Display device

• US 9,395,831 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2014
• Issued: 07/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kim, InCheol, Park, JiHong, Lee, Kangwon, Nam, SeungHo, Hwang, SeongMo
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Kent
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hagemeier, Herbert L
• Application Number:
  US14/149,633
• Publication Number:
  US 20140354560A1
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: 349/12, 349/110, 349139-143, 345173-174
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• 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 2203/04111 Cross over in capacitive digitiser, i.e. details of structures for connecting electrodes of the sensing pattern where the connections cross each other, e.g. bridge structures comprising an insulating layer, or vias through substrate
• 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 3/04166 Details of scanning methods, e.g. sampling time, grouping of sub areas or time sharing with display driving Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally G06F3/04184
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• 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 3/0448 Details of the electrode shape, e.g. for enhancing the detection of touches, for generating specific electric field shapes, for enhancing display quality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/046 by electromagnetic means

Abstract

A display device includes a first display substrate, which provides an input surface and includes a blocking area and a plurality of opening areas, and first and second touch sensors disposed in the blocking area. The first touch sensors receive different scan signals according to an operation mode thereof. The second touch sensors output first sensing signals on the basis of a variation in capacitance in a first operation mode and output second sensing signals according to a resonant frequency of an input device in a second operation mode.

Claims

1. A display device, comprising:

a first display substrate comprising a blocking area and opening areas;

a second display substrate facing the first display substrate;

first touch sensors disposed in the blocking area and configured to receive first scan signals in a first operation mode and to receive second scan signals in a second operation mode;

second touch sensors disposed in the blocking area, insulated from the first touch sensors, and crossing the first touch sensors, the second touch sensors being configured to output first sensing signals according to a variation in a capacitance in the first operation mode and to output second sensing signals according to a resonant frequency of an input device in the second operation mode;

a touch sensor driver configured to;

apply the first scan signals to first ends of the first touch sensors in the first operation mode; and

apply the second scan signals to the first ends of the first touch sensors in the second operation mode; and

a first switch part configured to;

float second ends of the first touch sensors in the first operation mode; and

ground the second ends of the first touch sensors in the second operation mode,

wherein each of the first touch sensors comprises;

first sensor portions configured to induce a magnetic field according to a corresponding second scan signal of the second scan signals and arranged in a first direction; and

first connection portions to connect the first sensor portions, and

wherein each of the second touch sensors comprises;

second sensor portions configured to receive the resonant frequency of the input device and arranged in a second direction crossing the first direction; and

second connection portions to connect the second sensor portions.

2. The display device of claim 1, wherein the first display substrate comprises:

a first base substrate;

a black matrix disposed on the first base substrate and comprising first openings respectively corresponding to the opening areas;

color filters disposed in the first openings; and

at least one insulating layer disposed on the first base substrate.

3. The display device of claim 2, wherein the first touch sensors are disposed at a first side of the first base substrate, and the second touch sensors are disposed at a second side of the first base substrate.

4. The display device of claim 2, wherein the first and second touch sensors comprise chromium oxide, chromium nitride, titanium oxide, titanium nitride, or an alloy thereof.

5. The display device of claim 2, wherein the first and second touch sensors are disposed on the same side of the first base substrate.

6. The display device of claim 5, wherein the first touch sensors are disposed on a layer different from a layer on which the second touch sensors are disposed.

7. The display device of claim 5, wherein the first touch sensors and the second touch sensors are disposed on the same layer.

8. The display device of claim 7, wherein the first connection portions are disposed on the same layer as the first sensor portions, the at least one insulating layer covers the first sensor portions, the first connection portions, and the second sensor portions, and the second connection portions are connected to the second sensor portions through contact holes formed through the at least one insulating layer.

9. The display device of claim 8, wherein the second connection portions cross portions of the first sensor portions, and the at least one insulating layer is disposed between the second connection portions and the portions of the first sensor portions.

10. The display device of claim 7, wherein the first connection portions are disposed on the same layer as the first sensor portions, the black matrix covers the first sensor portions, the first connection portions, and the second sensor portions, and the second connection portions are connected to the second sensor portions through contact holes formed through the black matrix.

11. The display device of claim 10, wherein the second connection portions cross portions of the first sensor portions, and the black matrix is interposed between the second connection portions and the portions of the first sensor portions.

12. The display device of claim 2, wherein each of the first sensor portions comprises a first portion, a second portion facing the first portion, and a third portion connecting the first portion and the second portion.

13. The display device of claim 12, wherein each of the first, second, and third portions comprises a plurality of second openings overlapped with a portion of the first openings in a mesh shape.

