DISPLAY PANEL, DISPLAY APPARATUS HAVING THE SAME, AND METHOD THEREOF

• US 20110122084A1
• Filed: 02/01/2011
• Published: 05/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: JEON, Jin, KIM, Hyung-Guel
• Granted Patent: US 8,373,675 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13394 spacers regularly patterned on the cell subtrate, e.g. walls, pillars G02F1/133377 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134363 for applying an electric field parallel to the substrate, i.e. in-plane switching [IPS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/047 using sets of wires, e.g. crossed wires
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0426 Layout of electrodes and connections
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0443 with several sub-pixels for the same colour in a pixel, not specifically used to display gradations G09G3/364 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0465 Improved aperture ratio, e.g. by size reduction of the pixel circuit, e.g. for improving the pixel density or the maximum displayable luminance or brightness
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3648 using an active matrix G09G3/367 - G09G3/3696 take precedence

Abstract

A display panel includes an array substrate and an opposite substrate. The array substrate includes a plurality of data lines, a plurality of gate lines, a plurality of first signal lines, a plurality of second signal lines and a plurality of pixels. Each of the pixels includes a pixel electrode and a common electrode insulated from the pixel electrode. The opposite substrate includes a plurality of connecting members. At least one of the connecting members is electrically connected to at least one of the first signal lines and the second signal lines by an externally provided pressure. Thus, when an externally provided pressure is applied to the display panel in order to perform a touch screen function, an alignment of the liquid crystal molecules disposed on the array substrate may not be substantially changed, and a display quality may be improved.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A display panel comprising:

an array substrate including;

a data line;

a gate line crossing the data line;

a first signal line extending in a first direction;

a pixel including a pixel electrode and a common electrode insulated from the pixel electrode; and

a first sensing electrode which is electrically connected to the first signal line;

an opposite substrate combined with the array substrate and including a connecting member overlapping with at least a portion of the first sensing electrode, and electrically connected to the at least a portion of the first sensing electrode by an externally provided pressure; and

a liquid crystal layer interposed between the array substrate and the opposite substrate and including liquid crystal molecules, of which an alignment is controlled by an electric field formed between the common electrode and the pixel electrode.

22. The display panel of claim 21, wherein the array substrate further comprises a second signal line extending in a second direction different from the first direction, and a second sensing electrode which is electrically connected to the second signal line.

23. The display panel of claim 22, wherein the connecting member overlapping with at least a portion of the second electrode, and electrically connected to the at least a portion of the second electrode by the externally provided pressure.

24. The display panel of claim 22, wherein the first signal line is formed from a substantially same layer as the gate line, and the second signal line is formed from a substantially same layer as the data line.

25. The display panel of claim 22, wherein the first sensing electrode is electrically connected to the second sensing electrode via the connecting member when the externally provided pressure is applied.

26. The display panel of claim 21, wherein the connecting member comprises a protrusion protruding from the opposite substrate and a conductive layer covering the protrusion.

27. The display panel of claim 22, wherein the first and the second sensing electrodes are formed from a substantially same layer as the pixel electrode.

28. The display panel of claim 22, wherein the first and second sensing electrodes are formed from a substantially same layer as the common electrode.

29. The display panel of claim 22, wherein the array substrate further comprises a third sensing electrode which is spaced apart from the first and the second sensing electrodes, and the connecting member is overlapping with at least a portion of the third sensing electrode.

30. The display panel of claim 29, wherein the array substrate further comprises a common voltage line to apply a predetermined voltage to the common electrode, and the third sensing electrode is electrically connected to the common voltage line.

31. The display panel of claim 29, wherein the first to the third sensing electrodes are formed from a substantially same layer as the pixel electrode.

32. The display panel of claim 21, wherein liquid crystal molecules within the liquid crystal layer are horizontally aligned on the array substrate when the display panel is operated.

33. A display apparatus comprising:

a display panel comprising;

an array substrate including a data line, a gate line crossing the data line, a first signal line substantially parallel to the gate line, a second signal line substantially parallel to the data line, a pixel including a pixel electrode and a common electrode insulated from the pixel electrode, a first sensing electrode electrically connected to the first signal line, and a second sensing electrode electrically connected to the second signal line;

an opposite substrate combined with the array substrate to receive a liquid crystal layer and including a connecting member overlapping with at least a portion of the first sensing electrode and at least a portion of the second sensing electrode, the connecting member being connected to the at least a portion of the first sensing electrode and the at least a portion of the sensing electrode by an externally provided pressure; and

a liquid crystal layer interposed between the array substrate and the opposite substrate and including liquid crystal molecules, of which an alignment is controlled by an electric field formed between the common electrode and the pixel electrode

a touch position detecting part detecting the first and the second signal lines electrically connected to the connecting member to output a detection signal; and

a position determining part determining position coordinates of the externally provided pressure based on the detection signal.

34. The display apparatus of claim 33, wherein the display panel further comprises a gap-maintaining member maintaining a gap between the array substrate and the opposite substrate.

35. The display apparatus of claim 34, wherein the gap-maintaining member is a column spacer.

36. The display apparatus of claim 33, wherein the array substrate further comprises a third sensing electrode which is spaced apart from the first and the second sensing electrodes, and the connecting member overlapping with at least a portion of the third sensing electrode.

37. The display apparatus of claim 36, wherein the array substrate further comprises a common voltage line to apply a predetermined voltage to the common electrode, and the third sensing electrode is electrically connected to the common voltage line.

38. The display apparatus of claim 33, wherein the touch position detecting part comprises a voltage controlling part controlling application of an initial driving voltage to the first and the second signal lines.

39. The display apparatus of claim 33, wherein the touch position detecting part comprises a data sampling part detecting voltage variations of the first and the second signal lines and outputting a detection signal when the connecting member is electrically connected to the first signal line and the second signal line by the externally provided pressure.

40. The display apparatus of claim 39, wherein the data sampling part includes an operational amplifier.