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EP-3754713-B1 - DISPLAY DEVICE

EP3754713B1EP 3754713 B1EP3754713 B1EP 3754713B1EP-3754713-B1

Inventors

  • HYUN, CHANG HO
  • KAHNG, CHANG WOO

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20200513

Claims (10)

  1. A display device, comprising: a substrate (200); a display panel (100) which includes a first display area (DA1), a second display area (DA2), and a third display area (DA3) between the first and second display areas (DA1, DA2), the first, second, and third display areas (DA1, DA2, DA3) including a plurality of pixels; and a photo-sensor (300) which is between the substrate (200) and the first display area (DA1) of the display panel, and senses an external object through the first display area (DA1), wherein a first pixel density of the first display area (DA1) is less than a second pixel density of the second display area (DA2), wherein the display device is configured such that a pixel density of the third display area (DA3) varies with relative distances from the first display area (DA1), wherein the pixel density of the third display area (DA3) is greater than the first pixel density and is less than the second pixel density, wherein the pixel density of the third display area (DA3) gradually increases in a direction farther away from the first display area (DA1) to the second display area (DA2), wherein: the first display area (DA1) further includes pixel rows, each including pixel areas (PA) in which the plurality of pixels are arranged and transmissive areas (TA) in which pixels are not arranged, and the transmissive areas (TA) are disposed at intervals of a preset first distance in each of the pixel rows, wherein the third display area (DA3) further includes first to k-th sub-areas (SA1 to SAk), each including the pixel areas (PA) and the transmissive areas (TA), where k is a natural number greater than one, wherein: the first sub-area (SA1) is adjacent to the first display area (DA1), and the k-th sub-area (SAk) is adjacent to the second display area (DA2), characterized in that a distance between the transmissive areas (TA) in a first direction increases in a direction from the first sub-area (SA1) to the k-th sub-area (SAk), the first direction being a direction along which the plurality of pixels are arranged.
  2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein: the transmissive areas (TA) in a pixel row included in the first sub-area (SA1) are disposed at intervals of a second distance greater than the first distance, and the transmissive areas (TA) in a pixel row included in the k-th sub-area (SAk) are disposed at intervals of a third distance greater than the second distance.
  3. The display device according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the number of pixels of the plurality of pixels included in each of the first to k-th sub-areas (SA1 to SAk) increases in a direction from the first sub-area (SA1) to the k-th sub-area (SAk), and/or wherein each of lengths of the first display area (DA1), the second display area (DA2), and the third display area (DA3) in the first direction is equal to each other.
  4. The display device according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein, for an identical image, a luminance of the first sub-area (SA1) is lower than a luminance of the k-th sub-area (SAk).
  5. The display device according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein, a light-emitting element and a transistor are not disposed in each transmissive area (TA).
  6. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the third display area (DA3) surrounds the first display area (DA1).
  7. The display device according to claim 6, wherein the third display area (DA3) further includes: a first sub-area (SA1) including pixels of the plurality of pixels that surround the first display area (DA1); and a second sub-area (SA2) including pixels of the plurality of pixels that surround the first sub-area (SA1).
  8. The display device according to claim 7, wherein each of the first display area (DA1), the first sub-area (SA1), and the second sub-area (SA2) further includes the pixel areas (PA) in which pixels of the first display area (DA1) and the pixels of the first and second sub-areas (SA1, SA2) are arranged and the transmissive areas (TA) in which pixels are not arranged.
  9. The display device according to any of claims 7 or 8, wherein: a first ratio indicating a ratio of the transmissive areas (TA) to the pixel areas (PA) in the first display area (DA1) is greater than a second ratio indicating a ratio of the transmissive areas (TA) to the pixel areas (PA) in the first sub-area (SA1), and the second ratio is greater than a third ratio indicating a ratio of the transmissive areas (TA) to the pixel areas (PA) in the second sub-area (SA2).
  10. The display device according to any of claims 7 to 9, wherein: the transmissive areas (TA) of the first sub-area (SA1) are provided along a boundary of the first display area (DA1), and the transmissive areas (TA) of the second sub-area (SA2) are provided along a boundary of the first sub-area (SA1), and a distance between the transmissive areas (TA) of the first sub-area (SA1) is less than a distance between the transmissive areas (TA) of the second sub-area (SA2).

Description

BACKGROUND 1. Field Various embodiments of the invention relate to a display device, and more particularly, to a display device including a display panel and a sensor. 2. Related Art A display device displays an image using pixels (or pixel circuits). The display device includes a sensor, a camera, etc., in a bezel (or an edge portion) performing through a front surface (e.g., one surface on which an image is displayed) of the display device. The display device may recognize an object using a photosensor, and may acquire a picture and a video using a camera, for example. As the bezel of the display device becomes narrower, a gaze of a user may be fixed or focused on an image (or a screen of the display device). Recently, a research into and a development of full-screen display technology in which the bezel (i.e., the non-display area) on the front surface of the display device is minimized or eliminated and an infrared sensor arranged in the bezel is rearranged and in which an image is displayed on the entire front surface of the display device have been conducted. EP 3 428 967 A1, WO 2019/062236 A1, US 2014/218971 A1, and CN 109 192 759 A disclose a display including a plurality of pixels. WO 2019/062221 A1 disclose a display in which pixel density varies. SUMMARY Various embodiments of the invention are directed to a display device including a pixel array structure in which the pixel density of a third display area varies with relative distances from a first display area. The pixel density of a third display area may increase in a direction farther away from the first display area. Various embodiments of the invention are directed to a display device having a pixel array structure in which the number of black pixels in a third display area decreases in a direction farther away from a first display area. However, objects of the invention are not limited to the foregoing objects, and may be expanded in various forms without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in claim 1. The invention is defined in claim 1. Further further aspects of the invention are defined in the dependent claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above and other embodiments, advantages and features of this disclosure will become more apparent by describing in further detail embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a display device according to the invention.FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an embodiment of the display device of FIG. 1.FIG. 3 is a view schematically illustrating an embodiment of a display area of the display device of FIG. 1.FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating an embodiment of some of pixel areas and transmissive areas included in the display area of FIG. 3.FIG. 4B is a perspective view schematically illustrating an embodiment of an area EA included in the display area of FIG. 3.FIG. 5 is a graph illustrating an embodiment of a luminance difference depending on the display area.FIGS. 6A and 6B are views schematically illustrating embodiments of a first display area included in the display area of FIG. 3.FIG. 7A is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of the display device of FIG. 1.FIG. 7B is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of the display device of FIG. 1.FIG. 8 is a view schematically illustrating an embodiment of a display area of the display device of FIG. 1.FIG. 9 is a view schematically illustrating an embodiment of a display area of the display device of FIG. 1.FIG. 10 is a view schematically illustrating an embodiment of a display area of the display device of FIG. 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Exemplary embodiments of the invention will hereinafter be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals are used to designate the same or similar components throughout the drawings, and repeated descriptions of the same components will be omitted. It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being "on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or intervening elements may be present therebetween. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly on" another element, there are no intervening elements present. It will be understood that, although the terms "first," "second," "third" etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another element, component, region, layer or section. Thus, "a first element," "component," "region," "layer" or "section" discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings herein. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing p