DISPLAY DEVICE INCLUDING TOUCH SENSOR AND DRIVING METHOD THEREOF

• US 20160147375A1
• Filed: 06/16/2015
• Published: 05/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: BOK, Seung Lyong, Hong, Won Ki
• Granted Patent: US 10,394,387 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• 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 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen
• 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

A display device including a touch sensor and a driving method thereof, and more particularly, a curved display device including a touch sensor and a driving method thereof, are presented. The display device includes: a touch sensor unit including a plurality of touch sensors; and at least one touch surface curved to along a first direction, wherein the touch surface includes a center region and edge regions positioned at both sides of the center region along the first direction, and wherein a sensitivity of the touch sensor in the center region is higher than a sensitivity of the touch sensors in the edge regions.

Claims

1. A display device comprising:

a touch sensor unit including a plurality of touch sensors; and

at least one touch surface curved along a first direction,

wherein the touch surface includes a center region and edge regions positioned at both sides of the center region along the first direction, and

wherein a sensitivity of the touch sensor in the center region is higher than a sensitivity of the touch sensor in the edge regions.

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

a touch driver driving the plurality of touch sensors,

wherein a sensing input signal which the touch driver inputs into the touch sensor in the center region has a higher voltage than a sensing input signal which the touch driver inputs into the touch sensors in the edge regions.

3. The display device of claim 1, wherein:

the touch sensor includes a first touch electrode, and

an area of the first touch electrode in the center region is different from an area of the first touch electrode in one or both of the edge regions.

4. The display device of claim 3, wherein:

the touch sensor further includes a second touch electrode forming a sensing capacitor with the first touch electrode, and

an area of the second touch electrode in the center region is different from an area of the second touch electrode in the edge region.

5. The display device of claim 3, wherein:

the first touch electrode extends in a second direction crossing the first direction, and

the touch sensor further includes a second touch electrode crossing the first touch electrode.

6. The display device of claim 3, wherein:

an area ratio occupied by the plurality of first touch electrodes included in the plurality of touch sensors positioned in the center region is different from an area ratio occupied by the plurality of first touch electrodes included in the plurality of touch sensors positioned in the edge region, wherein the area ratio is area occupied by first touch electrodes over total area of the region.

7. The display device of claim 1, wherein:

an area ratio occupied by the plurality of first touch electrodes included in the plurality of touch sensors in the center per unit area is different from the area ratio occupied by the plurality of first touch electrodes included in the plurality of touch in the edge region per unit area.

8. The display device of claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of touch sensors includes a plurality of first touch electrodes, and

a distance between adjacent first touch electrodes which are in the center region is different from a distance between adjacent first touch electrodes which are in the edge region.

9. The display device of claim 8, wherein:

the first touch electrode extends in a second direction crossing the first direction, and

the touch sensor further includes a second touch electrode crossing the first touch electrode.

10. The display device of claim 8, wherein:

an area ratio occupied by the plurality of first touch electrodes included in the plurality of touch sensors in the center region per unit area is different from an area ratio occupied by the plurality of first touch electrodes included in the plurality of touch sensors in the edge per unit area.

11. The display device of claim 1, wherein:

each of the plurality of touch sensors includes a first touch electrode and a second touch electrode forming a sensing capacitor, and

a distance between the first touch electrode and the second touch electrode which are adjacent to each other and positioned in the center region is different from a distance between the first touch electrode and the second touch electrode which are adjacent to each other and positioned in the edge regions.

12. The display device of claim 11, wherein:

the touch sensor further includes an insulating layer positioned between the first touch electrode and the second touch electrode, and

a thickness of the insulating layer included in the touch sensor in the center region is different from a thickness of the insulating layer included in the touch sensor in the edge region.

13. The display device of claim 12, wherein:

a planar distance between the first touch electrode and the second touch electrode adjacent to each other in the center region is substantially the same as a planar distance between the first touch electrode and the second touch electrode adjacent to each other in the edge region.

14. The display device of claim 11, wherein:

an area ratio occupied by the plurality of first touch electrodes included in the plurality of touch sensors in the center per unit area is different from an area ratio occupied by the plurality of first touch electrodes included in the plurality of touch sensors in the edge per unit area.

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

a touch driver driving the plurality of touch sensors; and

a plurality of touch wires connecting the touch driver and the plurality of touch sensors to each other,

wherein in a direct touch mode, the touch driver applies a sensing input signal simultaneously to at least two touch sensors of the plurality of touch sensors in the center region.

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

a display panel displaying an image,

wherein the touch sensor unit is included in the display panel or positioned on a top surface of the display panel.

17. The display device of claim 16, wherein:

the display panel is curved along the first direction.

18. The display device of claim 1, wherein:

the display device includes a first touch surface and a second touch surface.

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

a third touch surface positioned between the first touch surface and the second touch surface,

wherein the third touch surface is substantially flat.

20. The display device of claim 18, wherein:

the first touch surface and the second touch surface face opposite directions.

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

a first touch driver for driving the touch sensor in the center region; and

a second touch driver for driving the touch sensor in the edge region,

wherein the first touch driver and the second touch driver are included in different chips.

22. A driving method of a display device including a touch sensor unit including a plurality of touch sensors, at least one touch surface curved along a first direction, and a touch driver driving the plurality of touch sensors, the method comprising:

receiving via the touch sensor a first sensing input signal, wherein the touch sensor is in the center region of the touch surface; and

receiving via the touch sensor a second sensing input signal, wherein the touch sensor is in one of the edge regions positioned next to the center region of the touch surface along the first direction;

wherein a voltage of the first sensing input signal is higher than a voltage of the second sensing input signal.