Optical path control device and display device including the same

Abstract

The present disclosure discloses a light path control device and a display device comprising the same. The light path control device comprises a first substrate, a first electrode disposed on the first substrate, a second substrate disposed on the first substrate, a second electrode disposed below the second substrate, and a light conversion layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, the light conversion layer comprising alternately arranged partition portions and containing portions, the containing portions comprising suspended particles, wherein the first electrode comprises a first auxiliary electrode disposed on a first region of the first substrate and a second auxiliary electrode disposed on a second region of the first substrate.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0189140, filed on December 28, 2021, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure relates to an optical path control device and a display device including the optical path control device. Background Technology

[0004] Light-blocking films can be used as light path control devices, which control the path of light based on the incident angle of external light to block light from a specific direction and allow light from another specific direction to pass through. Light-blocking films can be attached to display devices such as cellular phones, laptops, tablet PCs, and vehicle navigation systems to adjust the viewing angle when outputting images or to achieve clear display quality within a specific viewing angle.

[0005] Recently, a switchable light-shielding film capable of opening / closing a viewing angle control mode based on the user's environment has been developed. This switchable light-shielding film blocks or opens the optical path by controlling the dispersion and aggregation of electrically conductive particles in a solvent according to the electric field formed therein. By using this switchable light-shielding film, private and shared modes for display devices can be achieved.

[0006] As the operating time of the switchable light-shielding film increases, electric field deviations may occur between regions due to factors such as the penetration of external sealant and / or temperature variations during operation, leading to inappropriate control over particle behavior. For example, when the electric field strength decreases in the edge regions, particles may concentrate in the central region, thereby reducing brightness in the edge regions under shared mode. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The embodiment provides an optical path control device for uniformly controlling particle behavior throughout a region by using patterned electrodes, and a display device including the optical path control device.

[0008] The embodiment also provides an optical path control device for resolving electric field deviation by applying different voltages to a first region and a second region via a first electrode disposed in a first region and a second electrode disposed in a second region, and a display device including the optical path control device.

[0009] The embodiment provides an optical path control device that minimizes the electrical stress applied to particles by periodically changing the voltage applied to the electrodes, and a display device including the optical path control device.

[0010] The optical path control device according to an embodiment includes: a first substrate, a first electrode disposed on the first substrate, a second substrate disposed on the first substrate, a second electrode disposed below the second substrate, and a light conversion layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The light conversion layer includes alternately arranged separating portions and containing portions, the containing portions including suspended particles. The first electrode may include a first auxiliary electrode disposed on a first region of the first substrate and a second auxiliary electrode disposed on a second region of the first substrate.

[0011] The first region may be the central region of the first substrate, and the second region may be at least a portion of the edge region of the first substrate.

[0012] The first auxiliary electrode may include a plurality of first extension portions spaced apart from each other in a second direction in the central region of the first substrate and a first connecting portion connecting the plurality of first extension portions, and the second auxiliary electrode may include a plurality of second extension portions spaced apart from each other in a second direction in the edge region of the first substrate and a second connecting portion connecting the plurality of second extension portions.

[0013] The receiving portion of the light conversion layer can be configured such that the central region of the receiving portion overlaps with a plurality of first extension portions, and the end region of the receiving portion overlaps with a plurality of second extension portions.

[0014] In private mode, no voltage may be applied to the first and second electrodes. In shared mode, voltage may be applied to the first and second electrodes, and different voltage levels may be applied to the first and second auxiliary electrodes based on the mode of the optical path control device.

[0015] During the shared mode, a pulse voltage in which the holding voltage and the idle voltage alternate every preset pulse width can be applied to the first electrode.

[0016] The pulse voltage can be configured to alternate between a first holding voltage and a first idle voltage during a first period of the shared mode, and between a second holding voltage different from the first holding voltage and a second idle voltage different from the first idle voltage during a second period of the shared mode.

[0017] The width of one end of the receiving portion that contacts the first electrode may be different from the width of the other end of the receiving portion that contacts the second electrode.

[0018] Suspended particles in the containment portion can aggregate in the wider direction of the containment portion by the electric field formed when a voltage is applied to the first electrode and the second electrode.

[0019] A display device according to an embodiment includes: a display panel including pixels disposed therein and configured to display an image; a gate driver configured to apply a gate signal to the pixels; a data driver configured to apply a data signal to the pixels synchronously with the gate signal; a controller configured to control the gate driver and the data driver to display an image on the display panel; and a light path control device configured to control the path of light emitted from the display panel according to an operating mode. The light path control device may include: a first substrate, a first electrode disposed on the first substrate, a second electrode disposed on the first substrate, a second electrode disposed below the second substrate, and a light conversion layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, the light conversion layer including alternately arranged separating portions and receiving portions, the receiving portions including suspended particles. The first electrode may include a first auxiliary electrode disposed on a first region of the first substrate and a second auxiliary electrode disposed on a second region of the first substrate.

