Sensor module and display device

• US 8,872,793 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2012
• Issued: 10/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Japan Display Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Japan Display Incorporated
• Inventors: Tada, Masahiro, Nakamura, Takashi, Hayashi, Hirotaka, Fuchi, Masayoshi, Ishikawa, Miyuki, Imai, Takayuki, Tomita, Satoru, Endo, Takahiko, Okada, Takashi, Saruhashi, Yasuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Beck, Alexander S
• Assistant Examiner(s): CASTIAUX, BRENT D
• Application Number:
  US13/525,507
• Publication Number:
  US 20130002603A1
• Time in Patent Office: 862 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-178, 345/104
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04166 Details of scanning methods, e.g. sampling time, grouping of sub areas or time sharing with display driving Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally G06F3/04184
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a sensor module includes a first sensor circuit, a second sensor circuit and a differential circuit. The first sensor circuit includes a first detection electrode, a first amplifier formed of a thin-film transistor and a first coupling capacitor. The second sensor circuit includes a second detection electrode, a second amplifier formed of a thin-film transistor and a second coupling capacitor. The differential circuit is connected to the drain electrode of the first amplifier and the drain electrode of the second amplifier.

Claims

1. A sensor module comprising:

a first sensor circuit comprising a first detection electrode whose detection capacitance varies according to an input operation by an input unit after a first precharge voltage is applied to the first detection electrode, a first amplifier formed of a thin-film transistor including a gate electrode connected to the first detection electrode and configured to adjust a first coupling signal supplied to a source electrode according to an attenuation amount of the first precharge voltage on the first detection electrode and output an adjusted first coupling signal from a drain electrode, and a first coupling capacitor connected between the source electrode and gate electrode of the first amplifier;

a second sensor circuit comprising a second detection electrode whose detection capacitance varies according to an input operation by the input unit after a second precharge voltage is applied to the second detection electrode, a second amplifier formed of a thin-film transistor including a gate electrode connected to the second detection electrode and configured to adjust a second coupling signal supplied to a source electrode according to an attenuation amount of the second precharge voltage on the second detection electrode and output an adjusted second coupling signal from a drain electrode, and a second coupling capacitor connected between the source electrode and gate electrode of the second amplifier; and

a differential circuit connected to the drain electrode of the first amplifier and the drain electrode of the second amplifier, wherein

the source electrode of the first amplifier is configured to be supplied with the first coupling signal set to a voltage level that is shifted to a negative side from a reference voltage when the first precharge voltage is applied to the first detection electrode and set to the reference voltage after the first precharge voltage is applied to the first detection electrode, and

the source electrode of the second amplifier is configured to be supplied with the second coupling signal set to a voltage level that is shifted to a positive side from the reference voltage when the second precharge voltage is applied to the second detection electrode and set to the reference voltage after the second precharge voltage is applied to the second detection electrode.

2. The sensor module according to claim 1, wherein an absolute value of a difference between the voltage level shifted to the negative side from the reference voltage and the reference voltage and an absolute value of a difference between the voltage level shifted to the positive side from the reference voltage and the reference voltage are the same value.

3. The sensor module according to claim 1, wherein the first precharge voltage and second precharge voltage are configured to adjust to set the adjusted first coupling signal and the adjusted second coupling signal to the same voltage level while an input operation by the input unit is not performed.

4. The sensor module according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first integration circuit connected between the drain electrode of the first amplifier and the differential circuit; and

a second integration circuit connected between the drain electrode of the second amplifier and the differential circuit.

5. The sensor module according to claim 1, wherein

the first sensor circuit further includes a first precharge control switch connected to the first detection electrode and configured to be selectively switched to one of a nonconductive state and conductive state in which the first precharge voltage is output to the first detection electrode, and a first output switch connected between the drain electrode of the first amplifier and the differential circuit and configured to be selectively switched to one of a nonconductive state and conductive state in which the adjusted first coupling signal is output to the differential circuit, and

the second sensor circuit further includes a second precharge control switch connected to the second detection electrode and configured to be selectively switched to one of a nonconductive state and conductive state in which the second precharge voltage is output to the second detection electrode, and a second output switch connected between the drain electrode of the second amplifier and the differential circuit and configured to be selectively switched to one of a nonconductive state and conductive state in which the adjusted second coupling signal is output to the differential circuit.

6. The sensor module according to claim 1, wherein detection capacitances of the first and second detection electrodes are configured to be both changed according to the input operation by the input unit.

7. A display device comprising:

a display panel comprising an array substrate including a plurality of wirings and a plurality of pixels; and

a sensor module comprising first and second sensor circuits arranged on the array substrate, and a differential circuit,

wherein

the first sensor circuit comprises a first detection electrode whose detection capacitance varies according to an input operation by an input unit after a first precharge voltage is applied to the first detection electrode, a first amplifier formed of a thin-film transistor including a gate electrode connected to the first detection electrode and configured to adjust a first coupling signal supplied to a source electrode according to an attenuation amount of the first precharge voltage on the first detection electrode and output an adjusted first coupling signal from a drain electrode, and a first coupling capacitor connected between the source electrode and gate electrode of the first amplifier,

the second sensor circuit comprises a second detection electrode whose detection capacitance varies according to an input operation by the input unit after a second precharge voltage is applied to the second detection electrode, a second amplifier formed of a thin-film transistor including a gate electrode connected to the second detection electrode and configured to adjust a second coupling signal supplied to a source electrode according to an attenuation amount of the second precharge voltage on the second detection electrode and output an adjusted second coupling signal from a drain electrode, and a second coupling capacitor connected between the source electrode and gate electrode of the second amplifier,

the differential circuit is connected to the drain electrode of the first amplifier and the drain electrode of the second amplifier,

the source electrode of the first amplifier is configured to be supplied with the first coupling signal set to a voltage level that is shifted to a negative side from a reference voltage when the first precharge voltage is applied to the first detection electrode and set to the reference voltage after the first precharge voltage is applied to the first detection electrode, and

the source electrode of the second amplifier is configured to be supplied with the second coupling signal set to a voltage level that is shifted to a positive side from the reference voltage when the second precharge voltage is applied to the second detection electrode and set to the reference voltage after the second precharge voltage is applied to the second detection electrode.

8. The display device according to claim 7, wherein portions of the first and second sensor circuits are configured to be commonly used by a plurality of wirings on the array substrate.

9. The display device according to claim 7, wherein an absolute value of a difference between the voltage level shifted to the negative side from the reference voltage and the reference voltage and an absolute value of a difference between the voltage level shifted to the positive side from the reference voltage and the reference voltage are the same value.