Display screen, mobile terminal having display screen, method and device for controlling display screen with improved proportion of display area

• US 10,691,283 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2017
• Issued: 06/23/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Guangdong OPPO Mobile Telecommunications Corporation Limited
• Original Assignee: Guangdong OPPO Mobile Telecommunications Corporation Limited
• Inventors: Zhang, Haiping
• Primary Examiner(s): Snyder, Adam J
• Application Number:
  US15/853,250
• Publication Number:
  US 20180260079A1
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• Field of Search: 345207
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1641 the display being formed by a plurality of foldable display components G06F1/1647 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1652 the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1677 for detecting open or closed state or particular intermediate positions assumed by movable parts of the enclosure, e.g. detection of display lid position with respect to main body in a laptop, detection of opening of the cover of battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1415 with means for detecting differences between the image stored in the host and the images displayed on the displays
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/20 for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/026 Details of the structure or mounting of specific components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0264 for a camera module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0266 for a display module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/725 Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera constructional features concerning the integration of cameras in portable phones H04M1/0264
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/145 Handheld terminals
• 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

A display screen, a mobile terminal having the display screen, a method and device for controlling the display screen are provided. The display screen includes a display panel. The display panel includes an active area and a functional area. The active area is configured to display information. The functional area is operable in a first mode for displaying the information or a second mode for allowing light to pass through.

Claims

1. A display screen, comprising:

a display panel, the display panel comprising;

an active area configured to display information; and

a functional area covering a camera together with a proximity sensor and an ambient light sensor of a mobile terminal having the display panel, an area of the functional area being greater than or equal to a sum of areas of the camera, the proximity sensor, and the ambient light sensor, the functional area being operable in a first mode for displaying the information or a second mode to be transparent for allowing light to pass therethrough according to a current operating condition of the mobile terminal, wherein the proximity sensor, the camera, and the ambient light sensor are disposed under the functional area on a bottom plate of a housing of the mobile terminal, wherein the housing houses the proximity sensor, the camera, and the ambient light sensor therein, the bottom plate is opposite to the display screen, and when the functional area is transparent, the mobile terminal selectively allows the camera, the proximity sensor, or the ambient light sensor to operate corresponding to the current operating condition of the mobile terminal,

wherein the proximity sensor comprises a light emitter configured to emit the light and a light receiver configured to receive the light emitted by the light emitter and reflected by an external object,

wherein the light emitter, the camera, the light receiver, and the ambient light sensor are disposed at the bottom plate side by side, and

wherein the light emitter and the light receiver are disposed at opposite sides of the camera, and the ambient light sensor is disposed at a side of the light receiver away from the camera.

2. The display screen of claim 1, wherein the functional area is adjacent to the active area.

3. The display screen of claim 1, wherein the functional area is surrounded by the active area.

4. The display screen of claim 1, wherein the functional area is disposed at the top or bottom of the display panel.

5. The display screen of claim 1, wherein the display screen further comprises a cover plate covering the display panel, and the cover plate is made from transparent material.

6. The display screen of claim 1, wherein the functional area and the active area are made from different materials.

7. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a display screen, wherein the display screen comprises a display panel, the display panel comprises an active area and a functional area, and the active area is configured to display information; and

a camera together with a proximity sensor and an ambient light sensor disposed under the functional area and on a bottom plate of a housing that is opposite to the display screen, wherein an area of the functional area is greater than or equal to a sum of areas of the camera, the proximity sensor, and the ambient light sensor, wherein the housing houses the proximity sensor, the camera, and the ambient light sensor therein, and the functional area is operable in a first mode for displaying the information or a second mode to be transparent for allowing light passing therethrough according to a current operating condition of the mobile terminal, and when the functional area is transparent, the mobile terminal selectively allows the camera, the proximity sensor, or the ambient light sensor to operate corresponding to the current operating condition of the mobile terminal,

wherein the proximity sensor comprises a light emitter configured to emit the light and a light receiver configured to receive the light emitted by the light emitter and reflected by an external object,

wherein the light emitter, the camera, the light receiver, and the ambient light sensor are disposed at the bottom plate side by side, and

wherein the light emitter and the light receiver are disposed at opposite sides of the camera, and the ambient light sensor is disposed at a side of the light receiver away from the camera.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the functional area is adjacent to the active area.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the functional area is surrounded by the active area.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the functional area is disposed at the top or bottom of the display panel.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the display screen further comprises a cover plate covering the display panel, and the cover plate is made from transparent material.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the functional area and the active area are made from different materials.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the light receiver of the proximity sensor and the ambient light sensor are integrated in one module.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the light receiver and the ambient light sensor are disposed separately and independently of each other.

15. A method for controlling a display screen of a mobile terminal, comprising:

determining a current operating condition of the mobile terminal, wherein the display screen comprises a display panel, and the display panel comprises an active area and a functional area, a camera together with a proximity sensor and an ambient light sensor of the mobile terminal are disposed under the functional area, an area of the functional area being greater than or equal to a sum of areas of the camera, the proximity sensor, and the ambient light sensor;

configuring the functional area to operate in a first mode or a second mode according to the current operating condition of the mobile terminal, wherein the proximity sensor, the camera, and the ambient light sensor are disposed under the functional area and on a bottom plate of a housing of the mobile terminal, wherein the housing houses the proximity sensor, the camera, and the ambient light sensor therein, and the bottom plate is opposite to the display screen; and

selectively allowing the camera, the proximity sensor, or the ambient light sensor to operate corresponding to the current operating condition of the mobile terminal,

wherein the proximity sensor comprises a light emitter configured to emit the light and a light receiver configured to receive the light emitted by the light emitter and reflected by an external object,

wherein the light emitter, the camera, the light receiver, and the ambient light sensor are disposed at the bottom plate side by side, and

wherein the light emitter and the light receiver are disposed at opposite sides of the camera, and the ambient light sensor is disposed at a side of the light receiver away from the camera.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein determining the current operating condition of the mobile terminal comprises:

determining whether the ambient light sensor is activated;

configuring the functional area to operate in the first mode or the second mode comprises;

configuring the functional area to operate in the second mode when the ambient light sensor is activated; and

selectively allowing the camera, the proximity sensor, or the ambient light sensor to operate according to the current operating condition of the mobile terminal, comprises;

allowing the ambient light sensor to sense ambient light through the functional area so as to adjust brightness of the display screen according to the ambient light.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein:

determining the current operating condition of the mobile terminal comprises determining whether the camera is activated;

configuring the functional area to operate in the first mode or the second mode comprises configuring the functional area to operate in the second mode when the camera is activated; and

selectively allowing the camera, the proximity sensor, or the ambient light sensor to operate according to the current operating condition of the mobile terminal, comprises allowing the camera to capture external images through the functional area.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein:

determining the current operating condition of the mobile terminal comprises determining whether the mobile terminal is in communication;

configuring the functional area to operate in the first mode or the second mode comprises configuring the functional area to operate in the second mode when the mobile terminal is in communication; and

selectively allowing the camera, the proximity sensor, or the ambient light sensor to operate according to the current operating condition of the mobile terminal comprises allowing the proximity sensor to emit and receive the light through the functional area so as to determine a distance between the mobile terminal and an external object reflecting the light.