Light control panel and display device comprising a light control panel

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a light control panel and a display device including the same. The present disclosure relates to a display device including a display panel including a pixel area and a transmissive area, and a light control panel disposed on a rear surface of the display panel and configured to control light transmittance according to an externally applied data voltage. The light control panel includes a first electrode and a second electrode, a suspension particle layer interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, and an insulating polymer layer interposed between the suspension particle layer and the first electrode and including a conductive metal electrode patterned in the form of an island.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to an optical control panel and a display device including an optical control panel. Background Technology

[0002] Organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays images using organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), which generate light through the recombination of electrons and holes. OLEDs are self-emissive display devices. Due to their fast response times and low power consumption, OLEDs are attracting significant attention as a next-generation display technology.

[0003] Organic light-emitting display devices can be formed as transparent display devices by making the transistors or light-emitting elements within the device transparent, or by separating the circuitry and the transparent portion. A typical transparent display device has a rectangular transparent portion and approximately 40% transparency. In such transparent display devices, the fixed transparent portion allows users to visually identify the background of the transparent display device, thus reducing image readability and making it difficult to achieve a completely black image. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Technical issues

[0005] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a display device that is provided with a suspended particle display (SPD) and thus has improved transmittance and is capable of achieving full black.

[0006] Technical solution

[0007] One embodiment is a display device comprising: a display panel including a pixel region having pixels therein and a transmissive region disposed adjacent to the pixel region; and a light control panel configured to be disposed on the rear surface of the display panel and controlling light transmittance according to an externally applied data voltage. The light control panel includes: a first electrode and a second electrode formed of a transparent conductive material and supplied with a voltage; a suspended particle layer interposed between the first and second electrodes; and an insulating polymer layer interposed between the suspended particle layer and the first electrode, and including conductive metal electrodes patterned in the form of islands.

[0008] The suspended particle layer may include colored suspended particles that are dispersed in a transparent solvent and are charged.

[0009] At least a portion of the metal electrode may be configured to overlap with the pixel region, and the remainder of the metal electrode may be configured to overlap with the transmission region.

[0010] The insulating polymer layer may include a transparent polymer insulating material having multiple pores formed therein. Metal electrodes may be formed to fill all or part of each pore.

[0011] The holes and metal electrodes can be formed such that the width of their top surface in contact with the suspended particle layer is greater than or equal to the width of their bottom surface in contact with the first electrode.

[0012] When a voltage is applied to the first electrode, the voltage can be transmitted to the metal electrode in contact with the first electrode. Suspended particles can be gathered around the metal electrode by the electric field formed between the first and second electrodes.

[0013] When suspended particles gather around the metal electrodes, a portion of the light incident from outside the light control panel can pass through the transmission area of ​​the display panel and the light control panel, and can be emitted onto the top surface of the display panel.

[0014] When no voltage is applied to the first electrode, light incident from outside the light control panel can be blocked by dispersed suspended particles and not emitted to the top surface of the display panel.

[0015] The first electrode can be patterned into multiple regions that are separated from each other and receive voltage independently.

[0016] The size and shape of multiple areas can be determined in response to the split-screen mode provided by the display panel.

[0017] When a voltage is applied to the first region of the multiple regions, the voltage can be transmitted to the first metal electrode disposed on the first region, and suspended particles can only accumulate around the first metal electrode.

[0018] When suspended particles gather only around the first metal electrode, external light incident on the first area can pass through the transmission area and light control panel of the display panel and can be emitted to the top surface of the display panel, while external light incident on the remaining areas can be blocked by the dispersed suspended particles and not emitted to the top surface of the display panel.

[0019] Another embodiment is a light control panel, which includes: a first electrode formed of a transparent conductive material and receiving a first voltage; a second electrode formed of a transparent conductive material and receiving a second voltage; a suspended particle layer interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode; and an insulating polymer layer interposed between the suspended particle layer and the first electrode, and including conductive metal electrodes patterned in the form of islands.

[0020] The suspended particle layer may include colored suspended particles that are dispersed in a transparent solvent and are charged.

[0021] The insulating polymer layer may include a transparent polymer insulating material having multiple pores formed therein. Metal electrodes may be formed to fill all or part of each pore.

