Display device having touch screen sensing function

• US 9,158,398 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2012
• Issued: 10/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Jeong, Seung-Heui, Jang, Hyoung-Wook
• Primary Examiner(s): Pervan, Michael
• Application Number:
  US13/712,922
• Publication Number:
  US 20140022187A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,035 Days
• Field of Search: 178 1801- 1907, 345173-178
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04106 Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04164 Connections between sensors and controllers, e.g. routing lines between electrodes and connection pads
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/046 by electromagnetic means

Abstract

A display device including a plurality of pixels at a display region of a first substrate, and an electromagnetic resonance (EMR) sensor unit at one surface of the first substrate, the EMR sensor unit including a first group of coils and a second group of coils, the first group of coils and the second group of coils being laminated, wherein the EMR sensor unit is beneath the plurality of pixels.

Claims

1. A display device comprising:

a plurality of pixels at a display region of a first substrate; and

an electromagnetic resonance (EMR) sensor unit at one surface of the first substrate, the EMR sensor unit comprising a first group of metal coils and a second group of metal coils, the first group of metal coils and the second group of metal coils being laminated,

wherein the EMR sensor unit is beneath the plurality of pixels.

2. The display device as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the EMR sensor unit further comprises:

an insulating layer on a front face of the first group of metal coils; and

a planarized buffer layer on the second group of metal coils,

wherein the first group of metal coils is directly on one surface of the first substrate, and

wherein the second group of metal coils is on the insulating layer and is arranged in a direction that crosses the first group of metal coils.

3. The display device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the plurality of pixels are at the buffer layer.

4. The display device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the EMR sensor unit is wider than the display region of the first substrate.

5. The display device as claimed in claim 2,

wherein the first group of metal coils and the second groups of metal coils comprise first coils and second coils arranged in a first direction and a second direction, respectively, and

wherein the first and second coils comprises:

first terminals coupled to a ground power supply; and

second terminals coupled to an EMR pad unit coupled to an EMR IC.

6. The display device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first coils and the second coils comprise a patterned low resistance colored metal.

7. The display device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a shield layer at a bottom surface of the first substrate.

8. The display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first substrate is transparent and comprises a glass substrate or a material having a flexible characteristic.

9. The display device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first substrate comprises polyimide.

10. A display device having a touch sensing function, the display device comprising:

a plurality of pixels at a display region of a first substrate;

signal lines coupled to the plurality of pixels and located at a non-display region at an outline of the display region of the first substrate;

an EMR sensor unit between a top surface of the first substrate and a bottom surface of the plurality of pixels, the EMR sensor unit comprising a first group of coils and a second group of coils, the first group of coils and the second group of coils being laminated;

a driving pad unit electrically coupled to the signal lines and located at one end of the non-display region; and

an EMR pad unit at a same surface as the driving pad unit to be adjacent the driving pad unit and electrically coupled to the EMR sensor unit.

11. The display device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the driving pad unit and the EMR pad unit are electrically coupled to a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB).

12. The display device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the EMR sensor unit further comprises:

an insulating layer on a front surface of the first group of coils; and

a planarizing buffer layer on the second group of coils,

wherein the first group of coils are directly on one surface of the first substrate, and

wherein the second group of coils are on the insulating layer and arranged in a direction that crosses the first group of coils.

13. The display device as claimed in claim 12,

wherein the first group of coils and the second group of coils comprise first coils and second coils arranged in a first direction and a second direction, respectively, and

wherein the first coils and the second coils comprise first terminals coupled to a ground power supply, and second terminals coupled to the EMR pad unit coupled to an EMR IC.

14. The display device as claimed in claim 13, wherein first lines and second lines extending from the first group of coils and the second group of coils are electrically coupled to pads of the EMR pad unit through a contact hole.

15. A display device having a touch sensing function, the display device comprising:

a plurality of pixels at a display region of a first substrate;

signal lines coupled to the plurality of pixels and located at a non-display region at an outline of the display region of the first substrate;

an EMR sensor unit between a top surface of the first substrate and a bottom surface of the plurality of pixels, and comprising a first group of metal coils and a second group of metal coils, the first group of metal coils and the second group of metal coils being laminated;

a second substrate on the first substrate to seal the first substrate, the second substrate having a display region and a non-display region at the outline of the display region of the second substrate;

a plurality of sensing patterns at the display region of the second substrate;

a plurality of sensing lines coupled to sensing patterns and located at the non-display region of the second substrate; and

a sealing material at an edge of the non-display region of the second substrate to couple the first substrate and the second substrate to each other.

