Indication device

Abstract

This invention provides a technology to improve the accuracy of user gaze detection in a display device having a display area and an infrared light emission area. [Solution] The display device of the present disclosure has a display area including a visible light-emitting element and a first infrared light-emitting area including an infrared light-emitting element, provided on a substrate, wherein in a plan view of the substrate, the first infrared light-emitting area is positioned between a polygon that is tangent to and encloses the display area and the display area.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a display device having an infrared light emission region.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, display devices have been adopted for various applications and installed in various mobile devices. In addition, a display device as a display mounted on a wearable device detects a user's line of sight and performs display based on the line-of-sight information. As a method for detecting the line of sight used in this display device, a method using infrared rays is known. As this display device, in addition to a light-emitting element that emits visible light to display an image, there is known one having an infrared light-emitting element that emits infrared light.

[0003] Patent Document 1 proposes a display device having a display element and an infrared light-emitting element on the same substrate.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In Patent Document 1, the display region and the infrared light emission region are formed at a distance from each other. Therefore, it is necessary to increase the incident angle of the infrared rays with respect to the line connecting the center of the display region and the user's eyeball of the display device. Depending on the user's line-of-sight direction, line-of-sight detection based on the Purkinje image by the reflected light on the cornea may not be possible, and the detection accuracy may decrease.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object thereof is to provide a technique for improving the user's line-of-sight detection accuracy in a display device having a display region and an infrared light emission region. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention relates to a display device comprising a display area including a visible light-emitting element and a first infrared light-emitting area including an infrared light-emitting element, provided on a substrate, wherein, in a plan view of the substrate, the first infrared light-emitting area is tangent to the display area and is positioned between a polygon enclosing the display area and the display area. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, the accuracy of detecting the user's gaze can be improved in a display device having a display area and an infrared light emission area. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] A system diagram showing the schematic configuration of the display device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] A schematic plan view of the display device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] A schematic plan view of the display device according to the second embodiment. [Figure 4] A schematic plan view of the display device according to the third embodiment. [Figure 5] A schematic plan view of the display device according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 6] A diagram showing an example of a pixel, which is a component of a display device according to one embodiment. [Figure 7] A diagram showing an example of the configuration of a display device according to one embodiment. [Figure 8] A figure showing an example of the application of a display device according to one embodiment. [Figure 9] A figure showing an example of an HMD as a display device according to one embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] The embodiments will be described below with reference to the attached drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention as defined in the claims. While the embodiments described below include multiple features, not all of these features are essential to the invention, and the features may be combined arbitrarily. Furthermore, the various embodiments can be appropriately combined to constitute a display device. In addition, in the attached drawings, identical or similar configurations are given the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions are omitted.

[0011] (First Embodiment) A display device according to the first embodiment will now be described. Figure 1 is a schematic system diagram showing the configuration of the display device 1 according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 1, the display device 1 includes a display unit 101, a sensor unit 102, a control unit 103, a display scanning unit 104, a sensor scanning unit 105, a display signal processing unit 106, a signal output unit 107, a light receiving signal processing unit 108, and a gaze detection unit 109.

[0012] The display unit 101 includes a visible light-emitting element, an infrared light-emitting element, and a drive circuit for each element. The signal output unit 107 is controlled by the control unit 103 and outputs a brightness signal to the display unit 101. The display scanning unit 104 is controlled by the control unit 103 and writes the brightness signal from the signal output unit 107 to predetermined pixels in each row of the display device 1. The sensor unit 102 has a light-receiving element sensitive to the infrared region, such as a photodiode. The infrared light emitted by the infrared light-emitting element of the display unit 101 is reflected by the user's eyeball, and the reflected light from the eyeball is received by the sensor unit 102. The sensor scanning unit 105 selects predetermined pixels in each row of the display device 1 and outputs the signal generated at the pixel to the light-receiving signal processing unit 108. The light-receiving signal processing unit 108 includes a CDS (Correlated Double Sampling) circuit and an ADC (Analog Digital Converter) for noise reduction. The gaze detection unit 109 determines the user's gaze vector relative to the display unit 101 by performing calculations on the signal processed by the light reception signal processing unit 108.

[0013] In the display device 1 according to this embodiment, the method for detecting the user's line of sight toward the display unit 101 from an image of the eyeball acquired by imaging using infrared light is to detect the line of sight based on the Purkinje image resulting from the reflection of the irradiated light on the cornea of ​​the user's eye. Specifically, the display device 1 uses the so-called pupil-corneal reflection method to calculate a line of sight vector representing the direction of the eyeball based on the pupil image and the Purkinje image included in the image of the user's eyeball, and detects the user's line of sight.

[0014] The display signal processing unit 106 uses the gaze vector information obtained by the gaze detection unit 109 to perform data processing for displaying an image corresponding to the user's gaze position. Specifically, the display unit 101 is divided into two areas in advance: the area the user is fixated on and the surrounding area. The display signal processing unit 106 then performs data processing to lower the resolution of the surrounding area compared to the area the user is fixated on. By lowering the resolution of the area surrounding the area the user is fixated on in the display unit 101 in this way, the amount of display data can be reduced, which is expected to reduce power consumption and display delay in the display device 1. This type of data processing is called Foveated Rendering (FR).

[0015] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the display device 1 according to this embodiment. The display device 1 according to this embodiment consists of a display area 120, an infrared light emission area 130, a display scanning circuit 140, a demultiplexer 150, a source driver 160, a control circuit 170, and a pad area on a substrate 100. 180 is positioned.

[0016] The display area 120 includes a visible light emitting element such as an organic EL element that can emit visible light. In a plan view of the substrate 100, the display area 120 is a polygonal (a pentagon in FIG. 2) area. Here, the plan view of the substrate 100 means viewing the substrate 100 from the normal direction of the substrate 100. In the display device used for line-of-sight detection, the user basically gazes at the vicinity of the center. When the shape of the eye-attached optical system is circular (a circle 121 indicated by a broken line in FIG. 2), the corner portions around the circle 121 in the display area 120 are likely to be out of the field of view. Therefore, in the present embodiment, in a plan view of the substrate 100, an infrared light emitting area 130 is arranged at the corner portions of a quadrangle 122 which is an example of a polygon that circumscribes the display area 120 and includes the display area 120. Thus, in the present embodiment, the infrared light emitting area 130 is arranged between the contour of the quadrangle 122 and the display area 120, that is, in an area 123 where the quadrangle 122 does not overlap with the display area 120.

