{
  "patent_number": "US 12354567",
  "country": "US",
  "title": "How Foldable Screens Use Electrochromic Layers to Improve Color and Contrast",
  "original_title": "Driving method of display panel, display panel, and display device",
  "summary": "A method for foldable display panels to adjust their light-filtering properties using electrochromic layers that change color or opacity based on whether the screen is stretched or folded.",
  "what_it_does": "This patent describes a way to manage light in foldable OLED displays by placing electrochromic layers on either side of a standard color filter. These layers use materials that change their optical properties when an electric field is applied. When the device is in a stretched or flat state, the system turns these layers into color filters to enhance the display's color output. When the device is in an unstretched or folded state, the system switches these layers to an opaque mode to prevent light leakage or adjust contrast. This allows the display to dynamically adapt its filtering characteristics based on the physical configuration of the screen.",
  "what_it_does_not_cover": [
    "Does not cover displays that lack electrochromic layers on both sides of the color filter.",
    "Does not cover mechanical folding mechanisms that do not involve electronic light-filtering adjustments.",
    "Does not cover standard OLED panels that rely solely on pixel-level voltage control without additional electrochromic filters."
  ],
  "filed": "2024-04-10",
  "granted": "2025-07-08",
  "expires": null,
  "status": "active",
  "holder": "HKC Co Ltd",
  "holder_url": "https://patentbrief.org/company/hkc-co-ltd",
  "inventors": [
    {
      "name": "Yao Li",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/yao-li"
    },
    {
      "name": "Junfeng XIE",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/junfeng-xie"
    }
  ],
  "times_cited": 0,
  "tags": [
    "consumer_electronics",
    "semiconductors",
    "mechanical"
  ],
  "abstract": "A driving method of a display panel, a display panel, and a display device are disclosed. The display panel includes an organic light-emitting layer and a filter disposed on a light-exit surface thereof. Corresponding to each pixel area, the filter includes a color filter and a first and second electrochromic layer that are disposed on both sides of the color filter. The driving method includes: detecting a current state of the display panel; when in a stretched state, controlling the first and the second electrochromic layer to each become a filter layer having the same color as the corresponding color filter; when in an unstretched state, controlling the first and the second electrochromic layer to become opaque, where the first and the second electrochromic layer may change into the same color as the color filter or into black color or transparent under the action of an electric field.",
  "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12354567/sea-level-raptor",
  "markdown_url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12354567/sea-level-raptor/md",
  "google_patents_url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US12354567",
  "relatedPatents": []
}