Display device

• US 9,170,449 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2013
• Issued: 10/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Baek, Seung Soo, Kim, Woong Kwon, Kim, Sang Ho, Song, Jae-Jin, Lee, Sang Wook, Song, Young Goo, Kim, Dae Cheol, Kim, Sung Ryul, Bang, Jung Suk, Lee, Hea Chun, Kim, Nam-Heon, Jeong, Ki Hun
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, THANH NHAN P
• Application Number:
  US14/043,170
• Publication Number:
  US 20140211103A1
• Time in Patent Office: 756 Days
• Field of Search: 349/129, 349/130, 349/110
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133374 for displaying permanent signs or marks
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133512 Light shielding layers, e.g. black matrix G02F1/136209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133707 Structures for producing distorted electric fields, e.g. bumps, protrusions, recesses, slits in pixel electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133753 with different alignment orientations or pretilt angles on a same surface, e.g. for grey scale or improved viewing angle
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133757 with different alignment orientations
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/136209 Light shielding layers, e.g. black matrix, incorporated in the active matrix substrate, e.g. structurally associated with the switching element
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0317 in co-operation with a patterned surface, e.g. absolute position or relative movement detection for an optical mouse or pen positioned with respect to a coded surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0321 by optically sensing the absolute position with respect to a regularly patterned surface forming a passive digitiser, e.g. pen optically detecting position indicative tags printed on a paper sheet constructional details of pen-shaped pointing devices G06F3/03545, G06F3/03542, G06F3/037
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen

Abstract

Touch-related information which cannot be acquired by the naked eye (dubbed here as sub-optical pattern information) has its corresponding sub-optical patterns respectively positioned within the aperture areas of respective domains such that the displayed image, as viewed from different viewing angles is not adversely affected by the embedded sub-optical patterns. One type of touch-related information which can be conveyed is that of touch location of a sub-optical pattern sensing pen positioned over one or more of the sub-optical patterns.

Claims

1. A display device comprising a plurality of pixels, a pixel of the plurality of pixels including a plurality of domains, the plurality of domains of the pixel having different aligning directions of liquid crystal molecules from each other,

wherein at least three pixels each comprises a plurality of sub-optical patterns which are respectively disposed in the plurality of domains of the respective three pixels,

all of the plurality of sub-optical patterns included in one pixel forms together an optical pattern of the pixel, and the at least three pixels have optical patterns having different shapes from one another.

2. The display device of claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of sub-optical patterns included in a pixel have about the same size as each other so that display characteristics in different viewing angles be substantially the same as each other for different domains of the pixel.

3. The display device of claim 2, further comprising:

a light blocking member that blocks light and defines openings of the domains of a pixel, wherein the openings of the domains included in a pixel have substantially the same area as each other.

4. The display device of claim 1, wherein:

at least one of the plurality of sub-optical patterns included in the one pixel includes a portion positioned within the opening of the one pixel.

5. The display device of claim 4, wherein:

the optical pattern included in one pixel of the plurality of pixels is selected from an optical pattern set including two or more different optical patterns.

6. The display device of claim 5, wherein:

images of the plurality of optical patterns respectively included in respective pixels of a photographing unit comprising two or more adjacent pixels are different from each other according to a position.

7. The display device of claim 6, wherein:

the plurality of pixels include a plurality of first color pixels displaying a first color, a plurality of second color pixels displaying a second color different from the first color, the first color pixel includes an optical pattern selected from a first optical pattern set including one or more optical patterns, and the second color pixel includes an optical pattern selected from a second optical pattern set including one or more optical patterns and provided separately from the first optical pattern set.

8. The display device of claim 7, wherein:

the domains each includes an opening where light is transmitted, and the openings of the domains included in a pixel have substantially the same area as each other.

9. The display device of claim 7, wherein:

the plurality of sub optical patterns included in the one pixel includes at least one of a same material as the light blocking member, a semiconductive material, and a metal.

10. The display device of claim 9, wherein:

at least one of the sub optical pattern has an island shape which is separated from the light blocking member.