[0017] The infrared light emitted from the infrared light emitting area 130 needs to be irradiated toward the eyeball of the user gazing at the center (the center of the circle 121) of the display area 120, and the infrared light rays are emitted at a predetermined incident angle with respect to the line connecting the center of the display area 120 and the user's eyeball. Here, the infrared light emitting area 130 is a first infrared light emitting area including an infrared light emitting element. In a conventional display device, depending on the user's line-of-sight direction, a line-of-sight detection method based on a Purkinje image due to reflected light on the cornea may not be realized, and the detection accuracy may decrease. On the other hand, according to the display device 1 of the present embodiment, by arranging the infrared light emitting area 130 at the corner portions of the quadrangle 122, the distance between the center of the display area 120 and the infrared light emitting area 130 can be made closer than that of a conventional display device. Thereby, by making the incident angle of the infrared light rays with respect to the user's eyeball smaller, the detection probability of the reflected light on the cornea increases, and a display device with high line-of-sight detection accuracy can be realized. Also, since the display area 120 and the infrared light emitting area 130 are arranged on the same substrate 100, it contributes to the miniaturization of the display device 1 and thus the line-of-sight detection system using the display device 1. Note that so-called dummy pixels, drive circuits for infrared light emitting elements, etc. may be arranged between the display area 120 and the infrared light emitting area 130.

[0018] The display scanning circuit 140 drives the display area 120 by supplying a write control signal to the scanning lines when writing the luminance signal to each pixel in the display area 120. The source driver 160 drives the signal lines of the pixels via the demultiplexer 150 so as to obtain a desired signal voltage. When the source driver 160 drives the signal lines of the pixels, the demultiplexer 150 selects the signal lines of each column and each color by switching the switches. The control circuit 170 sends control signals to the display scanning circuit 140, the demultiplexer 150, and the source driver 160. The pad section 180 is connected to the control circuit 170 and the source driver 160, and receives an external clock signal, image data, and the like. Here, it is assumed that the sensor section, the display signal processing circuit, the gaze detection circuit, etc. are outside the substrate 100, but these components may be arranged on the substrate 100, and specific descriptions of such arrangements will be described later.

[0019] (Second Embodiment) Next, the display device according to the second embodiment will be described. In the following description, components having the same configuration as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions thereof are omitted.

[0020] FIG. 3 is a plan schematic view of the display device 2 according to the second embodiment. In the display device 2 according to this embodiment, a display area 120, infrared light emitting areas 130 to 133, display scanning circuits 140 and 141, and a demultiplexer 150 are arranged on a substrate 100. Further, a DDIC (Display Driver Integration Circuit) 161 and a pad section 180 are arranged on the substrate 100.

[0021] In a plan view of the substrate 100, the shape of the display area 120 is a polygon with four corners cut off (an octagon in Figure 3). In addition, infrared light emission areas 130, 131, 132, and 133 are positioned at the four corners of a quadrilateral 122, which is an example of a polygon that is both circumscribing and enclosing the display area 120. Here, one of the infrared light emission areas 130-133 is the first infrared light emission area, and one of the infrared light emission areas 130-133 other than the first infrared light emission area is the second infrared light emission area. By positioning infrared light emission areas at each corner of the quadrilateral 122, it is possible to irradiate the user's eyeball with infrared light from four directions. As a result, even if the user's gaze moves away from the center of the display area 120, the probability of detecting reflected light from the cornea of ​​the user's eyeball increases, improving the accuracy of gaze detection. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, the shape of the infrared light emission regions 130-133 may be triangular. By making the shape of the infrared light emission regions 130-133 triangular, the area of ​​the infrared light emission regions 130-133 can be increased compared to the first embodiment (Figure 2), and the amount of infrared light can be increased. Note that the shape of the infrared light emission regions 130-133 may be a rectangle, as in the first embodiment (Figure 2), or it may be any shape. Here, the circle 121 representing the eyepiece optical system may be inscribed in the polygon of the display region 120 in a plan view.

[0022] Furthermore, it is not necessary to place infrared light-emitting regions at all four corners of the rectangle 122. For example, infrared light-emitting regions may be placed at opposite diagonal positions of the rectangle 122, flanking the display area 120. That is, in Figure 3, a configuration may be adopted in which infrared light-emitting regions 130 and 133 are placed but at least one of the infrared light-emitting regions 131 and 132 is not placed, or in which infrared light-emitting regions 131 and 132 are placed but at least one of the infrared light-emitting regions 130 and 133 is not placed. Even with such arrangements, the probability of detecting reflected light on the cornea of ​​the user's eyeball can be increased compared to the case of the first embodiment (Figure 2).

[0023] The display scanning circuits 140 and 141 supply write control signals to the scan lines when writing luminance signals to each pixel of the display area 120. As shown in Figure 3, by arranging the display scanning circuits 140 and 141 on both sides of the display area 120, it is possible to increase the driving force of the scan lines. The DDIC 161 is a drive chip that includes a source driver, control circuit, display signal processing circuit, etc. Here, we assume an example of a CoC (Chip on Chip) configuration in which the DDIC 161 is directly mounted on the substrate 100. However, a CoF (Chip on Film) configuration in which the DDIC 161 is mounted on a flexible substrate connected to the pad portion 180 may also be adopted.

[0024] (Third embodiment) Next, a display device according to the third embodiment will be described. In the following description, components similar to those in the first and second embodiments will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions will be omitted.

[0025] Figure 4 is a schematic plan view of the display device 3 according to the third embodiment. In this embodiment, the display device 3 has a display area 120, infrared light emission areas 130-136, display scanning circuits 140, 141, a demultiplexer 150, a DDIC 161, and a pad section 180 arranged on a substrate 100.

