Light quantity detection circuit and display panel using the same

• US 20050258341A1
• Filed: 05/20/2005
• Published: 11/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Ogawa, Takashi, Nishikawa, Ryuji
• Application Number:
  US11/133,464
• Publication Number:
  US 20050258341A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/214.100
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/44 Electric circuits for command of an exposure part G03B7/02
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/46 using a capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13318 Circuits comprising a photodetector
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/14 Detecting light within display terminals, e.g. using a single or a plurality of photosensors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/1121 Devices with Schottky gate

Abstract

Since a photosensor using a diode is incapable of perform refresh because of the structure, and the leak characteristics are unstable, the diode is not suitable for the photosensor. On the other hand, in a photosensor using a thin film transistor, since light quantity is very small, there has been a problem that feedback is difficult. A detection circuit converting an output current into a voltage is added to a photosensor using a thin film transistor. Thus, it is possible to convert a very small current into a voltage in a desired range enabling feedback. In addition, by varying resistors, capacitors, and the number of TFTs connected in the photosensor included in the circuit, it is made possible to change the sensitivity of the photosensor.

Claims

1. A light quantity detection circuit comprising:

a photosensor comprising a thin film transistor comprising a gate electrode disposed on a substrate, a semiconductor layer disposed on the substrate, an insulating film disposed between the gate electrode and the semiconductor layer, the photosensor converting light incident thereon into an output comprising an electric signal, and the semiconductor layer comprising a channel, a source disposed at one end of the channel and a drain disposed at another end of the channel;

a first resistor connected with the photosensor in parallel;

a switching transistor comprising a gate receiving the output of the photosensor and a first and second terminals between which a current runs in response to the output of the photosensor, the first terminal of the switching transistor being connected with a first power terminal and the second terminal of the switching transistor being connected with a second power terminal;

a second resistor connecting the first terminal of the switching transistor and the first power terminal; and

an output terminal connected with a wiring connecting the second resistor and the first terminal of the photosensor.

2. The light quantity detection circuit of claim 1, wherein the second resister is adjusted so as to provide a predetermined current-voltage characteristic of the photosensor.

3. The light quantity detection circuit of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second resistors has a resistance between 10³ Ω

and 10<sup>8 Ω

.</sup>

4. The light quantity detection circuit of claim 1, wherein the gate electrode of the thin film transistor of the photosensor is configured to receive a predetermined voltage to refresh the photosensor after the output terminal outputs an output voltage.

5. The light quantity detection circuit of claim 1, wherein the thin film transistor is configured to receive light in a junction region of the semiconductor layer between the channel and the source or the drain to generate photocurrent.

6. The light quantity detection circuit of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor layer of the thin film transistor further comprises a low concentration impurity region disposed between the channel and the source or the drain.

7. The light quantity detection circuit of claim 6, wherein the low concentration impurity region is disposed adjacent part of the channel that receives light.

8. The light quantity detection circuit of claim 1, wherein the first and second resistors are made of a material for a transparent electrode.

9. The light quantity detection circuit of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second resistors comprises a thin film transistor.

10. A light quantity detection circuit comprising:

a photosensor comprising a thin film transistor comprising a gate electrode disposed on a substrate, a semiconductor layer disposed on the substrate, an insulating film disposed between the gate electrode and the semiconductor layer, the photosensor converting light incident thereon into an output comprising an electric signal, and the semiconductor layer comprising a channel, a source disposed at one end of the channel and a drain disposed at another end of the channel;

a first capacitor comprising a first terminal receiving the output of the photosensor and a second terminal applied with a reference voltage;

a first switching transistor allowing a current flow between a first and second terminals thereof, the first terminal of the first switching transistor being connected with the first terminal of the first capacitor;

a second capacitor comprising a first terminal connected with the second terminal of the first switching transistor and a second terminal applied with the reference voltage;

a second switching transistor comprising a first terminal connected with the first terminal of the second capacitor and a second terminal applied with the reference voltage; and

a timing device supplying timing signals to the first and second switching transistors so that electric charges are stored in the first capacitor in response to the output of the photosensor, the electric charges stored in the first capacitor are transferred to the second capacitor by turning on the first switching transistor, and an output voltage is outputted from the first terminal of the second capacitor while the second switching transistor is turned off.

11. The light quantity detection circuit of claim 10, wherein the timing device supplying the timing signals so that the second capacitor is refreshed by turning on the second switching transistor prior to storing the electric charges in the first capacitor.