[0020] The first region may be the central region of the first substrate, and the second region may be at least a portion of the edge region of the first substrate.

[0021] The first auxiliary electrode may include a plurality of first extension portions spaced apart from each other in a second direction in the central region of the first substrate and a first connecting portion connecting the plurality of first extension portions, and the second auxiliary electrode may include a plurality of second extension portions spaced apart from each other in a second direction in the edge region of the first substrate and a second connecting portion connecting the plurality of second extension portions.

[0022] The receiving portion of the light conversion layer can be configured such that the central region of the receiving portion overlaps with a plurality of first extension portions, and the end region of the receiving portion overlaps with a plurality of second extension portions.

[0023] The controller can apply no voltage to the first and second electrodes in private mode, but can apply voltage to the first and second electrodes in shared mode. The controller can also apply different voltage levels to the first and second auxiliary electrodes based on the mode of the optical path control device.

[0024] The controller can apply a pulse voltage, in which a holding voltage and an idle voltage alternate every preset pulse width, to the first electrode during shared mode.

[0025] The controller can apply a first pulse voltage, wherein a first holding voltage and a first idle voltage alternate, to the first electrode during a first time period of the shared mode, and apply a second pulse voltage, wherein a second holding voltage different from the first holding voltage and a second idle voltage different from the first idle voltage alternate, to the first electrode during a second time period of the shared mode.

[0026] The width of one end of the receiving portion that contacts the first electrode may be different from the width of the other end of the receiving portion that contacts the second electrode.

[0027] Suspended particles in the containment portion can aggregate in the wider direction of the containment portion by the electric field formed when a voltage is applied to the first electrode and the second electrode. Attached Figure Description

[0028] Figure 1 This is a schematic perspective view of the optical path control device according to the embodiment;

[0029] Figure 2 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the optical path control device in private mode;

[0030] Figure 3 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the optical path control device in shared mode;

[0031] Figure 4 It is a diagram used to describe the uniformity of the electric field occurring in an optical path control device;

[0032] Figure 5 This is a diagram showing the first electrode of the optical path control device according to an embodiment;

[0033] Figure 6 This is a schematic perspective view of the optical path control device in private mode according to the embodiment;

[0034] Figure 7 This is a schematic perspective view of the optical path control device in shared mode according to the embodiment;

[0035] Figure 8 This is a plan view of another optical conversion layer in the shared mode according to the implementation method;

[0036] Figure 9 It is a timing diagram showing the waveform of the voltage applied to the optical path control device;

[0037] Figure 10 It is a time-series plot showing how edge brightness changes over time; and

[0038] Figure 11 This is a block diagram of a display device according to an embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0039] In the following description, embodiments will be illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this document, when a component (or region, layer, portion, etc.) is referred to as being "on another component," "connected to," or "coupled to" another component, this may mean that the component can be directly connected to / coupled to the other component, or that a third component may be disposed therein.

[0040] The same reference numerals refer to the same parts. Throughout the drawings, the thickness, proportions, and dimensions of parts are enlarged for effective description of technical matters. "And / or" may include one or more combinations that can be defined by the related parts.

[0041] Various components may be described using terms such as first, second, etc., but these components are not limited to these terms. These terms may be used for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another. For example, without departing from the scope of the claims described herein, a first element may be named a second element, and similarly, a second element may be named a first element. Singular forms include plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0042] Terms such as "below," "under," "above," and "over" are used to describe the relationships between the components shown in the accompanying drawings. These terms have related concepts and are described based on the directions shown in the drawings.

[0043] The terms “comprising,” “having,” etc., indicate the presence of the features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, parts, or combinations thereof described herein, and do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0044] Figure 1 This is a schematic perspective view of the optical path control device according to an embodiment. Figure 2 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the optical path control device in private mode. Figure 3 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the optical path control device in shared mode. More specifically, Figure 2 and Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the optical path control device taken along the first direction X.

[0045] Reference Figures 1 to 3 The optical path control device 1 may include a central region CA and an edge region EA surrounding the central region CA. In the illustrated embodiment, the central region CA may be a rectangular shape. However, the current embodiment is not limited to this, and the central region CA may have various shapes, such as circular, elliptical, polygonal, etc. The edge region EA may be configured to surround the central region CA, and its external shape may follow the overall shape of the optical path control device 1.

[0046] The optical path control device 1 may include a first substrate 110, a second substrate 120, a first electrode 210, a second electrode 220, and a light conversion layer 300.

[0047] The first substrate 110, which serves as the substrate for the optical path control device 1, can be a light-transmitting substrate. The first substrate 110 can be a rigid substrate comprising glass or tempered glass, or a flexible substrate made of plastic material. For example, the first substrate 110, as a flexible polymer film, can include any one of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polycarbonate (PC), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer (ABS), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polyethersulfone (PES), cyclic olefin copolymer (COC), triacetyl cellulose (TAC) film, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) film, polyimide (PI), and polystyrene (PS). However, the material of the first substrate 110 is not limited to these.

