Electrophoretic display device

• US 20050266590A1
• Filed: 05/31/2005
• Published: 12/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hong, Mun-Pyo, Roh, Nam-Seok
• Granted Patent: US 8,749,476 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/22
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/167 by electrophoresis
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/16757 Microcapsules
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/16766 for active matrices
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0809 Several active elements per pixel in active matrix panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/14 Detecting light within display terminals, e.g. using a single or a plurality of photosensors
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/344 based on particles moving in a fluid or in a gas, e.g. electrophoretic devices electrophoretic devices per se G02F1/167

Abstract

A electrophoretic display device is provided, which includes: a thin film transistor array panel including a substrate, gate and data lines formed on the substrate and crossing each other, switching thin film transistors electrically connected to the gate and data lines, a photo sensor formed on the substrate, and pixel electrodes electrically connected to the switching thin film transistors; a common electrode panel facing the thin film transistor array panel and having a common electrode; and a display layer disposed between the thin film transistor array panel and the common electrode panel. The display layer includes micro capsules containing negative and positive pigment particles.

Claims

1. An electrophoretic display device, comprising:

a thin film transistor array panel including a substrate, gate lines and data lines formed on the substrate and crossing each other, switching thin film transistors electrically connected to the gate and data lines, a photo sensor formed on the substrate, and pixel electrodes electrically connected to the switching thin film transistors;

a common electrode panel facing the thin film transistor array panel and having a common electrode; and

a display layer disposed between the thin film transistor array panel and the common electrode panel,

wherein the display layer includes micro-capsules containing negative and positive pigment particles.

2. The electrophoretic display device of claim 1, further comprising:

an off voltage line and an output scanning line disposed parallel to the gate lines and insulated from the data lines; and

a supply voltage line and a signal output line disposed parallel to the data lines and insulated from the gate lines, the off voltage line and the output scanning line,

wherein the photo sensor includes a photo sensing transistor having a control terminal connected to the off voltage line, and an input terminal connected to the supply voltage line, and turning on by light incident on a channel of the photo sensing transistor, a signal sensing capacitor having two terminals connected to the output terminal of the photo sensing transistor and the off voltage line, respectively, and an output transistor having an input terminal connected to the output terminal of the photo sensing transistor and one terminal of the signal sensing capacitor, an output terminal connected to the signal output line, and a control terminal connected to the output scanning line.

3. The electrophoretic display device of claim 2, further comprising:

a gate insulating layer insulating the gate lines and the data lines from each other line; and

a passivation layer formed on the photo sensing transistor, the output transistor and each switching thin film transistor, and having a light transmissive hole exposing the channel of the photo sensing transistor.

4. The electrophoretic display device of claim 2, wherein the photo sensing transistor is configured to turn off responsive to an object at a surface of the electrophoretic display.

5. The electrophoretic display device of claim 4, wherein the photo sensor is configured to communicate a position of the object at the surface of the display device to a contact position sensor.

6. The electrophoretic display device of claim 1, further comprising:

a gate insulating layer insulating the gate lines and the data lines from each other line; and

a passivation layer formed on a photo sensing transistor of the photo sensor, an output transistor and each switching thin film transistor, and having a light transmissive hole exposing a channel of the photo sensing transistor.

7. The electrophoretic display device of claim 1, wherein the pixel electrode includes a conductive material having a high reflectivity.

8. An image display device comprising:

a thin film transistor array panel including a photo sensor and a pixel electrode electrically connected to switching thin film transistors;

a common electrode panel facing the thin film transistor array panel and having a common electrode; and

a display layer disposed between the thin film transistor array panel and the common electrode panel,

wherein the display layer includes micro-capsules containing a plurality of negative and positive pigment particles displaying images responsive to a voltage across the pixel and common electrodes.

9. The display device of claim 8, wherein the photo sensor includes a photo sensing transistor having a control terminal connected to an off voltage line, and an input terminal connected to a supply voltage line.

10. The display device of claim 9, wherein the photo sensor further comprises:

a signal sensing capacitor having a first terminal connected to an output terminal of the photo sensing transistor; and

a second terminal electrically connected to the off voltage line.

11. The display device of claim 10, wherein the photo sensor further comprises an output transistor including:

an input terminal connected to the output terminal of the photo sensing transistor;

an output terminal connected to a signal output line; and

a control terminal connected to an output scanning line.

12. The display device of claim 9, wherein the photo sensing transistor is configured to turn on responsive to light incident on a channel of the photo sensing transistor.

13. The display device of claim 9, wherein the photo sensing transistor is configured to turn off responsive to an object at a surface of the display device.

14. The display device of claim 13, wherein the photo sensor is configured to communicate a position of the object at the surface of the display device to a contact position sensor.

15. The display device of claim 9, further comprising:

a gate insulating layer disposed at the thin film transistor array panel insulating gate lines and data lines disposed at the thin film transistor array panel from each other; and

a passivation layer disposed at the gate insulating layer and having the photo sensing transistor disposed between the gate insulating and passivation layers.

16. The display device of claim 15, wherein the passivation layer includes a light transmissive hole exposing a channel of the photo sensing transistor.

17. The display device of claim 16, wherein light incident on the channel of the photo sensing transistor produces a photo current.

18. The display device of claim 17, further comprising a signal sensing capacitor configured to charge in response to the photo current.

19. The display device of claim 18, wherein the off voltage line carries an off voltage to ensure that the signal sensing capacitor only operates in response to the photo current.

20. A method for manufacturing an image display device having a display layer including micro-capsules containing a plurality of negative and positive pigment particles, the method comprising:

positioning a backplane;

dispersing the micro-capsules on an adhesive;

disposing a common electrode panel including a plastic film and a common electrode in contact with the micro-capsules; and

bonding the micro-capsules, the adhesive and the common electrode panel via a laminator.