IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,431,042
Granted Patent B2
US 12,431,042 · App. 18/233,258 · Granted Sep 30, 2025

Display device

Inventor: Dale Yim (Yongin-si, KR)
Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
G09F9/301G02F1/133305G03H1/0005G03H1/04H10K59/751H10K59/878H10K59/90G02B30/40G02F1/1334G03H2001/0088G06F1/1641H10K77/10H10K2102/3031
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,431,042
App. No.
18/233,258
Granted
Sep 30, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A display device including a first non-folding area, a second non-folding area, a third non-folding area, and a fourth non-folding area, and is that configured to be in-folded based on folding lines between the first non-folding area, the second non-folding area, the third non-folding area, and the fourth non-folding area, the display device including: a display panel including a light transmission display area in a portion of the first to third non-folding areas, and a light blocking display area in remaining areas of the first to third non-folding areas; a light transmission control layer in the light blocking display area; and a main processor configured to control the light transmission control layer and the display panel, wherein the main processor is configured to output a flat image in a first mode and to display a hologram image in a second mode.

Claims (35)

1. A display device including a first non-folding area, a second non-folding area, a third non-folding area, and a fourth non-folding area, and is that configured to be in-folded based on folding lines between the first non-folding area, the second non-folding area, the third non-folding area, and the fourth non-folding area, the display device comprising:

a display panel including a light transmission display area in a portion of the first to third non-folding areas, and a light blocking display area in remaining areas of the first to third non-folding areas;

a light transmission control layer in the light blocking display area; and

a main processor configured to control the light transmission control layer and the display panel,

wherein the main processor is configured to output a flat image in a first mode and to display a hologram image in a second mode.

2. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the display panel includes a pixel and a light transmitting portion, and

the light transmitting portion has a first light transmittance higher than a second light transmittance of the pixel and the light transmitting portion is in the light transmission display area.

3. The display device of claim 2 , wherein the light transmission display area includes a plurality of pixels and at least one light transmitting portion.

4. The display device of claim 2 , wherein the light blocking display area includes a plurality of pixels and at least one light transmitting portion.

5. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the main processor is configured to cause the display device to display an image in the light transmission display area and the light blocking display area in the first mode, and to not display the image in the light transmission display area and the light blocking display area in the second mode.

6. The display device of claim 5 , wherein the display panel of the fourth non-folding area includes a display dedicated area including a plurality of pixels.

7. The display device of claim 6 , wherein the main processor is configured to cause the display device to display an image in the display dedicated area in the second mode.

8. The display device of claim 6 , wherein the display dedicated area does not include a light transmitting portion having a light transmittance higher than that of the pixels.

9. The display device of claim 6 , wherein the light transmission control layer is in the display dedicated area.

10. The display device of claim 1 , further comprising a reflective module configured to display the hologram image in the second mode,

wherein the reflective module includes:

a first reflective member adjacent to the first non-folding area;

a second reflective member adjacent to the second non-folding area; and

a third reflective member adjacent to the third non-folding area, and

the first to third reflective members are adjacent to the fourth non-folding area.

11. A display device including a first non-folding area, a second non-folding area, a third non-folding area, and a fourth non-folding area, and that is configured to be in-folded based on folding lines between the first non-folding area, the second non-folding area, the third non-folding area, and the fourth non-folding area, the display device comprising:

a display panel including a light transmission display area in a portion of the first to third non-folding areas, and a light blocking display area in remaining areas of the first to third non-folding areas; and

a light transmission control layer in the light blocking display area,

wherein the display panel includes a pixel and a light transmitting portion, and the light transmitting portion has a first light transmittance higher than a second light transmittance of the pixel and the light transmitting portion is in the light transmission display area.

12. The display device of claim 11 , wherein the light transmission display area includes a plurality of pixels and at least one light transmitting portion.

13. The display device of claim 12 , wherein the pixels and the light transmitting portion in the light transmission display area are alternately arranged and have a same area.

14. The display device of claim 12 , wherein the light blocking display area includes a plurality of pixels and at least one light transmitting portion.

15. The display device of claim 14 , wherein the pixels and the light transmitting portion in the light blocking display area are alternately arranged and have a same area.

16. The display device of claim 12 , wherein the light transmission control layer includes a polymer dispersed liquid crystal layer.

17. The display device of claim 11 , wherein the display panel of the fourth non-folding area includes a plurality of pixels, and includes a display dedicated area not including the light transmitting portion.

18. The display device of claim 11 , further comprising:

a step compensation layer on the light transmission display area of the display panel; and

a protective window on the step compensation layer.

19. The display device of claim 18 , wherein a thickness of the light transmission control layer is equal to a sum of a thickness of the step compensation layer and a thickness of the protective window.

20. The display device of claim 18 , wherein the step compensation layer and the protective window are on the fourth non-folding area.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 29, 2023
From: YIM, DALE
To: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 064736/0609 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2022-0169926 · Dec 7, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240194096A1 · Jun 13, 2024
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