Display panel and display apparatus having the same
First Claim
1. A display panel configured to be driven in any one mode of an external light transmission mode and an external light reflection mode, the display panel comprising:
- an upper plate including a first substrate;
at least one first electrode layer formed on an inner surface of the first substrate;
a first polarizing film formed on an outer surface of the first substrate and having a first polarization axis;
a lower plate including a second substrate;
at least one second electrode layer formed on an inner surface of the second substrate;
a second polarizing film formed on an outer surface of the second substrate and having a second polarization axis, wherein the second polarization axis is either perpendicular to or parallel to the first polarization axis;
a liquid crystal (LC) layer between the upper plate and the lower plate; and
an LC driving power supply connected between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer and configured to selectively provide an LC driving voltage to the LC layer,wherein the LC layer has a first arrangement in which a polarization direction of incident light is changed by a preset angle in an entire region of the LC layer when the LC driving voltage is not applied, or a second arrangement in which the polarization direction of the incident light is maintained in at least a partial region of the LC layer, to which the LC driving voltage is applied, when the LC driving voltage is applied,wherein the first polarizing film includes an absorptive polarizing film, and the second polarizing film includes a reflective polarizing film,wherein when the LC driving power supply applies the LC driving voltage to the LC layer, an image corresponding to a shape of the any one of the at least one first electrode layer and the at least one second electrode layer is displayed by using reflection of external light,wherein any one of the at least one first electrode layer and the at least one second electrode layer partially covers the inner surface of a corresponding substrate on which it is formed to display the image, andwhere when the LC driving power supply applies the LC driving voltage to the LC layer, portions of the external light are reflected in the partial region of the LC layer to which the LC driving voltage is applied, the partial region corresponding to a region covered with the one of the at least one first electrode layer and the at least, one second electrode layer, and simultaneously, portions of the external light are transmitted in other region of the LC layer to which the LC driving voltage is not applied, the other region corresponding to a region uncovered with the one of the at least one first electrode layer and the at least one second electrode layer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A display panel includes an upper plate including a first substrate, a first electrode layer formed on an inner surface of the first substrate, and an absorptive polarizing film formed on an outer surface of the first substrate and having a first polarization axis, a lower plate including a second substrate, a second electrode layer formed on an inner surface of the second substrate, and a reflective polarizing film formed on an outer surface of the second substrate and having a second polarization axis perpendicular or parallel to the first polarization axis, an LC layer filled between the upper plate and the lower plate, and an LC driving power supply connected between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer and configured to selectively provide an LC driving voltage to the LC layer changing a polarization direction of incident light in the LC layer.
8 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A display panel configured to be driven in any one mode of an external light transmission mode and an external light reflection mode, the display panel comprising:
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an upper plate including a first substrate; at least one first electrode layer formed on an inner surface of the first substrate; a first polarizing film formed on an outer surface of the first substrate and having a first polarization axis; a lower plate including a second substrate; at least one second electrode layer formed on an inner surface of the second substrate; a second polarizing film formed on an outer surface of the second substrate and having a second polarization axis, wherein the second polarization axis is either perpendicular to or parallel to the first polarization axis; a liquid crystal (LC) layer between the upper plate and the lower plate; and an LC driving power supply connected between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer and configured to selectively provide an LC driving voltage to the LC layer, wherein the LC layer has a first arrangement in which a polarization direction of incident light is changed by a preset angle in an entire region of the LC layer when the LC driving voltage is not applied, or a second arrangement in which the polarization direction of the incident light is maintained in at least a partial region of the LC layer, to which the LC driving voltage is applied, when the LC driving voltage is applied, wherein the first polarizing film includes an absorptive polarizing film, and the second polarizing film includes a reflective polarizing film, wherein when the LC driving power supply applies the LC driving voltage to the LC layer, an image corresponding to a shape of the any one of the at least one first electrode layer and the at least one second electrode layer is displayed by using reflection of external light, wherein any one of the at least one first electrode layer and the at least one second electrode layer partially covers the inner surface of a corresponding substrate on which it is formed to display the image, and where when the LC driving power supply applies the LC driving voltage to the LC layer, portions of the external light are reflected in the partial region of the LC layer to which the LC driving voltage is applied, the partial region corresponding to a region covered with the one of the at least one first electrode layer and the at least, one second electrode layer, and simultaneously, portions of the external light are transmitted in other region of the LC layer to which the LC driving voltage is not applied, the other region corresponding to a region uncovered with the one of the at least one first electrode layer and the at least one second electrode layer.
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2. The display panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the preset angle is 90 degrees or 270 degrees.
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3. The display panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first polarization axis is perpendicular to the second polarization axis, and the LC driving voltage is provided to the LC layer when the display panel is driven in the external light reflection mode.
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4. The display panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first polarization axis is parallel to the second polarization axis, and the LC driving voltage is provided to the LC layer when the display panel is driven in the external light transmission mode.
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5. The display panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upper plate includes only one first electrode layer, and the lower plate includes only one second electrode layer.
