Touch display apparatus, driving circuit, and driving method

• US 10,073,562 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2014
• Issued: 09/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FocalTech Systems Co.,Ltd
• Original Assignee: FocalTech Systems Co.,Ltd
• Inventors: Mo, Lianghua, Jiang, Xinxi, Liu, Junqiao
• Primary Examiner(s): Marinelli, Patrick F
• Application Number:
  US15/108,213
• Publication Number:
  US 20160334934A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,670 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13439 characterised by their electrical, optical, physical properties; materials therefor; method of making
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0248 Precharge or discharge of column electrodes before or after applying exact column voltages
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0281 Arrangement of scan or data electrode driver circuits at the periphery of a panel not inherent to a split matrix structure
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/08 Details of timing specific for flat panels, other than clock recovery
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3655 Details of drivers for counter electrodes, e.g. common electrodes for pixel capacitors or supplementary storage capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3677 suitable for active matrices only
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3688 suitable for active matrices only

Abstract

A touch display apparatus, a corresponding driving circuit, and a driving method. The touch display apparatus includes a common electrode between a first substrate and a second substrate, and a driving circuit used as a touch sensing electrode during a touch sensing phase. The driving circuit is used for providing a first signal for touch detection to the common electrode. The driving circuit is also used for providing a second signal to a gate line during the touch sensing phase, said second signal enabling a thin-film transistor to be in off mode and decreasing the charge-discharge capacity of a capacitor formed by the common electrode and a gate line. The driving circuit is also used for providing a third signal during the touch sensing phase, the third signal decreasing the charge-discharge capacity of a capacitor formed by the common electrode and a data line.

Claims

1. A touch display apparatus for realizing touch sensing and displaying, comprising:

a first substrate;

a second substrate arranged opposite to the first substrate, wherein gate lines, data lines and thin film transistors are arranged on a surface of the second substrate facing towards the first substrate;

a liquid crystal layer arranged between the first substrate and the second substrate;

a common electrode arranged between the first substrate and the second substrate and used as a touch sensing electrode during a touch sensing stage; and

a driving circuit configured to provide a first signal to the common electrode for realizing touch detection during the touch sensing stage,

wherein the driving circuit is further configured to provide a second signal to the gate line during the touch sensing stage, wherein the second signal is used to control the thin film transistor to be switched off and is used to decrease charge and discharge capacity of a capacitor formed by the common electrode and the gate line;

wherein the driving circuit is further configured to provide a third signal during the touch sensing stage, wherein the third signal is used to decrease charge and discharge capacity of a capacitor formed by the common electrode and the data line;

wherein the second signal is a pulse signal with a same frequency and a same phase as the first signal, but has a different voltage level from the first signal, or the second signal is a pulse signal with a same frequency, a same phase, and a same amplitude as the first signal, but has a different voltage level from the first signal;

wherein the driving circuit provides the third signal to the data line, and the third signal is a pulse signal with a same frequency, a same phase, and a same voltage level as the first signal, or the third signal is a pulse signal with a same frequency, a same phase, a same voltage level, and a same amplitude as the first signal; and

wherein the first signal, the second signal or the third signal is a square signal, a sine wave signal or a stair-step signal.

2. The touch display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the driving circuit is further configured to:

provide a driving signal to the gate line, provide a display signal to the data line, and provide a common voltage signal to the common electrode, during a display stage.

3. The touch display apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the driving circuit comprises:

a common electrode driving unit configured to generate the common voltage signal and the first signal;

a gate driving unit connected to a plurality of gate lines, wherein the gate driving unit is configured to generate the driving signal, and is further configured to generate the second signal;

a data line driving unit connected to a plurality of data lines, and configured to generate the display signal; and

a timing control unit connected to the common electrode driving unit, the gate driving unit and the data line driving unit,

wherein the timing control unit is configured to, during the display stage, control the gate driving unit to provide the driving signal to the plurality of gate lines sequentially, control the data line driving unit to provide the display signal to the data line, and control the common electrode driving unit to provide the common voltage signal to the common electrode; and

wherein the timing control unit is further configured to, during the touch sensing stage, control the common electrode driving unit to provide the first signal to the common electrode for realizing touch detection, and control the gate driving unit to provide the second signal to the plurality of gate lines.

4. The touch display apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the data line driving unit is further configured to generate the third signal;

and

the timing control unit is further configured to control the data line driving unit to provide the third signal to the plurality of data lines during the touch sensing stage.

5. The touch display apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the driving circuit comprises:

a common electrode driving unit configured to generate the common voltage signal and the first signal;

a gate driving unit connected to a plurality of gate lines, and configured to generate the driving signal;

a data line driving unit connected to a plurality of data lines, wherein the data line driving unit is configured to generate a display signal, and is further configured to generate the third signal; and

a timing control unit connected to the common electrode driving unit, the gate driving unit and the data line driving unit,

wherein the timing control unit is configured to, during the display stage, control the gate driving unit to provide the driving signal to the plurality of gate lines sequentially, control the data line driving unit to provide the display signal to the data line, and control the common electrode driving unit to provide the common voltage signal to the common electrode; and

wherein the timing control unit is further configured to, during the touch sensing stage, control the common electrode driving unit to provide the first signal to the common electrode for realizing touch detection, and control the data line driving unit to provide the third signal to the plurality of data lines.

6. The touch display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the driving circuit is directly connected to the gate line;

or

the driving circuit is connected to the gate line in a capacitive coupling manner.

