Pixel arrangement structure, display panel and display device

Abstract

The present invention relates to a pixel arrangement structure in which pixel groups in two adjacent rows are staggered, and pixel groups in two adjacent columns are staggered. Within each pixel group, the dividing line between any two adjacent sub-pixel regions passes through the center of the virtual hexagon corresponding to that pixel group, and the luminous areas of any two circumferentially adjacent sub-pixels are different. In this way, a high-resolution display effect can be achieved from a low-resolution physical resolution through the principle of color borrowing. Furthermore, since the number of sub-pixels is reduced, the spacing between sub-pixels is significantly increased, which not only reduces the process and manufacturing difficulty of the mask plate, but also provides a display panel and display device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of display technology, and in particular to a pixel arrangement structure, a display panel and a display device. Background Art

[0002] With the continuous development of display technology, people's requirements for the resolution of display panels are becoming increasingly higher. Generally, the resolution of display devices can be improved by reducing the size of sub-pixels and reducing the spacing between sub-pixels. However, reducing the size of sub-pixels and the spacing between sub-pixels also requires increasingly high precision in the manufacturing process, which leads to increased difficulty and cost in the display panel manufacturing process. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Based on this, it is necessary to provide a pixel arrangement structure that can achieve high resolution while reducing the process difficulty and manufacturing cost of the display panel.

[0004] According to one aspect of the present application, a pixel arrangement structure is provided, comprising a plurality of repeatedly arranged pixel groups, wherein the pixel groups are arranged in rows along a first direction and in columns along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; the pixel groups in two adjacent rows are staggered in the first direction, and the pixel groups in two adjacent columns are staggered in the second direction;

[0005] Each of the pixel groups includes a first sub-pixel, a second sub-pixel, and two third sub-pixels located within a virtual hexagon; the virtual hexagon has four sub-pixel regions adjacent to each other in a circumferential direction, and in the same pixel group, the first sub-pixel, the second sub-pixel, and the two third sub-pixels are respectively located within the four sub-pixel regions;

[0006] A dividing line between any two adjacent sub-pixel regions passes through the center of the virtual hexagon, and the light-emitting areas of any two adjacent sub-pixels arranged in sequence along the circumferential direction are different.

[0007] In one embodiment, in the same pixel group, the first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel respectively have a first inner angle and a second inner angle oriented toward the center of a virtual hexagon corresponding to the pixel group, and the first inner angle and the second inner angle are both configured to be obtuse angles;

[0008] The two third sub-pixels have a third inner angle facing the center of the virtual hexagon corresponding to the pixel group, and the third inner angle is set to be an acute angle.

[0009] In one embodiment, the virtual hexagon has two first sides extending along a first direction, and a second side connected to the first sides;

[0010] The dividing line between two circumferentially adjacent sub-pixel areas intersects with one of the second edges; the first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel each have a pixel edge corresponding to the first edge, and the third sub-pixel has two pixel edges corresponding to two adjacent second edges.

[0011] In one embodiment, the shapes of the first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel are both set to be pentagonal;

[0012] The shape of the third sub-pixel is set to be a quadrilateral.

[0013] In one embodiment, in the same pixel group, the first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel are located on both sides of a first center line, and the two third sub-pixels are located on both sides of a second center line;

[0014] The first center line extends along a first direction and passes through the center of the corresponding virtual hexagon, and the second center line extends along a second direction and passes through the center of the corresponding virtual hexagon;

[0015] The first center line is a center line connecting two third sub-pixels in the same pixel group, and the second center line is a center line connecting the first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel in the same pixel group.

[0016] In one embodiment, in the same pixel group, the first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel are symmetrically arranged relative to the first center line corresponding to the pixel group.

[0017] In one embodiment, the first sub-pixels are symmetrically arranged relative to the second center line;

[0018] The second sub-pixels are also symmetrically arranged relative to the second center line.

[0019] In one embodiment, in the same pixel group, the two third sub-pixels are symmetrically arranged with respect to the second center line corresponding to the pixel group.

[0020] According to another aspect of the present application, a display panel is provided, comprising the pixel arrangement structure as described in the above embodiment.

[0021] According to another aspect of the present application, a display device is provided, comprising the display panel as described in the above embodiment.

[0022] In the aforementioned pixel arrangement structure, display panel, and display device, pixel groups in two adjacent rows are staggered, and pixel groups in two adjacent columns are staggered. Within each pixel group, the dividing line between any two adjacent sub-pixel regions passes through the center of the virtual hexagon, and any two circumferentially adjacent sub-pixels have different luminous areas. Thus, the first and second sub-pixels in adjacent rows of pixel groups can be shared by two third sub-pixels. This allows for high-resolution display effects to be achieved from a low physical resolution through the principle of color borrowing. Furthermore, because the first and second sub-pixels can be shared by two virtual pixels, the sub-pixel density in a single direction is balanced, thereby avoiding an excessive number of sub-pixels in a single direction. This overall reduces the difficulty of mask processing during display panel fabrication, lowering production costs. Furthermore, since the number of sub-pixels is reduced, the spacing between sub-pixels is significantly increased, which not only reduces the difficulty of mask processing and manufacturing, but also reduces the risk of evaporation color mixing between sub-pixels of different colors. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the pixel arrangement structure in one embodiment of the present application;

[0024] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the arrangement of pixel groups in the pixel arrangement structure shown;

[0025] Figure 3 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the arrangement of pixel units of the pixel arrangement structure shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] To facilitate understanding of the present invention, the present invention will be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown in the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention may be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a more thorough and comprehensive understanding of the present disclosure.

