Display panel and mobile terminal

Abstract

A display panel comprising a light guide plate; a main light source configured to emit light from a first lateral surface of the light guide plate in a first direction; a sub-light source configured to emit light from a second lateral surface vertical to the first lateral surface of the light guide plate in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and a liquid crystal panel provided in a front surface of the light guide plate and configured to output image information.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A display panel comprising:
 a light guide plate having a dent in one corner;   a main light source configured to emit light from a first lateral surface of the light guide plate in a first direction;   a sub-light source configured to emit light from a second lateral surface vertical to the first lateral surface of the light guide plate in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;   a liquid crystal panel provided in a front surface of the light guide plate and configured to output image information; and   a controller configured to control the sub-light source to emit light from the second lateral surface and display indication information in a second area of the liquid crystal panel when the main light source is turned off,   wherein the liquid crystal panel comprises a dent corresponding to the dent of the light guide plate,   wherein the sub-light source is placed at the dent of the light guide plate, and   wherein one or more of a camera module and a proximity and illumination sensor module are arranged in the dent of the light guide plate.   
     
     
       2. The display panel of  claim 1 , wherein the light guide plate is rectangular-shaped, and
 wherein the sub-light source is arranged in the dent of the light guide plate.   
     
     
       3. The display panel of  claim 1 , wherein the light guide plate comprises:
 a first light guide plate provided in a portion with respect to a first direction, the first light guide plate including the first lateral surface; and   a second light guide plate provided in the other portion with respect to the first direction, the second light guide plate including the second lateral surface, and   wherein the main light source emits light to the first light guide plate and the sub-light source emits light to the second light guide plate.   
     
     
       4. A mobile terminal comprising:
 a wireless communication unit configured to provide wireless communication;   a display panel including a light guide plate having a dent in one corner; a main light source configured to emit light from a first lateral surface of the light guide plate in a first direction; a sub-light source configured to emit light from a second lateral surface vertical to the first lateral surface of the light guide plate in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and a liquid crystal panel provided in a front surface of the light guide plate and configured to output image information; and   a controller configured to:   control the sub-light source to emit light from the second lateral surface and display indication information in a second area of the liquid crystal panel when the main light source is turned off,   wherein the liquid crystal panel comprises a dent corresponding to the dent of the light guide plate,   wherein the sub-light source is placed at the dent of the light guide plate, and   wherein one or more of a camera module and a proximity and illumination sensor module are arranged in the dent of the light guide plate.   
     
     
       5. The mobile terminal of  claim 4 , wherein the light guide plate is rectangular-shaped, and
 wherein the sub-light source is arranged in the dent of the light guide plate.   
     
     
       6. The mobile terminal of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a receiver hole configured to output sound of an audio output module arranged in the dent of the light guide plate.   
     
     
       7. The mobile terminal of  claim 4 , wherein the light guide plate comprises:
 a first light guide plate provided in a portion with respect to a first direction, the first light guide plate including the first lateral surface; and   a second light guide plate provided in the other portion with respect to the first direction, the second light guide plate including the second lateral surface, and   wherein the main light source emits light to the first light guide plate and the sub-light source emits light to the second light guide plate.   
     
     
       8. The mobile terminal of  claim 4 , wherein the liquid crystal panel comprises a first area provided in a portion with respect to the first direction and the second area provided in the other portion with respect to the first direction, and
 wherein the controller is further configured to drive the liquid crystal panel in one of a first mode configured to display information in the first area and the second area and a second mode configured to display the indication information only in the second area, and not display the information in the first area.   
     
     
       9. The mobile terminal of  claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured to drive only the sub-light source and not the main light source in the second mode. 
     
     
       10. The mobile terminal of  claim 8 , wherein the liquid crystal panel comprises:
 a plurality of thin film transistors configured to change an arrangement of liquid crystal in response to an applied gate voltage and a data voltage,   wherein the controller further configured to control the gate voltage applied to the thin film transistor of the first area is smaller than the gate voltage applied to the thin film transistor of the second area.   
     
     
       11. The mobile terminal of  claim 10 , wherein the controller is further configured to control the data voltage applied to the thin film transistor of the first area in the second mode to be 0 (zero). 
     
     
       12. The mobile terminal of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a drive IC configured to transmit a signal to the plurality of the thin film transistors based on a control signal transmitted from the controller; and   a multiplexer (MUX) provided between the drive IC and the plurality of the thin film transistors to distribute a signal to the plurality of the thin film transistors,   wherein the controller is further configured to restrict the driving of the multiplexer to distribute the signal to the thin film transistor of the first area in the second mode.   
     
     
       13. The mobile terminal of  claim 11 , wherein in the second mode, the gate voltage applied to the thin film transistor of the second area is 9V or more and the gate voltage applied to the thin film transistor of the first area is greater than 0V and equal to or less than 5V. 
     
     
       14. The mobile terminal of  claim 4 , wherein the indication information includes an icon indicating a status of the mobile terminal, and
 wherein the controller is further configured to execute a function corresponding to the icon, in response to the icon being dragged from the second area to the first area.   
     
     
       15. The mobile terminal of  claim 4 , wherein the controller is further configured to display a guide image for unlocking the mobile terminal in the second area. 
     
     
       16. The mobile terminal of  claim 4 , wherein the controller is further configured to display updated indication information in the second area in response to a new event on the mobile terminal. 
     
     
       17. The mobile terminal of  claim 4 , wherein the dent of the light guide plate comprises a rectangular shape, a shape with an inclined surface or a shape with a curved surface. 
     
     
       18. The mobile terminal of  claim 4 , wherein the second area corresponds to a status bar displaying the indication information indicating a status of the mobile terminal. 
     
