DISPLAY DEVICE INCLUDING TOUCH SENSOR

• US 20130265244A1
• Filed: 08/10/2012
• Published: 10/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: KIM, Chul, PARK, Su Bin, MOON, Seung Hwan, GOO, Nam-Hee, JUNG, Seok-Hyun, KIM, Ji Woong
• Granted Patent: US 8,884,921 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• 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 3/0445 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0448 Details of the electrode shape, e.g. for enhancing the detection of touches, for generating specific electric field shapes, for enhancing display quality

Abstract

A display device includes a first substrate including a first surface, on which a touch by an external object occurs, and a second surface opposite to the first surface, a plurality of driving signal lines positioned on the second surface of the first substrate, where the plurality of driving signal lines transmits a driving signal for displaying an image, a plurality of pixels including a plurality of switching elements connected to the plurality of driving signal lines, a sensing signal line positioned on one of the first surface and the second surface of the first substrate, where the sensing signal line transmits a sensing signal generated based on the touch by the external object, and a touch sensor unit including a sensing capacitor defined by at least one driving signal line of the plurality of driving signal lines and the sensing signal line.

Claims

1. A display device comprising:

a first substrate including a first surface, on which a touch by an external object occurs, and a second surface opposite to the first surface;

a plurality of driving signal lines positioned on the second surface of the first substrate, wherein the plurality of driving signal lines transmits a driving signal for displaying an image;

a plurality of pixels including a plurality of switching elements connected to the plurality of driving signal lines;

a sensing signal line positioned on one of the first surface and the second surface of the first substrate, wherein the sensing signal line transmits a sensing signal generated based on the touch by the external object; and

a touch sensor unit including a sensing capacitor defined by at least one driving signal line of the plurality of driving signal lines and the sensing signal line.

2. The display device of claim 1, further comprising:

an insulating layer positioned on the second surface of the first substrate,

wherein the sensing signal line is positioned between the insulating layer and the second surface of the first substrate, and

wherein the plurality of driving signal lines is positioned on the insulating layer.

3. The display device of claim 2, wherein

the sensing capacitor comprises:

an overlap sensing capacitor defined by an overlapping portion of the sensing signal line and the at least one driving signal lines, in which the sensing signal line and the at least one driving signal lines overlap each other; and

a fringe sensing capacitor defined by a facing portion of the sensing signal line and the at least one driving signal line, in which the sensing signal line and the at least one driving signal lines do not overlap each other.

4. The display device of claim 3, wherein

the plurality of pixels include a plurality of thin film transistors, and

the plurality of driving signal lines includes a plurality of gate lines which transmits a gate signal to the plurality of thin film transistors.

5. The display device of claim 4, further comprising:

a sensing input signal input section which outputs a sensing input signal;

a gate driver which transmits the gate signal to the plurality of gate lines; and

a selector which selects one of the gate signal and the sensing input signal and transmits the selected one of the gate signal and the sensing input signal to the plurality of gate lines.

6. The display device of claim 5, further comprising

a sensing signal processor connected to the sensing signal line, wherein the sensing signal processor processes the sensing signal,

wherein the sensing input signal input section is disposed in the sensing signal processor.

7. The display device of claim 6, further comprising:

a sensing input signal line separated from the plurality of driving signal lines; and

at least one other touch sensor unit including a sensing capacitor formed by the sensing input signal line and the sensing signal line.

8. The display device of claim 7, further comprising:

a common voltage line positioned on the second surface of the first substrate, wherein the common voltage line transmits a common voltage,

wherein the sensing input signal line is positioned between the common voltage line and a gate line of the plurality of gate lines.

9. The display device of claim 3, wherein

the sensing signal line in the touch sensor unit includes a main sensing signal line and a plurality of sensing electrodes extending from the main sensing signal line.

10. The display device of claim 9, wherein

the plurality of sensing electrodes extends from and crossing the main sensing signal line.