[0026] In a plan view of the substrate 100, the shape of the display area 120 is a polygon with four corners cut off (a dodecagon in Figure 4). In addition, infrared light emitting areas 130 to 133 are arranged at the four corners of a quadrilateral 122, which is an example of a polygon that is both circumscribing and enclosing the display area 120. Outside the quadrilateral 122, a display scanning circuit 140 is arranged along one side (first side) 122a of the quadrilateral 122. Similarly, the quadrilateral 12 A display scanning circuit 141 is positioned along one side (the first side) 122b of rectangle 2. Furthermore, outside the rectangle 122, a DDIC 161 of the display area 120 is positioned along the second side 122c of the rectangle 122, which is different from the side opposite the display scanning circuits 140 and 141. In addition, infrared light emission regions 134-136 are positioned outside the rectangle 122 and the display scanning circuits 140 and 141. Here, infrared light emission regions 134-136 are a third infrared light emission region, including infrared light-emitting elements, positioned outside the rectangle 122.

[0027] The infrared light emission regions 134-136 may be driven by receiving control signals from the display scanning circuits 140, 141 and the DDIC 161, or they may be connected to the pad portion 180 and driven by receiving control signals from outside the substrate 100. In this embodiment, compared to the first and second embodiments, increasing the number of infrared light emission regions further increases the probability of detecting reflected light from the cornea of ​​infrared rays, thereby improving the accuracy of line-of-sight detection. In Figure 4, as an example, three infrared light emission regions 134-136 are arranged outside the rectangle 122 and the display scanning circuits 140, 141. However, the number of infrared light emission regions arranged outside the rectangle 122 and the display scanning circuits 140, 141 is not limited to this. The detection accuracy can be improved by arranging at least one infrared light emission region outside the rectangle 122 and the display scanning circuits 140, 141.

[0028] (Fourth Embodiment) Next, a display device according to the fourth embodiment will be described. In the following description, components similar to those in the first to third embodiments will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions will be omitted.

[0029] Figure 5 is a schematic plan view of the display device according to the fourth embodiment. In this embodiment, the display device 4 has a display area 120, infrared light emission areas 130-133, display scanning circuits 140, 141, a demultiplexer 150, a DDIC 161, a pad section 180, and a sensor section 190 arranged on a substrate 100.

[0030] In Figure 5, the sensor unit 190 is positioned above the display area 120 and outside the rectangle 122. The sensor unit 190 includes an infrared light receiving area containing an infrared light receiving element such as a photodiode, a sensor scanning circuit, a light receiving signal processing circuit, etc. In this embodiment, infrared light is emitted from the infrared light emitting areas 130-133 toward the user's eyeball, and the reflected light from the eyeball is received by the photodiode in the sensor unit 190. The signals received by the sensor unit 190 are selected and sequentially read out by the sensor scanning circuit and output to the light receiving signal processing circuit. The light receiving signal processing circuit includes a CDS circuit, an ADC, etc. The sensor scanning circuit and the light receiving signal processing circuit may be driven by receiving control signals from the DDIC 161, or they may be connected to the pad unit 180 and driven by receiving control signals from outside the substrate 100.

[0031] The signal digitized by the light receiving signal processing circuit is processed by an external gaze detection circuit via the pad unit 180 to calculate the user's gaze vector. Here, the pad connected to the external components may be located on top of the sensor unit 190. The gaze detection circuit may also be mounted on the circuit board 100.

[0032] As described above, according to the display device 4 of this embodiment, by arranging the sensor unit 190 on the substrate 100, a display device for eye-tracking including the sensor unit 190 can be realized. Also, in Figure 5, the display scanning circuits 140, 141 and the demultiplexer 150 are arranged on the left, right, and bottom sides of the display area 120, respectively. Therefore, by arranging the sensor unit 190 above the display area 120, the distance between the center of the display area 120 and the sensor unit 190 can be reduced. As a result, in this embodiment, compared to the first to third embodiments... In general, by reducing the angle of reflection of reflected light on the user's cornea, the detection probability can be increased, thereby improving the accuracy of gaze detection.

[0033] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, each infrared light-emitting region may be configured to have only infrared light-emitting elements.

[0034] The display device according to one embodiment of the present invention may have an organic light-emitting element as an example of a light-emitting element.

[0035] [Configuration of organic light-emitting element] Next, an organic light-emitting element used in the display device according to the above embodiment will be described. The organic light-emitting element is provided on a substrate by forming an insulating layer, a first electrode, an organic compound layer, and a second electrode. A protective layer, a color filter, a microlens, etc., may be provided on the cathode. If a color filter is provided, a planarization layer may be provided between it and the protective layer. The planarization layer can be made of acrylic resin or the like. The same applies when a planarization layer is provided between the color filter and the microlens.

[0036] [substrate] Examples of substrates include quartz, glass, silicon wafers, resins, and metals. The substrate may also be equipped with switching elements such as transistors and wiring, and an insulating layer may be provided on top of them. The insulating layer can be made of any material that allows for the formation of contact holes between it and the first electrode, while ensuring insulation from wiring that is not connected. For example, resins such as polyimide, silicon oxide, and silicon nitride can be used.

[0037] [electrode] A pair of electrodes can be used. The pair of electrodes may be an anode and a cathode. When an electric field is applied in the direction in which the organic light-emitting element emits light, the electrode with the higher potential is the anode, and the other is the cathode. Alternatively, the electrode that supplies holes to the light-emitting layer can be the anode, and the electrode that supplies electrons can be the cathode.

[0038] The anode material should ideally have a high work function. For example, elemental metals such as gold, platinum, silver, copper, nickel, palladium, cobalt, selenium, vanadium, and tungsten, or mixtures containing these, can be used. Alternatively, alloys combining these metals, or metal oxides such as tin oxide, zinc oxide, indium oxide, tin-indium oxide (ITO), and zinc-indium oxide can be used. Conductive polymers such as polyaniline, polypyrrole, and polythiophene can also be used.

