INTEGRATED IN-PLANE SWITCHING
First Claim
1. A method for providing multi-touch functionality for a display, comprising a plurality of cells, each cell comprising two electrodes, the method comprising:
- creating voltage differentials between the two electrodes of one or more excited cells of the plurality of cells in order to cause an image to appear at the display;
sensing a plurality of mutual capacitances between one or more touch enabled cells in order to sense touch events at the display, without substantially changing the voltage differentials between the electrodes of said touch enabled cells.
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Abstract
This relates to adding multi-touch functionality to a display without the need of a separate multi-touch panel or layer overlaying the display. Instead, embodiments of the invention can advantageously utilize existing display circuitry to provide multi-touch functionality while adding relatively little circuitry that is specific to the multi-touch functionality. Thus, by sharing circuitry for the display and the multi-touch functionalities, embodiments of the invention can be implemented at a lower cost than the alternative of superimposing additional multi-touch related layers onto an existing display panel. Furthermore, since the display and multi-touch functionality can be implemented on the same circuit, they can be synchronized so that noise resulting from the display functionality does not detrimentally affect the multi-touch functionality and vice versa.
42 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A method for providing multi-touch functionality for a display, comprising a plurality of cells, each cell comprising two electrodes, the method comprising:
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creating voltage differentials between the two electrodes of one or more excited cells of the plurality of cells in order to cause an image to appear at the display; sensing a plurality of mutual capacitances between one or more touch enabled cells in order to sense touch events at the display, without substantially changing the voltage differentials between the electrodes of said touch enabled cells. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A multi-touch enabled display comprising:
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a plurality of data lines; a plurality of cells, each cell including a driven electrode and a counter electrode, the driven electrodes of the plurality of cells being connected to the plurality of data lines during a first time period; a plurality of first lines wherein a plurality of type A cells of the plurality of cells is such that the counter electrode of each type A cell is connected to a first line of the plurality of first lines; a plurality of second lines wherein a plurality of type B cells of the plurality of cells is such that the counter electrode of each type B cell is connected to a first line of the plurality of second lines; and control circuitry configured to; drive the plurality of data lines with data signals during the first time period in order to create voltage differentials between the driven and counter electrodes of one or more cells of the plurality of cells; drive the plurality of first lines connected to the type A cells with a stimulation signal during a second time period, so that the stimulation signal does not significantly change the voltage differentials between the electrodes of the type A cells; connect the plurality of second lines connected to the type B cells with one or more sensor circuits during the second time period; drive the plurality of second lines connected to the type B cells with a stimulation signal during a third time period, so that the stimulation signal does not significantly change the voltage differentials between the electrodes of the type B cells; and connect the plurality of first lines connected to the type A cells with one or more sensor circuits during the third time period. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of operating a display for displaying data and providing touch sensing, the display having a plurality of cells, each cell having a driven electrode and a counter electrode, some of the plurality of cells comprising type A cells having their counter electrodes connected to ones of a first plurality of lines and others of the plurality of cells comprising type B cells having their counter electrodes connected to ones of a second plurality of lines, the method comprising:
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connecting a plurality of data lines to the driven electrode of the plurality of cells during a first time period to thereby display data on the display; driving the plurality of data lines with data signals during the first time period in order to create voltage differentials between the driven and counter electrodes of one or more cells of the plurality of cells; driving the plurality of first lines connected to the type A cells with a stimulation signal during a second time period, such that the stimulation signal does not significantly change the voltage differentials between the electrodes of the type A cells; connecting the plurality of second lines connected to the type B cells with one or more sensor circuits during the second time period; driving the plurality of second lines connected to the type B cells with a stimulation signal during a third time period, such that the stimulation signal does not significantly change the voltage differentials between the electrodes of the type B cells; and connecting the plurality of first lines connected to the type A cells with one or more sensor circuits during the third time period. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. A touch screen comprising an in-plane-switching (IPS) liquid crystal display with integral touch sensing, the touch screen comprising:
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a pair of electrodes for each of a plurality of display pixels, the pair of electrodes disposed in an in-plane-switching arrangement; a driven electrode being one of the pair of electrodes; a counter electrode being the other of the pair of electrodes; a plurality of data lines for transmitting display data to the driven electrodes of the plurality of display pixels; and a plurality of switches, operative in a display mode of operation, for connecting the data lines to the driven electrodes of the plurality of display pixels; a first plurality of display pixels having common terminals electrically connected together to form a plurality of touch sense rows, the common terminal of each of the first plurality of display pixels being electrically connected to the counter electrode; a second plurality of display pixels having common terminals electrically connected together to form a plurality of touch sense columns, the common terminals of each of the second plurality of display pixel being electrically connected to the counter electrode; and during a touch sensing mode of operation, a stimulation signal is alternately applied to the plurality of touch sensing rows and the plurality of touch sensing columns; a capacitance sensing circuitry is alternately coupled to the plurality of touch sensing columns and the plurality of touch sensing rows; and the plurality of switches operative to disconnect the data lines from the driven electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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27. A touch screen comprising an in-plane-switching liquid crystal display with integral touch sensing, the touch screen having a plurality of touch pixels responsive to a touch or near touch of the touch screen wherein the touch screen comprises:
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a plurality of display pixels each having first and second electrodes disposed adjacent one another in an in-plane switching arrangement;
a select terminal, a data terminal and a common terminal, the display pixels used during a display mode of operation;type A pixels, each having first and second electrodes disposed adjacent one another in an in-plane switching arrangement;
a select terminal, a data terminal and a common terminal with common terminals of adjacent type A pixels electrically connected together to form touch sensing columns, the type A pixels used at least during a touch sensing mode of operation;type B pixels each having first and second electrodes disposed adjacent one another in an in-plane switching arrangement;
a select terminal, a data terminal and a common terminal with common terminals of adjacent type B pixels electrically connected together to form touch sensing row, the type B pixels used at least during a touch sensing mode of operation s;a first column group formed by type A pixels and display pixels disposed in one or more columns, wherein a ratio of display pixels to type A pixels is X;
1, where X is an integer greater than 1;a second column group formed by type B pixels and display pixels disposed in one or more columns, wherein a ratio of display pixels to type B pixels is X;
1, where X is an integer greater than 1 the second column group disposed adjacent the first column group;wherein during a touch sense mode of operation, a stimulation signal is alternately applied to the plurality of touch sensing rows and the plurality of touch sensing columns; and a capacitance sensing circuitry alternately coupled to the plurality of touch sensing columns and the plurality of touch sensing rows.
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28. A touch screen comprising a liquid crystal display with integral touch sensing, the touch screen having a plurality of touch pixels responsive to a touch or near touch of the touch screen wherein the touch screen comprises:
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type A pixels, each having first and second electrodes disposed adjacent one another in an in-plane switching arrangement;
a select terminal, a data terminal and a common terminal with common terminals of adjacent type A pixels electrically connected together to form touch sensing columns;type B pixels each having first and second electrodes disposed adjacent one another in an in-plane switching arrangement;
a select terminal, a data terminal and a common terminal with common terminals of adjacent type B pixels electrically connected together to form touch sensing rows;a plurality of switches operative in a display mode to connect the data terminals of the type A and type B pixels to data lines; a first group of type A pixels disposed in one or more columns; a first group of type B pixels disposed in one or more columns, adjacent the first group of type A pixels; a second group of type A pixels disposed in one or more columns adjacent the first group of type B pixels; a second group of type B pixels disposed in one or more columns adjacent the second group of type A pixels; and wherein the first group of type A pixels, the adjacent first group of type B pixels, the adjacent second group of type A pixels and the adjacent second group of type B pixels form alternating type A and type B pixels columns; and the plurality of switches operative in a touch sensing mode to disconnect the data terminals of the type A and type B pixels from the data lines. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31)
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Specification