[0027] It should be understood that although the terms "first", "second", etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, they do not indicate any order, quantity or importance, but are simply used to distinguish different components. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another. For example, without departing from the scope of this application, a first element may be referred to as a second element, and similarly, a second element may be referred to as a first element. "Include" or "comprising" and similar words mean that the elements or objects that appear before the word cover the elements or objects listed after the word and their equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects.

[0028] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains. The terms used in this specification of the present invention are for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and are not intended to limit the present invention. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0029] Organic Light-Emitting Diode (OLED) display devices have been listed as a display technology with great development prospects due to their advantages such as thinness, lightness, wide viewing angle, active light emission, continuously adjustable light color, low cost, fast response speed, low energy consumption, low driving voltage, wide operating temperature range, simple production process, high luminous efficiency and flexible display.

[0030] In the related art, the OLED display panel is current-driven, and a pixel driving circuit is required to connect the OLED device to provide the driving current for the OLED device to emit light. The OLED device includes at least an anode, a cathode, and an organic light-emitting material located between the anode and the cathode. Taking the top-emitting OLED display panel as an example, the organic light-emitting material cannot be patterned using a traditional etching process due to its poor stability. Instead, a vapor deposition process equipped with a mask plate is used. The organic light-emitting material is placed in a vacuum environment and heated to evaporate or sublime the organic material. A mask plate is provided between the cavity for evaporating the organic material and the display substrate to be evaporated. The mask plate is provided with openings corresponding to the areas where evaporation is required, and there are no openings in the areas where evaporation is not required. The evaporated or sublimated organic material molecules are attached to the display substrate to be evaporated through the openings, thereby directly forming a patterned organic material layer.

[0031] The mask corresponding to the evaporation of each sub-pixel light-emitting material layer is a fine metal mask (FMM, Fine Metal Mask), also known as a fine mask. Since the production of fine metal masks is very difficult, especially as the resolution of display products is getting higher and higher, the number of openings in the fine metal mask is large, the production difficulty is getting higher and higher, and the price is also very expensive. In addition, the defects of the fine metal mask will cause defects such as color mixing in the organic electroluminescent display device, and the more fine metal masks are used, the more likely it is to have product defects, thereby reducing the yield of the product. Specifically, the fine metal mask plate should minimize problems such as warping and breaking, so as to avoid defects such as blurring and offset of the evaporated film layer that affect the quality of evaporation. The sub-pixel arrangement is one of the main factors that determine whether the fine metal mask plate is prone to warping and breaking. That is, the arrangement of the sub-pixels largely determines the mechanical properties of the fine metal mask plate, and the mechanical properties of the fine metal mask plate largely determine the quality of evaporation.

[0032] To solve the above problems, the embodiments of the present application provide a pixel arrangement structure, a display panel and a display device, which adopt the method of sub-pixel sharing to reduce the difficulty of preparing precision metal mask plates on the basis of improving resolution and display uniformity, thereby reducing the process difficulty and manufacturing cost of the display panel.

[0033] For a better understanding, some explanations are given before we go into detail:

[0034] Subpixels: Subpixels are small grids that display images. Each of these grids has a specific location and assigned color value. The specific location is determined by the pixel layout, and the assigned color value is determined by the pixel circuit. The color and position of these small grids determine the appearance of the displayed image.

[0035] Resolution: Display resolution refers to the precision of the displayed image, specifically the number of sub-pixels a display can display. For example, common resolutions include HD (720 x 1280), FHD (1080 x 1920), QHD (1440 x 2560), and UHD (2K / 4K): 2160 x 3840. For example, FHD has 1080 R sub-pixels, 1080 G sub-pixels, and 1080 B sub-pixels in one direction, and 1920 R sub-pixels, 1920 G sub-pixels, and 1920 B sub-pixels in the other direction.

[0036] PPI (Pixels Per Inch): Also known as pixel density, this refers to the number of pixels per inch. For example, a 5-inch screen with FHD resolution has a PPI of 441. Therefore, given a given display size, the higher the resolution, the higher the PPI.

[0037] Sub-pixel rendering technology: Sub-pixel rendering (SPR) technology can take advantage of the difference in the human eye's resolution of sub-pixels of different colors, changing the conventional red, green, and blue sub-pixels that simply define a pixel mode. By sharing sub-pixels of certain positions that are not sensitive to resolution between different pixel groups, the same pixel resolution performance can be simulated with relatively fewer sub-pixels.

