CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a national stage application under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Application No. PCT/CN2019/086477, filed May 10, 2019, the contents of which are incorporated by reference in the entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to display technology, more particularly, to a stretchable display apparatus and an image display driving method.

BACKGROUND

Flexible electronic apparatuses and stretchable electronic apparatuses have been developed in recent years. Flexible electronic apparatuses are apparatuses that may be bent or folded, typically fabricated by mounting an electronic device on a flexible base substrate. Stretchable electronic apparatuses are apparatuses that allow their lengths to be increased in one or more dimensions. Stretchable electronic apparatuses may be useful in various applications including in display apparatuses and sensor arrays.

SUMMARY

In one aspect, the present invention provides a stretchable display apparatus having a substantially non-stretched state and a stretched state, comprising a first stretchable display panel comprising a first matrix of a plurality of first subpixels of a first color, the first matrix comprising a first active matrix of a plurality of first active subpixels of the first color and a first standby matrix of a plurality of first standby subpixels of the first color, the first active matrix interleaving with the first standby matrix thereby forming the first matrix; a second stretchable display panel comprising a second matrix of a plurality of second subpixels of a second color, the second matrix comprising a second active matrix of a plurality of second active subpixels of the second color and a second standby matrix of a plurality of second standby subpixels of the second color, the second active matrix interleaving with the second standby matrix thereby forming the second matrix; and a third stretchable display panel comprising a third matrix of a plurality of third subpixels of a third color, the third matrix comprising a third active matrix of a plurality of third active subpixels of the third color and a third standby matrix of a plurality of third standby subpixels of the third color, the third active matrix interleaving with the third standby matrix thereby forming the third matrix; wherein the first stretchable display panel, the second stretchable display panel and the third stretchable display panel are sequentially stacked on top of each other; wherein, in the substantially non-stretched state, the plurality of first active subpixels of the first color, the plurality of second active subpixels of the second color, and the plurality of third active subpixels of the third color are configured to emit light for image display; and the plurality of first standby subpixels of the first color, the plurality of second standby subpixels of the second color, and the plurality of third standby subpixels of the third color are configured to be in a standby state and not emit light.

Optionally, in the stretched state, the plurality of first active subpixels of the first color, the plurality of second active subpixels of the second color, the plurality of third active subpixels of the third color, at least a portion of the plurality of first standby subpixels of the first color, at least a portion of the plurality of second standby subpixels of the second color, and at least a portion of the plurality of third standby subpixels of the third color are configured to emit light for image display.

Optionally, the stretchable display apparatus is substantially stretched in the stretched state; in the stretched state, the plurality of first standby subpixels of the first color, the plurality of second standby subpixels of the second color, and the plurality of third standby subpixels of the third color are all configured to emit light for image display; and an image display resolution in the substantially non-stretched state is substantially the same as an image display resolution in the stretched state.

Optionally, the first standby matrix comprises a plurality of rows of contiguously arranged first standby subpixels of the first color and a plurality of columns of contiguously arranged first standby subpixels of the first color; adjacent first active subpixels of the first color in a row of the first active matrix are spaced apart by a first standby subpixel of the first color of the plurality of first standby subpixels of the first color; adjacent first active subpixels of the first color in a column of the first active matrix are spaced apart by a first standby subpixel of the first color of the plurality of first standby subpixels of the first color; the second standby matrix comprises a plurality of rows of contiguously arranged second standby subpixels of the second color and a plurality of columns of contiguously arranged second standby subpixels of the second color; adjacent second active subpixels of the second color in a row of the second active matrix are spaced apart by a second standby subpixel of the second color of the plurality of second standby subpixels of the second color; adjacent second active subpixels of the second color in a column of the second active matrix are spaced apart by a second standby subpixel of the second color of the plurality of second standby subpixels of the second color; the third standby matrix comprises a plurality of rows of contiguously arranged third standby subpixels of the third color and a plurality of columns of contiguously arranged third standby subpixels of the third color; adjacent third active subpixels of the third color in a row of the third active matrix are spaced apart by a third standby subpixel of the third color of the plurality of third standby subpixels of the third color; and adjacent third active subpixels of the third color in a column of the third active matrix are spaced apart by a third standby subpixel of the third color of the plurality of third standby subpixels of the third color.