[0039] These electrode materials may be used individually or in combination of two or more. The anode may consist of a single layer or multiple layers. When used as a reflective electrode, for example, chromium, aluminum, silver, titanium, tungsten, molybdenum, or alloys thereof, or laminates thereof, can be used. The above materials can also function as a reflective film without serving as an electrode. When used as a transparent electrode, oxide transparent conductive layers such as indium tin oxide (ITO) or indium zinc oxide can be used, but are not limited to these. Photolithography can be used to form the electrodes.

[0040] On the other hand, materials with a small work function are preferable for the cathode. Examples include alkali metals such as lithium, alkaline earth metals such as calcium, and elemental metals or mixtures containing these, such as aluminum, titanium, manganese, silver, lead, and chromium. Alternatively, alloys combining these elemental metals can also be used. For example, magnesium-silver, aluminum... Lithium-aluminum, aluminum-magnesium, silver-copper, zinc-silver, etc., can be used. Metal oxides such as indium tin oxide (ITO) can also be used. These electrode materials may be used individually or in combination of two or more. The cathode may have a single layer or a multilayer structure. Among these, silver is preferred, and a silver alloy is even more preferred to reduce silver aggregation. The alloy ratio is not specified as long as silver aggregation is reduced. For example, the ratio of silver to other metals may be 1:1, 3:1, etc.

[0041] The cathode may be a top-emission element using an oxide conductive layer such as ITO, or a bottom-emission element using a reflective electrode such as aluminum (Al), and is not particularly limited. The method for forming the cathode is not particularly limited, but using DC and AC sputtering methods is more preferable because it provides good film coverage and makes it easier to reduce resistance.

[0042] [Pixel separation layer] The pixel separation layer is formed from a silicon nitride (SiN), silicon oxynitride (SiON), or silicon oxide (SiO) film, which is formed using chemical vapor deposition (CVD). To increase the in-plane resistance of the organic compound layer, it is preferable that the thickness of the organic compound layer, particularly the hole transport layer, be thinly deposited on the sidewalls of the pixel separation layer. Specifically, by increasing the taper angle of the sidewalls of the pixel separation layer and the thickness of the pixel separation layer, the vignetting during deposition can be increased, thereby thinning the film thickness on the sidewalls.

[0043] On the other hand, it is preferable to adjust the taper angle of the sidewalls of the pixel isolation layer and the thickness of the pixel isolation layer to such an extent that no voids are formed in the protective layer formed on top of it. Since no voids are formed in the protective layer, the occurrence of defects in the protective layer can be reduced. Since the occurrence of defects in the protective layer is reduced, reliability degradation such as the occurrence of dark spots and poor conductivity of the second electrode can be reduced.

[0044] Even if the taper angle of the sidewalls of the pixel isolation layer is not steep, it is possible to effectively suppress charge leakage to adjacent pixels. This study found that sufficient reduction is possible when the taper angle is in the range of 60 to 90 degrees. The thickness of the pixel isolation layer is preferably between 10 nm and 150 nm. Similar effects can be obtained even if the device consists only of pixel electrodes without a pixel isolation layer. However, in this case, it is preferable to make the thickness of the pixel electrode less than half that of the organic layer, or to make the pixel electrode ends have a forward taper of less than 60°, as this reduces short circuits in the organic light-emitting element.

[0045] [Organic compound layer] The organic compound layer may be formed as a single layer or as multiple layers. If there are multiple layers, they may be called a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, an electron blocking layer, an emissive layer, a hole blocking layer, an electron transport layer, or an electron injection layer, depending on their function. The organic compound layer is mainly composed of organic compounds, but may also contain inorganic atoms and inorganic compounds. For example, it may contain copper, lithium, magnesium, aluminum, iridium, platinum, molybdenum, zinc, etc. The organic compound layer may be placed between the first electrode and the second electrode, or it may be placed in contact with the first electrode and the second electrode.

[0046] If there are multiple light-emitting layers, a charge generation section may be provided between the first and second light-emitting layers. The charge generation section may contain an organic compound with a minimum unoccupied molecular orbital energy (LUMO) of -5.0 eV or less. The same applies when the charge generation section is provided between the second and third light-emitting layers.

[0047] [Protective layer] A protective layer may be provided on the second electrode. For example, by bonding glass with a desiccant to the second electrode, the intrusion of water and other substances into the organic compound layer can be reduced, thereby reducing the occurrence of display defects. In another embodiment, a passivation film such as silicon nitride may be provided on the cathode to reduce the intrusion of water and other substances into the organic compound layer. For example, after forming the cathode, the material may be transported to another chamber without breaking the vacuum, and a silicon nitride film with a thickness of 2 μm may be formed by the CVD method to serve as a protective layer. A protective layer may also be provided using atomic deposition (ALD) after the film formation by the CVD method. The material of the film formed by the ALD method is not limited, but may be silicon nitride, silicon oxide, aluminum oxide, etc. Silicon nitride may be further formed on the film formed by the ALD method by the CVD method. The film formed by the ALD method may have a thinner film thickness than the film formed by the CVD method. Specifically, it may be 50% or less, or even 10% or less.

[0048] [Color Filter] A color filter may be provided on top of the protective layer. For example, a color filter that takes into account the size of the organic light-emitting element may be provided on a separate substrate and bonded to the substrate on which the organic light-emitting element is provided, or a color filter may be patterned on the protective layer as described above using photolithography technology. The color filter may be made of polymer.

[0049] [Planarization layer] A planarizing layer may be provided between the color filter and the protective layer. The planarizing layer is provided to reduce the unevenness of the layer below. It may also be called a material resin layer without limiting its purpose. The planarizing layer may be composed of an organic compound, which may be low molecular weight or high molecular weight, but high molecular weight is preferred. The planarization layer may be provided above or below the color filter, and its constituent materials may be the same or different. Specifically, examples include polyvinylcarbazole resin, polycarbonate resin, polyester resin, ABS resin, acrylic resin, polyimide resin, phenolic resin, epoxy resin, silicone resin, urea resin, etc.

