DISPLAY DEVICE AND DRIVING METHOD FOR DISPLAY DEVICE

• US 20120013574A1
• Filed: 10/27/2009
• Published: 01/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Murai, Atsuhito, Kataoka, Yoshiharu, Watanabe, Takuya, Imai, Hajime, Kitagawa, Hideki
• Granted Patent: US 8,717,334 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13312 Circuits comprising photodetectors for purposes other than feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04106 Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• 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 3/042 by opto-electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0447 Position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells

Abstract

A display device includes: an optical sensor circuit provided in a display region, the optical sensor circuit including a light-receiving element and detecting intensity of light incident to the light-receiving element; and a pressure detection circuit which detects pressure applied to a display surface of a display panel on a basis of a change of the display surface in a panel thickness direction which change is caused by the pressure, with respect to a region in which the pressure is to be detected, both of the detection of the pressure by the pressure detection circuit and the detection of the intensity of the light by the optical sensor circuit being carried out within a period allocated to acquisition of detection data concerning the pressure in the display region.

Claims

1. A display device comprising:

an optical sensor circuit provided in a display region, the optical sensor circuit including a light-receiving element and detecting intensity of light incident to the light-receiving element; and

a pressure detection circuit which detects pressure applied to a display surface of a display panel on a basis of a change of the display surface in a panel thickness direction which change is caused by the pressure,

with respect to a region in which the pressure is to be detected, both of the detection of the pressure by the pressure detection circuit and the detection of the intensity of the light by the optical sensor circuit being carried out within a period allocated to acquisition of detection data concerning the pressure in the display region.

2. The display device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

with respect to the region in which the pressure is to be detected, the detection of the pressure by the pressure detection circuit and the detection of the intensity of the light by the optical sensor circuit are alternated during the period.

3. The display device as set forth in claim 2, wherein:

with respect to the region in which the pressure is to be detected, the detection of the pressure by the pressure detection circuit and the detection of the intensity of the light by the optical sensor circuit are alternated for every one vertical period during the period.

4. The display device as set forth in claim 2, wherein:

with respect to the region in which the pressure is to be detected, the detection of the pressure by the pressure detection circuit and the detection of the intensity of the light by the optical sensor circuit are alternated during the period by line-sequentially driving the optical sensor circuit and the pressure detection circuit that are disposed in different rows of a display matrix.

5. The display device as set forth in claim 4, wherein:

in the region in which the pressure is to be detected, the optical sensor circuit and the pressure detection circuit that are disposed in the different rows of the display matrix are alternately disposed in a column direction of the display matrix.

6. The display device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a first circuit which serves as both of the optical sensor circuit and the pressure detection circuit.

7. The display device as set forth in claim 5, further comprising a first circuit which serves as both of the optical sensor circuit and the pressure detection circuit,

the period being a period corresponding to a plurality of vertical periods, and

during the period, the first circuit switching, for every one vertical period, between the detection of the intensity of the light by the optical sensor circuit and the detection of the pressure by the pressure detection circuit.

8. The display device as set forth in claim 6, wherein:

a first control signal for causing the first circuit to operate as the optical sensor circuit and a second control signal for causing the first circuit to operate as the pressure detection circuit are selectively supplied to a driving circuit of the first circuit.

9. The display device as set forth in claim 8, wherein:

with respect to a screen to be displayed next to a currently displayed screen, which of the first control signal and the second control signal is to be supplied to the driving circuit can be determined based on data of the screen to be displayed next.

10. The display device as set forth in claim 8, wherein:

with respect to a screen to be displayed next to a currently displayed screen, which of the first control signal and the second control signal is supplied to the driving circuit can be determined based on whether or not a pressure is applied to a predetermined area of the display surface for which the first circuit operates as a pressure detection circuit on the currently displayed screen.

11. The display device as set forth in claim 10, wherein:

with respect to a screen to be displayed next to a currently displayed screen, the first control signal is supplied to the driving circuit in a case where the pressure is applied to the predetermined area on the currently displayed screen.

