KR20220138607A - Flexible display module and flexible display device using the same and manufacturing method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is a flexible display module. According to the present invention, the flexible display module can comprise: a tube having a hollow part inside and made of flexible and light-transmitting materials; a large number of light emission units inserted into the tube; and a conductive line formed in the tube and electrically connecting the large number of light emission units to an external controller. According to the present invention, flexible display devices in various shapes can be realized by using a textile or strap-shaped flexible display module. More specifically, when a display device is installed on a surface of an object, human body, building, machine, equipment, robot, or the like, the curvature and shape of the display can be freely changed by corresponding to an outline of the surface for the installation.

Description

A flexible display module, a flexible display device using the same, and a manufacturing method thereof

The present invention relates to a display, and more particularly, to a flexible display module having a fiber or strip shape in which a plurality of LEDs are arranged along a length direction, and a display device using the same.

A display device is a device that expresses an electrical information signal as an image, and according to its operating principle, a cathode ray tube (CRT), a liquid crystal display device (LCD), a plasma display device (PDP), a field emission display device (FED), It is classified into organic light emitting display (OLED) and the like.

Among them, flat panel display devices such as liquid crystal display (LCD) and organic light emitting display (OLED) are widely used not only in electronic devices such as TVs, computers, and smartphones, but also in virtual reality (VR) devices, home appliances, automobiles, and billboards. and is expected to continue to expand in the future.

On the other hand, conventional displays cannot be folded or bent because pixels are formed on a glass substrate. .

However, since the conventional flexible display forms a plurality of pixels on one substrate, it is possible to fold or bend it in a predetermined pattern, but it is difficult to implement various curvatures or irregular shapes.

For example, in the conventional flexible display, it is difficult to change the curvature or shape according to the contour of the object or building to be attached, and when it is mounted on clothes or gloves worn by a person, it is difficult to change the curvature or shape in response to the movement of the person. There are limits.

Korean Patent Registration No. 10-1511488 (Notice on Apr. 13, 2015)

The present invention was devised against this background, and is to provide a display device that can easily change its curvature or shape in response to the contours of an object to be attached, a human body, a building, etc., and specifically includes a unit constituting the flexible display device An object of the present invention is to provide a flexible display module.

In order to achieve this object, a first aspect of the present invention, a tube made of a flexible and light-transmitting material having a hollow therein; a plurality of light emitting units inserted into the tube; Provided is a flexible display module including a conductive line formed inside the tube to electrically connect a plurality of light emitting units to an external controller.

In the flexible display module according to the first aspect of the present invention, the plurality of light emitting units, respectively, a red light (R), green light (G), blue light (B) for emitting at least one color LED (LED); a switching element for controlling an electrical connection between a data signal line of the conductive line and the LED; It may include a connection control unit for each position that controls the operation of the switching element.

In addition, in the flexible display module according to the first aspect of the present invention, the connection control unit for each position is installed between the gate signal line in the conductive line and the switching element, and the connection control unit for each position is an address signal line in the conductive line The gate signal line and the switching element may be electrically connected only when unique identification information of the corresponding light emitting unit is received through the .

In addition, in the flexible display module according to the first aspect of the present invention, the connection control unit for each position is installed between the data signal line in the conductive line and the switching element, and the connection control unit for each position is an address signal line in the conductive line The data signal line and the switching element may be electrically connected only when the unique identification information of the corresponding light emitting unit is received through the .

In addition, in the flexible display module according to the first aspect of the present invention, the location-specific connection control unit, the unique identification information storage unit for storing the unique identification information given to the light emitting unit; a switching unit installed between the conductive line and a terminal of the switching element; It may include an address signal analysis unit that compares the signal received through the address signal line among the conductive lines with the stored unique identification information to determine whether they match, and turns on the switching unit when it is determined that they match.

In addition, in the flexible display module according to the first aspect of the present invention, the plurality of light emitting units emit the same color as each other, and at least among red light (R), green light (G), and blue light (B) on the inside or outside of the tube. A color filter or a light emitting material for realizing one color may be applied.

In addition, in the flexible display module according to the first aspect of the present invention, the LED, the switching element, and the connection control unit for each position may be manufactured in separate packages and then combined with each other, or at least two may be manufactured as an integrated package.

A second aspect of the present invention is a flexible substrate; a plurality of light emitting units mounted on a substrate; a conductive line formed on the substrate to electrically connect the plurality of light emitting units to an external controller, wherein the plurality of light emitting units have at least one color of red light (R), green light (G), and blue light (B), respectively LED that emits; a switching element for controlling an electrical connection between a data signal line of the conductive line and the LED; It provides a flexible display module comprising a connection control unit for each position for controlling the operation of the switching element.

In the flexible display module according to the second aspect of the present invention, the flexible substrate may be a fiber.

