Display device and driving method thereof

• US 7,586,479 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2005
• Issued: 09/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Joo-Hyung, Park, Jong-Woung, Kim, Hyung-Guel, Uh, Kee-han
• Primary Examiner(s): Lefkowitz; Sumati
• Assistant Examiner(s): Beck; Alexander S.
• Application Number:
  US11/149,925
• Publication Number:
  US 20050275616A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,551 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/175, 345/204, 345/207, 345/87, 345/101, 345/102, 349/61, 349/72, 178/18.01, 178/18.09
• US Class Current: 345/102
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen

Abstract

A display device includes a panel assembly, a backlight unit supplying light to the panel assembly, a first photosensor, a second photosensor, a sensing signal processor and a signal controller. The first photosensor is supplied with ambient light and light from the backlight unit to generate a first sensing signal. The second photosensor is blocked from the ambient light and receives the light from the backlight unit to generate a second sensing signal. The sensing signal processor receives the first and the second sensing signals from the first and the second photosensors for processing. The signal controller determines a sensing state responsive to processed first and second sensing signals from the sensing signal processor and performing a predetermined control operation responsive to the sensing state.

Claims

1. A display device comprising:

a panel assembly;

a backlight unit supplying light to the panel assembly;

a first photosensor supplied with ambient light and light from the backlight unit to generate a first sensing signal;

a second photosensor blocked from the ambient light and receiving the light from the backlight unit to generate a second sensing signal;

a sensing signal processor receiving the first and second sensing signals from the first and second photosensors for processing; and

a signal controller determining a sensing state in response to an intensity of the ambient light determined responsive to processed first sensing signals and processed second sensing signals from the sensing signal processor and performing a predetermined control operation responsive to the sensing state,

wherein the signal controller controls a gain of the sensing signal processer to regulate a magnitude of the first sensing signal.

2. The display device of claim 1, wherein the signal controller generates at least one state judgment signal responsive to the processed first and second sensing signals and determines the sensing state in response to the at least one state judgment signal, and the at least one state judgment signal comprises a first judgment signal corresponding to a difference between the processed first and second sensing signals.

3. The display device of claim 2, wherein the signal controller controls a luminance of the backlight unit in response to the sensing state.

4. The display device of claim 2, wherein the first photosensor comprises a sensing element, and the signal controller controls a control voltage of the sensing element to regulate a sensitivity of the first photosensor.

5. The display device of claim 2, wherein the sensing signal processor amplifies the first and second sensing signals and converts amplified first and second sensing signals into digital signals.

6. The display device of claim 2, wherein the at least one state judgment signal further comprises:

a second judgment signal corresponding to a difference between an input allowable maximum signal of the sensing signal processor and the processed first sensing signal; and

a third judgment signal corresponding to a difference between the input allowable minimum signal and the processed second sensing signal.

7. The display device of claim 6, wherein the sensing state comprises one of a first state and a second state, and

in the first state which is an initial state, in response to the first judgment signal being greater than a first set-up value and the second judgment signal being less than a second set-up value, the signal controller changes from the first state to the second state, and in response to one of the first judgment signal being less than the first set-up value and the second judgment signal being greater than the second set-up value, the signal controller maintains the first state, and

in the second state, in response to the first judgment signal being less than a third set-up value and the third judgment signal being less than a fourth set-up value, the signal controller changes from the second state to the first state, and in response to one of the first judgment signal being greater than the third set-up value and the third judgment signal being more than the fourth set-up value, the signal controller maintains the second state.

8. The display device of claim 6, wherein the sensing state comprises one of a first state, a second state, and a third state, and

in the first state which is an initial state, in response to the first judgment signal being greater than a first set-up value and the second judgment signal is greater than a second set-up value, the signal controller changes from the first state to the second state, and in response to the first judgment signal being greater than the first set-up value and the second judgment signal being less than the second set-up value, the signal controller changes from the first state to the third state, and in response to the first judgment signal being less than the first set-up value, the signal controller maintains the first state, and

in the second state, in response to the first judgment signal being less than a third set-up value, the signal controller changes from the second state to the first state, and in response to the first judgment signal being greater than the third set-up value and the second judgment signal being greater than a fourth set-up value, the signal controller maintains the second state, and in response to the first judgment signal being greater than the third set-up value and the second judgment signal being less than the fourth set-up value, the signal controller changes from the second state to the third state, and

in the third state, in response to the first judgment signal being less than a fifth set-up value, the signal controller changes from the third state to the first state, and in response to the first judgment signal being greater than the fifth set-up value, the signal controller maintains the third state.

9. The display device of claim 1, wherein the first and the second photosensors comprise a sensing element containing amorphous silicon or poly-silicon.

