Display control and touch detection device, semiconductor integrated circuit

• US 10,318,052 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2017
• Issued: 06/11/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Synaptics Japan GK (Synaptics Incorporated)
• Inventors: Noto, Takayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Haley, Joseph R
• Application Number:
  US15/434,754
• Publication Number:
  US 20170269772A1
• Time in Patent Office: 845 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• 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 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3648 using an active matrix G09G3/367 - G09G3/3696 take precedence

Abstract

A display control and touch detection device is capable of controlling display and non-display terms in start timing depending on a result of touch detection, and includes a nonvolatile memory and a control logic which selectively uses data stored in the memory according to a display mode. The control logic changes the display and non-display terms in start timing in display frame periods, whereby the phenomenon of appearance of an undesired brightness difference at a fixed location in a display frame with no display, and the phenomenon of occurrence of flicker owing to the undesired brightness difference can be suppressed. Based on the result of touch detection, the control logic changes the way to use data which decide start timings of display and no display. The start timings of display and non-display terms in a display frame period can be changed depending on the result of touch detection readily.

Claims

1. A display control and touch detection device comprising:

a display controller configured to;

form, in each of a plurality of display frame periods, a plurality of display terms and a plurality of non-display terms, wherein a first one of the plurality of non-display terms is arranged between two of the plurality of display terms;

perform display of display data on a display panel in each of the plurality of display terms; and

use control data of a first frame mode and control data of a second frame mode to gradually increase a first display term of the plurality of display terms by a first length of time and gradually shorten a last display term of the plurality of display terms by the first length of time in each display frame period, wherein start timings of the pluralities of display and non-display terms when operating in the second frame mode are different from when operating in the first frame mode;

a touch controller configured to perform touch detection on a touch panel in the plurality of non-display terms on an as-needed basis; and

a microprocessor configured to change a way for the display controller to use the control data of the first frame mode and the control data of the second frame mode based on a result of the touch detection by the touch controller.

2. The display control and touch detection device according to claim 1, wherein the display controller is further configured to:

allow a display action in the plurality of display terms; and

allow a touch detection action in the plurality of non-display terms when operating in the first frame mode.

3. The display control and touch detection device according to claim 2, wherein the display controller is further configured to:

allow the display action in the plurality of display terms; and

suppress the touch detection action when operating in the second frame mode.

4. The display control and touch detection device according to claim 1, wherein the display controller comprises:

a nonvolatile memory operable to rewritably hold, as control data of the first frame mode, a plurality of sets of first control data for each display frame period which define the start timings of the pluralities of display and non-display terms in units of a display frame period in a plurality of display frame periods according to the first frame mode and as the control data of the second frame mode, a plurality of sets of second control data for each display frame period which define the start timings of the pluralities of display and non-display terms in units of the display frame period in the plurality of display frame periods according to the second frame mode; and

control logic configured to select sets of control data from among the plurality of sets of first control data and the plurality of sets of second control data according to a mode designation from the microprocessor for each display frame period, and produce control signals according to display and non-display terms in each display frame period based on the selected sets of control data.

5. The display control and touch detection device according to claim 4, wherein the first and second control data are data for defining the start timings of the pluralities of display and non-display terms by clock cycle numbers of display line clocks in synchronization with cycles of display lines of the display frame.

6. The display control and touch detection device according to claim 5, wherein the control logic comprises:

first control logic configured to select sets of data from among the plurality of sets of first control data and the plurality of sets of second control data according to a mode designation from the microprocessor for each display frame period;

second control logic configured to count a cycle number of display line clocks for each display frame period in parallel and produce status signals in turn each time a count value reaches the start timings of the pluralities of display and non-display terms in each display frame period defined by data selected by the first control logic; and

third control logic configured to receive the status signals and produce display control signals according to the status signals, and wherein the touch controller is configured to receive the status signals and produce touch control signals used by a touch detection action according to the status signals.

7. The display control and touch detection device according to claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is configured to use a second display mode for changing the way the display controller uses the control data of the first frame mode and the control data of the second frame mode subsequent to a reset process,

the microprocessor is configured to use a first display mode for changing the way the display controller uses the control data of the first frame mode and the control data of the second frame mode when detecting a touch after using the second display mode, and

the microprocessor is configured to use the second display mode in case that a given time has elapsed with a touch remaining undetected since using the first display mode.

8. The display control and touch detection device according to claim 7, wherein the first display mode is an action mode arranged to continue the first frame mode provided that the plurality of display frame periods make one unit in the first frame mode,

the second display mode is an action mode arranged to repeat:

executing the second frame mode in part of the plurality of display frame periods thereof provided that the plurality of the display frame periods make one unit in the second frame mode; and

executing, in a last display frame period of the plurality of display frame periods, the first frame mode,

the display controller is configured to execute a display action and not allow a touch detection action during each of the plurality of display terms in respective display frame periods of the first frame mode, and allow the touch detection action and keep the display action stopped during each of the plurality of non-display terms therein, and

the display controller is configured to execute the display action and not allow the touch detection action during each of the plurality of display terms in respective display frame periods of the second frame mode, and keep the display action stopped and not allow the touch detection action during each of the plurality of non-display terms therein.

9. The display control and touch detection device according to claim 4, wherein the control logic comprises a program processing circuit which performs process steps according to a control procedure defined by program data, and which data set to select from among the plurality of sets of first control data and the plurality of sets of second control data according to a designated one of the first frame mode and the second frame mode is decided by the program data.

10. The display control and touch detection device according to claim 6, wherein the first control logic is configured to control, based on program data, which data set to select from among the plurality of sets of first control data and the plurality of sets of second control data according to a designated one of the first frame mode and the second frame mode.

11. The display control and touch detection device according to claim 4, wherein the display controller comprises a buffer memory which holds display data supplied from a host device, and permits access to the display data according to a first-in, first-out method under control of the control logic, and

the control logic is further configured to access the buffer memory according to the first-in, first-out method on an as-needed basis in the display and non-display terms.

12. The display control and touch detection device according to claim 11, wherein the buffer memory has a storage capacity of a data amount smaller than a maximum display data amount which can be displayed in one display frame.

13. A semiconductor integrated circuit comprising:

a display controller configured to;

form, in each of a plurality of display frame periods, a plurality of display terms and a plurality of non-display terms, wherein a first one of the plurality of non-display terms is arranged between two of the plurality of display terms;

perform display of display data on a display panel in each of the plurality of display terms;

use control data of a first frame mode and control data of a second frame mode to control the pluralities of display and non-display terms, wherein start timings of the pluralities of the display and non-display terms when operating in the second frame mode are different from when operating in the first frame mode, and wherein the control data of the first frame mode comprises a plurality of sets of first control data which define the start timings of the pluralities of display and non-display terms according to the first frame mode, and the control data of the second frame mode comprises a plurality of sets of second control data which define the start timings of the pluralities of display and non-display terms according to the second frame mode;

a touch controller configured to perform touch detection on a touch panel in the plurality of non-display terms on an as-needed basis; and

a microprocessor connected with the display controller and the touch controller,

the microprocessor configured to perform control for changing a way for the display controller to use the control data of the first frame mode and the control data of the second frame mode based on a result of performing the touch detection by the touch controller.

14. The semiconductor integrated circuit according to claim 13, wherein the display controller comprises:

a nonvolatile memory operable to rewritably hold, the plurality of sets of first control data and the plurality of sets of second control data; and

a control logic configured to select sets of control data from among the plurality of sets of first control data and the plurality of sets of second control data according to a mode designation from the microprocessor for each of the plurality of display frame periods and produce control signals according to the pluralities of display and non-display terms in each of the plurality of display frame periods based on the selected sets of control data.

15. The semiconductor integrated circuit according to claim 14, wherein the first and second control data are data for defining the start timings of the pluralities of display and non-display terms by clock cycle numbers of display line clocks in synchronization with cycles of display lines of the display frame.

16. The semiconductor integrated circuit according to claim 15, wherein the control logic comprises:

first control logic configured to select sets of data from among the plurality of sets of first control data and the plurality of sets of second control data according to the mode designation from the microprocessor for each of the plurality of display frame periods;

second control logic configured to count a cycle number of display line clocks for each of the plurality of display frame periods in parallel and produce status signals in turn each time a count value reaches the start timings of the pluralities of display and non-display terms in each of the plurality of display frame periods defined by data selected by the first control logic; and

third control logic configured to receive the status signals and produce display control signals according to the status signals, and wherein the touch controller is configured to receive the status signals and produce touch control signals necessary for touch detection control according to the status signals.

17. The semiconductor integrated circuit according to claim 13, wherein the microprocessor is configured to use a second display mode for changing the way the display controller uses the control data of the first frame mode and the control data of the second frame mode subsequent to a reset process,

the microprocessor is configured to use a first display mode for changing the way the display controller uses the control data of the first frame mode and the control data of the second frame mode when detecting a touch after using the second display mode;

and

the microprocessor is configured to use the second display mode in case that a given time has elapsed with a touch remaining undetected since using the first display mode.

18. The semiconductor integrated circuit according to claim 17, wherein the first display mode is an action mode arranged to continue the first frame mode provided that the plurality of display frame periods make one unit in the first frame mode,

wherein the second display mode is an action mode arranged to repeat:

executing the second frame mode in part of the plurality of display frame periods thereof provided that the plurality of display frame periods make one unit in the second frame mode and executing, in a last display frame period, the first frame mode,

the display controller is further configured to execute a display action and not allow a touch detection action during each of the plurality of display terms in respective display frame periods of the first frame mode, and allow the touch detection action and keep the display action stopped during each of the plurality of non-display terms therein, and

the display controller is further configured to execute the display action and not allow the touch detection action during each of the plurality of display terms in respective display frame periods of the second frame mode, and keep the display action stopped and not allow the touch detection during each of the plurality of non-display terms therein.

19. A display control and touch detection device configured to form, in each of a plurality of display frame periods, a plurality of display terms and a plurality of non-display terms, wherein a first one of the plurality of non-display terms is arranged between two of the plurality of display terms, perform display control on a display panel in the plurality of display terms, perform touch detection control on a touch panel in the plurality of non-display terms on an as-needed basis, and perform control for changing start timings of the pluralities of display and non-display terms in units of a display frame period at intervals of the plurality of display frame periods, the display control and touch detection device comprising:

a first control part configured to use control data of a first frame mode and control data of a second frame mode to control the pluralities of display and non-display terms, wherein the start timings of the pluralities of display and non-display terms when operating in the second frame mode are different from when operating in the first frame mode; and

a second control part configured to change a way for the first control part to use the control data of the first frame mode and the control data of the second frame mode based on a result of touch detection according to the touch detection control by, subsequent to a reset process;

executing the second frame mode in part of the plurality of display frame periods thereof provided that the plurality of display frame periods make one unit in the second frame mode; and

executing, in a last display frame period of the plurality of display frame periods, the first frame mode.