Organic light-emitting display device

• US 8,860,027 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2011
• Issued: 10/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Chung, Jin-Koo, Yim, Sang-Hoon, Park, Chan-Young, Choi, Jun-Ho, Kim, Seong-Min
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Yu
• Application Number:
  US13/137,977
• Publication Number:
  US 20120267611A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,118 Days
• Field of Search: 257/40, 257/59, 257/72, 257/80, 257/E27.119, 257/E27.121
• US Class Current: 257/59
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/805 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/818 Reflective anodes, e.g. ITO combined with thick metallic layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/82 Cathodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/84 Passivation; Containers; Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/86 Arrangements for improving contrast, e.g. preventing reflection of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/865 comprising light absorbing layers, e.g. light-blocking layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/121 characterised by the geometry or disposition of pixel elements
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/1213 the pixel elements being TFTs
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/126 Shielding, e.g. light-blocking means over the TFTs
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/13 comprising photosensors that control luminance
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/35 comprising red-green-blue [RGB] subpixels
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/40 OLEDs integrated with touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/60 OLEDs integrated with inorganic light-sensitive elements, e.g. with inorganic solar cells or inorganic photodiodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/65 OLEDs integrated with inorganic image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/80518 Reflective anodes, e.g. ITO combined with thick metallic layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/82 Interconnections, e.g. terminals H10K59/131, H10K59/179 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/87 Passivation; Containers; Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/8792 comprising light absorbing layers, e.g. black layers

Abstract

Embodiments may disclose an organic light-emitting display device including a first substrate including a pixel area emitting light in a first direction, and a transmittance area that is adjacent to the pixel area and transmits external light; a second substrate facing the first substrate and encapsulating a pixel on the first substrate; an optical pattern array on the first substrate or the second substrate to correspond to the transmittance area, the optical pattern array being configured to transmit or block external light depending on the transmittance area according to a coded pattern; and a sensor array corresponding to the optical pattern array, the sensor array being arranged in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction in which the light is emitted, the second array receiving the external light passing through the optical pattern array.

Claims

1. An organic light-emitting display device, comprising:

a first substrate including a plurality of pixel regions, each of the pixel regions including a pixel area emitting light in a first direction and a transmittance area adjacent to the pixel area and transmitting external light;

a plurality of pixels on the first substrate to correspond to the respective pixel regions;

a second substrate facing the first substrate and encapsulating the pixels on the first substrate;

an optical pattern array on the first substrate or the second substrate to correspond to the pixel regions, the optical pattern array being configured to transmit or block external light depending on the each of the pixel regions according to a coded pattern; and

a sensor array corresponding to the optical pattern array, the sensor array being arranged to receive external light in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction in which the light is emitted, the sensor array receiving the external light passing through the optical pattern array, wherein

the coded pattern of the optical pattern array includes;

a first pixel region corresponding to a first one of the pixel regions, the first pixel region allowing transmission of external light to the sensor array in the second direction, and

a second pixel region corresponding to a second one of pixel regions, the second pixel region blocking transmission of external light to the sensor array in the second direction, and

wherein a light-blocking layer on the second substrate entirely covers the second pixel region.

2. The organic light-emitting display device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a pixel circuit unit on the first substrate, including one or more thin film transistors (TFTs), and positioned in the pixel area;

a first insulating layer covering at least the pixel circuit unit;

a first electrode on the first insulating layer so as to be electrically connected to the pixel circuit unit, the first electrode being positioned in the pixel area and being adjacent to the pixel circuit unit so as not to overlap with the pixel circuit unit, and including a transparent conductive material;

a second insulating layer covering at least a portion of the first electrode;

a second electrode capable of reflecting light so as to emit light toward the first electrode, the second electrode facing the first electrode and being positioned in the pixel area; and

an organic layer interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode and including an emission layer (EML).

3. The organic light-emitting display device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second electrode includes at least one metal of Ag, Mg, Al, Pt, Pd, Au, Ni, Nd, Ir, Cr, Li, Ca, Yb, and alloys thereof.

4. The organic light-emitting display device as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of the pixels includes a plurality of sub-pixels, and transmittance areas of two adjacent sub-pixels are connected to each other.

5. The organic light-emitting display device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second insulating layer includes an opening at a position corresponding to the transmittance area of the first pixel region.

6. The organic light-emitting display device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the sensor array is on side portions of the second substrate and receives the external light passing through the transmittance area of the first pixel region of the optical pattern array.

7. The organic light-emitting display device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the light-blocking layer includes at least one metal of Ag, Mg, Al, Pt, Pd, Au, Ni, Nd, Ir, Cr, Li, Ca, Mo, and alloys thereof or includes a black matrix material.

8. The organic light-emitting display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first pixel region corresponds to a first pixel or sub-pixel and the second pixel region corresponds to a second pixel or sub-pixel.

9. The organic light-emitting display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the pixel regions is set as one selected between the first pixel region and the second pixel region.

10. A display device comprising:

a plurality of pixel regions, each of the pixel regions including a pixel area to emit light in a first direction and a transmittance area to transmit light in a second direction;

an optical pattern overlapping the pixel regions; and

a sensor array to receive external light transmitted to the pixel regions, wherein;

the transmittance area is adjacent to the pixel area, and the optical pattern includes a plurality of first pixel regions and a plurality of second pixel regions corresponding to respective ones of the pixel regions, each of the first pixel regions allowing transmission of external light to the sensor array in the second direction, and each of the second pixel regions blocking transmission of external light to the sensor array in the second direction, and wherein

a light-blocking layer entirely covers the second pixel region.

11. The display device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the pixel regions correspond to different pixels or sub-pixels.

12. The display device as claimed in claim 10, wherein each of the second pixel regions overlaps a corresponding one of the pixel regions.