Patent Description:
In an existing fingerprint recognition solution, a fingerprint recognition sensor is usually arranged on a physical key to achieve a purpose of compatibility of the key and fingerprint recognition.

For example, for a mobile phone, as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, since a sensor is required to be arranged on a physical key, a space below a cover plate is relatively large, which easily makes an overall structure of equipment unstable. Moreover, the physical key is required to occupy a front region of a terminal such as the mobile phone, which reduces a display region.

International Patent Application Publication <CIT> discloses devices and optical sensor modules for providing on-screen optical sensing of fingerprints by using a under-screen optical sensor module that captures and detects returned light that is emitted by the display screen for displaying images and that is reflected back by the top surface of the screen assembly.

European Patent Application Publication <CIT> discloses a handheld computing device, such as a cellular phone, that includes a fingerprint sensor embedded in the device's display active area. The fingerprint sensor is composed of a series of PIN diodes that are configured to operate in a photo-receiving mode. In various embodiments, the PIN diodes are formed as active matrix organic light emitting diodes (AMOLEDs) at least partially within the gap between pixels in the display active area.

US Patent Application Publication <CIT> discloses a fingerprint-sensing display capable of sensing a fingerprint on a display screen. The display apparatus having an image scanning function includes an optical amplification cover, one side of which forms a display surface, including a transparent optical amplification layer configured to amplify an optical pattern generated by a fingerprint of a user in contact with the display surface and a cover window for reinforcement, a thin film transistor (TFT) array configured to drive a plurality of pixels forming an image, and an optical sensor array disposed between the optical amplification cover and the TFT array and configured to sense the optical pattern amplified by the optical amplification cover.

International Patent Application Publication <CIT> discloses a fingerprint sensor device including a touch panel with an integrated touch sensor module. The integrated touch sensor module includes sensing circuitry to generate a sensor signal responsive to detecting a contact input associated with a fingerprint.

Accordingly, the present disclosure provides an organic light emitting diode display module, a control method for the organic light emitting diode display module, a display device and electronic equipment, in accordance with claims which follow.

The features of the devices and methods according to the present invention are defined in the independent claims, and the preferable features according to the present invention are defined in the dependent claims.

According to a first aspect of embodiments of the present disclosure, an organic light emitting diode display module is provided, which may include:.

It can be seen that the fingerprint sensor is arranged on the side of the display panel away from an emerging direction in the present disclosure, so that it is possible to reduce influence on stability of display equipment where the display panel is located, and to facilitate decreasing of a proportion of a non-display region of the display equipment where the display panel is located and increasing of a proportion of a display region.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the display panel may include a fingerprint recognition region, wherein pixels in the fingerprint recognition region may emit light rays having luminance higher than preset luminance to the fingerprint during fingerprint recognition.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the pixels in the fingerprint recognition region may emit the light rays to the finger with maximum luminance during fingerprint verification.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the display panel may include a fingerprint recognition region, and the pixels in the fingerprint recognition region may include:
infrared pixels and/or infrared subpixels, configured to emit infrared light rays to the finger during fingerprint recognition, wherein the fingerprint sensor may be configured to receive the infrared light rays reflected by the finger.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the fingerprint recognition region may correspond to and have a same area as a region where the fingerprint sensor is located.

According to an exemplary embodiment, an area of the fingerprint recognition region may be larger than an area of a region where the fingerprint sensor is located, and the region where the fingerprint sensor is located may be located in the fingerprint recognition region.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the display panel may be electrically connected to the fingerprint sensor and configured to, when emitting the light rays to the finger, transmit a signal for triggering reception of the light rays reflected by the finger to the fingerprint sensor.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the display module may further include:
a control chip, electrically connected to the display panel and the fingerprint sensor respectively, configured to, during fingerprint recognition, transmit a control instruction for emitting the light rays to the finger to the display panel and transmit a control instruction for receiving the light rays reflected by the finger to the fingerprint sensor.

According to a second aspect of the embodiments of the present disclosure, a control method for an organic light emitting diode display module is provided, the organic light emitting diode display module including an organic light emitting diode display panel and a fingerprint sensor arranged on a side of the display panel away from a light emerging side, the control method including:.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the display panel may include a fingerprint recognition region, and controlling the organic light emitting diode display panel to emit the light rays to the finger may include:
controlling pixels in the fingerprint recognition region to emit light rays having luminance higher than preset luminance to the fingerprint.

