Two-dimensional and three-dimensional image selectable display device

• US 8,174,464 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2006
• Issued: 05/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Mobile Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Jang, Brent, Nam, Hui, Choi, Kyung Ho
• Primary Examiner(s): Shalwala, Bipin
• Assistant Examiner(s): FRY, MATTHEW A
• Application Number:
  US11/545,978
• Publication Number:
  US 20070126967A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,037 Days
• Field of Search: 345 5- 6, 345/87, 349/123, 349127-128, 349/141, 349/143, 349/41, 349/187
• US Class Current: 345/6
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/25 using polarisation techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134363 for applying an electric field parallel to the substrate, i.e. in-plane switching [IPS]

Abstract

A display device, adapted to display a two-dimensional image or a three-dimensional image, includes an image panel for displaying an image and a barrier panel located in front of the image panel. The barrier panel includes a first substrate including In-Plane-Switching type electrodes arranged on a surface of the substrate, a second substrate having a transparent electrode on the inner side surface, and a liquid crystal layer located between the first and second substrates. The barrier panel displays the image as a two-dimensional image or a three-dimensional image depending on electric fields established between first and second substrates of the barrier panel and between the In-Plane-Switching type electrodes formed on the first substrate. The two-dimensional image may be displayed with wide viewing angle and narrow viewing angle options.

Claims

1. A display device comprising:

an image panel for displaying an image; and

a barrier panel located in front of the image panel, the barrier panel being configured to present the image as a two-dimensional image or a three-dimensional image,

wherein the barrier panel comprises;

a first substrate;

in-plane-switching (IPS) electrodes, each located directly on the first substrate;

a second substrate including a transparent electrode located on an inner side surface thereof, the inner side surface of the second substrate facing the first substrate; and

a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate,

wherein the barrier panel is configured to present the two-dimensional image in a two-dimensional display mode with a narrow viewing angle mode if an electric field is generated between the first substrate and the second substrate,

wherein the barrier panel is configured to present the two-dimensional image in the two-dimensional display mode with a wide viewing angle mode if no electric field is generated between the first substrate and the second substrate and no voltage is applied, and no electric field is generated, between the IPS electrodes arranged on the first substrate, and

wherein the barrier panel is configured to present the three-dimensional image in a three-dimensional display mode if no voltage is applied between IPS electrodes on the first substrate and the transparent electrode on the second substrate, and a predetermined voltage is applied between the IPS electrodes and an electric field substantially parallel to the first substrate is generated in a predetermined region.

2. The display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein first and second orientation films are provided on inner sides of the first and second substrates, respectively, the inner side of the first substrate facing the second substrate and the inner side of the second substrate facing the first substrate.

3. The display device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first and second orientation films are anti-parallel rubbed for arranging liquid crystal in the liquid crystal layer in an electrically controlled birefringence (ECB) mode.

4. The display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the IPS electrodes form a first electrode unit and a second electrode unit each having a plurality of extrusions, the extrusions of each electrode unit arranged alternately with the extrusions of the other electrode unit.

5. The display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the image panel is a liquid crystal display, a plasma display panel, or an organic light-emitting device.

6. The display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein when the image panel displays the three-dimensional image, a left eye pixel of an image for a left eye, and a right eye pixel of an image for a right eye are alternately arranged.

10. The display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the IPS electrodes comprises a same vertical position, wherein the vertical position is a position of the IPS electrode in the direction of a line extending normal to the first substrate.

11. The display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the IPS electrodes comprises a same width, wherein the width is a measurement of a thickness of the IPS electrode extending in a direction of a line normal to the first substrate.

12. The display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein when the barrier panel is presenting the three-dimensional image, the liquid crystal layer comprises:

a first region of liquid crystals tilted at a first angle; and

a second region of liquid crystals tilted at a second angle different from the first angle.

13. The display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein when the barrier panel is presenting the three-dimensional image, no electric field is generated between the first substrate and the second substrate in a direction perpendicular to the first substrate.

14. The display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein when the barrier panel is presenting the three-dimensional image, an IPS electric field is generated between a first IPS electrode and a second IPS electrode of the IPS electrodes, wherein the IPS electric field extends from the first IPS electrode to the second IPS electrode.

7. A barrier panel configured to present a two-dimensional image or a three-dimensional image from an image panel, the barrier panel comprising:

a first substrate;

in-plane-switching (IPS) electrodes, each located directly on the first substrate;

a second substrate including a transparent electrode located on an inner side surface thereof, the inner side surface of the second substrate facing the first substrate; and

a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate,

wherein the two-dimensional image is presented in a two-dimensional display mode if no voltage is applied, and no electric field is generated, between the IPS electrodes,

wherein the two-dimensional image is presented in the two-dimensional display mode with a narrow viewing angle if an electric field is generated between the first substrate and the second substrate,

wherein the two-dimensional image is presented in the two-dimensional display mode with a wide viewing angle if no electric field is generated between the first substrate and the second substrate, and

wherein the barrier panel is configured to present the three-dimensional image in a three-dimensional display mode if no voltage is applied between IPS electrodes on the first substrate and the transparent electrode on the second substrate, and a predetermined voltage is applied between the IPS electrodes and an electric field substantially parallel to the first substrate is generated in a predetermined region.

8. The barrier panel of claim 7, further comprising:

a first orientation film located on the IPS electrodes; and

a second orientation film located on the transparent electrode,

wherein the first orientation film and the second orientation film are anti-parallel rubbed for arranging the liquid crystals in an electrically controlled birefringence (ECB) mode.

9. The barrier panel of claim 7,

wherein the IPS electrodes form a comb-shaped first electrode unit and a comb-shaped second electrode unit having interlaced extrusions, and

wherein the electric field generated between the IPS electrodes is an electric field substantially parallel to the first substrate generated between the extrusions of the first electrode unit and the extrusions of the second electrode unit.