Mirror display device

• US 9,581,858 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2014
• Issued: 02/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Cho, Jung-Hyun, Kim, Kang-Min, Baek, Moon Jung, Yun, Hae Young
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Sang V
• Application Number:
  US14/339,326
• Publication Number:
  US 20150177563A1
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• Field of Search: 349/96
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133536 Reflective polarizers G02F1/13362 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133557 Half-mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1347 Arrangement of liquid crystal layers or cells in which the final condition of one light beam is achieved by the addition of the effects of two or more layers or cells
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2203/055 wavelength filtering

Abstract

A display device is provided. The display device includes: a display panel; and a polarization conversion panel disposed on the display panel, wherein the polarization conversion panel includes: a reflective polarizer disposed on the display panel, an absorptive polarizer facing and spaced apart from the reflective polarizer, a lower electrode disposed on the reflective polarizer, an upper electrode disposed on the absorptive polarizer, and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the upper and lower electrodes; and wherein the polarization conversion panel is configured to emit light having a fixed wavelength range depending on a voltage difference generated between the upper and lower electrodes.

Claims

1. A display device comprising:

a display panel; and

a polarization conversion panel disposed on the display panel,

wherein the polarization conversion panel includes;

a reflective polarizer disposed on the display panel,

an absorptive polarizer facing and spaced apart from the reflective polarizer,

a lower electrode disposed on the reflective polarizer,

an upper electrode disposed on the absorptive polarizer, and

a liquid crystal layer disposed between the upper and lower electrodes;

wherein at least one of the lower electrode and the upper electrode includes a first sub-electrode and a second sub-electrode, and

wherein an adjustable voltage difference between a first voltage applied to the first sub-electrode and a second voltage applied to the second sub-electrode for displaying a plurality of user-adjustable interference color patterns including at least two colors.

2. The display device of claim 1, wherein:

at least one of the upper and lower electrodes includes a plurality of sub-electrodes electrically separated from each other, and

the plurality of sub-electrodes are divided into at least two regions according to voltages applied thereto.

3. The display device of claim 1, wherein the lower electrode includes:

a plurality of first sub-electrodes spaced apart by a predetermined interval;

an insulation layer disposed on the plurality of first sub-electrodes; and

a plurality of second sub-electrodes spaced apart from each other and disposed on the insulation layer so as to cross the plurality of first sub-electrodes.

4. The display device of claim 1, wherein the upper electrode includes:

a plurality of first sub-electrodes spaced apart by a predetermined interval;

an insulation layer disposed on the plurality of first sub-electrodes; and

a plurality of second electrodes spaced apart from each other and disposed on the insulation layer so as to cross the plurality of first sub-electrodes.

5. The display device of claim 1, wherein the lower electrode includes:

the first sub-electrode;

an insulation layer disposed on the first sub-electrode; and

the second sub-electrode disposed on the insulation layer, wherein

one of the first and second sub-electrodes has a planar shape, and the other one of the first and second sub-electrodes has a plurality of linear shapes.

6. The display device of claim 1, wherein the upper electrode includes:

the first sub-electrode;

an insulation layer disposed on the first sub-electrode; and

the second sub-electrode disposed on the insulation layer, wherein

one of the first and second sub-electrodes has a planar shape, and the other one of the first and second sub-electrodes has a plurality of linear shapes.

7. The display device of claim 1, wherein the upper and lower electrodes are formed of a transparent conductive oxide (TCO).

8. The display device of claim 2, wherein the at least two regions are independently driven.

9. The display device of claim 1, further comprising:

a first polarizer disposed between the display panel and the reflective polarizer, wherein a transmissive axis of the first polarizer and a transmissive axis of the reflective polarizers coincide with each other.

10. The display device of claim 9, wherein the transmissive axis of the reflective polarizer is perpendicular to the transmissive axis of the absorptive polarizer.

11. The display device of claim 9, wherein the transmissive axis of the reflective polarizer is parallel to the transmissive axis of the absorptive polarizer.

12. The display device of claim 9, wherein a reflective axis of the reflective polarizer is perpendicular to the transmissive axis of the reflective polarizer.

13. The display device of claim 9, further comprising:

a second polarizer disposed under the display panel, and

a light unit disposed under the second polarizer.

14. The display device of claim 1, wherein the display panel includes at least one of a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel, a plasma display panel (PDP), an organic light emitting diode display (OLED) panel, a surface conduction electron-emitter display (SED) panel, and a field emission display (FED) panel.

15. The display device of claim 2, wherein the polarization conversion panel is configured to exhibit the color patterns by applying different voltages to the at least two regions of the plurality of sub-electrodes.

16. The display device of claim 15, wherein the plurality of sub-electrodes include stripe-shaped linear members, and the color patterns include a colored stripe pattern.