ORGANIC LIGHT EMITTING DISPLAY DEVICE

• US 20100007616A1
• Filed: 01/07/2009
• Published: 01/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Jang, Brent
• Granted Patent: US 8,629,842 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04111 Cross over in capacitive digitiser, i.e. details of structures for connecting electrodes of the sensing pattern where the connections cross each other, e.g. bridge structures comprising an insulating layer, or vias through substrate
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/40 OLEDs integrated with touch screens

Abstract

An organic light emitting display device having an electrostatic capacitive type touch panel function. In one embodiment, the organic light emitting display device includes a substrate, a display unit on the substrate, an encapsulation substrate having a side facing the substrate, a touch unit facing the display unit and including a plurality of first sensors electrically coupled with each other and extending in parallel rows along a first direction, and a plurality of second sensors electrically coupled with each other and extending in parallel columns along a second direction crossing the first direction, and an insulation layer on at least a portion of the first sensors and second sensors.

Claims

1. An organic light emitting display device comprising:

a substrate (100);

a display unit (200) on the substrate (100);

an encapsulation substrate (300) having a side facing the substrate (100);

a touch unit facing the display unit (200) and comprising;

a plurality of first sensors (311a) electrically coupled with each other and extending in parallel rows along a first direction, and

a plurality of second sensors (312a) electrically coupled with each other and extending in parallel columns along a second direction crossing the first direction; and

an insulation layer (340) on at least a portion of the first sensors (311a) and second sensors (312a).

2. The organic light emitting display device of claim 1,

wherein the plurality of first sensors and the plurality of second sensors are on the side of the encapsulation substrate.

3. The organic light emitting display device of claim 1,

wherein the plurality of first sensors and the plurality of second sensors are alternately arranged.

4. The organic light emitting display device of claim 1,

wherein a projection of the plurality of first sensors in a plane parallel to the substrate is offset from a projection of the plurality of second sensors in the plane.

5. The organic light emitting display device of claim 1,

further comprising a flexible printed circuit board electrically coupled to the plurality of first sensors and to the plurality of second sensors.

6. The organic light emitting display device of claim 5,

further comprising a data line at a periphery of the display unit on the substrate, the data line for delivering electrical signals generated by the touch unit to the flexible printed circuit board;

and

wherein the data line is electrically coupled to the plurality of first sensors and to the plurality of second sensors.

7. The organic light emitting display device of claim 6,

further comprising an electrical conductor between the data line and at least one of the first sensors and at least one of the second sensors, the electrical conductor for providing a conductive path between the data line and the at least one of the first sensors and the at least one of the second sensors.

8. The organic light emitting display device of claim 6,

further comprising contact units at a periphery of an area comprising the plurality of first sensors and the second sensors;

and

an electrical conductor between the data line and the contact units to electrically couple the data line with the contact units.

9. The organic light emitting display device of claim 5,

wherein the flexible printed circuit board comprises circuitry for driving and controlling the display unit and for driving and controlling the touch unit.

10. The organic light emitting display device of claim 5,

wherein a display drive integrated circuit comprises a touch unit drive integrated circuit.

11. The organic light emitting display device of claim 1, wherein the display unit (200) comprises:

a thin film transistor (220) on the substrate (100); and

an organic light emitting diode (230) coupled to the thin film transistor (220), the organic light emitting diode (230) comprising a counter electrode (235), a pixel electrode (231), and an intermediate layer (233) between the counter electrode (235) and the pixel electrode (231).

12. The organic light emitting display device of claim 11, wherein the pixel electrode (231) is in contact with the thin film transistor (220), wherein the intermediate layer (233) is in contact with at least a portion of the pixel electrode (231), and wherein the counter electrode (235) is in contact with at least a portion of the intermediate layer (233).

13. The organic light emitting display device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of first sensors and the plurality of second sensors comprise indium tin oxide.

14. The organic light emitting display device of claim 1, wherein the touch panel is within a space between the substrate (100) and the encapsulation substrate (300).

15. The organic light emitting display device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of first sensors and the plurality of second sensors are configured to generate electrical signals indicative of a touch.

16. The organic light emitting display device of claim 1:

wherein each of the plurality of first sensors (311a) comprises a first diamond shaped pad; and

wherein each of the plurality of second sensors (312a) comprises a second diamond shaped pad in a position adjacent to one of the first diamond shaped pads.

17. The organic light emitting display device of claim 1, wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.

18. The organic light emitting display device of claim 1, wherein the touch unit is an electrostatic capacitive type touch unit.

19. The organic light emitting display device of claim 1, further comprising:

a first pattern layer on the side of the encapsulation substrate comprising;

the plurality of first sensors, and

the plurality of second sensors;

a second pattern layer on at least a portion of the insulation layer, the second pattern layer comprising a plurality of pattern units (325), each pattern unit configured to couple two of the plurality of second sensor (312a) on the first pattern layer (310).

20. The organic light emitting display device of claim 19, further comprising a second insulation layer on at least a portion of the second pattern layer.

21. The organic light emitting display device of claim 19, wherein the insulation layer (330) comprises a plurality of contact holes through which the pattern units (325) are electrically coupled to the plurality of second sensors (312a).