According to an exemplary embodiment, controlling the pixels in the fingerprint recognition region to emit the light rays having luminance higher than the preset luminance to the fingerprint may include:
controlling the pixels in the fingerprint recognition region to emit the light rays to the finger with maximum luminance.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the display panel may include a fingerprint recognition region, the pixels in the fingerprint recognition region may include infrared pixels and/or infrared subpixels, and controlling the organic light emitting diode display panel to emit the light rays to the finger may include:
controlling the infrared pixels and/or the infrared subpixels to emit infrared light rays to the finger.

According to an exemplary embodiment, before controlling the organic light emitting diode display panel to emit the light rays to the finger, the method may further include:
during fingerprint recognition, transmitting a control instruction for emitting the light rays to the finger to the display panel, and transmitting a control instruction for receiving the light rays reflected by the finger to the fingerprint sensor.

According to a third aspect of the embodiments of the present disclosure, a display device is provided, which may include the display module of any abovementioned embodiment.

According to a fourth aspect of the embodiments of the present disclosure, electronic equipment is provided, which may include:.

Terms adopted in the present disclosure are intended not to limit the present disclosure but only to describe specific embodiments. "a," "said," and "the" adopted in the present disclosure and the appended claims and indicating a singular form are also intended to include a plural form unless their meanings are clearly expressed in the context. It should also be understood that term "and/or" adopted in the present disclosure refers to inclusion of any or all possible combinations of one or more associated items which are listed.

It should be understood that terms first, second, third and the like may be adopted to describe various kinds of information in the present disclosure but these information may not be limited to these terms. These terms are only adopted to distinguish the same type of information. For example, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, first information may also be called second information, and similarly, second information may also be called first information. This depends on the context, and for example, term "if" adopted here may be explained as "at the time of" or "when" or "in response to determination.

<FIG> is a structure diagram of an organic light emitting diode display module according to an exemplary embodiment. The display module may be applied to display equipment such as a mobile phone, a tablet computer and a television. As shown in <FIG>, the display module includes the following structures.

An organic light emitting diode display panel <NUM> is configured to emit light rays to a finger during fingerprint recognition, wherein a protective layer <NUM> may be arranged on the display panel <NUM>.

In one or more embodiments, the organic light emitting diode display panel may be an Active-Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode (AMOLED) display panel, and may also be an organic light emitting diode display panel of another type.

In one or more embodiments, the organic light emitting diode display panel adopts a top-emitting mode, and may also adopt a bottom-emitting mode. Pixel units of the display panel may externally emit light rays, and when the light rays irradiate a finger on the display panel, the fingerprint on the finger may reflect the light rays back to the display panel.

In one or more embodiments, there are no limits made to a specific manner about how to determine fingerprint recognition is required or not in the present disclosure. For example, a pressure sensor may be arranged in a preset region of the display panel, and when pressure higher than a preset pressure value is sensed, it is determined that fingerprint recognition is required. An instruction of a processor may also be adopted as a basis, for example, during fingerprint verification for payment, an instruction may be received from the processor and/or a control chip, thereby determining that fingerprint recognition is required.

As shown in <FIG>, a fingerprint sensor <NUM> is arranged on a side of the display panel <NUM> away from a light emerging side, and is configured to receive the light rays reflected by the finger and determine a fingerprint pattern of the finger according to the light rays reflected by the finger.

In one or more embodiments, since the organic light emitting diode display panel emits the light rays by exciting an organic luminous layer, no backlight module is required to be configured, a thickness of the display panel is relatively small, and a space may be reserved in the side away from the light emerging side to arrange the fingerprint sensor.

In one or more embodiments, the fingerprint sensor may be arranged in a region on a side of the display panel away from the light emerging side, as shown in <FIG>, and may also be arranged in multiple regions on the side of the display panel away from the light emerging side. For example, the fingerprint sensor in each region may recognize different fingerprints, respectively. The fingerprint sensor may specifically be arranged according to a requirement.

<FIG> is a structure diagram of a light path according to an exemplary embodiment.

In one or more embodiments, as shown in <FIG>, the light rays emitted by the display panel may irradiate the finger of a user through the protective layer. Valleys and ridges of the fingerprint are different in height, so that light reflected back to the display panel by the valleys and the ridges is also different, and light reflected to the fingerprint sensor is also different.

In one or more embodiments, the fingerprint sensor may include multiple photoelectric sensors arranged in a matrix, and the fingerprint pattern of the finger may be determined according to the light received by the multiple photoelectric sensor and reflected by the finger.

In one or more embodiments, the fingerprint sensor is arranged on a side of the display panel away from an emerging direction, so that it is possible to reduce influence on stability of the display equipment where the display panel is located, and to facilitate decreasing of a proportion of a non-display region of the display equipment where the display panel is located and increasing of a proportion of a display region.