A third aspect of the present invention is a tube made of a flexible and light-transmitting material having a hollow formed therein, a plurality of light-emitting units inserted into the tube, and a plurality of light-emitting units formed inside the tube to electrically connect a plurality of light-emitting units with an external controller A plurality of flexible display modules including a conductive line connecting to the; a data signal generator connected to the plurality of flexible display modules through the conductive line and generating a data signal and outputting the data signal through the data signal line in the conductive line; Provided is a flexible display device comprising: a controller including a gate signal generating unit outputting through the gate signal generating unit; .

A fourth aspect of the present invention includes a flexible substrate, a plurality of light emitting units mounted on the substrate, and a conductive line formed on the substrate to electrically connect the plurality of light emitting units to an external controller, the plurality of light emitting units Each unit includes an LED (LED) emitting at least one color among red light (R), green light (G), and blue light (B), and a switching element for controlling electrical connection between a data signal line in the conductive line and the LED and a plurality of flexible display modules including a connection control unit for each position for controlling the operation of the switching element; a data signal generator connected to the plurality of flexible display modules through the conductive line and generating a data signal and outputting the data signal through the data signal line in the conductive line; Provided is a flexible display device comprising: a controller including a gate signal generating unit outputting through the gate signal generating unit; .

A fifth aspect of the present invention is a tube made of a flexible and light-transmitting material having a hollow inside, a plurality of light-emitting units inserted into the tube, and a plurality of light-emitting units formed inside the tube to electrically connect the plurality of light-emitting units with an external controller A plurality of flexible display modules including a conductive line connecting to the; a plurality of external gate signal lines disposed in a direction crossing the plurality of flexible display modules and electrically connecting the switching elements of the light emitting units at positions corresponding to each other in the plurality of flexible display modules; A flexible display device comprising: a controller including a data signal generator that generates a data signal and outputs it through a data signal line of the conductive line; and a gate signal generator that generates a gate signal and outputs it through the external gate signal line. to provide.

A sixth aspect of the present invention, inserting a plurality of light emitting units into the interior of the tube having a hollow; injecting a fluid into the hollow; aligning the light emitting unit by applying a magnetic field from the outside of the tube; It provides a method of manufacturing a flexible display module comprising the step of discharging a fluid and shrinking a tube by vacuum pumping. In this case, in the step of inserting the plurality of light emitting units, the light emitting unit and the filler may be alternately inserted.

A seventh aspect of the present invention, but inserting a plurality of light emitting units into the interior of the tube having a hollow, inserting by attaching an anisotropic conductive film (ACF) to the terminal of the light emitting unit; It provides a method of manufacturing a flexible display module, comprising the step of electrically connecting each terminal of the light emitting unit and a corresponding conductive line formed inside the tube by applying pressure from the outside. In this case, the method may further include injecting a curing agent into the tube and curing the curing agent by applying heat or light to fix the plurality of light emitting units.

According to the present invention, it is possible to implement a flexible display device having various shapes by using a flexible display module having a fiber or strip shape. In particular, when the display device is installed on the surface of an object, human body, building, machine, equipment, robot, etc., the curvature or shape of the display can be freely changed in response to the surface contour of the installation target.

In addition, if the display device is implemented using the flexible display module according to the present invention on the skin or exterior material of the artificial intelligence robot, the robot's clothes may be expressed in various colors, and the color or image of the face may be expressed in various ways.

In addition, when a display device is implemented using the flexible display module according to the present invention on the surface of military equipment or security equipment, it can be used as a camouflage means to make it indistinguishable from the surrounding environment by scanning the surrounding environment and displaying it on the display.

In addition, since the size or installation target of the display device that can be expressed is not particularly limited, display devices of various sizes and shapes can be easily manufactured according to the conditions or needs of the installation site.

1 is a perspective view of a flexible display module according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
2 is a view illustrating a display device using a flexible display module according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
3 is a view illustrating various types of tubes and light emitting units used in the flexible display module according to the first embodiment of the present invention;
4 is a cross-sectional view of a flexible display module according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
5 is a view illustrating a method of manufacturing a tube;
6 is a diagram illustrating monochromatic and multicolor light emitting units;
7 to 9 are cross-sectional views illustrating various package configurations of the light emitting unit;
10 is a diagram illustrating an electrical connection structure of a monochromatic light emitting unit;
11 is a circuit diagram illustrating an electrical connection structure of a monochromatic light emitting unit;
12 is a diagram illustrating an electrical connection structure of a multi-color light emitting unit;
13 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the flexible display module according to the first embodiment of the present invention;
14 is a process flowchart illustrating a first embodiment of a method for manufacturing a flexible display module;
15 is a diagram illustrating a method of aligning a light emitting unit inside a tube
16 is a view illustrating a second embodiment of a method for manufacturing a flexible display module;
17 and 18 are perspective views each showing a modified example of the flexible display module according to the first embodiment of the present invention;
19 is a block diagram of the controller
20 is a block diagram of a connection control unit for each location
21 to 25 are views each illustrating various control methods of the flexible display module according to the first embodiment of the present invention;
26 is a circuit diagram of a flexible display module according to a second embodiment of the present invention;
27 is a diagram illustrating a connection structure of a flexible display module according to a third embodiment of the present invention;
28 is a diagram illustrating a connection structure between a light emitting unit and an external gate signal line;
29 is a view illustrating a display device using a flexible display module according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

For reference, in the present specification, when an element is connected, combined, or communicated with another element, it is not only a case of directly connecting, combining, or communicating with another element, but also connecting another element in the middle. It also includes cases of indirectly connecting, combining, or communicating with each other. In addition, when one component is directly connected or directly coupled to another component, it means that another element is not interposed therebetween. In addition, if a part includes or includes any component, it means that other components may be further included or provided without excluding other components unless otherwise stated. In addition, since the accompanying drawings in the present specification are merely illustrative to facilitate understanding of the gist of the present invention, it is clarified in advance that the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto.