[0022] The holes and metal electrodes can be formed such that the width of their top surface in contact with the suspended particle layer is greater than or equal to the width of their bottom surface in contact with the first electrode.

[0023] The ratio of the spacing between metal electrodes to the width of the metal electrodes can be approximately 89%.

[0024] The suspended particle layer can be composed of electronic ink in which carbon black is dispersed in a fluid or oil solvent.

[0025] A layer of suspended particles can be formed by dripping or applying electronic ink between adjacent dike sections.

[0026] Polymer insulating materials can be adhesive films or UV resins.

[0027] Beneficial effects

[0028] The light control panel and the display device including the light control panel according to the embodiment can have improved transmittance, and at the same time, the readability of the image can be improved by achieving full black.

[0029] Furthermore, the light control panel and the display device including the light control panel according to the embodiment have reduced manufacturing costs, and have improved reliability and increased driving speed by driving with low voltage. Attached Figure Description

[0030] Figure 1 This is a schematic plan view of a display device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0031] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional side view of a display device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0032] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 Perspective views of the suspended particle device according to various embodiments;

[0033] Figure 4 This shows the operating status of the display device according to the light-blocking mode of the light control panel;

[0034] Figure 5 The operating status of the display device is shown according to the light transmission mode of the light control panel;

[0035] Figure 6 The transmittance of the display device is shown based on the ratio of the spacing to the width of the metal electrodes;

[0036] Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional side view of a display device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0037] Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional side view of a display device according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0038] Figure 9 yes Figure 8 A three-dimensional view of the suspended particle device shown; and

[0039] Figure 10 This shows the operating status of the display device according to the light-blocking mode of the light control panel. Detailed Implementation

[0040] In the following description, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this specification, when referring to a component (or region, layer, portion) being "on", "connected to", or "combined" with another component, the terms "on", "connected to", or "combined" indicate that a component can be directly connected to / combined with another component, or that a third component can be disposed between the two.

[0041] The same reference numerals correspond to the same components. Furthermore, in the drawings, the thickness, proportions, and dimensions of components are exaggerated for the purpose of effectively describing technical details. The term "and / or" includes all of one or more combinations that the relevant configuration can define.

[0042] While terms such as "first" and "second" may be used to describe various components, these components are not limited to the terms used above. These terms are used only to distinguish one component from other components. For example, a first component may be named a second component without departing from the scope of the various embodiments. Similarly, a second component may be named a first component. Unless otherwise expressly stated in the context, the singular form includes its plural form.

[0043] Terms such as “below,” “lower,” “above,” and “upper” are used to describe the relationships between the components shown in the accompanying drawings. These terms are relative concepts and are described based on the directions shown in the drawings.

[0044] In this specification, it should be understood that the terms "comprising" or "including" are intended to specify the features, quantities, steps, operations, components, parts or any combination thereof described in the specification, and are not intended to preclude the possibility of the presence or addition of at least one other feature, quantity, step, operation, component or part or any combination thereof.

[0045] Figure 1This is a schematic plan view of a display device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0046] Reference Figure 1 The display device 1 includes a pixel region PA in which pixels R, G and B are disposed, and a transmissive region TA disposed adjacent to the pixel region PA.

[0047] The light-emitting devices of pixels R, G, and B can be respectively disposed in pixel region PA, and can emit light according to the amount of current controlled by the driving transistor. Three or four pixels R, G, and B emitting different colors of light can be disposed in one pixel region PA, and this embodiment is not limited thereto. For example, each of pixels R, G, and B can emit light of any color: red, green, and blue. In this embodiment, the sizes of pixels R, G, and B can be the same or different from each other. For example, the area of ​​green pixel G can be larger than the areas of red pixel R and blue pixel B. However, this embodiment is not limited thereto. In one pixel region PA, pixels R, G, and B can be arranged in the row direction or the column direction, or they can be arranged in a matrix. The embodiments disclosed herein are not limited thereto. For example, white pixels may also be included. And combinations of other colors, such as magenta, yellow, and cyan, are also possible.

[0048] The transmission region TA is the area other than the pixel region PA, and pixels R, G, and B are not set in the transmission region TA. The pixel region PA and the transmission region TA can be set continuously without physical separation.

[0049] The transmissive region TA has light-transmitting properties and can be transparent or translucent to transmit incident light. Therefore, the layer laminated on the transmissive region TA can be made of a transparent or translucent material. With the structure including the transmissive region TA, the display device 1 can be used as a transparent display device.

