Sensor-equipped display device and method of controlling the same

• US 10,061,420 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2017
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Japan Display Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Japan Display Incorporated
• Inventors: Azumi, Kohei, Mizuhashi, Hiroshi, Kurasawa, Hayato
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisen, Alexander
• Assistant Examiner(s): Said, Mansour M
• Application Number:
  US15/631,732
• Publication Number:
  US 20170285827A1
• Time in Patent Office: 431 Days
• 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 3/04184 Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• 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: G09G 3/3655 Details of drivers for counter electrodes, e.g. common electrodes for pixel capacitors or supplementary storage capacitors

Abstract

A first substrate includes a gate line extending in a first direction, a source line extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction, a switching element which is connected to the gate line and the source line, and a pixel electrode which is connected to the switching element. The first substrate includes a common electrode which is opposed to the pixel electrode, and a detection electrode element necessary for sensing a state of closeness of a conductor brought externally, that extends parallel to the common electrode and is formed of a metallic material. By this structure, power consumption of a drive electrode of an input sensor can be reduced, and improvement of a drive frequency can be obtained.

Claims

1. A sensor equipped display device comprising:

a first substrate comprising a plurality of gate lines extending in a first direction,

a plurality of source lines extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction,

a plurality of switching elements which are electrically connected to corresponding gate lines of the plurality of gates lines and corresponding source lines of the plurality of source lines, and

a plurality of pixel electrodes which are electrically connected to corresponding switching elements of the plurality of switching elements;

a plurality of common electrodes which are coupled to a first driving circuit, are opposed to corresponding pixel electrodes of the plurality of pixel electrodes and extend in the first direction, wherein the plurality of common electrodes are driven in a display period; and

a plurality of driving electrodes which are coupled to a second driving circuit, extend parallel to the plurality of common electrodes, and are driven for sensing an external approaching object in a sensor driving period, wherein

the plurality of driving electrodes do not overlap the plurality of common electrodes and the plurality of pixel electrodes in a top view, and wherein

in a period of driving a group of the plurality of driving electrodes, a corresponding group of the plurality of common electrodes is switched from a fixed potential to a floating state.

2. The sensor-equipped display device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of detection electrodes intersecting the plurality of driving electrodes for sensing the external approaching object in combination with the plurality of driving electrodes.

3. The sensor-equipped display device according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of detection electrodes are arranged on a second substrate which is opposed to the first substrate.

4. The sensor-equipped display device according to claim 3, further comprising a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first and second substrates, opposed to the gate line and the detection electrode element, and the second substrates comprises a light-shielding film extending in the first direction.

5. The sensor-equipped display device according to claim 2, further comprising:

a detection circuit coupled to the detection electrodes,

the first driving circuit supplies a common driving signal to each of the common electrodes at a time of display driving for displaying an image by using the pixel electrode; and

the second driving circuit supplies a sensor driving signal to each of the plurality of driving electrodes at a time of sensing driving for performing the sensing, wherein

the detection circuit receives a sensor detection signal in response to the driving electrodes.

6. The sensor-equipped display device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of driving electrodes are positioned in a same layer as a layer in which the common electrodes are arranged.

7. The sensor-equipped display device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of driving electrodes are positioned in a same layer as a layer in which the pixel electrode is arranged.

8. The sensor-equipped display device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of driving electrodes are parallel and such that they correspond to the common electrodes, respectively.

9. The sensor-equipped display device according to claim 1, wherein

the first driving circuit supplies a common driving signal to each of the common electrodes at a time of display driving for displaying an image by using the pixel electrode;

and

the second driving circuit supplies a sensor driving signal to each of the plurality of driving electrodes at a time of sensing driving for performing the sensing.

10. The sensor-equipped display device according to claim 9, wherein

the second driving circuit receives a sensor detection signal from the driving electrodes.

11. The sensor-equipped display device according to claim 1, wherein the first driving circuit keeps the common electrode at a fixed potential at the time of display driving for displaying an image by using the pixel electrode.

12. The sensor-equipped display device according to claim 1, wherein the first driving circuit switches a state of the common electrode to an electrically floating state at the time of sensing driving.

13. The sensor-equipped display device according to claim 1, wherein

at least two of the common electrodes are electrically coupled to each other.

14. The sensor-equipped display device according to claim 13, wherein

at least two of the driving electrodes are electrically coupled to each other.

15. The sensor-equipped display device according to claim 14, wherein

a number of the common electrodes which are electrically coupled to each other is same as a number of the driving electrodes which are electrically coupled to each other.