DISPLAY DEVICE INCLUDING TOUCH SENSOR

• US 20130335365A1
• Filed: 10/15/2012
• Published: 12/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.), Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kim, Chul, Kwon, Ho Kyoon, Cha, Ki Seok, Jung, Seok-Hyun, Byun, Ho Jin, Song, Dae ho
• Granted Patent: US 9,477,353 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/174
• 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 display device include a first surface, a sensing capacitor having a sensing input electrode and a sensing output electrode, wherein the sensing capacitor stores a first amount of charges and the sensing capacitor stored a second amount of charges when an external object contacts on the first surface, a sensing input signal line electrically connected with the sensing input electrode and receiving a sensing input signal to charge the sensing capacitor to the first amount of charges, a sensing output signal line electrically connected with the sensing output electrode, and a sensing signal processor connected with the sensing output signal line, wherein the sensing signal processor determines whether an external objects contact on the first surface based on a voltage difference between the first amount of charges and the second amount of charges stored in the sensing capacitor.

Claims

1. A display device, comprising:

a first surface;

a sensing capacitor having a sensing input electrode and a sensing output electrode, wherein the sensing capacitor stores a first amount of charges and the sensing capacitor stored a second amount of charges when an external object contacts on the first surface;

a sensing input signal line electrically connected with the sensing input electrode and receiving a sensing input signal to charge the sensing capacitor to the first amount of charges;

a sensing output signal line electrically connected with the sensing output electrode; and

a sensing signal processor connected with the sensing output signal line, wherein the sensing signal processor determines whether an external object contacts on the first surface based on a voltage difference between the first amount of charges and the second amount of charges stored in the sensing capacitor.

2. The display device of claim 1, wherein the sensing input signal line has a lower resistance than the sensing input electrode, and the sensing output signal line has a lower resistance than the sensing output electrode.

3. The display device of claim 2, further comprising

an insulating layer positioned on the sensing input electrode and the sensing output electrode,

wherein the sensing input signal line is positioned on one side of the insulating layer and the sensing output signal line are positioned on the other side of the insulating layer.

4. The display device of claim 3, wherein the sensing input signal line contacts the sensing input electrode and the sensing output signal line is connected to the sensing output electrode through a contact hole formed in the insulation layer, or the sensing output signal line contacts the sensing output electrode and the sensing input signal line is connected to the sensing input electrode through a contact hole.

5. The display device of claim 4 further comprising a gate line transmitting a gate signal to a pixel and are positioned on the insulating layer, wherein the pixel emits light through the first surface, and wherein the gate line is adjacent to and substantially parallel to the sensing input signal line.

6. The display device of claim 5, wherein at least one of the sensing input electrode and the sensing output electrode includes a thinner portion which overlaps with the gate line.

7. The display device of claim 6, wherein the sensing input signal line contacts and is electrically connected to the thinner portion.

8. The display device of claim 6, wherein the sensing input signal line comprises a plurality of sub input signal lines overlapping the sensing input electrode, wherein the sub input signal lines run substantially parallel to each other.

9. The display device of claim 5, wherein at least one of the sensing output electrode and the sensing input electrode includes a plurality of sensing electrodes arranged in a column direction and a connection part connecting adjacent sensing electrodes, wherein the connection part has a relatively smaller width than the sensing electrode.

10. The display device of claim 5, wherein at least one of the sensing input electrode and the sensing output electrode includes a metal, and has a mesh shape having an opening for transmitting light emitting from the pixel.

11. The display device of claim 10, further comprising:

a light blocking layer covering the sensing input electrode and the sensing output electrode.

12. The display device of claim 11, further comprising:

an anti-reflective layer positioned on at least one of the sensing input signal line, the sensing output signal line, the sensing input electrode and the sensing output electrode.

13. The display device of claim 12, wherein the anti-reflective layer includes at least one of CuNx, TiOx and SiNx.

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

a printed circuit board connected with a display panel having the pixel, the sensing capacitor, the sensing input signal line and the sensing output signal line through a printed circuit film, wherein the printed circuit film has a flat, rigid film.

15. The display device of claim 1, wherein the sensing signal processor includes a current integrator measure a voltage based on the first amount of charges and the second amount of charges stored in the sensing capacitor.

16. A display device, comprising:

a first surface;

a sensing capacitor having a sensing input electrode and a sensing output electrode, wherein the sensing capacitor stores a first amount of changes and the sensing capacitor stored a second amount of charges when an external object contacts on the first surface and wherein the sensing input electrode and the sensing output electrode are a mesh-shaped metal electrodes, each having an opening for transmitting light from a pixel to the first surface; and

a sensing signal processor connected with the sensing output electrode, wherein the sensing signal processor determines whether an external object contacts on the first surface based on a voltage difference between the first amount of charges and the second amount of charges stored in the sensing capacitor.

17. The display device of claim 16, further comprising:

a light blocking layer covering the sensing input electrode and the sensing output electrode.

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

an anti-reflective layer positioned on at least one of the sensing input electrode and the sensing output electrode.

19. The display device of claim 18, wherein:

the anti-reflective layer includes at least one of CuNx, TiOx and SiNx.

20. The display device of claim 16, further comprising:

a sensing input signal line electrically connected with the sensing input electrode and transmitting the sensing input signal from a sensing scan driver to the sensing input electrode.