[0050] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional side view of a display device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3 yes Figure 2 The diagram shows a perspective view of a suspended particle device according to various embodiments.

[0051] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 3 The display device 1 according to this embodiment has a structure in which the display panel 100 and the light control panel 200 are stacked.

[0052] The display panel 100 displays an image in response to data signals and scan signals provided by the driving components. (See reference...) Figure 1The display panel 100 includes a pixel region PA and a transmissive region TA. Multiple data lines and multiple gate lines are disposed in the pixel region PA, and pixels R, G, and B are disposed at the intersections of the data lines and gate lines. The transmissive region TA is disposed adjacent to the pixel region PA and is transparent or semi-transparent to transmit incident light.

[0053] The light control panel 200 can be disposed on one surface (e.g., the rear surface) of the display panel 100. The light control panel 200 can be driven according to an externally applied data voltage, and the light transmittance can be controlled. When the light control panel 200 is controlled in light-transmitting mode, the viewer can visually identify the background of the display device 1 through the display panel 100 and the transmittance area TA of the light control panel 200. Conversely, when the light control panel 200 is controlled in light-blocking mode, the background of the display device 1 is blocked by the light control panel 200 and therefore cannot be visually identified by the viewer. Therefore, the quality of the image displayed on the display panel 100 can be improved.

[0054] For this purpose, the light control panel 200 may include a first electrode 210 connected to a first voltage (e.g., a high potential voltage (+)), a second electrode 220 connected to a second voltage (e.g., a low potential voltage (-)), and a suspended particle layer 230 interposed between the first electrode 210 and the second electrode 220. Furthermore, an insulating polymer layer 240 is interposed between the first electrode 210 and the suspended particle layer 230. However, embodiments of this disclosure are not limited to this. For example, the first electrode 210 may be connected to the second voltage (e.g., a low potential voltage (-)), and the second electrode 220 may be connected to the first voltage (e.g., a high potential voltage (+)).

[0055] In this embodiment, the light control panel 200 can be disposed on a substrate (not shown). The substrate can be a light-transmitting substrate that serves as the base substrate of the display device 1. The substrate can be a rigid substrate including glass or tempered glass, or a flexible substrate made of a plastic material. For example, the substrate can be made of a plastic material such as polyimide, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polycarbonate (PC), etc. However, the material of the substrate is not limited to these.

[0056] The first electrode 210 and the second electrode 220 can be formed of a transparent conductive material. For example, the first electrode 210 and the second electrode 220 can be formed of indium tin oxide (ITO), indium zinc oxide (IZO), zinc oxide (ZnO), etc. Therefore, even when the first electrode 210 and the second electrode 220 are arranged to overlap each other in the transmissive region TA of the display panel 100, the transmittance of the display panel 100 will not decrease.

[0057] The suspended particle layer 230 includes an electrical behavior material and may, for example, be composed of a suspended particle device. The suspended particle layer 230 can achieve a light-transmitting mode and a light-blocking mode by adjusting the arrangement or orientation of the suspended particles 231 according to the voltage difference between the first electrode 210 and the second electrode 220.

[0058] The suspended particle layer 230 may include charged suspended particles 231 dispersed in a solvent, and may be composed, for example, of electronic ink. The solvent is a transparent, low-viscosity insulating solvent, which may be composed, for example, of a fluid or an oil (silicone oil).

[0059] The suspended particles 231 are charged colored particles, and their arrangement can be adjusted according to the voltage difference between the first electrode 210 and the second electrode 220. These suspended particles 231 can be, for example, black particles. For example, the suspended particles 231 can be formed from carbon black or Cl pigment black 26 or 28 (e.g., manganese ferrite black spinel or copper chromium black spinel), however, the embodiments are not limited to this.

[0060] The suspended particle layer 230 can be formed by dripping or applying electronic ink between adjacent dikes 232 (or sealant).

[0061] The insulating polymer layer 240 may be made of a transparent polymer insulating material (e.g., an adhesive film, UV resin, etc.). The insulating polymer layer 240 may include metal electrodes 241 patterned in an island-like manner within the transparent polymer insulating material. The metal electrodes 241 may be formed of a conductive material (e.g., silver (Ag), copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), nickel (Ni), or alloys thereof). However, embodiments of this disclosure are not limited thereto. For example, the insulating polymer layer 240 may also include electrodes patterned in an island-like manner within the transparent polymer insulating material and formed of a conductive material other than metal.

