Display module and driving method therefor, display panel, vehicle window, and vehicle

Abstract

A display module (1000) and a driving method therefor, a display panel, a vehicle window, and a vehicle. The display module (1000) comprises: a base substrate (101), an electrochromic structure (100), and a touch control structure (200). The electrochromic structure (100) and the touch control structure (200) are both provided on the base substrate (101). The electrochromic structure (100) comprises: a first control electrode (110), a second control electrode (120), and an electrochromic layer (130). The first control electrode (110) and the second control electrode (120) are arranged opposite one another, and the electrochromic layer (130) is arranged between the first control electrode (110) and the second control electrode (120). At least one of the first control electrode (110) and the second control electrode (120) is reused as a touch control electrode of the touch control structure (200). The electrochromic structure (100) and the touch control structure (200) share at least one electrode, and can satisfy an effect of active electrochromic anti-peeping while satisfying a touch control function. Furthermore, an additional mask is not required during the manufacturing process, and the production capacity is not substantially affected.

Description

Display module, driving method thereof, display panel, vehicle window and vehicle TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The display module, the driving method thereof, the display panel, the vehicle window and the vehicle according to the embodiments of the present disclosure have at least the following beneficial effects. BACKGROUND

[0002] Active privacy protection technology is a privacy protection technology, which dynamically adjusts the visual angle of the screen by electronic means, so that the display information in the screen is clearly visible at a certain viewing angle, and the visibility is significantly reduced or completely eliminated at other viewing angles, thereby improving information privacy and visual security.

[0003] SUMMARY

[0004] The display module, the driving method thereof, the display panel, the vehicle window and the vehicle according to the embodiments of the present disclosure have at least the following beneficial effects.

[0005] The display module according to at least one of the embodiments of the present disclosure comprises a substrate, an electrochromic structure and a touch structure, wherein the electrochromic structure and the touch structure are arranged on the substrate; the electrochromic structure comprises a first control electrode and a second control electrode arranged oppositely; an electrochromic layer is arranged between the first control electrode and the second control electrode; at least one of the first control electrode and the second control electrode is multiplexed as a touch electrode of the touch structure.

[0006] For example, the display module according to the embodiments of the present disclosure, the touch electrode of the touch structure comprises a plurality of first touch electrodes arranged side by side and a plurality of second touch electrodes arranged side by side, the plurality of first touch electrodes and the plurality of second touch electrodes intersect with each other; the first control electrode is multiplexed as at least one of the first touch electrode and the second touch electrode.

[0007] For example, the display module according to the embodiments of the present disclosure, the first touch electrode comprises a plurality of first electrode parts arranged along a first direction, the second touch electrode comprises a plurality of second electrode parts arranged along a second direction, the first direction intersects with the second direction; adjacent first electrode parts in the plurality of first electrode parts of the first touch electrode are connected by a first connecting part, adjacent second electrode parts in the plurality of second electrode parts of the second touch electrode are connected by a second connecting part, the first connecting part and the second connecting part intersect with each other and are insulated.

[0008] For example, the display module according to the embodiments of the present disclosure, the first control electrode is multiplexed as the first touch electrode, the electrochromic layer at least partially overlaps with the plurality of first electrode parts of the first touch electrode in a direction perpendicular to the substrate.

[0009] For example, the display module according to the embodiments of the present disclosure further includes a first signal line, a second signal line and a third signal line; the first signal line is connected with the second touch electrode and configured to transmit a first touch signal to the second touch electrode; the second signal line is connected with the second control electrode and configured to transmit a first electrochromic control signal to the second control electrode; and the third signal line is connected with the first control electrode and configured to transmit a second electrochromic control signal or a second touch signal to the first control electrode.

[0010] For example, the display module according to the embodiments of the present disclosure, the third signal line is configured to be connected with a multiplexer; the multiplexer is configured to transmit the first touch signal or the second touch signal to the third signal line in a first time period, and transmit the first electrochromic control signal or the second electrochromic control signal to the third signal line in a second time period; and the first time period does not overlap with the second time period.

[0011] For example, the display module according to the embodiments of the present disclosure, the first control electrode is multiplexed as the first touch electrode and the second touch electrode, and the electrochromic layer at least partially overlaps with a plurality of first electrode portions of the first touch electrode and a plurality of second electrode portions of the second touch electrode in a direction perpendicular to the substrate.

[0012] For example, the display module according to the embodiments of the present disclosure further includes a first signal line and a second signal line; the first signal line is connected with the first control electrode and configured to transmit a first electrochromic control signal or a touch signal to the first control electrode; and the second signal line is connected with the second control electrode and configured to transmit a second electrochromic control signal to the second control electrode.

[0013] For example, the display module according to the embodiments of the present disclosure, the first signal line is configured to be connected with a multiplexer; the multiplexer is configured to transmit the touch signal to the first signal line in a first time period, and transmit the first electrochromic control signal to the first signal line in a second time period; and the first time period does not overlap with the second time period.

[0014] For example, the display module according to the embodiments of the present disclosure, the second control electrode is located on a side of the touch structure away from the substrate or on a side of the touch structure close to the substrate.

[0015] For example, the display module according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the touch control structure comprises a first electrode layer, a touch control dielectric layer and a second electrode layer which are stacked on each other, the touch control dielectric layer is located between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer; the first electrode layer comprises a plurality of first touch control electrodes arranged side by side, the second electrode layer comprises a plurality of second touch control electrodes arranged side by side, the first touch control electrodes and the second touch control electrodes cross each other; the first control electrode is multiplexed as the first touch control electrode, the touch control dielectric layer and the second touch control electrode are located on a first side of the first control electrode, the electrochromic layer and the second control electrode are located on a second side of the first control electrode.

[0016] For example, the display module according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the touch control dielectric layer is located on a side of the first control electrode away from the substrate or on a side close to the substrate.

[0017] For example, the display module according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the display module further comprises a first signal line, a second signal line and a third signal line; wherein the first signal line is connected with the second touch control electrode and is configured to transmit a first touch control signal to the second touch control electrode; the second signal line is connected with the second control electrode and is configured to transmit a first electrochromic control signal to the second control electrode; the third signal line is connected with the first control electrode and is configured to transmit a second electrochromic control signal or a second touch control signal to the first control electrode.

[0018] For example, the display module according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the third signal line is configured to be connected with a multiplexer; the multiplexer is configured to transmit the first touch control signal or the second touch control signal to the third signal line in a first time period, and transmit the first electrochromic control signal or the second electrochromic control signal to the third signal line in a second time period; the first time period and the second time period do not overlap.

[0019] For example, the display module according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the touch control structure comprises a first electrode layer, a touch control dielectric layer and a second electrode layer which are stacked on each other, the touch control dielectric layer is located between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer; the first electrode layer comprises a plurality of first touch control electrodes arranged side by side, the second electrode layer comprises a plurality of second touch control electrodes arranged side by side, the first touch control electrodes and the second touch control electrodes cross each other; the first control electrode is multiplexed as the first touch control electrode, the second control electrode is multiplexed as the second touch control electrode, and the electrochromic layer is multiplexed as the touch control dielectric layer.

[0020] For example, the display module according to the embodiments of the present disclosure further comprises a first signal line and a second signal line; wherein the first signal line is connected with the first touch electrode, and the second signal line is connected with the second touch electrode; the first signal line is configured to be connected with a first multiplexer, and the second signal line is configured to be connected with a second multiplexer; in a first time period, the first multiplexer is configured to transmit a first touch signal to the first signal line, and the second multiplexer is configured to transmit a second touch signal to the second signal line; in a second time period, the first multiplexer is configured to transmit a first electrochromic control signal to the first signal line, and the second multiplexer is configured to transmit a second electrochromic control signal to the second signal line; the first time period and the second time period do not overlap.

[0021] For example, the display module according to the embodiments of the present disclosure further comprises other film layers; the electrochromic structure is configured to be electrically connected with the lead-out part of the display module through a via hole, and the via hole passes through the other film layers.

[0022] For example, the display module according to the embodiments of the present disclosure, the electrochromic layer comprises a color-changing material layer and an ion storage layer which are arranged in a stack and in contact with each other; the color-changing material layer is configured to change color according to ion exchange with the ion storage layer under the electric field.

[0023] For example, the display module according to the embodiments of the present disclosure, the first control electrode is a transparent electrode, and the second control electrode is a transparent electrode.

[0024] For example, the display module according to the embodiments of the present disclosure further comprises a driving circuit layer, a light-emitting device layer and a packaging layer which are sequentially arranged on the substrate; the driving circuit layer is configured to drive the light-emitting device in the light-emitting device layer; the electrochromic structure and the touch structure are both arranged between the packaging layer and the light-emitting device layer.

[0025] For example, the driving method of the display module according to the embodiments of the present disclosure, wherein the electrochromic structure comprises a plurality of electrochromic units, the touch structure comprises a plurality of touch units, the plurality of electrochromic units and the plurality of touch units comprise a plurality of electrochromic touch unit groups of multiplexed control electrodes and the touch electrodes, and the method comprises: applying electrochromic control signals and touch signals to the plurality of electrochromic units and the plurality of touch units, respectively, in different time periods.