1. Structure of flexible display module

The flexible display module 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated in FIG. 1 , includes a tube 110 having a longitudinal hollow therein and a plurality of light emitting diodes inserted into the tube 110 . unit 120 .

The tube 110 is preferably made of a flexible and light-transmitting material, and since the type of material is not particularly limited, silicone, synthetic resin, or the like may be used. In addition, the material of the tube 110 may be a transparent material or a translucent material.

When the flexible material tube 110 is used, a display device 500 having a predetermined area is realized by connecting a plurality of flexible display modules 100 to the controller 100 as illustrated in FIG. 2 . The surface shape or curvature of the device 500 can be variously changed as needed, and the size of the display device 500 can be easily adjusted as needed.

Inside the tube 110, as illustrated in FIG. 3, a hollow 112 having various cross-sectional shapes, such as polygons, circles, ovals, etc., may be formed along the longitudinal direction, and light emission inserted into the hollow 112 The unit 120 may have a shape corresponding to the shape of the hollow 112 .

Referring to FIG. 4 , a plurality of conductive lines electrically connected to the light emitting unit 120 may be formed on the inner wall of the hollow 112 of the tube 110 .

The conductive line formed inside the tube 110 may include, for example, a ground line 114a, a data signal line 114b, an address signal line 114c, and a gate signal line 114d.

In addition, on the outside of the light emitting unit 120 , a plurality of electrodes ( ) capable of contacting the ground line 114a , the data signal line 114b , the address signal line 114c , and the gate signal line 114d of the tube 110 , respectively 121,122,123,124) may be formed.

The tube 110 may be manufactured by an extrusion method using raw materials such as silicone and synthetic resin.

However, since it is not necessarily limited thereto, as illustrated in FIG. 5 , two members 110a and 110b having a semicircular cross-sectional shape are respectively manufactured by extrusion molding, and each member 110a, 110b is After forming the longitudinal grooves 112a and 112b and forming conductive lines 114a, 114b, 114c, and 114d on the inner walls of the grooves 112a and 112b, the two members 110a and 110b are joined together. (110) can also be produced.

The light emitting unit 120 corresponds to a pixel of a conventional display, and as illustrated in FIG. 6A , LEDs 130a and 130b that emit one color among R, G, and B. , 130c), the switching device 140 for controlling the power connection to each of the LEDs 130a, 130b, 130, and each LED 130a, 130b, 130c using the address signal transmitted from the controller 50 It may include a connection control unit 150 for each location that controls on/off.

LED 130a emits red light (R), LED 130b emits green light (G), LED 130c emits blue light (B), and R, G, The LEDs 130a, 130b, and 130c may be arranged in the order of B.

Each of the LEDs 130a, 130b, and 130c may be an LED package in which an LED chip is mounted on a lead frame and molded with a predetermined phosphor coated thereon.

Meanwhile, although FIG. 6 shows that each of the LEDs 130a, 130b, and 130c emits light of different colors, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, each of the LEDs 130a, 130b, and 130c may all emit the same color (eg, blue light (B)), and may emit red (R) or green (G) to the outside or inside of the tube 110 . Each of the LEDs 130a, 130b, and 130c may be configured to emit colors in the order of R, G, and B by applying a color filter or a light emitting material.

In order to manufacture the light emitting unit 120 inserted into the tube 110, the R, G, B LEDs 130a, 130b, 130c, the switching element 140, and the connection control unit 150 for each position are separately installed. It can be manufactured as a package, and in a state in which they are electrically connected, they can be bonded to each other with an adhesive or the like.

At this time, as shown in (a) of FIG. 6 , each package of the switching element 140 and the connection control unit 150 for each position is combined in a package of one single color LED 130a, 130b, and 130c to form a monochromatic light emitting unit 120 ) can be configured.

On the other hand, as shown in (b) of FIG. 6, the three single-color LEDs 130a, 130b, 130c and each package of the switching device 140 are coupled in pairs, and the package of the connection control unit 150 for each location is Only one may be combined to form the three-color light emitting unit 120a. In this case, one location-specific connection control unit 150 may control on/off of all three monochromatic LEDs 130a, 130b, and 130c at the same time.

On the other hand, instead of manufacturing the LEDs 130a, 130b, 130c, the switching element 140, and the connection control unit 150 for each position in separate packages, the light emitting unit may be manufactured in the form of an integrated package including all of them.

