Integrated pixel structure, integrated touch panel LCD device and method of controlling the same

• US 20100053112A1
• Filed: 01/27/2009
• Published: 03/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acer, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Acer, Inc.
• Inventors: Chen, Chih-Chiang
• Granted Patent: US 8,922,520 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13394 spacers regularly patterned on the cell subtrate, e.g. walls, pillars G02F1/133377 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/136213 Storage capacitors associated with the pixel electrode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0447 Position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells

Abstract

An integrated pixel structure, an integrated touch panel LCD device and a method of controlling the same are provided. The integrated pixel structure includes a transistor matrix substrate, a color filter substrate being parallel with the transistor matrix substrate, and a liquid crystal layer placed between the transistor matrix substrate and the color filter substrate. The transistor matrix substrate includes a first transistor, a first storage capacitor connected to the first transistor, a second transistor, a second storage capacitor connected to the second transistor, and a conductive protrusion. The conductive protrusion is disposed corresponding to the second storage capacitor and configured to electrically connect the second storage capacitor and the color filter substrate.

Claims

1. An integrated pixel structure, comprising:

a transistor matrix substrate;

a color filter substrate disposed above the transistor matrix substrate, the color filter substrate being substantially parallel with the transistor matrix substrate; and

a liquid crystal layer interposed between the transistor matrix substrate and the color filter substrate;

wherein the transistor matrix substrate comprises;

a first transistor;

a first storage capacitor connected to the first transistor;

a second transistor;

a second storage capacitor connected to the second transistor; and

a conductive protrusion disposed corresponding to the second storage capacitor and configured to electrically connect the second storage capacitor and the color filter substrate when the color filter substrate is pressed.

2. The integrated pixel structure to claim 1, wherein the first transistor comprises a first gate, a first source, and a first drain, and the second transistor comprises a second gate, a second source, and a second drain, wherein the first gate and the second gate connect to a first gate line and a second gate line respectively, and the first drain and the second drain both connect to a data line.

3. The integrated pixel structure according to claim 1, wherein the first transistor comprises a first gate, a first source, and a first drain, and the second transistor comprises a second gate, a second source, and a second drain, wherein the first gate and the second gate both connect to a gate line, and the first drain and the second drain connect to a first data line and a second data line respectively.

4. The integrated pixel structure according to claim 1, wherein charges in the second storage capacitor are discharged through the color filter substrate when the second storage capacitor electrically connects to the color filter substrate.

5. The integrated pixel structure according to claim 1, wherein the conductive protrusion is disposed on the transistor matrix substrate and spaced about 0.1 μ

m to 2 μ

m from the color filter substrate.

6. The integrated pixel structure according to claim 1, wherein the conductive protrusion is disposed on the color filter substrate and spaced about 0.1 μ

m to 2 μ

m from the transistor matrix substrate.

7. The integrated pixel structure according to claim 1, further comprising a spacer disposed around the conductive protrusion, wherein a height of the spacer is lower then a height of the conductive protrusion.

8. The integrated pixel structure according to claim 1, wherein the color filter substrate comprises a black matrix, and the second transistor and the second storage capacitor on the transistor matrix substrate are disposed corresponding to the black matrix.

9. The integrated pixel structure according to claim 1, wherein the conductive protrusion comprises resin and conductive particles therein.

10. The integrated pixel structure according to claim 1, wherein the transistor matrix substrate is a thin-film transistor matrix substrate or a CMOS transistor matrix substrate.

11. An integrated touch panel LCD device, comprising:

a liquid crystal panel comprising a plurality of integrated pixel structures a plurality of gate lines, and a plurality of data lines,

wherein each of the integrated pixel structures includes;

a transistor matrix substrate, a color filter substrate disposed above the transistor matrix substrate, the color filter substrate being substantially parallel with the transistor matrix substrate, and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the transistor matrix substrate and the color filter substrate, and

wherein the transistor matrix substrate comprises;

a first transistor, a first storage capacitor connected to the first transistor, a second transistor, a second storage capacitor connected to the second transistor, and a conductive protrusion disposed corresponding to the second storage capacitor and configured to electrically connect the second storage capacitor and the color filter substrate when the color filter substrate is pressed;

a gate driving circuit configured to output a control signal to the plurality of gate lines;

a data driving circuit configured to output display data and touch reference data to the plurality of data lines;

a touch reading circuit coupled to the plurality of data lines for reading data stored in the second storage capacitors of the plurality of integrated pixel structure; and

a comparison circuit coupled to the touch reading circuit for receiving and calculating the stored data to obtain touching information corresponding to a touch position on the liquid crystal panel.

