CONTROL APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING PANEL MODULE INCLUDING TOUCH PANEL AND DISPLAY PANEL

• US 20110175824A1
• Filed: 01/21/2010
• Published: 07/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Himax Technologies Ltd. (Himax Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Himax Technologies Ltd. (Himax Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Yang, Yi-Long, Chiu, Ming-Cheng
• Granted Patent: US 8,786,558 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0418 for error correction or compensation, e.g. based on parallax, calibration or alignment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04184 Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally

Abstract

A control apparatus for controlling a panel module including a touch panel and a display panel is provided. The control apparatus includes: a display driver, coupled to the display panel, for controlling display operations of the display panel according to a plurality of driving signals; and a touch controller, coupled to the touch panel and the display driver, for referring to a level transition of at least one driving signal of the driving signals to generate a touch control signal corresponding to a touch sensing output generated by the touch panel.

Claims

1. A control apparatus for controlling a panel module including a touch panel and a display panel, comprising:

a display driver, coupled to the display panel, for controlling display operations of the display panel according to a plurality of driving signals; and

a touch controller, coupled to the touch panel and the display driver, for referring to a level transition of at least one driving signal of the driving signals to generate a touch control signal corresponding to a touch sensing output generated by the touch panel.

2. The control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the touch controller refers to the level transition of the at least one driving signal of the driving signals to set at least a processing period, and only outputs the touch control signal in response to the touch sensing output generated by the touch panel during the processing period.

3. The control apparatus of claim 2, wherein the touch controller determines a specific period in which the touch panel is interfered with the level transition of the at least one driving signal of the driving signals, and determines the processing period which is distinct from the specific period.

4. The control apparatus of claim 2, wherein the touch controller divides the processing period into at least two time segments, and the touch controller further sets weighting values for the at least two time segments, respectively, and generates the touch control signal according to the touch sensing output generated by the touch panel during the processing period and the weighting values.

5. The control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the touch controller refers to a plurality of level transitions respectively corresponding to the driving signals to generate the touch control signal.

6. The control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of driving signals comprise a VCOM signal and/or a source signal corresponding to the touch panel.

7. A control method for controlling a panel module including a touch panel and a display panel, comprising:

providing a display driver coupled to the display panel;

using the display driver to control display operations of the display panel according to a plurality of driving signals;

providing a touch controller coupled to the touch panel and the display driver; and

using the touch controller to refer to a level transition of at least one driving signal of the driving signals to generate a touch control signal corresponding to a touch sensing output generated by the touch panel.

8. The control method of claim 7, wherein the step of generating the touch control signal corresponding to the touch sensing output generated by the touch panel further refers to the level transition of the at least one driving signal of the driving signals to set at least a processing period, and only outputs the touch control signal in response to the touch sensing output generated by the touch panel during the processing period.

9. The control method of claim 8, wherein the step of setting at least the processing period comprises using the touch controller to determine a specific period in which the touch panel is interfered with the level transition of the at least one driving signal of the driving signals, and determines the processing period which is distinct from the specific period.

10. The control method of claim 8, wherein the step of setting at least the processing period comprises using the touch controller to divide the processing period into at least two time segments, and using the touch controller to further set weighting values for the at least two time segments, respectively, and to generate the touch control signal according to the touch sensing output generated by the touch panel during the processing period and the weighting values.

11. The control method of claim 7, wherein the step of generating the touch control signal corresponding to the touch sensing output generated by the touch panel touch controller comprises referring to a plurality of level transitions respectively corresponding to the driving signals to generate the touch control signal.

12. The control apparatus of claim 7, wherein the plurality of driving signals comprise a VCOM signal and/or a source signal corresponding to the touch panel.