Touch panel display device performing parallel touch scan of different display regions

• US 8,970,505 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2009
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Japan Display Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Japan Display West Incorporated (Japan Display Incorporated)
• Inventors: Noguchi, Koji, Takeuchi, Takeya
• Primary Examiner(s): Young, Wayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): FISCHER, MARK L
• Application Number:
  US12/550,105
• Publication Number:
  US 20100066692A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,013 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• 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
• 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

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a contact detecting device including: a contact responding section configured to produce an electric change in response to an object to be detected coming into contact with or proximity to a detecting surface; and a contact driving scanning section configured to scan application of driving voltage to the contact responding section in one direction within the detecting surface, and control output of the electric change in time series, wherein the contact driving scanning section performs a plurality of scans of different regions of the contact responding section in parallel with each other, and outputs a plurality of the electric changes in parallel with each other.

Claims

1. A contact detecting device comprising:

a contact responding section configured to produce an electric change in response to an object to be detected coming into contact with or proximity to a detecting surface, said contact responding section being divided into a plurality of regions, each of which includes a plurality of driving electrodes extending in a first direction;

a contact driving scanning section configured to scan application of driving voltage to individual ones of said plurality of driving electrodes in a second direction or a direction opposite to the second direction within each of said plurality of regions to control output of said electric change in time series;

a plurality of detecting lines extending in said second direction such that each of said plurality of detecting lines intersects said driving electrodes of at least one of said plurality of regions; and

a detecting section configured to detect occurrence of said electric change from a voltage change in at least one of said plurality of detecting lines to identify a position of the occurrence,

wherein said contact driving scanning section performs said scanning for each of said plurality of regions in parallel with each other so that two or more driving electrodes are scanned simultaneously,

a manner that said plurality of detecting lines intersect said driving electrodes of the respective regions differs between said plurality of regions, and

said detecting sections identifies one of said plurality of regions with which region said object to be detected is in contact or to which region said object to be detected is in proximity on a basis of a pattern of the voltage change among the regions the driving electrodes of which intersect the detection lines from which the voltage change is detected, said pattern of the voltage change occurring according to a difference in the manner of said intersecting between said plurality of regions.

2. A contact detecting device comprising:

a contact responding section configured to produce an electric change in response to an object to be detected coming into contact with or in proximity to a detecting surface, said contact responding section being divided into a plurality of driving electrodes extending in a first direction;

a contact driving scanning section configured to scan application of driving voltage to individual ones of said plurality of driving electrodes in a second direction or a direction opposite to the second direction within each of said plurality of regions to control output of said electric change in time series;

a plurality of detecting lines extending in said second direction such that each of said plurality of detecting lines intersects said driving electrodes of at least one of said plurality of regions; and

a detecting section configured to detect occurrence of said electric change from a voltage change in at least one of said plurality of detecting lines to identify a position of the occurrence,

wherein said contact driving scanning section performs said scanning for each of said plurality of regions in parallel with each other so that two or more driving electrodes are scanned simultaneously, a manner that said contact driving scanning section applies said driving voltage to individual ones of said plurality of driving electrodes differs between said plurality of regions, and

said detecting section identifies one of said plurality of regions with which region said object to be detected is in contact or to which region said object to be detected is in proximity on a basis of a pattern of the voltage change, among the regions the driving electrodes of which intersect the detection lines from which the voltage change is detected, said pattern of the voltage change occurring according to difference in the manner of said driving between said plurality of regions.

3. The contact detecting device according to claim 2,

wherein at least one of a phase and an amplitude of said driving voltage output by said contact driving scanning section differs between said plurality of regions, and

said detecting section is connected to one end in said second direction of said plurality of detecting lines and identifies one of said plurality of regions with which region said object to be detected is in contact or to which region said object to be detected is in proximity on the basis of said pattern of the voltage change, said pattern of the voltage change occurring according to difference in said driving voltage.

4. The contact detecting device according to claim 3,

wherein said plurality of detecting lines are arranged so as to intersect the driving electrodes of two regions of said contact responding section, and

said contact driving scanning section supplies said driving voltage to individual ones of said driving electrodes of said two regions such that the phase of the driving voltage is inverted from by 180 degrees between said two regions.

5. The contact detecting device according to claim 3,

wherein a predetermined number of detecting lines are arranged so as to similarly intersect a plurality of regions of said contact responding section, and

said contact driving scanning section supplies said driving voltages of different amplitudes to said plurality of regions.

6. The contact detecting device according to claim 3,

wherein said plurality of regions include a first region and a second region,

said plurality of detecting lines include two sets of, a first set of detecting lines being arranged so as to intersect the driving electrodes of the first region, and a second set of detecting lines being arranged so as to intersect the driving electrodes of the first and second regions, and

said contact driving scanning section supplies said driving voltage to individual ones of said driving electrodes of said first and second regions such that the phase of the driving voltage is inverted by 180 degrees between said first region and said second region.

7. The contact detecting device according to claim 3,

wherein N (≧

2) sets of a predetermined number k (≧

2) of detecting lines are arranged for N regions of said contact responding section, numbers of sets of detecting lines overlapping said plurality of regions, respectively, being different from each other, and

said contact driving scanning section supplies said driving voltages of different amplitudes to said plurality of regions.

8. The contact detecting device according to claim 3,

wherein said plurality of detecting lines include a first and second sets of detecting lines extending in said second direction and being in a form of parallel stripes;

and

said detecting section includes a first and second detecting sections connected to said first and second sets of detecting lines at one end in said second direction, respectively, said first and second detecting sections each detecting occurrence of said electric change on a basis of a voltage change pattern occurring in the detecting lines of the corresponding set and identifying a position of the occurrence.

9. The contact detecting device according to claim 2,

wherein said contact responding section is formed by arranging sensors in a plane parallel to said detecting surface in a form of a matrix, and

said contact driving scanning section performs scanning with a line of the matrix in said first direction as a minimum unit.

10. The contact detecting device according to claim 2,

wherein said contact responding section is formed by arranging sensors in a plane parallel to said detecting surface in a form of a matrix, and

said contact driving scanning section performs scanning with a predetermined number of consecutive lines of the matrix in said first direction as a minimum unit.

11. The contact detecting device according to claim 2, further wherein at least one of said plurality of regions includes two or more of driving lines.

12. A display device comprising:

a display section configured to subject an amount of transmitted light to light modulation according to an input video signal, and output light after the modulation from a display surface; and

a display driving scanning section configured to perform a scan operation of applying a line of pixels aligned in a first direction with a driving voltage for said light modulation, said scan operation being performed in a second direction orthogonal to said first direction,

wherein a contact responding section is configured to produce an electric change in response to an object to be detected coming into contact with or proximity to said display surface, said contact responding section being divided into a plurality of regions, each of which includes a plurality of driving electrodes extending in said first direction,

said display driving scanning section doubles as a contact driving scanning section configured to scan application of driving voltage to individual ones of said plurality of driving electrodes in said second direction or a direction that is opposite the second direction within said display surface, and control output of said electric change in time series,

said contact driving scanning section performs said scanning for each of said plurality of regions in parallel with each other so that two or more driving electrodes are scanned simultaneously, and

a manner that said contact driving scanning section applies said driving voltage to individual ones of said plurality of driving electrodes differs between said plurality of regions.

13. The display device according to claim 12, further comprising:

a plurality of detecting lines extending in said second direction such that each of said plurality of detecting lines intersects said driving electrodes of at least one of said plurality of regions; and

a detecting section configured to detect occurrence of said electric change from a voltage change in at least one of said plurality of detecting lines to identify a position of the occurrence,

wherein said detecting section identifies one of said plurality of regions with which region said object to be detected is in contact or to which region said object to be detected is in proximity on a basis of a pattern of the voltage change among the regions the driving electrodes of which intersect the detection lines from which the voltage change is detected, said pattern of the voltage change occurring according to difference in the manner of said driving between said plurality of regions.

14. The display device according to claim 13,

wherein at least one of a phase and an amplitude of said driving voltage output by said contact driving scanning section differs between said plurality of regions, and

said detecting section is connected to one end in said second direction of said plurality of detecting lines and identifies one of said plurality of regions with which region said object to be detected is in contact or to which region said object to be detected is in proximity on the basis of said pattern of the voltage change, said pattern of the voltage change occurring according to difference in said driving voltage.

15. The display device according to claim 12,

wherein said plurality of detecting lines include first and second sets of a detecting lines extending in said second direction and being in a form of parallel stripes;

and

said detecting section includes a first and second detecting sections connected to said first and second sets of detecting lines at one end in said second direction, respectively, said first and second detecting sections each detecting occurrence of said electric change on a basis of a voltage change pattern occurring in the detecting lines of the corresponding set and identifying a position of the occurrence.

16. The display device according to claim 12,

wherein said contact responding section is formed by arranging sensors in a plane parallel to said display surface in a form of a matrix, and

said contact driving scanning section performs scanning with a predetermined number of consecutive lines of the matrix in said first direction as a minimum unit.

17. The display device according to claim 12, further wherein at least one of said plurality regions includes two or more driving lines.

18. A contact detecting device comprising:

contact responding means for producing an electric change in response to an object to be detected coming into contact with or proximity to a detecting surface, said contact responding means being divided into a plurality of regions, each of which includes a plurality of driving electrodes extending in a first direction; and

contact driving scanning means for scanning application of driving voltage to individual ones of said plurality of driving electrodes in a second direction within said detecting surface, and controlling output of said electric change in time series,

wherein said contact driving scanning means performs said scanning for each of said plurality of regions in parallel with each other so that two or more driving electrodes are scanned simultaneously, and

a manner that said contact driving scanning means applies said driving voltage to individual ones of said plurality of driving electrodes differs between said plurality of regions.

19. The contact detecting device according to claim 18, further wherein at least one of said plurality of regions includes two or more driving lines.

20. A contact detecting device comprising:

a contact responding section configured to produce an electric change in response to an object to be detected coming into contact with or in proximity to a detecting surface, said contact responding section being divided into a plurality of regions, each of which includes a plurality of driving electrodes extending in a first direction; and

a contact driving scanning section configured to scan application of driving voltage to individual ones of said plurality of driving electrodes in a second direction or a direction that is opposite to the second direction within one of said plurality of regions to control output of said electric change, said contact driving scanning section being configured to perform scanning each of said plurality of regions of said contact responding section in parallel,

wherein a manner that said contact driving scanning section applies said driving voltage to individual ones of said plurality of driving electrodes differs between said plurality of regions.