Display-integrated type tablet device

• US 5,357,266 A
• Filed: 03/11/1992
• Issued: 10/18/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Tagawa, Takao
• Primary Examiner(s): Weldon, Ulysses
• Assistant Examiner(s): WU, XIAO MIN
• Application Number:
  US07/849,733
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• Field of Search: 340/712, 340/706, 340/784, 340/765, 340/707, 178/18, 178/19, 345/173, 345/174, 345/179, 345/104
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04184 Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0441 using active external devices, e.g. active pens, for receiving changes in electrical potential transmitted by the digitiser, e.g. tablet driving signals
• 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

Abstract

A switching circuit 7 switchedly selects the side of a detection control circuit 6 for the coordinate detection period in compliance with control of a control circuit 10. Then according to each signal from the detection control circuit 6, a segment drive circuit 3 generates a segment electrode scan signal to scan segment electrodes X of a liquid crystal panel 1 in turn. Subsequently, a common drive circuit 2 generates a common electrode scan signal to scan common electrodes Y in turn. An x-coordinate detection circuit 8 and a y-coordinate detection circuit 9 detects the x- and y-coordinates of the tip of an electronic pen 11 on the basis of an induced voltage developed to a tip electrode of the electronic pen 11. During the display period, the side of a display control circuit 4 is switchedly selected, displaying an image onto the liquid crystal panel 1. Thus, there is provided a display-integrated type tablet device into which display function has been integrated, in order to make the image easy-to-view and the device itself more compact, less costly.

Claims

1. A display-integrated type tablet device, comprising:

a liquid crystal panel having a plurality of first electrodes arrayed in parallel to one another and a plurality of second electrodes arrayed in parallel to one another in a direction other than the direction in which the first electrodes are arrayed;

an electronic pen having at its tip an electrode coupled with the first electrodes and the second electrodes of the liquid crystal panel by floating capacity;

a display control circuit for producing a display control signal and display data for displaying an image to the plurality of first electrodes and the plurality of second electrodes of the liquid crystal panel;

a detection control circuit for producing a detection-scanning control signal for scanning the first electrodes and the second electrodes to detect coordinates of the tip of the electronic pen on the liquid crystal panel;

a switching circuit for switchedly selecting a side of the display control circuit for a display period to produce the display control signal and display data from the display control circuit and for switchedly selecting a side of the detection control circuit for a coordinate detection period to produce the detection-scanning control signal from the detection control circuit, under control of a control circuit;

a second-electrode drive circuit for generating a second-electrode drive signal during the display period to select in turn among the second electrodes according to the display control signal and for generating a second-electrode scan signal during the coordinate detection period to feed a scan voltage to the second electrodes in turn according to the detection-scanning control signal from the switching circuit;

a first-electrode drive circuit for generating a first-electrode drive signal during the display period to display pixels relative to the second electrodes selected by the second-electrode drive signal according to the display control signal and display data and for generating a first-electrode scan signal during the coordinate detection period to feed a scan voltage to the first electrodes in turn according to the detection-scanning control signal from the switching circuit; and

a coordinate detection circuit for receiving an input of induced voltage developed to the electrode of the electronic pen according to the second-electrode scan signal and the first-electrode scan signal fed from the second-electrode drive circuit and the first-electrode drive circuit to the second electrodes and the first electrodes, respectively, and then detecting coordinates of the tip of the electronic pen by a predetermined procedure on the basis of the induced voltage derived from the electronic pen to produce an x-coordinate signal and a y-coordinate signal, wherein

the control circuit sets the display period and the coordinate detection period, and controls the switching circuit in such a way that after the first-electrode drive signal and the second-electrode drive signal for effecting display have been applied to the last first electrode and the last second electrode in the display period, respectively, for a specified time period, the scanning of the first electrodes and the second electrodes for coordinate detection is not immediately started, but a specified idle time is allowed until the display period is succeeded by the coordinate detection period;

wherein the idle time is so set that when a voltage applied to the first electrodes and the second electrodes and set by a first signal for setting the state in which a voltage is applied to the first electrodes and the second electrodes during the display period is switched to a voltage applied to the first electrodes and the second electrodes and set by a second signal for setting the state in which a voltage is applied to the first electrodes and the second electrodes during the coordinate detection period, the idle time is approximately equal to a period over which an induced voltage developed to the tip electrode of the electronic pen reaches a reference level for the coordinate detection period.