[0038] It should be noted that those skilled in the art should know that based on the pixel arrangement structure of the present application, each sub-pixel should be distributed as evenly as possible.

[0039] The display panel in at least one embodiment of the present application includes a display area and a non-display area, and the display area displays an image by arranging a plurality of sub-pixels in the display area. Specifically, the display area can be rectangular, and the non-display area is arranged around the display area. Of course, the shapes and arrangements of the display area and the non-display area include but are not limited to the above examples. For example, when the display panel is used for a wearable device worn on a user, the display area can have a circular shape like a watch; when the display substrate is used for display on a vehicle, the display area and the non-display area can adopt, for example, a circular, polygonal or other shape. The display area is provided with a plurality of sub-pixels that emit light of different colors, and the sub-pixel is characterized as the smallest unit for emitting light (for example, the smallest addressable unit of the display panel).

[0040] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a pixel arrangement structure in an embodiment of the present application is shown; Figure 2 Shown Figure 1 Schematic diagram of pixel arrangement of a pixel group shown.

[0041] The pixel arrangement structure in at least one embodiment disclosed in the present application includes a plurality of repeatedly arranged pixel groups 10, wherein the pixel groups 10 are arranged in rows along a first direction and in columns along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The pixel groups 10 in two adjacent rows are staggered in the first direction, and the pixel groups 10 in two adjacent columns are staggered in the second direction. Specifically, the plurality of pixel groups 10 are arranged in an array to form a plurality of rows and columns, and the pixel groups 10 in even rows or columns are staggered with the pixel groups 10 in odd rows or columns. For example, Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment, multiple pixel groups 10 are arranged in an array, spaced apart in rows in a first direction and adjacent to each other in columns in a second direction. Any two adjacent pixel groups 10 in the same row are separated by two adjacent pixel groups 10 arranged in the second direction. This allows for a compact arrangement of sub-pixels, fully utilizing space and improving the aperture ratio.

[0042] It will be understood that the multiple pixel groups 10 are arranged in an array, meaning that the centers of the multiple pixel groups 10 are staggered along at least two directions to form an array. For example, the multiple pixel groups 10 may be staggered along a first direction and a second direction perpendicular to each other to form an array arrangement. The rows and columns of the pixel groups 10 in the display panel are relative, and the pixel groups 10 arranged in rows may be arranged in columns in other embodiments.

[0043] See also Figure 2Each pixel group 10 includes a first sub-pixel 12, a second sub-pixel 14, and two third sub-pixels 16 located within a virtual hexagon. The first sub-pixel 12, the second sub-pixel 14, and the third sub-pixel 16 can be a red sub-pixel, a blue sub-pixel, or a green sub-pixel, respectively. Of course, in other embodiments, the first sub-pixel 12, the second sub-pixel 14, and the third sub-pixel 16 can also be sub-pixels that emit light of a color other than red, green, and blue, such as white or yellow, without limitation.

[0044] It should be understood that different colors of light have different wavelengths. A higher wavelength means a higher energy of the light. High-energy light can easily cause the decay of organic light-emitting materials, making sub-pixels that emit high-energy photons more susceptible to decay. As is known, the wavelength of blue light is shorter than that of red and green light. Therefore, the energy of blue light is higher, and the organic light-emitting material that emits blue light is more susceptible to decay, causing the light emitted in the pixel unit to be prone to reddishness, resulting in a color shift of white light. Moreover, the light emitted by each sub-pixel is repeatedly reflected and re-reflected between the anode and cathode through the microcavity effect, amplified and constructively interfered, the brightness of the light is increased, and the color shift is further amplified. In one embodiment, the light-emitting area of ​​the blue sub-pixel is larger than the light-emitting area of ​​the red sub-pixel and the green sub-pixel. In this way, the poor display caused by the different decay rates of organic light-emitting materials emitting light of different colors can be reduced to a certain extent. In another embodiment, in order to make the sub-pixel arrangement more uniform, the light-emitting area of ​​the blue sub-pixel can also be equal to the light-emitting area of ​​the red sub-pixel. Since the human eye is more sensitive to green light, the light-emitting area of ​​the blue sub-pixel and the light-emitting area of ​​the red sub-pixel are larger than the light-emitting area of ​​the green sub-pixel. Figure 1 and Figure 2 In the embodiment shown, the first sub-pixel 12 is a blue sub-pixel, the second sub-pixel 14 is a red sub-pixel, and the third sub-pixel 16 is a green sub-pixel. Therefore, the light-emitting area of ​​the first sub-pixel 12 is equal to the light-emitting area of ​​the second sub-pixel 14 and greater than the light-emitting area of ​​the third sub-pixel 16.