12. The display device as set forth in claim 6, wherein:

the first circuit includes a photodiode serving as the light-receiving element, a first capacitor, a second capacitor, and an output amplifier,

a cathode of the photodiode, one end of the first capacitor, one end of the second capacitor, and an input of the output amplifier are connected with one another via a first node,

an electrode at the other end of the second capacitor is provided on a substrate having the display surface of the display panel,

an electrode at the one end of the second capacitor is positioned to be away from the display surface in a thickness direction of the display panel to face the electrode at the other end of the second capacitor,

in a case where the first circuit operates as the optical sensor circuit, (i) a first pulse is applied to an anode of the photodiode so as to make the photodiode conductive in a forward direction, (ii) the application of the first pulse is finished so that a reverse biased voltage is applied to the photodiode, (iii) at a predetermined time after finishing the application of the first pulse, a second pulse is applied to the other end of the first capacitor to change the voltage at the first node so as to enable the output amplifier to output, and (iv) while the second pulse is applied, the output from the output amplifier is obtained,

in a case where the first circuit operates as the pressure detection circuit, (i) a first direct voltage is applied to the anode of the photodiode, (ii) application of the first direct voltage to the anode during a first period makes the photodiode conductive in a forward direction, (iii) while the first direct voltage is applied to the anode during a second period following the first period, a fourth pulse is applied to the other end of the first capacitor to change a voltage at the first node so that a reverse biased voltage is applied to the photodiode, and (iv) while the fourth pulse is applied, an output from the output amplifier is obtained.

13. The display device as set forth in claim 6, wherein:

the first circuit includes a photodiode serving as the light-receiving element, a first capacitor, a second capacitor, and an output amplifier,

a cathode of the photodiode, one end of the first capacitor, one end of the second capacitor, and an input of the output amplifier are connected with one another via a first node,

an electrode at the other end of the second capacitor is provided on a substrate having the display surface of the display panel,

an electrode at the one end of the second capacitor is positioned to be away from the display surface in a thickness direction of the display panel to face the electrode at the other end of the second capacitor,

in a case where the first circuit operates as the optical sensor circuit, (i) a first pulse is applied to an anode of the photodiode so as to make the photodiode conductive in a forward direction, (ii) the application of the first pulse is finished so that a reverse biased voltage is applied to the photodiode, (iii) at a predetermined time after finishing the application of the first pulse, a second pulse is applied to the other end of the first capacitor to change the voltage at the first node so as to enable the output amplifier to output, and (iv) while the second pulse is applied, the output from the output amplifier is obtained,

in a case where the first circuit operates as the pressure detection circuit, (i) a third pulse is applied to the anode of the photodiode so as to make the photodiode conductive in a forward direction, (ii) while the third pulse is applied, a fourth pulse is applied to the other end of the first capacitor to change a voltage at the first node so that a reverse biased voltage is applied to the photodiode and so as to enable the output amplifier to output, and (iii) while the fourth pulse is applied, an output from the output amplifier is obtained.

14. The display device as set forth in claim 6, wherein:

the first circuit includes a photodiode serving as the light-receiving element, a first capacitor, a second capacitor, and an output amplifier,

a cathode of the photodiode, one end of the first capacitor, one end of the second capacitor, and an input of the output amplifier are connected with one another via a first node,

an electrode at the other end of the second capacitor is provided on a substrate having the display surface of the display panel,

an electrode at the one end of the second capacitor is positioned to be away from the display surface in a thickness direction of the display panel to face the electrode at the other end of the second capacitor,

in a case where the first circuit operates as the optical sensor circuit, (i) a first pulse is applied to an anode of the photodiode so as to make the photodiode conductive in a forward direction, (ii) the application of the first pulse is finished so that a reverse biased voltage is applied to the photodiode, (iii) at a predetermined time after finishing the application of the first pulse, a second pulse is applied to the other end of the first capacitor to change the voltage at the first node so as to enable the output amplifier to output, and (iv) while the second pulse is applied, the output from the output amplifier is obtained,

in a case where the first circuit operates as the pressure detection circuit, (i) a third pulse is applied to the anode of the photodiode so as to make the photodiode conductive in a forward direction, (ii) during a period following a period in which the third pulse is applied, a fourth pulse is applied to the other end of the first capacitor to change a voltage at the first node so that a reverse biased voltage is applied to the photodiode and so as to enable the output amplifier to output, and (iii) while the fourth pulse is applied, an output from the output amplifier is obtained.

15. The display device as set forth in claim 12, wherein

the display device is a liquid crystal display device, and

the electrode at the other end of the second capacitor is a common electrode.

