# US 2019/0171047 A1 · Viewing angle switching structure, display device and viewing angle switching method thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0171047 A1 - Document ID: US20190171047A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/995,999 - Filed: 2018-06-01 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-01 - Assignees: Boe Technology Group Co., Ltd.; Ordos Yuansheng Optoelectronics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Boe Technology Group Co., Ltd.; Ordos Yuansheng Optoelectronics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Jianchao ZHU - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190171047A1 ## CPC - G02F 1/1323: {Arrangements for providing a switchable viewing angle} - G02B 26/004: {based on a displacement or a deformation of a fluid} - G09G 3/3208: organic, e.g. using organic light-emitting diodes [OLED] - G09G 3/34: by control of light from an independent source - G09G 2320/068: for control of viewing angle adjustment - G02F: OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - G09G: ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION (arrangements for transferring data between digital computers and displays G06F3/14; static indicating arrangements comprising an association of a number of separate sources or light control cells G09F9/00; static indicating arrangements comprising integral associations of a number of light sources H01J, H01K, H10H, H05B33/12; scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission, details thereof H04N1/00) ## Abstract The present disclosure provides a viewing angle switching structure, a display device and a viewing angle switching method. The viewing angle switching structure includes a plurality of viewing angle switching units corresponding to pixels on a display panel. Each viewing angle switching unit includes: an accommodation cavity; a first solution layer and a second solution layer in the accommodation cavity, a liquid interface being formed between the first and the second solution layers; and an electric field driving unit configured to generate a driving electric field to be applied to the accommodation cavity. The first solution layer has a refractive index different from the second solution layer. The first solution layer includes a transparent conductive solution and the second solution layer includes a transparent non-conductive solution. A shape of the liquid interface between the first and the second solution layers is changeable under the effect of the driving electric field. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A viewing angle switching structure for use in a display panel comprising a plurality of pixels, wherein the viewing angle switching structure comprises a plurality of viewing angle switching units corresponding to the pixels on the display panel, wherein each viewing angle switching unit comprises: an accommodation cavity; a first solution layer and a second solution layer in the accommodation cavity, a liquid interface being formed between the first solution layer and the second solution layer; and an electric field driving unit configured to generate a driving electric field to be applied to the accommodation cavity, wherein the first solution layer has a refractive index different from the second solution layer, the first solution layer comprises a transparent conductive solution and the second solution layer includes a transparent non-conductive solution, and a shape of the liquid interface between the first solution layer and the second solution layer is capable of being changed under the effect of the driving electric field. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The viewing angle switching structure according to claim 1, wherein the electric field driving unit comprises a first transparent electrode and a second transparent electrode arranged opposite to each other, the first solution layer and the second solution layer are arranged between the first transparent electrode and the second transparent electrode, and the shape of the liquid interface between the first solution layer and the second solution layer is capable of being changed under the control of voltages applied to the first transparent electrode and the second transparent electrode. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The viewing angle switching structure according to claim 2, wherein an insulative barrier layer is arranged between the first transparent electrode and the second transparent electrode, and provided with an opening region corresponding to the pixels on the display panel to form the accommodation cavity with the first transparent electrode and the second transparent electrode. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The viewing angle switching structure according to claim 2, wherein a lyophobic or dielectric layer is arranged at a side of at least one of the first transparent electrode and the second transparent electrode facing the other one of the first transparent electrode and the second transparent electrode. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The viewing angle switching structure according to claim 4, wherein the first transparent electrode, the lyophobic layer or dielectric layer, the first solution layer, the second solution layer and the second transparent electrode are arranged one on another. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The viewing angle switching structure according to claim 1, wherein the first solution layer comprises a sodium chloride solution, a potassium sulfate solution or a sodium hydroxide solution, and the second solution layer comprises a silicone oil solution. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The viewing angle switching structure according to claim 1, wherein the viewing angle switching units correspond to the pixels on the display panel respectively. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The viewing angle switching structure according to claim 2, wherein the first transparent electrodes of the plurality of viewing angle switching units are formed into a one-piece surface-like electrode. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The viewing angle switching structure according to claim 2, wherein the second transparent electrodes of the plurality of viewing angle switching units are formed into a one-piece surface-like electrode. ### Claim 10 (depends on 3) The viewing angle switching structure according to claim 3, wherein the barrier layers of the plurality of viewing angle switching units are formed into one piece. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A display device, comprising a display panel and the viewing angle switching structure according to claim 1, wherein the viewing angle switching structure is arranged at a light-exiting side of the display panel, the display panel comprises a plurality of pixels, and each viewing angle switching unit of the viewing angle switching structure corresponds to at least one pixel. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The display device according to claim 11, wherein the electric field driving unit comprises a first transparent electrode and a second transparent electrode arranged opposite to each other, the first solution layer and the second solution layer are arranged between the first transparent electrode and the second transparent electrode, and the shape of the liquid interface between the first solution layer and the second solution layer is capable of being changed under the control of voltages applied to the first transparent electrode and the second transparent electrode; the display panel is an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display panel comprising a cathode layer, an anode layer arranged opposite to the cathode layer, and an organic light-emitting layer arranged between the cathode layer and the anode layer; and the cathode layer serves as the first transparent electrode, and the second transparent electrode is arranged at a side of the cathode layer away from the anode layer. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) A viewing angle switching method for use in the display device according to claim 11, comprising: adjusting an electric field generated by the electric field driving unit to change a shape of the liquid interface between the first solution layer and the second solution layer, thereby to switch a viewing angle of the display device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The viewing angle switching method according to claim 13, wherein the electric field driving unit comprises a first transparent electrode and a second transparent electrode arranged opposite to each other, the first solution layer and the second solution layer are arranged between the first transparent electrode and the second transparent electrode, and the shape of the liquid interface between the first solution layer and the second solution layer is capable of being changed under the control of voltages applied to the first transparent electrode and the second transparent electrode, the display panel is an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display panel comprising a cathode layer, an anode layer arranged opposite to the cathode layer, and an organic light-emitting layer arranged between the cathode layer and the anode layer; the cathode layer serves as the first transparent electrode, and the second transparent electrode is arranged at a side of the cathode layer away from the anode layer, wherein the step of adjusting the electric field generated by the electric field driving unit comprises applying a constant voltage to the first transparent electrode and applying an adjustable voltage to the second transparent electrode.