PROXIMITY DETECTION DEVICE, METHOD OF DETECTING PROXIMITY AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS

• US 20130222297A1
• Filed: 01/14/2013
• Published: 08/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Japan Display Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Japan Display West Incorporated (Japan Display Incorporated)
• Inventors: Adachi, Koichiro
• Granted Patent: US 9,235,282 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• 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 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• 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

A proximity detection device includes a display unit which has a display image surface in which a plurality of pixel electrodes are arranged in a matrix shape and a proximity operation detecting unit in which a transparent electrode for proximity operation detection is arranged to form an operation surface at a position superposed on the display image surface and a conductive film pattern forming the transparent electrode has a pitch of a linear pattern which is equal to or smaller than an arrangement pitch in one direction of the pixel electrodes.

Claims

1. A proximity detection device comprising:

a display unit which has a display image surface in which a plurality of pixel electrodes are arranged in a matrix shape; and

a proximity operation detecting unit in which a transparent electrode for proximity operation detection is arranged to form an operation surface at a position superposed on the display image surface and a conductive film pattern forming the transparent electrode has a pitch of a linear pattern which is equal to or smaller than an arrangement pitch in one direction of the pixel electrodes.

2. The proximity detection device according to claim 1,

wherein the conductive film pattern has an electrode pattern portion which functions as an electrode and a dummy pattern portion which does not function as an electrode, and the pitch of the linear pattern in the conductive film pattern of both of the electrode pattern portion and the dummy pattern portion is equal to or smaller than the arrangement pitch in the one direction of the pixel electrodes.

3. A method of detecting proximity comprising:

detecting a proximity operation by using a transparent electrode with a conductive film pattern having a pitch of a linear pattern which is equal to or smaller than an arrangement pitch in one direction of pixel electrodes in a proximity detection device in which the transparent electrode for proximity operation detection is arranged to form an operation surface at a position superposed on a display image surface in which a plurality of the pixel electrodes are arranged in a matrix shape.

4. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a proximity detection device,

wherein the proximity detection device includes

a display unit which has a display image surface in which a plurality of pixel electrodes are arranged in a matrix shape, and

a proximity operation detecting unit in which a transparent electrode for proximity operation detection is arranged to form an operation surface at a position superposed on the display image surface and a conductive film pattern forming the transparent electrode has a pitch of a linear pattern which is equal to or smaller than an arrangement pitch in one direction of the pixel electrodes.

5. A proximity detection device comprising:

a display unit which has a display image surface in which a plurality of pixel electrodes are arranged in a matrix shape; and

a proximity operation detecting unit in which a transparent electrode for proximity operation detection is arranged to form an operation surface at a position superposed on the display image surface and a spot-like non-conductive portion is formed in a conductive film pattern forming the transparent electrode.

6. The proximity detection device according to claim 5,

wherein the spot-like non-conductive portion is randomly arranged in the conductive film pattern forming the transparent electrode.

7. The proximity detection device according to claim 5,

wherein the conductive film pattern has an electrode pattern portion which functions as an electrode and a dummy pattern portion which does not function as an electrode and the spot-like non-conductive portion is formed in the conductive film pattern of both of the electrode pattern portion and the dummy pattern portion.

8. A method of detecting proximity comprising:

detecting a proximity operation by using a transparent electrode with a conductive film pattern in which a spot-like non-conductive portion is formed in a proximity detection device in which the transparent electrode for proximity operation detection is arranged to form an operation surface at a position superposed on a display image surface in which a plurality of the pixel electrodes are arranged in a matrix shape.

9. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a proximity detection device,

wherein the proximity detection device includes

a display unit which has a display image surface in which a plurality of pixel electrodes are arranged in a matrix shape, and

a proximity operation detecting unit in which a transparent electrode for proximity operation detection is arranged to form an operation surface at a position superposed on the display image surface and a spot-like non-conductive portion is formed in a conductive film pattern forming the transparent electrode.

10. A proximity detection device comprising:

a display unit which has a display image surface in which a plurality of pixel electrodes are arranged in a matrix shape; and

a proximity operation detecting unit in which a transparent electrode for proximity operation detection is arranged to form an operation surface at a position superposed on the display image surface and a conductive film pattern forming the transparent electrode is a pattern of a continuous bending line or wavy line.

11. The proximity detection device according to claim 10,

wherein the conductive film pattern has a pitch of the bending line or the wavy line which is equal to or smaller than an arrangement pitch in the one direction of the pixel electrodes.

12. The proximity detection device according to claim 10,

wherein the conductive film pattern has an electrode pattern portion which functions as an electrode and a dummy pattern portion which does not function as an electrode and the conductive film pattern of both of the electrode pattern portion and the dummy pattern portion is a pattern of the continuous bending line or wavy line.

13. A method of detecting proximity comprising:

detecting a proximity operation by using a transparent electrode having a conductive film pattern of a continuous bending line or wavy line in a proximity detection device in which the transparent electrode for proximity operation detection is arranged to form an operation surface at a position superposed on a display image surface in which a plurality of the pixel electrodes are arranged in a matrix shape.

14. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a proximity detection device,

wherein the proximity detection device includes

a display unit which has a display image surface in which a plurality of pixel electrodes are arranged in a matrix shape, and

a proximity operation detecting unit in which a transparent electrode for proximity operation detection is arranged to form an operation surface at a position superposed on the display image surface and a conductive film pattern forming the transparent electrode is a pattern of a continuous bending line or wavy line.