Touch sensor device, display device and electronic equipment

• US 10,379,682 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2015
• Issued: 08/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Japan Display Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Japan Display Incorporated
• Inventors: Hayashi, Makoto, Harada, Tsutomu
• Primary Examiner(s): Lam, Vinh T
• Application Number:
  US14/843,316
• Publication Number:
  US 20150378479A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,441 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-174, 178 1801- 1806
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04107 Shielding in digitiser, i.e. guard or shielding arrangements, mostly for capacitive touchscreens, e.g. driven shields, driven grounds
• 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 3/0445 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: G06F 3/0448 Details of the electrode shape, e.g. for enhancing the detection of touches, for generating specific electric field shapes, for enhancing display quality

Abstract

The touch sensor device and the display device include: a panel unit having a touch detection area in which a plurality of drive electrodes extend in an X-direction, a plurality of detection electrodes extend in a Y-direction, and a plurality of detection units each composed of a pair of the drive electrode and the detection electrode are formed in a matrix pattern; the drive electrodes each having a width forming two detection units in the Y-direction; and regions each formed by the intersection between one drive electrode and first to fourth detection electrodes. In this region, detection regions having a first sensitivity in which first to fourth detection units are provided and non-detection regions having a second sensitivity are alternately disposed. For example, the detection electrodes have different shapes between the detection region and the non-detection region.

Claims

1. A touch sensor device comprising:

a plurality of drive electrodes extend in a first direction,

a plurality of detection electrodes extend in a second direction intersecting the first direction,

at least a first detection electrode and a second detection electrode included in the plurality of the detection electrodes,

wherein,

the first detection electrode includes a first thin line portion and a first protruding electrode portion which protrudes from the first thin line portion toward at least one side in the first direction,

the second detection electrode includes a second thin line portion and a second protruding electrode portion which protrudes from the second thin line portion toward at least one side in the first direction,

the first thin line portion, the first protruding electrode portion, the second thin line portion, and the second protruding electrode portion are provided in a different layer from one of the drive electrodes, and are overlapped with the one of the drive electrodes in a plan view,

the first thin line portion and the second protruding electrode portion have different widths and are arranged in a line in the first direction, and, the second thin line portion and the first protruding electrode portion have different widths and are arranged in a line in the first direction,

a width of each of the drive electrodes in the second direction is larger than a width of each of the detection electrodes in the first direction,

a first detection portion is a portion in which the first protruding electrode portion is overlapped with the one of the drive electrodes in the plan view, wherein the first detection portion protrudes over the one drive electrode in the first direction,

a second detection portion is a portion in which the first thin line portion is overlapped with the one of the drive electrodes in the plan view,

a third detection portion is a portion in which the second thin line portion is overlapped with the one of the drive electrodes in the plan view,

a fourth detection portion is a portion in which the second protruding electrode portion is overlapped with the one of the drive electrodes in the plan view, wherein the fourth detection portion protrudes over the one drive electrode in the first direction.

2. The touch sensor device according to claim 1, wherein,

the first detection portion and the fourth detection portion have a first sensitivity,

the second detection portion and the third detection portion have a second sensitivity lower than the first sensitivity.

3. The touch sensor device according to claim 1, wherein

the first protruding electrode portion protrudes from the first thin line portion toward both sides in the first direction,

the second protruding electrode portion protrudes from the second thin line portion toward both sides in the first direction.

4. The touch sensor device according to claim 1, wherein

each of the first protruding electrode portion and the second protruding electrode portion has at least an opening in a plane formed by the first direction and the second direction.

5. A display device comprising:

the touch sensor device according to claim 1;

a display panel which includes a display area in which pixels are arranged in a matrix pattern and a display functional layer which is controlled by the pixels and is used for displaying an image on the display area, a surface of the panel of the touch sensor device being connected to one surface of the display panel; and

a display driver circuit which applies a signal for display driving to electrodes constituting the pixels in the display area.

6. The display device according to claim 5, wherein the display functional layer is a liquid crystal layer.

7. The touch sensor device according to claim 1, wherein

the drive electrodes are made of transparent conductive material, the detection electrodes are made of metal having a lower transmittance to visible light than the transparent conductive material.

8. A touch sensor device comprising:

a plurality of drive electrodes extend in a first direction,

at least a first drive electrode and a second drive electrode included in the plurality of the drive electrodes,

a plurality of detection electrodes extend in a second direction intersecting the first direction,

at least a first detection electrode and a second detection electrode included in the plurality of the detection electrodes,

wherein,

the first detection electrode includes a first thin line portion and a first protruding electrode portion which protrudes from the first thin line portion toward at least one side in the first direction,

the second detection electrode includes a second thin line portion and a second protruding electrode portion which protrudes from the second thin line portion toward at least one side in the first direction,

the first thin line portion and the first protruding electrode portion are provided in a different layer from the first drive electrode and are overlapped with the first drive electrode in a plan view,

the second thin line portion and the second protruding electrode portion are provided in a different layer from the second drive electrode and are overlapped with the second drive electrode in the plan view,

the first thin line portion and the second protruding electrode portion have different widths and are arranged in a line in the first direction, and the second thin line portion and the first protruding electrode portion have different widths and are arranged in a line in the first direction,

a width of each of the drive electrodes in the second direction is larger than a width of each of the detection electrodes in the first direction,

a first detection portion is a portion in which the first protruding electrode portion is overlapped with the first drive electrode in the plan view, wherein the first detection portion protrudes over the first drive electrode in the first direction,

a second detection portion is a portion in which the first thin line portion is overlapped with the second drive electrode in the plan view,

a third detection portion is a portion in which the second thin line portion is overlapped with the first drive electrode in the plan view,

a fourth detection portion is a portion in which the second protruding electrode portion is overlapped with the second drive electrode in the plan view, wherein the fourth detection portion protrudes over the second drive electrode in the first direction.

9. The touch sensor device according to claim 8, wherein,

the first detection portion and the fourth detection portion have a first sensitivity,

the second detection portion and the third detection portion have a second sensitivity lower than the first sensitivity.

10. The touch sensor device according to claim 8, wherein,

the first protruding electrode portion protrudes from the first thin line portion toward both sides in the first direction,

the second protruding electrode portion protrudes from the second thin line portion toward both sides in the first direction.

11. A display device comprising:

the touch sensor device according to claim 8;

a display panel which includes a display area in which pixels are arranged in a matrix pattern and a display functional layer which is controlled by the pixels and is used for displaying an image on the display area, a surface of the panel of the touch sensor device being connected to one surface of the display panel; and

a display driver circuit which applies a signal for display driving to electrodes constituting the pixels in the display area.

12. The display device according to claim 11,

wherein the display functional layer is a liquid crystal layer.

13. The touch sensor device according to claim 8, wherein

the drive electrodes are made of transparent conductive material, the detection electrodes are made of metal having a lower transmittance to visible light than the transparent conductive material.