[0045] In the embodiment of the present application, the virtual hexagon has four sub-pixel areas arranged adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction. In the same pixel group 10, the first sub-pixel 12, the second sub-pixel 14, and the two third sub-pixels 16 are respectively located in the four sub-pixel areas. Specifically, in a pixel group 10, the center lines of the first sub-pixel 12, the second sub-pixel 14, and the two third sub-pixels 16 form a quadrilateral. As a preferred embodiment, the quadrilateral can be a parallelogram or a rhombus, for example, Figure 1 and Figure 2In the illustrated embodiment, the center line connecting the two third sub-pixels 16 is a first center line (not shown), the center line connecting the first sub-pixel 12 and the second sub-pixel 14 is a second center line (not shown), the first sub-pixel 12 and the second sub-pixel 14 are located on both sides of the first center line, the two third sub-pixels 16 are located on both sides of the second center line, and the third sub-pixels are adjacent to the first sub-pixel 12 and the second sub-pixel 14.

[0046] It should be noted that the display panel provided in the embodiment of the present application may be an organic light-emitting display panel, wherein the sub-pixel includes at least an anode and a cathode, and a light-emitting layer located between the anode and the cathode, and the driving circuit applies a voltage between the anode and the cathode to stimulate carrier migration, acting on the light-emitting layer, thereby emitting light. The display panel may also include a pixel definition layer, which defines a plurality of pixel openings, and the light-emitting layer of the sub-pixel is arranged in the pixel opening to avoid cross-color or interference between adjacent sub-pixels. Therefore, in some embodiments, the pixel edge of the sub-pixel is the boundary of the pixel opening of the pixel definition layer (PDL layer), and the area of ​​the pixel opening is the light-emitting area of ​​the sub-pixel.

[0047] In addition, limited by the current evaporation technology, in order to ensure that the light-emitting material is completely evaporated in the pixel opening, usually, the opening area of ​​the Mask (mask plate) is larger than the area of ​​the pixel opening to leave a margin for evaporation. For example, the distance between each pixel edge of each sub-pixel and the contour boundary of the projection of the evaporation opening of the Mask (mask plate) on the display substrate is the aforementioned evaporation margin. Preferably, the contour boundary of the projection of the evaporation opening of the Mask (mask plate) on the display substrate should be parallel to each other and have the same vertical distance from the pixel edge of the corresponding sub-pixel. In this way, the final sub-pixel arrangement can be made more uniform and regular, thereby effectively improving the production accuracy and yield of the sub-pixel's light-emitting layer and reducing the risk of wrinkles when the Mask is stretched.

[0048] It is understood that to achieve a higher PPI, the sub-pixels should be arranged more compactly. Therefore, in some embodiments, under the condition of meeting the limit process, the spacing between the adjacent pixel edges of two adjacent sub-pixels is equal to the sum of the evaporation margins of the two adjacent sub-pixels. In other words, under the condition of meeting the limit process, the contour boundaries of the projections of the evaporation openings of the mask corresponding to the two adjacent sub-pixels on the display substrate have an overlapping portion, and this overlapping portion is the dividing line between the two adjacent sub-pixel areas.

[0049] Of course, in other embodiments, the arrangement of sub-pixels can be looser than the arrangement that meets the extreme process conditions, that is, the spacing between the pixel edges of two adjacent sub-pixels is greater than the sum of the evaporation margins of the two adjacent sub-pixels. At this time, the contour boundaries of the projections of the evaporation openings of the Mask (mask) corresponding to the two adjacent sub-pixels on the display substrate are spaced from each other, and the dividing line between the two adjacent sub-pixel areas can be the midline of the line connecting the adjacent pixel edges of the two adjacent sub-pixels. As an optional embodiment, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the adjacent pixel sides of two adjacent sub-pixels are parallel to each other. In this case, the dividing line between the two adjacent sub-pixel areas is the perpendicular bisector of the perpendicular line of the adjacent pixel sides of the two adjacent sub-pixels.

[0050] Therefore, in some embodiments, the virtual hexagon completely overlaps with the hexagon formed by connecting the lines of the portion of the projection of the evaporation opening of the mask corresponding to each sub-pixel in the same pixel group 10 on the display substrate that is located outside the sub-pixel.

[0051] Figure 3 Shown Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the arrangement of pixel units of the pixel arrangement structure shown.

