Sensor and sensor-equipped display device

• US 10,025,970 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2016
• Issued: 07/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Japan Display Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Japan Display Incorporated
• Inventors: Mizuhashi, Hiroshi, Koide, Gen, Kurasawa, Hayato, Soya, Toshio, Gotoh, Fumitaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Seth, Manav
• Application Number:
  US15/285,064
• Publication Number:
  US 20170103247A1
• Time in Patent Office: 651 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133345 Insulating layers G02F1/1335, G02F1/1337, G02F1/135, G02F1/136 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134336 Matrix
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/136218 Shield electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/136286 Wiring, e.g. gate line, drain line
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1368 in which the switching element is a three-electrode device G02F1/136277 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/121 common or background
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/123 pixel
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04164 Connections between sensors and controllers, e.g. routing lines between electrodes and connection pads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041662 using alternate mutual and self-capacitive scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1306 non-optical, e.g. ultrasonic or capacitive sensing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0274 Optical details, e.g. printed circuits comprising integral optical means H05K1/0269 takes precedence; coupling light guides with opto-electronic components G02B6/42
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0326 Inorganic, non-metallic conductor, e.g. indium-tin oxide [ITO]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10151 Sensor

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a sensor includes a first control line, a first signal line, a first detection switch, a common electrode, a first detection electrode, a first circuit and a second circuit. The common electrode is located above the first control line, the first signal line and the first detection switch, opposed to the first control line, the first signal line and the first detection switch. The first detection electrode is located above the common electrode. The first circuit and the second circuit are located under the common electrode, and are opposed to the common electrode.

Claims

1. A sensor comprising:

a first control line;

a first signal line;

a first detection switch connected to the first control line and the first signal line;

a common electrode located above the first control line, the first signal line and the first detection switch, opposed to the first control line, the first signal line and the first detection switch, and including a first opening opposed to the first detection switch;

a first detection electrode located above the common electrode, opposed to the first opening, and connected to the first detection switch through the first opening;

a first circuit located under the common electrode, opposed to the common electrode, connected to the first control line, and supplying a drive signal to the first control line to change a state of the first detection switch to either of a first connection state of electrical connecting the first signal line and the first detection electrode to each other and a second connection state of electrical disconnecting the first signal line and the first detection electrode from each other; and

a second circuit located under the common electrode, opposed to the common electrode and connected to the first signal line.

2. The sensor of claim 1, further comprising:

a first detection unit which writes a write signal to the first detection electrode via the second circuit, the first signal line and the first detection switch, and reads a read signal indicating variation of the write signal from the first detection electrode, in a state of supplying a potential adjustment signal to the common electrode, controlling drive of the first circuit and the second circuit, and changing the state of the first detection switch to the first connection state by the drive signal,

wherein the potential adjustment signal is synchronized with the write signal and is equivalent in phase and amplitude to the write signal, in sensing drive of performing sensing.

3. The sensor of claim 2, wherein

the first detection unit supplies a power source voltage to the first circuit,

a superposition signal is superposed on each of the drive signal and the power source voltage in the sensing drive, and

the superposition signal is synchronized with the write signal and is equivalent in phase and amplitude to the write signal.

4. The sensor of claim 2, wherein

the first detection unit supplies a control signal to the second circuit,

a superposition signal is superposed on the control signal in the sensing drive, and

the superposition signal is synchronized with the write signal and is equivalent in phase and amplitude to the write signal.

5. The sensor of claim 2, further comprising:

an auxiliary line located on a side opposite to the first detection electrode with respect to the common electrode, opposed to the common electrode and connected to the first detection unit; and

a shielding electrode located on a side opposite to the common electrode with respect to the first signal line, opposed to the first signal line and connected to the auxiliary line,

wherein the first detection unit further supplies the potential adjustment signal to the shielding electrode via the auxiliary line.

6. The sensor of claim 2, further comprising:

an auxiliary line located on a side opposite to the first detection electrode with respect to the common electrode, opposed to the common electrode and connected to the first detection unit,

wherein

the common electrode is connected to the auxiliary line at plural parts, and

the first detection unit supplies the potential adjustment signal to the common electrode via the auxiliary line.

