality of first light-emitting devices configured to be driven by the plurality of first pixel circuits in the first display region,

a plurality of second pixel circuits; and

a plurality of second light-emitting devices configured to be driven by the plurality of second pixel circuits in the second display region,

wherein a number of first light-emitting devices driven by one of the first pixel circuits is less than a number of second light-emitting devices driven by one of the second pixel circuits.

15. The display apparatus of claim 14, wherein the at least one through portion is in the second display region.

16. The display apparatus of claim 14, wherein the display unit further comprises:

a plurality of scan lines crossing the display region in a first direction; and

a plurality of data lines crossing the display region in a second direction that is different from the first direction,

wherein the plurality of data lines comprise;

a first data line in the second display region and disconnected at the at least one through portion; and

a second data line continuously extending over the first display region and the second display region, and

wherein the first data line and the second data line are electrically connected to each other by a first connection line.

17. The display apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first data line is directly connected only to the one of the second pixel circuits, and

wherein the second data line is directly connected only to the one of the first pixel circuits.

18. The display apparatus of claim 17, wherein the plurality of data lines further comprise a third data line aligned with the first data line, and separated from the first data line by the at least one through portion,

wherein the second data line and the third data line are electrically connected to each other by a second connection line, and

wherein the second data line terminates at a boundary between the first display region and the second display region.

19. The display apparatus of claim 18, wherein each of the plurality of second pixel circuits comprises a thin film transistor comprising:

an active layer;

a gate electrode;

a source electrode; and

a drain electrode, and

wherein the first connection line and the second connection line are at a same layer as the active layer, the gate electrode, the source electrode, or the drain electrode.

20. The display apparatus of claim 16, wherein each of the plurality of second light-emitting devices comprises a pixel electrode, and an intermediate layer comprising an organic emission layer on the pixel electrode,

wherein at least two of the plurality of second light-emitting devices are simultaneously driven by one second pixel circuit, and

wherein the pixel electrodes of the at least two second light-emitting devices are electrically connected to each other.

21. The display apparatus of claim 20, wherein the intermediate layers of the at least two second light-emitting devices are configured to emit light having a same color.

22. The display apparatus of claim 14, wherein each of the first pixel circuits comprises a first thin film transistor,

wherein each of the second pixel circuits comprises a second thin film transistor, and

wherein a magnitude of a driving current of the first thin film transistor is different from a magnitude of a driving current of the second thin film transistor.