Image display apparatus with image entry function

• US 20080198143A1
• Filed: 12/18/2007
• Published: 08/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Displays Limited (Japan Display Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kageyama, Hiroshi, Kinoshita, Masayoshi
• Granted Patent: US 8,487,911 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/175
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means

Abstract

An image display apparatus with image entry function capable of high-speed and high-accuracy direct screen entry without increasing the peripheral circuit scale or the number of circuit elements for each pixel that lower the pixel aperture ratio. A first pixel circuit and a second pixel circuit are alternately arrayed horizontally. First and second data lines are connected to a data driver and a sensor signal processor circuit. Selector switches are connected to the input terminal of the data driver. Gray scale voltages are sent from the data driver to the first and second data lines, and first and second photo sensor signals are sent to the sensor signal processor circuit.

Claims

1. An image display apparatus with image entry function comprising:

a pixel circuit including a first pixel containing a first photo sensor for receiving light irradiated from the observation side of the screen, and a second pixel including a second photo sensor shielded from external light;

a gate line connecting to the pixel circuit and extending in a first direction;

a first data line connecting only to the first pixel, and a second data line connecting only to the second pixel, and extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction;

a sensor read line connecting alternately to the first pixel and the second pixel and extending in the first direction;

a gate driver for applying a pixel select signal to the gate line;

a data driver for supplying display data by way of the data line to the pixel selected by the pixel select signal;

a sensor driver connected to the sensor read line; and

a sensor signal processor circuit connecting to the first data line and the second data line,

wherein the sensor signal processor circuit senses the secondary coordinates from touching operation on the screen based on the first photo sensor and the second photo sensor signal input by way of the first data line and the second data line.

2. The image display apparatus with image entry function according to claim 1,

wherein the sensor signal processor circuit includes a differential amplifier circuit, and generates secondary coordinates by utilizing the signal from the first data line and the signal from the second data line as reference signals.

3. The image display apparatus with image entry function according to claim 1, further comprising a selector switch for switching to a display period or a blanking period among the first data line and the second data line and the data driver.

4. The image display apparatus with image entry function according to claim 3,

wherein signals from the first photo sensor and the second photo sensor are input to the sensor signal processor circuit for generating the secondary coordinates in the blanking period that the selector switch selected.

5. The image display apparatus with image entry function according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first data line connecting only to the first pixel, and extending in the vertical direction;

a second data line connecting only to the second pixel, and extending in the vertical direction;

a first signal line connecting only to the first pixel, and extending in the horizontal direction;

a second signal line connecting only to the second pixel, and extending in the horizontal direction;

a sensor signal processor circuit connecting to the first data line and the second data line; and

a sensor signal processor circuit connecting to the first signal line and the second signal line,

wherein the sensor signal processor circuit senses the secondary coordinates where the screen was touched based on the first photo sensor and the second photo sensor signals input by way of the first data line and the second data line.

6. The image display apparatus with image entry function according to claim 1, wherein the pixels are liquid crystal display pixels.

7. The image display apparatus with image entry function according to claim 1, wherein the pixels are electroluminescent display pixels.

8. The image display apparatus with image entry function according to claim 7, wherein the pixels are organic electroluminescent light emitting diodes.

9. The image display apparatus with image entry function according to claim 1,

wherein the first photo sensor and the second photo sensor are made from PIN diodes, and

wherein the PIN (positive negative intrinsic) diodes include drain and source electrodes.

10. The image display apparatus with image entry function according to claim 9, wherein a capacitor is connected in parallel with the drain and source terminals of the PIN diode.

11. The image display apparatus with image entry function according to claim 1,

wherein the first photo sensor and the second photo sensor are made from thin film transistors, and

wherein the thin film transistors include drain and gate and source terminals.

12. The image display apparatus with image entry function according to claim 11, wherein the gate and source electrodes of the thin film transistor are shorted together.

13. The image display apparatus with image entry function according to claim 11, wherein a capacitor is connected in parallel with the drain and source electrodes of the thin film transistor.

14. An image display apparatus with image entry function comprising:

a first pixel circuit including a first pixel containing a photo sensor for receiving red light irradiated from the observation side of the screen and, a second pixel circuit including a second pixel without a photo sensor, and a third pixel circuit including a third pixel containing a photo sensor for receiving blue light that is external light;

a gate line connecting to the first pixel circuit and the second pixel circuit and the third pixel circuit and extending in a first direction;

a first data line connecting only to the first pixel circuit, and a second data line connecting only to the second pixel circuit, and a third data line connecting only to the third pixel circuit, and extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction;

a sensor read line connecting to the first pixel and the third pixel and extending in the first direction;

a gate driver for applying a pixel select signal to the gate line;

a data driver for supplying red display data and green display data and blue display data by way of the first data line and the second data line and the third data line of the pixel selected by the pixel select signal;

a sensor driver connected to the sensor read line; and

a sensor signal processor circuit connected to the first data line and the third data line,

wherein the sensor signal processor circuit senses the secondary coordinates where the screen was touched based on the signals from the photo sensor of the first pixel circuit and the photo sensor of the third pixel circuit input by way of the first data line and the third data line.

15. The image display apparatus with image entry function according to claim 14, wherein the sensor signal processor circuit includes a differential amplifier circuit, and generates secondary coordinates from the signals from the third data line by utilizing the signals from the first data line as reference signals.

16. The image display apparatus with image entry function according to claim 15, wherein the first photo sensor and the third photo sensor signals are input to the sensor signal processor circuit for generating secondary coordinates in the blanking period that the selector switch selected.

17. The image display apparatus with image entry function according to claim 14, wherein the first data line and the second data line and the third data line and the data driver each include a selector switch for switching to the display period or the blanking period.

18. The image display apparatus with image entry function according to claim 14, wherein the pixels are liquid crystal display pixels.

19. The image display apparatus with image entry function according to claim 14, wherein the pixels are electroluminescent display pixels.

20. The image display apparatus with image entry function according to claim 19, wherein the pixels are organic electroluminescent light emitting diodes.

21. An image display apparatus with image entry function according to claim 14,

wherein the first photo sensor and the second photo sensor are made from PIN diodes, and

wherein the PIN (positive negative intrinsic) diodes include drain and source electrodes.

22. The image display apparatus with image entry function according to claim 21, wherein a capacitor is connected in parallel with the drain and source electrodes of the PIN diode.

23. The image display apparatus with image entry function according to claim 14,

wherein the first photo sensor and the second photo sensor are made from thin film transistors, and

wherein the thin film transistors include drain and gate and source terminals.

24. The image display apparatus with image entry function according to claim 23, wherein the gate and source electrodes of the thin film transistor are shorted together.

25. The image display apparatus with image entry function according to claim 23 wherein, a capacitor is connected in parallel with the drain and source electrodes of the thin film transistor.