Buffer Layer Hollow Design for Under-screen Camera Stress Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Under-screen camera designs in OLED display devices suffer from low transmittance and image quality due to film structures, leading to reduced pixel density and reliability issues during hole cutting, which affects the integrity and effectiveness of the display device.

Innovation Solution

A display panel design with buffer layers between film layers to be cut and protected, employing a hollow structure in the transparent displaying region to reduce stress and improve reliability, featuring transparent organic photoresist material and specific hole shapes and recesses to minimize cutting stress.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If under-screen camera design is implemented with film structures (array substrate, light emitting layer, polarizer), then camera function is integrated into display region, but transmittance decreases and image quality deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecamera function integrationVSAvoidtransmittance

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The display panel is divided into main displaying region and transparent displaying region. The transparent displaying region has reduced film layer density or removed film layers to create higher transmittance, allowing camera light to pass through while the main displaying region maintains full display functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the display panel have different structural characteristics. The transparent displaying region has localized modifications (reduced pixel density, removed film layers) to optimize for camera light transmission, while the main displaying region maintains standard structure for optimal display performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Adaptability or versatility

If under-screen camera design is implemented with reduced pixel density in camera region, then camera function is enabled, but effective displaying area is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecamera function integrationVSAvoideffective displaying area

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The display panel is segmented into main displaying region and transparent displaying region. The transparent displaying region, while having reduced display functionality, provides optical transparency for camera light transmission, effectively converting a potentially wasted area into a functional optical pathway.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of manufacture

If cutting methods (laser cutting, mechanical cutting) are used to form holes in film layers, then holes are created for camera region, but cutting stress damages other film layers and reduces reliability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehole formation capabilityVSAvoidfilm layer integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The harmful cutting process is extracted and removed from the manufacturing sequence. Instead of cutting holes through completed film layers, the patent forms holes in the base layer first, then sequentially adds buffer layers that are pre-formed with corresponding hollow regions, eliminating the need for subsequent cutting operations that would stress other film layers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Buffer layers are formed with hollow regions corresponding to camera regions before the cutting process. This preliminary action prepares the structure to accommodate future holes without requiring cutting through sensitive film layers, thereby preventing stress-induced damage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Reliability

If buffer layers with hollow regions are added between film layers, then cutting stress is reduced and reliability is improved, but device structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefilm layer protectionVSAvoidbuffer layer structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Buffer layers serve as intermediary structures between the base layer and subsequent film layers. These buffer layers with hollow regions act as stress-absorbing intermediaries that protect sensitive film layers from cutting stress while maintaining the overall structural integrity and functionality of the display panel.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS11316130B2Display panel and display device having lower and upper through holes

Publication Date: 2022.04.26 WUHAN CHINA STAR OPTOELECTRONICS SEMICONDUCTOR DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY CO LTD

AI summary

The present invention provides a display panel. At least one first buffer layer is disposed between the base layer and the thin film transistor layer. At least one second buffer layer is disposed between the functional layer and the polarizer. The first buffer layer and the second buffer layer use hollow designs in the transparent displaying region and can reduce stress generated from cutting a hole, improve protection for the display panel and finally improve reliability of the display device.