[0026] For example, the method according to the embodiments of the present disclosure, the applying of the electrochromic control signals and the touch control signals to the plurality of electrochromic units and the plurality of touch units respectively in different time periods comprises: sequentially applying the electrochromic control signals to the plurality of electrochromic units in a frame time; sequentially applying the touch control signals to the plurality of touch units in a next frame time.

[0027] For example, the method according to the embodiments of the present disclosure, the applying of the electrochromic control signals and the touch control signals to the plurality of electrochromic units and the plurality of touch units respectively in different time periods comprises: sequentially applying the electrochromic control signals to the plurality of electrochromic units in a frame time; sequentially applying the touch control signals to the plurality of touch units in a next frame time.

[0028] The display panel according to the embodiments of the present disclosure comprises the display module according to any one of the above embodiments.

[0029] The vehicle according to the embodiments of the present disclosure comprises the display panel according to any one of the above embodiments.

[0030] The vehicle according to the embodiments of the present disclosure comprises the display panel according to any one of the above embodiments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0031] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the drawings of the embodiments will be briefly introduced as follows. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only related to some embodiments of the present disclosure, but not limit the present disclosure.

[0032] FIG. 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a privacy film.

[0033] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a pixel structure.

[0034] FIG. 3A is a schematic diagram of another pixel structure.

[0035] FIG. 3B is a schematic diagram of the arrangement of the pixel structure shown in FIG. 3A.

[0036] FIG. 4 is a structural schematic diagram of an active privacy module.

[0037] FIG. 5 is a structural schematic diagram of an active privacy module provided by at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0038] FIG. 6 is a plan schematic diagram of a display module provided by an example in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0039] FIG. 7 is a sectional schematic diagram of AA' shown in FIG. 6.

[0040] FIG. 8 is a plan view of an electrochromic structure according to an example of at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0041] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of an electrochromic structure according to an example of at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0042] FIGS. 10A-10H are schematic views of a fabrication process of an electrochromic structure according to an example of at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0043] FIGS. 11 and 12 are schematic views of electrochromic structures according to different examples of at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0044] FIG. 13 is a driving schematic of a display module according to an example of at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0045] FIGS. 14-15B are timing diagrams of driving methods according to different examples of at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0046] FIG. 16 is a plan view of a display module according to an example of at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0047] FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view at BB’ of FIG. 16.

[0048] FIGS. 18 and 19 are cross-sectional views of display modules according to different examples of at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0049] FIG. 20 is a schematic view of a structure of a touch display panel.

[0050] FIG. 21 is a schematic view of a touch structure in the touch display panel of FIG. 20.

[0051] FIG. 22 is a plan view of a display module according to an example of at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0052] FIG. 23 is a schematic view of a display module according to an example of at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0053] FIGS. 24-26 are partial schematic views of display modules according to different examples of at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0054] FIGS. 27 and 28 are schematic views of structures of different display modules, respectively.

[0055] FIG. 29 is a schematic view of a structure of a display module according to an example of at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0056] FIG. 30 is a partial schematic view of a structure of a display module according to an example of at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0057] In order to make the objects, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present disclosure clearer, the following will be combined with the drawings of the embodiments of the present disclosure to make a clear and complete description of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present disclosure. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present disclosure, rather than all the embodiments. Based on the described embodiments of the present disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by a person of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort belong to the protection scope of the present disclosure.

[0058] Unless otherwise defined, technical terms or scientific terms used in the present disclosure shall have the ordinary meaning understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains. The terms "first", "second" and similar terms used in the present disclosure do not denote any order, quantity or importance, but are used to distinguish different components. The terms "comprise", "contain" and similar terms mean that the elements or objects before the terms encompass the elements or objects listed after the terms and their equivalents, and do not exclude other elements or objects.

[0059] The features "vertical", "parallel" and "same" used in the present disclosure include the strict sense of "vertical", "parallel", "same" and the case of containing certain errors, such as "approximately vertical", "approximately parallel", "approximately same", considering the measurement and the error related to the measurement of a specific quantity (that is, the limitation of the measurement system), which means within the acceptable deviation range for a specific value determined by a person of ordinary skill in the art.

[0060] FIG. 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a privacy film.

[0061] The passive privacy technology is to attach a privacy film on the display panel to achieve the privacy effect. As shown in FIG. 1, the privacy film includes a protective film layer 01, a protective layer 02, a privacy structure layer 03, a protective layer 04, an anti-glare layer 05, and a protective film layer 06 which are stacked. The protective film layer 01 and the protective film layer 06 are, for example, polyethylene (PE) films. The protective layer 02 and the protective layer 04 are, for example, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) protective films, and the protective layer 02 and the protective layer 04 have, for example, anti-static properties or explosion-proof properties. The anti-glare layer 05 is, for example, an anti-glare (AG) film, and the anti-glare layer 05 can also be a hardened film to improve the hardness of the privacy film. The privacy structure layer 03 applies a micro-louver optical technology, which can change the wide viewing angle of the screen to a narrow viewing angle. When the observation angle deviates from the front, the microstructure in the privacy structure layer 03 will block the light incident from the side, so that the screen content becomes blurred or invisible to the observers on the side.

[0062] However, since the size of the privacy protection film is fixed, it causes the display panel to always be in a privacy protection state when displaying, and cannot meet the user's demand when the user needs to share the screen with others.

[0063] Active privacy protection technology has been applied in display screens such as liquid crystal display (LCD) and organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display screens, and is a security technology to protect the content of the screen from being viewed by unauthorized users. This technology actively manages and controls the viewing angle of the screen, so that the screen information is clearly visible to authorized users (for example, at a specific forward viewing angle), and the visibility is significantly reduced or completely eliminated for other unauthorized users (for example, at a lateral viewing angle or an upward viewing angle).

[0064] OLED active privacy protection technology is a cutting-edge innovation in the field of display technology, which skillfully combines the self-luminous characteristics of OLED and intelligent control mechanisms, aiming to address the increasingly prominent social demand for privacy protection. Especially in the current era of frequent interaction between personal electronic devices and public spaces, OLED active privacy protection technology provides a better solution for visual information security for users.

[0065] For example, when using portable mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets in public places, user privacy is easily violated. OLED active privacy protection technology can effectively block the view of people around, ensuring that users have full privacy protection when viewing sensitive information, conducting private communications, or handling work matters in public places.

[0066] For example, in an open business office environment, business secrets, personal data, and other information on computer screens are at risk of being leaked. Displayers equipped with OLED active privacy protection technology can meet the open field of view requirements of team collaboration, and also ensure that important information is protected from being snooped by irrelevant people at a specific viewing angle.

[0067] For example, during long-distance travel on public transportation such as airplanes and high-speed trains, passengers often want to enjoy entertainment content while avoiding disturbing others or being snooped on. OLED active privacy protection technology can provide a private space for personal entertainment screens, improving travel comfort.

[0068] For example, in places such as financial institutions (such as banks and stock exchanges) and medical institutions where data security requirements are extremely high, display screens using OLED active privacy protection technology can ensure the security of visual information during sensitive business operations and patient information queries.

[0069] For example, in the field of vehicle display, through the OLED active privacy protection technology, the central control display and the co-pilot display can be used as independent display units for passengers to freely entertain. This not only increases the passenger's riding experience, but also reduces the visual interference to the driver, avoiding the driver's distraction due to focusing on the co-pilot screen content. Especially at night or in complex road conditions, it helps the driver to keep focused and improves driving safety.

[0070] In some embodiments, a liquid crystal layer is arranged above the OLED display panel, and the deflection angle of the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer is adjusted by an electrical signal, so as to realize active privacy protection of the OLED. However, due to the existence of the liquid crystal layer, the flexible and foldable advantage of the OLED is restricted.

[0071] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a pixel structure. FIG. 3A is a schematic diagram of another pixel structure, and FIG. 3B is a schematic diagram of the arrangement of the pixel structure shown in FIG. 3A.

[0072] FIG. 2 shows a standard arrangement of sub-pixels (Real RGB), which includes a red sub-pixel R, a green sub-pixel G, and a blue sub-pixel B in the pixel structure. In some embodiments, the sub-pixels in the pixel structure shown in FIG. 2 are divided, and the anode is correspondingly divided, to form a pixel structure P as shown in FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B. As shown in FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B, each pixel structure P includes two red sub-pixels R1 and R2, two green sub-pixels G1 and G2, and two blue sub-pixels B1 and B2. At the same time, a timing control circuit can be added to the pixel circuit. Thus, by applying an electrical signal to the divided sub-pixels in time division, active privacy protection is realized by lighting different sub-pixels. In addition, a plurality of shielding layers can be added to the encapsulation layer of the OLED display panel to achieve a grating-like effect through the shielding layers to improve the privacy protection effect. For example, the shielding layer can be a black matrix (BM).

