Display technology has evolved from rigid panels to more dynamic formats, enabling smartphones that fold inward and outward and displays that extend or retract on demand. A key challenge remains: building stretchable displays that deform in multiple directions without compromising visual performance.
LG Display recently unveiled a 12-inch stretchable microLED screen capable of expanding by up to 50% while maintaining brightness, resolution, and durability. Built on a flexible, resilient substrate, it merges adaptability with strong visual output.
As an affiliate within the LG Group, LG Display has a track record of innovation, most notably becoming the first company in 2020 to introduce a rollable OLED TV.
This article examines the technology powering stretchable OLEDs, LG’s approach to overcoming key design hurdles, and its patenting activity, which drives future advancements in display engineering.
Market growth in flexible displays and the emergence of stretchable screens
The flexible display market has experienced remarkable growth, driven by increasing consumer demand for lightweight, energy-efficient devices with innovative form factors. According to Grand View Research, the market reached USD 15.46 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 35.3% through 2030, primarily driven by the adoption of OLED technologies.
The adoption of flexible displays is strongest in North America, driven by early consumer uptake and a robust electronics sector. Meanwhile, the Asia-Pacific region leads in manufacturing and smart city deployments. Strategic partnerships—like Asus’s collaboration with SKC, BOE, and Kolon Industries—are accelerating commercialization across the flexible display space.
While market growth has so far centered on flexible displays used in foldable phones, wearables, and automotive dashboards, the next frontier is stretchable screens that deform in multiple directions. The technology is still in development, but ongoing innovations are steadily bringing it closer to commercialization. As the technology matures, stretchable OLEDs are poised to become a defining form factor across future product categories.
LG Display: Patenting Activity
LG Display’s patenting activity over the last 10 years reflects a deep-rooted and forward-looking innovation strategy, capturing the early stages of its core display technologies. From 2015 to 2017, the company saw a significant surge in filings, with over 3,500 annually, signaling intense R&D in flexible and OLED-related technologies.
LG entered the OLED market in 2010 with a 15-inch OLED TV, followed by the launch of the world’s first 55-inch OLED television in 2012, then the largest of its kind. Between 2013 and 2015, while competitors like Sony, Panasonic, and Samsung scaled back due to high production costs, LG Display doubled down. By 2017, it had become a key supplier of large OLED panels to brands such as Sony, Panasonic, Toshiba, Philips, and Loewe.
This focus led to the 2020 debut of the world’s first rollable OLED TV, built on years of research in backplane design, materials development, and encapsulation. That milestone appears to have reignited OLED innovation industry-wide and coincided with a sharp rise in LG Display’s patent filings from 2021 onward. The surge continues through 2023, laying the groundwork for emerging technologies like stretchable OLED displays.
LG Display’s patent filings related to stretchable displays began to rise sharply in 2018, suggesting a strategic pivot or initiation of focused R&D in this area. Filings dipped slightly in 2020, likely reflecting pandemic-related disruptions, but rebounded strongly in 2021 and continued to climb. Notably, the majority of patents from 2022 and 2023 remain in pending status, indicating an active and ongoing phase of innovation and intellectual property development.
LG Display: Top Jurisdictions
Jurisdictional data shows LG Display’s strong focus on domestic and regional IP protection, with South Korea leading at over 13,000 filings, followed by the United States and China. This reflects the company’s dual emphasis on safeguarding homegrown R&D and securing key international markets.
Headquartered in Seoul, where its sole research institute, LG Sciencepark, is also located, LG Display files most of its patents in South Korea. Five out of six branches of LG Display are based in the U.S., while only two manufacturing bases remain in China following the recent sale of its Guangzhou facility to TCL CSOT for 2.25 trillion won (US$1.7 billion).
Additional filings across Europe, Japan, and Germany highlight LG’s efforts to protect its IP in major innovation and manufacturing hubs, aligning with broader regulatory and market access strategies.
LG Display: Top Technology Areas
Most of LG Display’s patents fall under H10K, covering organic electric solid-state devices and assemblies. This is followed by classification related to display control circuits (G09G), digital data processing (G06F), semiconductor devices (H01L), and light-modulating optics (G02F). Overall, the data shows LG Display’s focus on OLED panel technologies, making it one of the top companies operating in this market.
