Electro-chromic panel capable of selectively making transparent area and reflective area and method of operating the same, and display apparatus including the same and method of operating display apparatus

• US 10,228,603 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2015
• Issued: 03/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Koo, Bonwon, Chung, Deukseok, Kim, Hyunjoon, Park, Shanghyeun, Lee, Changsoo, Jeong, Taewon
• Primary Examiner(s): Azari, Sepehr
• Application Number:
  US14/633,781
• Publication Number:
  US 20160026060A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,474 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13318 Circuits comprising a photodetector
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/163 Operation of electrochromic cells, e.g. electrodeposition cells; Circuit arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2001/1635 the pixel comprises active switching elements, e.g. TFT
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/08 Details of timing specific for flat panels, other than clock recovery
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/38 using electrochromic devices

Abstract

An electro-chromic panel includes a detection layer, and an electro-chromic layer configured to switch an operational mode of a selected area according to a signal provided from the detection layer. A method of operating an electro-chromic panel includes detecting a first signal provided to a detection layer, and switching an operational mode of a first area of an electro-chromic layer according to the first signal provided from the detection layer.

Claims

1. An electro-chromic panel comprising:

a detection layer; and

an electro-chromic layer configured to switch an operational mode of a selected area between a transmission mode and a reflective mode according to a signal provided from the detection layer.

2. The electro-chromic panel of claim 1, wherein the detection layer includes a sensor configured to detect an externally provided signal.

3. The electro-chromic panel of claim 1, wherein the electro-chromic layer includes an array layer that is actively operated.

4. The electro-chromic panel of claim 3, wherein the array layer includes

a transparent electrode, and

a switching element connected to the transparent electrode.

5. The electro-chromic panel of claim 3, wherein the electro-chromic layer further comprises an ion storage layer, an electrolyte layer, a catalyst layer, and an active layer sequentially stacked on the array layer.

6. A method of operating an electro-chromic panel, the method comprising:

detecting a first signal provided to a detection layer; and

switching an operational mode of a first area of an electro-chromic layer between a transmission mode and a reflective mode according to the first signal provided from the detection layer.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the detecting detects a first touch signal provided to the detection layer.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the detecting a first touch signal includes detecting a touch from an external object to the detection layer up to two times.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the detecting a first touch signal determines a size of an area to be mode switched and is dragged in a touched state in a direction by a distance.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the detecting detects an optical signal provided to the detection layer.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the switching comprises:

analyzing the first signal provided from the detection layer;

selecting the first area to be mode switched from the electro-chromic layer; and

switching the operational mode of the first area.

12. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

detecting a second signal provided to the detection layer; and

switching an operation mode of a second area of the electro-chromic layer according to the second signal provided from the detection layer.

13. A display apparatus comprising:

an electro-chromic panel configured to switch an operational mode of a selected area between a transmission mode and a reflective mode according to an external signal; and

a display panel configured to display information to be shown through the electro-chromic panel,

wherein the display panel does not include the electro-chromic panel.

14. The display apparatus of claim 13, wherein the electro-chromic panel comprises

a detection layer including a sensor, and

an electro-chromic layer including an array layer arranged therein, the array layer including,

a transparent electrode, and

a switching element connected to the transparent electrode.

15. The display apparatus of claim 13, wherein the display panel comprises:

a readout integrated circuit (IC) configured to read the external signal;

a processor configured to analyze the external signal transmitted from the readout IC;

a timing controller configured to receive a signal about one of information and an image to be displayed from the processor and perform timing control of the signal; and

a display driver integrated circuit (DDIC) configured to convert the timing-controlled signal output from the timing controller to a drive voltage of the display panel and transmit the drive voltage to the display panel.

16. The display apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

a motion detection sensor configured to detect a motion of an external object and transmit the detected data to the processor.

17. A method of operating a display apparatus, the method comprising:

detecting a first signal provided to an electro-chromic panel;

operating a first area of a display panel by analyzing the first signal; and

operating a first area of the electro-chromic panel corresponding to the first area of the display panel,

wherein the operating a first area of the electro-chromic panel includes switching the first area of the electro-chromic panel between a transmission mode and a reflective mode.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the detecting detects one of a touch signal and an optical signal.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the operating a first area of the display panel includes turning the first area on or off.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

detecting a second signal provided to the electro-chromic panel;

operating a second area of the display panel by analyzing the second signal; and

operating a second area of the electro-chromic panel corresponding to the second area of the display panel.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the first and second signals are simultaneously provided to the electro-chromic panel.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein

the first and second signals are motion detection signals configured to detect a motion of an external object,

information displayed through the second area of the electro-chromic panel is the same as information displayed through the first area of the electro-chromic panel, and

the first area of the electro-chromic panel is operated in a reflective mode when the information is displayed through the second area of the electro-chromic panel.

23. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

operating at least one area in addition to the first area of the display panel; and

operating at least one area in addition to the first area of the electro-chromic panel corresponding to the at least one area of the display panel.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein the detecting detects a drag signal that determines a size of the first area of the electro-chromic panel.