[0073] The display module, the display panel, the vehicle window, and the vehicle provided in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure include a substrate, an electrochromic structure, and a touch structure, wherein the electrochromic structure and the touch structure are arranged on the substrate; the electrochromic structure includes a first control electrode and a second control electrode arranged oppositely, and an electrochromic layer arranged between the first control electrode and the second control electrode; at least one of the first control electrode and the second control electrode is multiplexed as a touch electrode of the touch structure.

[0074] The display module, the display panel, the vehicle window and the vehicle provided by at least one embodiment of the present disclosure multiplex at least one of the first control electrode and the second control electrode as the touch electrode, that is, the electrochromic structure and the touch structure share at least one electrode, which can meet the touch function while meeting the electrochromic active privacy effect, and does not need to additionally increase a mask during the manufacturing process, and basically does not affect the production capacity.

[0075] The driving method of the display module provided by at least one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a plurality of electrochromic units and a plurality of touch units, and the plurality of electrochromic units and the plurality of touch units include a plurality of electrochromic touch unit groups that multiplex the control electrode and the touch electrode. The method includes applying an electrochromic control signal and a touch signal to the plurality of electrochromic units and the plurality of touch units, respectively, in different time periods.

[0076] The driving method provided by at least one embodiment of the present disclosure can realize active privacy when the electrochromic control signal is applied to the electrochromic unit and realize touch function when the touch signal is applied to the touch unit in different time periods. Thus, the electrochromic structure and the touch unit do not interfere with each other, and separate control of active privacy and touch is realized.

[0077] The display module and the driving method thereof, the display panel, the vehicle window and the vehicle will be described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and some embodiments.

[0078] FIG. 4 is a structural schematic diagram of an active privacy module.

[0079] An on-cell touch active privacy module is shown in FIG. 4. As shown in FIG. 4, the active privacy module includes a bracket (BKT) 11, a substrate 12, a back panel (BP) 13, an evaporation layer (EVEN) 14, a touch structure (Touch) 15, a polarizer 16 and a cover glass 17 integrated with an electrochromic grating, which are arranged in layers. The substrate 12 is, for example, a polyimide (PI) layer, and the substrate 12 is, for example, a glass (Glass) substrate. For example, the polarizer can also be replaced by a color film layer, so as to reduce reflection through the polarizer or the color film layer. The active privacy module further includes a flexible printed circuit (FPC) 18, a chip on flex (COF) 19 and a printed circuit board (PCB) 10.

[0080] FIG. 5 is a structural schematic diagram of a display module according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. The difference between FIG. 5 and FIG. 4 is that the cover plate in FIG. 5 integrates an electrochromic structure and a touch structure.

[0081] As shown in FIG. 5, the display module includes a support plate 21, a substrate 22, a back plate 23, an evaporation layer 24, a polarizer 25, and a cover plate 26 that integrates an electrochromic structure and a touch structure, which are arranged in a stack. The active privacy module further includes a flexible circuit board 27, a chip on film 28, and a printed circuit board 20. Thus, the embodiments of the present disclosure can integrate the electrochromic structure and the touch structure in the cover plate 26 to form an Out-cell Touch display module. In combination with the examples described below, the electrochromic structure and the touch structure integrated in the cover plate 26 can share an electrode to meet the touch function while meeting the effect of electrochromic active privacy, and no additional mask is needed in the manufacturing process, which basically does not affect the production capacity. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the electrochromic structure and the touch structure can also form an On-cell Touch display module.

[0082] FIG. 6 is a plan view of a display module according to an example of at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of AA' in FIG. 6.

[0083] Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, the display module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a substrate 101, an electrochromic structure 100, and a touch structure 200, and the electrochromic structure 100 and the touch structure 200 are arranged on the substrate 101. The electrochromic structure 100 includes a first control electrode 110 and a second control electrode 120 arranged opposite to each other and an electrochromic layer 130 arranged between the first control electrode 110 and the second control electrode 120, so that the electrochromic layer 130 changes color under the control of an electric field formed between the first control electrode 110 and the second control electrode 120.

[0084] Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, at least one of the first control electrode 110 and the second control electrode 120 is multiplexed as a touch electrode of the touch structure 200. In the display module, at least one of the first control electrode 110 and the second control electrode 120 is multiplexed as a touch electrode, that is, the electrochromic structure 100 and the touch structure 200 share at least one electrode, which can meet the touch function while meeting the effect of electrochromic active privacy, and no additional mask is needed in the manufacturing process, which basically does not affect the production capacity.

[0085] Electrochromism is a technology that changes color under the condition of power on. The optical properties (reflectivity, transmittance, absorptivity, etc.) of electrochromic materials can change stably and reversibly under the action of an applied electric field, which appears as reversible changes in color and transparency. Electrochromism is the change in color of an object caused by electrochemical redox reactions occurring in electrochromic materials, and the color change process is the decomposition and reduction process of electrochromic materials.

[0086] FIG. 8 is a schematic plan view of an electrochromic structure according to an example of at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an electrochromic structure according to an example of at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0087] Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, at least one of the first control electrode 110 and the second control electrode 120 can be a conductive layer that has been patterned, for example, a discontinuous film layer. For example, the topography of the conductive layer on which the first control electrode 110 is located can be the same as or different from the topography of the conductive layer on which the second control electrode 120 is located. For example, referring to FIG. 8, each first conductive portion 1101 in the first control electrode 110 and each second conductive portion (not shown in the figure) in the second control electrode can cover one or more sub-pixels, respectively. For example, each first conductive portion in the first control electrode and each second conductive portion in the second control electrode can cover a different number of sub-pixels, respectively. For example, the electrochromic layer 130 in the electrochromic structure 100 is a multi-layer structure, and at least one layer in the electrochromic layer 130 can also be a patterned film layer.

[0088] FIG. 8 schematically shows the wiring arrangement of the first control electrode 110, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, when the first control electrode is multiplexed as a touch electrode, the wiring of the first control electrode can refer to the wiring mode shown in FIG. 6. For example, a plurality of first conductive portions of the first control electrode can be applied with different electrical signals to independently control the regions on which the first conductive portions are located. For example, the first control electrode can be arranged in a manner similar to the arrangement of the first touch electrode and the second touch electrode shown in FIG. 6. For example, the wiring of the first control electrode can be converged to the IC end as shown in FIG. 8, or the wiring of the first control electrode and the wiring of the touch electrode in the touch structure can be converged to different sides, respectively, to make the frame in which the IC end is located narrower, and the present disclosure does not limit this. It can be understood that the wiring arrangement of the first control electrode can be the same as or different from the wiring arrangement of the second control electrode, and the film layer structure of the first control electrode can be the same as or different from the film layer structure of the second control electrode, and the present disclosure will not be repeated here.

[0089] Referring to FIGS. 6-9, by patterning the first control electrode 110, the second control electrode 120, and the film layer in the electrochromic layer 130, a plurality of electrochromic units 100a can be formed, which is conducive to independently controlling the sub-pixels and the color change of each electrochromic unit 100a. After an electrical signal is applied to each electrochromic unit 100a, the electrochromic structure 100 can form a fine grating, achieving the effect of active privacy protection. In addition, the size of the formed electrochromic grating can be adjusted by adjusting the electrical signal, achieving different levels of privacy protection and realizing intelligent control of the privacy protection effect.

[0090] Referring to FIGS. 6-9, for example, in the case of a non-continuous film layer of the first control electrode 110, the first control electrode 110 can include a plurality of first conductive portions 1101, and the electrochromic structure 100 can further include a barrier layer 141, at least part of the barrier layer 141 being located between two adjacent first conductive portions 1101, thereby blocking the two adjacent first conductive portions 1101, so as to facilitate independent control of each first conductive portion 1101. For example, the material of the barrier layer can include an organic material such as photoresist (OC glue) or transparent polyimide (PI), or an inorganic material such as silicon nitride or silicon oxide. Of course, the electrochromic structure can also not be provided with a barrier layer, and the blocking can be achieved by the blocking groove formed between the two adjacent first conductive portions. For example, the second control electrode can also be a non-continuous film layer, and the second control electrode can include a plurality of second conductive portions, and at least part of the barrier layer is located between two adjacent second conductive portions, so as to facilitate independent control of each second conductive portion.

[0091] For example, the orthographic projection of the electrochromic structure on the substrate can overlap the orthographic projection of the pixel anode on the substrate. For example, the orthographic projection of the electrochromic structure on the substrate can overlap the orthographic projection of the sub-pixel (for example, R, G, or B) on the substrate. For example, the orthographic projection of the first control electrode, the second control electrode, and the electrochromic layer on the substrate respectively overlaps the orthographic projection of the pixel anode on the substrate. For example, the shape and size of the first control electrode and the second control electrode can be determined based on the process capability and the size of the sub-pixel. For example, the size of the first control electrode and the size of the second control electrode are both larger than the size of the pixel anode. For example, in the case of a non-continuous film layer of the first control electrode and the second control electrode, the size of the first conductive portion of the first control electrode can be consistent with the size of the sub-pixel, and the size of the second conductive portion of the second control electrode can be consistent with the size of the sub-pixel, which is not limited in the present disclosure.

