ACTIVE STYLUS

• US 20120062521A1
• Filed: 05/06/2011
• Published: 03/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Mobile Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ahn, Soon-Sung, Ku, Ja-Seung, Jang, Brent
• Application Number:
  US13/103,005
• Publication Number:
  US 20120062521A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/179
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• 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 3/0442 using active external devices, e.g. active pens, for transmitting changes in electrical potential to be received by the digitiser
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• 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

An active stylus used in a mutual capacitive touch screen system is described. In one aspect, the active stylus includes a shielding unit formed to shield an electric field that forms a closed loop between input and output units of the active stylus, thereby overcoming of oscillation or a decrease in amplitude.

Claims

1. An active stylus for outputting an electric field in synchronization with a driving signal applied to a driving line coupled to an adjacent cell when the active stylus approaches or contacts a touch screen panel, the active stylus comprising:

an electric field sensor configured to sense an electric field generated by the driving signal applied to a specific driving line approached or contacted by the stylus;

a signal generating unit configured to generate a predetermined signal so that a separate electric field corresponding to the sensed electric field is generated;

an electric field radiating unit configured to amplify the signal generated from the signal generating unit and output the amplified signal as an electric field;

a shielding unit configured to shield an electric field for forming a closed loop between the electric field sensor and the electric field radiating unit; and

a power unit configured to apply power to each of the electric field sensor, the signal generating unit, the electric field radiating unit and the shielding unit.

2. The active stylus according to claim 1, wherein the shielding unit is implemented as a conductor and formed in a region in which the electric field sensor and the electric field radiating unit overlap with each other.

3. The active stylus according to claim 2, wherein insulating layers are formed between the shielding unit and the electric field sensor and between the shielding unit and the electric field radiating unit, respectively.

4. The active stylus according to claim 1, wherein the shielding unit receives a predetermined DC voltage from the power unit.

5. The active stylus according to claim 4, wherein the DC voltage is one of high-level first power (VDD), low-level second power (VSS) or ground power (GND).

6. The active stylus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined signal is an AC voltage having the same phase as the driving signal.

7. The active stylus according to claim 1, wherein the electric field radiating unit is implemented as a non-inverting amplifier configured to output the predetermined signal generated from the signal generating unit by amplifying only the level or amplitude of the predetermined signal while maintaining the phase of the predetermined signal as is.

8. The active stylus according to claim 1, wherein the electric field radiating unit is implemented as an inverting amplifier configured to invert the phase of the predetermined signal generated by the signal generating unit and output the inverted signal.

9. The active stylus according to claim 8, wherein the active stylus is further provided with a frequency converter configured to convert the frequency of the AC voltage generated by the signal generating unit.