Touch input device capable of detecting touch pressure and comprising display module

• US 10,459,560 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2016
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HiDeep Inc.
• Original Assignee: HiDeep Inc.
• Inventors: Kim, Tae Hwan, Kim, Bon Kee
• Primary Examiner(s): Rabindranath, Roy P
• Application Number:
  US15/758,508
• Publication Number:
  US 20180246611A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,148 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-178
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• 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 3/0445 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 3/0447 Position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/40 OLEDs integrated with touch screens

Abstract

A touch input device detecting a touch position and a touch pressure includes a display module having a first layer made of glass or plastic and a second layer disposed under the first layer and made of glass or plastic; touch electrodes formed within the display module for detecting the touch position and the touch pressure; and a reference electrode disposed apart from the touch electrode. The touch position is detected by a sensing signal received from the touch electrode. An electrical signal changed by a capacitance between the touch electrode and the reference electrode is detected from the touch electrode. The capacitance is changed by change of a distance between the touch electrode and the reference electrode. The distance between the touch electrode and the reference electrode is changed by the bending of the display module. The touch pressure is detected based on the capacitance.

Claims

1. A touch input device detecting a touch position and a touch pressure, the touch input device comprising:

a first electrode for detecting the touch position;

a second electrode which is formed within a liquid crystal layer and is for detecting the touch pressure;

a reference electrode which is formed apart from the second electrode; and

a first glass layer and a second glass layer which are provided on upper and lower portions of the liquid crystal layer respectively, wherein the second electrode within the liquid crystal layer is formed on one side of the second glass layer and the reference electrode within the liquid crystal layer is formed on the other side of the first glass layer;

wherein the second electrode detects the touch pressure on the basis of a self-capacitance change amount according to change of a distance between the second electrode and the reference electrode.

2. The touch input device of claim 1, wherein the reference electrode is formed on a spacer formed within the liquid crystal, layer.

3. The touch input device of claim 1, wherein the first electrode comprises a drive electrode and a receiving electrode, and wherein the drive electrode is formed in the same layer as that in which the second electrode is formed.

4. The touch input device of claim 3, wherein the second electrode and the drive electrode are alternately formed on a plane.

5. The touch input device of claim 1, wherein the first electrode comprises a drive electrode and a receiving electrode, wherein the drive electrode, the receiving electrode, and the second electrode are formed in the same layer, and Wherein the second electrode is formed on a plane in a spaced space between the drive electrode and the receiving electrode.

6. The touch input device of claim 1, wherein the first electrode detects the touch position on the basis of a mutual capacitance change amount or a self-capacitance change amount.

7. The touch input device of claim 1, wherein the first glass layer comprises color filter glass, and wherein the second glass layer comprises TFT glass.

8. The touch input device of claim 1, wherein the first electrode comprises a drive electrode and a receiving electrode, and wherein the receiving electrode extends in a direction crossing a direction in which the drive electrode extends, or extends in a direction parallel to the direction in which the drive electrode extends.

9. The touch input device of claim 1, wherein the first electrode for detecting the touch position is used to detect the touch pressure on the basis of a self-capacitance change amount according to change of a distance between the first electrode and the reference electrode.

10. A touch input device detecting a touch position and a touch pressure, the touch input device, comprising:

a first electrode for detecting the touch position;

a second electrode which is formed within an organic material layer and is for detecting the touch pressure;

a reference electrode which is formed apart from the second electrode; and

a first glass layer and a second glass layer which are provided on upper and lower portions of the organic material layer respectively, wherein the second electrode within the organic material layer is formed on one side of the second glass layer;

wherein the second electrode detects the touch pressure on the basis of a self-capacitance change amount according to change of a distance between the second electrode and the reference electrode.

11. The touch input device of claim 10, wherein the second electrode is composed of one of a gate electrode, a source electrode, a drain electrode, and a pixel electrode.