[0062] The metal electrode 241 can be patterned regularly or irregularly within the polymer insulating material. The metal electrode 241 is typically configured to overlap with the pixel region PA. In this embodiment, at least a portion of the metal electrode 241 can overlap with the transmissive region TA. One or more metal electrodes 241 overlap with a pixel region PA and a transmissive region TA adjacent to that pixel region, and the number of metal electrodes is not particularly limited.

[0063] like Figure 3 As shown, the metal electrode 241 can have various planar shapes such as quadrilaterals, circles, pentagons, etc. The planar shape of the metal electrode 241 only needs to be a closed island shape. There are no particular restrictions on the shape of the metal electrode.

[0064] like Figure 2 As shown, the metal electrode 241 can be disposed inside the hole H formed in the insulating polymer layer 240. As shown, the hole H can be formed to penetrate the polymer insulating material in a vertical direction. However, the embodiment is not limited to this. Figure 2 As shown, the metal electrode 241 can be formed to fill the entire hole H. In another embodiment, the metal electrode 241 is formed to fill only a portion of the hole H. Referring below... Figure 7 This implementation will be described in more detail.

[0065] In an embodiment, the aperture H can be formed such that its width Wt at the top surface in contact with the suspended particle layer 230 is greater than or equal to its width Wb at the bottom surface in contact with the first electrode 210 (i.e., Wt ≥ Wb). Therefore, the aperture H can obtain a shape corresponding to the metal electrode 241 formed therein.

[0066] Here, depending on the material of the metal electrode 241, the top surface of the metal electrode 241 can be convex or concave as shown in the figure.

[0067] Figure 4 This shows the operating status of the display device according to the light-blocking mode of the light control panel. Figure 5 This indicates the operating status of the display device based on the light transmission mode of the light control panel.

[0068] For reference Figure 2 and Figure 3 The display device 1 according to the embodiment has a suspended particle layer 230. Metal electrodes 241 patterned in the form of islands are formed within the suspended particle layer 230 on an insulating polymer layer 240.

[0069] like Figure 4 As shown, the metal electrode 241 is electrically connected to the first power source via the first electrode 210. When no voltage is applied to the first electrode 210 and the second electrode 220, the suspended particles 231 are dispersed within the suspended particle layer 230 and block external light applied to the rear surface of the display device 1. Therefore, a light-blocking mode is achieved where light from the back of the display device 1 cannot pass through. Figure 4 As shown, when the light control panel 200 is driven in light-blocking mode, the contrast of the image displayed on the display panel 100 can be increased, and readability can be improved.

[0070] When a voltage is applied to the first electrode 210, the voltage is transmitted to the metal electrode 241 connected to the first electrode 210. Then, the suspended particles 231 dispersed in the suspended particle layer 230 can be gathered around the metal electrode 241 by the electric field formed between the metal electrode 241 and the second electrode 220.

[0071] Because the suspended particles 231 aggregate around the metal electrode 241, only the first electrode 210, the transparent polymer insulating material, the fluid of the suspended particle layer 230, and the second electrode 220 are stacked in the area where the metal electrode 241 is not formed. Therefore, external light can pass through the front surface of the light control panel 200, and the light transmission mode of the light control panel 200 is achieved. Figure 5 As shown, when the light control panel 200 is implemented in a light-transmitting mode, the user can visually identify the background of the display panel 100 through the transmission area TA, and the display device 1 can be implemented as a transparent display device.

[0072] When at least a portion of the metal electrode 241 is configured to overlap with the transmissive region TA of the display panel 100, the metal electrode 241 may reduce the transmittance of the display device 1. Specifically, when the size of the metal electrode 241 increases, the metal electrode 241 and the suspended particles 231 gathered around it may reduce the transmittance of the display device 1 and may obstruct the user's view in the light-transmitting mode. Therefore, the size of the metal electrode 241 can be appropriately selected so that the transmittance of the display device 1 does not decrease and the image quality does not deteriorate.

[0073] Figure 6 This shows the transmittance of a display device based on the ratio of the pitch to the width of the metal electrodes.