[0092] Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, in some examples, the electrochromic layer 130 includes a variable color material layer 131 and an ion storage layer 132 which are arranged in a stack and in contact with each other. The variable color material layer 131 is configured to change color according to ion exchange with the ion storage layer 132 under the action of an electric field. For example, the material of the variable color material layer includes an inorganic electrochromic material or an organic electrochromic material. The inorganic electrochromic material includes tungsten trioxide (WO3), nickel oxide (NiO), titanium dioxide (TiO2), and transition metals, etc. The organic electrochromic material includes polyaniline and its derivatives, viologens (such as polypyrrole (PPy), polythiophene, and polyaniline (PANI)), tetrathiafulvalene, metal phthalocyanine compounds, etc.

[0093] Referring to FIG. 9, for example, the ion storage layer 132 includes a storage layer 1321 and an electrolyte layer 1322. The storage layer is capable of storing corresponding counter ions to maintain charge balance of the entire system when the variable color material layer undergoes a redox reaction. The storage layer can also be an electrochromic material layer, and the variable color performance of the storage layer is opposite to that of the variable color material layer in contact therewith, whereby the storage layer and the variable color material layer can jointly act to achieve color superposition or complementation. For example, the material of the storage layer can include a liquid electrolyte or a solid electrolyte of lithium perchlorate, sodium perchlorate, etc.

[0094] For example, the electrolyte layer is used to transmit ions required in the variable color reaction process to the variable color material layer. The material of the electrolyte layer includes a liquid gel or a solid electrolyte. For example, the material of the electrolyte layer can include an inorganic material or an organic material. For example, the material of the electrolyte layer can include solid inorganic materials such as tantalum pentoxide (Ta2O5) and zirconium dioxide (ZrO2), and organic materials such as polyaniline and its derivatives, viologens, tetrathiafulvalene, metal phthalocyanine compounds, etc.

[0095] As shown in FIG. 9, in the closed state of the switch, an electric field is formed between the first control electrode 110 and the second control electrode 120. For example, the first control electrode 110 is a cathode, and the second control electrode 120 is an anode. Under the action of the electric field, ions in the storage layer 1321 pass through the electrolyte layer 1322 into the variable color material layer 131, and electrons pass from the first control electrode 110 into the variable color material layer 131, causing the variable color material layer 131 to color after oxidation or reduction reaction and present a dark state, and the reaction is a reversible reaction. When the external electric field is removed, it returns to a transparent state.

[0096] Referring to FIGS. 6-9, in some examples, the first control electrode 110 is a transparent electrode, and the second control electrode 120 is a transparent electrode, to allow light to pass through to achieve the electrochromic effect. For example, the material of the first control electrode and the second control electrode is a conductive transparent oxide. For example, the material of the first control electrode and the second control electrode includes indium tin oxide (ITO) or nickel oxide (NiO). For example, the first control electrode and the second control electrode in the electrochromic structure can both be formed on a transparent substrate. The transparent substrate can be, for example, glass, plastic, a polymer film, etc. For example, the first touch electrode and the second touch electrode can also both be transparent electrodes.

[0097] For example, FIG. 9 schematically shows that the first control electrode 110, the second control electrode 120, and the electrochromic layer 130 are all formed between the substrate 001 and the substrate 002. For example, the substrate 001 and the substrate 002 can be transparent substrates. For example, the material of the substrate 001 and the substrate 002 can be glass or plastic. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and in combination with some examples described later, the first control electrode can be formed on different film layers, such as an encapsulation layer, a buffer layer, a touch dielectric layer, etc. The side of the second control electrode away from the first control electrode can be other film layers, such as an optical adhesive layer, a touch dielectric layer, etc.

[0098] FIGS. 10A-10H are schematic diagrams of a manufacturing process of an electrochromic structure according to an example of at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0099] Referring to FIG. 10A, a substrate 1 with good flatness and light transmittance is selected and cleaned. For example, a glass substrate can be selected. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and a substrate such as a plastic substrate can also be selected.

[0100] Referring to FIG. 10B, a transparent first conductive material layer 2 is evaporated on the substrate 1. For example, the transparent first conductive material layer can be deposited on one side or both sides of the substrate according to the desired color change mode. For example, the first conductive material layer can be an indium tin oxide (ITO) film. For example, the first conductive material layer can be deposited by methods such as magnetron sputtering, vacuum evaporation, inkjet printing, or screen printing. Then, a patterned first conductive layer 2 is formed by methods such as wet etching, dry etching, or mask. For example, the first conductive layer 2 can be the first control electrode in the electrochromic structure.

[0101] Referring to FIG. 10C, then, a barrier layer 141 is evaporated on the substrate 1 by coating or chemical vapor deposition (CVD).

[0102] Referring to FIG. 10D, then, a suitable electrochromic material is selected according to the desired color-changing mode and performance requirements. For example, the electrochromic material can include tungsten oxide, nickel oxide, etc. Then, the electrochromic material in solution form is uniformly formed on the first conductive layer 2, for example, by spin coating, blade coating, spraying, etc., so that the electrochromic material is formed into a film on the first conductive layer 2 and is dried and cured to form a color-changing material layer 131.

[0103] Referring to FIG. 10E, then, an electrolyte, such as in a gel state, a solid state, or a mixed state, is deposited on the color-changing material layer 131 to obtain an electrolyte layer 1322, so that ion conduction is performed through the electrolyte layer 1322 to achieve charge migration in the color-changing process.

[0104] Referring to FIG. 10F, then, a storage layer 1321 is formed on the electrolyte layer 1322. For example, an ion storage material can be added to one side or both sides of the electrolyte layer to store and release ions involved in the color-changing reaction, maintain charge balance, and prolong the service life of the electrochromic structure.

[0105] Referring to FIG. 10G, then, a second conductive layer 3 is evaporated and formed on the storage layer 1321. The second conductive layer 3 can be a full-film layer as shown in FIG. 10G or a patterned non-continuous film layer, and the present disclosure does not limit this. For example, the second conductive layer can be a second control electrode in the electrochromic structure.

[0106] Referring to FIG. 10H, then, the electrochromic structure is packaged and connected. For example, in order to protect the internal structure of the electrochromic structure from the environment and prevent moisture and oxygen from penetrating, a packaging film layer 4 is formed above the second conductive layer 3 to seal and package the electrochromic structure. For example, edge sealing, air-tight adhesive sealing (such as OCA glue), fusion sealing, CVD packaging, or Ink Jet Printing (IJP) can be used. The CVD packaging can use materials such as silicon nitride (SiNx) or silicon oxide (SiOx). Before or after packaging, an external power source can be connected to the first conductive layer or the second conductive layer. For example, soldering or bonding metal contacts can be used to achieve electrical connection.

[0107] It can be understood that the above Figs. 10A to 10H only schematically show a schematic diagram of the manufacturing steps of the electrochromic structure. According to different selected materials of the electrochromic material layer, the film layer stacking sequence can also be correspondingly different, and thus the film plating process can also be different, which is not limited in the present disclosure. For example, Fig. 9 schematically shows the case where the first control electrode is a cathode and the second control electrode is an anode. It can be understood that in some other examples, the first control electrode can be an anode and the second control electrode can be a cathode, and the electrochromic material layer and the storage layer are correspondingly exchanged. For example, the film layer stacking sequence can be the first control electrode (anode), the storage layer, the electrolyte layer, the electrochromic material layer and the second control electrode (cathode), so that the storage layer is in contact with the anode and the electrochromic material layer is in contact with the cathode, thereby realizing electrochromism under the action of an electric field. It can be understood that when the film layer stacking sequence of the electrochromic structure is different from the film layer stacking sequence shown in Fig. 10H, the manufacturing steps can also be correspondingly different, which will not be described here.

[0108] Figs. 11 and 12 are schematic diagrams of electrochromic structures provided by different examples in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0109] For example, referring to Figs. 11 and 12, the barrier layer can also not be provided in the electrochromic structure 100, and the barrier groove 142 is formed by means such as laser cutting to replace the barrier layer. For example, referring to Fig. 12, at least one layer in the electrochromic layer 130 can be a non-continuous film layer, for example, the electrochromic material layer 131 can be a non-continuous film layer, and the electrolyte layer 1322 and the storage layer 1321 are both integral film layers. Of course, in some other examples, the electrolyte layer and the storage layer can also be non-continuous film layers, which are not limited in the present disclosure.

[0110] Referring to Fig. 6, in some examples, the touch electrode of the touch structure 200 includes a plurality of first touch electrodes 210 arranged side by side and a plurality of second touch electrodes 220 arranged side by side, and the plurality of first touch electrodes 210 and the plurality of second touch electrodes 220 cross each other. For example, one of the first touch electrode 210 and the second touch electrode 220 is a touch driving electrode, and the other of the first touch electrode 210 and the second touch electrode 220 is a touch sensing electrode. The first control electrode 110 is multiplexed as at least one of the first touch electrode 210 and the second touch electrode 220. For example, the first control electrode can be multiplexed as a touch driving electrode. For example, the first control electrode can be multiplexed as a touch sensing electrode. For example, the first control electrode can be partially multiplexed as a touch driving electrode and partially multiplexed as a touch sensing electrode.