2. A display-integrated type tablet device as claimed in claim 1, wherein

one of the first-electrode drive circuit and the second-electrode drive circuit that feeds a scan signal to one of the first electrodes and the second electrodes, whichever are farther from the electronic pen and sized on the rear side of the liquid crystal panel on which the electronic pen is not present, generates during the coordinate detection period a scan signal having a peak value higher than that of a scan signal generated by the other of the first-electrode drive circuit and the second-electrode drive circuit that feeds a scan signal to the other of the first electrodes and the second electrodes, which are the closer to the electronic pen and sited on the front side of the liquid crystal panel on which the electronic pen is present.

3. A display-integrated type tablet device as claimed in claim 1, wherein

one of the first-electrode drive circuit and the second-electrode drive circuit that feeds a scan signal to one of the first electrodes and the second electrodes, whichever are farther from the electronic pen and sited on the rear side of the liquid crystal panel on which the electronic pen is not present, feeds during the coordinate detection period a scan signal simultaneously to a specified number of electrodes of the one of the first electrodes and the second electrodes, the number being greater than that of electrodes of the other of the first electrodes and the second electrodes, which are the closer to the electronic pen and sited on the front side of the liquid crystal panel on which the electronic pen is present and to which a scan signal is simultaneously fed by other of the first-electrode drive circuit and the second-electrode drive circuit.

4. A display-integrated type tablet device as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the first electrodes are segment electrodes, the second electrodes are common electrodes, the liquid crystal panel is one which is driven by a duty-type drive method, the first-electrode drive circuit is a segment drive circuit, and the second-electrode drive circuit is a common drive circuit, and further comprising:

a first-signal generating section for generating a first signal for setting during the display period a time point at which voltages applied to the segment electrodes and the common electrodes are inverted in polarity; and

a second-signal generating section for generating a second signal for maintaining the polarity of voltages applied to the common electrodes and the segment electrodes in their respective specified state during a common-electrode scan period and a segment-electrode scan period during the coordinate detection period, respectively;

wherein the common drive circuit and the segment drive circuit invert during the display period the polarity of voltages applied to the common electrodes and the segment electrodes according to the first signal, and keep during the coordinate detection period the polarity of voltages applied to the common electrodes and the segment electrodes according to the second signal constant with respect to an x-coordinate detection period and a y-coordinate detection period, respectively.

5. A display-integrated type tablet device as claimed in claim 4, wherein

the common drive circuit and the segment drive circuit generate during the coordinate detection period such a common-electrode scan signal and a segment-electrode scan signal, respectively, that the average value of voltages applied to liquid crystals of the pixels is made zero, without inverting the polarity of the voltages with respect to their reference voltage levels.

6. A display-integrated type tablet device as claimed in claim 5, wherein

during the coordinate detection period, a reference voltage value of the common-electrode scan signal and a reference voltage value of the segment-electrode scan signal are equal to each other.

7. A display-integrated type tablet device as claimed in claim 6, wherein

during the coordinate detection period, a peak value of the common-electrode scan signal and a peak value of the segment-electrode scan signal are equal to each other.

8. A display-integrated type tablet device as claimed in claim 4, wherein

at least one of the common drive circuit and the segment drive circuit generates during the coordinate detection period such a common-electrode drive signal or a segment-electrode drive signal that the average value of voltages applied to liquid crystals of the pixels is made zero by providing an interval which does not contribute to coordinate detection and inserting a signal having a specified waveform into the interval.

9. A display-integrated type tablet device as claimed in claim 4, wherein

during the coordinate detection period, a pulse width of the scan signal applied to the common electrodes is equal to a pulse width of the scan signal applied to the segment electrodes.