Optionally, the first standby matrix comprises a plurality of rows of first standby subpixels of the first color and a plurality of columns of contiguously arranged first standby subpixels of the first color; adjacent first standby subpixels of the first color in a row of the first standby matrix are spaced apart by a first active subpixel of the first color of the plurality of first active subpixels of the first color; the first active matrix comprises a plurality of rows of first active subpixels of the first color and a plurality of columns of contiguously arranged first active subpixels of the first color; adjacent first active subpixels of the first color in a row of the first active matrix are spaced apart by a first standby subpixel of the first color of the plurality of first standby subpixels of the first color; the second standby matrix comprises a plurality of rows of second standby subpixels of the second color and a plurality of columns of contiguously arranged second standby subpixels of the second color; adjacent second standby subpixels of the second color in a row of the second standby matrix are spaced apart by a second active subpixel of the second color of the plurality of second active subpixels of the second color; the second active matrix comprises a plurality of rows of second active subpixels of the second color and a plurality of columns of contiguously arranged second active subpixels of the second color; adjacent second active subpixels of the second color in a row of the second active matrix are spaced apart by a second standby subpixel of the second color of the plurality of second standby subpixels of the second color; the third standby matrix comprises a plurality of rows of third standby subpixels of the third color and a plurality of columns of contiguously arranged third standby subpixels of the third color; adjacent third standby subpixels of the third color in a row of the third standby matrix are spaced apart by a third active subpixel of the third color of the plurality of third active subpixels of the third color; the third active matrix comprises a plurality of rows of third active subpixels of the third color and a plurality of columns of contiguously arranged third active subpixels of the third color; and adjacent third active subpixels of the third color in a row of the third active matrix are spaced apart by a third standby subpixel of the third color of the plurality of third standby subpixels of the third color.

Optionally, a total number of the plurality of first active subpixels of the first color, a total number of the plurality of second active subpixels of the second color, and a total number of the plurality of third active subpixels of the third color are substantially the same; and a total number of the plurality of first standby subpixels of the first color, a total number of the plurality of second standby subpixels of the second color, and a total number of the plurality of third standby subpixels of the third color are substantially the same.

Optionally, the total number of the plurality of first standby subpixels of the first color is approximately three times of the total number of the plurality of first active subpixels of the first color; the total number of the plurality of second standby subpixels of the second color is approximately three times of the total number of the plurality of second active subpixels of the second color; and the total number of the plurality of third standby subpixels of the third color is approximately three times of the total number of the plurality of third active subpixels of the third color.

Optionally, the total number of the plurality of first standby subpixels of the first color is substantially the same as the total number of the plurality of first active subpixels of the first color; the total number of the plurality of second standby subpixels of the second color is substantially the same as the total number of the plurality of second active subpixels of the second color; and the total number of the plurality of third standby subpixels of the third color is substantially the same as the total number of the plurality of third active subpixels of the third color.

Optionally, the second stretchable display panel and the third stretchable display panel are at least partially transparent display panels allowing at least a portion of light emitted from the first stretchable display panel to transmit through; and a light emitting direction of the stretchable display apparatus is substantially along the first stretchable display panel toward the third stretchable display panel.

Optionally, the first stretchable display panel comprises a stretchable base substrate; wherein, in the substantially non-stretched state, orthographic projections of at least a portion of the plurality of first subpixels of the first color on the stretchable base substrate are at least partially overlapping with one or a combination of (1) orthographic projections of the plurality of second subpixels of the second color on the stretchable base substrate, and (2) orthographic projections of the plurality of third subpixels of the third color on the stretchable base substrate.

Optionally, in the substantially non-stretched state, orthographic projections of the plurality of second active subpixels of the second color on the stretchable base substrate are substantially non-overlapping with the orthographic projections of the plurality of third subpixels of the third color on the stretchable base substrate; and in the substantially non-stretched state, orthographic projections of the plurality of first active subpixels of the first color on the stretchable base substrate are substantially non-overlapping with the orthographic projections of the plurality of second subpixels of the second color on the stretchable base substrate and are substantially non-overlapping with the orthographic projections of the plurality of third subpixels of the third color on the stretchable base substrate.

Optionally, in the substantially non-stretched state, orthographic projections of at least a portion of the plurality of second standby subpixels of the second color on the stretchable base substrate are at least partially overlapping with the orthographic projections of the plurality of third subpixels of the third color on the stretchable base substrate; and in the substantially non-stretched state, orthographic projections of at least a portion of the plurality of first standby subpixels of the first color on the stretchable base substrate are at least partially overlapping with one or a combination of (1) the orthographic projections of the plurality of second subpixels of the second color on the stretchable base substrate, and (2) the orthographic projections of the plurality of third subpixels of the third color on the stretchable base substrate.

Optionally, in the substantially non-stretched state, orthographic projections of at least a portion of the plurality of first standby subpixels of the first color on the stretchable base substrate are substantially overlapping with the orthographic projections of the plurality of second active subpixels of the second color on the stretchable base substrate.

Optionally, the first stretchable display panel comprises a stretchable base substrate; wherein, in the substantially non-stretched state, orthographic projections of the plurality of first subpixels of the first color on the stretchable base substrate, orthographic projections of the plurality of second subpixels of the second color on the stretchable base substrate, and orthographic projections of the plurality of third subpixels of the third color on the stretchable base substrate are substantially non-overlapping with each other.