[0050] [Microlens] An organic light-emitting element may have optical components such as microlenses on its light-emitting side. Microlenses may be made of acrylic resin, epoxy resin, or the like. Microlenses may be used to increase the amount of light extracted from the organic light-emitting element or to control the direction of the extracted light. Microlenses may have a hemispherical shape. If they have a hemispherical shape, among the tangents tangent to the hemisphere, there is a tangent parallel to the insulating layer, and the point of contact between that tangent and the hemisphere is the vertex of the microlens. The vertex of the microlens can be similarly determined in any cross-sectional view. That is, among the tangents tangent to the semicircle of the microlens in the cross-sectional view, there is a tangent parallel to the insulating layer, and the point of contact between that tangent and the semicircle is the vertex of the microlens.

[0051] Furthermore, the midpoint of a microlens can also be defined. In the cross-section of a microlens, a line segment can be imagined from the point where one arc ends to the point where another arc ends, and the midpoint of this line segment can be called the midpoint of the microlens. The cross-section used to determine the vertices and midpoints may be a cross-section perpendicular to the insulating layer.

[0052] A microlens has a first surface with a convex portion and a second surface opposite to the first surface. It is preferable that the second surface is positioned closer to the functional layer than the first surface. To adopt such a configuration, it is necessary to form the microlens on the light-emitting element. If the functional layer is an organic layer, it is preferable to avoid processes that involve high temperatures during the manufacturing process. Furthermore, when adopting a configuration in which the second surface is positioned closer to the functional layer than the first surface, it is preferable that the glass transition temperatures of all organic compounds constituting the organic layer are 100°C or higher, and more preferably 130°C or higher.

[0053] [Opposite substrate] A counter substrate may be provided on the planarization layer. The counter substrate is called a counter substrate because it is provided in a position corresponding to the aforementioned substrate. The constituent material of the counter substrate may be the same as that of the aforementioned substrate. The counter substrate may be a second substrate if the aforementioned substrate is referred to as the first substrate.

[0054] [Organic layer] The organic compound layers (hole injection layer, hole transport layer, electron blocking layer, light-emitting layer, hole blocking layer, electron transport layer, electron injection layer, etc.) that constitute the organic light-emitting element in the display device according to the above embodiment are formed by the following method.

[0055] The organic compound layer constituting the organic light-emitting element can be formed using dry processes such as vacuum deposition, ionization deposition, sputtering, and plasma deposition. Alternatively, a wet process can be used, in which the layer is formed by dissolving the compound in a suitable solvent and applying a known coating method (e.g., spin coating, dipping, casting, LB method, inkjet method, etc.).

[0056] When layers are formed using methods such as vacuum deposition or solution coating, crystallization is less likely to occur, resulting in excellent stability over time. Furthermore, when forming films using coating methods, it is possible to combine the film with an appropriate binder resin.

[0057] Examples of binder resins mentioned above include, but are not limited to, polyvinylcarbazole resin, polycarbonate resin, polyester resin, ABS resin, acrylic resin, polyimide resin, phenolic resin, epoxy resin, silicone resin, and urea resin.

[0058] Furthermore, these binder resins may be used individually as homopolymers or copolymers, or as a mixture of two or more types. Additionally, known additives such as plasticizers, antioxidants, and UV absorbers may be used in combination as needed.

[0059] [Pixel circuit] A pixel circuit may be connected to the light-emitting element. The pixel circuit may be an active-matrix type that independently controls the light emission of the first light-emitting element and the second light-emitting element. The active-matrix type circuit may be voltage-programmed or current-programmed. The drive circuit has a pixel circuit for each pixel. The pixel circuit may have a transistor that controls the light emission brightness of the light-emitting element, a transistor that controls the light emission timing, a capacitor that holds the gate voltage of the transistor that controls the light emission brightness, and a transistor for connecting to GND without going through the light-emitting element.

[0060] The light-emitting element has a display area and a peripheral area surrounding the display area. The display area has a pixel circuit, and the peripheral area has a display control circuit. The mobility of the transistors constituting the pixel circuit may be smaller than that of the transistors constituting the display control circuit. Also, the slope of the current-voltage characteristic of the transistors constituting the pixel circuit may be smaller than that of the current-voltage characteristic of the transistors constituting the display control circuit. The slope of the current-voltage characteristic can be measured by the so-called Vg-Ig characteristic. The transistors constituting the pixel circuit are transistors connected to the light-emitting element, such as the first light-emitting element.

[0061] [Pixels] The organic light-emitting element has multiple pixels. Each pixel has subpixels that emit light of a different color from the others. The subpixels may each have, for example, RGB light-emitting colors.

[0062] A pixel emits light in a region also called the pixel aperture. This region is the same as the first region. The pixel aperture may be 15 μm or less, or 5 μm or more. More specifically, 11 The minimum pixel size may be μm, 9.5 μm, 7.4 μm, 6.4 μm, etc. The distance between subpixels may be 10 μm or less, specifically 8 μm, 7.4 μm, 6.4 μm, etc.

[0063] Pixels can take on known arrangements in a plan view. For example, they may be in a stripe arrangement, delta arrangement, pentile arrangement, or Bayer arrangement. The shape of subpixels in a plan view may be any known shape. For example, rectangles, rhombuses, hexagons, etc. Of course, even if it is not a precise shape, if it is close to a rectangle, it is included in the category of rectangles. The shape of subpixels and the pixel arrangement can be used in combination.

[0064] [Applications of the organic light-emitting element according to one embodiment of the present invention] An organic light-emitting element according to one embodiment of the present invention can be used as a component of a display device or lighting device. Other applications include exposure light sources for electrophotographic image forming apparatuses, backlights for liquid crystal display devices, and light-emitting devices with a color filter in a white light source.

[0065] The display device may also be an image information processing device that has an image input unit for receiving image information from an area CCD, linear CCD, memory card, etc., an information processing unit for processing the input information, and displays the input image on the display unit.

[0066] Furthermore, the display unit of the imaging device or inkjet printer may have a touch panel function. The driving method for this touch panel function may be infrared, capacitive, resistive, or electromagnetic induction, and is not particularly limited. The display device may also be used as the display unit of a multifunction printer.

[0067] Next, a specific example of a display device according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0068] Figure 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a display device having an organic light-emitting element and a transistor connected to this organic light-emitting element. The transistor is an example of an active element. The transistor may also be a thin-film transistor (TFT).