[0052] In the embodiment of the present application, the dividing line between any two adjacent sub-pixel regions passes through the center of the virtual hexagon, and the luminous areas of any two adjacent sub-pixels arranged in sequence along the circumference are different. Figure 1-Figure 3 As described, in the same pixel group, the dividing line between the sub-pixel region where the first sub-pixel 12 is located and the sub-pixel region where the adjacent third sub-pixel 16 is located passes through the center of the virtual hexagon, and the dividing line between the sub-pixel region where the second sub-pixel 14 is located and the sub-pixel region where the adjacent third sub-pixel 16 is located passes through the center of the virtual hexagon. The shapes of the first sub-pixel 12 and the second sub-pixel 14 are both set to pentagons, and the shape of the third sub-pixel 16 is set to quadrilateral. The light-emitting areas of the first sub-pixel 12 and the adjacent third sub-pixel 16 are different, and the light-emitting areas of the second sub-pixel 14 and the adjacent third sub-pixel 16 are different. In this way, the above design can make the first sub-pixel 12 and the second sub-pixel 14 in the two pixel groups 10 located in the Nth row and the N+2th row adjacent to each other, and the adjacent first sub-pixel 12 and the second sub-pixel 14 can be shared by the third sub-pixel 16 in the adjacent pixel group 10 located in the N+1th row to emit light in the first direction, where N≥1. For example, as Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, in the second direction, the adjacent first sub-pixels 12 and second sub-pixels 14 in two adjacent pixel groups 10, and the adjacent two third sub-pixels 16 in the first direction form a virtual quadrilateral (see FIG. Figure 3) within a pixel unit, wherein the four sub-pixels in the pixel unit form two virtual pixels, namely virtual pixel 20 and virtual pixel 30, and the adjacent first sub-pixel 12 and second sub-pixel 14 are shared by the virtual pixel 20 and virtual pixel 30 respectively, that is, the adjacent first sub-pixel 12 and second sub-pixel 14 are shared by two third sub-pixels 16 to emit light.

[0053] It should be noted that the pixel group 10 refers to the smallest repeating unit repeatedly arranged in the pixel arrangement structure, while the pixel unit refers to the smallest repeating unit in the display panel that can be used to achieve the same luminous effect and function. In other words, the difference between the pixel group 10 described in this application and the pixel unit is that the pixel group 10 only considers the graphic arrangement and is not necessarily a repeating unit that achieves the same luminous effect and function. For example, Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, pixel groups 10 corresponding to virtual hexagons are repeatedly arranged. In a first direction, the third sub-pixel 16 between pixel groups 10 shares the first sub-pixel 12 and the second sub-pixel 14 to form a pixel unit. The sub-pixels being shared means that the first sub-pixel 12, the second sub-pixel 14, and the third sub-pixel 16 cannot form a complete pixel. Each pixel actually includes one third sub-pixel 16, 1 / 2 of the first sub-pixel 12, and 1 / 2 of the second sub-pixel 14, and one pixel unit includes two pixels.

[0054] It is understandable that due to limitations in manufacturing processes, conventional pixel structures with alternating, repetitive R, G, and B sub-pixels in the prior art have reached their limits in terms of resolution and PPI. However, in the pixel arrangement structure of the present application's embodiment, adjacent first and second sub-pixels 12 and 14 can be shared by two third sub-pixels 16, with four sub-pixels forming two virtual pixels, while conventional pixel arrangements require six sub-pixels to form two pixels. On the one hand, a high-resolution display effect is achieved by using the principle of color borrowing from a low-resolution physical resolution. On the other hand, since the first and second sub-pixels 12 and 14 can be shared by two virtual pixels, the sub-pixel density in a single direction is balanced, thus avoiding the situation where there are too many sub-pixels in a single direction. This can overall reduce the difficulty of mask processing during display panel production, lowering production costs. Furthermore, since the number of sub-pixels is reduced, the spacing between sub-pixels is significantly increased, which not only reduces the difficulty of mask processing and production, but also reduces the risk of evaporation color mixing between sub-pixels of different colors.

[0055] It is particularly emphasized that, for example, when red, green, and blue light are mixed to form white light, the mixture can be performed in a ratio of approximately 30% red light, 60% green light, and 10% blue light. The green sub-pixel is a sub-pixel that the human eye is more sensitive to. If the green sub-pixels are too close together, the two green sub-pixels are easily identified as one, causing a grainy display. In the embodiment of the present application, it is precisely because the dividing line between any two adjacent sub-pixel areas passes through the center of the virtual hexagon, and the light-emitting areas and shapes of any two sub-pixels arranged adjacent to each other along the circumference are different. While achieving a high-resolution display effect and reducing the process difficulty of the mask plate in the aforementioned pixel arrangement structure, the distance between the third sub-pixel 16 (green sub-pixel) that is sensitive to the human eye can be appropriately increased, while the first sub-pixel 12 and the second sub-pixel 14 are arranged closer to each other. This not only avoids the grainy display caused by the human eye being unable to distinguish the sensitive sub-pixels during display and identifying them as one, but also helps to reduce the risk of color mixing and color shift, and improve color fringing. In some embodiments, within the same pixel group 10, the first sub-pixel 12 and the second sub-pixel 14 are symmetrically arranged relative to the first center line corresponding to the pixel group. This further makes the sub-pixel arrangement more compact and uniform, thereby improving the display effect. Of course, in other embodiments, the first sub-pixel 12 and the second sub-pixel 14 can also be asymmetrically arranged relative to the center line connecting the two third sub-pixels 16, but the first sub-pixel 12 and the second sub-pixel 14 should be located on both sides of the center line.

