Touch display having in-plane-switching liquid crystal structure

• US 8,957,846 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2013
• Issued: 02/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IC Array Micro and Nano Electronics Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Rich IP Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Chen, Han-Chang, Tu, Yen-Hung, Chia, Chung-Lin, Chang, Jen-Chieh, Wu, Chih-Wen
• Primary Examiner(s): Lao, Lun-Yi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hegarty, Kelly B
• Application Number:
  US14/020,418
• Publication Number:
  US 20140320444A1
• Time in Patent Office: 529 Days
• Field of Search: 345/104, 345173-174, 349/12
• US Class Current: 345/104
• 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

Abstract

A touch display having in-plane-switching liquid crystal structure, comprising a pixel cell and a multiplexer circuit, wherein the multiplexer circuit is used to couple a source driver unit with the pixel cell to provide an in-plane switching display function during a display period, and couple a touch control unit with the pixel cell to provide a touch detection function during a touch detection period.

Claims

1. A touch display having in-plane-switching liquid crystal structure, which includes a pixel cell and a multiplexer circuit for providing a display function and a touch detection function, wherein said pixel cell comprises:

a first substrate;

a counter electrode located on said first substrate;

a storage capacitor bottom electrode located on said first substrate and separated from said counter electrode;

a storage capacitor connection line coupled electrically with said storage capacitor bottom electrode;

a counter electrode connection line coupled electrically with said counter electrode;

an insulation layer having a first surface and a second surface, the first and second surfaces being on opposite sides of the insulation layer, the first surface being in direct contact with said counter electrode and with said storage capacitor bottom electrode;

a thin film transistor located on the second surface of said insulation layer and having a gate, a source, and a drain;

a pixel electrode located on said second surface of said insulation layer and coupled electrically with said drain;

a storage capacitor top electrode located on said second surface of said insulation layer and being directly coupled electrically with said pixel electrode;

a gate connection line coupled electrically with said gate;

a source connection line coupled electrically with said source; and

a liquid crystal layer located on said thin film transistor, on said pixel electrode, and on said storage capacitor top electrode; and

said multiplexer circuit comprises;

a first multiplexer having a first contact, a second contact, and a third contact, wherein, said first contact is coupled with said source connection line, said second contact is coupled with a source driver unit, said third contact is coupled with a touch control unit, said first contact is coupled electrically with said second contact during a display period, and said first contact is coupled electrically with said third contact during a touch detection period;

a second multiplexer having a fourth contact, a fifth contact, and a sixth contact, wherein, said fourth contact is coupled with said storage capacitor connection line, said fifth contact is coupled with a common voltage, said sixth contact is coupled with said touch control unit, said fourth contact is coupled electrically with said fifth contact during said display period, and said fourth contact is coupled electrically with said sixth contact during said touch detection period; and

a third multiplexer having a seventh contact, an eighth contact, and a ninth contact, wherein, said seventh contact is coupled with said counter electrode, said eighth contact is coupled with said common voltage, said ninth contact is coupled with said touch control unit, said seventh contact is coupled electrically with said eighth contact during said display period, and said seventh contact is coupled electrically with said ninth contact during said touch detection period.

2. The touch display having in-plane-switching liquid crystal structure as claim 1, wherein said pixel cell further comprises:

a protection electrode located on said liquid crystal layer; and

a protection electrode connection line coupled electrically with said protection electrode and with said touch control unit.

3. The touch display having in-plane-switching liquid crystal structure as claim 2, wherein said pixel cell further comprises a second substrate on said protection electrode.

4. The touch display having in-plane-switching liquid crystal structure as claim 1, wherein said pixel cell further comprises a second substrate on said liquid crystal layer.

5. A touch display having in-plane-switching liquid crystal structure, comprising:

a pixel array having plural external source connection lines, plural external gate connection lines, plural external storage capacitor connection lines, and plural pixel cells, each of said plural pixel cells comprising;

a first substrate;

a counter electrode located on said first substrate;

a storage capacitor bottom electrode located on said first substrate and separated from said counter electrode;

a storage capacitor connection line located on said first substrate and coupled electrically with said counter electrode, with said storage capacitor bottom electrode, and with one of said plural external storage capacitor connection lines;

an insulation layer having a first surface and a second surface, the first and second surfaces being on opposite sides of the insulation layer, the first surface being in direct contact with said counter electrode and with said storage capacitor bottom electrode;

a thin film transistor located on the second surface of said insulation layer and having a gate, a source, and a drain;

a pixel electrode located on said second surface of said insulation layer and coupled electrically with said drain;

a storage capacitor top electrode located on said second surface of said insulation layer and being directly coupled electrically with said pixel electrode;

a gate connection line coupled electrically with said gate and with one of said plural external gate connection lines;

a source connection line coupled electrically with said source and with one of said plural external source connection lines; and

a liquid crystal layer located on said thin film transistor, on said pixel electrode, and on said storage capacitor top electrode;

a gate driver unit coupled with said plural external gate connection lines;

a multiplexer circuit coupled with said plural external source connection lines and with said plural external storage capacitor connection lines;

a source driver unit coupled with said multiplexer circuit; and

a touch control unit coupled with said multiplexer circuit;

wherein said multiplexer circuit couples said source driver unit with said plural external source connection lines and with said plural external storage capacitor connection lines during a display period, and couples said touch control unit with said plural external source connection lines and with said plural external storage capacitor connection lines during a touch detection period.