[0111] Referring to FIG. 6, in some examples, the first touch electrode 210 includes a plurality of first electrode portions 211 arranged along a first direction Y, the second touch electrode 220 includes a plurality of second electrode portions 221 arranged along a second direction X, and the first direction Y intersects the second direction X. For example, the shape of the first electrode portions and the shape of the second electrode portions can be rhombus as shown in FIG. 6. For example, the shape of the first electrode portions and the shape of the second electrode portions can also be rectangular, trapezoidal, or other polygonal shapes, without limitation in the present disclosure.

[0112] Referring to FIG. 6, for example, adjacent first electrode portions 211 of the plurality of first electrode portions 211 in the first touch electrode 210 are connected by first connecting portions 212, and adjacent second electrode portions 221 of the plurality of second electrode portions 221 in the second touch electrode 220 are connected by second connecting portions 222, and the first connecting portions 212 and the second connecting portions 222 intersect and are insulated from each other. For example, two adjacent first electrode portions 211 are bridged and connected by a first connecting portion 212, and two adjacent second electrode portions 221 are directly connected by a second connecting portion 222. For example, the second connecting portions 222, the first electrode portions 211, and the second electrode portions 221 can be located in the same layer and formed by the same film layer through the same patterning process. Of course, in other embodiments, the first electrode portions and the first connecting portions can be located in the same layer, the second electrode portions and the second connecting portions can be located in the same layer, and the first touch electrode and the second touch electrode can be located in different layers, without limitation in the present disclosure.

[0113] Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, in some examples, the first control electrode 110 is multiplexed as the first touch electrode 210, and the electrochromic layer 130 at least partially overlaps the plurality of first electrode portions 211 of the first touch electrode 210 in a direction perpendicular to the substrate 101. For example, the electrochromic layer 130 can partially overlap the first electrode portions 211 or completely overlap the first electrode portions 211 in the direction perpendicular to the substrate 101. For example, the electrochromic layer 130 can be formed only on the first electrode portions 211 to form an electrochromic grating. For example, when the first control electrode 110 is multiplexed as the first touch electrode 210 and the second touch electrode 220, the electrochromic layer 130 can at least partially overlap the first electrode portions 211 and the second electrode portions 221, respectively, in the direction perpendicular to the substrate 101, so that the electrochromic layer 130 can be formed on the first electrode portions 211 and the second electrode portions 221 at the same time. For example, the electrochromic layer can partially overlap the first electrode portions and the second electrode portions, respectively, or completely overlap the first electrode portions and the second electrode portions, respectively.

[0114] Referring to FIG. 6, in some examples, the display module further includes a first signal line 310, a second signal line 320, and a third signal line 330. The first signal line 310 is connected to the second touch electrode 220 and configured to transmit a first touch signal to the second touch electrode 220. The second signal line 320 is connected to the second control electrode 120 and configured to transmit a first electrochromic control signal to the second control electrode 120. The third signal line 330 is connected to the first control electrode 110 and configured to transmit a second electrochromic control signal or a second touch signal to the first control electrode 110. For example, the first touch signal is one of a touch sensing signal and a touch driving signal, and the second touch signal is the other of the touch sensing signal and the touch driving signal. For example, according to the first electrochromic control signal and the second electrochromic control signal, a voltage is formed between the first control electrode and the second control electrode to move or stop ions in the electrochromic layer, thereby achieving an active privacy function.

[0115] Referring to FIG. 6, for example, the first touch electrode 210 is provided in a plurality of first touch electrodes 210, each of which extends along the first direction Y, and the plurality of first touch electrodes 210 are arranged along the second direction X. For example, the second touch electrode 220 is provided in a plurality of second touch electrodes 220, each of which extends along the second direction X, and the plurality of second touch electrodes 220 are arranged along the first direction Y. For example, the first signal line 310 is provided in a plurality of first signal lines 310 corresponding to the plurality of second touch electrodes 220 one by one, and the second signal line 320 is provided in a plurality of second signal lines 320 corresponding to the plurality of second control electrodes 120 one by one. For example, the first signal line, the second signal line, and the third signal line can be single-sided leads or multi-sided leads. For example, the first signal line, the second signal line, and the third signal line can be horizontal traces or vertical traces. The horizontal direction is, for example, the second direction, and the vertical direction is, for example, the first direction. For example, the first signal line, the second signal line, and the third signal line extend in the same direction away from one end of the electrode (for example, the first touch electrode, the second touch electrode, the first control electrode, or the second control electrode), so as to facilitate the connection of each signal line to an integrated circuit (IC) to achieve the transmission of electrical signals.

[0116] FIG. 13 is a driving schematic diagram of a display module provided in an example of at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0117] In combination with FIGS. 6 and 13, in some examples, the third signal line 330 in the display module 1000 is configured to be connected with the multiplexer 400. The multiplexer 400 (MUX) can combine multiple input signals into one output signal, which is transmitted at the same time or on the same communication channel. For example, the multiplexer can be part of the display module or an external circuit, which is not limited in the present disclosure. The multiplexer 400 is configured to transmit the first touch signal or the second touch signal to the third signal line 330 in a first time period, and transmit the first electrochromic control signal or the second electrochromic control signal to the third signal line 330 in a second time period, the first time period and the second time period do not overlap. Unlike the design of 1-to-2 multiplexer (MUX 1:2), the 2-to-1 multiplexer 400 (MUX 2:1) is used in the embodiment of the present disclosure, which divides the third signal line 330 into two and increases the independent control of the switch, and the electrochromic control signal and the touch signal do not interfere with each other, so that the independent control of the active privacy and the touch function can be realized, and the influence of the touch function on the active privacy and the interference of the active privacy on the touch function are effectively avoided. For example, the first control electrode 110 and the first touch electrode 210 share the third signal line 330 to realize the multiplexing of the first control electrode 110 as the first touch electrode 210. For example, the third signal line 330 can be divided into a touch signal line and an electrochromic control signal line by the design of MUX 2:1 near one end of the IC, and then controlled by independent IC or IP (Intellectual Property).

[0118] Referring to FIGS. 6 and 13, the present disclosure provides a driving method of a display module, the electrochromic structure 100 includes a plurality of electrochromic units 100a, the touch structure 200 includes a plurality of touch units 200a, and the plurality of electrochromic units 100a and the plurality of touch units 200a include a plurality of electrochromic touch unit groups 50a including multiplexed control electrodes and touch electrodes. For example, each first electrode part 211 or each second electrode part 221 is one touch unit 200a. For example, the barrier layer 141 (or the barrier groove 142) in the display module divides the electrochromic structure 100 into a plurality of electrochromic units 100a. For example, in the case where the first control electrode 110 is multiplexed as the first touch electrode 210, the first electrode part 211 is an electrode in the electrochromic touch unit group 50a.

[0119] Referring to FIGS. 6 and 13, for example, the driving method includes: applying the electrochromic control signal and the touch control signal to the plurality of electrochromic units 100a and the plurality of touch units 200a, respectively, in different time periods. In this way, the electrochromic units 100a or the touch units 200a can be independently driven in different time periods, respectively, so that the display module can support both the touch function and the active privacy function, and interference between the electrochromic control signal and the touch control signal is prevented.

[0120] FIGS. 14-15B are timing diagrams of driving methods provided by different examples in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 14 schematically shows two timing schemes that can support both the active privacy function and the touch function at the same time, and FIGS. 15A and 15B respectively show timing diagrams corresponding to the two timing schemes in FIG. 14. For example, FIGS. 15A and 15B only schematically show timing diagrams of applying the electrochromic control signal or the touch control signal to a row of electrochromic units or a row of touch units in 1H or 2H time. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, for example, the electrochromic units can be multiple rows, and the touch units can be multiple rows.

[0121] Referring to FIGS. 6, 14 and 15A, in some examples, applying the electrochromic control signal and the touch control signal to the plurality of electrochromic units 100a and the plurality of touch units 200a, respectively, in different time periods includes: applying the electrochromic control signal to the plurality of electrochromic units 100a in sequence in one frame time; and applying the touch control signal to the plurality of touch units 200a in sequence in the next frame time. For example, the electrochromic control signal can be applied to a row of electrochromic units in a time period of 1H, and the touch control signal can be applied to a row of touch units in a time period of 2H. For example, in one frame time, the electrochromic control signal can be applied to each row of electrochromic units in sequence, and in the next frame time, the touch control signal can be applied to each row of touch units in sequence. For example, time-sharing driving can be achieved by the multiplexer 400. For example, the multiplexer can be a thin film transistor (TFT) that is turned on by a high potential, or can be a thin film transistor that is turned on by a low potential. For example, after the electrochromic control signal is transmitted to each electrochromic unit 100a in sequence in one frame time, the touch control signal can be transmitted to each touch unit 200a in sequence in the next frame time, so that the active privacy function and the touch function continue to work. In this way, only the timing needs to be coordinated, and the active privacy function and the touch function can be achieved.