[0056] In some embodiments, within the same pixel group, two third sub-pixels 16 are symmetrically arranged relative to the second center line corresponding to the pixel group. The distance between the center of each third sub-pixel 16 in the pixel group 10 and the center of the first sub-pixel 12 is equal to the distance between the center of the third sub-pixel 16 and the center of the second sub-pixel 14. This arrangement, on the one hand, allows for a more compact arrangement of the third sub-pixels 16, the first sub-pixels 12, and the second sub-pixels 14, minimizing the spacing between adjacent sub-pixels to increase the PPI. Furthermore, this arrangement ensures a more uniform sub-pixel arrangement, thereby improving display uniformity.

[0057] As a preferred embodiment, each sub-pixel itself is an axisymmetric shape. Figure 1-Figure 3 As shown, in the same pixel group, the first sub-pixel 12 and the second sub-pixel 14 are symmetrically arranged about the second center line corresponding to the pixel group, and the two third sub-pixels 16 are symmetrically arranged about the first center line corresponding to the pixel group. This ensures a more uniform sub-pixel arrangement, thereby improving display uniformity.

[0058] In some embodiments, in the same pixel group 10, the length of the line connecting the centers of the two third sub-pixels 16 (the first center line) is equal to the length of the line connecting the centers of the first sub-pixel 12 and the second sub-pixel 14 (the second center line). This makes the arrangement of the pixel group 10 and the sub-pixels more compact. In other embodiments, the length of the line connecting the centers of the first sub-pixel 12 and the second sub-pixel 14 and the length of the line connecting the centers of the two third sub-pixels 16 may also be different. In this way, based on the different shapes of the sub-pixels, the spacing between the first sub-pixel 12 and the second sub-pixel 14, as well as the spacing between the two third sub-pixels 16, can meet preset conditions, thereby arranging the sub-pixels as closely as possible, improving the uniformity of the distribution of sensitive color sub-pixels (e.g., green sub-pixels), increasing visual resolution, and enhancing display quality. In addition, this arrangement also reduces the protrusion of sub-pixels in the same row or column when the pixel groups 10 are repeatedly arranged to form a display matrix, thereby improving the color fringing problem at the display edge.

[0059] It is understood that in some embodiments, the sub-pixel has a relatively regular shape, and the center of the sub-pixel may be the geometric center of the sub-pixel pattern. In this case, the center of the sub-pixel's luminous color coincides with the geometric center of the sub-pixel pattern. In other embodiments, due to the influence of the sub-pixel's shape design, the center of the sub-pixel's luminous color does not coincide with the geometric center of the sub-pixel pattern. In this case, the center of the sub-pixel may also be the center of the sub-pixel's luminous color, which is not limited here.

[0060] In some embodiments, the third sub-pixel 16 is shaped like a quadrilateral, including four pixel sides. The four pixel sides of the third sub-pixel 16 are respectively parallel to the pixel sides of adjacent sub-pixels that are closest to the third sub-pixel 16. For example, the four pixel sides of the third sub-pixel 16 are respectively parallel to the pixel sides of the adjacent first sub-pixel 12 or second sub-pixel 14 that are closest to the third sub-pixel 16. This maximizes the aperture ratio of each sub-pixel in the pixel arrangement structure. Furthermore, given the same display panel size, the spacing between sub-pixels is significantly increased, thereby reducing the risk of evaporation color mixing between sub-pixels of different colors.

[0061] In some embodiments of the present application, the virtual hexagon has two first sides 11 extending along a first direction, and a second side 13 connected to the first side 11. A dividing line between two circumferentially adjacent sub-pixel regions intersects with one of the second sides 13. The first sub-pixel 12 and the second sub-pixel 14 each have a pixel side corresponding to the first side 11, and the third sub-pixel 16 has two pixel sides corresponding to the two adjacent second sides 13. Specifically, Figure 1-Figure 3As shown, the virtual hexagon has two first sides 11 facing away from each other along the second direction. Each first side 11 is connected to a second side 13 at both ends. The ends of two circumferentially adjacent second sides 13 facing each other are connected to form the virtual hexagon. The first sub-pixel 12 and the second sub-pixel 14 in the same pixel group 10 have two pixel sides facing away from each other along the second direction. These two pixel sides facing away from each other are disposed adjacent to the two first sides 11 of the virtual hexagon in the second direction in a one-to-one correspondence. The third sub-pixel 16 has two pixel sides corresponding to the two adjacent second sides 13.

[0062] As an embodiment, the inner angles formed by the four second sides 13 of the virtual hexagon are all obtuse angles. Preferably, the virtual hexagon is a regular hexagon, which further improves the compactness and uniformity of the sub-pixel arrangement.

