Display apparatus, method of image display and touch sense thereof

• US 9,806,134 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2012
• Issued: 10/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hwang, Tai Jiun
• Primary Examiner(s): Leiby, Christopher E
• Application Number:
  US13/704,632
• Publication Number:
  US 20150194470A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,925 Days
• 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 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0426 Layout of electrodes and connections
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3233 with pixel circuitry controlling the current through the light-emitting element
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/813 characterised by their shape
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/822 characterised by their shape
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/123 Connection of the pixel electrodes to the thin film transistors [TFT]
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/40 OLEDs integrated with touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/80515 characterised by their shape
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/80521 characterised by their shape

Abstract

The present invention discloses a display apparatus, comprising: a control unit, employed for setting an image display period and a touch sense period and generating image display data, a first control signal and a second control signal; a display panel, employed for displaying images and generating a touch sense signal. The present invention also discloses a method of image display and touch sense of a display apparatus. The present invention integrates the image display function and the touch sense function without stacking the touch panel and promotes the display quality.

Claims

1. A display apparatus, comprising:

a control unit setting an image display period and a touch sense period of the display apparatus in a cycle time according to demand of the image display period and the touch sense period, and generating image display data, a first control signal and a second control signal;

the first control signal is employed for controlling image display and the second control signal is employed for controlling touch sense;

a sum of time of the image display period and time of the touch sense period is equal to the cycle time, and the image display period and the touch sense period are alternately changed;

wherein duration of the image display period and the touch sense period within the cycle time are changeable by the control unit;

a display panel, employed for displaying images according to the image display data and generating a touch sense signal according to the first and second control signals, and transmitting the touch sense signal to the control unit;

the display panel comprising;

a substrate;

a thin film transistor array layer, at least comprising a first conductor layer and a second conductor layer;

an anode layer;

an organic light emitting diode layer;

a cathode layer, wherein the cathode layer covers a display area of the display panel;

a sequence of the said layers from bottom to top in the display panel is the substrate, the second conductor layer, the first conductor layer, the anode layer, the organic light emitting diode layer and the cathode layer;

wherein the cathode layer is divided into a first cathode block and a second cathode block according to a predetermined pattern, the first cathode block and the second cathode block are electrically coupled together, and wherein direct touch of the first cathode block or the second cathode block by a user generates the touch sense signal in the touch sense period;

the cathode layer, the organic light emitting diode layer, the anode layer and the thin film transistor array layer are cooperated and controlled by the first control signal to display the images, in the display area, in the image display period;

wherein the first conductor layer comprises a first conductor block and a second conductor block, and the first cathode block and the second cathode block are electrically coupled via the second conductor block;

wherein the anode layer comprises a main part, a first conducting part, and a second conducting part, the main part and the first conductor block are directly coupled, the first conducting part is directly connected between the first cathode block and the second conductor block, and the second conducting part is directly connected between the second cathode block and the second conductor block.

2. The display apparatus according to one of claim 1, wherein the cathode layer further comprises a third cathode block and a fourth cathode block, and the third cathode block and the fourth cathode block are electrically coupled in the same layer in the display apparatus where the cathode layer is positioned.

3. The display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cathode layer further comprises a third cathode block and a fourth cathode block, and the third cathode block and the fourth cathode block are electrically coupled via the second conductor layer, and the third cathode block is electrically coupled to the second conductor layer via the anode layer and the first conductor layer, and the fourth cathode block is electrically coupled to the second conductor layer via the anode layer and the first conductor layer.

4. A method of image display and touch sense of a display apparatus, wherein display apparatus comprises a control unit and a display panel;

the method comprising steps of;

(A) setting an image display period and a touch sense period of the display apparatus in a cycle time by the control unit according to demand of the image display period and the touch sense period by the control unit, a sum of time of the image display period and time of the touch sense period is equal to the cycle time, and the image display period and the touch sense period are alternately changed, wherein duration of the image display period and the touch sense period within the cycle time are changeable by the control unit;

(B) generating image display data, a first control signal and a second control signal by the display panel, and the first control signal is employed for controlling the image display and the second control signal is employed for control the touch sense;

(C) displaying images according to the image display data in the image display period by the display panel;

(D) generating a touch sense signal in the touch sense period by the display panel;

(E) receiving the touch sense signal transmitted from the display panel by the control unit;

the display panel comprising;

a cathode layer, wherein the cathode layer covers a display area of the display panel;

wherein the cathode layer is divided into a first cathode block and a second cathode block according to a predetermined pattern, the first cathode block and the second cathode block are electrically coupled together, and wherein direct touch of the first cathode block or the second cathode block by a user generates the touch sense signal in the touch sense period, wherein the cathode layer, the organic light emitting diode layer, the anode layer, and the thin film transistor array layer are cooperated and controlled by the first control signal to display the images, in the display area, in the image display period;

wherein the display panel comprises;

a substrate;

a thin film transistor array layer, at least comprising a first conductor layer and a second conductor layer;

an anode layer;

an organic light emitting diode layer;

a sequence of the said layers from bottom to top in the display panel is the substrate, the second conductor layer, the first conductor layer, the anode layer, the organic light emitting diode layer, and the cathode layer;

wherein the first conductor layer comprises a first conductor block and a second conductor block, and the first cathode block and the second cathode block are electrically coupled via the second conductor block;

wherein the anode layer comprises a main part, a first conducting part, and a second conducting part, the main part and the first conductor block are directly coupled, the first conducting part is directly connected between the first cathode block and the second conductor block, and the second conducting part is directly connected between the second cathode block and the second conductor block.

5. The method of image display and touch sense of the display apparatus according to claim 4, wherein:

the step (C) further comprising a step of;

(c1) displaying the images in the image display period with the cooperation of the cathode layer, the organic light emitting diode layer, the anode layer and the thin film transistor array layer which are controlled by the first control signal.

6. The method of image display and touch sense of the display apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the cathode layer is provided with a predetermined pattern, and the predetermined pattern is dividing the cathode layer into the first cathode block and the second cathode block;

the step (D) further comprising a step of;

(d1) generating the touch sense signal in the touch sense period by either of the first cathode block and the second cathode block to be touched by an user.

7. The method of image display and touch sense of the display apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the step (d1) further comprises steps of:

(d11) stopping displaying the images with the cooperation of the cathode layer, the organic light emitting diode layer, the anode layer and the thin film transistor array layer with control of the second control signal in the touch sense period;

(d12) stopping sensing touch operation of the user with cooperation of the first cathode block and the second cathode block with control of the first control signal as the touch sense period is finished.