Display device including touch sensor and driving method thereof

• US 9,058,075 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2013
• Issued: 06/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Lee, Il Ho, Nam, Seung Ho, Hwang, Seong Mo
• Primary Examiner(s): SHENG, TOM V
• Application Number:
  US14/029,673
• Publication Number:
  US 20140347284A1
• Time in Patent Office: 637 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/32 Means for saving power
• 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 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes

Abstract

The present invention relates to a display device including a touch sensor and a driving method thereof. A display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of data lines which extends in a first direction, a plurality of sensing output lines which extends in a second direction which is not parallel to the first direction and transmits a sensing output signal, a pixel electrode which is connected with the data line through a switching element, a touch sensor which is connected to the data line and the sensing output line and detects a touch, and a data driver which applies a displaying data voltage to the plurality of data lines during the image display period for one frame and applies a sensing input signal during a touch sensing period for one frame. The touch sensing period is included in a vertical blank period of the frame.

Claims

1. A display device, comprising:

a plurality of data lines which extend in a first direction;

a plurality of sensing output lines which extend in a second direction which is not parallel to the first direction and transmit a sensing output signal;

a pixel electrode which is connected with a data line of the plurality of data lines through a switching element;

a touch sensor which is connected to the data line and a sensing output line of the plurality of sensing output lines and detects a touch; and

a data driver which disconnect the plurality of data lines from each other to apply displaying data voltages to the respective data lines during an image display period of a frame, and connect a portion of the data lines to each other to form a plurality of sensing input lines to apply sensing input signals to the plurality of sensing input lines during a touch sensing period of the frame after the image display period,

wherein the touch sensing period is included in a vertical blank period of the frame.

2. The display device of claim 1, further comprising:

a gate driver which transmits a gate signal to the switching element during the image display period.

3. The display device of claim 2, wherein:

the data driver converts an output image signal into the displaying data voltage using a plurality of gray voltages and converts a sensing input data into the sensing input signal using the plurality of gray voltages.

4. The display device of claim 3, wherein:

during the touch sensing period, the plurality of data lines are grouped into a plurality of sensing input lines having at least one data line, and

the sensing input signals which are transmitted by the plurality of sensing input lines are coded differently.

5. The display device of claim 4, wherein:

the sensing input data includes white gray data and black gray data.

6. The display device of claim 5, wherein:

the sensing input signal is applied to the data line in accordance with a data load signal.

7. The display device of claim 3, further comprising:

a common electrode which transmits a common voltage and generates an electric field together with the pixel electrode, and

a common electrode controller which divides the common electrode into a plurality of blocks to form the plurality of sensing output lines during the touch sensing period.

8. The display device of claim 7, wherein:

the common electrode controller connects the plurality of blocks of the common electrode to a common voltage source during the image display period.

9. The display device of claim 3, further comprising:

a first substrate on which the switching element and the pixel electrode are formed,

wherein the sensing output line is disposed on an outer surface of the first substrate.

10. The display device of claim 3, further comprising:

a first substrate on which the switching element and the pixel electrode are formed; and

a second substrate which faces the second substrate,

wherein the sensing output line is disposed on an outer surface or an inner surface of the second substrate.

11. The display device of claim 10, wherein:

the sensing output line includes a transparent conductive material including ITO and IZO.

12. A driving method of a display device including a plurality of data lines which extend in a first direction, a plurality of sensing output lines which extend in a second direction which is not parallel to the first direction and a touch sensor which is connected to a data line of the plurality of data lines and a sensing output line of the plurality of sensing output lines and detects a touch, the method comprising:

applying displaying data voltages to the plurality of data lines during an image display period of a frame;

applying a sensing input signal to the plurality of data lines during a touch sensing period of the frame after the image display period; and

outputting sensing output signals to the plurality of sensing output lines,

wherein the touch sensing period is included in a vertical blank period of the frame.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

transmitting a gate signal to the switching element which is connected to the data line during the image display period.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

converting an output image signal which is a digital signal into the displaying data voltage using a plurality of gray voltages, and

converting a sensing input data which is a digital signal into the sensing input signal using the plurality of gray voltages.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein:

during the touch sensing period, the plurality of data lines form a plurality of sensing input lines, each of the plurality of sensing input lines including at least one data line, and

the input sensing signal includes a plurality of sensing input signals which are transmitted by the plurality of sensing input lines, the sensing input signals being are coded differently.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the sensing input data includes white gray data and black gray data.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the sensing input signal is applied to the data line in accordance with a data load signal.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

during the touch sensing period, grouping a common electrode which generates an electric field together with the pixel electrode into a plurality of blocks to form the plurality of sensing output lines.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

connecting the plurality of blocks of the common electrode during the image display period.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the display device further includes a first substrate on which the switching element is formed and a second substrate which faces the first substrate, and

the sensing output line is disposed on any one of an outer surface of the first substrate, an outer surface of the second substrate, and an inner surface of the second substrate.