Under-Display Sensor Transparency Layout for Borderless Displays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electronic devices with full-face displays face challenges in integrating sensors like cameras and ambient light sensors under the display stack, as existing solutions compromise display quality and visibility.
Innovation Solution
The integration of a sensor and display design that includes a first portion overlapping the sensor and a second portion without overlap, with modified pixel arrangements and transparent regions to accommodate sensor placement, maintaining display quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If sensors are placed under the display stack in a full-face display device, then the device can provide additional capabilities (camera, ambient light sensing), but the display quality and visibility are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The display is segmented into two distinct portions: a first portion that overlaps with the sensor and a second portion that does not. This segmentation allows the sensor to be accommodated without compromising the overall display quality, as each portion can be optimized for its specific function.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the display have different characteristics. The first portion (overlapping the sensor) has a lower total number of subpixels per unit area compared to the second portion, allowing local optimization for sensor compatibility while maintaining high display quality in the non-overlapping region.
2Shape
If the display covers the entire front face of the electronic device, then a borderless design is achieved, but sensors cannot be placed on the front surface
Solution Approach 1:
The solution moves sensor placement from the front surface (2D plane) to the space behind the display stack (adding a third dimension). This dimensional transition allows the full-face display to maintain its borderless appearance while accommodating sensors in the under-display region.
3Manufacturing precision
If subpixels are arranged in a regular grid pattern, then display uniformity is maintained, but sensor integration creates visible artifacts and disrupts the grid
Solution Approach 1:
The first portion of the display overlapping the sensor has a different subpixel density (lower total number of subpixels per unit area) compared to the second portion. This local variation in quality allows the sensor to be integrated while minimizing visible artifacts, as the reduced subpixel density in the overlapping region helps mask the sensor's presence.
Data Source
AI summary
A display may overlap a sensor such as a camera or ambient light sensor. A portion of the display that overlaps the sensor may be modified to increase transparency relative to the remaining portion of the display. The modified portion of the display may have pixel islands that conform to a regular grid pattern of the remaining portion of the display. One or more gate lines and/or one or more data lines may pass through the modified portion of the display without connecting to any subpixels in the modified portion of the display. An opaque pixel definition layer may include some openings that are aligned with opaque masking layer openings to allow on-axis light to pass through to a sensor and some openings that are offset relative to respective opaque masking layer openings to allow off-axis light to pass through to the sensor.