16. The display device as set forth in claim 15, wherein

the electrode at one end of the second capacitor is made of a layer in a matrix substrate which layer is positioned to be closer to the electrode at the other end of the second capacitor than a passivation film in the matrix substrate is.

17. The display device as set forth in claim 16, wherein

the electrode at the one end of the second capacitor is a transparent electrode positioned at a same layer as a layer where picture element electrodes are positioned, and

a liquid crystal layer is positioned between the electrode at the one end of the second capacitor and the electrode at the one end of the second capacitor.

18. The display device as set forth in claim 15, wherein

the electrode at one end of the second capacitor is made of a layer in a matrix substrate which layer is positioned to be farther from the electrode at the other end of the second capacitor than a passivation film in the matrix substrate is.

19. The display device as set forth in claim 18, wherein the electrode at the one end of the second capacitor is made of a gate metal.

20. The display device as set forth in claim 18, wherein the electrode at the one end of the second capacitor is made of a source metal.

21. The display device as set forth in claim 15, wherein the first node is made of a gate metal.

22. The display device as set forth in claim 15, wherein the first node is made of a source metal.

23. A method for driving a display device including (i) an optical sensor circuit provided in a display region, the optical sensor circuit including a light-receiving element and detecting intensity of light incident to the light-receiving element, and (ii) a pressure detection circuit which detects pressure applied to a display surface of a display panel on a basis of a change of the display surface in a panel thickness direction which change is caused by the pressure,

with respect to a region in which the pressure is to be detected, both of the detection of the pressure by the pressure detection circuit and the detection of the intensity of the light by the optical sensor circuit being carried out within a period allocated to acquisition of detection data concerning the pressure in the display region.

24. The method as set forth in claim 23, wherein:

with respect to the region in which the pressure is to be detected, the detection of the pressure by the pressure detection circuit and the detection of the intensity of the light by the optical sensor circuit are alternated during the period.

25. The method as set forth in claim 24, wherein:

with respect to the region in which the pressure is to be detected, the detection of the pressure by the pressure detection circuit and the detection of the intensity of the light by the optical sensor circuit are alternated for every one vertical period during the period.

26. The method as set forth in claim 24, wherein:

with respect to the region in which the pressure is to be detected, the detection of the pressure by the pressure detection circuit and the detection of the intensity of the light by the optical sensor circuit are alternated during the period by line-sequentially driving the optical sensor circuit and the pressure detection circuit that are disposed in different rows of a display matrix.

27. The method as set forth in claim 26, wherein:

in the region in which the pressure is to be detected, the optical sensor circuit and the pressure detection circuit that are disposed in the different rows of the display matrix are alternately disposed in a column direction of the display matrix.

28. The method as set forth in claim 23, wherein:

the display device further includes a first circuit which serves as both of the optical sensor circuit and the pressure detection circuit.

29. The method as set forth in claim 27, wherein:

the display device further includes a first circuit which serves as both of the optical sensor circuit and the pressure detection circuit,

the period is a period corresponding to a plurality of vertical periods, and

during the period, the first circuit switching, for every one vertical period, between the detection of the intensity of the light by the optical sensor circuit and the detection of the pressure by the pressure detection circuit.

30. The method as set forth in claim 28, wherein:

a first control signal for causing the first circuit to operate as the optical sensor circuit and a second control signal for causing the first circuit to operate as the pressure detection circuit are selectively supplied to a driving circuit of the first circuit.

31. The method as set forth in claim 30, wherein:

with respect to a screen to be displayed next to a currently displayed screen, which of the first control signal and the second control signal is to be supplied to the driving circuit can be determined based on data of the screen to be displayed next.

32. The method as set forth in claim 30, wherein:

with respect to a screen to be displayed next to a currently displayed screen, which of the first control signal and the second control signal is supplied to the driving circuit can be determined based on whether or not a pressure is applied to a predetermined area of the display surface for which the first circuit operates as a pressure detection circuit on the currently displayed screen.

33. The method as set forth in claim 32, wherein:

with respect to a screen to be displayed next to a currently displayed screen, the first control signal is supplied to the driving circuit in a case where the pressure is applied to the predetermined area on the currently displayed screen.

