Staircase Inspection Lines for Circular Display Bezel Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wearable display devices with circular or oval deformed display panels face challenges in reducing the bezel area due to linearly patterned transistors and signal lines, which limits their size reduction.
Innovation Solution
The display device incorporates a circular display panel with a staircase arrangement of inspection lines and switch elements, reducing the bezel area by aligning switch elements vertically and extending inspection lines in a staircase form to match the curved shape of the pixel array, thereby minimizing the horizontal length and increasing the vertical length of the inspection part.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If linearly patterned transistors and signal lines are used in a circular display panel, then the transistors can be easily manufactured with standard processes, but the bezel area cannot be effectively reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The inspection part is configured with a curved staircase structure that follows the circular shape of the display panel, allowing the transistor array to extend closer to the panel edge and reduce bezel area while maintaining manufacturability through adapted patterning processes
Solution Approach 2:
The transistor array is arranged in a three-dimensional stacked configuration with multiple layers, enabling higher transistor density within the circular panel area and reducing the horizontal bezel requirement while maintaining standard fabrication processes
2Reliability
If the inspection part is extended horizontally to cover the circular display area, then all pixels can be inspected, but the bezel area increases
Solution Approach 1:
The inspection lines are arranged in a curved staircase pattern that follows the circular contour of the display panel, enabling complete pixel coverage inspection while minimizing the horizontal projection area and reducing bezel requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The inspection part is divided into multiple stacked layers with inspection lines at different heights, allowing comprehensive pixel inspection through vertical segmentation rather than horizontal extension, thereby reducing bezel area
Data Source
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AI summary
A display device includes a pixel array, a switch element (AP Tr), and inspection lines (AP_L). In a display area, at least a portion of an outer region includes a curved section and pixels to which a data line is connected are disposed. The switch element is disposed in a bezel area outside the display area, and supplies a test voltage to the data line in response to an enable signal. The inspection lines connect an inspection pad part and switch elements and are disposed in a staircase form along the curved section. The switch elements are disposed along the inspection lines and include first and second switch elements disposed to be adjacent to each other in a direction perpendicular to each other.