LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY

• US 20140240621A1
• Filed: 08/31/2011
• Published: 08/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Klinghult, Gunnar, Aberg, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 9,791,950 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 349/12
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact

Abstract

A liquid crystal display (10) with a force sensitive display surface has a liquid crystal layer (13)? between a liquid crystal control layer (12) and a window layer (15). A color filter layer (14) with color filters (19) or a 3D filter layer (25) with 3D barrier units (22) may be provided between the liquid crystal layer (13) and the window layer (15). The control, window, color or 3D filter layer (12,14,15,25) comprises an electrically conductive sensor structure (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26a, 26b) comprising piezoresistive material for sensing the force applied by a user'"'"'s finger on the display (10), and the sensor structure may, additionally, provide capacitance varying for sensing the touch position.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal display comprising a layered structure comprising:

a liquid crystal control layer comprising an electrically conductive control structure for driving liquid crystals,

a liquid crystal layer comprising the liquid crystals, and

a window layer comprising a transparent cover for covering the liquid crystal layer,

wherein the window layer comprises an electrically conductive sensor structure comprising a force sensitive material, the electrically conductive sensor structure being adapted to provide a capacitance varying in response to a change in its surrounding environment, and to provide a resistance varying in response to a force being applied to the window layer.

8. The liquid crystal display as defined in claim 1, wherein the force sensitive material comprises a piezoresistive material.

9. The liquid crystal display as defined in claim 1, wherein the force sensitive material comprises at least one of indium tin oxide, a conducting polymer, or carbon nano tubes.

10. A touch sensitive user interface, comprising:

a liquid crystal display as defined in claim 1, and

a processing unit coupled to the electrically conductive structure of the liquid crystal display and adapted to determine a touching position of a user touching the liquid crystal display based on a capacitance varying in response to a change in its surrounding environment, and to determine a force being applied by the user on the liquid crystal display based on the varying resistance.

11. The touch sensitive user interface according to claim 10, wherein the processing unit is adapted to perform the determination of the touch position, the determination of the force and a control of the liquid crystals in a time multiplexed manner.

12. A device comprising a touch sensitive user interface according to claim 10, wherein the device comprises at least one device of a comprising a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant, a mobile music player, or a navigation system.

2. A liquid crystal display comprising a layered structure comprising:

a liquid crystal control layer comprising an electrically conductive control structure for driving liquid crystals,

a liquid crystal layer comprising the liquid crystals, and

a window layer comprising a transparent cover for covering the liquid crystal layer,

wherein the liquid crystal control layer comprises additionally an electrically conductive sensor structure comprising a force sensitive material, the electrically conductive sensor structure being adapted to provide a resistance varying in response to a force being applied to the liquid crystal control layer.

7. The liquid crystal display as defined in claim 2, further comprising:

a touch panel layer comprising an electrically conductive touch sensor structure, the electrically conductive touch sensor structure being adapted to provide a capacitance varying in response to a change in its surrounding environment.

3. A liquid crystal display comprising a layered structure comprising:

a liquid crystal control layer comprising an electrically conductive control structure for driving liquid crystals,

a liquid crystal layer comprising the liquid crystals, and

a color filter layer comprising a color filter and covering the liquid crystal layer,

wherein the color filter layer comprises an electrically conductive sensor structure comprising a force sensitive material, the electrically conductive sensor structure being adapted to provide a resistance varying in response to a force being applied to the color filter layer.

4. The liquid crystal display according to claim 3,

wherein the electrically conductive sensor structure is additionally adapted to provide a capacitance varying in response to a change in its surrounding environment.

5. A liquid crystal display comprising a layered structure comprising:

a liquid crystal control layer comprising an electrically conductive control structure for driving liquid crystals,

a liquid crystal layer comprising the liquid crystals, and

a window layer comprising a transparent cover for covering the liquid crystal layer,

wherein the electrically conductive control structure comprises a force sensitive material and is adapted to provide a resistance varying in response to a force being applied to the liquid crystal control layer.

6. A liquid crystal display comprising a layered structure comprising:

a liquid crystal control layer comprising an electrically conductive control structure for driving liquid crystals,

a liquid crystal layer comprising the liquid crystals, and

a 3D filter layer comprising 3D barrier units and an electrically conductive barrier control structure for controlling the 3D barrier units, the 3D filter layer covering the liquid crystal layer, wherein the 3D barrier units, when controlled by the electrically conductive barrier control structure, enable that some pixels of the liquid crystal layer are visible from a first viewing angle and some other pixels of the liquid crystal layer are visible from a different second viewing angle,

wherein the electrically conductive barrier control structure comprises a force sensitive material and is adapted to provide a resistance varying in response to a force being applied to the 3D filter layer.