TOUCH SENSOR AND DISPLAY DEVICE INCLUDING THE SAME

• US 20180081478A1
• Filed: 05/01/2017
• Published: 03/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: HONG, WON KI, PARK, WON SANG, LEE, TAE HEE
• Granted Patent: US 10,303,280 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04144 using an array of force sensing means position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells G06F3/0447
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0418 for error correction or compensation, e.g. based on parallax, calibration or alignment
• 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 3/0447 Position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells

Abstract

A touch sensor includes a pressure sensor configured to become compressed along a first axis in response to a touch input into a touch area and a controller. The controller is configured to calculate a position of the touch and an intensity of the touch by using a detection signal obtained from the pressure sensor. The controller is further configured to calculate a first position, which has a greatest value of compression of the pressure sensor along the first axis, and calculate a position of the touch by correcting the first position by a first correction value corresponding to the greatest value of compression.

Claims

1. A touch sensor, comprising;

a pressure sensor configured to become compressed along a first axis in response to a touch input into a touch area; and

a controller configured to calculate a position of the touch and an intensity of the touch by using a detection signal obtained from the pressure sensor,

wherein the controller is further configured to calculate a first position, which has a greatest value of compression of the pressure sensor along the first axis, and calculate a position of the touch by correcting the first position by a first correction value corresponding to the greatest value of compression.

2. The touch sensor of claim 1, wherein the first correction value is larger as the first position is closer to a border of the touch area.

3. The touch sensor of claim 1, wherein the first position is different from the position of the touch.

4. The touch sensor of claim 3, wherein the first correction value corresponds to a distance between the position of the touch and the first position.

5. The touch sensor of claim 3, wherein a distance between the position of the touch and the first position is larger as the position of the touch is closer to a border of the touch area.

6. The touch sensor of claim 3, wherein a distance between a center of the touch area and the first position is smaller than a distance between the center of the touch area and the position of the touch.

7. The touch sensor of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to calculate the intensity of the touch by using a second correction value corresponding to the position of the touch.

8. The touch sensor of claim 7, wherein the second correction value is larger as the position of the touch is closer to a border of the touch area.

9. The touch sensor of claim 1, wherein the pressure sensor includes:

a first electrode;

a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode, and configured to form a capacitance therebetween; and

an elastic member disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode,

wherein the controller is further configured to obtain a detection signal that is dependent upon a change in the capacitance between the first and second electrodes.

10. The touch sensor of claim 1, wherein the pressure sensor includes:

a first electrode;

a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode; and

a variable resistance factor disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode,

wherein the controller is configured to obtain a detection signal that is dependent upon a change in a resistance of the variable resistance factor.

11. A display device, comprising:

a touch sensor including a pressure sensor, which is configured to become compressed along a first axis in response to a touch input into a touch area, and configured to calculate a position of the touch and an intensity of the touch by using a detection signal obtained from the pressure sensor;

a display panel disposed in one surface of the touch sensor;

a bracket configured to accommodate the touch sensor and the display panel; and

a window coupled to the bracket,

wherein the touch sensor is further configured to calculate a first position, which has a greatest value of compression of the pressure sensor along the first axis, and calculate the position of the touch by correcting the first position by a first correction value corresponding to the greatest value of compression.

12. The display device of claim 11, wherein the first correction value is proportional to a Young'"'"'s modulus of the display panel or the window.

13. The display device of claim 11, wherein the first correction value is proportional to a thickness of the display panel or the window.

14. The display device of claim 11, wherein the first correction value is larger as the first position is closer to a border of the touch area.

15. The display device of claim 11, wherein when the touch is located in a center area of the touch area, the first position is calculated as a position of the touch.

16. The display device of claim 11, wherein the touch is located in a position that is different from the first position.

17. The display device of claim 16, wherein the first correction value corresponds to a distance between the position of the touch and the first position.

18. The display device of claim 16, wherein when the first correction value is larger as the position of the touch is closer to a border of the touch area.

19. The display device of claim 16, wherein a distance between a center of the touch area and the first position is smaller than a distance between the center of the touch area and the position of the touch.

20. The display device of claim 11, wherein the touch sensor is further configured to calculate the intensity of the touch by using a second correction value corresponding to the position of the touch.

21. The display device of claim 20, wherein the second correction value is proportional to a Young'"'"'s modulus of the display panel or the window.

22. The display device of claim 20, wherein the second correction value is proportional to a thickness of the display panel or the window.

23. The display device of claim 22, wherein the second correction value is larger as the position of the touch is closer to a border of the touch area.

24. A touch-sensitive display device, comprising:

a display panel;

a pressure sensor disposed on the display panel generating a detection signal in response to a touch thereon;

a controller configured to calculate a position of the touch and an intensity of the touch in response to the detection signal of the pressure sensor and to correct the calculated position of the touch or the calculated intensity of the touch according to a distance between the calculated position of the touch and a nearest edge of the display panel.

25. The touch-sensitive display device of claim 24, wherein the controller is configured to correct the calculated position or the calculated intensity of the touch using a correction factor, that is calculated by the controller, to be greater as the calculated position of the touch is closer to the nearest edge of the display panel.