7. The sensor of claim 2, further comprising:

a second signal line connected to the second circuit;

a second detection switch connected to the first control line and the second signal line; and

a second detection electrode located above the common electrode,

wherein

the common electrode is located above the second signal line and the second detection switch and opposed to the second signal line and the second detection switch, and further includes a second opening opposed to the second detection switch,

the second detection electrode is opposed to the second opening and connected to the second detection switch through the second opening,

the first detection unit supplies a control signal and the potential adjustment signal to the second circuit,

the second circuit includes a first control switch for changing either of a first change state of supplying the write signal to the first signal line and a second change state of supplying the potential adjustment signal to the first signal line, by the control signal, and a second control switch for changing either of a first change state of supplying the write signal to the second signal line and a second change state of supplying the potential adjustment signal to the second signal line, by the control signal, and

the first detection unit, in a sensing period of the sensing drive;

changes the first control switch to the first change state and the second control switch to the second change state by the control signal, changes the first detection switch to the first connection state by the drive signal, and changes the second detection switch to a first connection state of electrical connecting the first signal line and the second detection electrode to each other by the drive signal;

writes the write signal to the first detection electrode and reads the read signal indicating variation of the write signal from the first detection electrode, via the first control switch, the first signal line and the first detection switch; and

supplies the potential adjustment signal to the second detection electrode via the second control switch, the second signal line and the second detection switch.

8. The sensor of claim 2, further comprising:

a second control line connected to the first circuit;

a third detection switch connected to the second control line and the first signal line;

an auxiliary line connected to the first detection unit, the first detection switch and the third detection switch; and

a third detection electrode located above the common electrode,

wherein

the common electrode is located above the second control line, the third detection switch and the auxiliary line and opposed to the second control line, the third detection switch and the auxiliary line, and further includes a third opening opposed to the third detection switch,

the third detection electrode is opposed to the third opening and is connected to the third detection switch through the third opening,

the first circuit supplies the drive signal to the second control line,

the first detection switch electrically connects the first signal line and the first detection electrode to each other in the first connection state, and electrically connects the auxiliary line and the first detection electrode to each other in the second connection state,

the third detection switch is changed to either of a first connection state of electrical connecting the first signal line and the third detection electrode to each other and a second connection state of electrical connecting the auxiliary line and the third detection electrode to each other, by the drive signal, and

the first detection unit, in a sensing period of the sensing drive;

changes the state of the first detection switch to the first connection state and a state of the third detection switch to the second connection state by the drive signal;

writes the write signal to the first detection electrode and reads the read signal indicating variation of the write signal from the first detection electrode, via the first signal line and the first detection switch; and

supplies the potential adjustment signal to the third detection electrode via the auxiliary line and the third detection switch.

9. A sensor comprising:

control lines extending in a row direction;

signal lines extending in a columnar direction;

detection switches each connected to one of the control lines and one of the signal lines;

a common electrode located above the control lines, the signal lines and the detection switches, opposed to the control lines, the signal lines and the detection switches, and including openings, each of the openings being opposed to one of the detection switches;

detection electrodes located above the common electrode, each opposed to the corresponding opening and connected to the corresponding detection switch through the opening;

a first circuit located under the common electrode, opposed to the common electrode, connected to the control lines, supplying the drive signal to each of the control lines, and changing a state of each of the detection switches to either of a first connection state of electrical connecting the signal line and the detection electrode to each other and a second connection state of electrical disconnecting the signal line and the detection electrode from each other;

a second circuit located under the common electrode, opposed to the common electrode, and connected to the signal lines; and

a first detection unit supplying a potential adjustment signal to the common electrode and controlling the drive of the first circuit and the second circuit,

the first detection unit simultaneously writing write signals to four detection electrodes located in an n-th row and an n+1-th row, of an m-th column and an m+1-th column, via the second circuit, two corresponding signal lines and four corresponding detection switches, reading read signals indicating variation of the write signals from the detection electrodes, respectively, and bundling the read signals into one signal, in a first sensing period in a sensing drive for performing sensing,

the first detection unit simultaneously writing write signals to four detection electrodes located in an n-th row and an n+1-th row, of an m+1-th column and an m+2-th column, via the second circuit, two corresponding signal lines and four corresponding detection switches, reading read signals indicating variation of the write signals from the detection electrodes, respectively, and bundling the read signals into one signal, in a second sensing period in the sensing drive following the first sensing period,

the potential adjustment signal being synchronized with the write signals and being equivalent in phase and amplitude to the write signals, in the sensing drive.

