# US 12,016,202 B2 · Display device and method of providing the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,016,202 B2 - Document ID: US12016202B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/892,229 - Filed: 2022-08-22 - Published: 2023-04-20 - Granted: 2024-06-18 - Earliest claimed: 2021-10-15 - Assignees: Samsung Display Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Samsung Display Co., LTD. - Inventors: Jungi Kim; Jin-Su Byun; Woongsik Kim; Jeong Won Kim - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12016202B2 ## CPC - H10K 50/858: comprising refractive means, e.g. lenses - G06F 3/0412: {Digitisers structurally integrated in a display} - G06F 3/0443: {using a single layer of sensing electrodes} - G06F 3/0446: {using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes} - H10K 59/40: OLEDs integrated with touch screens - H10K 71/00: Manufacture or treatment specially adapted for the organic devices covered by this subclass - H10K 59/1201: {Manufacture or treatment} - H10K 59/122: Pixel-defining structures or layers, e.g. banks - H10K: ORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A display panel includes a transmission area, a boundary area adjacent to the transmission area, a display area adjacent to the boundary area, an overcoat layer in the boundary area, a light emitting element in the display area, a first refractive layer on the light emitting element and including the same material as the overcoat layer, and a second refractive layer on the first refractive layer and having a refractive index less than a refractive index of the first refractive layer. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A display device comprising: a display area including a light emitting element comprising a first electrode, an emission layer, and a second electrode facing the first electrode with the emission layer therebetween; a light transmission area corresponding to a functional module providing a function to the display device; a boundary area between the light transmission area and the display area; a first refractive layer having a first refractive index, the first refractive layer comprising: a refractive pattern which overlaps the emission layer of the light emitting element, in the display area, and an overcoat layer in the boundary area; and a second refractive layer on the first refractive layer and having a second refractive index less than the first refractive index of the first refractive layer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The display device of claim 1, wherein the second refractive layer overlaps the refractive pattern and the overcoat layer. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The display device of claim 1, further comprising a touch sensing layer in the display area, the touch sensing layer comprising: a first touch insulating layer between the refractive pattern and the second refractive layer in the display area, and the first touch insulating layer extended from the refractive pattern in the display area to the boundary area to cover the overcoat layer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The display device of claim 3, wherein each of the refractive pattern and the overcoat layer has an upper surface closest to the second refractive layer, and the first touch insulating layer directly contacts the upper surface of the refractive pattern and the upper surface of the overcoat layer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The display device of claim 3, wherein the first touch insulating layer has a third refractive index greater than the first refractive index of the first refractive layer. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The display device of claim 3, wherein the touch sensing layer further comprises: a first touch electrode layer; a second touch electrode layer connected to the first touch electrode layer; and a second touch insulating layer facing the refractive pattern with the first touch insulating layer therebetween, the second touch insulating layer extended from the refractive pattern to the boundary area to cover the first touch electrode layer and the overcoat layer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The display device of claim 6, wherein the second touch insulating layer has a fourth refractive index greater than the first refractive index of the first refractive layer. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The display device of claim 6, wherein the second touch insulating layer has an upper surface furthest from the first refractive layer, and the second refractive layer directly contacts the upper surface of the second touch insulating layer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 3) The display device of claim 3, wherein the touch sensing layer further comprises in the display area: a first touch electrode layer between the first touch insulating layer and the second refractive layer; and a second touch electrode layer connected to the first touch electrode layer and on the second refractive layer, and the second refractive layer extends from the refractive pattern in the display area to the boundary area to cover the first touch electrode layer and overlap the overcoat layer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The display device of claim 9, wherein the first touch insulating layer has an upper surface furthest from the first refractive layer, and the second refractive layer directly contacts the upper surface of the first touch insulating layer. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The display device of claim 1, further comprising in order from the light emitting element, in the display area: a first inorganic encapsulation layer; an organic encapsulation layer; and a second inorganic encapsulation layer wherein each of the refractive pattern and the overcoat layer has a lower surface furthest from the second refractive layer, and the second inorganic encapsulation layer directly contacts the lower surface of the refractive pattern in the display area and extends from the refractive pattern to the boundary area to directly contact the lower surface of the overcoat layer. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The display device of claim 1, further comprising: a substrate facing the second refractive layer with the light emitting element, the refractive pattern and the overcoat layer therebetween, and at the boundary area, a groove in the substrate, wherein the overcoat layer of the first refractive layer fills the groove in the substrate. ### Claim 13 A method of providing a display device, the method comprising: providing a light emitting element in a display area of the display device, a functional module in a light transmission area of the display device, and a boundary area between the display area and the light transmission area, the light emitting element comprising a first electrode, an emission layer, and a second electrode facing the first electrode with the emission layer therebetween; providing an organic layer having a first refractive index, in the display area and the boundary area; providing a first refractive layer having the first refractive index, by patterning the organic layer, the first refractive layer comprising a refractive pattern which is in the display area and overlaps the emission layer of the light emitting element, and an overcoat layer in the boundary area; and providing a second refractive layer on the first refractive layer, the second refractive layer having a second refractive index less than the first refractive index of the first refractive layer. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the second refractive layer overlaps the refractive pattern and the overcoat layer. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the providing of the first refractive layer having the refractive pattern and the overcoat layer includes patterning the organic layer using a halftone mask. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising providing a touch sensing layer in the display area, the touch sensing layer comprising: a first touch insulating layer having a third refractive index greater than the first refractive index of the first refractive layer, the first touch insulating layer between the refractive pattern and the second refractive layer in the display area, the first touch insulating layer extended from the refractive pattern in the display area to the boundary area to cover the overcoat layer, and a first touch electrode layer on the first touch insulating layer. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the touch sensing layer in the display area further comprises: a second touch insulating layer having a fourth refractive index greater than the first refractive index of the first refractive layer, the second touch insulating layer facing the refractive pattern with the first touch insulating layer therebetween, the second touch insulating layer extended from the refractive pattern to the boundary area to cover the first touch electrode layer and the overcoat layer, and a second touch electrode layer which is on the second touch insulating layer and connected to the first touch electrode layer. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the touch sensing layer in the display area further comprises a second touch electrode layer on the second refractive layer and connected to the first touch electrode layer. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising providing in order from the light emitting element, in the display area: a first inorganic encapsulation layer which covers the light emitting element in the display area and extends from the light emitting element in the display area to the boundary area to face the overcoat layer; an organic encapsulation layer facing the light emitting element with the first inorganic encapsulation layer therebetween; and a second inorganic encapsulation layer which covers the organic encapsulation layer in the display area and extends from the display area to the boundary area to face the overcoat layer, wherein the providing of the organic layer disposes the organic layer facing the first inorganic encapsulation layer with the second inorganic encapsulation layer therebetween.