[0048] The first electrode 210 may be disposed on the surface (e.g., the top surface) of the first substrate 110. The first electrode 210 may be inserted between the first substrate 110 and the second substrate 120, which will be described below. The first electrode 210 may be disposed on the first substrate 110 in the form of a surface electrode or a patterned electrode. Reference will be made below. Figure 5 The detailed structure of the first electrode 210 is described in more detail.

[0049] The first electrode 210 may include a transparent conductive material. For example, the first electrode 210 may be formed of indium tin oxide (ITO), indium zinc oxide (IZO), copper oxide, tin oxide, zinc oxide (ZnO), titanium oxide, etc. In an embodiment, the light transmittance of the first electrode 210 may be greater than or equal to about 80%. The first electrode 210 is not visible from the outside, and its light transmittance can be increased, thereby improving the brightness of the display device including the light path control device 1.

[0050] In another embodiment, the first electrode 210 may include various metals to achieve low resistance. For example, the first electrode 210 may include at least one metal selected from chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), silver (Ag), molybdenum (Mo), gold (Au), titanium (Ti), and alloys thereof.

[0051] The second substrate 120 may be disposed on the first substrate 110. The second substrate 120, which is a light-transmitting substrate, may include the same or similar material as the first substrate 110.

[0052] The second electrode 220 may be disposed on the surface (e.g., the bottom surface) of the second substrate 120. The second electrode 220 may be inserted between the first substrate 110 and the second substrate 120. The second electrode 220 may be disposed on the bottom surface of the second substrate 120 in the form of a surface electrode.

[0053] The second electrode 220 may include a transparent conductive material and various metals for achieving low resistance. The second substrate 220 may include the same or similar material as the first substrate 210.

[0054] The second electrode 220 may be configured to at least partially or completely overlap with the first electrode 210, or to be configured to be at least adjacent to the first electrode 210. Therefore, when a voltage is applied to the first electrode 210 and the second electrode 220, an electric field can be formed between them.

[0055] The light conversion layer 300 can be inserted between the first substrate 110 and the second substrate 120. The light conversion layer 300 may include a separating portion 310 and a receiving portion 320. More specifically, the light conversion layer 300 may include a receiving portion 320 divided into multiple regions by the separating portion 310.

[0056] In the light conversion layer 300, the receiving portion 320 can extend relatively long in the first direction X. That is, the receiving portion 320 can extend relatively long from the central region of the first substrate 110 to its edge.

[0057] The separating portion 310 and the receiving portion 320 in the light conversion layer 300 can be alternately arranged in the second direction Y. In this case, the separating portion 310 and the receiving portion 320 can have the same or different widths in the second direction Y.

[0058] The separating portion 310 may include a transparent, light-transmitting material. For example, the separating portion 310 may include an ultraviolet (UV) resin or a photoresist resin as a light-curing resin. Alternatively, the separating portion 310 may include a polyurethane resin, an acrylic resin, etc. The separating portion 310 allows light incident on the first substrate 110 or the second substrate 120 to pass through it in opposite directions.

[0059] The receiving portion 320 may have the same or different upper and lower widths. In the illustrated embodiment, the receiving portion 320 will be described in an example where the lower width adjacent to the first substrate 110 is greater than the upper width adjacent to the second substrate 120.

[0060] The surface of the receiving portion 320 can be configured to overlap with the first electrode 210. The other surface of the receiving portion 320 can be configured to overlap with the second electrode 220.

[0061] The containment portion 320 may include a dispersion liquid 321 and suspended particles 322 dispersed in the dispersion liquid 321. The dispersion liquid 321 fills the containment portion 320, and the suspended particles 322 may be dispersed in the dispersion liquid 321.

[0062] The dispersion liquid 321, which serves as the solvent for the suspended particles 322, can be a transparent and low-viscosity insulating solvent. For example, the dispersion liquid 321 may include at least one material selected from halogenated hydrocarbon oils, paraffinic oils, and isopropanol.

[0063] The suspended particles 322 can be colored electrical particles, such as black particles. The suspended particles 322 can be, but are not limited to, carbon black particles. The receiving portion 320 can be electrically connected to the first electrode 210 and the second electrode 220, and the charged suspended particles 322 can be controlled according to their arrangement based on the voltage difference between the first electrode 210 and the second electrode 220. The light conversion layer 300 can realize light transmission mode and light blocking mode according to the arrangement of the suspended particles 322.

[0064] More specifically, when no voltage is applied to the first electrode 210 and the second electrode 220, such as Figure 2 As shown, the suspended particles 322 can be uniformly dispersed in the dispersion liquid 321, thereby achieving a light-blocking mode that blocks the transmission of external light. In this case, external light applied to the partition portion 310 can pass through the light conversion layer 300, making the external light visible from the front of the light path control device 1. That is, the light path control device 1 can achieve a private mode in which the field of view is opened for a specific viewing angle (e.g., a frontal view) while the field of view is blocked for another viewing angle (e.g., a side view).

