Display device having multiple image display units

• US 20050057477A1
• Filed: 12/23/2003
• Published: 03/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Yun, Young-Nam, Na, Hyung-Don
• Granted Patent: US 7,301,509 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/93
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133342 for double-sided displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13452 Conductors connecting driver circuitry and terminals of panels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0426 Layout of electrodes and connections
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0278 Details of driving circuits arranged to drive both scan and data electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3611 Control of matrices with row and column drivers
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3648 using an active matrix G09G3/367 - G09G3/3696 take precedence

Abstract

A display device includes a main display unit for displaying main images by processing main image data in response to main gate signals, a sub display unit for displaying sub images by processing sub image data in response to sub gate signals, a connection part for connecting the main and sub display units, a driver for providing the main image data and the main gate signals to the main display unit and the sub image data and the sub gate signals to the sub display unit, first connection lines disposed between the driver and the sub display unit to transfer the sub gate signals to the sub display unit, second connection lines disposed between the driver and the sub display unit to transfer the sub image data to the sub display unit, and a dummy line disposed between the first connection lines and an image display region of the main display unit.

Claims

1. A display device for displaying images, comprising:

a first display unit to display first images, the first display unit including first data lines to receive first image data and first gate lines to receive first gate signals;

a second display unit to display second images, the second display unit including second data lines to receive second image data and second gate lines to receive second gate signals;

a connection part to electrically connect the first display unit and the second display unit; and

a driver to provide the first image data and the first gate signals to the first display unit, and the second image data and the second gate signals to the second display unit, the driver being disposed in the first display unit.

2. The display device of claim 1, further including first connection lines disposed between the driver and the second gate lines of the second display unit to transfer the second gate signals from the driver to the second gate lines.

3. The display device of claim 2, further including a dummy line disposed between the first connection lines and an image display region of the first display unit.

4. The display device of claim 3, wherein the dummy line is provided with a reference voltage when the first connection lines transfer the second gate signals.

5. The display device of claim 3, wherein the dummy line and the first connection lines are disposed between the image display region and a contact region of the first display unit, the contact region having a voltage line to receive a reference voltage for the first display unit.

6. The display device of claim 1, further including second connection lines disposed between the driver and the second data lines of the second display unit to transfer the second image data from the driver to the second data lines.

7. The display device of claim 1, wherein the first display unit has an image display region larger than an image display region of the second display unit.

8. The display device of claim 1, wherein the connection part is a flexible printed circuit board, the connection part having a first end portion connected with a lower region of the first display unit and a second end portion connected with a upper region of the second display unit, the first and second end portions of the connection part being opposite to each other.

9. The display device of claim 1, wherein the driver includes:

a control section for receiving control signals externally provided to generate internal control signals;

a data driving section for generating the first and second image data to the first and second display units, respectively, in response to a first internal control signal from the control section; and

a gate driving section for generating the first and second gate signals to the first and second display units, respectively, in response to a second internal control signal from the control section.

10. The display device of claim 9, wherein the gate driving section includes:

a first gate driving section for providing the first gate signals to the first gate lines of the first display unit in response to a first vertical control signal of the second internal control signal; and

a second gate driving section for providing the second gate signals to the second gate lines of the second display unit in response to a second vertical control signal of the second internal control signal.

11. The display device of claim 10, wherein the first gate driving section includes:

a first gate driver for driving a first set of the first gate lines of the first display unit; and

a second gate driver for driving a second set of the first gate lines of the first display unit,

wherein the first and second gate drivers alternately provide the first gate signals to the first and second sets, respectively, of the first gate lines in response to the first vertical control signal of the second internal control signal.

12. The display device of claim 11, wherein the first set of the first gate lines includes odd numbered lines of the first gate lines, and the second set of the first gate lines includes even numbered lines of the first gate lines.

13. The display device of claim 9, further including a memory for storing image data externally provided, the control section controlling data read and data write from and into the memory.

14. The display device of claim 9, further including a reference voltage generation section for receiving a driving voltage externally provided to generate a reference voltage to be provided to the first and second display units.

15. The display device of claim 1, wherein the first display unit includes:

a transistor formed at a selected position on a substrate;

a first insulation layer formed on the transistor and the substrate;

a pixel electrode formed on the first insulation layer, the pixel electrode being connected to a drain electrode of the transistor through a contact hole which is formed in the first insulation layer;

a common electrode disposed to face the pixel electrode; and

a liquid crystal layer disposed between the pixel electrode and the common electrode.

16. The display device of claim 15, further including a storage electrode line formed on the substrate, a storage capacitance being formed between the storage electrode line and the pixel electrode.

17. The display device of claim 16, wherein a liquid crystal capacitance is formed between the pixel electrode and the common electrode in association with the storage capacitance.

18. The display device of claim 15, wherein the first insulation layer includes:

an inorganic insulation layer formed on the transistor and the substrate; and

an organic insulation layer formed on the inorganic insulation layer, the organic insulation layer having a leveled surface.

19. The display device of claim 18, wherein the inorganic insulation layer has a first contact hole formed on the drain electrode of the transistor and the organic insulation layer has a second contact hole formed on the first contact hole to expose the drain electrode so that the exposed region of the drain electrode is connected with the pixel electrode.

20. The display device of claim 16, wherein the storage electrode line and a gate electrode of the transistor are formed on the substrate simultaneously.

21. The display device of claim 15, further including:

a common voltage line receiving a reference voltage externally provided; and

a conductive spacer disposed between the common voltage line and the common electrode,

wherein the reference voltage applied to the common voltage line is transferred to the common electrode via the conductive spacer.

22. The display device of claim 21, further including:

first connection lines formed on the substrate, the first connection lines transferring second gate signals to the second gate lines of the second display unit; and

a dummy line formed on the substrate, the dummy line being disposed between the first connection lines and an image display region on which the pixel electrode is disposed.

23. The display device of claim 22, wherein the first insulation layer is formed on the common voltage line, the first connection lines and the dummy line, a third contact hole being formed in the first insulation layer to expose a selected region of the common voltage line.

24. The display device of claim 23, wherein the conductive spacer is formed in the third contact hole to electrically connect the common voltage line and the common electrode.

25. A display device for displaying images, comprising:

a main display unit to display main images by processing main image data in response to main gate signals;

a sub display unit to display sub images by processing sub image data in response to sub gate signals;

a connection part to connect the main and sub display units such that the main and sub display units are foldable toward each other at the connection part;

a driver to provide the main image data and the main gate signals to the main display unit and the sub image data and the sub gate signals to the sub display unit, the driver is being disposed in the main display unit;

first connection lines disposed between the driver and the sub display unit to transfer the sub gate signals to the sub display unit;

second connection lines disposed between the driver and the sub display unit to transfer the sub image data to the sub display unit; and

a dummy line disposed between the first connection lines and an image display region of the main display unit.