16. The display device as claimed in claim 15, further comprising a first touch pad unit at the non-display region of the second substrate and overlapping the sealing material to be electrically coupled to a plurality of sensing lines.

17. The display device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the EMR sensor unit further comprises:

an insulting layer on a front face of the first group of metal coils; and

a planarized buffer layer on the second group of metal coils,

wherein the first group of metal coils are directly on one surface of the first substrate, and

wherein the second group of metal coils are on the insulating layer and arranged in a direction that crosses the first group of coils.

18. The display device as claimed in claim 17,

wherein the first group of metal coils and the second group of metal coils comprise first coils and second coils arranged in a first direction and a second direction, respectively, and

wherein the first coils and the second coils comprise first terminals coupled to a ground power supply, and second terminals coupled to an EMR pad unit coupled to an EMR IC.

19. The display device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the sensing patterns comprise:

first sensing cells coupled by row line in a first direction;

first coupling lines for coupling the first sensing cells in the first direction;

second sensing cells coupled by column line in a second direction; and

second coupling lines for coupling the second sensing cells in the second direction.

20. The display device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the sensing patterns are at a same layer.

21. The display device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the second sensing cells are integrated with the second coupling lines.

22. The display device as claimed in claim 19, further comprising an insulating layer at crossing regions of the first coupling lines and the second coupling lines.

23. The display device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the sensing patterns are at an internal surface of the second substrate that faces the first substrate.

24. A display device having a touch sensing function, the display device comprising:

a plurality of pixels at a display region of a first substrate;

signal lines coupled to the plurality of pixels and located at a non-display region at an outline of the display region of the first substrate;

an EMR sensor unit between a top surface of the first substrate and a bottom surface of the plurality of pixels, and comprising a first group of coils and a second group of coils, the first group of coils and the second group of coils being laminated;

a second substrate on the first substrate to seal the first substrate, the second substrate having a display region and a non-display region at the outline of the display region of the second substrate;

a plurality of sensing patterns at the display region of the second substrate;

a plurality of sensing lines coupled to sensing patterns and located at the non-display region of the second substrate;

a sealing material at an edge of the non-display region of the second substrate to couple the first substrate and the second substrate to each other;

a first touch pad unit at the non-display region of the second substrate and overlapping the sealing material to be electrically coupled to a plurality of sensing lines;

a driving pad unit at one end of the non-display region of the first substrate to be electrically coupled to the signal lines;

an EMR pad unit at a same surface as, and next to, the driving pad unit, and electrically coupled to the EMR sensor unit; and

a second touch pad unit at the same surface as, and next to, the driving pad unit, and electrically coupled to the first touch pad unit.

25. The display device as claimed in claim 24, wherein a plurality of pads of the first touch pad unit are electrically coupled to pads of the second touch pad unit through a plurality of conductive media in the sealing material.

26. The display device as claimed in claim 24, wherein the driving pad unit, the EMR pad unit, and the second touch pad unit are electrically coupled to a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB).

27. A display device having a touch sensing function, the display device comprising:

a plurality of pixels at a display region of a first substrate;

signal lines coupled to the plurality of pixels and located at a non-display region at an outline of the display region of the first substrate;

an EMR sensor unit between a top surface of the first substrate and a bottom surface of the plurality of pixels, and comprising a first group of coils and a second group of coils, the first group of coils and the second group of coils being laminated;

a second substrate on the first substrate to seal the first substrate, the second substrate having a display region and a non-display region at the outline of the display region of the second substrate;

a plurality of sensing patterns at the display region of the second substrate;

a plurality of sensing lines coupled to sensing patterns and located at the non-display region of the second substrate; and

a sealing material at an edge of the non-display region of the second substrate to couple the first substrate and the second substrate to each other,

wherein the EMR sensor unit further comprises;

an insulting layer on a front face of the first group of coils; and

a planarized buffer layer on the second group of coils,

wherein the first group of coils are directly on one surface of the first substrate, and

wherein the second group of coils are on the insulating layer and arranged in a direction that crosses the first group of coils

wherein the first group of coils and the second group of coils comprise first coils and second coils arranged in a first direction and a second direction, respectively, and

wherein the first coils and the second coils comprise first terminals coupled to a ground power supply, and second terminals coupled to an EMR pad unit coupled to an EMR IC, and

wherein first lines and second lines extending from the first group of coils and the second group of coils are electrically coupled to pads of the EMR pad unit through a contact hole.