Display device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11515366-B2
Application number	US-202017087501-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 2, 2020
Priority date	Mar 18, 2020
Publication date	Nov 29, 2022
Grant date	Nov 29, 2022

Abstract

A display device includes a display panel comprising a through hole and a pixel area, the pixel area surrounding the through hole and including pixels for displaying an image; a force sensor at a first surface of the display panel and configured to sense force applied from an outside; and a light sensor overlapping the through hole of the display panel in a thickness direction of the display panel, the light sensor being configured to sense light incident on the light sensor through the through hole.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A display device comprising:
a display panel comprising a through hole and a pixel area, the pixel area surrounding the through hole and including pixels to display an image;
a force sensor at a first surface of the display panel and configured to sense force applied from an outside; and
a light sensor overlapping the through hole of the display panel in a thickness direction of the display panel, the light sensor being configured to sense light incident on the light sensor through the through hole,
wherein the force sensor comprises a first optical hole overlapping the through hole in the thickness direction of the display panel.

2. The display device of claim 1 , wherein a length of the through hole in a direction is less than a length of the first optical hole in the direction.

3. The display device of claim 1 , further comprising a light emitting device overlapping the through hole of the display panel in the thickness direction of the display panel and configured to emit light.

4. The display device of claim 3 , further comprising a main circuit board at a surface of the force sensor, wherein the light sensor and the light emitting device are mounted on the main circuit board.

5. The display device of claim 3 , wherein the light sensor is configured to sense, through the through hole, light reflected by an object from among light emitted from the light emitting device, the object being at a second surface of the display panel opposite the first surface of the display panel.

6. The display device of claim 5 , wherein the light emitting device is configured to emit infrared light, red-wavelength light, or green-wavelength light.

7. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the force sensor comprises:
a first base substrate and a second base substrate facing each other;
a first force electrode on the first base substrate;
a second force electrode on the second base substrate; and
a force sensing layer overlapping the first force electrode and the second force electrode in a thickness direction of the first base substrate.

8. The display device of claim 7 , wherein the first force electrode and the second force electrode comprise an opaque conductive material.

9. The display device of claim 7 , wherein the first force electrode and the second force electrode comprise a transparent conductive material.

10. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the light sensor is configured to sense, through the through hole, light reflected by an object from among light emitted from the pixels, the object being at a second surface of the display panel opposite the first surface of the display panel.

11. The display device of claim 10 , wherein light emitted from the pixels in a display mode to display an image has lower luminance than light emitted from the pixels in a blood pressure measurement mode in which the light reflected by the object is sensed by the light sensor.

12. The display device of claim 11 , wherein the pixels are configured to emit infrared light, red-wavelength light, or green-wavelength light in the blood pressure measurement mode in which the light reflected by the object is sensed by the light sensor.

13. The display device of claim 11 , wherein pixels disposed adjacent to the through hole are configured to emit light in the blood pressure measurement mode.

14. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the display panel comprises a display layer and a touch electrode layer on the display layer.

15. A display device comprising:
a display panel comprising a through hole and a pixel area, the pixel area surrounding the through hole and including pixels to display an image;
a force sensor at a first surface of the display panel and configured to sense force applied from an outside;
a light sensor overlapping the through hole of the display panel in a thickness direction of the display panel, the light sensor being configured to sense light incident on the light sensor through the through hole; and
a bottom panel cover on a surface of the force sensor, the bottom panel cover comprising a second optical hole overlapping the through hole of the display panel in the thickness direction of the display panel and configured to protect the display panel.

16. The display device of claim 15 , wherein a length of the through hole in a direction is less than a length of the second optical hole in the direction.

17. A display device comprising:
a display panel comprising a pixel area and a transmissive area adjacent to the pixel area, the pixel area comprising pixels to display an image;
a force sensor at a surface of the display panel and configured to sense force applied from an outside; and
a light sensor overlapping the transmissive area of the display panel in a thickness direction of the display panel and configured to sense light incident on the light sensor through the transmissive area,
wherein the force sensor comprises a first optical hole overlapping the transmissive area in the thickness direction of the display panel.

18. The display device of claim 17 , wherein a length of the first optical hole in a direction is greater than a length of the transmissive area in the direction.

19. The display device of claim 17 , further comprising a main circuit board at a surface of the force sensor, wherein the light sensor is mounted on the main circuit board.

20. The display device of claim 17 , wherein the display panel comprises a display layer and a touch electrode layer on the display layer.

Assignees

• Samsung Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Hong Won Ki
• Park So Hee
• Seomoon Hee
• Lee Hyeon Jun

Classifications

• G01L5/22 Primary

  for measuring the force applied to control members, e.g. control members of vehicles, triggers · CPC title

• A61B5/021

  Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels · CPC title

• A61B5/02416

  using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation (A61B5/14552 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61B5/02427

  Details of sensor · CPC title

• A61B5/02438

  with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient · CPC title