     
       19. A mobile terminal, comprising:
 a case;   a wireless communication unit placed inside of the case;   a display panel placed at a front side of the case, the display panel including a first area and a second area, the second area being placed at a top end of the display panel, the display panel including a light guide plate and a liquid crystal panel, the light guide plate defining a dent in the second area of the display panel, and the liquid crystal panel defining a dent corresponding to the dent of the light guide plate;   a controller configured to control the display panel, the controller configured to output information, the controller configured to control a status bar to be displayed at the second area of the display panel;   a camera module arranged in the dent of the light guide plate; and   a window covering a front side of the display panel and the camera module, wherein the window forms a front surface of the mobile terminal.    
     
     
       20. The mobile terminal of claim 19, wherein the controller is configured to control the status bar such that the status bar includes an icon indicating at least one of a remaining amount of battery, presence of new messages, a communication status, presence of WIFI access, or presence of Bluetooth connection.  
     
     
       21. The mobile terminal of claim 19, wherein the controller is configured to control the status bar such that the status bar indicates presence of a new event.  
     
     
       22. The mobile terminal of claim 19, wherein the controller is configured to change information output in the second area according to a generated event.  
     
     
       23. The mobile terminal of claim 19, wherein contents of the second area can vary according to a setting.  
     
     
       24. The mobile terminal of claim 19, wherein the controller is configured to respond to user interaction with an icon displayed on the status bar to implement a function corresponding to the icon displayed on the status bar.  
     
     
       25. The mobile terminal of claim 19, wherein the status bar is configurable to allow adjustment to a size or shape of the status bar.  
     
     
       26. The mobile terminal of claim 19, wherein the controller is configured to control the second area of the display panel to be in an ON state irrespective of an ON/OFF state of the first area.  
     
     
       27. The mobile terminal of claim 19, wherein the mobile terminal has a mode in which the display panel is configured to output information only in the second area.  
     
     
       28. The mobile terminal of claim 19, wherein the display panel comprises a touch sensor configured to sense a touch input.  
     
     
       29. The mobile terminal of claim 19, wherein the display panel has an inter-layered structure with a touch sensor.  
     
     
       30. The mobile terminal of claim 19, wherein the display panel includes a light source configured to emit light to the light guide plate.  
     
     
       31. The mobile terminal of claim 30, wherein the light source comprises:
 a main light source configured to emit light for the first area of the display panel, and   a sub-light source configured to emit light for the second area of the display panel and placed at the dent.    
     
     
       32. The mobile terminal of claim 31, wherein the controller is configured to:
 control the sub-light source to emit light; and   display the status bar in the second area of the liquid crystal panel when the main light source is turned off.    
     
     
       33. The mobile terminal of claim 19, further including:
 a finger scan sensor configured to scan a user's fingerprint installed in the display panel.    
     
     
       34. The mobile terminal of claim 19, wherein the light guide plate dent and the liquid crystal panel dent are placed at a corner of the mobile terminal.  
     
     
       35. The mobile terminal of claim 19, wherein the light guide plate dent and the liquid crystal panel dent have one of a rectangular shape, a curved surface or an inclined surface.  
     
     
       36. The mobile terminal of claim 19, further comprising one or more of a proximity sensor, an illumination sensor or a receiver hole configured to output sound of an audio output module arranged at the light guide plate dent.  
     
     
       37. The mobile terminal of claim 19, further comprising
 an assembly gap between the case and the window; and   an audio output unit arranged inside of the case and configured to output an audio signal through the assembly gap.    
     
     
       38. The mobile terminal of claim 19, wherein the display panel comprises a drive IC placed at a bottom of the display panel.  
     
     
       39. The mobile terminal of claim 19, wherein the window defines an aperture for audio transmission.  
     
     
       40. The mobile terminal of claim 19, wherein the display panel has an integrated structure with a touch sensor.  
     
     
       41. A method of using a mobile terminal, comprising:
 displaying a status bar at a second area of a display panel of the mobile terminal, the mobile terminal comprising:
 a case; 
 a wireless communication unit placed inside of the case; 
 a display panel placed at a front side of the case, the display panel including a first area and the second area, the second area being placed at a top end of the display panel, the display panel defining a dent in the second area; 
 a controller configured to control the display panel, the controller configured to output information, the controller configured to control the status bar displayed at the second area of the display panel; 
 a camera module arranged in the dent; and 
 a window covering a front side of the display panel and the camera module, wherein the window forms a front surface of the mobile terminal; and 
   outputting information on the first area of the display panel.    
     
     
       42. A method, comprising:
 displaying an icon at a second area of a display panel of a mobile terminal; and   implementing a function corresponding to the icon displayed at the second area in response to user interaction with the icon;   wherein the mobile terminal comprises:
 a case; 
 a wireless communication unit placed inside of the case; 
 a display panel placed at a front side of the case, the display panel including a first area and the second area, the second area being placed at a top end of the display panel, the display panel defining a dent in the second area; 
 a controller configured to control the display panel, the controller configured to output information, the controller configured to control a status bar displayed at the second area of the display panel; 
 a camera module arranged in the dent; and 
 a window covering a front side of the display panel and the camera module, wherein the window forms a front surface of the mobile terminal.  
   
     
     
       43. The mobile terminal of claim 19, wherein the controller is further configured to control the display panel to output information on both the first area and the second area in a first mode and to control the display panel to output information on only the first area in a second mode.  
     
     
       44. The method of claim 42, further comprising outputting contents of the second area according to a setting.  
     
     
       45. The method of claim 41, further comprising implementing a function corresponding to an icon displayed on the status bar in response to user interaction with the icon.  
     
     
       46. The method of claim 42, further comprising outputting information only in the second area.  
     
     
       47. The method of claim 42, further comprising scanning a user's fingerprint using a finger scan sensor installed in the display panel.