Flat panel display with built-in touch sensors

• US 8,803,826 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2011
• Issued: 08/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Pak, Sang-Jin
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu, Amare
• Assistant Examiner(s): Khoo, Stacy
• Application Number:
  US13/282,324
• Publication Number:
  US 20120105347A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,021 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-178, 349/12, 349/13, 178/18.01, 178/18.03, 178/18.05
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• 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: G06F 3/0447 Position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3648 using an active matrix G09G3/367 - G09G3/3696 take precedence

Abstract

A flat panel display with built-in touch sensors includes a first substrate having a plurality of gate lines extending in a first direction and a plurality of data lines extending in a second direction and crossing the gate lines, and a plurality of pixels respectively formed in regions defined by the gate and data lines. A second substrate is joined together with the first substrate with a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween. A plurality of touch sensors are at positions adjacent to the respective pixels between the first and second substrates. Each of the touch sensors includes a conductive column spacer on the second substrate, a semiconductor layer in a region on the first substrate, corresponding to the conductive column spacer, and first and second electrodes respectively overlapped with the semiconductor layer in regions at both ends on the semiconductor layer.

Claims

1. A flat panel display with built-in touch sensors comprising:

a first substrate having a plurality of gate lines extending in a first direction and a plurality of data lines extending in a second direction and crossing the gate lines, and a plurality of pixels respectively formed in regions defined by the gate and data lines;

a second substrate joined together with the first substrate with a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween; and

a plurality of touch sensors at positions adjacent to the respective pixels between the first and second substrates,

wherein each of the touch sensors comprises;

a conductive column spacer on the second substrate;

a semiconductor layer in a region on the first substrate, corresponding to the conductive column spacer;

first and second electrodes respectively overlapped with the semiconductor layer in regions at both ends on the semiconductor layer; and

a conductive pad on top of the second electrode and configured to contact the column spacer when a downward force is applied to the column spacer.

2. The flat panel display according to claim 1, wherein the touch sensors are respectively formed at crossing regions of first and second sensing lines extending in parallel to and spaced apart from the gate and data lines, respectively.

3. The flat panel display according to claim 1, wherein the conductive column spacer comprises a protruding portion and a transparent conductive material on an outer surface of the protruding portion.

4. The flat panel display according to claim 1, wherein the second substrate comprises:

a lattice-shaped black matrix in a region corresponding to a region that surrounds each of the pixels of the first substrate on a rear surface of an insulative transparent substrate;

color filter patterns sequentially and repeatedly arranged corresponding to the respective pixels in an interior of the black matrix; and

a common electrode comprising a transparent conductive material beneath the color filter patterns.

5. The flat panel display according to claim 1, further comprising a spacer for maintaining a cell gap between the first and second substrates, wherein the spacer is between the first and second substrates.

6. The flat panel display according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor layer comprises amorphous silicon (a-Si) or polysilicon (poly-Si).

7. The flat panel display according to claim 1, further comprising an ohmic contact layer in a region in which the semiconductor layer is overlapped with each of the first and second electrodes.

8. The flat panel display according to claim 2, wherein the first electrode is electrically coupled to the second sensing line and the second electrode is electrically coupled to the first sensing line.

9. The flat panel display according to claim 1, further comprising a third electrode below the semiconductor layer.

10. The flat panel display according to claim 9, wherein the third electrode comprises an opaque metal and overlaps with the region of the touch sensor.

11. The flat panel display according to claim 9, wherein the third electrode is configured to be in a floating state.

12. The flat panel display according to claim 1, wherein the conductive pad is electrically coupled to the second electrode.