[0122] Referring to FIGS. 6, 14, and 15B, in some examples, the applying of the electrochromic control signals and the touch control signals to the plurality of electrochromic units 100a and the plurality of touch units 200a respectively in different time periods includes: in a frame time, the signals are applied to the plurality of electrochromic touch unit groups 50a in turn, and the time period for applying the signals to each electrochromic touch unit group 50a includes a first sub-time period T1 for applying the electrochromic control signals and a second sub-time period T2 for applying the touch control signals. For example, a frame time can be divided into two sub-time periods (e.g., the first sub-time period T1 and the second sub-time period T2), so as to realize time-sharing driving in a frame time, so as to improve the signal refresh frequency. For example, the time-sharing driving can be realized by the support of an IP burned on an IC, and the IP can include timing and other auxiliary codes.

[0123] FIG. 16 is a plan view of a display module according to an example of at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view of the display module at BB’ in FIG. 16.

[0124] Referring to FIGS. 16 and 17, in some examples, the first control electrode 110 is multiplexed into the first touch electrode 210 and the second touch electrode 220. For example, a portion of the first control electrode 110 is multiplexed into the first touch electrode 210, and another portion of the first control electrode 110 is multiplexed into the second touch electrode 220. The electrochromic layer 130 at least partially overlaps the plurality of first electrode portions 211 of the first touch electrode 210 and the plurality of second electrode portions 221 of the second touch electrode 220 in a direction perpendicular to the substrate 101. For example, the electrochromic layer 130 completely overlaps all of the first electrode portions 211 in the direction perpendicular to the substrate 101, and the electrochromic layer 130 completely overlaps all of the second electrode portions 221 in the direction perpendicular to the substrate 101. In this way, the area where the first touch electrode 210 is located and the area where the second touch electrode 220 is located can both undergo electrochromism, so that the display module has more color-changing effects and can achieve better privacy protection effects.

[0125] Referring to FIGS. 16 and 17, in some examples, the display module further includes a first signal line 310 and a second signal line 320. The first signal line 310 is connected to the first control electrode 110 and is configured to transmit a first electrochromic control signal or a touch control signal to the first control electrode 110. The second signal line 320 is connected to the second control electrode 120 and is configured to transmit a second electrochromic control signal to the second control electrode 120. For example, the first signal line 310 can be provided as a plurality of first signal lines 310, and the plurality of first signal lines 310 are respectively connected to the plurality of first touch electrodes 210 and the plurality of second touch electrodes 220 one by one.

[0126] Referring to FIGS. 16 and 17, in some examples, the display module further includes a multiplexer 400 connected to the first signal line 310. The multiplexer 400 is configured to transmit a touch signal to the first signal line 310 in a first time period and transmit a first electrochromic control signal to the first signal line 310 in a second time period, the first time period being non-overlapping with the second time period. The multiplexer 400 can be described with reference to the foregoing embodiments, and will not be described here again. It can be understood that the multiplexer 400 can be a 2-to-1 multiplexer 400, which divides the first signal line 310 into two parts, so that the electrochromic control signal and the touch signal do not interfere with each other, thereby achieving independent control of the active privacy and touch functions.

[0127] FIGS. 18 and 19 are cross-sectional schematic views of display modules provided in different examples of at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0128] Referring to FIG. 18, in some examples, the second control electrode 120 is located on a side of the touch structure 200 away from the substrate 101, so that the electrochromic layer 130 is located on a side of the layer where the first touch electrode 210 is located away from the substrate 101. In this way, the electrochromic layer 130 is located above the touch structure 200, which is conducive to achieving a better electrochromic effect. For example, the touch function of the touch structure 200 located below the electrochromic layer 130 can be prevented from being affected by IC debugging.

[0129] Referring to FIG. 19, in some examples, the second control electrode 120 is located on a side of the touch structure 200 close to the substrate 101, so that the first touch electrode 210 and the second touch electrode 220 in the touch structure 200 are located above the electrochromic layer 130. In this way, it is not necessary to consider that the touch function of the touch structure 200 is affected by the electrochromic layer 130.

[0130] FIG. 20 is a structural schematic view of a touch display panel. FIG. 21 is a schematic view of a touch structure in the touch display panel shown in FIG. 20.

[0131] Referring to FIG. 20, a touch display module (MDL) includes a support plate 901, a heat-conducting adhesive layer 902, a back film (BF) layer 903, a panel 904, a touch structure 905 formed by a flexible multi-layer on cell (FMLOC) touch technology, a polarizer (POL) 906, a top optically clear adhesive (TOCA) 907, and a cover glass 908, which are sequentially stacked. For example, the FMLOC touch technology is to make various electrode layers and various traces of the touch structure directly on the encapsulation layer, so as to integrate the touch structure on the panel. For example, the support plate 901 can be an aluminum plate.

[0132] Referring to FIG. 21, the on-cell touch structure 905 is composed of a first touch layer (Touch Metal A, TMA) 9051, an intermediate insulator layer (Touch Insulator, TLD) 9052, and a second touch layer (Touch Metal B, TMB) 9053, which are sequentially stacked. For example, the first touch layer and the second touch layer can be metal mesh electrode layers, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto, as long as the light transmittance requirement can be met. For example, the first touch layer 9051 can be formed on a barrier layer 9054 to prevent damage to the encapsulation layer below the first touch layer 9051 when the first touch layer 9051 is made, by the barrier layer 9054. The touch structure is similar in structure to the electrochromic structure, so that the sharing of each film layer between the touch structure and the electrochromic structure can be realized. In this way, the touch function and the electrochromic active privacy function can be met at the same time, and no additional mask is needed, and the production capacity is almost not affected.

[0133] FIG. 22 is a plan view of a display module according to an example of at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 23 is a schematic view of a display module according to an example of at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIGS. 24-26 are partial schematic views of display modules according to different examples of at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0134] Referring to FIGS. 22-26, in some examples, the touch structure 200 includes a first electrode layer 210a, a touch dielectric layer 230, and a second electrode layer 220a stacked on each other, with the touch dielectric layer 230 between the first electrode layer 210a and the second electrode layer 220a. The first electrode layer includes a plurality of first touch electrodes 210 arranged side by side, and the second electrode layer includes a plurality of second touch electrodes 220 arranged side by side, with the first touch electrodes 210 and the second touch electrodes 220 crossing each other. For example, the first touch electrodes 210 can extend along a first direction Y, and the second touch electrodes 220 can extend along a second direction X, with the first direction Y and the second direction X intersecting. For example, the plurality of first touch electrodes 210 can be arranged along the second direction X, and the plurality of second touch electrodes 220 can be arranged along the first direction Y.

[0135] Referring to FIGS. 23-25, for example, the first control electrode 110 is multiplexed as the first touch electrode 210. For example, the first control electrode can be a whole film layer or a patterned discontinuous film layer, and the present disclosure does not limit this. The touch dielectric layer 230 and the second touch electrode 220 are on a first side of the first control electrode 110, and the electrochromic layer 130 and the second control electrode 120 are on a second side of the first control electrode 110. Since the first control electrode 110 and the first touch electrode 210 are shared, a mask plate can be shared, and the manufacturing process is simple. Moreover, the second touch electrode 220 and the second control electrode 120 facilitate the application of a touch signal and an electrochromic control signal, respectively, effectively avoiding interference between the electrochromic control signal and the touch signal.

[0136] For example, in the case where the first control electrode is multiplexed as the first touch electrode, the display module shown in FIG. 23 can also include the first, second, and third signal lines shown in FIG. 6. The connection mode of each signal line to each electrode and the driving mode can be consistent with the related description in the foregoing FIGS. 6 and 13, and the third signal line can also be connected to a multiplexer to achieve transmission of different signals in the first time period and the second time period, respectively, to achieve a touch function or an active privacy function, which will not be described again here.

[0137] Referring to FIGS. 23 and 24, in some examples, the touch dielectric layer 230 is on a side of the first control electrode 110 close to the substrate 101. In this way, the electrochromic layer 130 is above the touch dielectric layer 230, which is conducive to achieving a better electrochromic effect. For example, the touch signal can be prevented from being interfered with by the electrochromic control signal through IC debugging.

[0138] For example, the display module can further include a buffer layer disposed between the substrate and the touch structure. The buffer layer can provide a flat surface and prevent impurities such as water and oxygen from penetrating into functional structures such as the touch dielectric layer from the substrate, thereby protecting other functional structures on the substrate. For example, the second touch electrode can be formed on the buffer layer.

[0139] Referring to FIGS. 23 and 25, in some examples, the touch dielectric layer 230 is located on a side of the first control electrode 110 away from the substrate 101. Thus, the touch dielectric layer 230 is located above the electrochromic layer 130, so that the touch function is basically not disturbed.

[0140] An OLED display screen has the characteristics of self-luminescence, high contrast, low energy consumption, wide viewing angle, fast response speed, use in flexible panels, wide temperature range, simple manufacturing, etc., and has broad development prospects. For example, the display module can be applied to an OLED display screen. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, for example, the display module can also be applied to an LCD display screen.