10. The sensor of claim 9, wherein

the first detection unit shifts to sensing of detection electrodes located in the n+1-th row and an n+2-th row after ending sensing of the detection electrodes located in the n-th row and the n+1-th row, in the sensing drive.

11. A sensor-equipped display device comprising a display panel,

the display panel comprising:

control lines;

signal lines;

pixel switches each connected to one of the control lines and one of the signal lines;

a common electrode disposed in a display area and an outside of the display area, located above the control lines, the signal lines and the pixel switches, opposed to the control lines, the signal lines and the pixel switches, and including openings, each of the openings being opposed to one of the pixel switches;

pixel electrodes disposed in the display area and located above the common electrode, each of the pixel electrodes being opposed to the corresponding opening and connected to the corresponding pixel switch through the opening;

a first circuit disposed outside the display area, located under the common electrode, opposed to the common electrode, connected to the control lines, supplying the drive signal to each of the control lines, and changing a state of each of the pixel switches to either of a first connection state of electrical connecting the signal line and the pixel electrode to each other and a second connection state of electrical disconnecting the signal line and the pixel electrode from each other; and

a second circuit disposed outside the display area, located under the common electrode, opposed to the common electrode, and connected to the signal lines.

12. The sensor-equipped display device of claim 11, further comprising:

a first detection unit connected to the display panel to control the drive of the first circuit and the second circuit,

wherein

in sensing drive of performing sensing, the first detection unit;

sets pixel electrodes located in a part of the display area to objects of sensing, writes a write signal to each of the pixel electrodes via the second circuit, the corresponding signal line and the corresponding pixel switch, and reads a read signal indicating variation of the write signal from each of the pixel electrodes; and

supplies a potential adjustment signal which is synchronized with the write signal and is equivalent in phase and amplitude to the write signal to the common electrode.

13. The sensor-equipped display device of claim 11, further comprising:

a first detection unit connected to the display panel to control the drive of the first circuit and the second circuit;

a position detection sensor located in the display area of the display panel; and

a second detection unit connected to the position detection sensor,

wherein

in position detection drive of detecting position information of a detected object, the second detection unit drives the position detection sensor to detect the position information of the detected object, and

in sensing drive of detecting an uneven pattern of the detected object, the first detection unit sets pixel electrodes in an area where the detected object is located to targets of sensing, based on the position information, writes a write signal to each of the pixel electrodes of targets via the second circuit, the corresponding signal line and the corresponding pixel switch, reads a read signal indicating variation of the write signal from each of the pixel electrodes, and supplies a potential adjustment signal which is synchronized with the write signal and equivalent in phase and amplitude to the write signal to the common electrode.

14. The sensor-equipped display device of claim 11, further comprising:

a detection electrode located above the common electrode,

wherein the pixel electrodes and the detection electrode are disposed in a same layer.

15. A sensor-equipped display device comprising a display panel,

the display panel comprising:

control lines;

signal lines;

pixel switches each connected to one of the control lines and one of the signal lines;

pixel electrodes located in a display area and disposed above the control lines, the signal lines and the pixel switches;

a detection electrode disposed above the control lines, the signal lines and the pixel switches;

a first circuit disposed outside the display area, connected to the control lines, supplying a drive signal to each of the control lines, and changing a state of each of the pixel switches to either of a first connection state of electrical connecting the signal line and the pixel electrode to each other and a second connection state of electrical disconnecting the signal line and the pixel electrode from each other; and

a second circuit disposed outside the display area and connected to the signal lines,

the pixel electrodes and the detection electrode being disposed in a same layer.