Display device having multiple image display units

• US 7,439,939 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2007
• Issued: 10/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Yun, Young-Nam, Na, Hyung-Don
• Primary Examiner(s): Osorio; Ricardo L
• Application Number:
  US11/875,077
• Publication Number:
  US 20080036692A1
• Time in Patent Office: 368 Days
• Field of Search: 345/1.1, 345/1.3, 345/98, 345/102, 345/204, 455/566
• US Class Current: 345/1.3
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133342 for double-sided displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13452 Conductors connecting driver circuitry and terminals of panels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0426 Layout of electrodes and connections
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0278 Details of driving circuits arranged to drive both scan and data electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3611 Control of matrices with row and column drivers
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3648 using an active matrix G09G3/367 - G09G3/3696 take precedence

Abstract

A display device includes a main display unit for displaying main images by processing main image data in response to main gate signals, a sub display unit for displaying sub images by processing sub image data in response to sub gate signals, a connection part for connecting the main and sub display units, a driver for providing the main image data and the main gate signals to the main display unit and the sub image data and the sub gate signals to the sub display unit, first connection lines disposed between the driver and the sub display unit to transfer the sub gate signals to the sub display unit, second connection lines disposed between the driver and the sub display unit to transfer the sub image data to the sub display unit, and a dummy line disposed between the first connection lines and an image display region of the main display unit.

Claims

1. A display device for displaying images, comprising:

a main display unit to display main images by processing main image data in response to main gate signals;

a sub display unit to display sub images by processing sub image data in response to sub gate signals;

a connection part to connect the main and sub display units such that the main and sub display units are foldable toward each other at the connection part;

a driver to provide the main image data and the main gate signals to the main display unit and the sub image data and the sub gate signals to the sub display unit, the driver being disposed in the main display unit;

first connection lines disposed between the driver and the sub display unit to transfer the sub gate signals to the sub display unit;

second connection lines disposed between the driver and the sub display unit to transfer the sub image data to the sub display unit; and

a dummy line disposed between the first connection lines and an image display region of the main display unit.

2. The display device of claim 1, wherein the dummy line is provided with a reference voltage when the first connection lines transfer the sub gate signals.

3. The display device of claim 1, wherein the dummy line and the first connection lines are disposed between the image display region of the main display unit and a contact region of the main display unit, the contact region having a voltage line to receive a reference voltage for the main display unit.

4. The display device of claim 1, further including second connection lines disposed between the driver and a sub data lines of the sub display unit to transfer the sub image data from the driver to the second data lines.

5. The display device of claim 1, wherein the main display unit has an image display region larger than an image display region of the sub display unit.

6. The display device of claim 1, wherein the connection part comprises a flexible printed circuit board having a first end portion connected with a lower region of the main display unit and a second end portion, which is opposite to the first end portion, connected with a upper region of the sub display unit.

7. The display device of claim 1, wherein the driver comprises:

a control section for receiving control signals externally provided to generate internal control signals;

a data driving section for generating the first and sub image data to the first and sub display units, respectively, in response to a first internal control signal from the control section; and

a gate driving section for generating the first and sub gate signals to the first and sub display units, respectively, in response to a second internal control signal from the control section.

8. The display device of claim 7, wherein the gate driving section comprises:

a first gate driving section for providing the main gate signals to main gate lines of the main display unit in response to a first vertical control signal of the second internal control signal; and

a second gate driving section for providing the sub gate signals to sub gate lines of the sub display unit in response to a second vertical control signal of the second internal control signal.

9. The display device of claim 8, wherein the first gate driving section comprises:

a first gate driver for driving a first set of the main gate lines of the main display unit; and

a second gate driver for driving a second set of the main gate lines of the main display unit,

wherein the first and second gate drivers alternately provide the main gate signals to the first and second sets, respectively, of the main gate lines in response to the first vertical control signal of the second internal control signal.

10. The display device of claim 9, wherein the first set of the main gate lines comprises odd numbered lines of the main gate lines, and the second set of the main gate lines comprises even numbered lines of the main gate lines.

11. The display device of claim 7, further including a memory for storing image data externally provided, wherein the control section controls data read and data write from and into the memory.

12. The display device of claim 7, further including a reference voltage generation section for receiving a driving voltage externally provided to generate a reference voltage to be provided to the first and sub display units.

13. The display device of claim 1, wherein the main display unit comprises:

a transistor formed at a selected position on a substrate;

a first insulation layer formed on the transistor and the substrate;

a pixel electrode formed on the first insulation layer, the pixel electrode being connected to a drain electrode of the transistor through a contact hole which is formed through the first insulation layer;

a common electrode facing the pixel electrode; and

a liquid crystal layer disposed between the pixel electrode and the common electrode.

14. The display device of claim 13, further comprising a storage electrode line formed on the substrate, a storage capacitance being formed between the storage electrode line and the pixel electrode.

15. The display device of claim 14, wherein a liquid crystal capacitance is formed between the pixel electrode and the common electrode in association with the storage capacitance.

16. The display device of claim 14, wherein the storage electrode line and a gate electrode of the transistor are formed on the substrate simultaneously.

17. The display device of claim 13, wherein the first insulation layer comprises:

an inorganic insulation layer formed on the transistor and the substrate; and

an organic insulation layer formed on the inorganic insulation layer, the organic insulation layer having a leveled surface.

18. the display device of claim 17, wherein the inorganic insulation layer has a first contact hole formed on the drain electrode of the transistor and the organic insulation layer has a second contact hole formed on the first contact hole to expose the drain electrode so that a portion of the drain elcetrode exposed by the first and second contact holes is connected with the pixel elctrode.

19. The display device of claim 13, further comprising:

a common voltage line receiving a reference voltage externally provided; and

a conductive spacer disposed between the common voltage line and the common electrode,

wherein the reference voltage applied to the common voltage line is transferred to the common electrode via the conductive spacer.

20. The display device of claim 19, wherein the first insulation layer is formed on the common voltage line, the first connection lines and the dummy line, and a third contact hole is formed through the first insulation layer to expose a selected region of the common voltage line.

21. The display device of claim 20, wherein the conductive spacer is formed in the third contact hole to electrically connect the common voltage line and the common electrode.