Display module including transparent display panel and display system including the display module

• US 9,311,834 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2011
• Issued: 04/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Sang Chul, Lee, Jong Seo, Lee, Joo-yeon, Kim, Se Yong
• Primary Examiner(s): Sternbane, Larry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ritchie, Darlene M
• Application Number:
  US13/278,504
• Publication Number:
  US 20120105424A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,635 Days
• Field of Search: 345/168, 345/1.1, 345/1.3, 345/173, 345/156, 345/473, 345/212, 345/633, 345/8, 345/176, 345/690, 345/174, 705/14.49, 705/40, 705/14.42, 705/14.73, 349/153, 349/161, 715/762, 348/745, 348/158, 348/734, 348/345, 348/148, 700/232, 700/236, 700/241, 165/232, 362/373, 362/612, 211/26, 463/33, 405/94, 725/114, 725/48, 725/32, 725/76, 340/905, 701/3, 361/679.21, 455/566, 312/404
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 11/06 Means for bringing about special optical effects
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/001 Devices for lighting, humidifying, heating, ventilation
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/0404 Cases or cabinets of the closed type A47F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/043 Doors, covers A47F3/0434 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/0434 Glass or transparent panels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133388 with constructional differences between the display region and the peripheral region
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1637 Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1647 including at least an additional display G06F1/1692 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/001 Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/009 User recognition or proximity detection
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/0235 the arrangements being full-front touchscreens
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/105 Heating or cooling means, for temperature and humidity control, for the conditioning of articles and their storage dispensers for food articles requiring a processing by temperature treatment or conditioning before they are ready for dispensing G07F17/0064
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/0413 Frames or casing structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/12 using a transparent mirror or other light reflecting surface transparent to transmitted light whereby a sign, symbol, picture or other is visible only when illuminated
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2023/0033 on refrigerated containers
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2027/001 Comprising a presence or proximity detector
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 23/0058 on electrical household appliances, e.g. on a dishwasher, a washing machine or a refrigerator
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 23/04 illuminated
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 23/065 : Advertising in food vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 27/00 : Combined visual and audible advertising or displaying, e.g. for public address
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/35 : being liquid crystals G09F9/302 takes precedence; liquid crystal materials C09K19/00; liquid crystal panels comprising a number of electrodes in a single cell per se G02F1/13
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/06 : Remotely controlled electronic signs other than labels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/16 : Digital picture frames

Abstract

Disclosed is a display module including a transparent display panel and a frame to fix a side of the transparent display panel, wherein the frame has a communication unit to receive data from the outside, a controller to process the received data and to output a drive command corresponding to the processed data and a display drive unit to drive the transparent display panel in response to the drive command from the controller. A display system includes a system body and a display module detachably mounted in the system body.

Claims

1. A display module comprising:

a transparent display panel;

a frame which fixedly supports the first side of the transparent display panel at an outer portion, wherein the transparent display panel is fitted in the frame and wherein a communication unit, a controller, and a display drive unit are provided in the frame; and

a blocking member, different from the frame, operable to block external light from entering the transparent display panel, and to fix a first polarizing plate, a light guide plate, a liquid crystal panel and a second polarizing plate constituting the transparent display panel, and located on the three remaining sides at the three remaining outer portions of the transparent display panel, wherein

the communication unit is operable to receive data,

the controller is operable to process the received data and to output a drive command based on the processed data,

the display drive unit is operable to drive the transparent display panel in response to the drive command from the controller, and

the surface area of the frame is larger than the surface area of the light blocking member.

2. The display module according to claim 1, wherein the transparent display panel has a greater surface area than the frame and a smaller thickness than the frame.

3. The display module according to claim 1, wherein the communication unit is operable to perform wireless communication and the controller is operable to process data received through the wireless communication.

4. The display module according to claim 1, wherein the frame has a hole and a power supply unit connected to an external power source through the hole to receive power and to convert the received power into drive power to drive the display module.

5. The display module according to claim 1, further comprising an anti-reflective coating film operable to prevent light from being reflected by the transparent display panel, wherein the reflective coating film is provided adjacent to the transparent display panel.

6. The display module according to claim 1, further comprising a heat insulation sheet operable to block heat generated from transparent display panel from being discharged, wherein the heat insulation sheet is adjacent to the transparent display panel.

7. The display module according to claim 1, wherein the communication unit receives a broadcast signal.

8. The display module according to claim 1, wherein the frame has a recognition unit operable to recognize a tag and the controller is further operable to read the recognized tag and control an image corresponding to the read data to be displayed on the transparent display panel.

