TRANSPARENT DISPLAY APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE SAME

• US 20140184577A1
• Filed: 12/24/2013
• Published: 07/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Noh, YoungHoon, Kim, IlHo, Yu, ByungChun, Choi, Seongmin
• Granted Patent: US 9,240,162 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/207
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/005 based on electrowetting
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/0121 Operation of devices; Circuit arrangements, not otherwise provided for in this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/163 Operation of electrochromic cells, e.g. electrodeposition cells; Circuit arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/172 based on a suspension of orientable dipolar particles, e.g. suspended particles displays
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/046 with an emissive area and a light-modulating area combined in one pixel
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0626 for control of overall brightness
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/144 the light being ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/145 the light originating from the display screen
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3225 using an active matrix
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/10 Intensity circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/12 Active-matrix OLED [AMOLED] displays
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/50 OLEDs integrated with light modulating elements, e.g. with electrochromic elements, photochromic elements or liquid crystal elements

Abstract

There are provided a transparent display apparatus and a method for controlling the same. The transparent display apparatus includes a transparent display unit that includes an emissive area and a transmissive area and is configured to display a video, an optical sensor configured to measure the amount of light, and a light shielding unit that is disposed on one surface of the transparent display unit and is configured to adjust transmittance on the basis of the amount of light.

Claims

1. A transparent display apparatus, comprising:

a transparent display unit having light emitting pixel elements and transmitting at least a portion of first light incident on the transparent display apparatus; and

at least one sensor to generate at least one signal indicative of brightness of second light incident on the transparent display apparatus,

wherein the portion of the first light transmitted through the transparent display unit is adjustable based on the signal indicative of the brightness of the second light.

2. The transparent display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first light is the second light.

3. The transparent display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first light and the second light are incident on opposite surfaces of the transparent display apparatus.

4. The transparent display apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a light control unit overlapping with the transparent display unit, the light control unit having an adjustable transmittance for the first light,

wherein the amount of the portion of the first light transmitted through the transparent display unit is adjustable by adjusting the adjustable transmittance of the light control unit based on the signal indicative of the brightness of the second light.

5. The transparent display apparatus of claim 4, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a plurality of sensors that generate a plurality of signals indicative of the brightness of the second light at different positions of the transparent display apparatus, and wherein the adjustable transmittance of the light control unit is adjustable in different areas corresponding to the different positions of the transparent display apparatus based on the plurality of signals.

6. The transparent display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor also measures a proximity between the transparent display apparatus and an external object, and wherein the portion of the first light transmitted through the transparent display unit is further adjustable based on the proximity.

7. The transparent display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises an image sensor.

8. The transparent display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the portion of the first light transmitted through the transparent display unit is further adjustable based on a target contrast ratio of the transparent display apparatus.

9. The transparent display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the portion of the first light transmitted through the transparent display unit is further adjustable based on a maximum luminance of the light emitting pixel elements.

10. The transparent display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the portion of the first light transmitted through the transparent display unit is decreased as the brightness of the second light increases.

11. The transparent display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transparent display apparatus supports a first mode, a second mode and a third mode, wherein:

in the first mode, the portion of the first light transmitted through the transparent display unit is maximized,

in the second mode, the portion of the first light transmitted through the transparent display unit is minimized, and

in the third mode, the portion of the first light transmitted through the transparent display unit is adjustable based on the signal indicative of the brightness of the second light.

12. The transparent display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the portion of the first light transmitted through the transparent display unit is maintained constant when the brightness of the second light changes more than a predetermined number of times in a predetermined period.

13. A method of operation in a transparent display apparatus that includes a transparent display unit having light emitting pixel elements and transmitting at least a portion of external light incident on the transparent display apparatus, the method comprising:

generating at least one signal indicative of brightness of the external light incident on the transparent display apparatus; and

adjusting the portion of the external light transmitted through the transparent display unit based on the signal indicative of the brightness of the external light.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the portion of the external light transmitted through the transparent display unit decreases as the brightness of the external light increases.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the transparent display apparatus comprises a light control unit overlapping with the transparent display unit, the light control unit having an adjustable transmittance for the external light, and wherein adjusting the portion of the external light transmitted through the transparent display unit comprises:

adjusting the adjustable transmittance of the light control unit based on the signal indicative of the brightness of the external light.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the portion of the external light transmitted through the transparent display unit is further adjusted based on a target contrast ratio of the transparent display apparatus.

17. A computer readable medium storing instructions for operation of a transparent display apparatus that includes a transparent display unit having light emitting pixel elements and transmitting at least a portion of external light incident on the transparent display apparatus, the instructions when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

generating at least one signal indicative of brightness of the external light incident on the transparent display apparatus; and

adjusting the portion of the external light transmitted through the transparent display unit based on the signal indicative of the brightness of the external light.