Display device and method of driving the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018342192-A1
Application number	US-201815883502-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 30, 2018
Priority date	May 26, 2017
Publication date	Nov 29, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A display device includes a display panel which includes first and second display areas adjacent to each other, a processor which generates first image data corresponding to the first and second display areas if a display mode is a first mode, and generates second image data corresponding to the first display area if the display mode is a second mode and a display driver which generates a first data signal corresponding to the first image data in the first mode, and converts the second image data and generates a second data signal corresponding to the converted second image data in the second mode. When the display device is driven in the second mode, a gradation image may be displayed on at least a region of the second display area.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A display device comprising:
a display panel which includes first and second display areas adjacent to each other; a processor which generates first image data corresponding to the first and second display areas if a display mode is a first mode, and generates second image data corresponding to the first display area if the display mode is a second mode; and a display driver which generates a first data signal corresponding to the first image data in the first mode, and converts the second image data and generates a second data signal corresponding to the converted second image data in the second mode, wherein, when the display device is driven in the second mode, a gradation image is displayed on at least a region of the second display area.

2 . The display device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the gradation image is displayed on the region, adjacent to the first display area, of the second display area, and wherein a luminance of the gradation image is gradually reduced in a direction away from the first display area.

3 . The display device according to claim 2 , wherein the gradation image is an image formed by gradually changing a luminance of at least one pixel line, adjacent to the second display area, among pixel lines provided in the first display area.

4 . The display device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the display driver comprises an image converter which receives the second image data from the processor in the second mode, and wherein the image converter converts the second image data such that the gradation image is displayed in the second mode.

5 . The display device according to claim 4 , wherein the image converter generates, in the second mode, gradation data corresponding to at least the region of the second display area using a gradation value of at least one pixel line, adjacent to the second display area, among pixel lines in the first display area.

6 . The display device according to claim 5 , wherein the image converter generates the gradation data by subtracting values that increases successively in a direction away from the first display area from the gradation value of the at least one pixel line of the first display area.

7 . The display device according to claim 5 , wherein the image converter generates the gradation data by applying rate values that are successively reduced in a direction away from the first display area to the gradation value of the last pixel line of the first display area.

8 . The display device according to claim 5 , wherein the image converter generates the gradation data until the gradation data has a gradation value of a predetermined minimum gradation or less.

9 . The display device according to claim 4 , wherein the display driver comprises:
a timing controller which comprises the image converter and generates a data control signal and a scan control signal in response to a control signal provided from the processor; a data driver which generates the first or second data signal in response to the first image data or the converted second image data and the data control signal; and a scan driver which generates a scan signal in response to the scan control signal.

10 . The display device according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second display areas are successively disposed.

11 . The display device according to claim 1 , wherein the display panel is a foldable display panel foldable on a predetermined folding axis.

12 . The display device according to claim 11 , wherein the display panel is folded outward on the folding axis.

13 . The display device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a sensor which senses deformation of the display panel and outputs a sensing signal.

14 . The display device according to claim 13 , wherein the processor is driven in the first or second mode in response to the sensing signal and outputs a selection signal corresponding to the first or second mode.

15 . The display device according to claim 14 , wherein the display driver operates in the first or second mode in response to the selection signal.

16 . A method of driving a display device, comprising:
selecting one of first and second modes; generating first image data in the first mode and second image data in the second mode; displaying a valid image on first and second display areas in response to the first image data, or displaying the valid image only on the first display area in response to the second image data; and converting the second image data such that a gradation image is displayed on at least a region of the second display area when the display device is driven in the second mode.

17 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein converting the second image data comprises:
generating gradation data corresponding to at least some of pixel lines, adjacent to the first display area, of the second display area, using a gradation value of at least one pixel line, adjacent to the second display area, among pixel lines in the first display area.

18 . The method according to claim 16 , further comprising:
sensing deformation of a display panel including the first and second display areas, and outputting a sensing signal, wherein one of the first and second modes is selected in response to the sensing signal.

19 . The method according to claim 18 , wherein the second mode is selected when the deformation of the display panel is sensed.

20 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein, when the display device is driven in the second mode, the valid image is displayed on the first display area, the gradation image is displayed on a region, adjacent to the first display area, of the second display area, and pixels of a remaining region of the second display area are turned off.

Assignees

• Samsung Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Dong Hoon
• Noh Jin Woo
• Kim Byung Sun
• Cho Jae Hyung

Classifications

• G09G2310/08

  Details of timing specific for flat panels, other than clock recovery · CPC title

• G09G2310/0267

  Details of drivers for scan electrodes, other than drivers for liquid crystal, plasma or OLED displays · CPC title

• G09G2320/0233

  Improving the luminance or brightness uniformity across the screen · CPC title

• G09G2300/0857

  Static memory circuit, e.g. flip-flop · CPC title

• G09G2320/0271

  Adjustment of the gradation levels within the range of the gradation scale, e.g. by redistribution or clipping · CPC title