SEAMLESS FOLDABLE DISPLAY DEVICE AND METHOD

• US 20070262916A1
• Filed: 10/04/2006
• Published: 11/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: SHIM, Hong-shik, KIM, Jung-Woo, KEE, In-Seo
• Granted Patent: US 7,834,537 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/1.300
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13336 Combining plural substrates to produce large-area displays, e.g. tiled displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134309 characterised by their geometrical arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/18 Tiled displays

Abstract

A foldable display device is designed so that a junction between at least two display panels connected to each other is not visibly seen. The display device displays an image on a plurality of display panels that are connected together. Pixels near the junction between every two adjacent display panels of the at least two display panels are smaller and have a higher brightness than the other pixels.

Claims

1. A display device for displaying an image on a plurality of display panels connected together, wherein pixels near a junction between every two adjacent display panels of the plurality of display panels are smaller than the other pixels and the smaller pixels near the junction between the every two adjacent display panels have a higher brightness than the other pixels.

2. The display device of claim 1, wherein pixels in at least two pixel columns gradually increase size in a direction going from the junction of the every two adjacent display panels to each of the respective center portions of the every two adjacent display panels.

3. The display device of claim 2, wherein an intensity of light emitted from one of the pixels near the junction of the every two adjacent display panels is equal to an intensity of light emitted from one of the other pixels.

4. The display device of claim 1, wherein two facing pixels on both sides of the junction between the every two adjacent display panels serve as a single pixel.

5. The display device of claim 4, wherein the sum of intensities of light emitted from the two pixels on both sides of the junction is equal to an intensity of light emitted from one of the other pixels.

6. The display device of claim 1, wherein the display panels are emissive display panels.

7. The display device of claim 6, wherein the display panels are one of an organic electroluminescent light emitting device (OLED), a field emission display (FED), a plasma display panel (PDP) and an inorganic electroluminsecence (EL) device.

8. The display device of claim 1, wherein an array of pixels that display a red color (R), a green color (G), and a blue color (B) is repeated in a direction substantially parallel to a lengthwise direction of the junction.

9. The display device of claim 1, wherein when vertical pixel lines of the every two adjacent display panels are divided into continuous areas having identical widths, a single pixel may be located in each of the areas.

10. The display device of claim 1, wherein when vertical pixel lines of the two adjacent display panels are divided into continuous areas having identical widths, the two pixels on both sides of the junction are located together in one area of the continuous areas, and the other pixels are arranged such that each pixel of the other pixels is located in a respective single area of the continuous areas.

11. The display device of claim 1, wherein a distance between the pixels on both sides of the junction between the every two adjacent display panels is in a range of about 0.1 mm to about 1 mm.

12. A method for displaying an image on a plurality of display panels connected together, the method comprising:

disposing pixels near a junction between every two adjacent display panels of the plurality of display panels being smaller than the other pixels; and

illuminating the smaller pixels near the junction between the every two adjacent display panels to have a higher brightness than the other pixels.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

gradually increasing a size of the pixels in at least two pixel columns in a direction going from the junction of the every two adjacent display panels to each of the respective center portions of the every two adjacent display panels.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

emitting light from one of the pixels near the junction of the every two adjacent display panels having an intensity equal to an intensity of light emitted from one of the other pixels.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein two facing pixels on both sides of the junction between the every two adjacent display panels serve as a single pixel.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the sum of intensities of light emitted from the two pixels on both sides of the junction is equal to an intensity of light emitted from one of the other pixels.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the display panels are emissive display panels.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the display panels are one of an organic electroluminescent light emitting device (OLED), a field emission display (FED), a plasma display panel (PDP) and an inorganic electroluminsecence (EL) device.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

repeating an array of pixels that display a red color (R), a green color (G), and a blue color (B) in a direction substantially parallel to a lengthwise direction of the junction.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

locating a single pixel in a respective single area of a plurality of areas, wherein the areas are defined by vertical pixel lines of the every two adjacent display panels divided into continuous areas having identical widths.

21. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

locating the two pixels on both sides of the junction in a respective single area of a plurality of areas; and

locating the other pixels such that each pixel of the other pixels is located in one area of the plurality of areas,

wherein the areas are defined by vertical pixel lines of the every two adjacent display panels divided into continuous areas having identical widths.