10. A display-integrated type tablet device as claimed in claim 5, wherein

one of the common drive circuit and the segment drive circuit that applies a scan signal to one of the common electrodes and the segment electrodes, whichever are farther from the electronic pen and sited on the rear side of the liquid crystal panel on which the electronic pen is not present, generates during the coordinate detection period a scan signal having a peak value higher than that of a scan signal generated by the other drive circuit for the electrodes on the front side of the liquid crystal panel on which the electronic pen is present;

and

the other drive circuit generates during the coordinate detection period a scan signal having a pulse width greater than that of a scan signal generated by the one drive circuit.

11. A display-integrated type tablet device as claimed in claim 4, wherein

the first signal for setting the state in which voltages are applied to the first electrodes and the second electrodes during the display period has a duty ratio of 1 and is alternately inverted at specified intervals, and the first signal for a display period succeeding the coordinate detection period is unrelated to the second signal during the coordinate detection period, a pulse width of the last pulse portion of the first signal for a display period preceding the coordinate detection period being complementary to a pulse width of the first pulse portion of the first signal for the display period succeeding the coordinate detection period, and the last pulse portion has the same polarity as that of the first pulse portion.

12. A display-integrated type tablet device as claimed in claim 11, wherein

the first signal for setting the state in which voltages are applied to the first electrodes and the second electrodes during the display period is generated during the display period every time a transfer clock for the second-electrode drive circuit for selecting in turn the second electrodes is counted by a specified number.

13. A display-integrated type tablet device as claimed in claim 1, wherein

in displaying onto the liquid crystal panel an x-coordinate and a y-coordinate detected by the electronic pen, an x-coordinate signal and a y-coordinate signal produced by the coordinate detection circuit are transferred during a display period succeeding the coordinate detection period during which those coordinates have been detected, and the x-coordinate and the y-coordinate represented by the x-coordinate signal and the y-coordinate signal, respectively, are displayed during a display period succeeding the display period.

14. A display-integrated type tablet device as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the coordinate detection period is inserted halfway during a scan period for display of one frame without completing scanning for display of one frame.

15. A display-integrated type tablet device as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the number of coordinates of positions of the tip of the electronic pen detected every second is not lower than the number of frames displayed every second.

16. A display-integrated type tablet device as claimed in claim 1, wherein

a further idle time is provided during a time interval from when completing the scanning for a coordinate detection period for one of the first electrodes and the second electrodes to when starting the scanning for a coordinate detection period for the other of the first electrodes and the second electrodes, the idle time being set longer than a time that continues after a signal voltage detected by the electronic pen by scanning of the first electrodes and the second electrodes shows a peak value-until the signal voltage reaches an average induced voltage level for the coordinate detection period.

17. A display-integrated type tablet device, comprising:

a liquid crystal panel having a plurality of first electrodes arrayed in parallel to one another and a plurality of second electrodes arrayed in parallel to one another in a direction other than the direction in which the first electrodes are arrayed;

an electronic pen having at its tip an electrode coupled with the first electrodes and the second electrodes of the liquid crystal panel by floating capacity;

a display control circuit for producing a display control signal and display data for displaying an image to the plurality of first electrodes and the plurality of second electrodes of the liquid crystal panel;

a detection control circuit for producing a detection-scanning control signal for scanning the first electrodes and the second electrodes to detect coordinates of the tip of the electronic pen on the liquid crystal panel;

a switching circuit for switchedly selecting a side of the display control circuit for a display period to produce the display control signal and display data from the display control circuit and for switchedly selecting a side of the detection control circuit for a coordinate detection period to produce the detection-scanning control signal from the detection control circuit, under control of a control circuit;

a second-electrode drive circuit for generating a second-electrode drive signal during the display period to select in turn among the second electrodes according to the display control signal and for generating a second-electrode scan signal during the coordinate detection period to feed a scan voltage to the second electrodes in turn according to the detection-scanning control signal from the switching circuit;

a first-electrode drive circuit for generating a first-electrode drive signal during the display period to display pixels relative to the second electrodes selected by the second-electrode drive signal according to the display control signal and display data and for generating a first-electrode scan signal during the coordinate detection period to feed a scan voltage to the first electrodes in turn according to the detection-scanning control signal from the switching circuit; and

