Pixel Arrangement Structure For Organic Light Emitting Diode Display
Patent No. US11626066 (titled "Pixel Arrangement Structure For Organic Light Emitting Diode Display") was filed by Samsung Display Co Ltd on Jun 24, 2022.
What is this patent about?
’066 is related to the field of OLED displays , specifically addressing the arrangement of pixels to improve both aperture ratio and manufacturing reliability. Traditional OLED displays face a trade-off: reducing the gap between pixels increases the aperture ratio (brightness) but compromises the reliability of the deposition process, particularly when using fine metal masks (FMMs). This patent aims to overcome this limitation.
The underlying idea behind ’066 is to arrange red, green, and blue OLED pixels in a specific geometric configuration based on a virtual square grid. A green pixel sits at the center of this virtual square, while pairs of red and blue pixels are positioned at opposing vertices of the square. This arrangement, combined with specific pixel shapes and area relationships, is designed to enhance both the aperture ratio and the deposition process.
The claims of ’066 focus on an OLED display comprising red, blue, and green pixels, where a green pixel is at the center of a virtual square. The vertices of the square coincide with the centers of other green pixels. Crucially, at least two blue pixels and two red pixels are located entirely within the boundaries of the virtual square. The blue pixels have a larger area than the red pixels and the central green pixel. The green pixel has a convex shape , and the distance between green pixels is greater than the width of a red pixel.
In practice, this pixel arrangement allows for larger gaps between pixels where needed for reliable deposition using a fine metal mask, while still maximizing the light-emitting area. The larger blue pixels compensate for their shorter lifespan, ensuring a more balanced display performance over time. The convex shape of the green pixel and the area differences between the red and blue pixels contribute to optimizing the overall aperture ratio and color balance.
The key differentiation from prior approaches lies in the specific combination of the virtual square grid arrangement, the area relationships between the red, green, and blue pixels, and the convex shape of the green pixel. This design provides a more robust and efficient solution for achieving high-quality OLED displays with improved manufacturing yields and extended lifespan, addressing the limitations of simply minimizing pixel gaps or using uniform pixel sizes.
How does this patent fit in bigger picture?
Technical landscape at the time
In the early 2010s when ’066 was filed, OLED display technology was gaining traction, and pixel arrangements were a key area of focus at a time when high aperture ratios were desirable but were typically limited by manufacturing constraints related to fine metal mask deposition. At this time, pixel arrangements commonly relied on standard grid layouts, and achieving both high pixel density and reliable deposition was non-trivial.
Novelty and Inventive Step
The claims were objected to for informalities and rejected for anticipation and obviousness over prior art. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection was also issued. Claims 8, 20, and 24 were objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but were indicated as allowable if rewritten in independent form. The prosecution record describes claim changes and technical reasoning that led to the rejection of some claims.
Claims
This patent contains 30 claims, with independent claims 1 and 15. Independent claim 1 focuses on the structure of an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display, particularly the arrangement and characteristics of red, blue, and green pixels. Independent claim 15 focuses on a method for manufacturing an OLED display by depositing organic light-emitting materials to form pixels of different colors. The dependent claims generally elaborate on and refine the specific features and relationships between the pixels and their manufacturing process.
Key Claim Terms New
Definitions of key terms used in the patent claims.
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Date
Description
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US11626066
- Application Number
- US17808982
- Filing Date
- Jun 24, 2022
- Status
- Granted
- Expiry Date
- Sep 13, 2032
- External Links
- Slate, USPTO, Google Patents