14. The display device of claim 12, wherein each of the first sensor portions further comprises a fourth portion connected to the second portion and facing the third portion.

15. The display device of claim 12, further comprising floating electrodes, each of the floating electrodes being at least partially surrounded by the first, second, and third portions of each of the first sensor portions, respectively.

16. The display device of claim 15, wherein the floating electrodes comprise the same material as the first sensor portions.

17. The display device of claim 15, wherein each of the floating electrodes comprises:

a first layer comprising a transparent conductive material; and

a second layer disposed on the first layer to overlap with the black matrix and comprising second openings overlapped with a portion of the first openings.

18. The display device of claim 17, wherein the second layer comprises the same material as the first sensor portions.

19. The display device of claim 2, wherein the second display substrate comprises:

a second base substrate comprising pixel areas overlapped with the opening areas;

signal lines disposed on the second base substrate; and

pixels connected to a corresponding signal line of the signal lines and disposed in the pixel areas.

20. The display device of claim 19, further comprising a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first display substrate and the second display substrate.

21. The display device of claim 20, wherein each of the pixels comprises:

a common electrode configured to receive a common voltage; and

a pixel electrode configured to receive a pixel voltage from the corresponding signal line and to form a horizontal electric field in cooperation with the common electrode.

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

an input sensor driver configured to receive the first sensing signals from first ends of the second touch sensors in the first operation mode and to receive the second scan signals from the first ends of the second touch sensors in the second operation mode to calculate coordinate information of input positions on the basis of the first sensing signals and the second sensing signals, and

a second switch part configured to float second ends of the second touch sensors in the first operation mode and to ground the second ends of the second touch sensors in the second operation mode.

23. The display device of claim 22, wherein the touch sensor driver comprises:

a scan signal output part configured to output the first scan signals or the second scan signals in response to a mode selection signal;

a selection part configured to output switching control signals turned-on in different periods; and

switches, each switch being configured to receive a corresponding first scan signal of the first scan signals, a corresponding second scan signal of the second scan signals, and a corresponding switching control signal of the switching control signals and to apply the corresponding first scan signal or the corresponding second scan signal to a corresponding first touch sensor of the first touch sensors in response to the corresponding switching control signal.

24. The display device of claim 23, wherein each of the switches comprises an n-type transistor and a p-type transistor, a control electrode of the n-type transistor and a control electrode of the p-type transistor being configured to receive the corresponding switching control signal, and an output electrode of the n-type transistor and an output electrode of the p-type transistor being connected to the corresponding first touch sensor.

25. A display device, comprising:

a first display substrate comprising a blocking area and opening areas;

a second display substrate facing the first display substrate;

first touch sensors extended in a first direction and arranged in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, the first touch sensors being configured to receive first scan signals in a first operation mode and to receive second scan signals in a second operation mode; and

second touch sensors disposed in the blocking area, insulated from the first touch sensors, and crossing the first touch sensors, the second touch sensors being configured to output first sensing signals according to a variation in a capacitance in the first operation mode, and to output second sensing signals according to a resonant frequency of an input device in the second operation mode, wherein the first touch sensors and the second touch sensors are disposed in the blocking area and comprise openings correspondingly overlapping the opening areas; and

wherein each of the first touch sensors and the second touch sensors forms a opened loop shape.

26. A method for operating a touch panel, the method comprising:

receiving a mode selection signal, the mode selection signal indicating whether the touch panel operates in a first operating mode or a second operating mode;

applying first scan signals to first ends of first touch sensors in the first operating mode;

floating second ends of the first touch sensors and second ends of the second touch sensors in the first operating mode;

applying second scan signals to the first ends of the first touch sensors in the second operating mode, the second scan signals being different from the first scan signals;

grounding the second ends of the first touch sensors and the second ends of the second touch sensors in the second operating mode;

receiving first sensing signals from first ends of second touch sensors in the first operating mode; and

receiving second sensing signals from the first ends of the second touch sensors in the second operating mode.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the first sensing signals correspond to a variation in capacitance detected using the first touch sensors and the second touch sensors, and the second sensing signals correspond to a resonant frequency of an input device detected using the first touch sensors and the second touch sensors.

28. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

determining an image type to be displayed via the touch panel;

setting the mode selection signal at a first level in response to determining a first image type is to be displayed via the touch panel, the first level corresponding to the first operating mode; and

setting the mode selection signal at a second level in response to determining a second image type is to be displayed via the touch panel, the second level corresponding to the second operating mode.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the first image type is a still image and the second image type is a moving image.