[0074] In reference Figure 2 and Figure 3 In the described display device 1, when the metal electrode 241 occupies a large proportion, the user can visually identify the metal electrode 241, thereby reducing the transmittance of the display device 1. Conversely, when the metal electrode 241 occupies a small proportion, suspended particles 231 are not sufficiently collected, thus degrading the image quality. Therefore, the proportion of the metal electrode 241 in the insulating polymer layer 240 should be appropriately selected so that the transmittance of the display device 1 does not decrease and the image quality does not degrade.

[0075] Reference Figure 6 When the width W1 of the metal electrode 241 decreases or the spacing W2 between the metal electrodes 241 increases, and thus the ratio of spacing W2 to width W1 (W2 / W1) increases, the visibility of the metal electrode 241 relative to the transmission region TA can be reduced, and the transmittance of the display device 1 can be increased. Conversely, when the width W1 of the metal electrode 241 increases or the spacing W2 between the metal electrodes 241 decreases, and thus the ratio of spacing W2 to width W1 (W2 / W1) decreases, the visibility of the metal electrode 241 relative to the transmission region TA can be increased, and the transmittance of the display device 1 can be decreased.

[0076] In the example shown, the metal electrode 241 can be formed with a pitch W2 to width W1 ratio (W2 / W1) of approximately 89% to obtain a collection force for the suspended particles 231 without reducing the transmittance of the display device 1. However, the implementation is not limited to this. For example, the pitch W2 to width W1 ratio (W2 / W1) can be approximately 85% to 95%, approximately 80% to 98%, etc.

[0077] Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional side view of a display device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0078] Reference Figure 7 In another embodiment of the display device 2, the metal electrode 241 is formed to fill only a portion of the hole H formed in the insulating polymer layer 240. In such an embodiment, the total height of the hole “hp” is greater than the height “hi” of the metal electrode 241 (hp>hi).

[0079] In this embodiment, when a voltage is applied to the first electrode 210, the voltage is transmitted to the metal electrode 241 connected to the first electrode 210. Then, the suspended particles 231 dispersed in the suspended particle layer 230 can be gathered around the metal electrode 241 by the electric field formed between the metal electrode 241 and the second electrode 220.

[0080] Here, suspended particles 231 can be introduced into the hole H of the unfilled metal electrode 241. In this embodiment, the collecting force of the metal electrode 241 for suspended particles 231 can be improved, and the operating efficiency and reliability of the transmission mode can be enhanced.

[0081] Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional side view of a display device according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 9 yes Figure 8 A three-dimensional view of the suspended particle device shown.

[0082] Reference Figure 8 According to another embodiment, the display device 3 has a structure in which the display panel 100 and the light control panel 300 are stacked.

[0083] The display panel 100 displays an image in response to data signals and scan signals provided by the driving components. (See reference...) Figure 1 The display panel 100 includes a pixel region PA and a transmissive region TA. Multiple data lines and multiple gate lines are disposed in the pixel region PA, and pixels R, G, and B are disposed at the intersections of the data lines and gate lines. The transmissive region TA is disposed adjacent to the pixel region PA and is transparent or semi-transparent to transmit incident light.

[0084] The light control panel 300 can be disposed on one surface (e.g., the rear surface) of the display panel 100. The light control panel 300 can be driven according to an externally applied data voltage, and the light transmittance can be controlled. When the light control panel 300 is controlled in light-transmitting mode, a viewer can visually identify the background of the display device 3 through the display panel 100 and the transmittance area TA of the light control panel 300. Conversely, when the light control panel 300 is controlled in light-blocking mode, the background of the display device 3 is blocked by the light control panel 300 and therefore cannot be visually identified by the viewer. Therefore, the quality of the image displayed on the display panel 100 can be improved.

[0085] The light control panel 300 may include a first electrode 310 connected to a first voltage (e.g., a high potential voltage (+)), a second electrode 320 connected to a second voltage (e.g., a low potential voltage (-)), and a suspended particle layer 330 interposed between the first electrode 310 and the second electrode 320. Furthermore, an insulating polymer layer 340 is interposed between the first electrode 310 and the suspended particle layer 330.