LG Display: Top Legal Representatives
LG Display relies on a broad network of specialized IP law firms, notably from Korea and China. Seah International Patent & Law Office leads with over 2,300 filings, followed by Beijing Sanyou Intellectual Property Agency and InvenSync Intellectual Property Group. This reflects a regionally tailored patent strategy leveraging local expertise.
The involvement of U.S.-based firms like Fenwick & West LLP and Birch, Stewart, Kolasch & Birch, LLP underscores the strategic importance of securing IP protection in the U.S., where display technologies intersect with major electronics and software markets.
LG Display’s patent for stretchable display devices
Segmented flex showcases LG’s split-base circuit films for flexible durability
In conventional stretchable display devices, the system typically includes a display panel, a printed circuit board, and a printed circuit film. While the display panel is made from an extensible material, the circuit film usually is not.
Because the base film is continuous and not separated for each conductive line, stretching the panel causes stress to concentrate at the bonding area between the display panel and the circuit film. This often results in physical damage or detachment of the components, compromising device performance and durability.
U.S. Patent No. 11,930,593, addresses this issue by introducing a stretchable display device with a flexible printed circuit film that stretches in tandem with the display panel. The circuit film is made of an extensible material and segmented into multiple sub-base films, each with its own conductive line. These sub-base films are spaced apart to allow independent movement, which helps distribute mechanical stress during stretching and significantly improves the device’s structural integrity.
The patent titled, “Flexible printed circuit film and stretchable display device including the same,” was filed on November 2, 2021, and was granted on March 12, 2024. The invention was made by Hohyun Keum and Min-Gyu Kang, and represented by Patrick C. Woolley, Sunwoo Lee, Andrew Z. Weaver, et al. from Polsinelli PC.
Smart conductors with particle-based paths and auxiliary metal traces
A common challenge in stretchable display devices is the vulnerability of conductive lines to damage during stretching. As the device deforms, these lines can crack or disconnect, disrupting signal transmission and reducing reliability. Traditional designs often lack sufficient structural support to maintain electrical continuity when the base material is strained.
U.S. Patent No. 11,348,990, addresses this issue by introducing conductive lines made from a stretchable base polymer embedded with conductive particles such as silver, gold, or carbon. These lines are further reinforced with metal members placed atop the conductive paths and adjacent to rigid island substrates. This structure allows the conductive paths to stretch without breaking and ensures signal continuity even if cracks occur by enabling the reinforcing members to serve as alternate transmission routes. Together, these design features enhance durability and maintain electrical reliability under mechanical stress.
The patent, titled “Stretchable display device”, was filed on October 29, 2020, and was granted on May 31, 2022. The patent listed Kihan Kim and Hyokang Lee as inventors, and was represented by Patrick C. Woolley, Sunwoo Lee, Andrew Z. Weaver, et al. from Polsinelli PC.
Adaptive displays that sense and stabilize during stretching
While traditional flexible displays have advanced significantly, they still face performance issues under mechanical deformation. Stretching introduces stress on structural and electrical components, which can lead to broken connections, timing errors, and visible image defects like distortion or uneven brightness. Maintaining consistent image quality during and after deformation requires not only physical flexibility but also the ability to detect and respond to mechanical stress in real time.
U.S. Patent No. 11,462,157, proposes a solution through a stretchable OLED or microLED architecture designed to preserve image integrity under dynamic conditions. The system is built on a pliable base with rigid circuit-containing “islands,” connected by wave- or diamond-shaped interconnects that flex without breaking.
Crucially, it incorporates stretch sensing circuits, either dedicated lines or shared data lines, that detect deformation and trigger real-time adjustments. A timing controller compares sensed stretch to reference values and generates compensation signals, which are delivered to the pixels via a data-driving circuit to maintain consistent brightness and image accuracy.
In some versions, capacitive stretch sensors further enhance this feedback loop. This architecture ensures display reliability during expansion, contraction, or flexing, making it ideal for applications such as smart wearables, fitness bands, medical patches, foldable phones, and curved automotive displays.
The patent titled “Stretchable display panel and stretchable display device including the same,” was filed on May 12, 2021 and granted on October 4, 2022. It was invented by Ji-Young Ahn and Seul-Ki Kim, and prosecuted with legal representation by Kevin S. Costanza, Brooke W. Quist, Timothy L. Boller, et al. from Seed IP.