7. A driving circuit for driving a touch display apparatus, wherein the touch display apparatus comprises:

a first substrate;

a second substrate arranged opposite to the first substrate, wherein gate lines, data lines and thin film transistors are arranged on a surface of the second substrate facing towards the first substrate;

a liquid crystal layer arranged between the first substrate and the second substrate; and

a common electrode arranged between the first substrate and the second substrate and used as a touch sensing electrode during a touch sensing stage;

wherein the driving circuit comprises;

a first driving module configured to provide a first signal to the common electrode for realizing touch detection during the touch sensing stage;

a second driving module configured to provide a second signal to the gate line during the touch sensing stage, wherein the second signal is used to control the thin film transistor to be switched off and is used to decrease charge and discharge capacity of a capacitor formed by the common electrode and the gate line; and

a third driving module configured to provide a third signal during the touch sensing stage,

wherein the third signal is used to decrease charge and discharge capacity of a capacitor formed by the common electrode and the data line,

wherein the second signal is a pulse signal with a same frequency and a same phase as the first signal, but has a different voltage level from the first signal, or the second signal is a pulse signal with a same frequency, a same phase, and a same amplitude as the first signal, but has a different voltage level from the first signal;

wherein the driving circuit provides the third signal to the data line, and the third signal is a pulse signal with a same frequency, a same phase, and a same voltage level as the first signal, or the third signal is a pulse signal with a same frequency, a same phase, a same voltage level, and a same amplitude as the first signal; and

wherein the first signal, the second signal or the third signal is a square signal, a sine wave signal or a stair-step signal.

8. The driving circuit according to claim 7, wherein the first driving module is further configured to provide a common voltage signal to the common electrode during a display stage, the second driving module is further configured to provide a driving signal to the gate line during the display stage, and the third driving module is further configured to provide a display signal to the data line during the display stage.

9. The driving circuit according to claim 8, wherein the driving circuit comprises:

a common electrode driving unit configured to generate the common voltage signal and the first signal;

a gate driving unit connected to a plurality of gate lines, wherein the gate driving unit is configured to generate the driving signal, and is further configured to generate the second signal;

a data line driving unit connected to a plurality of data lines, and configured to generate the display signal; and

a timing control unit connected to the common electrode driving unit, the gate driving unit and the data line driving unit,

wherein the timing control unit is configured to, during the display stage, control the gate driving unit to provide the driving signal to the plurality of gate lines sequentially, control the data line driving unit to provide the display signal to the data line, and control the common electrode driving unit to provide the common voltage signal to the common electrode; and

wherein the timing control unit is further configured to, during the touch sensing stage, control the common electrode driving unit to provide the first signal to the common electrode for realizing touch detection, and control the gate driving unit to provide the second signal to the plurality of gate lines.

10. The driving circuit according to claim 9, wherein the data line driving unit is further configured to generate the third signal;

and

the timing control unit is further configured to control the data line driving unit to provide the third signal to the plurality of data lines during the touch sensing stage.

11. The driving circuit according to claim 8, comprising:

a common electrode driving unit configured to generate the common voltage signal and the first signal;

a gate driving unit connected to a plurality of gate lines, and configured to generate the driving signal;

a data line driving unit connected to a plurality of data lines, wherein the data line driving unit is configured to generate a display signal, and is further configured to generate the third signal; and

a timing control unit connected to the common electrode driving unit, the gate driving unit and the data line driving unit, wherein the timing control unit is configured to, during the display stage, control the gate driving unit to provide the driving signal to the plurality of gate lines sequentially, control the data line driving unit to provide the display signal to the data line, and control the common electrode driving unit to provide the common voltage signal to the common electrode; and

the timing control unit is further configured to, during the touch sensing stage, control the common electrode driving unit to provide the first signal to the common electrode for realizing touch detection, and control the data line driving unit to provide the third signal to the plurality of data lines.

12. The driving circuit according to claim 7, wherein

the first driving module is directly connected to the gate line;

or

the first driving module is connected to the gate line in a capacitive coupling manner.

13. A driving method for driving a touch display apparatus, wherein the touch display apparatus comprises:

a first substrate;

a second substrate arranged opposite to the first substrate, wherein gate lines, data lines and thin film transistors are arranged on a surface of the second substrate facing towards the first substrate;

a liquid crystal layer arranged between the first substrate and the second substrate; and

a common electrode arranged between the first substrate and the second substrate and used as a touch sensing electrode during a touch sensing stage;

wherein the driving method comprises;

providing a driving signal to the plurality of gate lines sequentially, providing a display signal to the data line, and providing a common voltage signal to a plurality of electrode units of the common electrode, during a display stage;

providing a first signal to the common electrode for realizing touch detection during the touch sensing stage;

providing a second signal to the gate line in the process of providing the first signal to the common electrode, wherein the second signal is used to control the thin film transistor to be switched off and is used to decrease charge and discharge capacity of a capacitor formed by the common electrode and the gate line; and

providing a third signal in the process of providing the first signal to the common electrode,

wherein the third signal is used to decrease charge and discharge capacity of a capacitor formed by the common electrode and the data line,

wherein the second signal is a pulse signal with a same frequency and a same phase as the first signal, but has a different voltage level from the first signal, or the second signal is a pulse signal with a same frequency, a same phase, and a same amplitude as the first signal, but has a different voltage level from the first signal;

wherein the driving circuit provides the third signal to the data line, and the third signal is a pulse signal with a same frequency, a same phase, and a same voltage level as the first signal, or the third signal is a pulse signal with a same frequency, a same phase, a same voltage level, and a same amplitude as the first signal; and

wherein the first signal, the second signal or the third signal is a square signal, a sine wave signal or a stair-step signal.