[0069] Figure 6A shows an example of a pixel, which is a component of a display device having a light-emitting element according to the above embodiment. The pixel has sub-pixels 30. The sub-pixels 30 are divided into 30R, 30G, and 30B based on their light emission. The emitted color may be distinguished by the wavelength emitted from the light-emitting layer, or the light emitted from the sub-pixel may be selectively transmitted or color-converted by a color filter or the like. Each sub-pixel has a reflective electrode 32, which is a first electrode, and an insulating layer 33 covering the edge of the reflective electrode 32, on an interlayer insulating layer 31. Furthermore, the sub-pixel 30 has an organic compound layer 34 covering the reflective electrode 32 and the insulating layer 33, a transparent electrode 35, which is a second electrode, a protective layer 36, and color filters 37R, 37G, and 37B.

[0070] The interlayer insulating layer 31 may have transistors and capacitive elements placed in the layer below or inside it. Furthermore, the transistor and the first electrode may be electrically connected via contact holes or the like (not shown).

[0071] The insulating layer 33 is also called a bank or pixel separation layer. It covers the end of the first electrode and is arranged to surround the first electrode. The portion without the insulating layer is in contact with the organic compound layer 34 and becomes a light-emitting region. The organic compound layer 34 has a hole injection layer 341, a hole transport layer 342, a first light-emitting layer 343, a second light-emitting layer 344, and an electron transport layer 345.

[0072] The transparent electrode 35 may be a transparent electrode, a reflective electrode, or a semi-transparent electrode as the second electrode. The protective layer 36 reduces the penetration of moisture into the organic compound layer. Although layer 36 is shown as a single layer, it may consist of multiple layers. Each layer may contain an inorganic compound layer or an organic compound layer. The color filters are classified into color filter 37R, color filter 37G, and color filter 37B depending on their color. The color filters may be formed on a planarization film (not shown). The color filters may also have a resin protective layer (not shown). Alternatively, the color filters may be formed on a protective layer 36. Or, the color filters may be bonded to an opposing substrate such as a glass substrate after being placed on it.

[0073] Figure 6B shows a display device 60 having a light-emitting element according to the above embodiment. The display device 60 has an organic light-emitting element 76 and a TFT 68 as an example of a transistor. A substrate 61 made of glass, silicon, or the like and an insulating layer 62 on top of it are provided. An active element 68 such as a TFT is arranged on the insulating layer 62, and the gate electrode 63, gate insulating film 64, and semiconductor layer 65 of the active element are arranged thereon. The TFT 68 is also composed of a semiconductor layer 65, a drain electrode 66, and a source electrode 67. An insulating film 69 is provided on top of the TFT 68. The anode 71 and the source electrode 67 that constitute the organic light-emitting element 76 are connected via a contact hole 70 provided in the insulating film 69.

[0074] Furthermore, the method of electrical connection between the electrodes (anode, cathode) included in the organic light-emitting element 76 and the electrodes (source electrode, drain electrode) included in the TFT 68 is not limited to the configuration shown in Figure 6B. In other words, it is sufficient for either the anode or cathode to be electrically connected to either the TFT source electrode or the drain electrode. Here, TFT refers to a thin-film transistor.

[0075] In the display device 60 shown in Figure 6B, the organic compound layer 72 is shown as a single layer, but the organic compound layer 72 may consist of multiple layers. A first protective layer 74 and a second protective layer 75 are provided on the cathode 73 to reduce the degradation of the organic light-emitting element.

[0076] In the display device 60 shown in Figure 6B, a transistor is used as the switching element, but other switching elements may be used instead. Furthermore, the transistor used in the display device 60 in Figure 6B is not limited to a transistor using a single-crystal silicon wafer, but may also be a thin-film transistor having an active layer on the insulating surface of the substrate. Examples of active layers include non-single-crystal silicon such as single-crystal silicon, amorphous silicon, and microcrystalline silicon, and non-single-crystal oxide semiconductors such as indium zinc oxide and indium gallium zinc oxide. Thin-film transistors are also called TFT elements.

[0077] The transistors included in the display device 60 in Figure 6B may be formed within a substrate such as a Si substrate. Here, "formed within a substrate" means that the transistors are manufactured by processing the substrate itself, such as a Si substrate. In other words, having transistors within a substrate may mean that the substrate and the transistors are formed as a single unit.

[0078] The organic light-emitting element according to the above embodiment has its luminescence controlled by a TFT, which is an example of a switching element, and by providing multiple organic light-emitting elements on the surface, an image can be displayed using the luminescence of each element. The switching element used here is not limited to a TFT, but may also be a transistor made of low-temperature polysilicon, or an active matrix driver formed on a substrate such as a Si substrate. Note that "on the substrate" includes the meaning of being inside the substrate. Whether to provide a transistor inside the substrate or use a TFT is selected depending on the size of the display area; for example, if the size is about 0.5 inches, it is preferable to provide the organic light-emitting element on a Si substrate.

[0079] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a display device according to one embodiment of the present invention. The display device 700 has an upper cover 701 and a lower cover 709, between which is a touch panel 703 and a display panel. The device may include a panel 705, a frame 706, a circuit board 707, and a battery 708. The touch panel 703 and the display panel 705 are connected to flexible printed circuits (FPCs) 702 and 704. Transistors are printed on the circuit board 707. The battery 708 does not need to be provided if the display device is not a portable device, or it may be provided in a different location even if it is a portable device.

[0080] The display device according to this embodiment may have a color filter having red, green, and blue colors. The color filter may have the red, green, and blue colors arranged in a delta array.

[0081] The display device according to this embodiment may be used in the display unit of a mobile terminal. In that case, it may have both display and operation functions. Examples of mobile terminals include smartphones and other mobile phones, tablets, and head-mounted displays.

[0082] The display device according to this embodiment may be used in the display unit of an imaging device having an optical unit with multiple lenses and an image sensor that receives light that has passed through the optical unit. The imaging device may have a display unit that displays information acquired by the image sensor. Furthermore, the display unit may be a display unit exposed to the outside of the imaging device or a display unit located inside the viewfinder. The imaging device may be a digital camera or a digital video camera.