10. The display device of claim 1, wherein the first photosensor is provided in a display area of the panel assembly and the second photosensor is provided exterior to the display area.

11. The display area of claim 1, farther comprising a temperature sensor blocked from the ambient light and the light from the backlight unit and generating a third sensing signal, and flirt her performing the predetermined control operation in response to the third sensing signal.

12. A driving method of a display device provided with a backlight unit supplying light comprising:

receiving ambient light and the light from the backlight unit at a first photosensor to generate a first sensing signal;

blocking the ambient light and receiving the light from the backlight unit at a second photosensor to generate a second sensing signal;

generating a state judgment signal in response to the first and the second sensing signals; and

determining a sensing state in response to an intensity of the ambient light as indicated by the state judgment signal,

wherein the state judgment signal represents a difference between the first and second sensing signals, and a gain of the first sensing is controlled regulating a magnitude of the first sensing signal.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the regulating the magnitude of the first sensing signal is within a predetermined range.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising regulating a luminance of the backlight unit in response to the sensing state.

15. A display device comprising:

a panel assembly;

a backlight unit supplying light to the panel assembly;

a first photosensor receiving ambient light and light from the backlight unit to generate a first sensing signal;

a second photosensor blocked from the ambient light and receiving the light from the backlight unit to generate a second sensing signal;

a third photosensor receiving the ambient light and the light from the backlight unit to generate a third sensing signal responsive to touch;

a sensing signal processor processing the first to third sensing signals from the first to third photosensors; and

a signal controller regulating the third sensing signal responsive to processed first and second sensing signals,

wherein the signal controller controls a gain of the sensing signal processor to regulate a magnitude of the first sensing signal.

16. The display device of claim 15, wherein the signal controller regulates the third sensing signal such that a difference between the processed first and second sensing signals is between a first set-up value and a second set-up value.

17. The display device of claim 16, wherein the signal controller regulates a control voltage inputted to the third photosensor for regulating the third sensing signal.

18. The display device of claim 16, wherein the signal controller regulates a gain of the sensing signal processor for regulating the third sensing signal.

19. The display device of claim 16, wherein the signal controller regulates a luminance of the backlight unit for regulating the third sensing signal.

20. The display device of claim 16, wherein the signal controller regulates a control voltage inputted to the third photosensor such that a value of the processed first sensing signal is between a third set-up value and a fourth set-up value.

21. The display device of claim 20, wherein, in response to the processed first sensing signal being less than the third set-up value, a voltage variation value is added to the control voltage, and in response to the processed sensing signal being greater than the fourth set-up value, the voltage variation value is subtracted from the control voltage.

22. The display device of claim 16, wherein, in response to the difference being less than the first set-up value, a gain variation value is added to a gain of the sensing signal processor, and in response to the difference being greater than the second set-up value, the gain variation value is subtracted from the gain of the sensing signal processor.

23. The display device of claim 22, wherein, in response to the gain of the sensing signal processor being a gain maximum value and the difference being less than the first set-up value, the luminance of the backlight unit is increased by a predetermined variation.

24. The display device of claim 23, wherein, in response to the luminance of the backlight unit being a maximum variation value, the gain of the sensing signal processor is changed into a gain middle value and the luminance of the backlight unit is changed to a minimum variation value.

25. The display device of claim 15, wherein the first and the second photosensors include first and second sensing elements, respectively, and the processed first and second sensing signals are average values of output signals of the first and the second sensing elements, respectively.

26. The display device of claim 15, wherein the first and the third photosensors are provided in a display area of the panel assembly and the second photosensor is provided exterior to the display area.

27. The display device of claim 15, further comprising a light blocking member blocking the second photosensor from the ambient light.

28. The display device of claim 27, wherein the light blocking member is a black matrix preventing a light-leakage of the panel assembly.

29. The display device of claim 27, wherein the light blocking member is a reflective member reflecting the ambient light.

30. The display device of claim 15, wherein the sensing signal processor and the signal controller are included in a one-chip.

31. A driving method of a display device provided with a backlight unit supplying light comprising:

receiving ambient light and light from the backlight unit at a first photosensor to generate a first sensing signal;

blocking the ambient light and receiving the light from the backlight unit at a second photosensor to generate a second sensing signal;

receiving the ambient light and the light from the backlight unit at a third photosensor to generate a third sensing signal responsive to touch; and

regulating the third sensing signal in response to the first and the second sensing signals,

wherein a gain of the first sensing signal is controlled regulating a magnitude of the first sensing signal.

32. The driving method of claim 31, wherein the regulating the third sensing signal further comprises regulating the third sensing signal such that a difference between the first and the second sensing signals lies between a first set-up value and a second set-up value.