[0086] In this embodiment, the light control panel 300 may be disposed on a substrate (not shown). The substrate may be a light-transmitting substrate that serves as the base substrate of the display device 3. The substrate may be a rigid substrate comprising glass or tempered glass, or a flexible substrate made of a plastic material. For example, the substrate may be made of a plastic material such as polyimide, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polycarbonate (PC), etc. However, the material of the substrate is not limited to these.

[0087] The first electrode 310 and the second electrode 320 can be formed of a transparent conductive material. For example, the first electrode 310 and the second electrode 320 can be formed of indium tin oxide (ITO), indium zinc oxide (IZO), zinc oxide (ZnO), etc. Therefore, even when the first electrode 310 and the second electrode 320 are arranged to overlap each other in the transmissive region TA of the display panel 100, the transmittance of the display panel 100 will not decrease.

[0088] and Figure 2 and Figure 3 Compared to the embodiment shown, in this embodiment, the first electrode 310 can be patterned into multiple separate regions, such as... Figure 9 As shown. The patterned first electrode 310 can have a matrix shape as shown. However, the implementation is not limited to this, and in various other embodiments, the first electrode 310 can have a strip shape, etc. Here, the patterned areas can be connected to the first power source independently.

[0089] Here, the patterned size and shape of the first electrode 310 can be determined in various ways in response to the screen area setting in order to provide split screen modes such as picture-in-picture (PIP), picture-beside-picture (PBP), etc., as described later. That is, each pattern of the first electrode 310 can be set in response to at least one pixel area PA and / or at least one transmissive area TA, and there are no particular limitations on the patterned size and shape of the first electrode 310.

[0090] The suspended particle layer 330 includes an electrical material and may, for example, be composed of a suspended particle device. The suspended particle layer 330 can achieve a light-transmitting mode and a light-blocking mode by adjusting the arrangement or orientation of the suspended particles 331 according to the voltage difference between the first electrode 310 and the second electrode 320.

[0091] The suspended particle layer 330 may include charged suspended particles 331 dispersed in a solvent, and may be composed, for example, of electronic ink. The solvent is a transparent, low-viscosity insulating solvent, which may be composed, for example, of a fluid or an oil (silicone oil).

[0092] The suspended particles 331 are charged colored particles, and may be, for example, black particles. For example, the suspended particles 331 may be formed from carbon black or Cl pigment black 26 or 28 (e.g., manganese ferrite black spinel or copper chromium black spinel). However, the embodiments are not limited to this.

[0093] The suspended particle layer 330 can be formed by dripping or applying electronic ink between adjacent dikes 332 (or sealant).

[0094] The insulating polymer layer 340 may be made of a transparent polymer insulating material (e.g., an adhesive film, UV resin, etc.). The insulating polymer layer 340 may include metal electrodes 341 patterned in the form of islands within the transparent polymer insulating material. The metal electrodes 341 may be formed of a conductive material (e.g., silver (Ag), copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), nickel (Ni), or alloys thereof).

[0095] The metal electrode 341 can be patterned regularly or irregularly within the polymer insulating material. The metal electrode 341 can generally be configured to overlap with the pixel region PA. In this embodiment, at least a portion of the metal electrode 341 can be configured to overlap with the transmissive region TA. Furthermore, one or more metal electrodes 341 can be provided in response to a pattern of the first electrode 310, and the number of metal electrodes 341 is not particularly limited.

[0096] like Figure 9As shown, the metal electrode 341 can have various planar shapes such as quadrilaterals, circles, pentagons, etc. The planar shape of the metal electrode 341 only needs to be a closed island shape. There are no particular restrictions on the shape of the metal electrode.

[0097] like Figure 8 As shown, the metal electrode 341 can be disposed inside the hole H formed in the insulating polymer layer 340. As shown, the hole H can be formed to extend through the insulating polymer layer 340 in a vertical direction. However, the embodiment is not limited to this. Figure 8 As shown, the metal electrode 341 can be formed to fill the entire hole H. In another embodiment, the metal electrode 341 is formed to fill only a portion of the hole H.

[0098] In an embodiment, the aperture H can be formed such that its width Wt at the top surface in contact with the suspended particle layer 330 is greater than or equal to its width Wb at the bottom surface in contact with the first electrode 310 (i.e., Wt ≥ Wb). Therefore, the aperture H can obtain a shape corresponding to the metal electrode 341 formed therein.