[0065] like Figure 3 As shown, when a voltage is applied to at least one of the first electrode 210 and the second electrode 220, the suspended particles 322 can be as follows: Figure 3 The suspended particles 322 move toward the first electrode 210 or the second electrode 220 via an electric field. In this case, the direction of movement of the suspended particles 322 can be controlled according to the polarity (negative or positive) of the suspended particles 322 and the relative magnitude of the voltages applied to the first electrode 210 and the second electrode 220.

[0066] When suspended particles 322 gather around the first electrode 210 or the second electrode 220, external light can pass through the separating portion 310 and the containing portion 320, thereby achieving a light transmission mode. In other words, the optical path control device 1 can achieve a shared mode in which the field of view is opened for both the front and the side.

[0067] In one embodiment, an adhesive layer may be further disposed between the light conversion layer 300 and the first substrate 110 and / or between the light conversion layer 300 and the second substrate 120. For example, an adhesive layer may be inserted between the light conversion layer 300 and the first electrode 210 and / or between the light conversion layer 300 and the second electrode 220. The adhesive layer may be formed on the first substrate 110 and the second substrate 120 to improve coating performance and adhesion performance, and may be, for example, a conductive primer. In such an embodiment, the conductive primer may include a curable resin that is cured by energy such as heat, ultraviolet light, electron beams, etc. The curable resin may be, for example, but not limited to, silicone resin, acrylic resin, methacrylic resin, epoxy resin, melamine resin, polyester resin, polyurethane resin, etc.

[0068] In an embodiment, a heating layer may be further disposed between the light conversion layer 300 and the first substrate 110 and / or between the light conversion layer 300 and the second substrate 120. The heating layer may be a heating element that generates heat when electricity is applied thereto, and may include indium tin oxide (ITO), copper (Cu), silver (Ag), or nanowires (Ag / silver nanowires). The heating layer may include a transparent, light-transmitting material. The heat generated in the heating layer can be transferred to the light conversion layer 300 to increase the activity of the dispersion liquid 321 and the suspended particles 322 within the dispersion liquid 321. When the movement speed of the suspended particles 322 increases in this way, the switching speed between light blocking mode and light transmission mode can be improved. Furthermore, when the temperature of the light conversion layer 300 is appropriately maintained by the heating layer, the influence of ambient temperature on the optical path control device 1 can be reduced, and the operating temperature range of the optical path control device 1 can be enhanced.

[0069] Figure 4 This is a diagram used to describe the uniformity of the electric field occurring in an optical path control device. More specifically, Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of the optical path control device taken along the second direction Y when the first electrode has the form of a surface electrode.

[0070] When using the optical path control device 1, the internal temperature of the device may rise due to the applied voltage. In this case, the calorific value may vary depending on the region of the optical path control device 1. Generally, the calorific value is high in the central region CA of the optical path control device 1, and low in the edge regions EA.

[0071] Such temperature deviations can lead to electric field deviations between different regions of the optical path control device 1 in shared mode. For example, in the lower-temperature edge region EA, resistance may increase, thereby reducing the electric field strength. In this case, as... Figure 4As shown, suspended particles 322 move from an edge region EA with a low electric field strength to a central region CA with a high electric field strength. Then, the density of suspended particles 322 decreases in the edge region EA, failing to adequately block light transmission, and due to the partially opened side viewing angle, the user can see bright lines at the edges.

[0072] Furthermore, when operating in shared mode for an extended period of time, suspended particles 322 may continuously receive electrical stress, causing them to coalesce and thus resulting in scintillation defects.

[0073] The detailed structure of the optical path control device 1 used to solve the problem will be described below.

[0074] Figure 5 This is a diagram showing the first electrode of the optical path control device according to an embodiment.

[0075] Reference Figure 5 The first electrode 210 may be disposed on the first substrate 110 in the form of a patterned electrode with a specific pattern. For example, the first electrode 210 may include a first auxiliary electrode 211 and a second auxiliary electrode 212.

[0076] The first auxiliary electrode 211 may be disposed on a first region of the first substrate 110, and the second auxiliary electrode 212 may be disposed on a second region of the first substrate 110. In an embodiment, the first region may be the central region CA of the first substrate 110, and the second region may be at least a portion of the edge region EA.

[0077] Auxiliary electrodes 211 and 212 can be patterned to include extension portions 211a and 212a, and connecting portions 211b and 212b connecting the extension portions 211a and 212a, respectively. The first extension portions 211a of the first auxiliary electrode 211 can be spaced apart from each other in a first region, such as the central region CA, of the first substrate 110, to extend relatively long in the second direction Y. The first connecting portion 211b of the first auxiliary electrode 211 can extend in the first direction X, to connect the first extension portions 211a to each other by coupling to one end of the first extension portions 211a.