[0083] An example of the application of a display device according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 8A and 8B. The display device can be applied to a system that can be worn as a wearable device, such as smart glasses, HMDs, or smart contacts. The imaging display device used in such an application example comprises an imaging device capable of photoelectric conversion of visible light and a display device capable of emitting visible light.

[0084] Figure 8A illustrates a pair of glasses 800 (smart glasses) according to one application example. An imaging device 802, such as a CMOS sensor or SPAD, is provided on the front surface of the lens 801 of the glasses 800. In addition, the display devices of each embodiment described above are provided on the back surface of the lens 801.

[0085] The eyeglasses 800 further include a control device 803. The control device 803 functions as a power supply that provides power to the imaging device 802 and the display device according to each embodiment. The control device 803 also controls the operation of the imaging device 802 and the display device. The lens 801 has an optical system formed therein for focusing light onto the imaging device 802.

[0086] Figure 8B illustrates a pair of glasses 810 (smart glasses) according to one application example. The glasses 810 have a control device 812. The control device 812 is equipped with an imaging device corresponding to an imaging device 802 and a display device. An optical system is formed in the lens 811 for projecting the light emitted by the display device in the control device 812, and an image is projected onto the lens 811. The control device 812 functions as a power supply to provide power to the imaging device and the display device, and also controls the operation of the imaging device and the display device. The control device may have a gaze detection unit that detects the wearer's gaze. Gaze detection may use infrared light. The infrared light emitter emits infrared light towards the eyeball of the user who is fixating on the displayed image. An image of the eyeball is obtained by detecting the reflected light from the eyeball of the emitted infrared light with an imaging unit having a photodetector. By having a reduction means that reduces the light from the infrared light emitter to the display unit in planar view, the deterioration of image quality is reduced.

[0087] The user's gaze towards a displayed image is detected from an image of the eyeball obtained by imaging with infrared light. Any known method can be applied to gaze detection using an image of the eyeball. For example, a gaze detection method based on the Purkinje image obtained by the reflection of the irradiated light from the cornea can be used. ru.

[0088] More specifically, gaze detection processing is performed based on the pupil-corneal reflection method. Using the pupil-corneal reflection method, a gaze vector representing the orientation (rotation angle) of the eyeball is calculated based on the pupil image and Purkinje image contained in the captured image of the eyeball, thereby detecting the user's gaze.

[0089] A display device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes an imaging device having a light-receiving element, and may control the display image of the display device based on the user's gaze information from the imaging device.

[0090] Specifically, the display device determines a first display area that the user is fixated on, and a second display area other than the first display area, based on gaze information. The first and second display areas may be determined by the control device of the display device, or they may be determined by an external control device and received by the display device. Within the display areas of the display device, the display resolution of the first display area may be controlled to be higher than the display resolution of the second display area. In other words, the resolution of the second display area may be lower than that of the first display area.

[0091] Furthermore, the display area has a first display area and a second display area different from the first display area, and based on gaze information, a higher priority area is determined from the first and second display areas. The first and second display areas may be determined by the control device of the display device, or they may be determined by an external control device and received. The resolution of the higher priority area may be controlled to be higher than the resolution of the areas other than the higher priority area. In other words, the resolution of areas with relatively lower priority may be set lower.

[0092] Artificial Intelligence (AI) may be used to determine the first display area and areas with higher priority. The AI ​​may be a model configured to estimate the angle of gaze and the distance to the target object from the eye image, using the eye image and the direction the eye was actually looking in the image as training data. The AI ​​program may be installed in the display device, the imaging device, or an external device. If installed in an external device, it is transmitted to the display device via communication.

[0093] When display control is based on visual detection, this method is preferably applicable to smart glasses that further include an imaging device for capturing images of the surrounding environment. The smart glasses can display the captured external information in real time.

[0094] Figure 9A shows the configuration of the HMD (Head-Mounted Display) 901 as a display device in this embodiment. The HMD 901 is worn on the observer's head. Reference numeral 902 indicates the observer's right eye, and reference numeral 903 indicates the observer's left eye. Display lenses 904 and 905 constitute the right eye eyepiece optical system OR1, and display lenses 906 and 907 constitute the left eye eyepiece optical system OL1. Each eyepiece optical system is a coaxial optical system composed of multiple (two) display lenses. The observer's right eye 902 is positioned in the exit pupil ER1 of the right eye eyepiece optical system OR1, and the observer's left eye 903 is positioned in the exit pupil EL1 of the left eye eyepiece optical system OL1.

[0095] Reference numerals 908 and 909 indicate display devices for the right eye and left eye, respectively. These display devices may be those according to the first to fourth embodiments. Figure 9B shows the external appearance of the HMD 901 and the personal computer 950 connected thereto. Each display device displays a display image (original image) corresponding to the image signal output from the personal computer 950. The HMD 901 may be a standalone device with an internal image processing unit.

[0096] The eyepiece optical systems OR1 and OL1 emit light from the display devices 908 and 909, respectively, and exit the pupil ER. 1. By directing the signal to EL1, an enlarged virtual image of the display image is projected onto the observer's right eye 902 and left eye 903. This allows the observer to view the display image (or virtual image) displayed on the display devices 908 and 909 through the eyepiece optical systems OR1 and OL1.

[0097] Although not shown in the diagram, the HMD901 may have a control device. The control device functions as a power supply that provides power to the display devices 908 and 909, and also controls the operation of the display devices 908 and 909.

[0098] The control device may have a gaze detection unit that detects the wearer's gaze. Gaze detection may use infrared light. The infrared light emitter emits infrared light towards the user's eyeballs that are fixated on the displayed image. An imaging unit having a light-receiving element detects the reflected infrared light from the eyeballs, thereby obtaining an image of the eyeballs. By having a reduction means that reduces the light from the infrared light emitter to the display unit in a planar view, the degradation of image quality is reduced.

[0099] The user's gaze towards the displayed image is detected from an image of the eyeball obtained by imaging with infrared light. Any known method can be applied to gaze detection using an image of the eyeball. For example, a gaze detection method based on the Purkinje image obtained by the reflection of the irradiated light from the cornea can be used.

