OLED Light Guide Structure for Double-Sided Display
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional organic light emitting display (OLED) devices can only display images in one direction, limiting their functionality and user experience, especially when trying to show images from both sides or from behind.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a light guide structure that overlaps the organic emission layer in both the sub-pixel and transparent regions, allowing light emitted in one direction to be redirected and displayed in the opposite direction, enabling double-sided display capabilities without additional components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional OLED device structure is used, then the device can be manufactured with simple structure, but the device can only display images in one direction (front)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a light guide structure that redirects light from the front-emitting OLED to the rear side, effectively adding a second display dimension. The light guide structure includes a light incident surface facing the OLED and a light emission surface facing the rear, creating a path for light to travel through the device thickness and emerge from the opposite side.
Solution Approach 2:
The light guide structure acts as an intermediary component that receives light from the OLED emission layer and redirects it to the rear side. This mediator structure includes reflective surfaces and light guiding pathways that transform the unidirectional light emission into bidirectional display capability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a transparent OLED device is used to show rear images, then the rear transparency is improved, but the front displaying image becomes invisible to users at the back
Solution Approach 1:
The device is segmented into distinct functional regions: the OLED emission layer for light generation, the light guide structure for light redirection, and the transparent substrate for light transmission. This segmentation allows different parts to perform specialized functions - the OLED emits light forward while the light guide structure captures and redirects this light to the rear side.
Solution Approach 2:
The light guide structure creates a three-dimensional light path through the device, allowing light to travel from the front emission layer through the device thickness to emerge at the rear surface, enabling dual-sided viewing capability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If additional components are added to achieve double-sided display, then the display functionality is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide structure serves multiple functions: it acts as a light guide to redirect front-emitted light to the rear, provides structural support, and maintains the transparent substrate integrity. By combining these functions into a single integrated component, the patent avoids adding multiple separate components that would increase device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The light guide structure is integrated with the transparent substrate, merging the light redirection function with the structural support function. This integration reduces the number of discrete components and simplifies the overall device architecture while achieving double-sided display capability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the OLED device to display images on both sides, enhancing user interaction and functionality by allowing images from the front or rear to be visible, effectively creating a double-sided and transparent OLED display.
Implementation Method 1
The light guide structure is disposed on the upper electrode, and partially overlaps the organic emission layer that is located at the sub-pixel region and the substrate that is located at the transparent region in a plan view
Implementation Method 2
A second light emitted from the second region of the organic emission layer may travel from the sub-pixel region to the transparent region through the light guide structure
Data Source
AI summary
An organic light emitting display device includes a substrate, a lower electrode, a light emitting layer, an upper electrode, and a light guide structure. The substrate includes a sub-pixel region and a transparent region. The lower electrode is disposed in the sub-pixel region on the substrate. The light emitting layer is disposed on the lower electrode, and includes an organic emission layer. The upper electrode is disposed on the light emitting layer. The light guide structure is disposed on the upper electrode, and partially overlaps the organic emission layer that is located at the sub-pixel region and the substrate that is located at the transparent region in a plan view.