Multi-functional active matrix organic light-emitting diode display

• US 10,453,904 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2018
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGNIS Innovation Incorporated
• Original Assignee: IGNIS Innovation Incorporated
• Inventors: Chaji, Gholamreza, Tian, Baolin
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu, Amare
• Assistant Examiner(s): Figueroa-Gibson, Gloryvid
• Application Number:
  US16/107,672
• Publication Number:
  US 20180358419A1
• Time in Patent Office: 427 Days
• Field of Search: 345 39- 46, 345 82, 345173-178, 257 84, 257642, 178 1801, 178 1809, 178 1811
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2358/00 Arrangements for display data security
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/003 to produce spatial visual effects
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3225 using an active matrix
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3406 Control of illumination source illumination devices structurally associated with liquid crystal cells G02F1/1336
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/00 Constructional details relating to the organic devices covered by this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/101 comprising transparent conductive oxides [TCO]
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/103 comprising indium oxides, e.g. ITO
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/3031 Two-side emission, e.g. transparent OLEDs [TOLED]
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/351 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/11 characterised by the electroluminescent [EL] layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/15 Hole transporting layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/16 Electron transporting layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/171 Electron injection layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/81 Anodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/828 Transparent cathodes, e.g. comprising thin metal layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/841 Self-supporting sealing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8426 : Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8428 : Vertical spacers, e.g. arranged between the sealing arrangement and the OLED
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/865 : comprising light absorbing layers, e.g. light-blocking layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/40 : OLEDs integrated with touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/60 : OLEDs integrated with inorganic light-sensitive elements, e.g. with inorganic solar cells or inorganic photodiodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 65/00 : Integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one organic light-emitting element and at least one organic radiation-sensitive element, e.g. organic opto-couplers organic image sensors integrated with organic light-emitting devices H10K39/34; OLED displays integrated with photosensors H10K59/13
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/324 : comprising aluminium, e.g. Alq3
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/626 : containing more than one polycyclic condensed aromatic rings, e.g. bis-anthracene
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/633 : comprising polycyclic condensed aromatic hydrocarbons as substituents on the nitrogen atom
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/657 : Polycyclic condensed heteroaromatic hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/6572 : comprising only nitrogen in the heteroaromatic polycondensed ring system, e.g. phenanthroline or carbazole

Abstract

A multi-functional active matrix display comprises a transparent front sheet, a semi-transparent layer of light emissive devices adjacent the rear side of the front sheet and forming a matrix of display pixels, and a solar cell layer located behind the light emissive devices for converting both ambient light and internal light7 from the light emissive devices into electrical energy, the solar cell layer including an array of electrodes on the front surface of the solar cell layer for use in detecting the location of a change in the amount of light impinging on a portion of the front surface of the solar cell layer.

Claims

1. A method of managing light emitted from an active matrix OLED display, the method comprising:

emitting light from the OLED display;

receiving at least a portion of the light emitted from the OLED display at a solar panel adjacent the OLED display; and

converting at the solar panel the at least a portion of the light received by the solar panel into an electrical output.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

prior to emitting light from the OLED display, integrating behind the OLED display, the solar panel with the OLED display.

3. The method of claim 1, in which the electrical output comprises electrical energy, the method further comprising:

storing the electrical energy in electrical energy storage coupled to the solar panel.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving ambient light at the solar panel; and

converting at the solar panel the ambient light into electrical energy for storage in the electrical energy storage.

5. The method of claim 1, in which the solar panel includes an array of electrodes on at least one surface of the solar panel for generating the electrical output, the electrical output corresponding to light emissions from various areas across the OLED display, the method further comprising:

detecting non-uniformities in the OLED display from the electrical output; and

correcting for the detected non-uniformities in the OLED display.

6. The method of claim 1, in which the at least a portion of the light includes light emitted by the OLED display and reflected from an object touching the front surface of the OLED display, the method further comprising:

detecting the location of the touching object from the electrical output produced by the solar panel.

7. An active matrix display comprising:

a semi-transparent layer of light emissive devices forming a matrix of display pixels for displaying images; and

a solar panel adjacent said semi-transparent layer for receiving at least a portion of the light emitted from the semi-transparent layer and converting the at least a portion of the light into an electrical output.

8. The active matrix display of claim 7 further comprising:

a transparent front sheet adjacent a front side of the semi-transparent layer, the displayed images for viewing through the front sheet.

9. The active matrix display of claim 8 in which the semi-transparent layer of light emissive devices includes a substantially transparent anode adjacent the front sheet, a semi-transparent semiconductor stack forming organic light emitting diodes adjacent the rear side of the anode, a semi-transparent cathode adjacent the rear side of the semiconductor stack, a cover glass spaced rearwardly of the cathode and covering the solar panel, and a peripheral sealant bonding the cover glass to the transparent front sheet.

10. The active matrix display of claim 9 in which the peripheral sealant holds the cover glass spaced away from the rear side of the cathode to form an air gap between the cathode and the cover glass.

11. The active matrix display of claim 8 in which the transparent front sheet is a glass substrate for the semi-transparent layer of light emissive devices.

12. The active matrix display of claim 7 in which the solar panel includes laminated N-type and P-type semiconductor materials, and includes an array of electrodes on at least one surface of said solar panel for generating said electrical output, the array of electrodes including multiple electrode segments located on the front surface of the semiconductor laminate and spaced from each other to allow light from the light emissive devices to impinge on the semiconductor laminate.

13. The active matrix display of claim 12 in which the array of electrodes includes first spaced electrode segments running in a first direction on one surface of the semiconductor laminate, and second spaced electrode segments running in a second direction on the opposite surface of the semiconductor laminate.

14. The active matrix display of claim 7 in which the semi-transparent layer of light emissive devices includes a substantially transparent anode and a semi-transparent cathode.

15. The active matrix display of claim 7 in which the solar panel includes an array of electrodes on at least one surface of the solar panel for generating said electrical output, the electrical output corresponding to the light emissions from various light emissive devices across the matrix of display pixels.

16. The active matrix display of claim 15 further comprising:

a detection circuit for detecting non-uniformities in the active matrix display from the electrical output; and

a correction circuit for correcting for the detected non-uniformities in the active matrix display.

17. The active matrix display of claim 16, in which the solar panel comprises a plurality of solar cell units, each solar cell unit representing one or more pixels or sub-pixels.

18. The active matrix display of claim 17, in which each solar cell unit is calibrated at different color and brightness levels, and in which values corresponding to the electrical output are stored in a lookup table for use in the detecting and the correcting of the non-uniformities in the active matrix display.

19. The active matrix display of claim 15 in which the electrodes on the at least one surface of the solar panel generates the electrical output for use in detecting the location of a change in the amount of light impinging on a portion of the front surface of the solar panel due to an object in front of the semi-transparent layer reflecting light from the emissive devices back through the semi-transparent layer to the solar panel.

20. The active matrix display of claim 19 further comprising:

a touch screen circuit coupled to the solar panel for receiving the electrical output from the array of electrodes and for detecting the location of the change in the amount of light with use of the electrical output.

21. The active matrix display of claim 7, in which the electrical output comprises electrical energy, the active matrix display further comprising:

electrical energy storage coupled to the solar panel for storing the electrical energy.