6. The touch display having in-plane-switching liquid crystal structure as claim 5, wherein said touch control unit performs a touch detection procedure during said touch detection period, and said touch detection procedure is selected from a group consisting of a self-capacitor touch detection procedure, a mutual-capacitor touch detection procedure, and any combination thereof.

7. The touch display having in-plane-switching liquid crystal structure as claim 5, wherein each of said plural pixel cells further comprises:

plural protection electrodes located on said liquid crystal layer; and

plural external protection electrode connection lines, each of which being coupled electrically with one of said plural protection electrodes and with said multiplexer circuit;

wherein said plural external protection electrode connection lines are coupled to said touch control unit via said multiplexer circuit.

8. The touch display having in-plane-switching liquid crystal structure as claim 7, wherein said touch control unit performs a touch detection procedure during said touch detection period, and said touch detection procedure is selected from a group consisting of a self-capacitor touch detection procedure, a mutual-capacitor touch detection procedure, and any combination thereof.

9. The touch display having in-plane-switching liquid crystal structure as claim 7, wherein each of said plural pixel cells further comprises a second substrate on said protection electrode.

10. The touch display having in-plane-switching liquid crystal structure as claim 5, wherein each of said plural pixel cells further comprises a second substrate on said liquid crystal layer.

11. A touch display having in-plane-switching liquid crystal structure, comprising:

a pixel array having plural external source connection lines, plural external gate connection lines, plural external storage capacitor connection lines, plural external counter electrode connection lines and plural pixel cells, each of said plural pixel cells comprising;

a first substrate;

a counter electrode located on said first substrate;

a storage capacitor bottom electrode located on said first substrate and separated from said counter electrode;

a storage capacitor connection line located on said first substrate and coupled electrically with said storage capacitor bottom electrode and with one of said plural external storage capacitor connection lines;

a counter electrode connection line located on said first substrate and coupled electrically with said counter electrode and with one of said plural external counter electrode connection lines;

an insulation layer having a first surface and a second surface, the first and second surfaces being on opposite sides of the insulation layer, the first surface being in direct contact with said counter electrode and with said storage capacitor bottom electrode;

a thin film transistor located on the second surface of said insulation layer and having a gate, a source, and a drain;

a pixel electrode located on said second surface of said insulation layer and coupled electrically with said drain;

a storage capacitor top electrode located on said second surface of said insulation layer and being directly coupled electrically with said pixel electrode;

a gate connection line coupled electrically with said gate and with one of said plural external gate connection lines;

a source connection line coupled electrically with said source and with one of said plural external source connection lines; and

a liquid crystal layer located on said thin film transistor, on said pixel electrode, and on said storage capacitor top electrode;

a gate driver unit coupled with said plural external gate connection lines;

a multiplexer circuit coupled with said plural external source connection lines, with said plural external storage capacitor connection lines, and with said plural external counter electrode connection lines;

a source driver unit coupled with said multiplexer circuit; and

a touch control unit coupled with said multiplexer circuit;

wherein said multiplexer circuit couples said source driver unit with said plural external source connection lines, with said plural external storage capacitor connection lines, and with said plural external counter electrode connection lines during a display period, and couples said touch control unit with said plural external source connection lines, with said plural external storage capacitor connection lines, and with said plural external counter electrode connection lines during a touch detection period.

12. The touch display having in-plane-switching liquid crystal structure as claim 11, wherein said touch control unit performs a touch detection procedure during said touch detection period, and said touch detection procedure is selected from a group consisting of a self-capacitor touch detection procedure, a mutual-capacitor touch detection procedure, and any combination thereof.

13. The touch display having in-plane-switching liquid crystal structure as claim 11, wherein each of said plural pixel cells further comprises:

plural protection electrodes located on said liquid crystal layer; and

plural external protection electrode connection lines, each of which being coupled electrically with one of said plural protection electrodes and with said multiplexer circuit;

wherein said plural external protection electrode connection lines are coupled to said touch control unit via said multiplexer circuit.

14. The touch display having in-plane-switching liquid crystal structure as claim 13, wherein said touch control unit performs a touch detection procedure during said touch detection period, and said touch detection procedure is selected from a group consisting of a self-capacitor touch detection procedure, a mutual-capacitor touch detection procedure, and any combination thereof.

15. The touch display having in-plane-switching liquid crystal structure as claim 13, wherein each of said plural pixel cells further comprises a second substrate on said protection electrode.

16. The touch display having in-plane-switching liquid crystal structure as claim 11, wherein each of said plural pixel cells further comprises a second substrate on said liquid crystal layer.