[0063] In some embodiments, in the same pixel group, the first sub-pixel 12 and the second sub-pixel 14 respectively have a first internal angle α and a second internal angle β toward the center of the virtual hexagon corresponding to the pixel group, and the first internal angle α and the second internal angle β are both set to be obtuse angles. Specifically, Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the two vertex angles of the first sub-pixel 12 and the second sub-pixel 14 in the same pixel group 10 that face each other in the second direction are the first interior angle α and the second interior angle β. A pixel side of the first sub-pixel 12 that is opposite to the first interior angle α is adjacent to and parallel to a first side 11 of the virtual hexagon corresponding to the pixel group in the second direction. A pixel side of the second sub-pixel 14 that is opposite to the second interior angle β is adjacent to and parallel to another first side 11 of the virtual hexagon corresponding to the pixel group in the second direction.

[0064] The two third sub-pixels 16 have a third internal angle γ toward the center of the virtual hexagon corresponding to the pixel group, and the third internal angle γ is set to be an acute angle. In this way, the shapes of the first sub-pixel 12 and the second sub-pixel 14 can be complementary to at least part of the shape of the two third sub-pixels 16, thereby effectively utilizing the space of the display panel, reducing the area of ​​the vacant area between adjacent sub-pixels, and increasing the aperture ratio of the display panel.

[0065] Furthermore, each third sub-pixel 16 also has an obtuse angle δ relative to the third interior angle γ. Furthermore, the lengths of the two sides forming the third interior angle γ are greater than the lengths of the two sides forming the obtuse angle δ. It is understood that, while the geometric center of a sub-pixel is generally its visual center of gravity, the two interior angles of two third sub-pixels in the same pixel group 10 facing each other are set as acute angles, and the interior angle opposite the acute angle is set as an obtuse angle. This causes the width of the third sub-pixel 16 in the second direction to continuously vary along the first direction with the line connecting the other two vertices of the third sub-pixel 16 as the dividing line. This causes the visual centers of gravity of the two third sub-pixels 16 in the same pixel unit to shift toward a side away from the other third sub-pixel 16, thereby increasing the distance between the visual centers of gravity of the two third sub-pixels 16. This allows the human eye to accurately distinguish between two adjacent sub-pixels of the same color, ensuring that the visual resolution of the display panel is consistent with its physical resolution. This results in fine, clear lines in the displayed image of the display panel, and a better display quality.

[0066] Preferably, the line connecting the vertex of the third internal angle γ and the vertex of the diagonal angle δ of each third sub-pixel 16 is collinear with the extension line of the line connecting the centers of two third sub-pixels 16 in the same pixel group 10. In this way, it is further ensured that the visual centers of the two third sub-pixels 16 are located in the same direction, thereby improving display uniformity.

[0067] It should be understood that the organic light-emitting layer of the sub-pixel is formed using an evaporation process. The opening size of the mask used in the evaporation process corresponds to the size of the organic light-emitting functional layer. If the angle of the inner angle between the two third sub-pixels 16 is too small, the corresponding top angle of the mask opening is small, making the mask manufacturing more difficult. Moreover, when using the evaporation process to form a patterned film structure with a small inner angle, even small process errors can lead to large variations in the aforementioned inner angle. Therefore, if the third inner angle γ between the two third sub-pixels 16 is too small, it will increase the difficulty of manufacturing the display panel. As an embodiment, when the two third inner angles γ of the two third sub-pixels 16 in the same pixel group are within the range of 30°-90°, the difficulty of manufacturing the mask for the organic light-emitting layer in the third sub-pixels 16 is relatively low, and the manufacturing process of the display panel is relatively low. Preferably, the two third inner angles γ of the two third sub-pixels 16 in the same pixel group are between 45° and 70°.

[0068] It should also be understood that in the aforementioned embodiment, the shape of the third sub-pixel 16 is a non-rectangular quadrilateral, which can reduce edge jaggedness of the displayed image and improve the display image quality compared to a rectangular quadrilateral.

[0069] It should be understood that the jagged feeling at the edge of the display area is also a factor that affects the display quality. The inventors of the present application have found that the sub-pixels on different rows form a stepped shape along the extension direction of the edge area, so that when the display panel displays an image, the jagged feeling of the image at the edge area is aggravated, affecting the display effect of the display panel. Therefore, the first sub-pixel 12 is a non-rectangular quadrilateral, and the second sub-pixel 14 is a pentagon, which can make the edge of the edge of the multiple sub-pixels located at the edge of the display area, especially the irregular edge, tend to coincide with or be parallel to the tangent of the irregular edge, so that the line connecting the edges of the multiple sub-pixels is smoother and closer to the shape of the irregular edge, thereby reducing the jagged feeling of the image at the irregular edge, which is beneficial to improving the display effect of the display panel.

