Display devices, wireless charging system including display devices, and methods of operating the display devices

• US 9,711,992 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2014
• Issued: 07/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Jung, Myoung-hoon, Yun, Young-Jun, Kim, Jung-woo
• Primary Examiner(s): Aisaka, Bryce
• Application Number:
  US14/180,501
• Publication Number:
  US 20140232325A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,250 Days
• Field of Search: 320107
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1637 Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/263 Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC G06F1/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04162 for exchanging data with external devices, e.g. smart pens, via the digitiser sensing hardware
• 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: G09G 2330/00 Aspects of power supply; Aspects of display protection and defect management
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3648 using an active matrix G09G3/367 - G09G3/3696 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3655 Details of drivers for counter electrodes, e.g. common electrodes for pixel capacitors or supplementary storage capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 36/00 Switches actuated by change of magnetic field or of electric field, e.g. by change of relative position of magnet and switch, by shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/005 Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/05 using capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits

Abstract

A display device includes a display panel including at least one electrode, and a panel driving unit configured to drive the display panel. The display device further includes a power storage unit configured to store received power, and a switching unit configured to electrically connect the at least one electrode to one of the panel driving unit and the power storage unit.

Claims

1. A display device comprising:

a display panel including at least one electrode, the at least one electrode being an outermost electrode among a plurality of electrodes of the display panel such that the at least one electrode configured to at least one of (i) apply a common voltage to the display panel, and (ii) sense a touch on the display panel;

a panel driving unit configured to drive the display panel based on a voltage applied to the at least one electrode;

a power storage unit configured to store power received through the at least one electrode; and

a switching unit configured to operatively connect the at least one electrode with at least one of the panel driving unit and the power storage unit based on an electric field around the at least one electrode,

such that the switching unit operatively,

connects the at least one electrode to the power storage unit, if the electric field around the at least one electrode is greater than or equal to a first electric field reference value, and

disconnects the at least one electrode from the power storage unit and connects the at least one electrode to the panel driving unit, if the electric field around the at least one electrode is less than a second electric field reference value, the second electric field reference value different from the first electric field reference value.

2. The display device of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrode includes a first electrode and a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode.

3. The display device of claim 1, wherein the panel driving unit includes a voltage generating unit configured to apply a common voltage to the at least one electrode.

4. The display device of claim 1, wherein the panel driving unit is configured to sense a voltage change of the at least one electrode to detect a position of the touch.

5. The display device of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrode includes a plurality of first electrode cells and a plurality of second electrode cells, the plurality of first electrode cells formed in a row line along a first direction, the plurality of second electrode cells formed in each column line along a second direction intersecting the first direction, the second electrode cells alternately disposed with the first electrode cells.

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

a sensor configured to sense the electric field around the at least one electrode, wherein the switching unit is further configured to operatively connect the at least one electrode to at least one of the display panel and the power storage unit based on output of the sensor.

7. The display device of claim 6, wherein the second electric field reference value is a voltage threshold value associated with the power storage unit.

8. The display device of claim 1, wherein the display panel includes,

a first substrate including a source line, a gate line, and a pixel electrode, the source line and the gate line connected to the panel driving unit;

a second substrate including the at least one electrode; and

a display material between the first substrate and the second substrate.

9. A charging system, comprising:

the display device of claim 1; and

a charging device configured to generate the electric field.

10. The charging system of claim 9, wherein the charging device includes a charging electrode configured to generate the electric field.

11. The charging system of claim 10, wherein the charging electrode is a thin film type electrode.

12. The charging system of claim 10, wherein a surface area of the charging electrode is greater than a surface area of the at least one electrode.

13. The charging system of claim 10, wherein the charging device further includes a first compensation circuit configured to compensate for a resistance of a capacitive structure formed by the at least one electrode and the charging electrode.

14. The charging system of claim 13, wherein the first compensation circuit includes an inductor.

15. The charging system of claim 13, wherein the display device further includes a second compensation circuit configured for impedance matching of the charging device and the display device.

16. The charging system of claim 15, wherein the second compensation circuit includes at least one of an inductor and a capacitor.

17. A display device, comprising:

a display panel including at least one electrode, the at least one electrode being an outermost electrode among a plurality of electrodes of the display panel such that the at least one electrode configured to at least one of (i) apply a common voltage to of the display panel, and (ii) sense a touch on the display panel;

a panel driving unit configured to display an image on the display panel based on a voltage applied to the at least one electrode;

a power storage unit, the at least one electrode being configured to supply a voltage to the power storage unit; and

a control architecture configured to operatively connect the at least one electrode with at least one of the panel driving unit and the power storage unit based on an electric field around the at least one electrode,

such that the control architecture operatively,

connects the at least one electrode to the power storage unit, if the electric field around the at least one electrode is greater than or equal to a first electric field reference value, and

disconnects the at least one electrode from the power storage unit and connects the at least one electrode to the panel driving unit, if the electric field around the at least one electrode is less than a second electric field reference value, the second electric field reference value different from the first electric field reference value.

18. The display device of claim 17, wherein the control architecture includes,

a sensor configured to sense the electric field around the at least one electrode,

a user interface configured to receive a user command,

a switching unit configured to selectively electrically connect the at least one electrode to at least one of the panel driving unit and the power storage unit, and

a control unit configured to control the switching unit based on at least one of the sensed electric field and the user command.

19. The display device of claim 17, wherein the control architecture is further configured to,

detect a voltage level of the power storage unit, and

control the electrical connection of the at least one electrode based on the detected voltage level.

20. A method of operating a display device, comprising:

detecting an electric field around at least one electrode of a display panel, the at least one electrode being an outermost electrode among a plurality of electrodes of the display panel such that the at least one electrode configured to at least one of (i) apply a common voltage to the display panel, and (ii) sense a touch on the display panel, the display panel configured to display an image based on a voltage applied to the at least one electrode;

connecting the at least one electrode to a power storage unit, if the electric field around the at least one electrode is greater than or equal to a first electric field reference value;

disconnecting the at least one electrode from the power storage unit and connecting the at least one electrode to the display panel, if the electric field around the at least one electrode is less than a second electric field reference value, the second electric field reference value different from the first electric field reference value; and

storing power in the storage unit when the at least one electrode is operatively connected to the power storage unit.