Touch-detection display device having a detection and control unit and method to drive same

• US 20090009484A1
• Filed: 07/03/2008
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: InnoLux Corporation
• Original Assignee: Innolux Display Corporation (InnoLux Corporation)
• Inventors: Chen, Yen-Hua, Yu, Chuan-Pei
• Application Number:
  US12/217,341
• Publication Number:
  US 20090009484A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3218 of display devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/144 the light being ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3406 Control of illumination source illumination devices structurally associated with liquid crystal cells G02F1/1336
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/36 using liquid crystals

Abstract

An exemplary touch-detection display device includes a display unit configured to display images, a touch-detection unit configured to detect external contact thereon, and a control and detection unit configured to detect functional conditions of the display unit and switch the touch-detection unit according to the functional conditions of the display unit. A related method of driving the touch-detection display device is also provided.

Claims

1. A touch-detection display device, comprising:

a display unit configured to display images;

a touch-detection unit configured to detect external contact applied thereto; and

a control and detection unit configured to detect predetermined functional conditions of the display unit and switch the touch-detection unit according to a result of the detection.

2. The touch-detection display device of claim 1, wherein the control and detection unit comprises a memory, a light sensor, and a controller, the memory storing reference information, the light sensor detecting environmental brightness and transmitting electronic signals to the controller accordingly, and the processor processing the electronic signals and switching the touch-detection unit according to the stored reference information.

3. The touch-detection display device of claim 1, wherein the memory is a non-volatile random access memory.

4. The touch-detection display device of claim 1, wherein the touch-detection unit comprises a touch panel and a touch panel driver, wherein the touch panel driver drives the touch panel according to control signals from the control and detection unit.

5. The touch-detection display device of claim 1, wherein the display unit comprises a liquid crystal display panel and a backlight module providing backlight for the liquid crystal display panel.

6. The touch-detection display device of claim 5, wherein the control and detection unit comprises a controller and a detection unit, wherein the detection unit detects internal parameters of the display unit and the controller processes the internal parameters received from the detection unit to confirm the current functional condition of the display unit and switches the touch-detection unit accordingly.

7. The touch-detection display device of claim 6, wherein the internal parameters comprise at least one of a light intensity of the backlight and an electrical current density of the backlight module.

8. The touch-detection display device of claim 7, wherein when the light intensity is below a predetermined light intensity threshold, the control and detection unit switches off the touch-detection unit.

9. The touch-detection display device of claim 7, wherein when the current density is below a predetermined current density threshold, the control and detection unit switches on the touch-detection unit.

10. The touch-detection display device of claim 1, wherein when the display unit is in a standby state, the control and detection unit deactivates the touch-detection unit.

11. A method of driving a touch-detection display device, the touch-detection display device comprising a display unit, a touch-detection unit, and a control and detection unit, the method comprising:

determining a current functional condition of the display unit by the control and detection unit; and

switching the touch-detection unit according to the current functional condition of the display unit.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein when the display unit is in a standby state, the control and detection unit switches on the touch-detection unit.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the control and detection unit comprises a memory, a light sensor, and a controller, the memory storing reference information, the light sensor detecting environmental brightness and transmitting electronic signals to the controller accordingly, and the processor processing the electronic environmental brightness signal and switching the touch-detection unit according to the reference information stored in the memory.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising setting detection parameters of the light sensor, setting reference information to the memory, the light sensor detecting environmental brightness, the controller calculating brightness changes in the environment according to the detected brightness signals from the light sensor, comparing the calculation result to the reference information stored in the memory and confirming a current functional condition of the display unit, and switching the touch-detection unit according to the confirmed current functional condition of the display unit.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the display unit comprises a liquid crystal display panel and a backlight module providing backlight for the liquid crystal display panel.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the control and detection unit comprises a controller and a detection unit, wherein the detection unit detects internal parameters of the display unit, and the controller processes the internal parameters received from the detection unit to confirm a current functional condition of the display unit and switches the touch-detection unit according to the confirmed functional condition of the display unit.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the internal parameters comprise at least one of a light intensity of the backlight and an electrical current density of the backlight module.

18. The method of claim 17, when the light intensity is below a predetermined light intensity threshold, the control and detection unit switches off the touch-detection unit.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein when the current density is below a predetermined current density threshold, the control and detection unit activates the touch-detection unit.