Optionally, the first stretchable display panel comprises a stretchable base substrate; wherein, in the substantially non-stretched state, an orthographic projection of a respective one of the plurality of third active subpixels of the third color on the stretchable base substrate at least partially covers an orthographic projection of a respective one of the plurality of first standby subpixels of the first color on the stretchable base substrate, and at least partially covers an orthographic projection of a respective one of the plurality of second standby subpixels of the second color on the stretchable base substrate.

Optionally, the stretchable display apparatus is substantially stretched in the stretched state; wherein, in the stretched state, orthographic projections of the plurality of first subpixels of the first color on the stretchable base substrate, orthographic projections of the plurality of second subpixels of the second color on the stretchable base substrate, and orthographic projections of the plurality of third subpixels of the third color on the stretchable base substrate are substantially non-overlapping with each other.

Optionally, the stretchable display apparatus further comprises one or more integrated circuits and a controller coupled to the one or more integrated circuits for driving image display of the stretchable display apparatus; wherein the controller is configured to control the plurality of first active subpixels of the first color, the plurality of second active subpixels of the second color, and the plurality of third active subpixels of the third color to emit light for image display in the substantially non-stretched state; and control the plurality of first standby subpixels of the first color, the plurality of second standby subpixels of the second color, and the plurality of third standby subpixels of the third color to be in a standby state and not emit light in the substantially non-stretched state.

Optionally, the controller is configured to control at least a portion of the plurality of first standby subpixels of the first color, at least a portion of the plurality of second standby subpixels of the second color, and at least a portion of the plurality of third standby subpixels of the third color to emit light for image display in the stretched state.

Optionally, the stretchable display apparatus further comprises a deformation sensor configured to detect a degree of the stretchable display apparatus being stretched; wherein the controller is configured to determine a state of the stretchable display apparatus based on the degree of the stretchable display apparatus being stretched.

Optionally, the first color is green, the second color is red, and the third color is blue.

Optionally, the first stretchable display panel, the second stretchable display panel, and the third stretchable display panel constitute a unitary panel wherein the first stretchable display panel, the second stretchable display panel, and the third stretchable display panel are sequentially continuously connected; and the unitary panel is folded so that the first stretchable display panel, the second stretchable display panel, and the third stretchable display panel are sequentially stacked on top of each other.

Optionally, the stretchable display apparatus further comprises a plurality of first spacers between the first stretchable display panel and the second stretchable display panel, and a plurality of second spacers between the second stretchable display panel and the third stretchable display panel.

Optionally, the plurality of first spacers have a height different from a height of the plurality of second spacers.

Optionally, the second stretchable display panel has gap regions for enhancing light transmittance of light emitted from the first stretchable display panel; and the third stretchable display panel has gap regions for enhancing light transmittance of light emitted from the second stretchable display panel and light emitted from the first stretchable display panel.

In another aspect, the present invention provides an image display driving method, comprising providing a stretchable display apparatus having a substantially non-stretched state and a stretched state; and determining a degree of the stretchable display apparatus being stretched thereby determining whether the stretchable display apparatus is in the substantially non-stretched state or in a stretched state; wherein the stretchable display apparatus comprises a first stretchable display panel comprising a first matrix of a plurality of first subpixels of a first color, the first matrix comprising a first active matrix of a plurality of first active subpixels of the first color and a first standby matrix of a plurality of first standby subpixels of the first color, the first active matrix interleaving with the first standby matrix thereby forming the first matrix; a second stretchable display panel comprising a second matrix of a plurality of second subpixels of a second color, the second matrix comprising a second active matrix of a plurality of second active subpixels of the second color and a second standby matrix of a plurality of second standby subpixels of the second color, the second active matrix interleaving with the second standby matrix thereby forming the second matrix; and a third stretchable display panel comprising a third matrix of a plurality of third subpixels of a third color, the third matrix comprising a third active matrix of a plurality of third active subpixels of the third color and a third standby matrix of a plurality of third standby subpixels of the third color, the third active matrix interleaving with the third standby matrix thereby forming the third matrix; wherein the first stretchable display panel, the second stretchable display panel and the third stretchable display panel are sequentially stacked on top of each other; wherein the method further comprises controlling the plurality of first active subpixels of the first color, the plurality of second active subpixels of the second color, and the plurality of third active subpixels of the third color to emit light for image display in the substantially non-stretched state; and controlling the plurality of first standby subpixels of the first color, the plurality of second standby subpixels of the second color, and the plurality of third standby subpixels of the third color to be in a standby state and not emit light in the substantially non-stretched state.

