Signal detector

• US 20040189611A1
• Filed: 02/04/2002
• Published: 09/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Shoichiro, Yokoyama, Ryoichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,173,607 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1306 non-optical, e.g. ultrasonic or capacitive sensing

Abstract

A signal detector capable of linearly reading data at a high speed is obtained. This signal detector comprises a plurality of signal transfer transistors arranged in the form of a matrix, signal detection means connected to a first terminal of each signal transfer transistor, a data line connected to a second terminal of each signal transfer transistor, a control line connected to the gate of each signal transfer transistor, a gate line driving circuit for driving the control line, data read lines connected to a plurality of prescribed data lines through switching transistors respectively, and a switch driving circuit for driving the switching transistors corresponding to the aforementioned plurality of prescribed data lines substantially at the same timing. Thus, a plurality of prescribed data are simultaneously read for enabling linear data reading and increasing the speed of data reading.

Claims

1. A signal detector comprising:

a plurality of signal transfer transistors arranged in the form of a matrix;

signal detection means connected to a first terminal of each said signal transfer transistor;

a data line connected to a second terminal of each said signal transfer transistor;

a control line connected to a control terminal of each said signal transfer transistor;

a control line driving circuit for driving said control line;

data read lines connected to a plurality of prescribed said data lines through switching transistors respectively; and

a switch driving circuit for driving said switching transistors corresponding to said plurality of prescribed data lines substantially at the same timing.

2. The signal detector according to claim 1, wherein

single said switch driving circuit is provided for said plurality of prescribed data lines.

3. The signal detector according to claim 2, wherein

single said switch driving circuit is provided for four or nine said data lines.

4. The signal detector according to claim 2, wherein

single said control line driving circuit is provided for a plurality of said control lines.

5. The signal detector according to claim 4, wherein

single said switch driving circuit is provided for four said data lines, and

single said control line driving circuit is provided for two said control lines.

6. The signal detector according to claim 4, wherein

single said switch driving circuit is provided for nine said data lines, and

single said control line driving circuit is provided for three said control lines.

7. The signal detector according to claim 4, simultaneously commissioning said plurality of control lines thereby planarly reading data.

8. The signal detector according to claim 1, reading data from said signal detection means in a time-division system employing a pulse output from said switch driving circuit.

9. The signal detector according to claim 1, wherein

said switch driving circuit includes two shift registers, a NAND circuit and an inverter.

11. The signal detector according to claim 1, wherein

said signal transfer transistors and said switching transistors consist of polysilicon thin-film transistors.

12. The signal detector according to claim 1, wherein

said signal transfer transistors and said switching transistors consist of thin-film transistors made of an organic material or a composite material of an organic material and an inorganic material.

13. The signal detector according to claim 1, wherein

said signal detection means includes a pressure sensitive film.

14. The signal detector according to claim 1, wherein

said signal detection means includes a photo-receiving sensor element.

15. The signal detector according to claim 1, wherein

said plurality of signal transfer transistors, said signal detection means, said control line driving circuit and said switch driving circuit are provided on a common substrate.

16. The signal detector according to claim 15, wherein

a comparator for comparing read data with stored data is also formed on said common substrate.

17. The signal detector according to claim 1, wherein

said plurality of control lines include a first control line and a second control line,

a plurality of said data lines include a first data line and a second data line,

a plurality of said signal detection means include first signal detect ion means coupled with said first control line and said first data line and second signal detection means coupled with said second control line and said second data line, and

said plurality of data read lines include a first data read line connected to said first data line and a second data read line connected to said second data line,

said switch driving circuit includes a first switch driving circuit connected to said first data line and said second data line in common, and

for simultaneously commissioning said first control line and said second control line while commissioning said first switch driving circuit thereby simultaneously reading data of said first signal detection means coupled with said first control line and data of said second signal detection means coupled with said second control line through said first data read line and said second data read line.

18. The signal detector according to claim 1, wherein

said control line includes a first control line,

a plurality of said data lines include a first data line and a second data line,

a plurality of said signal detection means include first signal detection means and second signal detection means coupled with said first control line,

said plurality of data read lines include a first data read line connected to said first data line and a second data read line connected to said second data line, and

said switch driving circuit includes a first switch driving circuit connected to said first data line and said second data line in common,

for commissioning said first control line and said first switch driving circuit thereby simultaneously reading data of said first signal detection means and said second signal detection means coupled with said first control line through said first data read line and said second data read line.

10. The signal detector according to clam 1, wherein

said control line driving circuit includes a shift register.

19. A signal detector comprising:

a plurality of transfer transistors arranged in the form of a matrix;

means connected to the source of each said transfer transistor for detecting the pressure of a surface;

a data line connected to the drain of each said transfer transistor;

a gate line connected to the gate of each said transfer transistor;

a gate line driving circuit for driving said gate line;

data read lines connected to a plurality of prescribed said data lines through switching transistors respectively; and

a single switch driving circuit provided for said plurality of prescribed data lines for driving the gates of said switching transistors.

20. The signal detector according to claim 19, wherein

said means detecting the pressure of a surface includes a pressure sensitive film.