11. The display device of claim 10, wherein:

the sub optical patterns positioned in a pair of adjacent domains among the plurality of domains of the one pixel are connected to each other.

12. The display device of claim 9, wherein:

the one pixel includes a first subpixel and a second subpixel according to different gamma curves from each other, and the plurality of sub optical patterns is disposed in at least one of the first subpixel and the second subpixel.

13. The display device of claim 7, wherein:

a light blocking member that blocks light and defines openings of the domains of a pixel is further comprised, and

the sub optical pattern protrudes from an edge portion of the light blocking member inwardly into the opening of the domain.

14. The display device of claim 13, wherein:

the sub optical patterns positioned in a pair of adjacent domains among the plurality of domains of the one pixel are connected to each other.

15. The display device of claim 13, wherein:

the sub optical pattern extends in parallel to an inner edge of a bulk opening of the light blocking member.

16. The display device of claim 15, wherein:

the inner edge of the light blocking member is bent at least once.

17. A display device comprising a plurality of pixels displaying different colors from each other,

wherein a plurality of first pixels among the plurality of pixels display a first color,

at least two of the first pixels each includes an optical pattern,

a second pixel displaying a different color from the first pixel do not include the optical pattern, and

the optical patterns of the at least two of the first pixels have different shapes or positions from each other.

18. The display device of claim 17, wherein:

the plurality of pixels includes a plurality of basic color pixels for expressing full colors and at least one auxiliary pixel for assisting display, and the plurality of first pixels include at least one auxiliary pixel.

19. The display device of claim 18, further comprising:

a light blocking member defining an opening of the plurality of pixels, wherein the optical pattern includes a same material as the light blocking member.

20. The display device of claim 19, wherein:

the auxiliary pixel includes a white pixel or a yellow pixel or a clear pixel.

21. The display device of claim 18, further comprising:

a thin film transistor connected with the pixel and including a semiconductor; and

a signal line transferring a driving signal to the thin film transistor, wherein the optical pattern includes a same material as at least one of the signal line and the semiconductor.

22. The display device of claim 21, wherein:

the auxiliary pixel includes a white pixel or a yellow pixel or a clear pixel.

23. The display device of claim 18, wherein:

images of the plurality of optical patterns included in a photographing unit comprising two or more adjacent pixels are different from each other according to a position.

24. The display device of claim 23, wherein:

an area of the auxiliary pixel is substantially the same as an area of the basic pixel.

25. The display device of claim 23, wherein:

an area of the auxiliary pixel is different from an area of the basic pixel.

26. The display device of claim 23, wherein:

the auxiliary pixel includes a white pixel or a yellow pixel or a clear pixel.

27. The display device of claim 17, wherein:

the plurality of pixels includes a plurality of basic pixels for expressing full colors, and the plurality of first pixels include any one color pixel among the plurality of basic pixels.

28. The display device of claim 27, wherein:

an area of the first pixel is different from an area a remaining pixel except for the first pixel among the plurality of pixels.

29. The display device of claim 28, wherein:

an area of the first pixel is larger than an area of the remaining pixel except for the first pixel among the plurality of pixels.

30. The display device of claim 29, further comprising:

a light blocking member defining an opening of the plurality of pixels, wherein the optical pattern includes a same material as the light blocking member.

31. The display device of claim 30, wherein:

the first color pixel includes any one of a red pixel, a blue pixel, and a green pixel.

32. The display device of claim 29, further comprising:

a thin film transistor connected with the pixel and including a semiconductor; and

a signal line transferring a driving signal to the thin film transistor, wherein the optical pattern includes a same material as at least one of the signal line and the semiconductor.

33. The display device of claim 32, wherein:

the first color pixel includes any one of a red pixel, a blue pixel, and a green pixel.

34. The display device of claim 29, wherein:

the optical patterns of at least two pixels among the plurality of first pixels have different shapes or positions from each other.

35. The display device of claim 34, wherein:

images of the plurality of optical patterns included in a photographing unit comprising two or more adjacent pixels are different from each other according to a position in the display area of the display device.