[0100] More specifically, gaze detection processing is performed based on the pupil-corneal reflection method. Using the pupil-corneal reflection method, a gaze vector representing the orientation (rotation angle) of the eyeball is calculated based on the pupil image and Purkinje image contained in the captured image of the eyeball, thereby detecting the user's gaze.

[0101] Specifically, the display devices 908 and 909 determine a first display area that the user is fixated on, and a second display area other than the first display area, based on gaze information. The first and second display areas may be determined by the control device, or they may be determined by an external control device and received by the control device. In the display areas of the display devices 908 and 909, the display resolution of the first display area may be controlled to be higher than the display resolution of the second display area. In other words, the resolution of the second display area may be lower than that of the first field of view area.

[0102] Furthermore, the display area has a first display area and a second display area different from the first display area, and based on line-of-sight information, the area with higher priority is determined from the first display area and the second display area. The first and second field-of-sight areas may be determined by the control device of the display device, or they may be determined by an external control device and received. The resolution of the high-priority area may be controlled to be higher than the resolution of the areas other than the high-priority area. In other words, the resolution of areas with relatively lower priority may be set lower.

[0103] AI may be used to determine the first display area and areas with high priority. The AI ​​may be a model configured to estimate the angle of gaze and the distance to the target object at the end of the line of sight from the image of the eye, using the image of the eye and the direction the eye was actually looking in that image as training data. The AI ​​program may be installed in the display device, the imaging device, or an external device. If installed in an external device, it will be transmitted to the display device via communication.

[0104] This embodiment includes the following configuration. (Composition 1) A display area including a visible light-emitting element and a first infrared light-emitting area including an infrared light-emitting element are provided on a substrate. It has, In a plan view of the substrate, the first infrared light emitting region is positioned between a polygon that circumscribes and encloses the display region and the display region itself. A display device characterized by the following features. (Configuration 2) The display device according to configuration 1, characterized in that a second infrared light-emitting region including an infrared light-emitting element is arranged between the polygon and the display region at a position different from that of the first infrared light-emitting region. (Composition 3) The display device according to configuration 2, characterized in that the first infrared light emitting region and the second infrared light emitting region are arranged at mutually different diagonal positions of the polygon, sandwiching the display region. (Composition 4) The display device according to any one of configurations 1 to 3, characterized in that, in a plan view of the substrate, a third infrared light-emitting region including an infrared light-emitting element is arranged outside the polygon. (Composition 5) The display device according to any one of configurations 1 to 4, characterized in that, in a plan view of the substrate, the scanning circuit for the display area is arranged outside the polygon, along the first side of the polygon. (Composition 6) The display device according to configuration 5, characterized in that, in a plan view of the substrate, the source driver for the display area is arranged outside the polygon, along a second side of the polygon that is different from the first side of the polygon. (Composition 7) The display device according to any one of configurations 1 to 6, characterized in that, in a plan view of the substrate, an infrared light receiving element is arranged outside the polygon. (Composition 8) The display device according to configuration 2 or 3, characterized in that the first infrared light-emitting region and the second infrared light-emitting region have only infrared light-emitting elements. (Composition 9) The display device according to configuration 4, characterized in that the third infrared light-emitting region has only infrared light-emitting elements. (Composition 10) The system further includes an optical system through which light emitted from the display area passes, In a plan view of the substrate, the shape of the display area is octagonal, and the shape of the optical system is a circle inscribed in the octagon in a plan view. A display device according to any one of configurations 1 to 9, characterized by the above. (Composition 11) A device having multiple pixels, At least one of the plurality of pixels has a display device according to any of configurations 1 to 10 and a transistor connected to the infrared light-emitting element. A device characterized by the following features. (Composition 12) An optical section having multiple lenses, An image sensor that receives light that has passed through the optical section, A display unit that displays the image captured by the image sensor, It has, The display unit has a display device as described in any of configurations 1 to 10. An imaging device characterized by the following features. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0105] 1 Display device, 100 Substrate, 120 Display area, 122 Rectangle, 130 Infrared light emission region

Claims

1. A display area including a visible light-emitting element and a first infrared light-emitting area including an infrared light-emitting element are provided on a substrate. It has, In a plan view of the substrate, the first infrared light emitting region is positioned between a polygon that circumscribes and encloses the display region and the display region itself. A display device characterized by the following features.

2. The display device according to claim 1, characterized in that a second infrared light-emitting region including an infrared light-emitting element is arranged between the polygon and the display region at a position different from that of the first infrared light-emitting region.

3. The display device according to claim 2, characterized in that the first infrared light emitting region and the second infrared light emitting region are arranged at mutually different diagonal positions of the polygon, sandwiching the display region.

4. The display device according to claim 1, characterized in that, in a plan view of the substrate, a third infrared light-emitting region including an infrared light-emitting element is arranged outside the polygon.

5. The display device according to claim 1, characterized in that, in a plan view of the substrate, the scanning circuit for the display area is arranged outside the polygon, along the first side of the polygon.

6. The display device according to claim 5, characterized in that, in a plan view of the substrate, the source driver for the display area is arranged outside the polygon, along a second side of the polygon that is different from the first side of the polygon.

7. The display device according to claim 1, characterized in that, in a plan view of the substrate, an infrared light receiving element is arranged outside the polygon.

8. The display device according to claim 2, characterized in that the first infrared light-emitting region and the second infrared light-emitting region have only infrared light-emitting elements.

9. The display device according to claim 4, characterized in that the third infrared light-emitting region has only infrared light-emitting elements.

10. The system further includes an optical system through which light emitted from the aforementioned display area passes, In a plan view of the substrate, the shape of the display area is octagonal, and the shape of the optical system is a circle inscribed in the octagon in a plan view. The display device according to feature 1.

11. A device having multiple pixels, At least one of the plurality of pixels comprises a display device according to any one of claims 1 to 10 and a transistor connected to the infrared light-emitting element. A device characterized by the following features.

12. An optical section having multiple lenses, An image sensor that receives light that has passed through the optical section, A display unit that displays the image captured by the image sensor, It has, The display unit has a display device according to any one of claims 1 to 10. An imaging device characterized by the following features.

Images