As an example, as shown in (a) of FIG. 7 , a monochromatic LED 130a, a switching element 140 in the form of a semiconductor chip, and a connection control unit 150 for each position in the form of a semiconductor chip are provided on a substrate 125 . The light emitting unit 120b in the form of an integrated package may be manufactured by mounting together and forming the molding part 160 surrounding the entirety in a state in which they are electrically connected.

As another example, as shown in (b) of FIG. 7, three monochromatic LEDs 130a, 130b, and 130c on the substrate 125, the switching element 140 in the form of a semiconductor chip, and each position in the form of a semiconductor chip The light emitting unit 120c in the form of an integrated package may be manufactured by mounting the connection control unit 150 together and forming the molding unit 160 surrounding the entirety in a state in which they are electrically connected.

The LEDs 130a, 130b, and 130c mounted on the substrate 125 in FIG. 7 may be in the form of a package or may be mounted in the form of an LED chip. In addition, the substrate 125 may be an epoxy resin-based rigid substrate, a flexible substrate, or a metal lead frame.

As another example, as shown in (a) of FIG. 8 , the switching device 140 in the form of a semiconductor chip and one single color LED 130a are stacked and mounted on one side of the upper surface of the substrate 125 , and the substrate 125 . The light emitting unit 120d in the form of an integrated package may be manufactured by mounting the connection control unit 150 for each position in the form of a semiconductor chip on the other side of the upper surface of the semiconductor chip, and forming a molding unit 160 surrounding the entirety in a state in which they are electrically connected. have.

As another example, as shown in (b) of FIG. 8, the switching element 140 in the form of a semiconductor chip and three monochromatic LEDs 130a, 130b, 130c are stacked and mounted on one side of the upper surface of the substrate 125, On the other side of the upper surface of the substrate 125, the connection control unit 150 for each position in the form of a semiconductor chip is mounted, and a molding unit 160 surrounding the entirety is formed in a state in which they are electrically connected to the light emitting unit 120e in the form of an integrated package. ) can also be made.

In FIG. 8 , the LEDs 130a, 130b, and 130c stacked and mounted on the switching element 140 may be in the form of a package or an LED chip. In addition, the substrate 125 may be an epoxy resin-based rigid substrate, a flexible substrate, or a metal lead frame.

7 and 8 show that each of the LEDs 130a, 130b, and 130c emits light in only one direction, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

For example, as illustrated in FIG. 9 , a through portion is formed in the substrate 125 on which the LEDs 130a, 130b, and 130c are mounted, so that each of the LEDs 130a, 130b, and 130c emits light in the entire direction or in two or more directions. The light emitting units 120f and 120g in the form of an integrated package may be manufactured to emit light.

On the other hand, when the light emitting unit 120 is inserted into the tube 110, the LEDs 130a, 130b, 130c, the switching element 140, and the positional connection control unit 150 constituting the light emitting unit 120 are, As illustrated in FIG. 10 , the tube 110 is electrically connected to conductive lines such as a ground line 114a, a data signal line 114b, an address signal line 114c, and a gate signal line 114d.

Specifically, the (-) terminal of each of the LEDs 130a, 130b, 130c is connected to the ground line 114a, and the (+) terminal is the data signal through the switching element 140 and the connection control unit 150 for each position. may be connected to line 114b. Therefore, each of the LEDs 130a, 130b, and 130c is activated only when both the switching element 140 and the connection control unit 150 for each position are in an ON state to emit light.

In FIG. 10, the switching element 140 is coupled to one side of each of the LEDs 130a, 130b, and 130c, and the connection control unit 150 for each position is coupled to one side of the switching device 140, but it is not necessarily limited thereto. not. Accordingly, the connection control unit 150 for each position may be coupled to one side of each of the LEDs 130a, 130b, and 130c, and the switching device 140 may be coupled to one side of the connection control unit 140 for each position.

The switching device 140 selectively connects an electrical path by a switching signal applied from the outside, and includes a switching signal input terminal to which an external switching signal is applied. The switching device 140 is preferably a transistor, but is not necessarily limited thereto, and thus may be replaced with other types of switching means.

When the switching element 140 is a transistor, for example, a gate terminal may be a switching signal input terminal.

For example, as shown in FIG. 11 , when the switching element is configured as a transistor, the gate terminal is connected to the gate signal line 114d, the source terminal is connected to the data signal line 114b, and the drain terminal is connected to the LED ( 130a, 130b, 130c) can be connected to the positive poles. In this case, the gate terminal of the switching device 140 may be connected to the gate signal line 114d through the connection control unit 150 for each position without being directly connected to the gate signal line 114d.

12 illustrates an electrical connection structure when the light emitting unit 120a having the multicolor LEDs 130a, 130b, and 130c is inserted into the tube 110, and each LED 130a, 130b, 130c is It is connected to the switching element 140 on a one-to-one basis, and the gate terminal of each switching element 140 may be connected to the gate signal line 114d through the connection control unit 150 for each position.