[0141] Referring to FIG. 23, for example, the display module further includes a driving circuit layer 501, a light-emitting device layer 502, and a cover plate 503 disposed in sequence on the substrate 101. The driving circuit layer 501 is configured to drive the light-emitting device in the light-emitting device layer 502. The electrochromic structure 100 and the touch structure 200 are both disposed between the cover plate 503 and the light-emitting device layer 502. For example, FIG. 23 only schematically shows the positional relationship between the film layers, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto, for example, other structures or film layers can also be disposed between the electrochromic structure 100 (touch structure 200) and the light-emitting device layer 502. For example, the display module has a plurality of pixel units arranged in an array for display operation. Each of the plurality of pixel units includes a plurality of sub-pixels, and each of the plurality of sub-pixels includes a pixel driving circuit disposed in the driving circuit layer. The pixel driving circuit includes structures such as thin film transistors and storage capacitors, and the thin film transistors can be connected to the light-emitting device. For example, the display module further includes a polarizer 504 and an optical adhesive layer 505, the optical adhesive layer 505 is located between the cover plate 503 and the polarizer 504, and the polarizer 504 is located on a side of the touch structure 100 and the electrochromic structure 200 away from the substrate 101. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the display module can also include other film layers, which will not be described here.

[0142] Referring to FIG. 23 and FIG. 26, in some examples, the first control electrode 110 is multiplexed as the first touch electrode 210, the second control electrode 120 is multiplexed as the second touch electrode 220, and the electrochromic layer 130 is multiplexed as the touch dielectric layer 230. In this way, the structure of the display module is simpler, and the first electrode layer can form the first touch electrode 210 and the first control electrode 110 at the same time by one mask, and the second electrode layer can form the second touch electrode 220 and the second control electrode 120 at the same time by one mask, without the need to additionally increase the mask, and the manufacturing process is simple.

[0143] Referring to FIG. 26, in some examples, the display module further includes a first signal line 310 and a second signal line 320. The first signal line 310 is connected with the first touch electrode 210, and the second signal line 320 is connected with the second touch electrode 220. The first signal line 310 is configured to be connected with the first multiplexer 401, and the second signal line 320 is configured to be connected with the second multiplexer 402. The first multiplexer 401 and the second multiplexer 402 can refer to the description of the aforementioned 2-to-1 multiplexer 400, which will not be described here. By setting the first multiplexer 401 and the second multiplexer 402, the touch signal and the electrochromic control signal will not interfere with each other.

[0144] Referring to FIG. 26, for example, in a first time period, the first multiplexer 401 is configured to transmit a first touch signal to the first signal line 310, and the second multiplexer 402 is configured to transmit a second touch signal to the second signal line 320. In a second time period, the first multiplexer 401 is configured to transmit a first electrochromic control signal to the first signal line 310, and the second multiplexer 402 is configured to transmit a second electrochromic control signal to the second signal line 320. The first time period and the second time period do not overlap. In this way, in the first time period, the first touch electrode 210, the second touch electrode 220 and the touch dielectric layer 230 jointly realize the touch function. In the second time period, the first control electrode 110, the second control electrode 120 and the electrochromic layer 130 jointly realize the electrochromic function.

[0145] For example, the substrate can include a touch area and a non-touch area. For example, only the first control electrode in the touch area can be multiplexed as at least one of the first touch electrode and the second touch electrode, so as to realize the touch function in the touch area, and the non-touch area realizes the anti-peep function through the electrochromic structure.

[0146] For example, the substrate substrate can include an effective display area and a touch area. The effective display area can display a display picture with high brightness to provide better display effect to the user. The touch area can display a low gray scale picture with low brightness to prevent the user (e.g., a driver) from being affected by the high brightness while realizing the touch function.

[0147] FIGS. 27 and 28 are structural schematic diagrams of different display modules, respectively.

[0148] As shown in FIG. 27, the display module can include a back film 710, a base material 720, a panel 730, an evaporation layer 740, a touch structure 750, an optical glue layer 760, and a cover plate 770 which are sequentially stacked. The electrochromic structure can be integrated in the cover plate 770. The panel 730 can be connected to the PCB 791 through the COF 780, and the electrochromic signal can be connected to the PCB 791 of the panel 730 through the FPC 790.

[0149] As shown in FIG. 28, the display module can include a back film 810, a base material 820, a panel 830, an evaporation layer 840, a touch structure 850, an optical glue layer 860, and a cover plate 870 which are sequentially stacked. The electrochromic structure can be integrated in the cover plate 870. The electrochromic signal can be directly connected to the PCB 892 of the host through the FPC 890, and the panel 830 can be connected to the PCB 891 through the COF 880.

[0150] FIG. 29 is a structural schematic diagram of a display module provided by an example in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0151] Referring to FIG. 29, the display module further includes other film layers, and the electrochromic structure is configured to be electrically connected to the lead-out part of the display module through a via hole which passes through the other film layers. FIG. 29 shows a connection mode of the display module integrated with the externally-attached electrochromic structure and the external circuit. For example, the display module can include a back film 910, a base material 920, a panel 930, an evaporation layer 940, a touch structure 950, an optical glue layer 960, and a cover plate 970 which are sequentially stacked, and the electrochromic structure can be integrated in the cover plate 970.

[0152] For example, the cover plate can be a single-layer glass cover plate or a single-layer plastic cover plate. For example, the electrochromic structure can be formed on the single-layer glass cover plate or the single-layer plastic cover plate alone. For example, the electrochromic structure can share an electrode with the touch structure, so that the electrochromic structure and the touch structure are formed on the single-layer glass cover plate or the single-layer plastic cover plate together. For example, the cover plate can be a double-layer glass cover plate or a double-layer plastic cover plate. For example, the electrochromic structure can be formed between the two layers of the glass cover plate or the plastic cover plate alone. For example, the electrochromic structure can share an electrode with the touch structure, so that the electrochromic structure and the touch structure are formed between the double-layer glass cover plate or the double-layer plastic cover plate. Of course, the electrochromic structure and the touch structure can also have other settings, and the present disclosure does not limit this.

[0153] For example, the other film layer 900 can include an optical adhesive layer 960 and a vapor deposition layer 940, and the via hole 980 can pass through the above-mentioned film layer and also pass through the touch structure 950 to be electrically connected with the lead-out part 990 of the display module. For example, the lead-out part 990 of the display module is used to connect and conduct with the PCB 992 through the COF 991. For example, the lead-out part of the display module includes the wiring on the panel. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the touch structure can also be arranged between the optical adhesive layer and the cover plate, so that the touch structure and the electrochromic structure in the cover plate can share an electrode.

[0154] FIG. 30 is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of a display module provided by an example in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0155] Referring to FIG. 30, for example, the electrode (for example, the first control electrode or the second control electrode) in the electrochromic structure can be connected and conducted with the electrode TSP (for example, the first touch electrode or the second touch electrode) in the touch structure through the via hole in the optical adhesive layer OCA or the color filter on encapsulation COE. For example, in the case of sharing the first touch electrode with the first control electrode, the electrode TSP can also be the first control electrode. For example, in the case of sharing the second touch electrode with the second control electrode, the electrode TSP can also be the second control electrode. Then, the electrode TSP is connected and conducted with the first part of the first signal line SD1 through the via hole in the silicon nitride layer SiNx, and the first part of the first signal line SD1 is connected to the first part of the second signal line SD2, and then the first part of the second signal line SD2 is connected to the first part of the gate layer Gate through the via hole in the interlayer insulation layer ILD, and the gate layer Gate can be formed on the substrate PI. For example, the insulation layer is arranged between the first signal line SD1 and the second signal line SD2. Then, in the bending area, the first part of the gate layer Gate can be connected to the second part of the gate layer Gate by the second part of the first signal line SD1.

[0156] Referring to FIG. 30, then, the second portion of the gate layer Gate can be connected to the second portion of the second signal line SD2, and the second portion of the second signal line SD can be connected to the third portion of the first signal line SD1, and then the third portion of the first signal line SD1 can be connected to the other portion of the electrode TSP on the encapsulation layer CVD. For example, the encapsulation layer CVD can be formed on the pixel definition layer PDL or the planarization layer PLN. Before entering the bending area, the wire is connected to the gate layer Gate by the first signal line SD1 and the second signal line SD2 respectively, and in the bending area, the gate layer Gate is connected by the first signal line SD1, and then the second signal line SD2 and the first signal line SD1 are connected to the electrode TSP, which is beneficial to prevent static electricity by switching between film layers.

[0157] The display panel can be a liquid crystal display panel, an electronic paper display panel, an OLED display panel, and any product or component having a touch and display function, such as a television, a digital camera, a mobile phone, a watch, a tablet computer, a notebook computer, a navigator, and the like.

[0158] For example, in the display panel applying the display module provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure, the electrochromic structure can be transmitted with an electrochromic signal in an off-screen state by a client IC to make the electrochromic structure in a working state, thereby improving the integral black effect of the display device in the off-screen state.