12. The integrated touch panel LCD device according to claim 11, further comprising a switching circuit coupled to the data driving circuit and the touch reading circuit, the switching circuit selectively connecting the plurality of data lines to the data driving circuit or to the touch reading circuit.

13. The integrated touch panel LCD device according to claim 11, wherein the first and the second transistors in each of the plurality of integrated pixel structures respectively connect to two gate lines of the plurality of gate lines and both connect to one data line of the plurality of data lines, wherein the gate driving circuit further comprises:

a first gate driving circuit configured to output the control signal to the gate lines connected to the first transistors for sequentially turning on the first transistors of the plurality of integrated pixel structures; and

a second gate driving circuit configured to output the control signal to the gate lines connected to the second transistors for sequentially turning on the second transistors of the plurality of integrated pixel structures.

14. The integrated touch panel LCD device according to claim 11, wherein the first and the second transistors in each of the plurality of integrated pixel structures respectively connect to two data lines of the plurality of data lines, and both connect to one gate line of the plurality of gate lines, wherein the data driving circuit further comprises:

a display data driving circuit configured to output the display data to the data lines connected to the first transistors; and

a touch data driving circuit configured to output the touch reference data to the data lines connected to the second transistors.

15. The integrated touch panel LCD device according to claim 11, wherein the comparison circuit has a threshold voltage, and the comparison circuit compares the stored data and the threshold voltage to obtain the touching information.

16. The integrated touch panel LCD device according to claim 11, wherein the comparison circuit is coupled to the data driving circuit for receiving the touch reference data, and the comparison circuit compares the touch reference data and the stored data to obtain the touching information.

17. The integrated touch panel LCD device according to claim 11, wherein the liquid crystal panel further comprises a plurality of display pixel structures, each of the plurality of display pixel structures comprising a display transistor and a display storage capacitor.

18. A method for controlling an integrated touch panel LCD device, the integrated touch panel LCD device comprising a liquid crystal panel, the liquid crystal panel comprising a plurality of integrated pixel structures, a plurality of data lines, and a plurality of gate lines,

wherein each of the integrated pixel structures includes:

a transistor matrix substrate, a color filter substrate disposed above the transistor matrix substrate, the color filter substrate being substantially parallel with the transistor matrix substrate, and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the transistor matrix substrate and the color filter substrate, and

wherein the transistor matrix substrate comprises;

a first transistor, a first storage capacitor connected to the first transistor, a second transistor, a second storage capacitor connected to the second transistor, and a conductive protrusion disposed corresponding to the second storage capacitor and configured to electrically connect the second storage capacitor and the color filter substrate when the color filter substrate is pressed, the method comprising the steps of;

transmitting display data to the first storage capacitors for updating a display image of the liquid crystal panel;

transmitting touch reference data to the second storage capacitors;

reading data stored in the second storage capacitors; and

calculating the stored data to obtain touching information corresponding to a touch position on the liquid crystal panel.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the first and the second transistors of each of the plurality of integrated pixel structures respectively connect to two gate lines of the plurality of gate lines, and both connect to one data line of the plurality of data lines, the method further comprising:

turning on the first transistors of the plurality of integrated pixel structures sequentially during a first time period for transmitting the display data to the first storage capacitors through the first transistors;

turning on the second transistors of the plurality of integrated pixel structures sequentially during a second time period for transmitting the touch reference data to the second storage capacitors though the second transistors;

turning on the first transistors of the plurality of integrated pixel structures sequentially during a third time period for transmitting the display data to the first storage capacitors through the first transistors; and

turning on the second transistors of the plurality of integrated pixel structures sequentially during a fourth time period for reading the data stored in the second storage capacitors through the second transistors.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the first and the second transistors of each of the plurality of integrated pixel structures respectively connect to two data lines of the plurality of data lines, and both connect to one gate line of the plurality of gate lines, the method further comprising:

turning on the first and the second transistors of the plurality of integrated pixel structures sequentially during a first time period for transmitting the display data to the first storage capacitors through the first transistors, and transmitting the touch reference data to the second storage capacitors through the second transistors; and

turning on the first and the second transistors of the plurality of integrated pixel structures sequentially during a second time period, for transmitting the display data to the first storage capacitors through the first transistors and reading the data stored in the second storage capacitors through the second transistors.

21. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

comparing the stored data and the touch reference data to obtain the touching information.

22. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

setting a threshold voltage; and

comparing the stored data and the threshold voltage to obtain the touching information.

23. The method according to claim 18, wherein the display data and the touch reference data are the same.

24. The method according to claim 18, wherein the touching information comprise coordinate of the touch position, touching area, or pressure on the touch position.