Array substrate, display pannel, and display device with pressure sensing electrode block embedded therein

• US 10,019,104 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2016
• Issued: 07/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tianma Microelectronics Company Limited, Xiamen Tianma Micro-Electronics Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Tianma Microelectronics Company Limited, Xiamen Tianma Micro-Electronics Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Yang, Yizhi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ghebretinsae, Temesghen
• Assistant Examiner(s): MARTINEZ QUILES, IVELISSE
• Application Number:
  US15/211,983
• Publication Number:
  US 20170269763A1
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04166 Details of scanning methods, e.g. sampling time, grouping of sub areas or time sharing with display driving Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally G06F3/04184
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes

Abstract

An array substrate array, a display panel and a display device are provided. The array substrate includes multiple touch electrode blocks, multiple pressure sensing electrode blocks, and multiple drive modules. Each of the multiple pressure sensing electrode blocks is embedded within a corresponding one of the multiple touch electrode blocks, and the pressure sensing electrode blocks are not in contact with the touch electrode blocks. The drive module is configured to electrically connect the touch electrode block to the pressure sensing electrode block embedded within the touch electrode block and input a touch sensing signal during a touch sensing period. The drive module is configured to electrically disconnect the touch electrode block from the pressure sensing electrode block embedded within the touch electrode block and input a pressure sensing signal to the pressure sensing electrode block during a pressure sensing period.

Claims

1. An array substrate, comprising:

a plurality of touch electrode blocks;

a plurality of pressure sensing electrode blocks, wherein each pressure sensing electrode block of the plurality of pressure sensing electrode blocks is embedded within a corresponding touch electrode block of the plurality of touch electrode blocks, and the plurality pressure sensing electrode blocks are not in contact with the plurality of touch electrode blocks; and

a plurality of drive modules, wherein each drive module of the plurality of the drive modules is configured to;

electrically connect a touch electrode block of the plurality of touch electrode blocks to a corresponding pressure sensing electrode block of the plurality of pressure sensing electrode blocks, the corresponding pressure sensing electrode block being embedded within the touch electrode block,

input a touch sensing signal during a touch sensing period to the touch electrode block and the corresponding pressure sensing electrode block,

electrically disconnect the touch electrode block from the corresponding pressure sensing electrode block embedded within the touch electrode block, and

input a pressure sensing signal to the corresponding pressure sensing electrode block during a pressure sensing period.

2. The array substrate according to claim 1, wherein each drive module of the plurality of drive modules comprises:

a first controllable switching element, a second controllable switching element, a first signal terminal and a second signal terminal, wherein

the first controllable switching element comprises a control terminal, a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the control terminal of the first controllable switching element is inputted with a first drive signal, the first terminal of the first controllable switching element is connected to the first signal terminal and connected to one touch electrode block of the plurality of touch electrode blocks, and the second terminal of the first controllable switching element is connected to one pressure sensing electrode block of the plurality of pressure sensing electrode blocks;

the second controllable switching element comprises a control terminal, a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the control terminal of the second controllable switching element is inputted with a second drive signal, the first terminal of the second controllable switching element is connected to the second signal terminal, and the second terminal of the second controllable switching element is connected to one pressure sensing electrode block of the plurality of pressure sensing electrode blocks;

the first controllable switching element is configured to be controlled by the first drive signal to be turned on, the second controllable switching element is configured to be controlled by the second drive signal to be turned off, and the first signal terminal outputs the touch sensing signal, during the touch sensing period; and

the first controllable switching element is configured to be controlled by the first drive signal to be turned off, the second controllable switching element is configured to be controlled by the second drive signal to be turned on, and the second signal terminal outputs the pressure sensing signal, during the pressure sensing period.

3. The array substrate according to claim 2, wherein the first controllable switching element is a first transistor, and the second controllable switching element is a second transistor.

4. The array substrate according to claim 3, wherein the first transistor has a same conductive type as the second transistor.

5. The array substrate according to claim 4, wherein each of the first transistor and the second transistor is an N-type transistor.

6. The array substrate according to claim 4, wherein each of the first transistor and the second transistor is a P-type transistor.

7. The array substrate according to claim 3, wherein the first transistor has a different conductive type from the second transistor.

8. The array substrate according to claim 7, wherein the first drive signal is same as the second drive signal, and the first drive signal and the second drive signal are outputted from a same drive signal terminal.

9. The array substrate according to claim 7, wherein the first transistor is an N-type transistor, and the second transistor is a P-type transistor.

10. The array substrate according to claim 7, wherein the first transistor is a P-type transistor, and the second transistor is an N-type transistor.

11. The array substrate according to claim 3, wherein each of the first transistor and the second transistor is a thin film transistor or a field effect transistor.

12. The array substrate according to claim 1, wherein each touch electrode block of the plurality of touch electrode blocks and each pressure sensing electrode block of the plurality of pressure sensing electrode blocks is a transparent electrode block.

13. The array substrate according to claim 1, wherein the array substrate comprises a common electrode, and wherein the plurality of touch electrode blocks and the plurality of pressure sensing electrode blocks are formed by dividing the common electrode.

14. A display panel, comprising an array substrate, wherein the array substrate comprises:

a plurality of touch electrode blocks;

a plurality of pressure sensing electrode blocks, wherein each pressure sensing electrode block of the plurality of pressure sensing electrode blocks is embedded within a corresponding touch electrode block of the plurality of touch electrode blocks, and the plurality pressure sensing electrode blocks are not in contact with the plurality of touch electrode blocks; and

a plurality of drive modules, wherein each drive module of the plurality of the drive modules is configured to;

electrically connect a touch electrode block of the plurality of touch electrode blocks to a corresponding pressure sensing electrode block of the plurality of pressure sensing electrode blocks, the corresponding pressure sensing electrode block being embedded within the touch electrode block,

input a touch sensing signal during a touch sensing period to the touch electrode block and the corresponding pressure sensing electrode block,

electrically disconnect the touch electrode block from the corresponding pressure sensing electrode block embedded within the touch electrode block, and

input a pressure sensing signal to the corresponding pressure sensing electrode block during a pressure sensing period.

15. A display device, comprising a display panel, wherein the display panel comprises an array substrate,

wherein the array substrate comprises:

a plurality of touch electrode blocks;

a plurality of pressure sensing electrode blocks, wherein each pressure sensing electrode block of the plurality of pressure sensing electrode blocks is embedded within a corresponding touch electrode block of the plurality of touch electrode blocks, and the plurality pressure sensing electrode blocks are not in contact with the plurality of touch electrode blocks; and

a plurality of drive modules, wherein each drive module of the plurality of the drive modules is configured to;

electrically connect a touch electrode block of the plurality of touch electrode blocks to a corresponding pressure sensing electrode block of the plurality of pressure sensing electrode blocks, the corresponding pressure sensing electrode block being embedded within the touch electrode block,

input a touch sensing signal during a touch sensing period to the touch electrode block and the corresponding pressure sensing electrode block,

electrically disconnect the touch electrode block from the corresponding pressure sensing electrode block embedded within the touch electrode block, and

input a pressure sensing signal to the corresponding pressure sensing electrode block during a pressure sensing period.