Optionally, the display panel includes a fingerprint recognition region, wherein pixels in the fingerprint recognition region may emit light rays having luminance higher than preset luminance to the fingerprint during fingerprint recognition. Here, the fingerprint recognition region may have pixels controlled by the fingerprint sensor or other controllers, where the pixels in the fingerprint recognition region is configured to emit light rays having different luminance levels depending on whether the fingerprint recognition function is activated. For example, when the fingerprint recognition function is activated, the pixels in the fingerprint recognition region emits light rays having luminance higher than preset luminance to the fingerprint during fingerprint recognition. When fingerprint recognition function is not activated, the pixels in the fingerprint recognition region emits light rays having same luminance as the other display regions, where the same luminance is lower than the preset luminance. In one or more embodiments, since the organic light emitting diode display panel has relatively low visible light transmittance which is usually about <NUM>% to <NUM>%, most of the light reflected by the finger cannot reach the fingerprint sensor on the other side of the display panel after being emitted into the display panel. Therefore, the pixels in the fingerprint recognition region may be arranged to emit the light rays having luminance higher than the preset luminance, wherein the preset luminance may be set according to light emitting performance of the pixels, and for example, may be arranged to be maximum light emitting luminance of the pixels. Therefore, the light reflected by the finger may penetrate through the display panel to reach the fingerprint sensor as much as possible, and fingerprint recognition accuracy of the fingerprint sensor is further improved.

Optionally, the pixels in the fingerprint recognition region emits the light rays to the finger with the maximum luminance during fingerprint verification.

Optionally, the display panel includes the fingerprint recognition region, and the pixels in the fingerprint recognition region include:.

infrared pixels and/or infrared subpixels, configured to emit infrared light rays to the finger during fingerprint recognition, wherein the fingerprint sensor is configured to receive the infrared light rays reflected by the finger.

In one or more embodiments, it can be seen according to the abovementioned embodiments that the organic light emitting diode display panel has the relatively low visible light transmittance, but the infrared light rays may still penetrate through the display panel with relatively high transmittance. Therefore, the infrared pixels are arranged in the fingerprint recognition region of the display panel, or the infrared subpixels are arranged in the pixel units, to emit the infrared rays to the finger during fingerprint recognition to enable the (infrared) light rays reflected by the finger to penetrate through the display panel to reach the fingerprint sensor as many as possible and further improve the fingerprint recognition accuracy of the fingerprint sensor.

<FIG> is a schematic diagram illustrating a fingerprint recognition region according to an exemplary embodiment. As shown in <FIG>, the fingerprint recognition region <NUM> corresponds to and has a same area as the region where the fingerprint sensor <NUM> is located.

In one or more embodiments, as shown in <FIG>, a region corresponding to and having a same area as the region where the sensor is located may be set to be the fingerprint recognition region to control the pixels in the fingerprint recognition region to emit light rays with relatively high luminance or emit infrared light rays during fingerprint recognition, wherein the light rays emitted by the region may be emitted perpendicularly to the display panel, as shown in <FIG>, and may also be emitted at another angle.

<FIG> is a schematic diagram illustrating another fingerprint recognition region according to an exemplary embodiment. As shown in <FIG>, an area of the fingerprint recognition region is larger than an area of the region <NUM> where the fingerprint sensor is located, and the region where the fingerprint sensor <NUM> is located is located in the fingerprint recognition region <NUM>.

In one or more embodiments, as shown in <FIG>, a region corresponding to the region where the sensor is located and having an area larger than the region where the sensor is located may be set to be the fingerprint recognition region to control the pixels in the fingerprint recognition region to emit light rays with relatively high luminance or emit infrared light rays during fingerprint recognition.

The embodiments shown in <FIG> and <FIG> are compared. In the embodiment shown in <FIG>, the fingerprint recognition region is relatively small, so that a number of pixels required to be controlled to emit light rays with relatively high luminance or emit infrared light rays is also relatively small during fingerprint recognition, and internal wiring of the display panel is favorably simplified. In the embodiment shown in <FIG>, the fingerprint recognition region is relatively large, and since fingers of different users have different sizes and it may not be ensured that the fingerprint completely corresponds to the fingerprint sensor, in the embodiment shown in <FIG>, the light rays may be emitted to the fingerprint through a region with a larger area to further ensure that the fingerprint sensor may receive the light rays reflected by the finger with a larger area to accurately determine the fingerprint pattern of the finger.

In one or more embodiments, the embodiments shown in <FIG> and <FIG> may be combined. For example, when the fingerprint sensor is located in the multiple regions on the side of the display panel away from the light emerging side, part of the regions may be arranged in a manner of the embodiment shown in <FIG>, and the other part of regions may be arranged in a manner of the embodiment shown in <FIG>.