[0159] For example, in the display panel applying the display module provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure, the phenomenon of low gray scale unevenness caused by factory process fluctuation can be improved by a client timing controller integrated circuit (T-con IC) or a client host IC. Mura refers to the in-plane brightness unevenness of a display, causing various trace phenomena. For example, the output display device can be photographed to identify the mura position. Then, the electrochromic structure after the patterning process can be positioned and discolored, for example, the mura level can be improved by changing the size of the electrochromic control signal. For example, the de-mura process can also be used to reduce the problem of screen brightness unevenness and improve the display effect of the display device.

[0160] The display panel provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure can be used in a vehicle window. The vehicle provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure includes the vehicle window. Therefore, the display module according to the embodiments of the present disclosure also has corresponding beneficial technical effects, which are not described here.

[0161] The following points need to be explained:

[0162] (1) In the drawings of the embodiments of the present disclosure, only the structures related to the embodiments of the present disclosure are involved, and other structures can be referred to the general design.

[0163] (2) In the case of no conflict, the features in the same embodiment and different embodiments of the present disclosure can be combined with each other.

[0164] The above only describes exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, and is not used to limit the protection scope of the present disclosure, and the protection scope of the present disclosure is determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A display module comprising: A substrate, an electrochromic structure and a touch structure, the electrochromic structure and the touch structure are both disposed on the substrate; The electrochromic structure comprises: Oppositely arranged first and second control electrodes; An electrochromic layer disposed between the first and second control electrodes; At least one of the first and second control electrodes is multiplexed as a touch electrode of the touch structure.

2. The display module of claim 1, wherein, The touch electrode of the touch structure comprises a plurality of first touch electrodes arranged side by side and a plurality of second touch electrodes arranged side by side, the plurality of first touch electrodes and the plurality of second touch electrodes intersect each other; The first control electrode is multiplexed as at least one of the first and second touch electrodes.

3. The display module of claim 2, wherein, The first touch electrode comprises a plurality of first electrode portions arranged along a first direction, and the second touch electrode comprises a plurality of second electrode portions arranged along a second direction, the first direction intersecting the second direction; Adjacent first electrode portions in the plurality of first electrode portions in the first touch electrode are connected by first connecting portions, and adjacent second electrode portions in the plurality of second electrode portions in the second touch electrode are connected by second connecting portions, the first connecting portions and the second connecting portions intersect and are insulated from each other.

4. The display module of claim 3, wherein, The first control electrode is multiplexed as the first touch electrode, and the electrochromic layer at least partially overlaps with the plurality of first electrode portions of the first touch electrode in a direction perpendicular to the substrate.

5. The display module of claim 4, wherein, Further comprising a first signal line, a second signal line and a third signal line; The first signal line is connected with the second touch electrode and is configured to transmit a first touch signal to the second touch electrode; The second signal line is connected with the second control electrode and is configured to transmit a first electrochromic control signal to the second control electrode; The third signal line is connected with the first control electrode and is configured to transmit a second electrochromic control signal or a second touch signal to the first control electrode. The third signal line is configured to be connected with a multiplexer; 6. The display module of claim 5, wherein, The multiplexer is configured to transmit the first touch signal or the second touch signal to the third signal line in a first time period, and transmit the first electrochromic control signal or the second electrochromic control signal to the third signal line in a second time period; The first time period and the second time period do not overlap. The first control electrode is multiplexed as the first and second touch electrodes, and the electrochromic layer at least partially overlaps with the plurality of first electrode portions of the first touch electrode and the plurality of second electrode portions of the second touch electrode in a direction perpendicular to the substrate.

7. The display module of claim 3, wherein, 8. The display module of claim 7, further comprising a first signal line and a second signal line; The first signal line is connected with the first control electrode and is configured to transmit a first electrochromic control signal or a touch signal to the first control electrode; wherein, The second signal line is connected with the second control electrode and is configured to transmit a second electrochromic control signal to the second control electrode. ​ 9. The display module of claim 8, wherein, The first signal line is configured to be connected with a multiplexer; The multiplexer is configured to transmit the touch signal to the first signal line in a first time period and transmit the first electrochromic control signal to the first signal line in a second time period; The first time period does not overlap with the second time period.

10. The display module of any of claims 2-9, wherein, The second control electrode is located on a side of the touch structure away from the substrate or on a side of the touch structure close to the substrate.

11. The display module of claim 1, wherein, The touch structure comprises a first electrode layer, a touch dielectric layer and a second electrode layer stacked with each other, and the touch dielectric layer is located between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer; The first electrode layer comprises a plurality of first touch electrodes arranged side by side, the second electrode layer comprises a plurality of second touch electrodes arranged side by side, and the first touch electrodes and the second touch electrodes cross each other; The first control electrode is multiplexed as the first touch electrode, the touch dielectric layer and the second touch electrode are located on a first side of the first control electrode, and the electrochromic layer and the second control electrode are located on a second side of the first control electrode. The touch dielectric layer is located on a side of the first control electrode away from the substrate or on a side of the first control electrode close to the substrate.

12. The display module of claim 11, wherein, 13. The display module according to claim 11 or 12, further comprising a first signal line, a second signal line and a third signal line; The first signal line is connected with the second touch electrode and is configured to transmit a first touch signal to the second touch electrode; wherein, The second signal line is connected with the second control electrode and is configured to transmit a first electrochromic control signal to the second control electrode; The third signal line is connected with the first control electrode and is configured to transmit a second electrochromic control signal or a second touch signal to the first control electrode. The third signal line is configured to be connected with a multiplexer; 14. The display module of claim 13, wherein, The multiplexer is configured to transmit the first touch signal or the second touch signal to the third signal line in a first time period and transmit the first electrochromic control signal or the second electrochromic control signal to the third signal line in a second time period; The first time period does not overlap with the second time period. The touch structure comprises a first electrode layer, a touch dielectric layer and a second electrode layer stacked with each other, and the touch dielectric layer is located between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer; 15. The display module of claim 1, wherein, The first electrode layer comprises a plurality of first touch electrodes arranged side by side, the second electrode layer comprises a plurality of second touch electrodes arranged side by side, and the first touch electrodes and the second touch electrodes cross each other; The first control electrode is multiplexed as the first touch electrode, the second control electrode is multiplexed as the second touch electrode, and the electrochromic layer is multiplexed as the touch dielectric layer.

16. The display module according to claim 15, further comprising a first signal line and a second signal line; ​ wherein The first signal line is connected with the first touch electrode, and the second signal line is connected with the second touch electrode; the first signal line is configured to be connected with a first multiplexer, and the second signal line is configured to be connected with a second multiplexer; In a first time period, the first multiplexer is configured to transmit a first touch signal to the first signal line, and the second multiplexer is configured to transmit a second touch signal to the second signal line; In a second time period, the first multiplexer is configured to transmit a first electrochromic control signal to the first signal line, and the second multiplexer is configured to transmit a second electrochromic control signal to the second signal line; The first time period and the second time period do not overlap.

17. The display module of any one of claims 1-16, further comprising other film layers; The electrochromic structure is configured to be electrically connected with a lead-out portion of the display module through a via hole, and the via hole passes through the other film layers.

18. The display module of any of claims 1-17, wherein, The electrochromic layer comprises a variable color material layer and an ion storage layer which are arranged in a stack and in contact with each other; The variable color material layer is configured to change color by ion exchange with the ion storage layer under the electric field.

19. The display module of any one of claims 1-18, wherein, The first control electrode is a transparent electrode, and the second control electrode is a transparent electrode.

20. The display module of any one of claims 1-19, further comprising a driving circuit layer, a light emitting device layer and an encapsulation layer which are sequentially arranged on the substrate; the driving circuit layer is configured to drive the light emitting device in the light emitting device layer; The electrochromic structure and the touch structure are both arranged between the encapsulation layer and the light emitting device layer.

21. A driving method of the display module according to claim 1, wherein, The electrochromic structure comprises a plurality of electrochromic units, and the touch structure comprises a plurality of touch units; the plurality of electrochromic units and the plurality of touch units comprise a plurality of electrochromic touch unit groups of multiplexed control electrodes and the touch electrodes; the method comprises: In different time periods, electrochromic control signals and touch signals are respectively applied to the plurality of electrochromic units and the plurality of touch units.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein, In different time periods, electrochromic control signals and touch signals are respectively applied to the plurality of electrochromic units and the plurality of touch units, comprising: In a frame time, electrochromic control signals are sequentially applied to the plurality of electrochromic units; in the next frame time, touch signals are sequentially applied to the plurality of touch units.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein, In different time periods, electrochromic control signals and touch signals are respectively applied to the plurality of electrochromic units and the plurality of touch units, comprising: In a frame time, signals are sequentially applied to the plurality of electrochromic touch unit groups; the time period for applying signals to each electrochromic touch unit group comprises a first sub-time period for applying electrochromic control signals and a second sub-time period for applying touch signals.

24. A display panel comprising the display module of any one of claims 1-20.

25. A vehicle window comprising the display panel of claim 24.

26. A vehicle comprising the vehicle window of claim 25.

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