9. The display module according to claim 1, wherein the transparent display panel is configured to display images together with another transparent display panel in a multi display performance mode in response to a command from a server.

10. A display system comprising:

a system body having a first power supply unit; and

a display module detachably mounted in the system body,

wherein the display module comprises;

a transparent display panel, a frame which fixedly supports a first side of the transparent display panel at an outer portion wherein the transparent display panel is fitted in the frame;

a blocking member, different from the frame, operable to block external light from entering the transparent display panel, and to fix a first polarizing plate, a light guide plate, a liquid crystal panel and a second polarizing plate constituting the transparent display panel, and located on the three remaining sides at the three remaining outer portions of the transparent display panel;

a drive module provided in the frame operable to convert power from the first power supply unit into drive power and operable to control driving of the transparent display panel;

a communication unit operable to receive data, the communication unit provided in the frame; and

a controller operable to process the received data and to output a drive command based on the processed data, the controller provided in the frame,

wherein the surface area of the frame is larger than the surface area of the light blocking member.

11. The display system according to claim 10, wherein the system body comprises a showcase comprising a main body, an opening at one side of the main body and a storage chamber in the main body, and

wherein the display module is mounted in the opening of the showcase.

12. The display system according to claim 11, further comprising an anti-reflective coating film operable to reduce external light reflected by the transparent display panel, wherein the anti-reflective coating film is adjacent to the transparent display panel.

13. The display system according to claim 11, further comprising a heat insulation sheet operable to reduce heat discharged from transparent display panel to the storage chamber, wherein the heat insulation sheet is at a side of the transparent display panel facing the storage chamber.

14. The display system according to claim 11, further comprising a detection unit, which is provided in the frame and electrically connected to the controller, and which is operable to detect a human body and to output a human body detection signal,

wherein the controller is further operable to adjust a transparency of the transparent display panel based upon the human body detection signal.

15. The display system according to claim 11, wherein the showcase further comprises a door mounted at the opening and the display module is mounted at the door of the showcase.

16. The display system according to claim 15, further comprising a detection unit, which is provided in the frame and electrically connected to the controller, and which is operable to detect at least one of opening and closing of the door of the showcase and to output a door signal,

wherein the controller is further operable to determine whether the door is open based on a door signal and is operable to control an image displayed on the transparent display panel to be reversed upon determining that the door is open.

17. The display system according to claim 15, further comprising a detection unit, which is provided in the main body, and which is operable to detect a temperature of the storage chamber,

wherein the controller is operable to determine whether the door is open based on a change in the temperature of the storage chamber and is operable to control an image displayed on the transparent display panel to be reversed upon determining that the door is open.

18. A display system comprising:

a system body having a first power supply unit; and

a plurality of display modules detachably mounted in the system body,

wherein each of the display modules comprises;

a transparent display panel, a frame which fixedly supports a first side of the transparent display panel at an outer portion wherein the transparent display panel is fitted in the frame;

a blocking member, different from the frame, operable to block external light from entering the transparent display panel, and to fix a first polarizing plate, a light guide plate, a liquid crystal panel and a second polarizing plate constituting the transparent display panel, and located on the three remaining sides at the three remaining outer portions of the transparent display panel;

a drive module provided in the frame operable to convert power from the first power supply unit into drive power and operable to control driving of the transparent display panel;

a communication unit operable to receive data, the communication unit provided in the frame; and

a controller operable to process the received data and to output a drive command based on the processed data, the controller provided in the frame,

wherein the surface area of the frame is larger than the surface area of the light blocking member.

19. A display module comprising:

a transparent display panel;

a frame which fixedly supports the first side of the transparent display panel at an outer portion, wherein the transparent display panel is fitted in the frame and wherein a communication unit, a controller, and a display drive unit are provided in the frame; and

a blocking member, different from the frame, operable to block external light from entering the transparent display panel, and located on the three remaining sides at the three remaining outer portions of the transparent display panel, wherein

the communication unit is operable to receive data,

the controller is operable to process the received data and to output a drive command based on the processed data,

the display drive unit is operable to drive the transparent display panel in response to the drive command from the controller, and

the surface area of the frame is larger than the surface area of the light blocking member.

20. The display module according to claim 19, wherein the blocking member is configured to fix a first polarizing plate, a light guide plate, a liquid crystal panel and a second polarizing plate constituting the transparent display panel.