34. The method as set forth in claim 28, wherein:

the first circuit includes a photodiode serving as the light-receiving element, a first capacitor, a second capacitor, and an output amplifier,

a cathode of the photodiode, one end of the first capacitor, one end of the second capacitor, and an input of the output amplifier are connected with one another via a first node,

an electrode at the other end of the second capacitor is provided on a substrate having the display surface of the display panel,

an electrode at the one end of the second capacitor is positioned to be away from the display surface in a thickness direction of the display panel to face the electrode at the other end of the second capacitor,

in a case where the first circuit operates as the optical sensor circuit, (i) a first pulse is applied to an anode of the photodiode so as to make the photodiode conductive in a forward direction, (ii) the application of the first pulse is finished so that a reverse biased voltage is applied to the photodiode, (iii) at a predetermined time after finishing the application of the first pulse, a second pulse is applied to the other end of the first capacitor to change the voltage at the first node so as to enable the output amplifier to output, and (iv) while the second pulse is applied, the output from the output amplifier is obtained,

in a case where the first circuit operates as the pressure detection circuit, (i) a first direct voltage is applied to the anode of the photodiode, (ii) application of the first direct voltage to the anode during a first period makes the photodiode conductive in a forward direction, (iii) while the first direct voltage is applied to the anode during a second period following the first period, a fourth pulse is applied to the other end of the first capacitor to change a voltage at the first node so that a reverse biased voltage is applied to the photodiode, and (iv) while the fourth pulse is applied, an output from the output amplifier is obtained.

35. The method as set forth in claim 28, wherein:

the first circuit includes a photodiode serving as the light-receiving element, a first capacitor, a second capacitor, and an output amplifier,

a cathode of the photodiode, one end of the first capacitor, one end of the second capacitor, and an input of the output amplifier are connected with one another via a first node,

an electrode at the other end of the second capacitor is provided on a substrate having the display surface of the display panel,

an electrode at the one end of the second capacitor is positioned to be away from the display surface in a thickness direction of the display panel to face the electrode at the other end of the second capacitor,

in a case where the first circuit operates as the optical sensor circuit, (i) a first pulse is applied to an anode of the photodiode so as to make the photodiode conductive in a forward direction, (ii) the application of the first pulse is finished so that a reverse biased voltage is applied to the photodiode, (iii) at a predetermined time after finishing the application of the first pulse, a second pulse is applied to the other end of the first capacitor to change the voltage at the first node so as to enable the output amplifier to output, and (iv) while the second pulse is applied, the output from the output amplifier is obtained,

in a case where the first circuit operates as the pressure detection circuit, (i) a third pulse is applied to the anode of the photodiode so as to make the photodiode conductive in a forward direction, (ii) while the third pulse is applied, a fourth pulse is applied to the other end of the first capacitor to change a voltage at the first node so that a reverse biased voltage is applied to the photodiode and so as to enable the output amplifier to output, and (iii) while the fourth pulse is applied, an output from the output amplifier is obtained.

36. The method as set forth in claim 28, wherein:

the first circuit includes a photodiode serving as the light-receiving element, a first capacitor, a second capacitor, and an output amplifier,

a cathode of the photodiode, one end of the first capacitor, one end of the second capacitor, and an input of the output amplifier are connected with one another via a first node,

an electrode at the other end of the second capacitor is provided on a substrate having the display surface of the display panel,

an electrode at the one end of the second capacitor is positioned to be away from the display surface in a thickness direction of the display panel to face the electrode at the other end of the second capacitor,

in a case where the first circuit operates as the optical sensor circuit, (i) a first pulse is applied to an anode of the photodiode so as to make the photodiode conductive in a forward direction, (ii) the application of the first pulse is finished so that a reverse biased voltage is applied to the photodiode, (iii) at a predetermined time after finishing the application of the first pulse, a second pulse is applied to the other end of the first capacitor to change the voltage at the first node so as to enable the output amplifier to output, and (iv) while the second pulse is applied, the output from the output amplifier is obtained,

in a case where the first circuit operates as the pressure detection circuit, (i) a third pulse is applied to the anode of the photodiode so as to make the photodiode conductive in a forward direction, (ii) during a period following a period in which the third pulse is applied, a fourth pulse is applied to the other end of the first capacitor to change a voltage at the first node so that a reverse biased voltage is applied to the photodiode and so as to enable the output amplifier to output, and (iii) while the fourth pulse is applied, an output from the output amplifier is obtained.