Optionally, the display panel is electrically connected to the fingerprint sensor and configured to, when emitting the light rays to the finger, transmit a signal for triggering reception of the light rays reflected by the finger to the fingerprint sensor.

In one or more embodiments, the fingerprint sensor may be controlled to be started in a hardware manner. For example, a wire is arranged between the display panel and the fingerprint sensor, and when the display panel senses that fingerprint recognition is required (for example, a pressure sensor in the display panel senses a pressure higher than the preset pressure value), at the same time when the light rays are emitted to the fingerprint, the triggering signal, such as a high-level signal, is transmitted to the fingerprint sensor through the wire to trigger the fingerprint sensor to be started, so that the fingerprint sensor receives the light rays reflected by the finger.

Optionally, the display module further includes:
a control chip, electrically connected to the display panel and the fingerprint sensor respectively to transmit a control instruction for emitting the light rays to the finger to the display panel and transmit a control instruction for receiving the light rays reflected by the finger to the fingerprint sensor during fingerprint recognition.

In one or more embodiments, the fingerprint sensor may be controlled to be started in a software manner. For example, when the control chip determines that fingerprint recognition is required (for example, during fingerprint verification for payment), the control instructions may be transmitted to the display panel and the fingerprint sensor respectively to control the display panel to emit the light rays to the finger on one hand and control the fingerprint sensor to be started so as to receive the light rays reflected by the finger on the other hand.

The present disclosure further discloses a display device, which includes the display module of any abovementioned embodiment.

<FIG> is a schematic flow chart showing a control method for an organic light emitting diode display module according to an exemplary embodiment. The organic light emitting diode display module includes an organic light emitting diode display panel and a fingerprint sensor arranged on a side of the display panel away from a light emerging side. As shown in <FIG>, the control method includes:.

<FIG> is a schematic flow chart showing a control method for an organic light emitting diode display module according to an exemplary embodiment. The display panel includes a fingerprint recognition region. As shown in <FIG>, on the basis of the embodiment shown in <FIG>, controlling the organic light emitting diode display panel to emit the light rays to the finger includes:
Step S711: controlling pixels in the fingerprint recognition region to emit light rays having luminance higher than preset luminance to the fingerprint.

<FIG> is a schematic flow chart showing a control method for an organic light emitting diode display module according to an exemplary embodiment. As shown in <FIG>, on the basis of the embodiment shown in <FIG>, controlling the pixels in the fingerprint recognition region to emit the light rays having luminance higher than the preset luminance to the fingerprint includes:
Step S712: controlling the pixels in the fingerprint recognition region to emit the light rays to the finger with maximum luminance.

<FIG> is a schematic flow chart showing a control method for an organic light emitting diode display module according to an exemplary embodiment. The display panel includes the fingerprint recognition region, and the pixels in the fingerprint recognition region include infrared pixels and/or infrared subpixels. As shown in <FIG>, on the basis of the embodiment shown in <FIG>, controlling the organic light emitting diode display panel to emit the light rays to the finger includes:
Step S713: controlling the infrared pixels and/or the infrared subpixels to emit infrared light rays to the finger.

<FIG> is a schematic flow chart showing a control method for an organic light emitting diode display module according to an exemplary embodiment. As shown in <FIG>, on the basis of the embodiment shown in <FIG>, before controlling the organic light emitting diode display panel to emit the light rays to the finger, the method further includes:
Step S73: during fingerprint recognition, transmitting a control instruction for emitting the light rays to the finger to the display panel, and transmitting a control instruction for receiving the light rays reflected by the finger to the fingerprint sensor.

<FIG> is a block diagram of a display device <NUM> according to an exemplary embodiment. For example, the device <NUM> may be a mobile phone, a computer, a digital broadcast terminal, a messaging device, a gaming console, a tablet, a medical device, exercise equipment, a personal digital assistant and the like.

Referring to <FIG>, the device <NUM> may include one or more of the following components: a processing component <NUM>, a memory <NUM>, a power component <NUM>, a multimedia component <NUM>, an audio component <NUM>, an Input/Output (I/O) interface <NUM>, a sensor component <NUM>, and a communication component <NUM>, and further includes: an organic light emitting diode display module, the display module including: an organic light emitting diode display panel, configured to emit light rays to a finger during fingerprint recognition; and a fingerprint sensor, arranged on a side of the display panel away from a light emerging side, configured to receive the light rays reflected by the finger and determine a fingerprint pattern of the finger according to the light rays reflected by the finger.

