Display device including a display region where a touch sensor is provided

• US 9,128,557 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2010
• Issued: 09/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Fujioka, Kazuyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): BLANCHA, JONATHAN M
• Application Number:
  US13/391,657
• Publication Number:
  US 20120147287A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,960 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 349/43
• 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 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/047 using sets of wires, e.g. crossed wires

Abstract

A first electrode (62c) is provided on a first substrate (2) having a display surface of a display panel, and connected to a common electrode (com). A field effect transistor (62b) is provided on a second substrate (1) in such a manner that the first electrode (62c) is provided in a back channel side of the field effect transistor (62b) so as to be separated from the field effect transistor (62b). The field effect transistor (62b) has a gate terminal and a first drain/source terminal each of which is connected to a first wiring (Vrstn) to which a voltage for reset is to be applied. A switch (62a) has a terminal connected to a second drain/source terminal (62bs), and the other terminal connected to a second wiring (Vom) from which an output of the field effect transistor (62b) is provided.

Claims

1. A display device, comprising:

picture element electrodes; and

a first circuit that includes;

a first electrode,

a field effect transistor, and

a switch, wherein

the first electrode is provided on a first substrate including a display surface of a display panel, and connected to a common electrode such that the first electrode overlaps the field effect transistor without any portion of any of the picture element electrodes being located between the first electrode and the field effect transistor,

the field effect transistor is provided on a second substrate in such a manner that the first electrode is provided in a back channel side of the field effect transistor so as to be separated from the field effect transistor, the field effect transistor including a gate terminal, a first drain/source terminal, and a second drain/source terminal, the gate terminal being connected to a first wiring to which a reset pulse, which is a pulsing voltage, is applied,

the switch includes a terminal connected to the second drain/source terminal, and another terminal connected to a second wiring from which an output of the field effect transistor is provided,

when the reset pulse applied to the first wiring is applied to the gate terminal while the first electrode is moved towards the field effect transistor, the field effect transistor causes a voltage of the second drain/source terminal to change,

the gate terminal is provided on the second substrate, and

the field effect transistor further includes;

a gate insulating film provided on the gate terminal,

a semiconductor layer provided on the gate insulating film such that the first drain/source terminal and the second drain/source terminal are separated from each other on a surface of the semiconductor layer,

a first metal wiring including a terminal connected to the first drain/source terminal and another terminal connected, in a contact hole defined in the gate insulating film, to the first wiring, and

a second metal wiring separated from the first metal wiring and including a terminal provided on the second drain/source terminal and another terminal connected to the switch.

2. The display device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the first circuit further includes a reset electrode, and a reset transistor for resetting the reset electrode,

the reset electrode and the reset transistor are provided on the second substrate,

the reset transistor has a gate terminal and one of drain/source terminals, each of which gate terminal and the drain/source terminal is connected to the first wiring,

the reset transistor has the other of the drain/source terminals, which is connected to the reset electrode,

the reset electrode is provided between the field effect transistor and the first electrode, and

resetting of the reset electrode is to switch on the reset transistor by applying, to the gate terminal of the reset transistor, the voltage that is applied to the first wiring.

3. The display device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the first wiring is provided for each of lines of picture elements including respective ones of the picture element electrodes, to which first wirings the voltage is sequentially applied.

4. The display device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

on the first electrode is provided a pillar projection including a dielectric, an electric conductor, or a dielectric body covered with an electric conductor, and projecting toward the second substrate from the back channel side of the field effect transistor provided on the first substrate, such that the first substrate is not in contact with the second substrate while no pressure is being applied to the first substrate.

5. The display device as set forth in claim 4, wherein:

the pillar projection has an edge that (i) is separated from the second substrate while no pressure is being applied to the first substrate and (ii) is movable to be in contact with the second substrate in response to a pressure applied to the first substrate.

6. The display device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the first circuit is provided in a display region.

7. The display device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the second wiring is a data signal line.

8. The display device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the second wiring is a wiring other than a data signal line.

9. The display device as set forth in claim 1, comprising:

a liquid crystal layer provided between that region of the first substrate in which the first electrode is provided and that region of the second substrate in which the field effect transistor is provided.

10. The display device as set forth in claim 9, comprising:

a liquid crystal alignment film provided on at least either that region of the first substrate in which the first electrode is provided or that region of the second substrate in which the field effect transistor is provided.

11. The display device as set forth in claim 1, comprising:

a light-shielding film configured to shield the field effect transistor from light.

12. The display device as set forth in claim 1, detecting, on the basis of an output from the first circuit, which output is obtained via the second wiring while the switch is being closed, whether or not the voltage applied to the first wiring is applied to the second wiring via the field effect transistor, so that the display device detects whether or not the first substrate is pressurized.