Display Device and Electronic Device

• US 20080007486A1
• Filed: 10/28/2005
• Published: 01/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Nozaki, Hirotake, Fujinawa, Nobuhiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,106,852 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/005
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1347 Arrangement of liquid crystal layers or cells in which the final condition of one light beam is achieved by the addition of the effects of two or more layers or cells
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/30 in which the desired character or characters are formed by combining individual elements panels comprising a number of electrodes in a single cell controlling light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. electro-optical or magneto-optical cell, G02F1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/35 being liquid crystals G09F9/302 takes precedence; liquid crystal materials C09K19/00; liquid crystal panels comprising a number of electrodes in a single cell per se G02F1/13
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/023 Display panel composed of stacked panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0473 Use of light emitting or modulating elements having two or more stable states when no power is applied
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0482 Use of memory effects in nematic liquid crystals
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0245 Clearing or presetting the whole screen independently of waveforms, e.g. on power-on G09G2310/063 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0606 Manual adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0613 The adjustment depending on the type of the information to be displayed
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/021 Power management, e.g. power saving
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/022 in absence of operation, e.g. no data being entered during a predetermined time
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/144 the light being ambient light
• 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: G09G 3/3208 organic, e.g. using organic light-emitting diodes [OLED]
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3406 Control of illumination source illumination devices structurally associated with liquid crystal cells G02F1/1336
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3629 using liquid crystals having memory effects, e.g. ferroelectric liquid crystals
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3648 using an active matrix G09G3/367 - G09G3/3696 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/50 OLEDs integrated with light modulating elements, e.g. with electrochromic elements, photochromic elements or liquid crystal elements

Abstract

A display device includes: a first display unit that provides a light emitting display by individually controlling a light emitting quantity for each pixel; and a second display unit that allows either a transmitting state for transmitting ambient light or a reflecting state for reflecting the ambient light to be selected in correspondence to each pixel and brings up a display by assuming a specific combination of a transmitting area and a reflecting area, and the second display unit is layered over the first display unit so that the first display unit can be viewed through the transmitting area at the second display unit.

Claims

1. A display device, comprising:

a first display unit that provides a light emitting display by individually controlling a light emitting quantity for each pixel; and

a second display unit that allows either a transmitting state for transmitting ambient light or a reflecting state for reflecting the ambient light to be selected in correspondence to each pixel and brings up a display by assuming a specific combination of a transmitting area and a reflecting area, wherein;

the second display unit is layered over the first display unit so that the first display unit can be viewed through the transmitting area at the second display unit.

2. A display device according to claim 1, wherein:

when a display is brought up at the first display unit, an area of the second display units corresponding to a display area at the first display unit at least is set as the transmitting area at the second display unit.

3. A display device according to claim 1, wherein:

when a display is brought up at the second display unit, all pixels at the first display unit corresponding to a display area at the second display unit are set in a non-emitting state at the first display unit.

4. A display device according to claim 1, wherein:

when a display is brought up at the second display unit, pixels at the first display unit corresponding to a specific area containing the transmitting area in a display area of the second display unit are set in an emitting state and other pixels are set in a non-emitting state at the first display unit.

5. A display device according to claim 3, wherein:

when a display is brought up over the display area of the second display unit and a display is brought up over another display area at the first display unit simultaneously, an area at the second display unit, which corresponds to the other display area at the first display unit, is set as the transmitting area.

6. A display device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display control unit that selects either the first display unit or the second display unit in correspondence to specific conditions, wherein;

when the first display unit is selected, the second display unit sets at least an area thereat corresponding to a display area of the first display unit as a transmitting area; and

when the second display unit is selected, the first display unit sets pixels corresponding to the reflecting area at the second display unit in a non-emitting state.

7. A display device according to claim 6, further comprising:

a detection unit that detects display contents, wherein;

the display control unit selects either the first display unit or the second display unit based upon detection results provided by the detection unit.

8. A display device according to claim 6, further comprising:

a detection unit that detects brightness in a surrounding environment, wherein;

the display control unit selects the second display unit if the detection unit detects a brightness level equal to or higher than a predetermined brightness level and selects the first display unit if the detection unit detects a brightness level lower than the predetermined brightness level.

9. A display device according to claim 6, further comprising:

a detection unit that detects a level of remaining battery power, wherein;

the display control unit selects the first display unit if the detection unit detects the remaining battery power equal to or greater than a predetermined level and selects the second display unit if the detection unit detects the remaining battery power less than the predetermined level.

10. A display device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display control unit that controls display at the first display unit and display at the second display unit, wherein

the display control unit;

(1) issues a drawing instruction for the first display unit and also issues an instruction for the second display unit to set at least pixels corresponding to a drawing area at the first display unit in the transmitting state at the second display unit;

(2) issues a drawing instruction for the second display unit with identical contents to those in the drawing instruction for the first display unit except for at least a display color, and also issues an instruction for the first display unit to draw a specific color at pixels at the first display unit corresponding to a drawing area at the second display unit in synchronization with a drawing speed at the second display unit; and

(3) stops display control on at least the first display unit after drawing at the second display unit ends.

