# US 2021/0240294 A1 · Flexible display and electronic device equipped with same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0240294 A1 - Document ID: US20210240294A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/050,545 - Filed: 2019-04-25 - Published: 2021-08-05 - Earliest claimed: 2018-04-25 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Seunghoon KO; Gidae KIM; Jungchul AN; Joungmin CHO; Kwangtai KIM; Hyungsup BYEON - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210240294A1 ## CPC - G06F 3/0416: {Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers} - G06F 1/1624: {with sliding enclosures, e.g. sliding keyboard or display} - G06F 1/1652: {the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable} - G06F 3/0446: {using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes} - G06F 3/14: Digital output to display device {; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units} - 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: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract Provided is a flexible display. A flexible display, having a first region and a second region extending therefrom in a first direction, may comprise: a display panel comprising a pixel array; and a touch sensor layer comprising first electrodes arranged on the first region and second electrodes arranged on the second region; and switches, each electrically connecting a first and second electrodes. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A flexible display having a first area and a second area extending from the first area in a first direction, the flexible display comprising: a display panel including a pixel array; a touch sensor layer including a first electrode disposed in the first area and a second electrode disposed in the second area; and a switch configured to electrically connect the first electrode and the second electrode. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The flexible display of claim 1, wherein the switch is disposed in at least one of the display panel or the touch sensor layer. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The flexible display of claim 1, wherein the switch is disposed between the first area and the second area. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The flexible display of claim 1, wherein the switch includes at least one thin film transistor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The flexible display of claim 1, wherein the switch includes a plurality of sub-switches, wherein the pixel array includes a plurality of pixels formed and arranged on the display panel, and wherein at least one of the plurality of pixels is formed between the plurality of sub-switches. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The flexible display of claim 1, wherein the switch includes a plurality of sub-switches, wherein the touch sensor layer includes touch electrodes including a plurality of columns including the first electrode and a plurality of rows including a third electrode perpendicular to the first electrode, and wherein the number of sub-switches is equal to the number of columns of touch electrodes. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The flexible display of claim 6, wherein each of the plurality of sub-switches includes an input terminal connected with a touch electrode of the first electrode, an output terminal connected with a touch electrode of the second electrode, and a gate terminal configured to electrically connect the input terminal and the output terminal, and wherein the gate terminals of the respective sub-switches are connected to one common line. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The flexible display of claim 7, wherein the flexible display further comprises first control circuitry electrically connected with the one common line. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The flexible display of claim 8, wherein the flexible display further comprises second control circuitry electrically connected with the display panel or the touch sensor layer, and wherein the first control circuitry is implemented with one integrated circuit (IC) identical to the second control circuitry. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The flexible display of claim 1, wherein the display panel includes a substrate, a thin film transistor layer formed on the substrate, and a light emitting diode formed on the thin film transistor layer, wherein the switch includes a plurality of sub-switches, and wherein each of the plurality of sub-switches is implemented with a thin film transistor included in the thin film transistor layer. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The flexible display of claim 1, wherein the touch sensor layer includes a substrate, and wherein the first electrode, the second electrode, or the switch is disposed on the substrate. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The flexible display of claim 11, wherein the flexible display further comprises a thin film encapsulation layer configured to block access of external oxygen to the display panel, and wherein the substrate is the thin film encapsulation layer. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The flexible display of claim 1, wherein the display panel includes a base substrate, a thin film transistor layer disposed on the base substrate and having the pixel array formed therein, and a thin film encapsulation layer configured to cover the pixel array, wherein the base substrate includes an outer portion further extending outside the thin film transistor layer, wherein the touch sensor layer is formed over the thin film encapsulation layer, wherein the switch includes a plurality of sub-switches, wherein the flexible display further comprises control circuitry configured to control the plurality of sub-switches, and wherein the control circuitry is disposed on the outer portion. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The flexible display of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of sub-switches is formed in the touch sensor layer disposed over the thin film encapsulation layer or is formed of a thin film transistor included in the thin film transistor layer. ### Claim 15 An electronic device comprising: a flexible display including a first area and a second area extending from the first area in one direction; a first structure having at least part of the flexible display disposed on a first surface thereof; a second structure coupled to the first structure so as to slide in one direction relative to the first structure, the remaining part of the flexible display being disposed in the second structure; and a processor electrically connected with the flexible display, wherein the second structure slides relative to the first structure between an open state and a closed state, wherein a distance between an end portion of the first structure in one direction and an end portion of the second structure in one direction is increased when the second structure moves from the closed state to the open state, wherein in the open state, the first area is disposed on the first surface of the first structure, and the second area is disposed inside the second structure, wherein the second area is pulled into the second structure to form the first surface together with the first area when the second structure moves from the closed state to the open state, wherein the flexible display includes a display panel, a touch sensor layer formed over the display panel and including a first electrode disposed in the first area and a second electrode disposed in the second area, and a switch configured to electrically open or short-circuit the first electrode and the second electrode, and wherein the processor controls the switch to electrically open the first electrode and the second electrode when the second structure moves from the open state to the closed state.