2. Manufacturing method of flexible display module

As shown in the longitudinal cross-sectional view of the flexible display module 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of light emitting units 120 arranged at predetermined intervals inside the hollow 112 of the tube 110 Including, but including a filler 200 of a predetermined shape disposed between each of the light emitting units 120 adjacent to each other.

The filler 200 serves to fix the light emitting unit 120 so as not to move in the hollow 112 . However, it is not necessary to insert the filler 200 , and the filler 200 may be omitted and only the light emitting unit 120 may be inserted. In this case, adjacent light emitting units 120 may be in contact with each other.

When a plurality of light emitting units 120 are installed inside the tube 110, the monochromatic light emitting units 120 having the R, G, and B LEDs 130a, 130b, 130c may be arranged in a certain order, and multicolor light emission The units 120a may be arranged at regular intervals.

On the other hand, as illustrated in FIG. 3 , the hollow 112 of the tube 110 has a cross-sectional shape such as a polygonal, an oval, and the like. When the light emitting unit 120 has a shape corresponding to the hollow 112, the flexible display module 100 is manufactured by inserting the light emitting unit 120 and the filler 200 into the tube 110 of a stretchable material through an interference fit. can do.

However, when the hollow 112 of the tube 110 has a larger diameter than the light emitting unit 120, it is preferable to manufacture the flexible display module 100 in a different way.

Referring to FIG. 14 , the light emitting unit 120 and the filler 200 are alternately inserted from the other end of the tube 110 while the end cap 119 is mounted on one end of the tube 110 and sealed.

Then, for example, in the case of inserting the light emitting unit 120 having a cylindrical structure, the fluid 300 is injected into the tube 110, and a magnetic field is applied from the outside of the tube 110 to the light emitting unit ( 120) is preferably aligned in a predetermined direction.

15, when a magnetic material (N, S) is attached to the outer surface of the light emitting unit 120, and a magnetic field is applied using the external magnets 410 and 420, each light emitting unit 120 submerged in the fluid 300 is It may be aligned in a predetermined direction in response to the magnetic field.

In this way, when the plurality of light emitting units 120 are aligned in a predetermined direction inside the tube 110, the fluid is discharged and then vacuum pumping is performed. In this way, the tube 110 is contracted inward to press and fix the light emitting unit 120 , while the conductive lines 114a , 114b , 114c and 114d formed on the inner wall of the tube 110 are connected to the terminals of the light emitting unit 120 . An electrical connection is made by contacting the

On the other hand, as illustrated in FIG. 16 , in a state in which a plurality of light emitting units 120 are inserted into the tube 110 , pressure is applied using a pressing member 450 from the outside to each of the light emitting units 120 . Terminals 121 , 122 , 123 , and 124 may be electrically connected to corresponding conductive lines 114a , 114b , 114c , 114d of tube 110 .

At this time, when pressure is applied after inserting the anisotropic conductive film (ACF) into the tube 110 in a state in which the anisotropic conductive film (ACF) is attached to each terminal 121, 122, 123, 124 of the light emitting unit 120, each terminal 121, 122, 123, 124 and the conductive line 114a, The electrical connection of 114b, 114c, 114d) may be more stably maintained.

Even when the light emitting unit 120 is aligned in the same manner as in FIGS. 14 and 15 , when the anisotropic conductive film (ACF) is attached to each terminal 121 , 122 , 123 , 124 , and then an external force is applied, the electrical connection is more stably can keep

In addition, when a space is generated between the light emitting unit 120 and the tube 110 inside the tube 110 , the position of the light emitting unit 120 may be disturbed or the electrical connection may be unstable.

In order to prevent this problem, it is preferable to fix the light emitting unit 120 by injecting a photoreactive or thermally reactive curing agent into the tube 110 and curing the curing agent by applying light (eg, UV) or heat.

Meanwhile, in the flexible display module 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the light emitting units 120 are disposed inside the tube 110 at predetermined intervals, but the tube 110 is not necessarily used.

As an example, as illustrated in FIG. 17 , a plurality of light emitting units 120 are arranged in a line by a surface mounting method on the upper surface of the substrate 170 made of a flexible material on which the conductive lines 114a, 114b, 114c, and 114d are formed. By disposing and forming the protective layer 180 , a long band-shaped flexible display module 100a may be implemented.

As another example, as illustrated in FIG. 18 , the light emitting unit 120 manufactured in a micro-miniature is arranged on the surface of the fiber 172 on which the conductive lines 114a, 114b, 114c, and 114d are formed, and the protective layer 180 ), it is also possible to implement the flexible display module 100a having a long fiber shape.

3. Flexible display module controller and control method

The operation of the flexible display module 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention is controlled by the controller 50 connected by a cable 60 as illustrated in FIG. 2 .

As illustrated in the block diagram of FIG. 19 , the controller 50 may include a timing controller 51 , a data signal generator 52 , a gate signal generator 53 , an address signal generator 53 , and the like. can The timing controller 51 , the data signal generator 52 , the gate signal generator 53 , and the address signal generator 53 may be implemented in hardware or software, respectively. It may be implemented in an integrated form.