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6. The display panel as claimed in claim 5, wherein the one of the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer partially covers the inner surface of the corresponding substrate on which it is formed by providing a plurality of image specifying openings, and the other of the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer covers substantially all the inner surface of the corresponding substrate on which it is formed.
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7. The display panel as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer have the same shape, and each of the first and second electrode layers partially covers the inner surface of the corresponding substrate on which it is formed.
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8. The display panel as claimed in 1, wherein the upper plate includes only one first electrode layer and the lower plate includes a plurality of second electrode layers, wherein the plurality of second electrode layers are electrically isolated from each other by at least one insulating layer.
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9. The display panel as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first electrode layer covers substantially all the inner surface of the first substrate, and one layer of the plurality of second electrode layers covers substantially all the inner surface of the second substrate, and the other layers of the plurality of second electrode layers partially cover the inner surface of the second substrate.
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10. The display panel as claimed in claim 9, wherein the one second electrode layer that covers substantially all the inner surface of the second substrate is a layer disposed closest to the second substrate among the plurality of second electrode layers.
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11. The display panel as claimed in claim 9, wherein the other second electrode layers that partially cover the inner surface of the second substrate each have a respective shape, and wherein a shape of at least one of the other second electrode layers is different from a shape of at least one other of the other second electrode layers.
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12. The display panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upper plate includes a plurality of first electrode layers and the lower plate includes only one second electrode layer, wherein the plurality of first electrode layers are electrically isolated from each other by at least one insulating layer.
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13. The display panel as claimed in claim 12, wherein any one layer of the plurality of first electrode layers is formed to cover substantially all the inner surface of the first substrate, and the other layers of the plurality of first electrode layers are formed to partially cover the inner surface of the first substrate, and the second electrode layer is formed to cover substantially all the inner surface of the second substrate.
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14. The display panel as claimed in claim 13, wherein the one first electrode layer that covers substantially all the inner surface of the first substrate is a layer disposed closest to the first substrate among the plurality of first electrode layers.
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15. The display panel as claimed in claim 13, wherein the other first electrode layers that partially cover the inner surface of the first substrate each have a respective shape, and wherein a shape of at least one of the other first electrode layers is different from a shape of at least one other of the other first electrode layers.
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16. The display panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upper plate includes a plurality of first electrode layers electrically isolated from each other by at least one insulating layer, and the lower plate includes a plurality of second electrode layers electrically isolated from each other by at least one insulating layer.
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17. The display panel as claimed in claim 16, wherein any one layer of the plurality of first electrode layers is formed to cover substantially all the inner surface of the first substrate, and the other layers of the plurality of first electrode layers are formed to partially cover the inner surface of the first substrate, and
any one layer of the plurality of second electrode layers is formed to cover substantially all the inner surface of the second substrate, and the other layers of the plurality of second electrode layers are formed to partially cover the inner surface of the second substrate.
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18. A display apparatus, comprising:
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a first display panel configured to display unspecified images; and a second display panel disposed in front of the first display panel and configured to be driven in any one mode of an external light transmission mode and an external light reflection mode, wherein the second display panel includes an upper plate including a first substrate, at least one first electrode layer formed on an inner surface of the first substrate, and a first polarizing film formed on an outer surface of the first substrate and having a first polarization axis, a lower plate including a second substrate, at least one second electrode layer formed on an inner surface of the second substrate, and a second polarizing film formed on an outer surface of the second substrate and having a second polarization axis, wherein the second polarization axis is either perpendicular or parallel to the first polarization axis, a liquid crystal (LC) layer between the upper plate and the lower plate, and an LC driving power supply connected between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer and configured to selectively provide an LC driving voltage to the LC layer, wherein the LC layer has a first arrangement in which a polarization direction of incident light is changed by a preset angle in an entire region of the LC layer when the LC driving voltage is not applied, or a second arrangement in which the polarization direction of the incident light is maintained in at least a partial region of the LC layer, to which the LC driving voltage is applied, when the LC driving voltage is applied, wherein the first polarizing film includes an absorptive polarizing film, and the second polarizing film includes a reflective polarizing film, wherein any one of the at least one first electrode layer and the at least one second electrode layer partially covers the inner surface of a corresponding substrate on which it is formed, wherein when the LC driving power supply applies the LC driving voltage to the LC layer, an image corresponding to a shape of the any one of the at least one first electrode layer and the at least one second electrode layer is displayed by using reflection of external light, and wherein when the LC driving power supply applies the LC driving voltage to the LC layer, portions of the external light are reflected in the partial region of the LC layer to which the LC driving voltage is applied, the partial region corresponding to a region covered with the one of the at least one first electrode layer and the at least one second electrode layer, and simultaneously portions of the external light are transmitted in other region of the LC layer to which the LC driving voltage is not applied, the other region corresponding to a region uncovered with the one of the at least one first electrode layer and the at least one second electrode layer.
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19. The display apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein the preset angle is 90 degrees or 270 degrees.
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20. The display apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein the second display panel is driven in the external light transmission mode when the first display panel is turned on, and the second display panel is driven in the external light reflection mode when the first display panel is turned off.
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21. The display apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein the display apparatus is a television.
Specification