Method and apparatus for a liquid crystal display (LCD) having an input function

• US 6,028,581 A
• Filed: 10/21/1997
• Issued: 02/22/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Umeya, Shinjiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Shalwala, Bipin
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEWIS, DAVID LEE
• Application Number:
  US08/955,388
• Time in Patent Office: 854 Days
• Field of Search: 345/104, 345/102, 345/92, 345/87, 345/84, 349/42, 349/43, 349/46, 349/50, 349/62, 349/63, 349/96, 349/95, 349/84, 349/57
• US Class Current: 345/104
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133526 Lenses, e.g. microlenses or Fresnel lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/135 Liquid crystal cells structurally associated with a photoconducting or a ferro-electric layer, the properties of which can be optically or electrically varied G02F1/133348 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1368 in which the switching element is a three-electrode device G02F1/136277 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means

Abstract

A method and an appartus for a liquid crystal display (LCD) having an input function are provided. A first transistor is provided in each of the pixel cells of a pixel cell array of a LCD. This first transistor, or display transistor, is a thin film transistor (TFT) switch that is coupled to a transparent electrode that controls the display of pixels on the LCD. Moreover, a second transistor is provided in each of the pixel cells of the pixel cell array. This second transistor is a TFT switch that forms part of a metal-oxide semiconductor (MOS) image sensor array including a photo diode and a micro lens. The second transistor causes an input to be sensed by the LCD. The inputs sensed by the LCD include image inputs and inputs from a pen and a human touch. The first and second transistors are fabricated on the same side of the same substrate.

Claims

1. A method for providing a liquid crystal display comprising an input function, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a first transistor in each of at least one pixel cell of a pixel cell array, the first transistor causing a pixel to be displayed on the display;

providing a second transistor in each of the at least one pixel cell, the second transistor causing an input to be sensed by the liquid crystal display;

providing a sensor further comprising a photo sensor element and a micro lens, the sensor electrically coupled with the second transistor; and

providing a first set of source control lines and a first set of gate control lines to the first transistor; and

providing a second set of source control lines and a second set of gate control lines to the second transistor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second transistors are thin film transistors (TFT).

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first transistor is coupled to a transparent electrode.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of fabricating the first and the second transistor on the same substrate.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first and the second transistor are fabricated on the same side of the same substrate.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the first and the second transistor are fabricated on opposite sides of the same substrate.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of the second transistor causing an input from a pen to be sensed by the liquid crystal display.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of the second transistor causing an image input to be sensed by the liquid crystal display.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of the second transistor causing an image to be sensed by the liquid crystal display.

9. A display for displaying images comprising at least one pixel, the display comprising:

a first transistor in each of at least one pixel cell, the first transistor causing a pixel to be displayed on the display;

a second transistor in each of the at least one pixel cell, the second transistor causing an input to be sensed by the liquid crystal display;

a sensor further comprising a photo sensor element and a micro lens, the sensor electrically coupled with the second transistor; and

a first set of source control lines and a first set of gate control lines are coupled to the first transistor, and a second set of source control lines and a second set of gate control lines are coupled to the second transistor.

10. The display of claim 9, wherein the first and second transistors are thin film transistors (TFT), wherein the first transistor is coupled to a transparent electrode, and wherein the second transistor is coupled to a photo sensor.

11. The display of claim 9, wherein the first and the second transistor are located on the same side of a substrate.

12. The display of claim 9, wherein the second transistor causes an input from a pen to be sensed by the liquid crystal display, and wherein the second transistor causes an image input to be sensed by the liquid crystal display.

13. A system for displaying images, the system comprising:

a processor;

a display coupled to the processor, the display comprising;

a first transistor in each of at least one pixel cell of a pixel cell array, the first transistor causing a pixel to be displayed on the display,

a second transistor in each of the at least one pixel cell, the second transistor causing an input to be sensed by the pixel cell;

a sensor further comprising a photo sensor element and a micro lens, the sensor electrically coupled with the second transistor; and

a first set of source control lines and a first set of gate control lines are coupled to the first transistor, and a second set of source control lines and a second set of gate control lines are coupled to the second transistor.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the first and second transistors are thin film transistors (TFT), wherein the first transistor is coupled to a transparent electrode, and wherein the first and second transistors are fabricated on the same side of the same substrate.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the first and second transistors are thin film transistors (TFT), wherein the first transistor is coupled to a transparent electrode, and wherein the first and second transistors are fabricated on opposite sides of the same substrate.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the second transistor causes an input from a pen and an image to be sensed by the liquid crystal display.

18. A computer system comprising a liquid crystal display coupled to a processor, the display configured to:

display data and video images on a screen of the display and

sense an image received through the screen utilizing a micro lens and photo sensor element while displaying the data and video images;

the system further comprising;

a first transistor in each of at least one pixel cell of a pixel cell array of the display, the first transistor causing a pixel to be displayed on the display, and

a second transistor in each of the at least one pixel cell, the second transistor causing an input to be sensed by the pixel cell;

a first set of source control lines and a first set of gate control lines are coupled to the first transistor, and a second set of source control lines and a second set of gate control lines are coupled to the second transistor.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the system is used for video conferencing.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the first and second transistors are thin film transistors (TFT), wherein the first transistor is coupled to a transparent electrode, and wherein the second transistor is coupled to a photo sensor, the photo sensor comprising a micro lens and a photo diode.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the first and the second transistors are fabricated on the same side of the same substrate.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the first and the second transistors are fabricated on opposite sides of the same substrate.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the input comprises an input from a pen and an image from a lens.

24. A liquid crystal display (LCD) comprising:

a first means for causing a pixel to be displayed in a pixel cell of the LCD;

a second means for causing an input to be sensed by the pixel cell of the LCD, wherein the first and second means are fabricated on the same substrate;

a third means for sensing a photo input, the third means coupled with the second means; and

a first set of source control lines and a first set of gate control lines coupled to the first means and a second set of source control lines and a second set of gate control lines coupled to the second means.

25. The LCD of claim 24, wherein the second means is coupled to a photo sensing means.

26. The LCD of claim 24, wherein the first and second means are fabricated on the same side of the same substrate.

27. The LCD of claim 24, wherein the second means causes an input from a writing device to be sensed by the LCD.

28. The LCD of claim 24, wherein the second means causes an image input to be sensed by the LCD.

29. A liquid crystal display (LCD) coupled to a processing means, wherein the LCD comprises:

a means for displaying data and video images;

a means for sensing a contact with a screen of the LCD;

a means for sensing an image received through the screen coupled to the means for sensing a contact, the means for sensing an image performing while the means for displaying performs; and

a first set of source control lines and a first set of gate control lines coupled to the first means and a second set of source control lines and a second set of gate control lines coupled to the second means.

30. The LCD of claim 29, wherein the means for sensing an image comprises a photo sensing means fabricated on a same substrate with the means for displaying data and video images and the means for sensing contact with a screen.

31. A video conferencing system comprising a liquid crystal display coupled to a processor, the display:

displaying data and video images on a screen of the display using a first transistor in each of at least one pixel cell of a pixel cell array of the display, wherein the first transistor is coupled to a transparent electrode, wherein a first set of source control lines and a first set of gate control lines are coupled to the first transistor;

sensing an image received through the screen using a second transistor in each of the at least one pixel cell, wherein the second transistor is coupled to a micro lens and a photo diode, wherein a second set of source control lines and a second set of gate control lines are coupled to the second transistor, sensing an image performed while displaying data and video images is performed; and

sensing an input from a contact with the screen using the second transistor.