Preventing noise in a coordinate input device by reducing or suspending backlight oscillation voltage

• US 5,896,120 A
• Filed: 05/27/1997
• Issued: 04/20/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sharp Electronics Corporation (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hirano, Katsumi, Iguchi, Shigeki
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Mark K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kovalick, Vincent E.
• Application Number:
  US08/863,621
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• Field of Search: 178/87, 315/169.3, 331/64, 345/102, 345/104, 345/210-213, 345/179, 345/180-183
• US Class Current: 345/102
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04184 Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0237 Switching ON and OFF the backlight within one frame
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3406 Control of illumination source illumination devices structurally associated with liquid crystal cells G02F1/1336
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3622 using a passive matrix G09G3/3674 - G09G3/3696 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/2821 by means of a single-switch converter or a parallel push-pull converter in the final stage H05B41/285 takes precedence

Abstract

A d.c. voltage is supplied to an inverter power source to drive a light source. Light from the light source is directed uniformly from the back side of a liquid crystal panel. When an image is displayed on the liquid crystal panel during a display period and a position detection pen is in close proximity to the liquid crystal panel at a position detection period, coordinates are calculated according to an induced voltage by the position detection pen and the timing of applying a scanning voltage to an electrode of the liquid crystal panel. The driving of the light source by the inverter power source is suspended or reduced during the position detection period, so that noise from the inverter power source is prevented from being mixed into the position detection pen.

Claims

1. A coordinate input device comprising:

a liquid crystal panel including a liquid crystal layer between a plurality of segment electrodes and a plurality of common electrodes orthogonal to each other;

a light source for directing light uniformly from a back side of said liquid crystal panel;

an inverter power source for driving said light source;

electrode driving means for driving said segment electrodes and said common electrodes;

display control means for controlling said electrode driving means during a display period to display an image on said liquid crystal panel;

a position detection pen for electrostatically coupling said segment electrodes and said common electrodes;

position detection control means for controlling said electrode driving means during a position detection period set subsequent to a display period to apply a scanning voltage sequentially;

coordinate calculation means for calculating coordinates according to an induced voltage induced at said position detection pen and the timing of applying the scanning voltage to said segment electrodes; and

power source drive suspension means for suspending the drive of said light source by said inverter power source only during said position detection period.

2. The coordinate input device according to claim 1, wherein

said inverter power source includes

an oscillation transformer for oscillating in response to a d.c. voltage, and

a first transistor for applying the d.c. voltage to said oscillation transformer;

and

said power source drive suspension means includes a second transistor for blocking the d.c. voltage supplied to said oscillation transformer by rendering said first transistor non-conductive only during said position detection period.

3. The coordinate input device according to claim 2, further comprising:

proximity detection means for detecting proximity of said position detection pen to said liquid crystal panel,

wherein said second transistor conducts in response to a detection output of said proximity detection means during said position detection period.

4. The coordinate input device according to claim 3, wherein said proximity detection means comprises means for detecting noise from said liquid crystal panel.

5. A coordinate input device comprising:

a liquid crystal panel including a liquid crystal layer between a plurality of segment electrodes and a plurality of common electrodes orthogonal to each other;

a power source for directing light uniformly from a back side of said liquid crystal panel;

an inverter power source for driving said power source;

electrode driving means for driving said segment electrodes and said common electrodes;

display control means for controlling said electrode driving means during a display period for displaying an image on said liquid crystal panel;

a position detection pen for electrostatically coupling said segment electrodes and said common electrodes;

position detection control means for controlling said electrode driving means during a position detection period set subsequent to a display period to apply a scanning voltage sequentially;

coordinate calculation means for calculating coordinates according to an induced voltage induced in said position detection pen and the timing of applying the scanning voltage to said segment electrodes; and

voltage reducing means for reducing an oscillation voltage of said inverter power source only during said position detection period.

6. The coordinate input device according to claim 5, wherein

said inverter power source includes

an oscillation transformer for oscillating according to a d.c. voltage,

a first transistor for applying a first d.c. voltage to said oscillation transformer, and

a second for applying a second d.c. voltage lower than said first d.c. voltage to said oscillation transformer;

and

said voltage reducing means includes control means for carrying out control such that said first transistor is rendered conductive only during a period other than said position detection period for supplying said first d.c. voltage to said oscillation transformer, and rendering said second transistor conductive during said position detection period for supplying said second d.c. voltage to said oscillation transformer.

7. The coordinate input device according to claim 6, further comprising:

proximity detection means for detecting proximity of said position detection pen to said liquid crystal panel,

wherein said control means comprises means for rendering said first transistor non-conductive and said second transistor conductive during said position detection period and in response to a detection output for said proximity detection means.

8. A method for reducing noise in a coordinate input device comprising the steps of:

placing a liquid crystal layer between a plurality of segment electrodes and a plurality of common electrodes orthogonal to each other;

directing light uniformly from a back side of said liquid crystal panel from a light source;

driving said segment electrodes and said common electrodes;

controlling said driving step during a display period to display an image on said liquid crystal panel;

electrostatically coupling said segment electrodes and said common electrodes via a position detection pen;

controlling said driving step during a position detection period set subsequent to a display period to apply a scanning voltage sequentially;

calculating coordinates according to an induced voltage induced at said position detection pen and the timing of applying the scanning voltage to said segment electrodes; and

suspending said directing step only during said position detection period.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein

said directing step includes

powering said light source with an oscillation transformer;

oscillating the oscillation transformer in response to a d.c. voltage, and

supplying the d.c. voltage to said oscillation transformer; and

said suspending step includes blocking the d.c. voltage from said supplying step only during said position detection period.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

detecting proximity of said position detection pen to said liquid crystal panel, wherein said blocking step is executed in response to a detection output of said detection step during said position detection period.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein said detecting step includes detecting noise from said liquid crystal panel.

12. A method for reducing noise in a coordinate input device comprising the steps of:

placing a liquid crystal layer between a plurality of segment electrodes and a plurality of common electrodes orthogonal to each other;

directing light uniformly from a back side of said liquid crystal panel from a light source;

driving said segment electrodes and said common electrodes;

controlling said driving step during a display period for displaying an image on said liquid crystal panel;

electrostatically coupling said segment electrodes and said common electrodes via a position detection pen;

controlling said driving step during a position detection period set subsequent to a display period to apply a scanning voltage sequentially;

calculating coordinates according to an induced voltage induced in said position detection pen and the timing of applying the scanning voltage to said segment electrodes; and

reducing power supplied by said light source only during said position detection period.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein

said directing step includes

powering said light source with an oscillation transformer,

oscillating the oscillation transformer in response to a d.c. voltage,

supplying a first d.c. voltage to said oscillation transformer via a first transistor, and

supplying a second d.c. voltage lower than said first d.c. voltage to said oscillation transformer via a second transistor;

and

said reducing step includes controlling said supplying of said first d.c. voltage such that said first transistor is rendered conductive only during a period other than said position detection period for supplying said first d.c. voltage to said oscillation transformer, and rendering said second transistor conductive during said position detection period for supplying said second d.c. voltage to said oscillation transformer.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

detecting proximity of said position detection pen to said liquid crystal panel, wherein said controlling step includes rendering said first transistor non-conductive and said second transistor conductive during said position detection period and in response to a detection output from said detecting step.