11. A display device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display control unit that controls display at the first display unit and display at the second display unit, wherein

the display control unit;

(1) issues a drawing instruction for the first display unit and also issues an instruction for the second display unit to set a least pixels corresponding to a drawing area at the first display unit in the transmitting state at the second display unit;

(2) issues a drawing instruction for the second display unit with identical contents to those in the drawing instruction for the first display unit; and

(3) stops display control on at least the first display unit after drawing at the second display unit ends.

12. A display device according to claim 1, wherein:

the first display unit includes a liquid crystal element constituting a display element thereof and provides the light emitting display by using a backlight.

13. A display device according to claim 1, wherein:

the first display unit includes an electroluminescence element constituting a display element thereof.

14. A display device according to claim 1, wherein:

the first display unit provides a color display.

15. Amended) A display device according to claim 1, wherein:

the second display unit includes a display element capable of sustaining a display in the power OFF state.

16. A display device according to claim 15, wherein:

the second display unit includes a cholesteric liquid crystal element constituting a display element thereof.

17. A display device according to claim 1, wherein:

the second display unit includes a polymer network liquid crystal constituting a display element thereof.

18. A display device according to claim 1, wherein:

the first display unit includes an active drive-type display element;

the second display unit includes a passive drive-type display element; and

drawing speed at the second display unit is lower than the drawing speed at the first display unit.

19. A display device according to claim 10, further comprising:

an illuminating unit that illuminates the first display unit, wherein;

the display control stop includes turning off the illuminating unit.

20. A display device according to claim 10, wherein:

the first display unit includes a light generating display element, wherein;

the display control stop includes cutting off power to the first display unit.

21. A display device according to claim 18, wherein:

the second display unit holds control on the transmitting state and the reflecting state having been set for individual pixels even after power supply stops.

22. An electronic device, comprising:

a display device according to claim 1;

and

a display control unit that controls display at the first display unit and display at the second display unit.

23. An electronic device according to claim 22, wherein:

the display control unit enables at least the first display unit to provide display when the electronic device is in a power ON state, whereas the display control unit disallows display at the first display unit and enables the second display unit to provide display when the electronic device is in the power OFF state.

24. An electronic device according to claim 23, wherein:

the display control unit controls power supply so as to supply power to the second display unit in the power OFF state when updating display contents at the second display unit.

25. An electronic device according to claim 23, wherein:

the display control unit engages the first display unit for display in the power ON state and provides display by switching to the second display unit in response to the power OFF operation.

26. An electronic device according to claim 24, wherein:

the display control unit switches to the first display unit for display in response to a power ON operation performed while a display is up at the second display unit.

27. An electronic device according to claim 22, wherein:

the display control unit switches to the second display unit for display when the electronic device remains unoperated over a predetermined length of time with a display up at the first display unit.

28. An electronic device according to claim 22, wherein:

the display control unit switches to the first display unit for display if any operation is performed while a display is up at the second display unit.

29. An electronic device according to claim 22, further comprising:

a setting unit with which an operating mode is selected, wherein;

the display control unit switches to the first display unit or the second display unit to be engaged for display at the display device in correspondence to the operating mode selected via the setting unit.

30. An electronic device according to claim 22, wherein:

the display control unit switches to the first display unit or the second display unit to be engaged for display at the display device in correspondence to display content to be displayed at the display device.

31. An electronic device according to claim 22, wherein:

the display control unit disallows display at the second display unit and enables the first display unit to provide display during a preset time block and allows either the first display unit or the second display unit to be engaged for display during a remaining time block.

32. An electronic device according to claim 22, wherein:

display contents to be displayed at the first display unit include an image.

33. An electronic device according to claim 22, wherein:

display contents to be displayed at the second display unit include at least one of;

a date, a time, a level of remaining battery power, menu information and user input information.

34. An electronic device according to claim 22, further comprising:

a photographing unit that photographs a subject, wherein;

display contents to be displayed at the second display unit include at least one of;

photographing history, photographing conditions and a photographed image.

35. An electronic device according to claim 22, further comprising:

a communication unit that engages in communication with a device outside the electronic device, wherein;

display contents to be displayed at the second display unit include information obtained through the communication conducted by the communication unit.

36. An electronic device according to claim 33, wherein:

the display control unit updates the display contents displayed at the second display unit with predetermined time intervals.

37. An electronic device according to claim 22, wherein:

the display at the second display unit can be sustained without using any power as long as display contents thereof remain unchanged.

38. An electronic device according to claim 22, wherein:

color display can be provided at the first display unit.