Sensor-equipped display device

• US 10,599,240 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2017
• Issued: 03/24/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Japan Display Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Japan Display Incorporated
• Inventors: Furutani, Naosuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Michaud, Robert J
• Application Number:
  US15/499,071
• Publication Number:
  US 20170228080A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,062 Days
• 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 3/04166 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 3/0445 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
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/023 Display panel composed of stacked panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0426 Layout of electrodes and connections
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/36 using liquid crystals

Abstract

According to one embodiment, sensor-equipped display device includes a display panel, a first driver, and a second driver. The display panel includes a first electrode, a second electrode and a detection electrode. The first driver delivers a common driving signal to the first electrode and the second electrode at a time of display driving, and selectively writes a write signal to one of the first electrode and the second electrode at a time of sensing driving. The second driver reads, from the detection electrode, a read signal indicative of a variation of a sensor signal occurring between the one of the first electrode and the second electrode, on one hand, and the detection electrode, on the other hand, at the time of the sensing driving.

Claims

1. A sensor-equipped display device comprising:

a display panel comprising

a plurality of first electrodes, each of the first electrodes formed in a comb shape and including

a first extension portion extending in a first direction in a display area and having a first end and a second end,

a plurality of first projection portions formed integrally with the first extension portion, extending in a second direction crossing the first direction, and spaced apart from each other in the first direction, and

a first connection electrode provided in a non-display area, extending in the second direction, and connected to the second end of the first extension portion,

a plurality of second electrodes, each of the second electrodes formed in a comb shape and including

a second extension portion extending in the first direction in the display area and having a first end and a second end, wherein the first projection portions are located between the first extension portion and the second extension portion,

a plurality of second projection portions formed integrally with the second extension portion, extending in the second direction, and alternately arranged with the first projection portions in the first direction, and

a second connection electrode provided in the non-display area, extending in the second direction, and connected to the first end of the second extension portion, and

a detection electrode extending in the second direction with crossing the first electrodes and the second electrodes; and

a driver configured to deliver a common driving signal to the first electrodes and the second electrodes at a time of display driving, and to selectively write a write signal to one of the first electrodes at a time of sensing driving, and

configured to read, from the detection electrode, a read signal indicative of a variation of a sensor signal occurring between the electrode to which the write signal is written and the detection electrode at the time of the sensing driving;

wherein

the first extension portion and the first projection portions are located on the first connection electrode side and are separated from the second connection electrode,

the second extension portion and the second projection portions are located on the second connection electrode side and are separated from the first connection electrode,

the first projection portion farthest from the first connection electrode is surrounded by the first extension portion, the second extension portion, the second connection electrode, and the second projection portion nearest to the second connection electrode,

the second projection portion farthest from the second connection electrode is surrounded by the second extension portion, the first extension portion, the first connection electrode, and the first projection portion nearest to the first connection electrode, and

no write signal is written to the second electrodes during the time of sensing driving.

2. The sensor-equipped display device of claim 1, wherein the driver is configured to fix a potential of each first electrode other than the one of the first electrodes and each second electrode other than the one of the second electrodes at the time of the sensing driving.

3. The sensor-equipped display device of claim 1, wherein the driver is configured to write the write signal to the one of the first electrodes in a first frame period, and to write the write signal to the one of the second electrodes in a second frame period following the first frame period.

4. The sensor-equipped display device of claim 1, wherein

each of sensing periods, in which the sensing is executed, includes a first period and a second period, and

the driver is configured to write the write signal to the one of the first electrodes in the first period, and to write the write signal to the one of the second electrodes in the second period.

5. The sensor-equipped display device of claim 1, wherein

an area of each of the first electrodes and an area of each of the second electrodes are substantially equal.

7. The sensor-equipped display device of claim 1, wherein the driver is configured to selectively write the write signal to the one of the first electrodes and to deliver a common driving signal to each first electrode other than the one of the first electrodes and to all the second electrodes at the time of sensing driving.

8. The sensor-equipped display device of claim 1, wherein the driver is configured to selectively write the write signal to one of the second electrodes and to deliver a common driving signal to each of the second electrodes other than the one of the second electrodes and to all the first electrodes at the time of sensing driving.

9. The sensor-equipped display device of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of first lead lines, each of the first lead lines provided in the non-display area and connecting the first connection electrode to the driver; and

a plurality of second lead lines, each of the second lead lines provided in the non-display area and connecting the second connection electrode to the driver.

6. A sensor-equipped display device comprising:

a display panel comprising

a first electrode formed in a comb shape and including

a first extension portion extending in a first direction in a display area and having a first end and a second end,

a plurality of first projection portions formed integrally with the first extension portion, extending in a second direction crossing the first direction, and spaced apart from each other in the first direction, and

a first connection electrode provided in a non-display area, extending in the second direction, and connected to the second end of the first extension portion,

a second electrode formed in a comb shape and including

a second extension portion extending in the first direction in the display area and having a first end and a second end, wherein the first projection portions are located between the first extension portion and the second extension portion,

a plurality of second projection portions formed integrally with the second extension portion, extending in the second direction, and alternately arranged with the first projection portions in the first direction, and

a second connection electrode provided in the non-display area, extending in the second direction, and connected to the first end of the second extension portion, and

a detection electrode extending in the second direction and crossing the first electrode and the second electrode; and

a driver configured to deliver a common driving signal to the first electrode and the second electrode at a time of display driving, and to selectively write a write signal to the first electrode at a time of sensing driving, and

configured to read, from the detection electrode, a read signal indicative of a variation of a sensor signal occurring between the electrode to which the write signal is written and the detection electrode at the time of the sensing driving;

wherein

the first extension portion and the first projection portions are located on the first connection electrode side and are separated from the second connection electrode,

the second extension portion and the second projection portions are located on the second connection electrode side and are separated from the first connection electrode,

the first projection portion farthest from the first connection electrode is surrounded by the first extension portion, the second extension portion, the second connection electrode, and the second projection portion nearest to the second connection electrode,

the second projection portion farthest from the second connection electrode is surrounded by the second extension portion, the first extension portion, the first connection electrode, and the first projection portion nearest to the first connection electrode, and

no write signal is written to the second electrode during the time of sensing driving.