Display device and input device

• US 9,141,221 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2009
• Issued: 09/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Yi, Dae Kyu
• Primary Examiner(s): Awad, Amr
• Assistant Examiner(s): MATTHEWS, ANDRE L
• Application Number:
  US12/937,106
• Publication Number:
  US 20110025637A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,353 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04184 Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0814 used for selection purposes, e.g. logical AND for partial update
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/20 for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters

Abstract

Disclosed are a display device and an input device. The display device includes: gate and data lines arranged to cross each other and to define a pixel region; a pixel electrode disposed on the pixel region; a sensing element disposed on the pixel region; and a switching element configured to selectively connect the data line with any one of the pixel electrode and sensing element. Such a display device according to an embodiment allows both of a scan signal for the display of an image and an externally input signal to be transferred through the data line. Therefore, the display device according to an embodiment can display an image and input an external signal such as a touch or others, using a simplified configuration.

Claims

1. A display device comprising:

gate and data lines arranged to cross each other and to define a pixel region;

a pixel electrode disposed on the pixel region;

a sensing element disposed on the pixel region;

a switching element configured to selectively connect a respective data line with any one of the pixel electrode and sensing element,

wherein the switch element includes;

a first switch configured to perform any one of a connection and a disconnection between the pixel electrode and the respective data line, and

a second switch configured to perform any one of a connection and a disconnection between the sensing element and the respective data line; and

a switching signal line disposed parallel to the respective data line,

wherein the first switch includes;

a first thin film transistor configured to be driven by a first switching signal supplied from a respective gate line, and

a second thin film transistor configured to be driven by a second switching signal supplied from the switching signal line, and

wherein the second switch includes;

a third thin film transistor configured to be driven by the first switching signal supplied from the respective gate line, and

a fourth thin film transistor configured to be driven by the second switching signal supplied from the switching signal line, and

wherein the second thin film transistor and the fourth thin film transistor are opposite polarity types of transistors to each other so that when either of the second and fourth thin film transistors is turned on, the other is turned off.

2. The display device of claim 1, wherein the first thin film transistor is a MOSFET (metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor) of a first type and the second thin film transistor is a MOSFET of a second type.

3. The display device of claim 1, wherein the third thin film transistor is a MOSFET (metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor) of a first type and the fourth thin film transistor is a MOSFET of a second type.

4. The display device of claim 1, wherein the first and second switching signals include:

a first time period used to turn-on all the first and second thin film. transistors; and

a second time period used to turn-on only one of the first and second thin film transistors.

5. The display device of claim 1, further comprising a bias line used to apply a bias voltage to the sensing element.

6. The display device of claim 1, wherein the first thin film transistor and the third thin film transistor are connected in common to the respective gate line, and the second thin film transistor and the fourth thin film transistor are connected in common to the switching signal line.

7. A display device comprising:

a plurality of gate lines formed to extend along a first direction;

a plurality of data lines formed to cross the gate lines;

pixel electrodes arranged on pixel regions which are defined by the gate and data lines;

sensing elements arranged in the pixel region and each configured to sense an external signal and generate an electrically sensed signal;

a control unit configured to apply scan signals for the display of an image to the pixel electrodes through the data lines and receive the electrically sensed signals through the data lines;

a first switch configured to be driven by first and second switching signals, which are applied front the control unit, and perform any one of a connection and a disconnection between the respective pixel electrode and a respective data line;

a second switch configured to be driven by the first and second switching signals, and perform any one of a connection and a disconnection between the respective sensing element and the respective data line; and

a switching signal line disposed parallel to the respective data line,

wherein the first switch includes;

a first thin film transistor configured to be driven by the first switching signal supplied from a respective gate line, and

a second thin film transistor configured to be driven by the second switching signal supplied from the switching signal line, and

wherein the second switch includes;

a third thin film transistor configured to be driven by the first switching signal supplied from the respective gate line, and

a fourth thin film transistor configured to be driven by the second switching signal supplied from the switching signa1 line, and

wherein the second thin film transistor and the fourth thin film transistor are opposite polarity types of transistors to each other so that when either of the second and fourth thin film transistors is turned on, the other is turned off.

8. The display device of claim 7, wherein the control unit includes:

a data driver configured to generate the scan signals;

a gate driver configured to generate the first switching signal; and

a switching signal generator configured to generate the second switching signal.

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

a plurality of switching signal lines arranged to transfer the second switching signal to the first switches and the second switches.

10. The display device claimed as claim 9, wherein the switching signal lines are electrically connected to one another.

11. The display device of claim 7, wherein the first thin film transistor and the third thin film transistor are connected in common to the respective gate line, and the second thin film transistor and the fourth thin film transistor are connected in common to the switching signal line.

12. An input device comprising:

gate and data lines arranged to cross each other and to define a pixel region;

a pixel electrode disposed on the pixel region;

a sensing element disposed on the pixel region and configured to convert an external signal into an electrically sensed signal;

a switch element configured to selectively connect a respective data line with any one of the pixel electrode and sensing element,

wherein the switch element includes;

a first switch configured to perform any one of a connection and a disconnection between the pixel electrode and the respective data line, and

a second switch configured to perform any one of a connection and a disconnection between the sensing element and the respective data line; and

a switching signal line disposed parallel to the respective data line,

wherein the first switch includes;

a first thin film transistor configured to be driven by a first switching signal supplied from a respective gate line, and

a second thin film transistor configured to be driven by a second switching signal supplied from the switching signal line, and

wherein the second switch includes;

a third thin film. transistor configured to be driven by the first switching signal supplied from the respective gate line, and

a fourth thin film transistor configured to he driven by the second switching signal supplied from the switching signal line, and

wherein the second thin film transistor and the fourth thin film transistor are opposite polarity types of transistors to each other so that when either of the second and fourth thin film transistors is turned on, the other is turned off.

13. The input device of claim 12, further comprising a control unit configured to apply a scan signal for the display of an image to the pixel electrode through the respective data line and receive the electrically sensed signal through the respective data line.

14. The input device of claim 12, wherein the first thin film transistor and the third thin film transistor are connected in common to the respective gate line, and the second thin film transistor and the fourth thin film transistor are connected in common to the switching signal line.