# US 10,770,517 B2 · Foldable display device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,770,517 B2 - Document ID: US10770517B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/655,516 - Filed: 2017-07-20 - Published: 2018-03-08 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2016-09-08 - Assignees: Samsung Display Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Samsung Display Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Seung-lyong Bok - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10770517B2 ## CPC - G06F 3/0412: {Digitisers structurally integrated in a display} - G06F 3/044: by capacitive means - G06F 3/0446: {using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes} - G06F 3/0447: {Position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells} - H10K 59/40: OLEDs integrated with touch screens - H10K 77/111: {Flexible substrates} - G06F 2203/04102: Flexible digitiser, i.e. constructional details for allowing the whole digitising part of a device to be flexed or rolled like a sheet of paper - G06F 2203/04105: Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position - H10K 59/131: Interconnections, e.g. wiring lines or terminals - H10K 59/878: {comprising reflective means} - H10K 2102/3031: {Two-side emission, e.g. transparent OLEDs [TOLED]} - H10K 2102/311: {Flexible OLED} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H10K: ORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES ## Abstract A display device includes a flexible display module and provides a display surface on which an image is displayed. The flexible display module includes a display panel including a light-emitting device and a sensor unit disposed on the display panel. The sensor unit senses pressure applied to the flexible display module in a folded-in mode in which the flexible display module is folded such that a portion of the display surface faces another portion of the display surface. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A display device comprising: a flexible display module configured to display an image on a display surface, the flexible display module comprising: a display panel comprising a light-emitting device; and a sensor unit disposed on the display panel, wherein the sensor unit comprises a plurality of sensors, each of the plurality of sensors comprising a first sensor and a second sensor, wherein, in a folded-in mode in which the flexible display module is folded along a bending axis, a portion of the display surface faces another portion of the display surface, wherein, in the folded-in mode, the first and second sensors overlap with each other and are capacitively coupled to each other, wherein the display device is configured to sense a first pressure applied to the flexible display module in the folded-in mode based on a first capacitance between the first and second sensors facing each other, wherein the first and second sensors are configured to sense a touch of a user in a normal mode, and wherein the display device is configured to determine a magnitude of the first pressure applied to the flexible display module in the folded-in mode based on the first capacitance. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The display device of claim 1, wherein: the first sensor and the second sensor are disposed symmetrically with respect to the bending axis in the folded-in mode; and the first capacitance is a variation in capacitance between the first sensor and the second sensor in the folded-in mode. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The display device of claim 1, further comprising: a force sensor disposed under the display panel, wherein the display device further comprises a back side opposing the display surface, wherein, in a folded-outward mode in which the flexible display module is folded such that a portion of the back side faces another portion of the back side, the display device is configured to determine a second pressure applied to the flexible display module in the folded-outward mode based on output from the force sensor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The display device of claim 3, wherein the second pressure is sensed by sensing a variation in capacitance in the folded-outward mode. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The display device of claim 3, wherein the force sensor comprises a strain gauge. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The display device of claim 1, wherein: the light-emitting device comprises a front surface light emitting area and a back surface light emitting area; and the display panel is configured to emit light from both the front surface light emitting area and the back surface light emitting area. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The display device of claim 6, wherein the light-emitting device further comprises: a first reflection layer disposed on a base layer and overlapping with the front surface light emitting area; a first anode disposed on the first reflection layer and overlapping with the front surface light emitting area; a second anode disposed on the base layer and overlapping with the back surface light emitting area; a light-emitting layer disposed on the first anode and the second anode, the light-emitting layer overlapping with the front surface light emitting area and the back surface light emitting area; a cathode disposed on the light-emitting layer and overlapping with the front surface light emitting area and the back surface light emitting area; and a second reflection layer disposed on the cathode and overlapping with the back surface light emitting area. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The display device of claim 7, further comprising: a first force sensor disposed between the second reflection layer and the sensor unit, the first force sensor being configured to sense pressure applied to the flexible display module in at least a mode other than the folded-in mode. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The display device of claim 8, further comprising: a second force sensor disposed under the display panel, wherein the display device further comprises a back side opposing the display surface, wherein, in a folded-outward mode in which the flexible display module is folded such that a portion of the back side faces another portion of the back side, the display device is configured to determine a second pressure applied to the flexible display module in the folded-outward mode based on output from the second force sensor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The display device of claim 7, further comprising: a first force sensor disposed on the second reflection layer, the first force sensor being configured to sense pressure applied to the flexible display module in at least a mode other than the folded-in mode; and a reflection member disposed on the first force sensor and overlapping with the front surface light emitting area and the back surface light emitting area. ### Claim 11 A display device comprising: a flexible display module configured to display an image on a display surface; and a force sensor, wherein the flexible display module comprises: a first display panel comprising a light-emitting device; and a sensor unit disposed on the first display panel, wherein the sensor unit comprises a plurality of sensors, each of the plurality of sensors comprising a first sensor and a second sensor, wherein, in a folded-in mode in which the flexible display module is folded along a bending axis, a portion of the display surface faces another portion of the display surface, wherein, in the folded-in mode, the first and second sensors overlap with each other and are capacitively coupled to each other, wherein the first and second sensors are configured to sense a first pressure applied to the flexible display module in the folded-in mode based on a first capacitance between the first and second sensors facing each other, wherein the first and second sensors are configured to sense a touch of a user in a normal mode, wherein the force sensor is disposed under the first display panel, wherein the flexible display module further comprises a back side opposing the display surface, wherein, in a folded-outward mode in which the flexible display module is folded such that a portion of the back side faces another portion of the back side, the force sensor is configured to sense a second pressure applied to the flexible display module in the folded-outward mode, and wherein the display device is configured to determine a magnitude of the first pressure applied to the flexible display module in the folded-in mode based on the first capacitance. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The display device of claim 11, wherein the second pressure is sensed by sensing a variation in capacitance in the folded-outward mode. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The display device of claim 11, wherein the force sensor comprises a strain gauge. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The display device of claim 11, further comprising: a second display panel comprising a light-emitting device, wherein the second display panel is disposed under the force sensor. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The display device of claim 14, wherein the force sensor comprises: a first force-sensing electrode; a second force-sensing electrode capacitively coupled to the first force-sensing electrode; and a pressure cushion disposed between the first force-sensing electrode and the second force-sensing electrode. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The display device of claim 15, wherein at least one of the first force-sensing electrode and the second force-sensing electrode is electrically connected to the sensor unit. ### Claim 17 A display device comprising: a flexible display module configured to display an image on a display surface, the flexible display module comprising: a display panel comprising a light-emitting device; and a sensor unit disposed on the display panel, wherein the sensor unit comprises a plurality of sensors, each of the plurality of sensors comprising a first sensor and a second sensor, wherein, in a first state in which the flexible display module is folded along a bending axis, a portion of the display surface faces another portion of the display surface, wherein, in the first state, the first and second sensors overlap with each other and are capacitively coupled to each other, wherein, in response to pressure being applied to the flexible display module in the first state, the display device is configured to sense a variation in capacitance between the one portion of the display surface and the another portion of the display surface based on output from the first and second sensors, wherein, in a second state of the flexible display module other than the first state, the display device is configured to sense a touch interaction based on a capacitance between the first and second sensors, and wherein the display device is configured to determine a magnitude of the pressure applied to the flexible display module in the first state based on the variation of the capacitance.