Display device with reduced discontinuity of image at boundary between sensor region and display region and method of driving the same

1. A display device comprising:

a substrate;

a display panel including a first display region having first pixels, a second display region having second pixels, and a third display region located between the first and second display regions and having third pixels; and

a light sensor disposed between the substrate and the display panel and which overlaps the second display region and does not overlap the first and third display regions in a plan view,

wherein the third display region does not have any light sensors, and

wherein the first and third pixels have the same material and layout and are disposed at a first density in the first display region and the third display region, respectively, and the second pixels are disposed at a second density smaller than the first density in the second display region,

the third display region surrounds an entirety of the second display region,

the third display region comprises a first group of unit pixel regions and a second group of unit pixel regions arranged to alternate with each other,

the first group of unit pixel regions is controlled to emit light during a first display period and the second group of unit pixel regions is controlled to emit light during a second display period, and

the first display period and the second display period are alternately repeated.

2. The display device according to claim 1 , wherein the second display region comprises:

second unit pixel regions, each being composed of at least one of the second pixels; and

transmissive regions arranged to alternate with the second unit pixel regions, no second pixel being disposed in the transmissive regions.

3. The display device according to claim 1 , wherein the first display period and the second display period are separated by an off period during which the display panel is turned off.

4. The display device according to claim 1 , wherein each of the first display period and the second display period is a period constituting one frame.

5. The display device according to claim 1 , wherein the first pixels are controlled to emit light at a first luminance, and the second pixels and the third pixels are controlled to emit light at a second luminance.

6. A method of controlling a display device including a substrate, a display panel including a first display region having first pixels, a second display region having second pixels, and a third display region located between the first and second display regions and having third pixels, and a light sensor disposed between the substrate and the display panel to overlap the second display region and not to overlap the first and third display regions, the method comprising:

receiving image data;

determining a region on which the image data is to be displayed;

correcting the image data; and

providing the corrected image data to a corresponding display region,

wherein the correcting of the image data comprises:

correcting the image data such that a first group of unit pixel regions of the third display region emits light during a first display period; and

correcting the image data such that a second group of unit pixel regions of the third display region emits light during a second display period subsequent to the first display period,

wherein the third display region does not have any light sensors, and

wherein the third display region surrounds an entirety of the second display region, the first and third pixels have the same material and layout,

the first group of unit pixel regions and the second group of unit pixel regions are arranged to alternate with each other, and

the first display period and the second display period are alternately repeated.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the second display region comprises:

second unit pixel regions, each being composed of at least one of the second pixels; and

transmissive regions arranged to alternate with the second unit pixel regions, no second pixel being disposed in the transmissive regions.

8. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the first display period and the second display period are separated by an off period during which the display panel is turned off.

9. The method according to claim 6 , wherein each of the first display period and the second display period is a period constituting one frame.

10. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the correcting of the image data further comprises:

correcting the image data such that the first pixels emit light at a first luminance for the image data to be displayed on the first display region; and

correcting the image data such that the second pixels emit light at a second luminance for the image data to be displayed on the second display region and the third pixels emit light at the second luminance for the image data to be displayed on the third display region.

11. A display device comprising:

a substrate;

a display panel including a first display region having first pixels, a second display region having second pixels, and a third display region located between the first and second display regions and having third pixels; and

a light sensor disposed between the substrate and the display panel and which overlaps the second display region and does not overlap the first and third display regions in a plan view,

wherein the third display region does not have any light sensors, and

wherein transmissivity of the second display region is higher than transmissivity of the first display region,

the transmissivity, a material, and a layout of the first display region is equal to transmissivity, a material, and a layout of the third display region,

the third display region surrounds an entirety of the second display region,

the third display region comprises a first group of unit pixel regions and a second group of unit pixel regions arranged to alternate with each other,

the first group of unit pixel regions is controlled to emit light during a first display period and the second group of unit pixel regions is controlled to emit light during a second display period, and

the first display period and the second display period are alternately repeated.