Display Device Provided With Touch Sensor, Electronic Apparatus Using Same, And Control Circuit Of Display Module Provided With Touch Sensor

• US 20120268422A1
• Filed: 11/02/2010
• Published: 10/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ROHM Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: ROHM Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Yano, Shigehide, Hirakawa, Masaya
• Granted Patent: US 9,383,867 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04108 Touchless 2D- 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 without distance measurement in the Z direction
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Multiple sensor electrodes are formed such that they overlap a display panel, and each have an electrostatic capacitance that changes according to the user'"'"'s touch. Furthermore, a proximity sensor electrode pair is formed as a transparent electrode such that they overlap the display panel. An electrostatic capacitance detection circuit detects change in the electrostatic capacitance of each sensor electrode due to the user'"'"'s touch, thereby detecting a position touched by the user. A proximity detection circuit detects change in the electric field generated between the proximity sensor electrode pair due to the proximity of the user, thereby detecting the proximity of the user to the display panel. An electrostatic capacitance detection circuit is configured to have at least a component that is switchable between an operating state and a non-operating state. When detecting that the user is in proximity, this component transits from the non-operating state to the operating state.

Claims

1. A display apparatus furnished with a touch sensor, comprising:

a display module having a touch sensor comprising;

a display panel;

a plurality of sensor electrodes formed in a region where they overlap the display panel, and each having an electrostatic capacitance that changes according to a state of being touched by a user; and

a proximity sensor electrode pair comprising an electric field generating electrode and an electric field detection electrode each formed as a transparent electrode in a region where they overlap the display panel;

an electrostatic capacitance detection circuit configured to detect change in the electrostatic capacitance that occurs at each of the plurality of sensor electrodes according to being touched by the user so as to detect a position touched by the user; and

a proximity detection circuit configured to detect change in the electric field generated between the proximity sensor electrode pair, which corresponds to the user being in proximity thereto, so as to detect the user being in proximity to the display panel,

wherein the electrostatic capacitance detection circuit is configured to have at least a component that is switchable between an operating state and a non-operating state,

and wherein, when detecting the proximity of the user by means of the proximity detection circuit, said at least one component transits from the non-operating state to the operating state.

2. A display apparatus furnished with a touch sensor according to claim 1, wherein the display panel is partitioned into a plurality of regions,

and wherein the proximity sensor electrode pair is provided for each of the plurality of regions thus partitioned,

and wherein the proximity detection circuits are each configured to detect, for the respective regions, whether or not the user is in proximity thereto,

and wherein the electrostatic capacitance detection circuit is configured to execute electrostatic capacitance detection processing for the sensor electrodes that correspond to a region where it has been detected that the user is in proximity thereto.

3. A display apparatus furnished with a touch sensor according to claim 2, wherein the display panel is partitioned into four regions each comprising two rows and two columns,

and wherein the electric field generating electrode is arranged at the center of the four regions,

and wherein the electric field detection electrodes are each arranged in the vicinity of the respective corners of the four regions that are opposite to the electric field generating electrode.

4. A display apparatus furnished with a touch sensor according to claim 1, wherein the electric field generating electrode is formed along a first edge of the display panel,

and wherein the electric field detection electrode is formed along a second edge of the display panel that is opposite to the first edge.

5. An electronic device comprising a display apparatus furnished with a touch sensor according to claim 1.

6. A control circuit for a display module furnished with a touch sensor, wherein the display module comprises:

a display panel;

a plurality of sensor electrodes formed in a region where they overlap the display panel, and each having an electrostatic capacitance that changes according to a state of being touched by a user; and

a proximity sensor electrode pair comprising an electric field generating electrode and an electric field detection electrode each formed as a transparent electrode in a region where they overlap the display panel, and configured to generate an electric field between these two electrodes,

and wherein the control circuit comprises an electrostatic capacitance detection circuit configured to detect change in the electrostatic capacitance that occurs at each of the plurality of sensor electrodes so as to detect a position touched by a user, and comprising at least a component that is switchable between an operating state and a non-operating state,

and wherein the electrostatic capacitance detection circuit is connected to a proximity detection circuit configured to detect the user being in proximity to the display panel by monitoring change in the electric field generated between the proximity sensor electrode pair,

wherein said at least one component of the electrostatic capacitance detection circuit is configured to switch from the non-operating state to the operating state upon detection by means of the proximity detection circuit that the user is in proximity thereto.

7. A control circuit according to claim 6, wherein the display panel is partitioned into a plurality of regions,

and wherein the proximity sensor electrode pair is provided for each of the plurality of regions thus partitioned,

and wherein the proximity detection circuits are each configured to detect, for the respective regions, whether or not the user is in proximity thereto,

and wherein the electrostatic capacitance detection circuit is configured to execute electrostatic capacitance detection processing for the sensor electrodes that correspond to a region where it has been detected that the user is in proximity thereto.

8. A control circuit according to claim 7, wherein the display panel is partitioned into four regions comprising two rows and two columns,

and wherein the electric field generating electrode is arranged at the center of the four regions,

and wherein the electric field detection electrodes are each arranged in the vicinity of the respective corners of the four regions that are opposite to the electric field generating electrode.

9. A control circuit according to claim 6, wherein the electric field generating electrode is formed along a first edge of the display panel,

and wherein the electric field detection electrode is formed along a second edge of the display panel that is opposite to the first edge.

10. An electronic device comprising a control circuit according to claim 6.