Sensor and sensor-equipped display device

• US 10,146,987 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2018
• Issued: 12/04/2018
• 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:
  US16/008,239
• Publication Number:
  US 20180293421A1
• Time in Patent Office: 173 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 auxiliary line;

a first detection electrode;

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

a second detection switch connected to the first detection electrode, the first control line and the first auxiliary line;

a common electrode located under the first detection electrode, and located above the first control line, the first signal line, the first auxiliary line, the first detection switch and the second detection switch;

a first circuit 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 and the second detection switch to either of a first connection state and a second connection state; and

a second circuit connected to the first signal line and the first auxiliary line,

wherein

the first detection electrode is electrically connected to the first signal line and electrically disconnected from the first auxiliary line in the first connection state, and

the first detection electrode is electrically connected to the first auxiliary line and electrically disconnected from the first signal line in the second connection state.

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 and the second 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:

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 first auxiliary line,

wherein

the first auxiliary line is opposed to the common electrode and electrically connected to the first detection unit, and

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

6. The sensor of claim 2, wherein

the first auxiliary line is opposed to the common electrode and electrically connected to the first detection unit,

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

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

7. The sensor of claim 2, further comprising:

a second signal line connected to the second circuit;

a second detection electrode located above the common electrode;

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

a fourth detection switch connected to the second detection electrode, the first control line and the first auxiliary line,

wherein

the common electrode is located under the second detection electrode, and located above the second signal line, the third detection switch and the fourth detection switch,

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 and the second detection switch to the first connection state by the drive signal, and changes the third detection switch and the fourth detection switch to the first 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 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 third detection switch.

8. The sensor of claim 2, further comprising:

a second control line connected to the first circuit;

a third detection electrode located above the common electrode;

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

a sixth detection switch connected to the third detection electrode, the second control line and the first auxiliary line,

wherein

the first auxiliary line is electrically connected to the first detection unit,

the common electrode is located under the third detection electrode, and located above the second control line, the fifth detection switch and the sixth detection switch,

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

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

the fifth detection switch and the sixth detection switch are changed to either of a first connection state of electrically connecting the first signal line and the third detection electrode to each other and a second connection state of electrically connecting the first 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 and the second detection switch to the first connection state and a state of the fifth detection switch and the sixth 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 first auxiliary line and the sixth detection switch.

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

the display panel comprising:

control lines;

signal lines;

auxiliary lines;

pixel electrodes;

pixel switches each including a first switching element connected to one of the pixel electrodes, one of the control lines and one of the signal lines, and a second switching element connected to the one of the pixel electrodes, the one of the control lines and one of the auxiliary lines;

a common electrode disposed in a display area and an outside of the display area, located under the pixel electrodes, and located above the control lines, the signal lines, the auxiliary 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 the first switching element and the second switching element of each of the pixel switches to either of a first connection state and a second connection state; and

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

wherein

each of the pixel electrodes is electrically connected to the corresponding signal line and electrically disconnected from the corresponding auxiliary line in the first connection state, and

each of the pixel electrodes is electrically connected to the corresponding auxiliary line and electrically disconnected from the corresponding signal line in the second connection state.

10. The sensor-equipped display device of claim 9, 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.

11. The sensor-equipped display device of claim 9, 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.

12. The sensor-equipped display device of claim 9, further comprising:

a detection electrode located above the common electrode,

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

13. A sensor comprising:

a first control line;

a first signal line;

a first detection electrode;

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

a common electrode located under the first detection electrode, and located above the first control line, the first signal line, the first detection switch;

a first circuit 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 and a second connection state; and

a second circuit connected to the first signal line,

wherein

the first detection electrode is electrically connected to the first signal line in the first connection state, and

the first detection electrode is electrically disconnected from the first signal line in the second connection state.