IP Verse

Display Substrate, Method For Driving The Same, Display Device, And High-Precision Metal Mask

Patent No. US11315469 (titled "Display Substrate, Method For Driving The Same, Display Device, And High-Precision Metal Mask") was filed by Boe Technology Group Co Ltd on Mar 20, 2019.

What is this patent about?

’469 is related to the field of display technology, specifically addressing the challenge of integrating components like cameras into full-screen displays. Modern devices strive for high screen-to-body ratios, but front-facing cameras and other sensors often obstruct the display area. This patent aims to mitigate this issue by creating a display with varying pixel densities.

The underlying idea behind ’469 is to divide the display into three distinct sub-areas: a high-density pixel region for the main display, a low-density pixel region to accommodate components like cameras, and a transition region between the two. This transition region gradually reduces the pixel density, preventing a sharp visual discontinuity or 'dark strip' that would otherwise be noticeable to the user.

The claims of ’469 focus on a display panel comprising a display area that includes a first display sub-area, a second sub-area, and a transition display sub-area. The first display sub-area has a higher pixel density than the second display sub-area, and the transition display sub-area has a pixel density between the first and second display sub-areas. The claims also cover methods for determining target grayscale values for sub-pixels in each of the three display sub-areas.

In practice, the display panel would be manufactured with the described arrangement of sub-pixels. The high-density region provides a sharp, detailed image, while the low-density region allows light to pass through for a camera or sensor. The gradual change in pixel density in the transition region is crucial; it smooths the visual difference, making the transition less jarring to the human eye. The grayscale values are calculated using formulas that take into account the light-emitting area of the sub-pixel and the distribution density of pixels in each sub-area.

This approach differs from simply cutting out a section of the display for a camera. By intelligently managing pixel density and grayscale values, ’469 aims to create a more seamless and visually appealing full-screen display. The use of a Pantile pattern in the high-density region further enhances resolution, while the adjustment of light-emitting areas in the low-density region compensates for the reduced pixel count. The driving method ensures that the transition area blends smoothly with the high- and low-density regions.

How does this patent fit in bigger picture?

Technical landscape at the time

In the late 2010s when ’469 was filed, display technology was at a time when full-screen panels were typically implemented to maximize screen-to-body ratio, when systems commonly relied on arranging functional elements like cameras and sensors on the front face of devices, and when hardware or software constraints made it non-trivial to integrate these elements without hindering the display area.

Novelty and Inventive Step

The application was subject to a non-final rejection. Claims 1, 2, and 39 were rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103. Claims 4, 9-10, 14, 16, 18, 20-21, 23, 25, 29-30, 32-33, 35, 38, and 40-42 were objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim. The prosecution record does describe the technical reasoning or specific claim changes that led to allowance.

Claims

This patent contains 32 claims, with claims 1 and 21 being independent. Independent claim 1 focuses on a display panel with varying pixel densities across different sub-areas, while independent claim 21 focuses on a method for driving a display substrate, determining target grayscale values for sub-pixels based on raw image data and pixel densities. The dependent claims generally elaborate on and refine the features and methods described in the independent claims, providing specific details and variations of the display panel structure and driving methods.

Key Claim Terms New

Definitions of key terms used in the patent claims.

Term (Source)Support for SpecificationInterpretation
Distribution density of pixels
(Claim 1)		“The display area includes: a first display sub-area; a second sub-area; and a transition display sub-area with a preset width, between the first display sub-area and the second display sub-area, wherein the first display sub-area, the transition sub-area, and the second display sub-area form a consecutive display area, wherein a distribution density of pixels in the first display sub-area is higher than a distribution density of pixels in the second display sub-area; a distribution density of pixels in the transition display sub-area is lower than a distribution density of pixels in the first display sub-area, and the distribution density of pixels in the transition display sub-area is higher than the distribution density of pixels in the second display sub-area.”A measure of how closely packed the pixels are in a given area of the display.
First pixel element
(Claim 1)		“The first display sub-area comprises a plurality of first pixel elements and second pixel elements adjacent to each other, wherein each first pixel element includes a first sub-pixel and a second sub-pixel, and each second pixel element includes a third sub-pixel and a second sub-pixel; the second display sub-area includes a plurality of third pixel elements, and each third pixel element includes a first sub-pixel, a second sub-pixel, and a third sub-pixel adjacent to each other; and the transition display sub-area includes a plurality of fourth pixel elements, and each fourth pixel element includes a first sub-pixel, a second sub-pixel, and a third sub-pixel adjacent to each other.”A pixel element including a first sub-pixel and a second sub-pixel.
Second pixel element
(Claim 1)		“The first display sub-area comprises a plurality of first pixel elements and second pixel elements adjacent to each other, wherein each first pixel element includes a first sub-pixel and a second sub-pixel, and each second pixel element includes a third sub-pixel and a second sub-pixel; the second display sub-area includes a plurality of third pixel elements, and each third pixel element includes a first sub-pixel, a second sub-pixel, and a third sub-pixel adjacent to each other; and the transition display sub-area includes a plurality of fourth pixel elements, and each fourth pixel element includes a first sub-pixel, a second sub-pixel, and a third sub-pixel adjacent to each other.”A pixel element including a third sub-pixel and a second sub-pixel.
Third pixel element
(Claim 1)		“The first display sub-area comprises a plurality of first pixel elements and second pixel elements adjacent to each other, wherein each first pixel element includes a first sub-pixel and a second sub-pixel, and each second pixel element includes a third sub-pixel and a second sub-pixel; the second display sub-area includes a plurality of third pixel elements, and each third pixel element includes a first sub-pixel, a second sub-pixel, and a third sub-pixel adjacent to each other; and the transition display sub-area includes a plurality of fourth pixel elements, and each fourth pixel element includes a first sub-pixel, a second sub-pixel, and a third sub-pixel adjacent to each other.”A pixel element including a first sub-pixel, a second sub-pixel, and a third sub-pixel.
Transition display sub-area
(Claim 1)		“An embodiment of this disclosure provides a display substrate including a display area. The display area includes: a first display sub-area; a second sub-area; and a transition display sub-area with a preset width, between the first display sub-area and the second display sub-area, wherein the first display sub-area, the transition sub-area, and the second display sub-area form a consecutive display area, wherein a distribution density of pixels in the first display sub-area is higher than a distribution density of pixels in the second display sub-area; a distribution density of pixels in the transition display sub-area is lower than a distribution density of pixels in the first display sub-area, and the distribution density of pixels in the transition display sub-area is higher than the distribution density of pixels in the second display sub-area.”An area between a first display sub-area and a second display sub-area, having a pixel distribution density lower than the first display sub-area but higher than the second display sub-area.

Litigation Cases New

US Latest litigation cases involving this patent.

Case NumberFiling DateTitle
2:25-cv-00587May 27, 2025BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd. et al v. Samsung Display Co., Ltd.

Patent Family

Patent Family

File Wrapper

The dossier documents provide a comprehensive record of the patent's prosecution history - including filings, correspondence, and decisions made by patent offices - and are crucial for understanding the patent's legal journey and any challenges it may have faced during examination.

  • Date

    Description

  • Get instant alerts for new documents

US11315469

BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO LTD
Application Number
US16616522
Filing Date
Mar 20, 2019
Status
Granted
Expiry Date
Oct 29, 2039
External Links
Slate, USPTO, Google Patents