[0070] In some embodiments, the first sub-pixels 12 and the second sub-pixels 14 of the plurality of pixel groups 10 are alternately arranged in the first direction, and the center line connecting any adjacent first sub-pixels 12 and second sub-pixels 14 located in the same row intersects with the first direction. The first sub-pixels 12 and the second sub-pixels 14 of the plurality of pixel groups 10 are alternately arranged in the second direction, and the center line connecting any adjacent first sub-pixels 12 and second sub-pixels 14 located in the same column is parallel to the second direction. That is to say, the center line connecting the first sub-pixels 12 and the second sub-pixels 14 alternately arranged in the first direction is not a straight line but a broken line, and the center line connecting the first sub-pixels 12 and the second sub-pixels 14 alternately arranged in the second direction is a straight line. Specifically in some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the first sub-pixel 12 and the second sub-pixel 14 adjacent to each other in the two pixel groups 10 located in the Nth row and the N+2th row, and the midline of the first sub-pixel 12 and the second sub-pixel 14 in the adjacent pixel group 10 located in the N+1th row form a trapezoid.

[0071] In this way, the distance between the sub-pixels of the same color in adjacent pixel groups 10 is increased. On the one hand, this facilitates the production of the mask plate. On the other hand, it avoids the situation where two adjacent sub-pixels of the same color are difficult to distinguish due to the close distance between the adjacent sub-pixels of the same color, and are visually combined into one by the human eye.

[0072] Based on the same inventive concept, the present application also provides a display device, which includes the display panel in the above embodiment.

[0073] Specifically, the display device can be applied to mobile terminals, bionic electronics, electronic skin, wearable devices, vehicle-mounted devices, Internet of Things devices, artificial intelligence devices, and other fields. For example, the display device can be a mobile phone, tablet, PDA, iPod, smart watch, and other digital devices.

[0074] In the case of using “including,” “having,” and “comprising” described herein, another component may be added unless a clear limiting term such as “only,” “consisting of,” etc. is used. Unless mentioned otherwise, a term in the singular form may include a plural form and should not be understood as having one number.

[0075] The technical features of the above-mentioned embodiments can be combined arbitrarily. In order to make the description concise, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above-mentioned embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0076] The above-described embodiments merely illustrate several implementations of the present invention, and while their descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent. It should be noted that a person skilled in the art would be able to make numerous variations and improvements without departing from the spirit of the present invention, all of which fall within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the patent for this invention shall be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A pixel arrangement structure, characterized in that: The device comprises a plurality of repeatedly arranged pixel groups, wherein the pixel groups are arranged in rows along a first direction and in columns along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; the pixel groups in two adjacent rows are staggered in the first direction, and the pixel groups in two adjacent columns are staggered in the second direction; Each of the pixel groups includes a first sub-pixel, a second sub-pixel, and two third sub-pixels located within a virtual hexagon; the virtual hexagon has four sub-pixel regions adjacent to each other in a circumferential direction, and in the same pixel group, the first sub-pixel, the second sub-pixel, and the two third sub-pixels are respectively located within the four sub-pixel regions; A dividing line between any two adjacent sub-pixel regions passes through the center of the virtual hexagon, and any two sub-pixels arranged adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction have different light-emitting areas; In the same pixel group, the first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel respectively have a first inner angle and a second inner angle facing the center of the virtual hexagon corresponding to the pixel group, and the first inner angle and the second inner angle are both set to be obtuse angles; The two third sub-pixels have a third inner angle facing the center of the virtual hexagon corresponding to the pixel group, and the third inner angle is set to be an acute angle; wherein, A line connecting the vertex of the third inner corner and the vertex of the opposite corner of each third sub-pixel is collinear with an extension line of a line connecting the centers of two third sub-pixels in the same pixel group.

2. The pixel arrangement structure according to claim 1, wherein: The virtual hexagon has two first sides extending along a first direction and a second side connected to the first sides; The dividing line between two circumferentially adjacent sub-pixel areas intersects with one of the second edges; the first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel each have a pixel edge corresponding to the first edge, and the third sub-pixel has two pixel edges corresponding to two adjacent second edges.

3. The pixel arrangement structure according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that: The shapes of the first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel are both set to be pentagons; The shape of the third sub-pixel is set to be a quadrilateral.

4. The pixel arrangement structure according to claim 1, wherein: In the same pixel group, the first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel are located on both sides of a first center line, and the two third sub-pixels are located on both sides of a second center line; The first center line extends along a first direction and passes through the center of the corresponding virtual hexagon, and the second center line extends along a second direction and passes through the center of the corresponding virtual hexagon; The first center line is a center line connecting two third sub-pixels in the same pixel group, and the second center line is a center line connecting the first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel in the same pixel group.

5. The pixel arrangement structure according to claim 4, wherein: In the same pixel group, the first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel are symmetrically arranged relative to the first center line corresponding to the pixel group.

6. The pixel arrangement structure according to claim 4, wherein: The first sub-pixels are symmetrically arranged relative to the second center line; The second sub-pixels are also symmetrically arranged relative to the second center line.

7. The pixel arrangement structure according to claim 4, wherein: In the same pixel group, the two third sub-pixels are symmetrically arranged relative to the second center line corresponding to the pixel group.

8. A display panel, characterized in that: Comprising the pixel arrangement structure according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. A display device, characterized in that: Comprising the display panel as claimed in claim 8.

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