The timing controller 51 receives a main image signal and various control signals from an external graphic source, processes the received main image signal to output a predetermined image signal, and uses the received various control signals to generate a data control signal, It is possible to output a gate control signal, an address control signal, and the like.

The data signal generator 52 may generate a predetermined data signal Data by using the image signal and the data control signal received from the timing controller 51 , and output it through the data signal line 114b.

The gate signal generator 53 may generate a predetermined gate signal Gate by using the gate control signal received from the timing controller 51 , and output it through the gate signal line 114d.

The address signal generator 54 may generate a predetermined address signal Address by using the address control signal provided from the timing controller 51 , and output it through the address signal line 114c.

The address signal is a signal corresponding to unique identification information of each light emitting unit 120 included in the flexible display module 100, and the address signal generating unit 54 includes a plurality of flexible display modules ( The unique identification information of the light emitting unit 120 to be turned on among all the light emitting units 120 included in 100) can be obtained from a look-up table and outputted through the address signal line 114c. have.

As described above, each light emitting unit 120 includes a connection control unit 150 for each position, and the connection control unit 150 for each position is connected to the address signal line 114c.

Referring to the block diagram of FIG. 20 , the location-specific connection control unit 150 may include a unique identification information storage unit 152 , an address signal analysis unit 154 , and a switching unit 156 .

The unique identification information storage unit 152 stores the unique identification information given to each light emitting unit 120 .

The address signal analyzer 154 compares the signal received through the address signal line 114c with the stored unique identification information to determine whether they match, and turns on the switching unit 156 when it is determined that they match.

The switching unit 156 serves to connect the gate signal line 114d and the gate terminal of the switching element 140 . However, when the location-specific connection control unit 150 is installed between the data signal line 114b and the switching element 140 as shown in FIG. 26 , the switching unit 156 switches between the data signal line 114b and the switching element 140 . It may serve to connect the source terminal of the device 140 . Since the type of the switching unit 156 is not particularly limited, a transistor, a relay, or the like may be selectively used.

The unique identification information storage unit 152 and the address signal analysis unit 154 may be implemented as hardware, software, or integrated hardware and software.

Hereinafter, an operation control method of the flexible display module 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

First, as illustrated in FIG. 21 , when all the light emitting units 120 included in the flexible display module 100 are to be turned on, the gate terminal of the entire light emitting unit 120 is connected to the gate signal line 114d through the gate signal line 114d. A gate voltage pulse to be applied is transmitted, and a data signal (Data) pulse to be applied to the source terminal of the entire light emitting unit 120 is transmitted in the form of voltage or current through the data signal line 114b, and an address signal line ( Through 114c), a pulse signal corresponding to identification information of all the light emitting units 120 may be transmitted.

In FIG. 21, the unique identification code of the first light emitting unit R1 is data bit 111, the unique identification code of the second light emitting unit G1 is data bit 110, and the unique identification code of the third light emitting unit B1 is data bit 101, the unique identification code of the fourth light emitting unit R2 is data bit 100, the unique identification code of the fifth light emitting unit G2 is data bit 011, and the unique identification code of the sixth light emitting unit B2 is indicated to be data bit 010. However, this is only an example, and the unique identification code of the light emitting unit may be generated in various ways.

Also, although it is shown in FIG. 21 that the signals transmitted through the respective signal lines 114b, 114c, and 114d are digital signals, the types of signals are not necessarily limited thereto.

For example, the data signal Data, the address signal, and the gate signal transmitted through each of the signal lines 114b, 114c, and 114d may all be analog signals, some of which are digital signals, and some of them are digital signals. may be an analog signal. This is also the same in the case of FIGS. 22 to 25, which will be described later.

On the other hand, the controller 50 considers the signal transmission speed and the distance to each light emitting unit 120 , as illustrated in FIG. 21 , a gate signal, a data signal, and It is desirable to send out the signals so that the address signals arrive at the same time.

Next, when only some of the light emitting units 120 included in the flexible display module 100 are to be turned on, as illustrated in FIG. 22 , the gate signal and the data signal Data remain the same as in FIG. 21 , while the address signal By selectively controlling and transmitting (Address), only the light emitting unit 120 corresponding to each address signal may be turned on.

In addition, when only a part of the light emitting unit 120 needs to be turned on, as illustrated in FIG. 23 , the gate signal is maintained the same as in FIG. 21 while selectively adjusting and transmitting the data signal Data and the address signal Address. Only the light emitting unit 120 corresponding to the address signal may be turned on.

In the above, the data signal Data and the gate signal Gate were applied in the form of pulses so that the data voltage and the gate voltage are applied only to the light emitting unit 120 to be turned on. However, as illustrated in FIG. 24 , the data signal line Through 114b, it is also possible to select the light emitting unit 120 to be turned on only by a gate signal or an address signal by applying a constant voltage instead of a pulse signal. On the other hand, as illustrated in FIG. 25 , a light emitting unit 120 that applies a constant voltage rather than a pulse signal through the data signal line 114b and the gate signal line 114d and turns on only the address signal. You can also choose

4. Second embodiment of flexible display module

In the flexible display module 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the position-specific connection control unit 150 is installed between the gate signal line 114d and the gate terminal of the switching element 140, and the position-specific connection control unit ( 150) is not limited thereto.

