Touch detection apparatus and display apparatus with touch detection function

• US 10,606,404 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2019
• Issued: 03/31/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Japan Display Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Japan Display Incorporated
• Inventors: Mizuhashi, Hiroshi, Noguchi, Koji
• Primary Examiner(s): Lubit, Ryan A
• Application Number:
  US16/393,300
• Publication Number:
  US 20190369796A1
• Time in Patent Office: 342 Days
• 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 3/044 by capacitive means
• 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: G06V 10/143 Sensing or illuminating at different wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1306 non-optical, e.g. ultrasonic or capacitive sensing

Abstract

According to an aspect, a touch detection apparatus includes: a plurality of drive electrodes, wherein at least one of the drive electrodes includes a plurality of subdivided electrodes; a plurality of first touch detection electrodes; a second touch detection electrode; a first shift register circuit in which a plurality of first shift signal output circuits are sequentially coupled to one another; a second shift register circuit in which a plurality of second shift signal output circuits are sequentially coupled to one another; and a selection circuit that supplies a signal of the first shift register circuit to the drive electrode in a first mode, and supplies a signal of the second shift register circuit to the subdivided electrode in a second mode.

Claims

1. A touch detection apparatus comprising:

a plurality of drive electrodes arranged in a first direction, the drive electrodes including at least one drive electrode that has a plurality of subdivided electrodes arranged at a finer pitch than an arrangement pitch of the drive electrodes;

a detection electrode that extends in a first direction intersecting with the subdivided electrodes and outputs a detection signal, wherein the detection electrode partially covers a combined length of all of the drive electrodes in the first direction;

a first shift register circuit for driving the drive electrodes;

a second shift register circuit for driving the subdivided electrodes; and

a selection circuit that supplies;

a signal of the first shift register circuit to the drive electrode in a first mode in which the drive electrodes including the at least one drive electrode are sequentially driven and the signal of the first shift register circuit is transmitted to the subdivided electrodes included in the at least one drive electrode at a time to cause the subdivided electrodes to function as a respective drive electrode, and

a signal of the second shift register circuit to the subdivided electrode in a second mode in which the subdivided electrodes are sequentially driven such that a respective subdivided electrode to which the signal of the second shift register circuit is transmitted is shifted one by one from a first end toward a second end of an arrangement direction of the respective subdivided electrode.

2. The touch detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the detection electrodes are arranged at positions not in contact with the drive electrodes and the subdivided electrodes,

a first touch detection signal is a signal based on a capacitance of the drive electrodes to which a first drive signal is transmitted, and

a second touch detection signal is the detection signal based on a capacitance of the subdivided electrodes to which a second drive signal is transmitted.

3. The touch detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the drive electrodes include the subdivided electrodes.

4. The touch detection apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a combining circuit that changes a number and a combination of subdivided electrodes to which the second drive signal is transmitted at the same timing.

5. The touch detection apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a signal output circuit that outputs a signal for operating a switch included in the selection circuit; and

a combination circuit that switchably couples, to the signal output circuit, one of a drive electrode not including the subdivided electrodes and the respective subdivided electrode.

6. The touch detection apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a driving potential line that indicates an electric potential functioning as the drive signal to be applied to the drive electrodes.

7. A display apparatus with a touch detection function, the display apparatus comprising:

a display device that displays an image;

a plurality of drive electrodes arranged in a first direction, the drive electrodes including at least one drive electrode that has a plurality of subdivided electrodes arranged at a finer pitch than an arrangement pitch of the drive electrodes;

a detection electrode that extends in a first direction intersecting with the subdivided electrodes and outputs a detection signal, wherein the detection electrode partially covers a combined length of all of the drive electrodes in the first direction;

a first shift register circuit for driving the drive electrodes;

a second shift register circuit for driving the subdivided electrodes; and

a selection circuit that supplies;

a signal of the first shift register circuit to the drive electrode in a first mode in which the drive electrodes including the at least one drive electrode are sequentially driven and the signal of the first shift register circuit is transmitted to the subdivided electrodes included in the at least one drive electrode at a time to cause the subdivided electrodes to function as a respective drive electrode, and

a signal of the second shift register circuit to the subdivided electrode in a second mode in which the subdivided electrodes are sequentially driven such that a respective subdivided electrode to which the signal of the second shift register circuit is transmitted is shifted one by one from a first end toward a second end of an arrangement direction of the respective subdivided electrode.

8. The display apparatus according to claim 7, wherein

detection electrodes are arranged at positions not in contact with the drive electrodes and the subdivided electrodes,

a first touch detection signal is a signal based on a capacitance of the drive electrodes to which a first drive signal is transmitted, and

a second touch detection signal is the detection signal based on a capacitance of the subdivided electrodes to which a second drive signal is transmitted.

9. The display apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the drive electrodes include the subdivided electrodes.

10. The display apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a combining circuit that changes a number and a combination of subdivided electrodes to which the second drive signal is transmitted at the same timing.

11. The display apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

a signal output circuit that outputs a signal for operating a switch included in the selection circuit; and

a combination circuit that switchably couples, to the signal output circuit, one of a drive electrode not including the subdivided electrodes and the respective subdivided electrode.

12. The display apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a driving potential line that indicates an electric potential functioning as the drive signal to be applied to the drive electrodes.

13. A display apparatus with a touch detection function, the display apparatus comprising:

a plurality of drive electrodes arranged in a first direction, the drive electrodes including at least one drive electrode that has a plurality of subdivided electrodes arranged at a finer pitch than an arrangement pitch of the drive electrodes;

a detection electrode that extends in a first direction intersecting with the subdivided electrodes and outputs a detection signal, a first shift register for driving the drive electrodes;

a second shift register circuit for driving the subdivided electrodes; and

a selection circuit that supplies;

a signal of the first shift register circuit to the drive electrode in a first mode in which the drive electrodes are sequentially driven and the signal of the first shift register circuit is transmitted to the subdivided electrodes to cause the subdivided electrodes to function as at least one of the drive electrodes, and

a signal of the second shift register circuit to a respective subdivided electrode in a second mode in which the subdivided electrodes are sequentially driven.

14. The display apparatus according to claim 13, wherein

detection electrodes are arranged at positions not in contact with the drive electrodes and the subdivided electrodes,

a first touch detection signal is a signal based on a capacitance of the drive electrodes to which a first drive signal is transmitted, and

a second touch detection signal is the detection signal based on a capacitance of the subdivided electrodes to which a second drive signal is transmitted.

15. The display apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the drive electrodes include the subdivided electrodes.

16. The display apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising a combining circuit that changes a number and a combination of subdivided electrodes to which the second drive signal is transmitted at the same timing.

17. The display apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising:

a signal output circuit that outputs a signal for operating a switch included in the selection circuit; and

a combination circuit that switchably couples, to the signal output circuit, one of a drive electrode not including the subdivided electrodes and the respective subdivided electrode.

18. The display apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a driving potential line that indicates electric potential functioning as the drive signal to be applied to the drive electrodes.