[0078] The second extension portions 212a of the second auxiliary electrode 212 may be spaced apart from each other in a second region, such as the edge region EA, of the first substrate 110, to extend longer in the second direction Y. For example, the second extension portions 212a may be disposed on the edge of one side and the edge of the other side of the first substrate 110. The second connecting portion 212b of the second auxiliary electrode 212 may extend in the first direction X to connect the second extension portions 212a to each other by coupling to one end of the second extension portions 212a.

[0079] The first extension portion 211a and the second extension portion 212a can extend integrally parallel to each other. The first extension portion 211a and the second extension portion 212a can have the same or different widths W. For example, the width W of the second extension portion 212a can be greater than the width of the first extension portion 211a. Subsequently, the resistance of the second extension portion 212a decreases, so a high-level voltage can be effectively applied. When the width W of the second extension portion 212a is greater than the width of the first extension portion 211a, a voltage higher than that applied to the first extension portion 211a provided in the edge region EA can be applied to the second extension portion 212a, thereby forming an electric field.

[0080] The gap G between adjacent first extension 211a, adjacent second extension 212a, and adjacent first extension 211a and second extension 212a can be appropriately selected to achieve the light transmission mode and light blocking mode described below, while ensuring the aperture of the optical path control device 1.

[0081] The first auxiliary electrode 211 and the second auxiliary electrode 212 can be configured to receive different voltages. For example, the first auxiliary electrode 211 and the second auxiliary electrode 212 can be connected to different voltage sources.

[0082] Figure 6 This is a schematic perspective view of the optical path control device in private mode according to the embodiment. Figure 7 This is a schematic perspective view of the optical path control device in shared mode according to the embodiment. Figure 8 This is a plan view of another optical conversion layer in shared mode according to the implementation method.

[0083] Reference Figure 6 and Figure 7 The receiving portion 320 can be configured such that at least a region of it overlaps with the first auxiliary electrode 211 and the second auxiliary electrode 212 of the first electrode 210. For example, a first region of the receiving portion 320 can overlap with the first auxiliary electrode 211, and a second region of the receiving portion 320 can overlap with the second auxiliary electrode 212. In an embodiment, the first region can be the central region of the receiving portion 320, and the second region can be the edge region of the receiving portion 320, i.e., the end region. Furthermore, the receiving portion 320 can be configured such that at least a region of it overlaps with the second electrode 220.

[0084] When no voltage is applied to the first electrode 210 and the second electrode 220, such as Figure 6As shown, the suspended particles 322 can be uniformly dispersed in the dispersion liquid 321, thereby achieving a light-blocking mode that blocks the transmission of external light. That is, the optical path control device 1 can achieve a private mode in which the field of view is opened for a specific viewing angle (e.g., a frontal view) while the field of view is blocked for another viewing angle (e.g., a side view).

[0085] like Figure 7 As shown, when a voltage is applied to at least one of the first electrode 210 and the second electrode 220, the suspended particles 322 can be as follows: Figure 7 The light moves towards the first electrode 210 or the second electrode 220 through an electric field. When the suspended particles 322 gather around the first electrode 210 or the second electrode 220, external light can pass through the separating portion 310 and the containing portion 320, thereby achieving a light transmission mode. In other words, the optical path control device 1 can achieve a shared mode in which the field of view is opened for both the front and the sides.

[0086] The direction of movement of the suspended particles 322 can be controlled based on the polarity (negative or positive) of the suspended particles 322 and the relative magnitudes of the voltages applied to the first electrode 210 and the second electrode 220. In the current embodiment, the suspended particles 322 can be controlled to move to the side of the receiving portion 320 with a relatively larger width. In the illustrated embodiment, the suspended particles 322 can be controlled to move to the lower end of the receiving portion 320.

[0087] Therefore, a voltage with a polarity different from that of the suspended particles 322 can be applied to the first electrode 210. For example, when the suspended particles 322 are negatively charged, a positive voltage can be applied to the first electrode 210.

[0088] When suspended particles 322 agglomerate, they are controlled to move to the large space of the accommodating portion 320, thereby minimizing the electrical stress applied to the suspended particles 322 and resolving the agglomeration phenomenon during long-term operation in the shared mode.

[0089] In the current implementation, as referred to Figure 5 As described, the first electrode 210 may include a first auxiliary electrode 211 and a second auxiliary electrode 212. A higher voltage level than that of the first auxiliary electrode 211 may be applied to the second auxiliary electrode 212 disposed in the edge region EA.

[0090] When reference Figure 4When the described electric field reduction phenomenon occurs, applying a higher voltage in the edge region EA increases the electric field strength at the end region of the receiving portion 320, thereby preventing the electric field reduction phenomenon. Therefore, a uniformly large electric field can be applied to the entire region of the receiving portion 320, and the suspended particles 322 can be uniformly aggregated within the receiving portion 320. Thus, spots and / or bright lines due to electric field deviations in the optical path control device 1 can be prevented.