In the flexible display module 100c according to the second embodiment of the present invention, as shown in the circuit diagram of FIG. 26, when the switching device 140 is a transistor, the gate terminal is directly connected to the gate signal line 114d, The source terminal may be connected to the data signal line 114b through the position-specific connection control unit 150, and the drain terminal may be connected to the anodes of the LEDs 130a, 130b, and 130c.

With this configuration, only when the location-specific connection control unit 150 matches the unique identification information of the light emitting unit 120, the switching unit 156 is turned on and the data signal ( Data) is applied and the LEDs 130a, 130b, and 130c are turned on.

5. Third embodiment of flexible display module

The flexible display module according to the third embodiment of the present invention is different from the first embodiment in that there is no gate signal line inside the tube 110 .

That is, referring to FIG. 27 , the gate terminal of each light emitting unit 120 provided in the flexible display module 100d according to the third embodiment of the present invention is adjacent to the module using a separate external gate signal line 190 . It is different from the first embodiment in that it is connected to the gate terminal at the corresponding position of (100d).

In this case, a method of connecting the external gate signal line 190 to the gate terminal inside the flexible display module 100d is not particularly limited.

As an example, as illustrated in (a) of FIG. 28 , a connection line 115 having one end connected to the gate terminal of each light emitting unit 120 and the other end extending to the outside is formed inside the tube 110 . Then, the connection line 115 and the external gate signal line 190 may be connected using a solder 116 or an anisotropic conductive film (ACF).

As another example, as illustrated in (b) of FIG. 28 , the external gate signal line 190 is coupled to pass through the tube 110 of each flexible display module 100d, and each The gate terminal of the light emitting unit 120 and the external gate signal line 190 may be electrically connected.

29 shows a display device 500a having a predetermined area using the flexible display module 100d according to the third embodiment of the present invention, and the data signal line formed inside each display module 100d is connected to the first cable. It is connected to the controller 50 through 70 , and a plurality of external gate signal lines 190 are disposed in a direction crossing the plurality of data signal lines and are connected to the controller 50 through a second cable 80 . .

When the display device 500a is configured using the external gate signal line 190 as described above, the gate signal is sequentially applied to the data signal line 114b and the external gate signal line 190 of the plurality of display modules 100d. A plurality of light emitting units 120 may be selectively turned on through scanning for applying . Therefore, in this case, it is not necessary to use the connection control unit 150 for each location of the first embodiment.

In the above, preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and may be variously modified or modified in a specific application process.

As an example, the foregoing description was made on the premise that the switching device 140 for controlling the electrical connection between the data signal line 114b and the LEDs 130a, 130b, and 130c is a Field Effect Transistor (FET), but the switching device ( 140) is not necessarily limited thereto, so other types of transistors may be used, and other types of electrical connection devices such as relays may be used.

As such, the present invention can be implemented with various modifications or variations, and if the modified or modified embodiment includes the technical idea of the present invention disclosed in the claims to be described later, it will be natural to fall within the scope of the present invention. .

50: controller 51: timing controller 52: data signal generator
53: gate signal generating unit 54: address signal generating unit
60: cable 70: first cable 80: second cable
100: display module 110: tube 112: hollow
114a: ground line 114b: data signal line 114c: address signal line
114d: gate signal line 115: connection line 116: solder
119: end cap 120: light emitting unit 121, 122, 123, 124: terminal
125: substrate 130a, 130b, 130c: LED 140: switching element
150: location-specific connection control unit 152: unique identification information storage unit
154: address signal analysis unit 156: switching unit
160: molding unit 170: flexible substrate 172: fiber
180: protective layer 190: external gate signal line 200: filler
300: fluid 410, 420: magnet 450: pressing member
500: display device

Claims (19)

