SENSOR-EQUIPPED DISPLAY DEVICE AND SENSOR DEVICE

• US 20150268797A1
• Filed: 03/23/2015
• Published: 09/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Japan Display Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Japan Display Incorporated
• Inventors: KURASAWA, Hayato, MIZUHASHI, Hiroshi, ISHIZAKI, Koji
• Granted Patent: US 9,791,973 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04112 Electrode mesh in capacitive digitiser: electrode for touch sensing is formed of a mesh of very fine, normally metallic, interconnected lines that are almost invisible to see. This provides a quite large but transparent electrode surface, without need for ITO or similar transparent conductive material
• 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 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• 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

According to one embodiment, a sensor-equipped display device includes a display panel including a sensor driving electrode, a detection electrode opposed to the sensor driving electrode, and a lead line electrically connected to the detection electrode, and a driving unit configured to supply a sensor driving signal to the sensor driving electrode, and to read out from the detection electrode a detection signal based on the sensor driving signal supplied to the sensor driving electrode. The detection electrode includes a large-width portion connected to the lead line and has a first width, and a main body portion which is continuous with the large-width portion, extends in a direction away from the lead line, and has a second width that is less than the first width.

Claims

1. A sensor-equipped display device comprising:

a display panel including a sensor driving electrode disposed in a display area which displays an image, a detection electrode opposed to the sensor driving electrode in the display area, and a lead line disposed in a non-display area outside the display area and electrically connected to the detection electrode; and

a driving unit configured to supply a sensor driving signal to the sensor driving electrode, and to read out from the detection electrode a detection signal based on the sensor driving signal supplied to the sensor driving electrode,

wherein the detection electrode includes a large-width portion which is connected to the lead line, disposed along a boundary between the display area and the non-display area and has a first width, and a main body portion which is continuous with the large-width portion, extends in a direction away from the lead line, is disposed in the display area, and has a second width that is less than the first width.

2. The sensor-equipped display device of claim 1, further comprising a second large-width portion neighboring the large-width portion, wherein the large-width portion and the second large-width portion are arranged along a boundary between the display area and the non-display area and form a surrounding portion.

3. The sensor-equipped display device of claim 1, wherein the sensor driving electrode includes a plurality of divisional electrodes which are arranged at intervals in a first direction and extend in a second direction crossing the first direction, and

each of the divisional electrodes has a first electrode width in the first direction, the large-width portion has a second electrode width in the first direction in the display area, and the second electrode width is equal to or less than half the first electrode width.

4. The sensor-equipped display device of claim 1, wherein the large-width portion and the main body portion are arranged in a first direction, the large-width portion has a second electrode width in the first direction in the display area, the large-width portion has a third width in a second direction crossing the first direction at a portion thereof projecting from the main body portion in the second direction, and the second electrode width is less than the third width.

5. The sensor-equipped display device of claim 1, wherein the detection electrode is formed of a connection line disposed in the large-width portion and connected to the lead line, a first detection line connected to the connection line and disposed in the large-width portion, and a second detection line which is connected to the connection line, is longer than the first detection line and extends over the large-width portion and the main body portion.

6. The sensor-equipped display device of claim 5, wherein the connection line, the first detection line and the second detection line are formed of a metallic material.

7. The sensor-equipped display device of claim 1, wherein the detection electrode is formed of a transparent, electrically conductive material.

8. A sensor-equipped display device comprising:

a display panel including a common electrode and a pixel electrode which are disposed in a display area which displays an image, a detection electrode opposed to the common electrode in the display area, and a lead line disposed in a non-display area outside the display area and electrically connected to the detection electrode,

wherein the detection electrode is formed of a connection line disposed in the non-display area and connected to the lead line, and a plurality of detection lines connected to the connection line, a number of the detection lines in a large-width portion extending over a boundary between the display area and the non-display area being greater than a number of the detection lines in a main body portion located in the display area.

9. The sensor-equipped display device of claim 8, wherein each of the detection lines is formed in a wavy shape.

10. The sensor-equipped display device of claim 8, wherein the detection lines are arranged substantially at regular intervals.

11. The sensor-equipped display device of claim 8, wherein the detection lines are formed of a plurality of first detection lines connected to the connection line and disposed in the large-width portion, and a plurality of second detection lines which are connected to the connection line, are longer than the first detection lines and extend over the large-width portion and the main body portion.

12. The sensor-equipped display device of claim 11, wherein a first distance in a second direction between the first detection lines, which are connected to one end side and the other end side of the connection line in the large-width portion, is greater than a second distance in the second direction between the second detection lines which are connected to one end side and the other end side of the connection line in the main body portion.

13. The sensor-equipped display device of claim 8, wherein the connection line and the detection lines are formed of a metallic material.

14. A sensor device comprising:

a sensor panel including a sensor driving electrode disposed in a first area, a detection electrode opposed to the sensor driving electrode in the first area, and a lead line disposed in a second area outside the first area and electrically connected to the detection electrode; and

a driving unit configured to supply a sensor driving signal to the sensor driving electrode, and to read out from the detection electrode a detection signal based on the sensor driving signal supplied to the sensor driving electrode,

wherein the detection electrode includes a large-width portion which is connected to the lead line, disposed along a boundary between the first area and the second area and has a first width, and a main body portion which is continuous with the large-width portion, extends in a direction away from the lead line, is disposed in the first area, and has a second width that is less than the first width.

15. The sensor device of claim 14, wherein the sensor panel is configured such that, in relation to a display device including a display area which displays an image and a non-display area outside the display area, the first area is opposed to the display area, and the second area is opposed to the non-display area.

16. The sensor device of claim 14, wherein the detection electrode is formed of a connection line disposed in the large-width portion and connected to the lead line, a first detection line connected to the connection line and disposed in the large-width portion, and a second detection line which is connected to the connection line, is longer than the first detection line and extends over the large-width portion and the main body portion.

17. The sensor device of claim 16, wherein the connection line, the first detection line and the second detection line are formed of a metallic material.

18. The sensor device of claim 14, wherein the detection electrode is formed of a transparent, electrically conductive material.

19. A sensor-equipped display device comprising:

a display panel including a common electrode and a pixel electrode which are disposed in a display area which displays an image, and a first detection electrode and a second detection electrode which are opposed to the common electrode in the display area,

wherein the first detection electrode is formed of a first connection line disposed in a non-display area outside the display area, and a plurality of first detection lines connected to the first connection line, a number of the first detection lines in a first large-width portion extending over a boundary between the display area and the non-display area being greater than a number of the first detection lines in a first main body portion located in the display area,

the second detection electrode is formed of a second connection line disposed in the non-display area, and a plurality of second detection lines connected to the second connection line, a number of the second detection lines in a second large-width portion extending over the boundary and neighboring the first large-width portion being greater than a number of the second detection lines in a second main body portion located in the display area, and

the first detection lines and the second detection lines are arranged at regular intervals along the boundary.

20. The sensor-equipped display device of claim 19, wherein each of the first detection lines and the second detection lines is formed in a wavy shape with an equal wave height, and

a distance between the first detection line of the first large-width portion, which neighbors the second large-width portion, and the second detection line of the second large-width portion, which neighbors the first large-width portion, is equal to or less than the wave height.