12. The light quantity detection circuit of claim 10, wherein the gate electrode of the thin film transistor of the photosensor is configured to receive a predetermined voltage to refresh the photosensor after the output voltage is outputted.

13. The light quantity detection circuit of claim 10, wherein the output voltage varies in proportion to the output of the photosensor.

14. The light quantity detection circuit of claim 10, wherein the output voltage is adjusted by changing capacitances of the first and second capacitors.

15. The light quantity detection circuit of claim 10, wherein the thin film transistor is configured to receive light in a junction region of the semiconductor layer between the channel and the source or the drain to generate photocurrent.

16. The light quantity detection circuit of claim 10, wherein the semiconductor layer of the thin film transistor further comprises a low concentration impurity region disposed between the channel and the source or the drain.

17. The light quantity detection circuit of claim 16, wherein the low concentration impurity region is disposed adjacent part of the channel that receives light.

18. A light quantity detection circuit comprising:

a photosensor comprising a thin film transistor comprising a gate electrode disposed on a substrate, a semiconductor layer disposed on the substrate, an insulating film disposed between the gate electrode and the semiconductor layer, the photosensor converting light incident thereon into an output comprising an electric signal, and the semiconductor layer comprising a channel, a source disposed at one end of the channel and a drain disposed at another end of the channel;

a first switching transistor allowing a current flow between a first and second terminals thereof, the first terminal of the first switching transistor receiving the output of the photosensor;

a first capacitor comprising a first terminal connected with the second terminal of the first switching transistor and a second terminal applied with a reference voltage;

a second switching transistor allowing a current flow between a first and second terminals thereof, the first terminal of the second switching transistor being connected with the first terminal of the first capacitor and the second terminal of the second switching transistor being connected with a power terminal;

a third switching transistor allowing a current flow between a first and second terminals thereof, the first terminal of the third switching transistor being connected with the first terminal of the first capacitor;

a second capacitor comprising a first terminal connected with the second terminal of the third switching transistor and a second terminal applied with the reference voltage;

a fourth switching transistor allowing a current flow between a first and second terminals thereof, the first terminal of the fourth switching transistor being connected with the power terminal, the second terminal of the fourth switching transistor being applied with the reference voltage, and a gate of the fourth switching transistor being connected with the first terminal of the second capacitor;

a resistor connecting the power terminal and the first terminal of the fourth switching transistor;

an output terminal connected with a wiring connecting the resistor and the first terminal of the fourth switching transistor; and

a timing device supplying timing signals to the first, second and third switching transistors so that electric charges are supplied from the power terminal to the first capacitor by turning on the second switching transistor, at least part of the electric charges supplied to the first capacitor is discharged through the photosensor by turning on the first switching transistor, and the electric charges remaining in the first capacitor are transferred to the second capacitor by turning on the third switching transistor.

19. The light quantity detection circuit of claim 18, wherein the photosensor comprises additional thin film transistors so as to adjust an output voltage outputted from the output terminal.

20. The light quantity detection circuit of claim 18, wherein the resistor has a resistance between 10³ Ω

and 10<sup>8 Ω

.</sup>

21. The light quantity detection circuit of claim 18, wherein the thin film transistor is configured to receive light in a junction region of the semiconductor layer between the channel and the source or the drain to generate photocurrent.

22. The light quantity detection circuit of claim 18, wherein the semiconductor layer of the thin film transistor further comprises a low concentration impurity region disposed between the channel and the source or the drain.

23. The light quantity detection circuit of claim 22, wherein the low concentration impurity region is disposed adjacent part of the channel that receives light.

24. The light quantity detection circuit of claim 18, wherein the resistor is made of a material for a transparent electrode.

25. The light quantity detection circuit according to claim 18, wherein the resistor comprises a thin film transistor.

26. A display panel comprising:

a display unit formed on a substrate,

the display unit comprising;

a plurality of drain lines and a plurality of gate lines that are arranged in a matrix configuration,

a plurality of display pixels, each of the display pixels being connected with one of the drain lines and one of the gate lines; and

a light quantity detection circuit comprising a photosensor converting light incident thereon into an electric signal; and

an external control circuit supplying control signal and a power for driving the display pixels and supplying the control signal, the power or the control signal and power to the light quantity detection circuit for an operation thereof.

27. The display panel of claim 26, further comprising a vertical scanning circuit connected to the gate lines and supplying a scanning signal to the gate lines in response to the signals, wherein the scanning signal is the control signal supplied to the light quantity detection circuit.