22. The organic light emitting display device of claim 21:

wherein each of the plurality of first sensors (311a) comprises a first diamond shaped pad;

wherein each of the plurality of second sensors (312a) comprises a second diamond shaped pad in a position adjacent to one of the first diamond shaped pads; and

wherein the plurality of contact holes are disposed at positions corresponding to corners of the second diamond shaped pads of the plurality of second sensors (312a), where adjacent second sensors are coupled each other.

23. The organic light emitting display device of claim 21, wherein the pattern units (325) are configured to fill the plurality of contact holes to electrically connect the second sensors that are adjacent to each other on the first pattern layer (310).

24. The organic light emitting display device of claim 19:

wherein the display unit (200) comprises;

a thin film transistor (220) on the substrate (100); and

an organic light emitting diode (230) coupled to the thin film transistor (220), the organic light emitting diode (230) comprising a counter electrode (235), a pixel electrode (231), and an intermediate layer (233) between the counter electrode (235) and the pixel electrode (231); and

wherein the counter electrode (235) and the first pattern layer (310) are configured to form a first capacitor.

25. The organic light emitting display device of claim 24:

wherein the first pattern layer (310) is further configured to form a second capacitor with an object approaching the encapsulation substrate (300); and

wherein the first capacitor is electrically coupled in series with the second capacitor.

26. The organic light emitting display device of claim 19:

further comprising a flexible printed circuit board (130) coupled to the plurality of first sensors (311a) and to the plurality of second sensors (312a); and

wherein the flexible printed circuit board (130) comprises circuitry for driving and controlling the touch unit.

27. The organic light emitting display of claim 26, further comprising:

a data line (110) at a periphery of the display unit (200) on the substrate (100), the data line for delivering electrical signals generated by the touch unit to the flexible printed circuit board (130); and

an electrical conductor (120) between the substrate (100) and the encapsulation substrate (300) and for providing a conductive path between the touch unit on the encapsulation substrate (300) to the data line (110).

28. The organic light emitting display of claim 27:

wherein the flexible printed circuit board (130) further comprises a first PCB connecting unit (115) and a second PCB connecting unit (113); and

wherein the first PCB connecting unit 115 links the display unit (200) to the flexible printed circuit board (130) and the second PCB connecting unit (115) links the data line (110) to the flexible printed circuit board (130).

29. The organic light emitting display of claim 1, further comprising:

a first pattern layer (410) on the side of the encapsulation substrate, the first pattern layer comprising the plurality of first sensors (411a);

the insulation layer (430) on at least a portion of the first pattern layer (410);

a second pattern layer (420) on at least a portion of the insulation layer (430), the second pattern layer (420) comprising the plurality of second sensors (421a); and

a second insulation layer (440) on at least a portion of the second pattern layer (420).

30. The organic light emitting display device of claim 29:

wherein each of the plurality of first sensors (411a) comprises a first diamond shaped pad; and

wherein each of the plurality of second sensors (321a) comprises a second diamond shaped pad in a position adjacent to one of the first diamond shaped pads.

31. The organic light emitting display device of claim 29:

wherein a plurality of first connecting units (411b) are configured to electrically connect the first sensors (411a) that are adjacent to each other on the first pattern layer (410); and

wherein a plurality of second connecting units (421b) are configured to electrically connect the second sensors (421a) that are adjacent to each other on the second pattern layer (420).

32. The organic light emitting display device of claim 29:

wherein the display unit (200) comprises;

a thin film transistor (220) on the substrate (100); and

an organic light emitting diode (230) coupled to the thin film transistor (220), the organic light emitting diode (230) comprising a counter electrode (235), a pixel electrode (231), and an intermediate layer (233) between the counter electrode (235) and the pixel electrode (231); and

wherein the counter electrode (235) and the first pattern layer (410) are configured to form a first capacitor.

33. The organic light emitting display device of claim 32:

wherein the first pattern layer (410) is further configured to form a second capacitor with an object approaching the encapsulation substrate (400); and

wherein the first capacitor is electrically coupled in series with the second capacitor.

34. The organic light emitting display device of claim 29:

further comprising a flexible printed circuit board (130) coupled to the plurality of first sensors (411a) and to the plurality of second sensors (421a); and

wherein the flexible printed circuit board (130) comprises circuitry for driving and controlling the touch unit.

35. The organic light emitting display of claim 34, further comprising:

a data line (110) at a periphery of the display unit (200) on the substrate (100), the data line for delivering electrical signals generated by the touch unit to the flexible printed circuit board (130); and

an electrical conductor (120) between the substrate (100) and the encapsulation substrate (400) and for providing a conductive path between the touch unit on the encapsulation substrate (400) to the data line (110).

36. The organic light emitting display of claim 35, wherein the flexible printed circuit board (130) further comprises a first PCB connecting unit (115) and a second PCB connecting unit (113),

wherein the first PCB connecting unit (115) links the display unit (200) to the flexible printed circuit board (130) and the second PCB connecting unit (115) links the data line (110) to the flexible printed circuit board (130).