Display unit

• US 7,633,484 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2005
• Issued: 12/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NLT Technologies, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: NEC LCD Technologies Limited (NEC Corporation)
• Inventors: Ito, Yukihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe; Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Abdin; Shaheda A
• Application Number:
  US11/049,462
• Publication Number:
  US 20050168450A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,776 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/178, 345 1801- 1806, 345/20.01, 345/104, 178/18.09, 178/18.01
• US Class Current: 345/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact

Abstract

A display unit includes a display panel having a display screen on which images are displayed, and (b) a touch panel covering the display screen therewith and detecting a touch thereto made by a user. The touch panel detects the touch in accordance with touch-panel drive signals input thereto. The display panel displays images in accordance with display-drive signals input thereto. The touch panel is switched between a first condition in which the touch-panel drive signals are input into the touch panel and a second condition in which the touch panel is electrically open.

Claims

1. A display unit comprising:

a display panel having a display screen on which images are displayed in accordance with received display-drive signals;

a cover panel which covers said display screen; and

a selector coupled between the display panel and the cover panel, which selector selectively electrically connects and disconnects the display panel to and from the cover panel,

wherein a common electrode signal is input to said display panel and said cover panel when the display panel and the cover panel are electrically connected by the selector.

2. The display unit as set forth in claim 1, wherein said cover panel is comprised of a touch panel to detect a touch made by a user.

3. The display unit as set forth in claim 2, wherein said touch panel detects a touch made by a user, in accordance with touch-panel drive signals input to the cover panel.

4. The display unit as set forth in claim 2, wherein said touch panel comprises:

a first substrate;

a second substrate arranged to face said first substrate;

a first electrically conductive film formed on a surface of said first substrate facing said second substrate; and

a second electrically conductive film formed on a surface of said second substrate facing said first substrate,

wherein said touch panel detects the touch made by the user in accordance with touch-panel drive signals input to said first and second electrically conductive films.

5. The display unit as set forth in claim 4, wherein said first and second electrically conductive films are formed entirely over said first and second substrates, respectively.

6. The display unit as set forth in claim 4, wherein at least one of said first or second electrically conductive film receives said display-drive signals.

7. The display unit as set forth in claim 1, further comprising

an electrically conductive film formed on said cover panel, said electrically conductive film being adapted to receive said display-drive signals.

8. The display unit as set forth in claim 7, wherein said electrically conductive film is formed on a surface of said cover panel facing said display panel.

9. The display unit as set forth in claim 7, wherein said electrically conductive film is formed entirely on said cover panel.

10. The display unit as set forth in claim 7, wherein said electrically conductive film is adapted to always receive said display-drive signals.

11. The display unit as set forth in claim 4, wherein said display panel comprises:

a first substrate,

a second substrate arranged to face said first substrate, and

drive electrodes formed on said first and second substrates, wherein

the display screen displays the images in accordance with the display-drive signals input into said drive electrodes, and wherein

said display-drive signals are input into a drive electrode formed on one of said first or second electrically conductive film.

12. The display unit as set forth in claim 11, wherein said display-drive signals are input into the electrode formed on one of the first or second electrically conductive film arranged closer to said cover panel.

13. The display unit as set forth in claim 11, wherein said drive electrode into which said display-drive signal is input is formed entirely on one of said first or second electrically conductive film.

14. The display unit as set forth in claim 1, wherein said display unit is comprised of a liquid crystal display unit.

18. The display unit as set forth in claim 1, wherein the display panel comprises:

a common electrode, to which the selector is coupled to supply the display-drive signals.

19. The display unit as set forth in claim 18, wherein the cover panel comprises:

a first substrate;

a second substrate arranged to face the first substrate;

a first electrically conductive film formed on a surface of the first substrate facing the second substrate; and

a second electrically conductive film formed on a surface of the second substrate facing the first substrate, wherein the selector is selectively couples at least one of the first and second electrically conductive film to the common electrode to supply the same display-drive signals that are being supplied to the common electrode.

15. An electronic device including a display unit comprising:

a display panel having a display screen on which images are displayed in accordance with received display-drive signals;

a cover panel which covers said display screen; and

a selector, coupled between the display panel and the cover panel, which selector selectively electrically connects and disconnects the display panel to and from the cover panel,

wherein a common electrode signal is input to said display panel and to said cover panel when the display panel and the cover panel are electrically connected by the selector.

16. The electronic device as set forth in claim 15, wherein said electronic device is comprised of a mobile communication terminal.

17. The electronic device as set forth in claim 16, wherein said electronic device is comprised of a mobile phone.