[0099] Figure 10 This shows the operating status of the display device according to the light-blocking mode of the light control panel.

[0100] For reference Figure 8 and Figure 9 In the display device 3 according to the embodiment, the first electrode 310 can be patterned into multiple regions.

[0101] like Figure 8 As shown, the metal electrode 341 is electrically connected to the first power source via the first electrode 310. When no voltage is applied to the first electrode 310 and the second electrode 320, the suspended particles 331 are dispersed inside the suspended particle layer 330 and block external light applied to the rear surface of the display device 3, etc. Therefore, a light-blocking mode is achieved, which prevents light from passing through the back of the display device 3.

[0102] When a voltage is applied to the first electrode 310, the voltage is transmitted to the metal electrode 341 connected to the first electrode 310. Specifically, in this embodiment, the voltage may be applied only to a first region of the patterned first electrode 310. Then, an electric field is formed only between the first region of the first electrode 310 to which the voltage has been applied and the second electrode 320. The suspended particles 331 then aggregate around the metal electrode 341, and remain dispersed in the remaining regions.

[0103] External light applied to the rear surface of the display device 3 is transmitted through the front surface of the light control panel 300 in the first area where suspended particles 331 are concentrated, and the transmission of light is blocked in the remaining areas. That is, the display device 3 can be driven locally in both light-transmitting and light-blocking modes.

[0104] In one embodiment, when an image is displayed only in a localized area of ​​the display panel 100 and not displayed in the remaining areas, a voltage can be applied to the pattern of the first electrode 310 for the localized areas where no image is displayed. Then, in the areas where the image is displayed, the light control panel 300 operates in a light-blocking mode and improves image readability, while in the remaining areas, the light control panel 300 operates in a light-transmitting mode and enables the display device 3 to function as a transparent display device.

[0105] In another embodiment, when a first image requiring high readability is displayed on some areas of the display panel 100 (e.g., text, basic UI, etc.), while a second image requiring less readability is displayed on the remaining areas of the display panel 100, the voltage can be controlled to be applied to the first electrode 310 in a pattern specific to the local area where the second image is displayed. The light control panel 300 then operates in a light-blocking mode in the area where the first image is displayed, thereby improving the readability of the first image.

[0106] Although embodiments of the invention have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art will understand that the invention can be practiced in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics of the invention. Therefore, the foregoing embodiments and advantages are merely exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the invention. This teaching can be readily applied to other types of devices. The foregoing description of embodiments is intended to be illustrative and not to limit the scope of the claims. Various substitutions, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. In the claims, the device plus function clause is intended to cover structures described herein that perform the functions described herein, and includes not only structural equivalents but also equivalent structures.

[0107] Cross-reference to related applications

[0108] This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0178890, filed on December 14, 2021, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.

Claims

1. A display device, the display device comprising: The display panel includes a pixel area with pixels and a transmissive area adjacent to the pixel area. as well as A light control panel is disposed on the surface of the display panel and configured to control light transmittance based on an externally applied data voltage. The light control panel includes: The first electrode and the second electrode are formed of a transparent conductive material and are supplied with a voltage; A suspended particle layer, the suspended particle layer being inserted between the first electrode and the second electrode; and An insulating polymer layer is interposed between the suspended particle layer and the first electrode, and includes conductive metal electrodes patterned in the form of islands. Specifically, a portion of the metal electrode is configured to overlap with the pixel region, and the remaining portion of the metal electrode is configured to overlap with the transmissive region. The first electrode is patterned into multiple regions, which are separated from each other and receive voltage independently to provide a split-screen mode, and one or more of the metal electrodes are disposed on each pattern of the first electrode. The metal electrode is formed such that the width of the top surface of the metal electrode in contact with the suspended particle layer is greater than the width of the bottom surface of the metal electrode in contact with the first electrode.

2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein, The light control panel is disposed on the bottom surface of the display panel, opposite to the top surface of the display panel used for displaying images.

3. The display device according to claim 2, wherein, The suspended particle layer comprises colored suspended particles that are dispersed in a transparent solvent and are charged.

4. The display device according to claim 3, wherein, The suspended particles are black.

5. The display device according to claim 3, in, The insulating polymer layer comprises a transparent polymer insulating material with multiple pores, and The metal electrode is formed to fill all or part of each of the plurality of holes.

