IMAGING PANEL AND IMAGING DEVICE

• US 20140340363A1
• Filed: 05/09/2014
• Published: 11/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: IKEDA, Takayuki, INOUE, Seiko, MIYAKE, Hiroyuki, TOYOTAKA, Kouhei, NAKAGAWA, Takashi
• Granted Patent: US 9,817,520 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/175
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04102 Flexible digitiser, i.e. constructional details for allowing the whole digitising part of a device to be flexed or rolled like a sheet of paper
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04164 Connections between sensors and controllers, e.g. routing lines between electrodes and connection pads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means

Abstract

A novel transmissive imaging panel, a novel imaging panel with a display function, or a novel imaging device is provided. The imaging panel that includes a plurality of windows or pixels arranged in matrix, a photoelectric conversion element extending between the plurality of windows or pixels, and a sensor circuit supplied with a signal from the photoelectric conversion element has been devised.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

a plurality of imaging pixels,

wherein a first imaging pixel of the plurality of imaging pixels includes a plurality of windows arranged in matrix, a first photoelectric conversion element between the plurality of windows, and a first sensor circuit between the plurality of windows,

wherein the plurality of windows transmit visible light, and

wherein the first photoelectric conversion element is configured to supply a first signal to the first sensor circuit.

2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the first photoelectric conversion element extends along the plurality of windows in a row direction and a column direction.

3. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the first photoelectric conversion element has a grid-like formation.

4. The semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein a second imaging pixel of the plurality of imaging pixels includes a plurality of windows arranged in matrix, a second photoelectric conversion element between the plurality of windows, and a second sensor circuit between the plurality of windows,

wherein the plurality of windows transmit visible light,

wherein the second photoelectric conversion element is configured to supply a second signal to the second sensor circuit, and

wherein the first sensor circuit and the second sensor circuit are connected to each other in parallel.

5. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, further comprising a read circuit,

wherein a second imaging pixel of the plurality of imaging pixels includes a second sensor circuit,

wherein the first sensor circuit and the second sensor circuit are configured to supply a first imaging signal and a second imaging signal to the read circuit, respectively, and

wherein the read circuit includes first and second amplifiers amplifying the first and second imaging signals to first and second amplified signals, respectively, and a selection circuit selecting one of the first and second amplified signals.

6. A touch panel including a display panel and the semiconductor device according to claim 1.

7. A semiconductor device comprising:

a plurality of imaging pixels,

wherein a first imaging pixel of the plurality of imaging pixels includes a plurality of windows arranged in matrix, a first photoelectric conversion element and a second photoelectric conversion element between the plurality of windows, and a first sensor circuit between the plurality of windows,

wherein the plurality of windows transmit visible light, and

wherein the first photoelectric conversion element and the second photoelectric conversion element are configured to supply a first signal and a second signal to the first sensor circuit, respectively.

8. The semiconductor device according to claim 7, wherein the first photoelectric conversion element and the second photoelectric conversion element extend along the plurality of windows in a row direction, and are connected to each other in parallel.

9. The semiconductor device according to claim 7, further comprising a read circuit and a second imaging pixel including a second sensor circuit,

wherein the first sensor circuit and the second sensor circuit are configured to supply a first imaging signal and a second imaging signal to the read circuit, respectively, and

wherein the read circuit includes first and second amplifiers amplifying the first and second imaging signals to first and second amplified signals, respectively, and a selection circuit selecting one of the first and second amplified signals.

10. A touch panel including a display panel and the semiconductor device according to claim 7.

11. A semiconductor device comprising:

a plurality of imaging pixels,

wherein a first imaging pixel of the plurality of imaging pixels includes a plurality of display pixels arranged in matrix, a first photoelectric conversion element between the plurality of display pixels, and a first sensor circuit between the plurality of display pixels,

wherein the first photoelectric conversion element is configured to supply a first signal to the first sensor circuit, and

wherein a display pixel of the plurality of display pixels includes a display element and a display pixel circuit configured to supply a second signal to the display element.

12. The semiconductor device according to claim 11, wherein the first photoelectric conversion element extends along the plurality of display pixels in a row direction and a column direction.

13. The semiconductor device according to claim 11, wherein the first photoelectric conversion element has a grid-like formation.

14. The semiconductor device according to claim 11,

wherein a second imaging pixel of the plurality of imaging pixels includes a plurality of display pixels arranged in matrix, a second photoelectric conversion element between the plurality of display pixels, and a second sensor circuit between the plurality of display pixels,

wherein the second photoelectric conversion element is configured to supply a third signal to the second sensor circuit, and

wherein the first sensor circuit and the second sensor circuit are connected to each other in parallel.

15. The semiconductor device according to claim 11, wherein the display element is selected from the group consisting of a liquid crystal element, an organic electroluminescent element, electronic ink, a MEMS shutter display element, and a MEMS optical coherence display element.

16. The semiconductor device according to claim 11, further comprising a read circuit,

wherein a second imaging pixel of the plurality of imaging pixels includes a second sensor circuit,

wherein the first sensor circuit and the second sensor circuit are configured to supply a first imaging signal and a second imaging signal to the read circuit, respectively, and

wherein the read circuit includes first and second amplifiers amplifying the first and second imaging signals to first and second amplified signals, respectively, and a selection circuit selecting one of the first and second amplified signals.

17. A touch panel including the semiconductor device according to claim 11.

18. A semiconductor device comprising:

a plurality of imaging pixels,

wherein a first imaging pixel of the plurality of imaging pixels includes a plurality of display pixels arranged in matrix, a first photoelectric conversion element and a second photoelectric conversion element between the plurality of display pixels, and a first sensor circuit between the plurality of display pixels,

wherein the first photoelectric conversion element and the second photoelectric conversion element are configured to supply a first signal and a second signal to the first sensor circuit, respectively, and

wherein a display pixel of the plurality of display pixels includes a display element and a display pixel circuit configured to supply a third signal to the display element.

19. The semiconductor device according to claim 18, wherein the first photoelectric conversion element and the second photoelectric conversion element extend along the plurality of display pixels in a row direction, and are connected to each other in parallel.

20. The semiconductor device according to claim 18, wherein the display element is selected from the group consisting of a liquid crystal element, an organic electroluminescent element, electronic ink, a MEMS shutter display element, and a MEMS optical coherence display element.

21. The semiconductor device according to claim 18, further comprising a read circuit and a second imaging pixel including a second sensor circuit,

wherein the first sensor circuit and the second sensor circuit are configured to supply a first imaging signal and a second imaging signal to the read circuit, respectively, and

wherein the read circuit includes first and second amplifiers amplifying the first and second imaging signals to first and second amplified signals, respectively, and a selection circuit selecting one of the first and second amplified signals.

22. A touch panel including the semiconductor device according to claim 18.