INPUT DEVICE AND DISPLAY DEVICE

• US 20160320903A1
• Filed: 04/29/2016
• Published: 11/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Japan Display Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Japan Display Incorporated
• Inventors: NAKANISHI, Takayuki, Yata, Tatsuya, Tamaki, Masaya
• Granted Patent: US 10,139,946 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04111 Cross over in capacitive digitiser, i.e. details of structures for connecting electrodes of the sensing pattern where the connections cross each other, e.g. bridge structures comprising an insulating layer, or vias through substrate
• 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 3/0445 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
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3607 for displaying colours or for displaying grey scales with a specific pixel layout, e.g. using sub-pixels display of colours in flat matrix panels other than liquid crystal displays G09G3/2003; grey scales specific for television H04N3/127
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3648 using an active matrix G09G3/367 - G09G3/3696 take precedence

Abstract

An input device includes a first substrate, a light-emitting element unit, and third conductive layers. The first substrate includes first and second surfaces. The light-emitting element unit includes: first conductive layers formed in one layer on the second surface side; second conductive layers formed in one layer on the second surface side different from the layer of the first conductive layers; and a luminescent layer provided between the first and the second conductive layers and electrically in contact therewith. The third conductive layers are formed to be insulated from the first and the second conductive layers and not to intersect with the second conductive layers in planar view, and are configured to detect a change in an electric field between the first and the third conductive layers depending on coordinates of a proximity object at a position overlapping with the first conductive layers and the first surface in planar view.

Claims

1. An input device comprising:

a first substrate including a first surface and a second surface;

a light-emitting element unit including;

a plurality of first conductive layers formed in one layer on the second surface side;

a plurality of second conductive layers formed in one layer on the second surface side different from the layer in which the first conductive layers are formed; and

at least one luminescent layer provided between the first conductive layers and the second conductive layers and electrically in contact with the first conductive layers and the second conductive layers; and

a plurality of third conductive layers that are formed so as to be insulated from the first conductive layers and the second conductive layers and not to intersect with the second conductive layers in planar view, and that are configured to detect a change in an electric field between the first conductive layers and the third conductive layers depending on coordinates of a proximity object present at a position overlapping with the first conductive layers and the first surface in planar view.

2. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the luminescent layer has a size overlapping with the first conductive layers and the second conductive layers in planar view.

3. The input device according to claim 2, wherein the light-emitting element unit is capable of emitting light along a shape of a contact portion at which the luminescent layer is electrically in contact with the second conductive layers.

4. The input device according to claim 3, wherein, when an extending direction of the first conductive layers is a first direction, and an extending direction of the second conductive layers is a second direction,

the light-emitting element unit further includes a first light-blocking portion provided closer to the first surface than the luminescent layer, and

the first light-blocking portion is provided in the same layer as the layer in which the second conductive layers are formed, and is formed as a wide portion such that the width of the second conductive layers is broadened in the first direction, and the length of the first light-blocking portion in the first direction is larger than the maximum length of the contract portion in the first direction.

5. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the third conductive layers are formed in the same layer as the layer in which the second conductive layers are formed.

6. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the third conductive layers are formed in the same layer as the layer in which the first conductive layers are formed.

7. The input device according to claim 6, wherein

the first conductive layers are laminated on the luminescent layer with an insulation layer interposed therebetween, and

a plurality of fourth conductive layers in contact with the first conductive layers are provided at portions where the first conductive layers intersect with the second conductive layers, and

each of the fourth conductive layers is electrically coupled to a part of the luminescent layer via a contact portion.

8. The input device according to claim 1, wherein

the first conductive layers are laminated on the luminescent layer with an insulation layer interposed therebetween and are scattered like islands in planar view,

a plurality of fifth conductive layers are provided at portions where the first conductive layers intersect with the third conductive layers,

each of the fifth conductive layers couples ends of adjacent first conductive layers so as to cross over one of the third conductive layers in a manner insulated from the third conductive layer, and the ends are coupled by the fifth conductive layers in a manner extending in a first direction, and

the third conductive layers are laminated on the luminescent layer with the insulation layer interposed therebetween and have a shape continuously extending in a second direction intersecting with the first direction in which the ends are coupled by the fifth conductive layers in planar view.