[0091] Since the first electrode 210 and the receiving portion 320 extend in intersecting directions, suspended particles 322 in one receiving portion 320 can aggregate in the region overlapping with the first electrode 210. That is, suspended particles 322 can... Figure 8 The particles are clustered in a matrix. According to this embodiment, compared to the case where the suspended particles 322 are clustered in strips along the receiving portion 320, the area where light can pass between the suspended particles 322 and the transmittance are increased. Therefore, the side aperture of the light conversion layer 300 can be increased, and the angle of the side viewing angle can also be expanded, thereby improving the brightness of the display device including the light path control device 1.

[0092] In one embodiment, in the shared mode, the voltage applied to the first electrode 210 and the second electrode 220 can be maintained at a fixed value. Alternatively, in another embodiment, in the shared mode, the voltage applied to the first electrode 210 and the second electrode 220 can vary at preset intervals. The implementation of changing the voltage applied to the first electrode 210 and the second electrode 220 will be described in detail below.

[0093] Figure 9 This is a timing diagram showing the waveform of the voltage applied to the optical path control device. Figure 10 This is a time-series diagram showing how edge brightness changes over time.

[0094] In this embodiment, the optical path control device 1 can change the voltage applied to the first electrode 210 according to a preset period. The applied voltage can be a pulse voltage that alternates between a holding voltage and an idle voltage every preset pulse width.

[0095] More specifically, refer to Figure 9 The optical path control device 1 can apply a pulse voltage to the first electrode 210. During the first time period T1 of the shared mode, the optical path control device 1 can maintain a first holding pulse width W. H1 During this period, a holding voltage V of the first level is applied to the first electrode 210. H1 And can be in the first idle pulse width W L1 During this period, a second-level idle voltage V is applied to the first electrode 210. L1The optical path control device 1 can alternately apply a holding voltage and an idle voltage during the first time period T1.

[0096] During the second time period T2 of the shared mode, the optical path control device 1 can maintain the second hold pulse width W. H2 During this period, a third-level holding voltage V is applied to the first electrode 210. H2 And can be done in the second idle pulse width W L2 During this period, a fourth level of idle voltage V is applied to the first electrode 210. L2 The optical path control device 1 can alternately apply holding voltage and idle voltage during the second time period T2.

[0097] The holding voltage can be higher than the idle voltage. The holding voltage and the idle voltage can control the behavior of the suspended particles 322 to have a level large enough to drive the shared mode.

[0098] In the implementation, when a holding voltage V is applied to the first electrode 210 for a long time... H1 At that time, the electric field strength may decrease. Then, the behavior of the suspended particles 322 may not be sufficiently controlled, allowing them to disperse within the containing portion 320. Therefore, viewing angle limitation cannot be properly implemented in shared mode, and side brightness is as... Figure 10 The curve gradually decreases like curve a.

[0099] On the other hand, in the embodiment, when a third-level holding voltage V is applied to the first electrode 210 for a long time... H2 At that time, due to the continuous electrical stress applied to the suspended particles 322, particle aggregation may occur, and the lateral brightness may flicker due to [unclear - possibly a typo]. Figure 10 The curve c gradually increases like this.

[0100] When the voltage is maintained according to a preset cycle and a pulsed voltage is applied as in the current embodiment, the suspended particles 322 can be controlled to properly aggregate without dispersing or agglomerating. Therefore, the side brightness can be as... Figure 10 The curve b remains constant.

[0101] Figure 11 This is a block diagram of a display device according to an embodiment.

[0102] Reference Figure 11 The display device 1000 according to the embodiment may include a display panel 10, an optical path control device 1, a controller 20, a gate driver 30, and a data driver 40.

[0103] Multiple pixels PX can be provided on the display panel 10. For example, the pixels PX can be arranged in a matrix on the display panel 10. The pixels PX can emit light with brightness corresponding to the gate signals and data signals provided through the gate lines GL1 to GLn and the data lines DL1 to DLm. In this embodiment, each pixel PX can display any one of the colors red, green, blue, and white, but the current embodiment is not limited to this.

[0104] The optical path control device 1 can be disposed on the display panel 10 to control the path of light emitted from the display panel 10. In an embodiment, the optical path control device 1 can be a reference... Figures 1 to 10 The optical path control device 1 is described.

[0105] The controller 20 can control the gate driver 30 and the data driver 40 to display an image on the display panel 10. For example, the controller 20 can receive an image signal RGB and a control signal CS from an external source. The image signal RGB may include multiple grayscale data. The control signal CS may include, for example, a horizontal synchronization signal, a vertical synchronization signal, and a clock signal.

