Interactive display panel with emitting and sensing diodes

• US 9,741,286 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2014
• Issued: 08/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Sakariya, Kapil V., Hendijanifard, Mohammad, Nauta, Tore
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo, Tony N
• Application Number:
  US14/294,494
• Publication Number:
  US 20150348504A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,176 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0814 used for selection purposes, e.g. logical AND for partial update
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0819 used for counteracting undesired variations, e.g. feedback or autozeroing
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0842 forming a memory circuit, e.g. a dynamic memory with one capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0626 for control of overall brightness
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/141 the light conveying information used for selecting or modulating the light emitting or modulating element
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/142 the light being detected by light detection means within each pixel
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/144 the light being ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/145 the light originating from the display screen
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/148 the light being detected by light detection means within each pixel
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2092 Details of a display terminals using a flat panel, the details relating to the control arrangement of the display terminal and to the interfaces thereto suitable for both CRT and flat panel G09G5/003; specific for a CRT G09G1/165
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3233 with pixel circuitry controlling the current through the light-emitting element

Abstract

Exemplary methods and systems use a micro light emitting diode (LED) in an active matrix display to emit and sense light. Display panels, systems, and methods of operation are described in which LEDs may be used for both emission and sensing.

Claims

1. A display panel, comprising:

a display substrate having a display region;

a first array of light emitting diodes (LEDs) on the display substrate within the display region;

a first array of first subpixel circuits within the display region, each first subpixel circuit comprising;

a first driving circuit to operate a first corresponding LED in the first array of LEDs in a light emission mode; and

a first selection device to select a sensing output data line to operate the first corresponding LED in a light sensing mode; and

a second array of LEDs on the display substrate within the display region; and

a second array of second subpixel circuits within the display region, each second subpixel circuit comprising a second driving circuit to operate a second corresponding LED in the second array of LEDs in a light emission mode, wherein each second subpixel circuit does not include a selection device to operate an LED in the second array of LEDs in a light sensing mode.

2. The display panel of claim 1, wherein the first array of first subpixel circuits is located in an array of driving-and-selecting microchips on the display substrate.

3. The display panel of claim 2, wherein each driving-and-selecting microchip is operably coupled to a plurality of LEDs of the first array of LEDs within a plurality of pixels.

4. The display panel of claim 3, further comprising a first section of the display panel including a first density of the driving-and-selecting microchips, and a second section of the display panel including a second density of the driving-and-selecting microchips, with the second density being higher than the first density.

5. The display panel of claim 2, wherein each driving-and-selecting microchip has a maximum width of 1 μ

m to 300 μ

m.

6. The display panel of claim 1, wherein each first driving circuit, each second driving circuit, and each first selection device of the first and second arrays of subpixel circuits is embedded within the display substrate.

7. The display panel of claim 1, wherein the first selection device is a multiplexer.

8. The display panel of claim 1, wherein the first selection device is a transistor.

9. A display system comprising:

a sensing circuit;

a display substrate having a display region;

a first array of light emitting diodes (LEDs) on the display substrate within the display region;

a first array of first subpixel circuits within the display region, each first subpixel circuit including;

a first driving circuit to operate a first corresponding LED in the first array of LEDs in a light emission mode; and

a first selection device to select the sensing circuit to operate the first corresponding LED in a light sensing mode; and

a second array of LEDs on the display substrate within the display region; and

a second array of second subpixel circuits within the display region, each second subpixel circuit comprising a second driving circuit to operate a second corresponding LED in the second array of LEDs in a light emission mode, wherein each second subpixel circuit does not include a selection device to operate an LED in the second array of LEDs in a light sensing mode.

10. The display system of claim 9, wherein the sensing circuit is a sense receiver located outside of the display region.

11. The display system of claim 10, wherein the sensing circuit is integrated into a write driver located outside of the display region.

12. The display system of claim 9, wherein the first array of first subpixel circuits is located in an array of driving-and-selecting microchips on the display substrate.

13. The display system of claim 9, wherein each first driving circuit, each second driving circuit, and each first selection device of the first and second arrays of subpixel circuits is embedded within the display substrate.

14. A method of operating a display panel comprising:

operating a first array of light emitting diodes (LEDs) in a display region of the display panel in a light emission mode;

operating a second array of LEDs in the display region of the display panel in a light emission mode;

operating the first array of LEDs in a light sensing mode while operating the second array of LEDs in the light emission mode; and

detecting an intensity of light with the first array of LEDs in the light sensing mode;

wherein the first array of LEDs is connect to a first array of first subpixel circuits within the display region of the display panel, each first subpixel circuit includes;

a first driving circuit to operate a first corresponding LED in the light emission mode; and

a first selection device to select a sensing output data line to operate the first corresponding LED in the light sensing mode; and

wherein the second array of LEDs is connected to a second array of second subpixel circuits within the display region of the display panel, each second subpixel circuit including a second driving circuit to operate a second corresponding LED in the light emission mode, wherein each second subpixel circuit does not include a selection device to operate an LED in the light sensing mode.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein operating the first array of LEDs in the light emission mode comprises forward biasing the first array of LEDs, and operating the first array of LED in the light sensing mode comprises reverse biasing or zero biasing the first array of LEDs.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein detecting an intensity of light with the first array of LEDs comprises detecting light emitted from the second array of LEDs of the display panel.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein detecting an intensity of light with the first array of LEDs comprises detecting ambient light.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising, adjusting an emission intensity of the first array of LEDs or the second array of LEDs of the display panel in response to a comparing the detected intensity of light with a control value.