9. The input device according to claim 8, wherein the first conductive layers have an outer shape filling an unoccupied area between adjacent third conductive layers among the third conductive layers in planar view in a manner insulated therefrom.

10. The input device according to claim 7, wherein

the luminescent layer has a protrusion formed such that the area of a section of the contact portion parallel to the second surface decreases as the section comes closer to the second surface, and

each of the fourth conductive layers is made of a metal having metallic luster and covers an inclination surface corresponding to a side surface of the protrusion inclined with respect to the second surface.

11. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the luminescent layer has a size overlapping with one of the first conductive layers and one of the second conductive layers in planar view.

12. The input device according to claim 11, wherein

the luminescent layer has a plurality of protrusions arranged like islands in planar view and protruding toward the second surface, and

a part of the first conductive layers is coupled to the protrusions of the luminescent layer via the fourth conductive layers.

13. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the luminescent layer is an organic luminescent layer.

14. The input device according to claim 1, wherein a drive signal pulse is applied to a part of the first conductive layers, the drive signal pulse rising in a reverse-bias direction opposite to a voltage in a forward-bias direction applied between the first conductive layers and the second conductive layers at which the light-emitting element unit emits light.

15. The input device according to claim 14, further comprising:

a first electrode driver that supplies a voltage to the first conductive layers;

a second electrode driver that supplies a voltage to the second conductive layers; and

a proximity detecting unit that processes the change in the electric field between the first conductive layers and the third conductive layers depending on the coordinates of the proximity object present at the position overlapping with the first surface of the first substrate in planar view as a proximity detection signal in response to the drive signal pulse, wherein

the first electrode driver time-divisionally scans a part of the first conductive layers as a drive electrode and supplies the drive signal pulse to the scanned part of the first conductive layers.

16. The input device according to claim 14, further comprising:

a first electrode driver that supplies a voltage to the first conductive layers;

a second electrode driver that supplies a voltage to the second conductive layers; and

a proximity detecting unit that processes the change in the electric field between the first conductive layers and the third conductive layers depending on the coordinates of the proximity object present at the position overlapping with the first surface of the first substrate in planar view as a proximity detection signal in response to the drive signal pulse, wherein

the second electrode driver applies the voltage in the forward-bias direction between the first conductive layers and the second conductive layers and causes the light-emitting element unit to emit light.

17. The input device according to claim 14, further comprising:

a first electrode driver that supplies a voltage to the first conductive layers;

a second electrode driver that supplies a voltage to the second conductive layers; and

a proximity detecting unit that processes the change in the electric field between the first conductive layers and the third conductive layers depending on the coordinates of the proximity object present at the position overlapping with the first surface of the first substrate in planar view as a proximity detection signal in response to the drive signal pulse, wherein

the second electrode driver applies a lighting pulse rising in the forward-bias direction and causes the light-emitting element unit to emit light in response to the lighting pulse applied simultaneously with the drive signal pulse.

18. A display device comprising:

an input device that comprises;

a first substrate including a first surface and a second surface;

a light-emitting element unit including;

a plurality of first conductive layers formed in one layer on the second surface side;

a plurality of second conductive layers formed in one layer on the second surface side different from the layer in which the first conductive layers are formed; and

at least one luminescent layer provided between the first conductive layers and the second conductive layers and electrically in contact with the first conductive layers and the second conductive layers; and

a plurality of third conductive layers that are formed so as to be insulated from the first conductive layers and the second conductive layers and not to intersect with the second conductive layers in planar view, and are configured to detect a change in an electric field between the first conductive layers and the third conductive layers depending on coordinates of a proximity object present at a position overlapping with the first conductive layers and the first surface in planar view; and

a display unit provided on the second surface side of the input device and capable of displaying an image on the first surface side.