Flexible Display Gate Control for Folded-State Power Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Foldable display devices experience increased power consumption due to larger screen sizes, leading to reduced battery life, and existing technologies do not effectively manage power consumption when the screen is folded or unfolded.

Innovation Solution

A display device with a flexible display panel that includes a gate driver to activate a maximum screen in an unfolded state and a part of the screen in a folded state, using different gate start pulses and power voltages to minimize power consumption by reducing the frequency of the gate signals in the deactivated areas.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If the screen size is increased to provide a larger display area, then the display area is improved, but the power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisplay areaVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The display screen is divided into multiple independent display regions (first display region, second display region, third display region) that can be independently controlled. When the display is folded, only the necessary display regions are activated while others are deactivated, allowing the system to maintain a large maximum display area while consuming less power when the full area is not needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts which display regions are activated based on the folding state of the display. In the unfolded state, all regions are activated to provide maximum display area. In the folded state, only the visible display regions are activated, dynamically adapting the active display area to the current physical configuration to reduce power consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Use of energy by moving object

If the gate driving frequency is reduced to lower power consumption, then the power consumption is improved, but the image display quality deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidimage display quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

Different gate driving frequencies are applied to different display regions based on their activation state. Activated display regions maintain a higher gate driving frequency (first gate driving frequency) to ensure good image display quality, while deactivated regions use a lower gate driving frequency (second gate driving frequency) to reduce power consumption. This local differentiation allows the system to optimize both power consumption and image quality simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Use of energy by moving object

If the screen is folded to reduce the active display area, then the power consumption is reduced, but the display area is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumptionVSAvoiddisplay area
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The display device provides multiple functions through a single large display panel. When unfolded, it functions as a large-screen display device providing maximum display area. When folded, it automatically switches to function as a smaller display device with reduced power consumption. The same physical display structure serves multiple operational modes, allowing the system to adapt between large display area and low power consumption based on user needs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3748623B1Display device and method for controlling the same
Publication Date: 2025.07.02 LG DISPLAY CO LTD
  • EP3748623B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3748623B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP3748623B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Disclosed herein is a display which activates a maximum screen which is an entirety of a screen of a flexible display panel to display an image thereon in an unfolded state of the flexible display panel and activates a part of the screen in a folded state of the flexible display panel so that the activated screen that is smaller than the maximum screen displays the image and an deactivated screen displays black.