Liquid crystal display including sensing unit

• US 20070030221A1
• Filed: 07/26/2006
• Published: 02/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Joo-Hyung, Pak, Sang-Jin, Uh, Kee-Han, Lee, Myung-Woo
• Granted Patent: US 7,692,729 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/87
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133553 Reflecting elements associated to illuminating devices G02F1/133605
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133555 Transflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13392 spacers dispersed on the cell substrate, e.g. spherical particles, microfibres
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13398 Spacer materials; Spacer properties
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3648 using an active matrix G09G3/367 - G09G3/3696 take precedence

Abstract

A liquid crystal display is provided. The liquid crystal display includes a first panel, a second panel facing and separated from the first panel, a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first and second panels, a plurality of variable capacitors that vary capacitance thereof by pressure, and a plurality of reference capacitors formed on the second panel and connected to the variable capacitors.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal display comprising:

a first panel;

a second panel facing and separated from the first panel;

a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first and second panels;

a plurality of variable capacitors in which capacitance thereof is varied by pressure; and

a plurality of reference capacitors formed on the second panel and connected to the variable capacitors.

2. The liquid crystal display of claim 1, wherein each of the variable capacitors comprises a first capacitance electrode formed on the first panel and a second capacitance electrode formed on the second panel.

3. The liquid crystal display of claim 2, wherein the distance between the first and second capacitance electrodes is varied by pressure, and the capacitance of the variable capacitor is varied based on variation of the distance.

4. The liquid crystal display of claim 2, wherein the first capacitance electrode is supplied with a predetermined voltage that swings between two magnitudes thereof.

5. The liquid crystal display of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of sensor scanning lines formed on the second panel and connected to the reference capacitors.

6. The liquid crystal display of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of sensor data lines formed on the second panel and connected to the variable capacitors and the reference capacitors.

7. The liquid crystal display of claim 6, further comprising a plurality of switching circuits connected to the sensor data lines and charging contact points between the reference capacitors and the variable capacitors with predetermined voltages.

8. The liquid crystal display of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of image scanning lines formed on the second panel;

a plurality of image data lines intersecting the image scanning lines; and

a plurality of pixels connected to the image scanning lines and the image data lines.

9. The liquid crystal display of claim 8, wherein the reference capacitors are respectively connected to the image scanning lines.

10. A liquid crystal display comprising:

a plurality of image scanning lines;

a plurality of image data lines intersecting the image scanning lines;

a plurality of sensor data lines intersecting the image scanning lines;

a plurality of pixels connected to the image scanning lines and the image data lines; and

a plurality of sensing units connected to the sensor data lines,

wherein the pixels comprise liquid crystal capacitors and switching elements connected to the liquid crystal capacitors, one of the image scanning lines, and one of the image data lines, respectively, and the sensing units are connected to the sensor data lines and comprise variable capacitors varying capacitance thereof by a touch and reference capacitors connected to the sensor data lines and the variable capacitors, respectively.

11. The liquid crystal display of claim 10, wherein the variable capacitor comprises a sensing electrode, a common electrode facing the sensing electrode, and a liquid crystal dielectric interposed between the sensing electrode and the common electrode.

12. The liquid crystal display of claim 11, wherein the sensor data line comprises the sensing electrode.

13. The liquid crystal display of claim 10, wherein the liquid crystal capacitor comprises a pixel electrode, a common electrode facing the pixel electrode, and a liquid crystal dielectric interposed between the pixel electrode and the common electrode.

14. The liquid crystal display of claim 10, further comprising:

an image scanning driver for applying image scanning signals to the image scanning lines;

an image data driver for applying image data signals to the image data lines;

a sensing signal processor for processing sensing signals from the sensor data lines; and

a signal controller for controlling the image scanning driver, the image data driver, and the sensing signal processor.

15. The liquid crystal display of claim 10, wherein the reference capacitors are connected to the image scanning lines, respectively.

16. The liquid crystal display of claim 10, further comprising a plurality of sensor scanning lines connected to the reference capacitors.

17. The liquid crystal display of claim 16, further comprising:

an image scanning driver for applying image scanning signals to the image scanning lines;

an image data driver for applying image data signals to the image data lines;

a sensor scanning driver for applying sensor scanning signals to the sensor scanning lines;

a sensing signal processor for processing sensing signals from the sensor data lines; and

a signal controller for controlling the image scanning driver, the image data driver, the sensor scanning driver, and the sensing signal processor.

18. A liquid crystal display comprising:

a first panel;

a common electrode formed on the first panel;

a second panel facing and separated from the first panel;

an image scanning line formed on the second panel;

an image data line formed on the second panel and intersecting the image scanning line;

a thin film transistor connected to the image scanning line and the image data line;

a pixel electrode connected to the thin film transistor and facing the common electrode;

a sensor data line formed on the second panel, extending in parallel to the image data line, and facing the common electrode;

a reference electrode formed on the second panel and facing the sensor data line; and

a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first and second panel.

19. The liquid crystal display of claim 18, wherein the reference electrode extends from the image scanning line.

20. The liquid crystal display of claim 18, further comprising a sensor scanning line formed on the second panel and extending in parallel to the image scanning line, and the reference electrode extending from the sensor scanning line.

21. The liquid crystal display of claim 18, wherein the sensor data line is formed on the same layer as the image data line.

22. The liquid crystal display of claim 18, wherein the sensor data line is formed on the same layer as the pixel electrode.

23. The liquid crystal display of claim 18, wherein the pixel electrode comprises a transmissive electrode and a reflective electrode, and the sensor data line is formed on the same layer as one of the transmissive electrode and the reflective electrode.

24. The liquid crystal display of claim 18, further comprising a spacer disposed between the first and second panels, the spacer supporting the first and second panels and forming a predetermined gap therebetween.