6. The display device according to claim 5, wherein, The hole is formed such that the width of the hole at the top surface in contact with the suspended particle layer is greater than the width of the hole at the bottom surface in contact with the first electrode.

7. The display device according to claim 5, wherein, When a voltage is applied to the first electrode, the voltage is transmitted to the metal electrode in contact with the first electrode, and wherein the suspended particles are gathered around the metal electrode by an electric field formed between the first electrode and the second electrode.

8. The display device according to claim 7, wherein, When the suspended particles gather around the metal electrodes, a portion of the light incident from outside the light control panel passes through the transmission area of ​​the display panel and the light control panel, and is emitted onto the top surface of the display panel.

9. The display device according to claim 5, wherein, When no voltage is applied to the first electrode, light incident from outside the light control panel is blocked by the dispersed suspended particles and is not emitted onto the top surface of the display panel.

10. The display device according to claim 5, wherein, The size and shape of the plurality of regions are determined in response to the split-screen mode provided by the display panel.

11. The display device according to claim 10, wherein, When a voltage is applied to a first region among the plurality of regions, the voltage is transmitted to a first metal electrode disposed on the first region, and the suspended particles only gather around the first metal electrode in the first region.

12. The display device according to claim 11, wherein, When the suspended particles are concentrated only around the first metal electrode in the first region, external light incident on the first region passes through the transmission area of ​​the display panel and the light control panel and is emitted to the top surface of the display panel, while external light incident on the remaining regions among the plurality of regions is blocked by the dispersed suspended particles and is not emitted to the top surface of the display panel.

13. The display device according to claim 5, wherein, When an image is displayed only on a portion of the display panel and not on the rest of the display panel, voltage is not applied to the region of the plurality of regions of the first electrode that overlaps with the portion of the display panel, but to the remaining regions of the plurality of regions.

14. The display device according to claim 2, wherein, The first electrode is positioned above or below the second electrode.

15. The display device according to claim 2, wherein, The first electrode is configured to receive one of a high potential voltage and a low potential voltage, and the second electrode is configured to receive the other of the high potential voltage and the low potential voltage.

16. A light control panel, the light control panel comprising: A first electrode, which is formed of a transparent conductive material and receives a first voltage; The second electrode is formed of a transparent conductive material and receives a second voltage; A suspended particle layer is inserted between the first electrode and the second electrode; as well as An insulating polymer layer is interposed between the suspended particle layer and the first electrode, and includes conductive metal electrodes patterned in the form of islands. Specifically, a portion of the metal electrode is configured to overlap with the pixel area of ​​the display panel, and the remaining portion of the metal electrode is configured to overlap with the transmissive area of ​​the display panel. The first electrode is patterned into multiple regions, which are separated from each other and receive voltage independently to provide a split-screen mode, and one or more of the metal electrodes are disposed on each pattern of the first electrode. The metal electrode is formed such that the width of the top surface of the metal electrode in contact with the suspended particle layer is greater than the width of the bottom surface of the metal electrode in contact with the first electrode.

17. The optical control panel according to claim 16, wherein, The suspended particle layer comprises colored suspended particles that are dispersed in a transparent solvent and are charged.

18. The optical control panel according to claim 17, in, The insulating polymer layer comprises a transparent polymer insulating material with multiple pores, and The metal electrode is formed to fill all or part of each of the plurality of holes.

19. The optical control panel according to claim 18, wherein, The hole and the metal electrode are formed such that the width of the hole and the metal electrode at the top surface in contact with the suspended particle layer is greater than or equal to the width of the hole and the metal electrode at the bottom surface in contact with the first electrode.

20. The optical control panel according to claim 18, wherein, The ratio of the spacing between the metal electrodes to the width of the metal electrodes is 89%.

21. The optical control panel according to claim 18, wherein, The suspended particle layer consists of electronic ink in which carbon black is dispersed in a fluid.

22. The optical control panel according to claim 18, wherein, The suspended particle layer consists of electronic ink in which carbon black is dispersed in an oil solvent.

23. The optical control panel according to claim 21 or 22, wherein, The suspended particle layer is formed by dripping or applying the electronic ink between adjacent dikes.

24. The optical control panel according to claim 18, wherein, The polymer insulating material is an adhesive film or a UV resin.

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