DISPLAY APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD OF THE SAME

• US 20090256812A1
• Filed: 09/26/2008
• Published: 10/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Ha, Tae-hyeun, Abdulaev, Rustam, Kim, Hyung-rae, Sung, Jun-ho
• Granted Patent: US 8,542,197 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/30 using electroluminescent panels

Abstract

A display apparatus includes a display panel having a light emitting device, a sensor which senses an electric current flowing in the light emitting device, and a controller which determines that an external stimulus occurs to the display panel if a change of a sensed current exceeds a preset current change rate, and performs a predetermined operation on the basis of a determination result.

Claims

1. A display apparatus comprising:

a display panel which comprises a light emitting device;

a sensor which senses an electric current flowing in the light emitting device; and

a controller which determines that an external stimulus occurs to the display panel if a change of the sensed electric current exceeds a preset current change rate, and performs an operation based on a determination result.

2. The display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting device comprises an organic light emitting material.

3. The display apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the sensor comprises:

a resistor which is connected between either of the first electrode or the second electrode and a ground; and

an amplifier to which voltages applied to both ends of the resistor are input and which amplifies a difference between the input voltages,

wherein the controller determines that an external stimulus occurs to the display panel if an output signal from the amplifier is outside of an allowable range.

4. The display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller controls the display panel to display user interface (UT) information to induce the external stimulus.

5. The display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller displays a stimulus image, of which brightness exceeds a reference brightness, on at least one region of the display panel to induce the external stimulus.

6. The display apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the controller controls the display panel to display a plurality of stimulus images on different regions, and determines which one of the plurality of stimulus images receives the external stimulus.

7. The display apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the controller displays the plurality of stimulus images in sequence, and determines which one of the plurality of stimulus images receives the external stimulus on the basis of a point of time when the external stimulus is given.

8. The display apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the sensor is individually provided corresponding to the stimulus image.

9. The display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller determines an amplitude of the external stimulus based on a change rate of the sensed electric current, and displays different images depending on the amplitude of the external stimulus.

10. The display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller controls the display panel to display a preset image if the external stimulus is determined to occur to the display panel.

11. The display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting device comprises a light emitting diode.

12. A display apparatus comprising:

a display panel which comprises an organic light emitting diode; and

a controller which determines that an external stimulus occurs to the display panel if the display panel is changed in temperature.

13. A display apparatus comprising:

a display panel which comprises a light emitting device;

a sensor which senses an electric current flowing in the light emitting device; and

a controller which performs an operation if a change of the sensed electric current exceeds a preset current change rate.

14. A display apparatus comprising:

a display panel which comprises a light emitting device and a light emitting region divided into a plurality of sub-regions;

a plurality of sensors which sense an electric current flowing in each of the plurality of subregions; and

a controller which determines that an external stimulus occurs to the light emitting region if a change of the sensed electric current exceeds a preset current change rate and performs an operation.

15. A method of controlling a display apparatus with a display panel comprising a light emitting device, the method comprising:

sensing an electric current flowing in the light emitting device;

determining that the display panel receives an external stimulus if a change of the sensed electric current exceeds a preset current change rate; and

performing an operation based on a determination result.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the display panel further comprises:

a first electrode, a second electrode, an organic light emitting material provided between the first electrode and the second electrode, and a resistor connected between either of the first electrode or the second electrode and a ground, and

the sensing of the electric current comprises;

sensing voltages applied to both ends of the resistor;

determining a difference between the sensed voltages applied to both ends of the resistor; and

converting the determined voltage difference into a digital signal.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the determining that the display panel receives the stimulus comprises determining that the display panel receives the external stimulus if the digital signal is outside of a predetermined allowable range.

18. The method according to claim 15, further comprising displaying a stimulus image, of which brightness exceeds a reference brightness, on at least one region of the display panel to induce the external stimulus.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the displaying of the stimulus image comprises displaying a plurality of stimulus images on different regions of the display panel individually, repetitively and sequentially, and

the determining that the display panel receives the external stimulus comprises determining which one of the plurality of stimulus images receives the external stimulus based on a point of time when the external stimulus is given.

20. The method according to claim 15, wherein the determining that the display panel receives the external stimulus comprises determining an amplitude of the external stimulus based on a change rate of the sensed electric current, and

the performing of the operation comprises displaying different images depending on the amplitude of the external stimulus.

21. The method according to claim 15, wherein the performing of the operation comprises outputting the determination result.

22. The method according to claim 15, wherein the performing of the operation comprises displaying a preset image on the display panel if the external stimulus is determined to occur to the display panel.