Touch sensor, display with touch sensor, and method for generating position data

• US 8,031,180 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2002
• Issued: 10/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Omron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Nakano, Toshihisa, Miyamoto, Saburo
• Primary Examiner(s): Beck; Alexander S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Said; Mansour M
• Application Number:
  US10/487,338
• Publication Number:
  US 20040217945A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,365 Days
• Field of Search: 345/87, 345156-166, 345169-182, 178/18.01
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04113 Peripheral electrode pattern in resistive digitisers, i.e. electrodes at the periphery of the resistive sheet are shaped in patterns enhancing linearity of induced field
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0444 using a single conductive element covering the whole sensing surface, e.g. by sensing the electrical current flowing at the corners
• 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 device with a touch sensor according to the present invention includes an active matrix substrate 4A and a transparent counter electrode 7. On a first surface of the active matrix substrate, multiple pixel electrodes are arranged in matrix. The transparent counter electrode is opposed to the first surface of the active matrix substrate. The display device further includes a first circuit, a second circuit and a switching circuit. The first circuit supplies a voltage or a current to the transparent counter electrode for display purposes. The second circuit detects currents flowing from a number of points on the transparent counter electrode. And the switching circuit selectively connects electrically one of the first and second circuits to the transparent counter electrode.

Claims

1. A display device with a touch sensor, the display device comprising:

an active-matrix substrate including multiple pixel electrodes that are arranged in matrix on a first surface thereof; and

a transparent counter electrode, which is opposed to the first surface of the active-matrix substrate,

wherein the transparent counter electrode is used not only as a common electrode for display purpose but also as a location sensing transparent conductive film, and

wherein the display device further includes;

a driving circuit configured to supply a voltage or current to the transparent counter electrode for display purposes;

a location sensing circuit configured to detect currents flowing from multiple points on the transparent counter electrode; and

a switching circuit configured to switch between driving the pixels of the display device for display purposes and location sensing by selectively connecting electrically one of the driving and location sensing circuits to the transparent counter electrode.

2. The display device with the touch sensor of claim 1, wherein the switching circuit periodically switches the electrical connection of the driving or location sensing circuit to the transparent counter electrode in response to a control signal.

3. The display device with the touch sensor of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the driving circuit, at least a portion of the location sensing circuit, and the switching circuit each include a thin-film transistor that is provided on the active-matrix substrate.

4. The display device with the touch sensor of claim 3, wherein the thin-film transistor includes polysilicon that is deposited on the active-matrix substrate.

5. The display device with the touch sensor of claim 3, wherein the transparent counter electrode includes a plurality of divided areas, and wherein a current flowing between both ends of each said area is detected by the location sensing circuit.

6. The display device with the touch sensor of claim 1, further comprising a liquid crystal layer between the pixel electrodes and the transparent counter electrode.

7. The display device with the touch sensor of claim 6, wherein the transparent counter electrode is provided on another substrate that faces the substrate, and wherein the liquid crystal layer is sealed between the two substrates.

8. The display device with the touch sensor of claim 1, further comprising an organic EL layer between the pixel electrodes and the transparent counter electrode.

9. The display device with the touch sensor of claim 1, wherein an operating plane of the touch sensor is on an opposite side of the transparent counter electrode from a side of the transparent counter electrode facing the active matrix substrate.

10. A display device with a touch sensor, the display device comprising:

a first substrate including multiple scanning electrodes that are arranged on a first surface thereof; and

a second substrate including multiple pixel data electrodes that are opposed to the first surface of the first substrate,

wherein the pixel data electrodes are used not only as data electrodes for display purpose but also as location sensing transparent conductive films, and

wherein the display device further includes;

a driving circuit configured to supply a voltage or current to each of said data electrodes for display purposes;

a location sensing circuit configured to detect currents flowing from multiple points on each of said data electrodes; and

a switching circuit configured to switch between driving the pixels of the display device for display purposes and location sensing by selectively connecting electrically one of the driving and location sensing circuits to the pixel data electrodes.

11. The display device with the touch sensor of claim 10, wherein at least a portion of the driving circuit, at least a portion of the location sensing circuit, and the switching circuit each include a thin-film transistor that is provided on the substrate.

12. The display device with the touch sensor of claim 11, wherein the thin-film transistor includes polysilicon that is deposited on the substrate.

13. The display device with the touch sensor of claim 10, further comprising a liquid crystal layer between the first and second substrates.

14. The display device with the touch sensor of claim 10, wherein an operating plane of the touch sensor is on an opposite face of the second substrate from a face of the second substrate facing the first substrate.

15. A display device with a touch sensor, the display device comprising:

a first substrate including a first group of electrodes that are arranged on a first surface thereof; and

a second substrate including a second group of electrodes that are opposed to the first surface of the first substrate,

wherein the electrodes of the first group are used not only as electrodes for display purpose but also as location sensing transparent conductive films, and

wherein the display device further includes;

a driving circuit configured to supply a voltage or current to each of said electrodes of the first group for display purposes;

a location sensing circuit configured to detect currents flowing from multiple points on each of said electrodes of the first group; and

a switching circuit configured to switch between driving the pixels of the display device for display purposes and location sensing by selectively connecting electrically one of the driving and location sensing circuits to the electrode of the first group.

16. The display device with the touch sensor of claim 15, wherein at least a portion of the driving circuit, at least a portion of the location sensing circuit, and the switching circuit each include a thin-film transistor that is provided on the substrate.

17. The display device with the touch sensor of claim 16, wherein the thin-film transistor includes polysilicon that is deposited on the substrate.

18. The display device with the touch sensor of claim 15, further comprising a liquid crystal layer between the first and second substrates.

19. The display device with the touch sensor of claim 15, wherein an operating plane of the touch sensor is on an opposite face of the first substrate from a face of the first substrate facing the second substrate.