Touch screen 2D/3D display system and method

• US 8,587,556 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2011
• Issued: 11/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Superb Technology Co Ltd
• Original Assignee: Superd Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Luo, Jie
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisen, Alexander
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patel, Sanjiv D
• Application Number:
  US13/049,921
• Publication Number:
  US 20120169648A1
• Time in Patent Office: 978 Days
• Field of Search: 345 4- 5, 345173-178, 345204-215, 349/12, 178 1801- 1803, 178/18.06, 348 51- 60
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/25 using polarisation techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/27 involving lenticular arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/305 using lenticular lenses, e.g. arrangements of cylindrical lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/356 having separate monoscopic and stereoscopic modes

Abstract

A display device is provided. The display device includes a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel for displaying images, a first electrode layer, and a second electrode layer coupled to the first electrode layer. The display device also includes a first driving circuit configured to provide a first driving signal and a second driving circuit configured to provide a second driving signal. Further, the display device includes a coupling unit coupled to the first driving circuit and the second driving circuit and configured to couple the first driving signal and the second driving signal, and to provide the coupled signal of the first driving signal and second driving signal to both of the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer such that the first driving signal drives the LCD panel for displaying the images, and the second driving signal drives the LCD panel for being touch-sensitive. The display device also includes a signal separation unit coupled to at least one of the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer to receive a feedback signal indicating a capacitance change corresponding to a touch on the LCD panel.

Claims

1. A display device, comprising:

a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel for displaying images, which comprises a first polarizer, a first glass substrate coupled to the first polarizer, a first electrode layer formed on the first glass substrate, a first alignment layer formed on the first electrode layer, a second polarizer, a second glass substrate coupled to the second polarizer, a second electrode layer formed on the second glass substrate, a second alignment layer formed on the second electrode layer, and a liquid crystal layer formed between the first alignment layer and the second alignment layer, wherein the second electrode layer is coupled to the first electrode layer;

a first driving circuit configured to provide a first driving signal at a first frequency;

a second driving circuit configured to provide a second driving signal at a second frequency, different from the first frequency;

a coupling unit coupled to the first driving circuit and the second driving circuit to receive the first driving signal and the second driving signal at the same time and configured to couple the first driving signal and the second driving signal in a frequency domain, and to provide the coupled signal of the first driving signal and second driving signal to both of the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer such that the first driving signal drives the LCD panel for displaying the images, and the second driving signal drives the LCD panel for being touch-sensitive; and

a signal separation unit, separate and different from the first driving circuit and the second driving circuit, coupled to at least one of the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer to receive a feedback signal and to separate from the feedback signal a capacitance change signal indicating a capacitance change corresponding to a touch on the LCD panel,

the first driving circuit is further configured to separately provide a third driving signal to both of the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer of the LCD panel without going through the coupling unit, in addition to and together with the coupled first and second driving signals, wherein the third driving signal and the first driving signal effect 3D image display.

2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein:

the signal separation unit is further coupled to the second driving circuit to provide the capacitance change signal to the second driving circuit for calculating a touch position of the touch on the LCD panel.

3. The display device according to claim 1, wherein:

the first frequency has a bandwidth lower than a bandwidth of the second frequency.

4. The display device according to claim 1, wherein:

the first frequency is in a range of approximately 10 to 1 KHz; and

the second frequency is greater than 1 KHz.

5. The display device according to claim 1, wherein:

the first frequency is approximately 120 Hz; and

the second frequency is approximately 240 Hz.

6. The display device according to claim 1, wherein:

the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer are configured to form a self-capacitance structure when the second driving signal is provided to the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer.

7. The display device according to claim 1, wherein:

the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer are configured to form a mutual-capacitance structure when the second driving signal is provided to the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer.

8. The display device according to claim 1, further including:

a lenticular lens screen coupled to the LCD panel for displaying 3D images.

19. The display device according to claim 2, wherein:

the coupling unit is coupled to the first driving circuit and the second driving circuit on two inputs, and provides the coupled signal of the first driving signal and second driving signal to both of the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer from an output; and

the signal separation unit is coupled to at least one of the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer on an input and is further coupled to the second driving circuit on an output.