[0106] In various embodiments, when the display device 1000 is controlled in either private mode or shared mode, the controller 20 may or may not apply voltage to the electrodes 210 and 220 of the optical path control device 1. For example, the controller 20 may apply voltage to at least one of the first electrode 210 and the second electrode 220, and the waveform of the applied voltage may be similar to that of a reference electrode. Figure 9 The pulse waveform described is the same as the pulse waveform.

[0107] The controller 20 can process image signals RGB and control signals to suit the operating conditions of the display panel 10, so as to generate and output image data DATA, gate drive control signal CONT1 and data drive control signal CONT2.

[0108] The gate driver 30 can generate a gate signal based on the gate drive control signal CONT1 output from the controller 20. The gate driver 30 can provide the generated gate signal to the pixel PX through multiple gate lines GL1 to GLn.

[0109] The data driver 40 can generate a data signal based on the image data DATA output from the controller 20 and the data drive control signal CONT2. The data driver 40 can provide the generated data signal to the pixel PX through multiple data lines DL1 to DLm.

[0110] The optical path control device according to the embodiment and the display device including the optical path control device can solve the particle aggregation caused by the continuous electrical stress applied to the particles and solve the flickering defect in long-term driving of the shared mode.

[0111] Furthermore, the optical path control device according to the embodiment and the display device including the optical path control device can solve the problem that spots and / or bright lines are generated in a specific area (e.g., an edge) due to electric field deviation between areas.

[0112] According to the embodiments, the optical path control device and the display device including the optical path control device can improve the aperture by patterning electrodes.

[0113] According to one embodiment, an optical path control device includes: a first substrate; a first electrode disposed on the first substrate; a second substrate disposed on the first substrate; a second electrode disposed below the second substrate; and a light conversion layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, the light conversion layer including alternately arranged partition portions and containment portions, the containment portions including suspended particles.

[0114] The first electrode includes a first auxiliary electrode disposed on a central region of the first substrate and a second auxiliary electrode disposed on at least a portion of an edge region of the first substrate. The first auxiliary electrode includes a plurality of first extension portions spaced apart from each other and extending in a first direction in the central region of the first substrate and a first connecting portion connecting the plurality of first extension portions. The second auxiliary electrode includes a plurality of second extension portions spaced apart from each other and extending in a first direction in the edge region of the first substrate and a second connecting portion connecting the plurality of second extension portions.

[0115] The receiving portion of the light conversion layer is configured to extend in a second direction, such that the central region of the receiving portion overlaps with a plurality of first extension portions, and the end region of the receiving portion overlaps with a plurality of second extension portions.

[0116] According to one embodiment, a display device includes: a display panel including pixels disposed therein and configured to display an image; a gate driver configured to apply a gate signal to the pixels; a data driver configured to apply a data signal to the pixels synchronously with the gate signal; a controller configured to control the gate driver and the data driver to display an image on the display panel; and a light path control device configured to control the path of light emitted from the display panel according to an operating mode, wherein the light path control device includes: a first substrate; a first electrode disposed on the first substrate; a second substrate disposed on the first substrate; a second electrode disposed below the second substrate; and a light conversion layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, the light conversion layer including alternately arranged separating portions and receiving portions, the receiving portions including suspended particles.

[0117] The first electrode includes a first auxiliary electrode disposed on a central region of the first substrate and a second auxiliary electrode disposed on at least a portion of an edge region of the first substrate. The first auxiliary electrode includes a plurality of first extension portions spaced apart from each other and extending in a first direction in the central region of the first substrate and a first connecting portion connecting the plurality of first extension portions. The second auxiliary electrode includes a plurality of second extension portions spaced apart from each other and extending in a first direction in the edge region of the first substrate and a second connecting portion connecting the plurality of second extension portions.

[0118] The receiving portion of the light conversion layer is configured to extend in a second direction, such that the central region of the receiving portion overlaps with a plurality of first extension portions, and the end region of the receiving portion overlaps with a plurality of second extension portions.

[0119] Although embodiments of this disclosure have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art will understand that the technical configuration of this disclosure can be implemented in other detailed forms without altering the technical spirit or essential characteristics of this disclosure. Therefore, it should be noted that the above embodiments are provided as examples and should not be construed as limiting. Furthermore, the scope of this disclosure should be defined by the appended claims rather than the detailed description provided above. Moreover, the meaning and scope of the claims, as well as all changes or modifications derived from their equivalents, should be interpreted as falling within the scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. An optical path control device, comprising: First substrate; A first electrode disposed on the first substrate; A second substrate disposed on the first substrate; A second electrode disposed below the second substrate; as well as A light conversion layer is disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The light conversion layer includes alternately arranged separating portions and containing portions, wherein the containing portions include suspended particles. The first electrode includes: A first auxiliary electrode disposed on a first region of the first substrate; and The second auxiliary electrode is disposed on the second region of the first substrate. Wherein, the first region is the central region of the first substrate, and the second region is at least a portion of the edge region of the first substrate. The accommodating portion extends across the first region and the second region in a first direction. The first auxiliary electrode includes a plurality of first extension portions disposed in the first region of the first substrate, wherein the plurality of first extension portions are spaced apart from each other and extend in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction. The second auxiliary electrode includes a plurality of second extension portions disposed in the second region of the first substrate, wherein the plurality of second extension portions are spaced apart from each other and extend in the second direction. The light conversion layer's receiving portion is configured such that its central region overlaps with at least two first extension portions, and its end regions overlap with at least two second extension portions. Wherein, the width of the second extension portion is greater than the width of the first extension portion, and The first auxiliary electrode and the second auxiliary electrode are separate from each other and are configured to independently receive voltages of different levels depending on the operating mode of the optical path control device.