A tube made of a flexible and light-transmitting material having a hollow inside;
a plurality of light emitting units inserted into the tube;
A conductive line formed inside the tube to electrically connect a plurality of light emitting units to an external controller
A flexible display module comprising According to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of light emitting units,
an LED (LED) emitting at least one color among red light (R), green light (G), and blue light (B);
a switching element for controlling an electrical connection between a data signal line of the conductive line and the LED;
Connection control unit for each position that controls the operation of the switching element
Flexible display module comprising a 3. The method of claim 2,
The position-specific connection control unit is installed between the gate signal line of the conductive line and the switching element,
The flexible display module, characterized in that the connection control unit for each position electrically connects the gate signal line and the switching element only when the unique identification information of the corresponding light emitting unit is received through an address signal line among the conductive lines. 3. The method of claim 2,
The position-specific connection control unit is installed between a data signal line of the conductive line and the switching element,
The flexible display module, characterized in that the connection control unit for each position electrically connects the data signal line and the switching element only when unique identification information of the corresponding light emitting unit is received through an address signal line among the conductive lines. The method of claim 2, wherein the location-specific connection control unit,
a unique identification information storage unit for storing the unique identification information given to the light emitting unit;
a switching unit installed between the conductive line and a terminal of the switching element;
An address signal analysis unit that compares the signal received through the address signal line of the conductive line with the stored unique identification information to determine whether they match, and turns on the switching unit when it is determined that they match
Flexible display module comprising a According to claim 1,
The plurality of light emitting units emit the same color as each other, and a color filter or a light emitting material for implementing at least one color among red light (R), green light (G), and blue light (B) is applied to the inside or outside of the tube Flexible display module, characterized in that According to claim 1,
The LED, the switching element, and the connection control unit for each position are each manufactured as a separate package and then combined with each other, or at least two flexible display modules are manufactured as an integrated package. flexible substrate;
a plurality of light emitting units mounted on a substrate;
Conductive line formed on the substrate to electrically connect a plurality of light emitting units to an external controller
Including, each of the plurality of light emitting units,
an LED (LED) emitting at least one color among red light (R), green light (G), and blue light (B);
a switching element for controlling an electrical connection between a data signal line of the conductive line and the LED;
Connection control unit for each position that controls the operation of the switching element
Flexible display module comprising a 9. The method of claim 8,
The flexible substrate is a flexible display module, characterized in that the fiber 9. The method of claim 8,
The position-specific connection control unit is installed between the gate signal line of the conductive line and the switching element,
The position-specific connection control unit electrically connects the gate signal line and the switching element only when the unique identification information of the corresponding light emitting unit is received through an address signal line among the conductive lines. The method of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of light emitting units,
The position-specific connection control unit is installed between a data signal line of the conductive line and the switching element,
The flexible display module, characterized in that the connection control unit for each position electrically connects the data signal line and the switching element only when unique identification information of the corresponding light emitting unit is received through an address signal line among the conductive lines. The method of claim 8, wherein the location-specific connection control unit,
a unique identification information storage unit for storing the unique identification information given to the light emitting unit;
a switching unit installed between the conductive line and a terminal of the switching element;
An address signal analysis unit that compares the signal received through the address signal line of the conductive line with the stored unique identification information to determine whether they match, and turns on the switching unit when it is determined that they match
Flexible display module comprising a A tube made of a flexible and light-transmitting material having a hollow inside, a plurality of light-emitting units inserted into the tube, and a conductive line formed inside the tube to electrically connect the plurality of light-emitting units to an external controller a plurality of flexible display modules;
a data signal generator connected to the plurality of flexible display modules through the conductive line and generating a data signal and outputting the data signal through the data signal line in the conductive line; A controller comprising: a gate signal generating unit outputting through the gate signal generation unit;
A flexible display device comprising a A flexible substrate, a plurality of light emitting units mounted on the substrate, and a conductive line formed on the substrate to electrically connect the plurality of light emitting units to an external controller, wherein each of the plurality of light emitting units is red light (R) , an LED (LED) emitting at least one color from among green light (G) and blue light (B), a switching element for controlling the electrical connection between the data signal line of the conductive line and the LED, and the operation of the switching element A plurality of flexible display modules including a connection control unit for each location to control;
a data signal generator connected to the plurality of flexible display modules through the conductive line and generating a data signal and outputting the data signal through the data signal line in the conductive line; A controller comprising: a gate signal generating unit outputting through the gate signal generation unit;
A flexible display device comprising a A tube made of a flexible and light-transmitting material having a hollow inside, a plurality of light-emitting units inserted into the tube, and a conductive line formed inside the tube to electrically connect the plurality of light-emitting units to an external controller a plurality of flexible display modules;
a plurality of external gate signal lines disposed in a direction crossing the plurality of flexible display modules and electrically connecting the switching elements of the light emitting units at positions corresponding to each other in the plurality of flexible display modules;
A controller comprising: a data signal generator that generates a data signal and outputs it through a data signal line of the conductive line; and a gate signal generator that generates a gate signal and outputs it through the external gate signal line.
A flexible display device comprising a inserting a plurality of light emitting units into the tube having a hollow;
injecting a fluid into the hollow;
aligning the light emitting unit by applying a magnetic field from the outside of the tube;
Deflate the tube by evacuating the fluid and performing vacuum pumping.
Method of manufacturing a flexible display module comprising a 17. The method of claim 16,
In the inserting of the plurality of light emitting units, the method of manufacturing a flexible display module, characterized in that the light emitting unit and the filler are alternately inserted inserting a plurality of light emitting units into the tube having a hollow, attaching and inserting an anisotropic conductive film (ACF) to a terminal of the light emitting unit;
applying pressure from the outside to electrically connect each terminal of the light emitting unit to a corresponding conductive line formed inside the tube;
Method of manufacturing a flexible display module comprising a 19. The method of claim 18,
and injecting a curing agent into the tube and curing the curing agent by applying heat or light to fix the plurality of light emitting units.

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