11. The display device of claim 10, wherein

the plurality of pixels include a plurality of thin film transistors, and

the plurality of driving signal lines include a plurality of gate lines which transmits a gate signal to the plurality of thin film transistors,

a first sensing electrode of the plurality of sensing electrodes overlaps the plurality of gate lines, and

a second sensing electrode of the plurality of sensing electrodes is adjacent to the plurality of gate lines and not overlapping the plurality of gate lines.

12. The display device of claim 11, wherein

a number of the plurality of sensing electrodes in the touch sensor unit is less than a number of the gate lines in the touch sensor unit.

13. The display device of claim 12, further comprising:

a dummy pattern separated from the sensing signal line and positioned between the plurality of sensing electrodes.

14. The display device of claim 13, wherein

the dummy pattern includes a first portion overlapping the gate line and a second portion adjacent to the plurality of gate lines and not overlapping the plurality of gate lines.

15. The display device of claim 14, wherein

the sensing signal line includes a plurality of main sensing signal lines, and

the plurality of sensing electrodes are positioned between neighboring main sensing signal lines of the plurality of main sensing signal lines and connected to at least one of the neighboring main sensing signal lines.

16. The display device of claim 10, wherein

the main sensing signal line includes a plurality of expansions linearly arranged and a plurality of connections which connects neighboring expansions of the plurality of expansions.

17. The display device of claim 3, wherein

the sensing signal line in the touch sensor unit includes a sub-sensing signal line and a connection which connects the sub-sensing signal line.

18. The display device of claim 17, further comprising:

a plurality of sensing electrodes extending from the sub-sensing signal line.

19. The display device of claim 18, wherein

the sub-sensing signal line is periodically curved.

20. The display device of claim 19, wherein

the sub-sensing signal line overlaps a data line.

21. The display device of claim 3, wherein

the sensing signal line includes a transparent conductive material.

22. The display device of claim 2, wherein

the sensing signal line includes a non-transparent conductive material.

23. The display device of claim 22, further comprising:

a common voltage line positioned on the second surface of the first substrate, wherein the common voltage line transmits a common voltage; and

a light blocking member positioned on the second surface of the first substrate,

wherein the sensing signal line is covered by at least one of the plurality of driving signal lines, the common voltage line and the light blocking member.

24. The display device of claim 23, wherein

the light blocking member is positioned between the first substrate and the sensing signal line.

25. The display device of claim 24, wherein

the sensing signal line corresponding to the touch sensor unit includes a sub-sensing signal line and a plurality of sensing electrodes extending from the sub-sensing signal line.

26. The display device of claim 25, wherein

the plurality of pixels include a plurality of thin film transistors,

the plurality of driving signal lines include a plurality of gate lines which transmits a gate signal to the plurality of thin film transistors, and

a sensing electrode of the plurality of sensing electrodes overlaps the plurality of gate lines.

27. The display device of claim 26, wherein

a number of the plurality of sensing electrodes in the touch sensor is less than a number of the plurality of gate lines in the touch sensor unit.

28. The display device of claim 24, wherein

the plurality of pixels include a plurality of thin film transistors,

the plurality of driving signal lines include a plurality of gate lines which transmits a gate signal to the plurality of thin film transistors, and

the sensing signal line corresponding to a touch sensor unit includes a plurality of sub-sensing signal lines crossing the plurality of gate lines.

29. The display device of claim 1, wherein

the sensing signal line is positioned on the first surface of the first substrate, and

the sensing signal line includes a transparent conductive material.

30. The display device of claim 29, wherein

the sensing capacitor comprises:

an overlap sensing capacitor defined by an overlapping portion of the sensing signal line and the at least one driving signal lines, in which the sensing signal line and the at least one driving signal lines overlap each other; and

a fringe sensing capacitor defined by a facing portion of the sensing signal line and the at least one driving signal lines, in which the sensing signal line and the at least one driving signal lines do not overlap each other.