9. A method for a display device including a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel for displaying images, which comprises a first electrode layer and a second electrode layer coupled to the first electrode layer, the method comprising:

generating a first driving signal at a first frequency and a second driving signal at a second frequency different from the first frequency;

receiving the first driving signal and the second driving signal at the same time;

coupling the first driving signal and the second driving signal in a frequency domain by a coupling unit;

providing the coupled signal of the first driving signal and second driving signal to both of the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer such that the first driving signal drives the LCD panel for displaying the images, and the second driving signal drives the LCD panel for being touch-sensitive;

separately providing a third driving signal to both of the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer of the LCD panel without going through the coupling unit, in addition to and together with the coupled first and second driving signals, wherein the third driving signal and the first driving signal effect 3D image display;

receiving from at least one of the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer a feedback signal and separating from the feedback signal a capacitance change signal indicating a capacitance change corresponding to a touch on the LCD panel; and

determining a touch position of the touch on the LCD panel based on the feedback signal.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein:

the first driving signal and the second driving signal are different on at least one of frequency, bandwidth, and signal strength.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein:

the first driving signal has a first frequency in a range of approximately 10 to 1 KHz; and

the second driving signal has a second frequency greater than 1 KHz.

20. The display device according to claim 9, wherein:

the feedback signal is processed by a signal separation unit, and a capacitance change signal is separated from the feedback signal for determining the touch position of the touch on the LCD panel.

12. A display device, comprising:

a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel for displaying images;

an optical device, different from the LCD panel and stacking on top of the LCD panel, including a first electrode layer, a first alignment layer formed on the first electrode layer, a second electrode layer, a second alignment layer formed on the second electrode layer, a liquid crystal layer coupled between the first alignment layer and the second alignment layer on the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, respectively, and a lens unit, wherein the lens unit includes a first lens array, a second lens array coupled with the first lens array, and a glass substrate coupled to the second lens array, and the first lens array is optically isotropic and the second lens array is optically anisotropic such that the coupled first lens array and second lens array change direction of light from the LCD panel in a first polarization direction and maintain direction of light from the LCD panel in a second polarization direction;

a first driving circuit configured to provide a first driving signal at a first frequency;

a second driving circuit configured to provide a second driving signal at a second frequency, different from the first frequency;

a coupling unit coupled to the first driving circuit and the second driving circuit to receive the first driving signal and the second driving signal at the same time and configured to couple the first driving signal and the second driving signal in a frequency domain and to provide the coupled signal of the first driving signal and second driving signal to both of the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer such that the first driving signal drives the optical device for processing lights from the LCD panel, and the second driving signal drives the optical device for being touch-sensitive; and

a signal separation unit, separate and different from the first driving circuit and the second driving circuit, coupled to at least one of the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer to receive a feedback signal and to separate from the feedback signal a capacitance change signal indicating a capacitance change corresponding to a touch on the optical device,

wherein the first driving circuit is further configured to separately provide a third driving signal to both of the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer of the LCD panel without going through the coupling unit, in addition to and together with the coupled first and second driving signals, wherein the third driving signal and the first driving signal effect 3D image display.

13. The display device according to claim 12, wherein:

the signal separation unit is further coupled to the second driving circuit to provide the capacitance change signal separated from the feedback signal to the second driving circuit for calculating a touch position of the touch on the optical device.

14. The display device according to claim 12, wherein:

the coupled first driving signal and second driving signal are provided to the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer to change polarization direction of lights from the LCD panel going through the lens unit of the optical device for 3D image display.

15. The display device according to claim 14, wherein:

the first frequency is in a range of approximately 10 to 1 KHz; and

the second frequency is greater than 1 KHz.

16. The display device according to claim 14, wherein:

the first frequency is approximately 120 Hz; and

the second frequency is approximately 240 Hz.

17. The display device according to claim 12, wherein:

the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer are configured to form a self-capacitance structure when the second driving signal is provided to the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer.

18. The display device according to claim 12, wherein:

the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer are configured to form a mutual-capacitance structure when the second driving signal is provided to the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer.