Display panel, display apparatus having the same and method of driving the display apparatus

• US 9,110,531 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2010
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2009
• 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: Shin, Kyoungju, Chai, Chongchul, Yoon, Soo-Wan
• Primary Examiner(s): Wang-Hurst, Kathy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shen, Peijie
• Application Number:
  US12/757,872
• Publication Number:
  US 20100271327A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,957 Days
• Field of Search: 345/174
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13394 spacers regularly patterned on the cell subtrate, e.g. walls, pillars G02F1/133377 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/047 using sets of wires, e.g. crossed wires
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0465 Improved aperture ratio, e.g. by size reduction of the pixel circuit, e.g. for improving the pixel density or the maximum displayable luminance or brightness
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0809 Several active elements per pixel in active matrix panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/08 Details of timing specific for flat panels, other than clock recovery
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3688 suitable for active matrices only

Abstract

In a display panel, a display apparatus having the display panel, and a method of driving the display apparatus, a conductive spacer is interposed between an array substrate and an opposite substrate, and the conductive spacer electrically connects a pixel electrode and a common electrode when a touch event occurs for one or more embodiments. When a common voltage is applied to the pixel electrode by the touch event, an electric potential of a data line is lowered by the common voltage through a turned-on switching device. A signal reader periodically reads out the voltage of the data line and senses the touch event using the read-out voltage to detect a touch position at which the touch event occurs. Thus, the display panel having a touch screen function may be manufactured, and an aperture ratio in the display panel may be prevented from being deteriorated.

Claims

1. A display panel comprising:

an array substrate including a first base substrate, a data line arranged on the first base substrate, a gate line crossing the data line, a first switching device connected to the data line and the gate line, and a pixel electrode connected to the first switching device;

an opposite substrate including a second base substrate facing the first base substrate and a common electrode arranged on the second base substrate; and

a conductive spacer interposed between the array substrate and the opposite substrate and connected to the common electrode, the conductive spacer configured to electrically connect the data line and the common electrode in response to an external pressure,

wherein the conductive spacer is spaced apart from the array substrate by a predetermined distance when no external pressure is applied,

wherein the array substrate comprises a second switching device connected to the data line and the gate line, and a dummy pixel electrode connected to the second switching device and electrically insulated from the pixel electrode, and

wherein the conductive spacer is arranged in a position at which the dummy pixel electrode is formed, so as to make contact with the dummy pixel electrode in response to the external pressure.

2. The display panel of claim 1, wherein the conductive spacer is arranged in an area in which the pixel electrode is formed, so as to make contact with the pixel electrode in response to the external pressure.

3. The display panel of claim 2, wherein the array substrate further comprises a storage electrode which extends substantially in parallel with the gate line and overlaps with the pixel electrode, and the conductive spacer is arranged in an area where the storage electrode is formed.

4. The display panel of claim 1, wherein the conductive spacer is arranged on the common electrode.

5. The display panel of claim 1, wherein the array substrate further comprises a supporting spacer arranged in an area in which the first switching device is formed, so as to maintain a cell gap between the array substrate and the opposite substrate.

19. The display panel of claim 1, wherein the conductive spacer is maintained spaced apart from the pixel electrode by a predetermined distance in the absence of the external pressure.

20. The display panel of claim 19, wherein the data line and the common electrode electrically disconnect in the absence of the external pressure.

21. The display panel of claim 1, wherein the external pressure is applied to an area on the opposite substrate proximate to where the conductive spacer is formed.

6. A display apparatus comprising:

a display panel comprising;

an array substrate including a first base substrate, a data line arranged on the first base substrate, a gate line crossing the data line, a switching device connected to the data line and the gate line, and a pixel electrode connected to the switching device;

an opposite substrate including a second base substrate facing the first base substrate and a common electrode arranged on the second base substrate; and

a conductive spacer interposed between the array substrate and the opposite substrate and connected to the common electrode, the conductive spacer configured to electrically connect the data line and the common electrode when a touch event occurs;

a data driver adapted to apply a data voltage to the data line;

a gate driver adapted to apply a gate signal to the gate line; and

a signal reader adapted to sense the touch event using a voltage of the data line and detect a position at which the touch event occurs,

wherein the conductive spacer is spaced apart from the array substrate by a predetermined distance when no external pressure is applied,

wherein the array substrate comprises a second switching device connected to the data line and the gate line, and a dummy pixel electrode connected to the second switching device and electrically insulated from the pixel electrode, and

wherein the conductive spacer is arranged in a position at which the dummy pixel electrode is formed, so as to make contact with the dummy pixel electrode in response to the external pressure.

7. The display apparatus of claim 6, wherein the conductive spacer is arranged in an area where the pixel electrode is formed, so as to make contact with the pixel electrode when the touch event occurs.

8. The display apparatus of claim 7, wherein the array substrate further comprises a storage electrode which extends substantially in parallel with the gate line and overlaps the pixel electrode, and the conductive spacer is arranged in a position where the storage electrode is formed.

9. The display apparatus of claim 6, wherein the conductive spacer is arranged on the common electrode.

10. The display apparatus of claim 6, wherein the data driver and the signal reader are part of a first chip and the first chip is connected to one end of the data line.

11. The display apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a switching circuit adapted to alternately couple the data line to the data driver and the signal reader.

12. The display apparatus of claim 6, wherein the data driver is part of a first chip, and the signal reader is part of a second chip different from the first chip, the data driver is connected to a first end of the data line, and the signal reader is connected to a second end of the data line.

13. The display apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

a first switching circuit coupled between the first end of the data line and the data driver; and

a second switching circuit coupled between the second end of the data line and the signal reader.

14. A method of driving a display apparatus, the method comprising:

applying a gate voltage to a gate line to turn on a first switching device;

applying a data voltage to a data line to provide the data voltage to a pixel electrode through the turned-on first switching device;

electrically connecting the data line and a common electrode through a conductive spacer and a second switching device in response to a touch event, so as to lower a voltage of the data line, and electrically disconnecting the data line and the common electrode when no touch event occurs, wherein the second switching device is connected to the data line, the gate line and a dummy pixel electrode which is insulated from the pixel electrode, and wherein the conductive spacer is arranged in a position at which the dummy pixel electrode is formed, so as to make contact with the dummy pixel electrode in response to the external pressure;

sensing the voltage of the data line; and

reading out the sensed voltage to sense the touch event and detect a position at which the touch event occurs.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the detecting of the position at which the touch event occurs comprises:

comparing the sensed voltage with a predetermined reference voltage; and

recognizing the touch event when the sensed voltage is equal to the reference voltage.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein prior to the sensing of the voltage of the data line, the method further comprising:

switching the data line between a data driver which provides the data voltage to the data line and a signal reader which senses the voltage of the data line.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the data voltage is applied to the data line during a first period of a horizontal scanning period (1H period) during which the gate voltage is applied, and wherein the voltage of the data line is sensed during a remaining second period of the horizontal scanning period.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein a sensing frame during which the voltage of the data line is read out is inserted at every predetermined frame unit.