INTEGRATED CAPACITIVE SENSING AND DISPLAYING

• US 20110267305A1
• Filed: 04/30/2010
• Published: 11/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Inventors: Shahparnia, Shahrooz, Knausz, Imre, Reynolds, Joseph Kurth
• Granted Patent: US 9,898,121 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133331 Cover glasses
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04166 Details of scanning methods, e.g. sampling time, grouping of sub areas or time sharing with display driving Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally G06F3/04184
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes

Abstract

A display device having an integrated capacitive proximity sensor comprises a plurality of sensor electrodes disposed as part of a display element of the display device. The plurality of sensor electrodes is configured for performing both sensor and display functions of the display device. The display device also comprises a sensor drive mechanism coupled with the plurality of sensor electrodes and configured for driving a first electrical signal on a first at least one sensor electrode of the plurality of sensor electrodes. The sensor drive mechanism comprises at least one memory element that is configured for selecting drive excitation information for the first at least one sensor electrode. The display device also comprises a display drive mechanism coupled with the plurality of sensor electrodes and configured for driving a second electrical signal on a second least one sensor electrode of the plurality of sensor electrodes.

Claims

1. A display device having an integrated capacitive proximity sensor, said display device comprising:

a plurality of sensor electrodes disposed as part of a display element of said display device, wherein said plurality of sensor electrodes is configured for performing both sensor functions and display functions of said display device;

a sensor drive mechanism coupled with said plurality of sensor electrodes and configured for driving a first electrical signal on a first at least one sensor electrode of said plurality of sensor electrodes, wherein said sensor drive mechanism comprises at least one memory element configured for selecting drive excitation information for said first at least one sensor electrode; and

a display drive mechanism coupled with said plurality of sensor electrodes and configured for driving a second electrical signal on a second least one sensor electrode of said plurality of sensor electrodes.

2. The display device of claim 1, further comprising:

an arbitration mechanism coupled with said plurality of sensor electrodes, said sensor drive mechanism, and said display drive mechanism, wherein said arbitration mechanism is configured for arbitrating between said first electrical signal and said second electrical signal such that said first and second electrical signals are not simultaneously driven on any sensor electrode of said plurality of sensor electrodes.

3. The display device of claim 2, wherein said arbitration mechanism comprises:

a display drive logic; and

an arbitration logic.

4. The display device of claim 1, further comprising:

a polarity control device coupled with said sensor drive mechanism and configured for controlling polarity of said first electrical signal.

5. The display device of claim 1, further comprising:

a guard band control device coupled with said plurality of sensor electrodes, wherein said guard band control device is configured for inhibiting said sensor drive mechanism from driving said first electrical signal on a guarded set of said plurality of sensor electrodes.

6. The display device of claim 1, wherein said at least one memory element is a part of a shift register, said shift register configured for providing said excitation information.

7. The display device of claim 1, wherein said at least one memory element is a part of a memory bus, said memory bus configured for providing said excitation information.

8. The display device of claim 1, wherein said at least one memory element is a part of a state machine, said state machine configured for providing said excitation information.

9. A method of integrated capacitive sensing and displaying, said method comprising:

receiving a sensor drive signal for driving a first at least one sensor electrode of a plurality of sensor electrodes, wherein said plurality of sensor electrodes is disposed as a part of a display element of a display device and is configured for performing both sensor functions and display functions of said display device; and

receiving a display drive signal for driving a second at least one sensor electrode of said plurality of sensor electrodes; and

arbitrating between said display drive signal and said sensor drive signal such that said display drive signal and said sensor drive signal are not simultaneously driven on any sensor electrode of said plurality of sensor electrodes.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

inhibiting said sensor drive signal from being driven on a guarded set of said plurality of sensor electrodes.

11. The method as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

controlling polarity of said sensor drive signal.

12. A method of integrated capacitive sensing and displaying, said method comprising:

driving a sense signal on a first at least one sensor electrode of a plurality of sensor electrodes, wherein said plurality of sensor electrodes is configured for performing both sensor functions and display functions of a display device, wherein said sense signal is driven by a sensor drive mechanism comprising a memory element, wherein said sensor drive mechanism is coupled with said first at least one sensor electrode of said plurality of sensor electrodes, and wherein said memory element is configured for selecting drive excitation information for said first at least one sensor electrode; and

driving a display signal on a second sensor electrode of said plurality of sensor electrodes, wherein said display signal is driven by a display drive mechanism coupled with said second sensor electrode.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising:

arbitrating between said display signal and said sense signal such that said display signal and said sense signal are not simultaneously driven on any sensor electrode of said plurality of sensor electrodes.

14. The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising:

inhibiting said sense signal from being driven on a guarded set of said plurality of sensor electrodes.

15. The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising:

controlling polarity of said sense signal.

16. A method of creating a display device having an integrated capacitive proximity sensor, said method comprising:

forming a plurality of sensor electrodes as part of a display element of said display device, wherein said plurality of sensor electrodes is configured for performing both sensor functions and display functions of said display device;

disposing a sensor drive mechanism as part of said display element, said sensor drive mechanism coupled with said plurality of sensor electrodes and configured for driving a first electrical signal on a first at least one sensor electrode of said plurality of sensor electrodes, wherein said sensor drive mechanism comprises at least one memory element configured for selecting drive excitation information for said first least one sensor electrode; and

disposing a display drive mechanism as part of said display element, said display drive mechanism coupled with a second a least one sensor electrode of said plurality of sensor electrodes and configured for driving a second electrical signal on said second at least one sensor electrode.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, further comprising:

disposing an arbitration mechanism as part of said display element, said arbitration mechanism coupled with said plurality of sensor electrodes, said sensor drive mechanism, and said display drive mechanism, wherein said arbitration mechanism is configured for arbitrating between said first electrical signal and said second electrical signal such that said first and second electrical signals are not simultaneously driven on any sensor electrode of said plurality of sensor electrodes.

18. The method as recited in claim 16, further comprising:

disposing a polarity control device as part of said display element, said polarity control device coupled with said sensor drive mechanism and configured for controlling polarity of said first electrical signal.

19. The method as recited in claim 16, further comprising:

disposing a guard band control device as part of said display element, said guard band control device coupled with said plurality of sensor electrodes, wherein said guard band control device is configured for inhibiting said sensor drive mechanism from driving said first electrical signal on a guarded set of said plurality of sensor electrodes.

20. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein said disposing a sensor drive mechanism as part of said display element comprises:

disposing said at least one memory element as part of a shift register, said shift register configured for providing said excitation information.