The processing component <NUM> may include one or more processors <NUM> to execute instructions. Moreover, the processing component <NUM> may include one or more modules which facilitate interaction between the processing component <NUM> and the other components. For instance, the processing component <NUM> may include a multimedia module to facilitate interaction between the multimedia component <NUM> and the processing component <NUM>.

Examples of such data include instructions for any application programs operated on the device <NUM>, contact data, phonebook data, messages, pictures, video, etc. The memory <NUM> may be implemented by any type of volatile or non-volatile memory devices, or a combination thereof, such as a Static Random Access Memory (SRAM), an Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM), an Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EPROM), a Programmable Read-Only Memory (PROM), a Read-Only Memory (ROM), a magnetic memory, a flash memory, and a magnetic or optical disk.

The power component <NUM> may include a power management system, one or more power supplies, and other components associated with the generation, management and distribution of power for the device <NUM>.

The multimedia component <NUM> includes a screen providing an output interface between the device <NUM> and a user. In some embodiments, the screen may include a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) and a Touch Panel (TP). If the screen includes the TP, the screen may be implemented as a touch screen to receive an input signal from the user. The TP includes one or more touch sensors to sense touches, swipes and gestures on the TP. The touch sensors may not only sense a boundary of a touch or swipe action, but also detect a duration and pressure associated with the touch or swipe action. The front camera and/or the rear camera may receive external multimedia data when the device <NUM> is in an operation mode, such as a photographing mode or a video mode. Each of the front camera and the rear camera may be a fixed optical lens system or have focusing and optical zooming capabilities.

The audio component <NUM> is configured to output and/or input an audio signal. For example, the audio component <NUM> includes a Microphone (MIC), and the MIC is configured to receive an external audio signal when the device <NUM> is in the operation mode, such as a call mode, a recording mode and a voice recognition mode. The received audio signal may be further stored in the memory <NUM> or sent through the communication component <NUM>. In some embodiments, the audio component <NUM> further includes a speaker configured to output the audio signal.

The communication component <NUM> is configured to facilitate wired or wireless communication between the device <NUM> and other equipment. The device <NUM> may access a communication-standard-based wireless network, such as a Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) network, a 2nd-Generation (<NUM>) or 3rd-Generation (<NUM>) network or a combination thereof. In an exemplary embodiment, the communication component <NUM> receives a broadcast signal or broadcast associated information from an external broadcast management system through a broadcast channel. In an exemplary embodiment, the communication component <NUM> further includes a Near Field Communciation (NFC) module to facilitate short-range communication. For example, the NFC module may be implemented on the basis of a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology, an Infrared Data Association (IrDA) technology, an Ultra-WideBand (UWB) technology, a Bluetooth (BT) technology and another technology.

In an exemplary embodiment, the device <NUM> may be implemented by one or more Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), Digital Signal Processors (DSPs), Digital Signal Processing Devices (DSPDs), Programmable Logic Devices (PLDs), Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), controllers, micro-controllers, microprocessors or other electronic components.

In an exemplary embodiment, there is also provided a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including an instruction, such as the memory <NUM> including an instruction, and the instruction may be executed by the processor <NUM> of the device <NUM> to implement the abovementioned method. For example, the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium may be a ROM, a Random Access Memory (RAM), a Compact Disc Read-Only Memory (CD-ROM), a magnetic tape, a floppy disc, optical data storage equipment and the like.

Other embodiments of the present disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the present disclosure. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the present disclosure following the general principles thereof and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a scope of the present disclosure being indicated by the following claims.

Claim 1:
An organic light emitting diode display module, comprising:
an organic light emitting diode display panel (<NUM>), configured to emit light rays to a finger placed above the organic light emitting diode display panel during fingerprint recognition; and
a fingerprint sensor (<NUM>), arranged on a side of the display panel away from a light emerging side, configured to receive light rays reflected by the finger and determine a fingerprint pattern of the finger according to the light rays reflected by the finger,
wherein the display panel comprises a fingerprint recognition region (<NUM>), and the pixels in the fingerprint recognition region (<NUM>) comprise:
infrared pixels and/or infrared subpixels, configured to emit infrared light rays to the finger during fingerprint recognition, wherein the fingerprint sensor (<NUM>) is configured to receive infrared light rays reflected by the finger and penetrating through the display panel,
characterized in that, the organic light emitting diode display panel is electrically connected to the fingerprint sensor through a wire arranged between the organic light emitting diode display panel and the fingerprint sensor and configured to, when emitting the light rays to the finger in response to that a pressure sensor in the organic light emitting diode display panel senses that the fingerprint recognition operation is required, transmit, through the wire, a signal for triggering reception of the light rays reflected by the finger to the fingerprint sensor.