2. The optical path control device according to claim 1, wherein, The first auxiliary electrode further includes: The first connecting portion connecting the plurality of first extension portions, and The second auxiliary electrode further includes: A second connecting portion that connects the plurality of second extension portions.

3. The optical path control device according to claim 2, wherein, In private mode, no voltage is applied to the first electrode and the second electrode; in shared mode, voltage is applied to the first electrode and the second electrode; and different voltage levels are applied to the first auxiliary electrode and the second auxiliary electrode based on the mode of the optical path control device.

4. The optical path control device according to claim 3, wherein, During the shared mode, a pulse voltage in which a holding voltage and an idle voltage alternate every preset pulse width is applied to the first electrode.

5. The optical path control device according to claim 4, wherein, The pulse voltage is configured to alternate between a first holding voltage and a first idle voltage during a first period of the shared mode, and between a second holding voltage different from the first holding voltage and a second idle voltage different from the first idle voltage during a second period of the shared mode.

6. The optical path control device according to claim 1, wherein, The width of the end of the receiving portion that contacts the first electrode is different from the width of the other end of the receiving portion that contacts the second electrode.

7. The optical path control device according to claim 6, wherein, The suspended particles in the containment portion agglomerate in the wider direction of the containment portion due to the electric field formed when voltage is applied to the first electrode and the second electrode.

8. A display device, comprising: A display panel, the display panel including pixels arranged therein and configured to display an image; A gate driver configured to apply a gate signal to the pixel; A data driver configured to apply a data signal to the pixel in synchronization with the gate signal; A controller configured to control the gate driver and the data driver to display an image on the display panel; as well as An optical path control device is configured to control the path of light emitted from the display panel according to its operating mode. The optical path control device includes: First substrate; A first electrode disposed on the first substrate; A second substrate disposed on the first substrate; The second electrode disposed below the second substrate; and A light conversion layer is disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The light conversion layer includes alternately arranged separating portions and containing portions, wherein the containing portions include suspended particles. The first electrode includes: A first auxiliary electrode disposed on a first region of the first substrate; and The second auxiliary electrode is disposed on the second region of the first substrate. Wherein, the first region is the central region of the first substrate, and the second region is at least a portion of the edge region of the first substrate. The first auxiliary electrode includes a plurality of first extension portions disposed in the first region of the first substrate, wherein the plurality of first extension portions extend in a second direction and are spaced apart from each other. The second auxiliary electrode includes a plurality of second extension portions disposed in the second region of the first substrate, wherein the plurality of second extension portions extend in the second direction and are spaced apart from each other. The light conversion layer's receiving portion is configured such that its central region overlaps with at least two first extension portions, and its end regions overlap with at least two second extension portions. Wherein, the width of the second extension portion is greater than the width of the first extension portion, and The first auxiliary electrode and the second auxiliary electrode are separated from each other and are configured to independently receive voltages of different levels according to the operating mode of the optical path control device.

9. The display device according to claim 8, wherein, The first auxiliary electrode further includes: The first connecting portion connecting the plurality of first extension portions, and The second auxiliary electrode further includes: A second connecting portion that connects the plurality of second extension portions.

10. The display device according to claim 9, wherein, The controller does not apply voltage to the first and second electrodes in private mode, but applies voltage to the first and second electrodes in shared mode, and applies different voltage levels to the first and second auxiliary electrodes based on the mode of the optical path control device.

11. The display device according to claim 10, wherein, During the shared mode, the controller applies a pulse voltage to the first electrode in which a holding voltage and an idle voltage alternate every preset pulse width.

12. The display device according to claim 11, wherein, The controller applies a first pulse voltage, wherein a first holding voltage and a first idle voltage alternate, to the first electrode during a first period of the shared mode, and applies a second pulse voltage, wherein a second holding voltage different from the first holding voltage and a second idle voltage different from the first idle voltage alternate, to the first electrode during a second period of the shared mode.

13. The display device according to claim 8, wherein, The width of the end of the receiving portion that contacts the first electrode is different from the width of the other end of the receiving portion that contacts the second electrode.

14. The display device according to claim 13, wherein, The suspended particles in the containment portion agglomerate in the wider direction of the containment portion due to the electric field formed when voltage is applied to the first electrode and the second electrode.

Images