a coordinate detection circuit for receiving an input of induced voltage developed to the electrode of the electronic pen according to the second-electrode scan signal and the first-electrode scan signal fed from the second-electrode drive circuit and the first-electrode drive circuit to the second electrodes and the first electrodes, respectively, and then detecting coordinates of the tip of the electronic pen by a predetermined procedure on the basis of the induced voltage derived from the electronic pen to produce an x-coordinate signal and a y-coordinate signal, wherein

the coordinate detection circuit has an amplifier, and, when detecting a coordinate of the tip of the electronic pen on the basis of an induced voltage caused to the electrode of the electronic pen by a scan signal fed to one of the first electrodes and the second electrodes, whichever are greater in distance from the electronic pen and sited on the rear side of the liquid crystal panel on which the electronic pen is not present, the coordinate of the tip of the electronic pen is determined after the induced voltage has been amplified at a first amplification factor, and on the other hand, when detecting a coordinate of the tip of the electronic pen on the basis of an induced voltage caused to the electrode of the electronic pen by a scan signal fed to the other electrodes which are smaller in distance from the electronic pen and sited on the front side of the liquid crystal panel on which the electronic pen is present, the coordinate of the tip of the electronic pen is determined after the induced voltage has been amplified at a second amplification factor smaller than the first amplification factor.

18. A display-integrated type tablet device, comprising:

a liquid crystal panel having a plurality of first electrodes arrayed in parallel to one another and a plurality of second electrodes arrayed in parallel to one another in a direction other than the direction in which the first electrodes are arrayed;

an electronic pen having at its tip an electrode coupled with the first electrodes and the second electrodes of the liquid crystal panel by floating capacity;

a display control circuit for producing a display control signal and display data for displaying an image to the plurality of first electrodes and the plurality of second electrodes of the liquid crystal panel;

a detection control circuit for producing a detection-scanning control signal for scanning the first electrodes and the second electrodes to detect coordinates of the tip of the electronic pen on the liquid crystal panel;

a switching circuit for switchedly selecting a side of the display control circuit for a display period to produce the display control signal and display data from the display control circuit and for switchedly selecting a side of the detection control circuit for a coordinate detection period to produce the detection-scanning control signal from the detection control circuit, under control of a control circuit;

a second-electrode drive circuit for generating a second-electrode drive signal during the display period to select in turn among the second electrodes according to the display control signal and for generating a second-electrode scan signal during the coordinate detection period to feed a scan voltage to the second electrodes in turn according to the detection-scanning control signal from the switching circuit;

a first-electrode drive circuit for generating a first-electrode drive signal during the display period to display pixels relative to the second electrodes selected by the second-electrode drive signal according to the display control signal and display data and for generating a first-electrode scan signal during the coordinate detection period to feed a scan voltage to the first electrodes in turn according to the detection-scanning control signal from the switching circuit; and

a coordinate detection circuit for receiving an input of induced voltage developed to the electrode of the electronic pen according to the second-electrode scan signal and the first-electrode scan signal fed from the second-electrode drive circuit and the first-electrode drive circuit to the second electrodes and the first electrodes, respectively, and then detecting coordinates of the tip of the electronic pen by a predetermined procedure on the basis of the induced voltage derived from the electronic pen to produce an x-coordinate signal and a y-coordinate signal, wherein

the control circuit sets the display period and the coordinate detection period, and controls the switching circuit in such a way that after the first-electrode drive signal and the second-electrode drive signal for effecting display have been applied to the last first electrode and the last second electrode in the display period, respectively, for a specified time period, the scanning of the first electrodes and the second electrodes for coordinate detection is not immediately started, but a specified idle time is allowed until the display period is succeeded by the coordinate detection period;

wherein the idle time is set longer than a period that continues after the display period is completed until the display state of the first-electrode drive circuit and the second-electrode drive circuit during the display period is cleared, with the mode switched to detection mode, and besides detection-scanning during the coordinate detection period is made ready for start.