OLED Interface

• US 20150084006A1
• Filed: 04/18/2012
• Published: 03/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microchip Technology Germany GmbH (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Microchip Technology GmbH (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ivanov, Artem
• Granted Patent: US 10,355,057 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/40
• 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: H10K 59/40 OLEDs integrated with touch screens

Abstract

An OLED interface has a panel layer, an anode-electrode layer, a cathode-electrode layer, an organic illuminant layer structure received between the anode-electrode layer and the cathode-electrode layer, and an evaluation circuit. The evaluation circuit is designed and connected in such a way that, together with at least the anode-electrode layer and/or the cathode electrode layer, a sensor system is produced, for detecting a finger or a hand of a user in a region upstream of the panel layer without, or before, the finger or hand touching the OLED interface or a panel element covering same.

Claims

1. OLED interface, comprising:

a panel layer,

an anode-electrode layer,

a cathode-electrode layer,

an organic illuminant layer structure that is arranged between the anode-electrode layer and the cathode-electrode layer, and

an interpretation circuitry,

wherein the interpretation circuitry is designed and connected such that in interaction with at least the anode-electrode layer and/or the cathode-electrode layer a sensor system is realized for the detection of a finger or a hand of a user in an area in front of the panel layer without that, or before, the user touches the OLED interface or a panel element covering it.

2. OLED interface of claim 1, wherein the position detection is carried out by means of interpretation of voltage levels, wherein the voltage levels are measured between one of the electrode layers and a sensor electrode device.

3. OLED interface of claim 1, wherein the position detection is carried out by means of interpretation of voltage levels, wherein the voltage levels are measured between the anode-electrode layer and a sensor electrode device.

9. OLED interface of claim 1, wherein in the context of the switching state intended for position or movement detection without contact at first a coarse approach detection is carried out, and that only at detection of a sufficiently pronounced approach state a more sensitive position detection is carried out.

10. OLED interface of claim 1, wherein in the context of the switching state intended for position or movement detection without contact varying electrode segment groups act as sensor electrodes.

11. OLED interface of claim 1, wherein in the context of the switching state intended for position or movement detection without contact for determining a Y position an electrode segment group is activated that constitutes a upper horizontal segment chain and/or that in the context of the switching state intended for position or movement detection without contact for determining a Y position an electrode segment group is activated that constitutes a lower horizontal segment chain.

12. OLED interface of claim 1, wherein in the context of the switching state intended for position or movement detection without contact for determining a X position an electrode segment group is activated that constitutes a left vertical segment chain.

13. OLED interface of claim 1, wherein in the context of the switching state intended for position or movement detection without contact for determining a X position an electrode segment group is activated that constitutes a right vertical segment chain.

14. OLED interface of claim 1, wherein in the context of the switching state intended for position or movement detection without contact for determining a X and Y position level values are used that are derived from electrode segment groups oriented transverse to each other, in particular oriented perpendicular to each other.

15. Display device comprising an OLED interface of claim 1, wherein the electrode segment groups used for the detection of the position of the finger in the non-touch mode are interchanged adaptively, for example are interchanged consecutively such that the respective active electrode segment group in the manner of a running row or a running column migrates across the interface.

16. Display device comprising an OLED interface according to claim 1, wherein in the context of the switching state intended for position or movement detection without contact in each case two electrode segment groups are formed and that the capacitive coupling of these two electrode segment groups is detected, and from this capacitive coupling the approach state is determined.

4. OLED interface, comprising:

a panel layer,

an OLED layer structure, and

a transparent electrode layer that is connected to the panel layer,

wherein this electrode layer is subdivided into a plurality of electrode segments and these electrode segments in this connection form a segment array that comprises segment rows and segment columns,

an interpretation circuitry that is formed such that by means of that a contactless position or movement detection of a finger of the user may be carried out in an area in front of the panel layer,

wherein the contactless position or movement detection is carried out using a combination of several electrode segments of the segment array into a row-like or column-like electrode segment group.

5. OLED interface of claim 4, wherein the interpretation circuitry is formed such that it may adopt a circuitry state in which a contact detection is carried out via the electrode segments of the electrode layer.

6. OLED interface of claim 5, wherein a switchover between the circuitry state for position detection at contact and the switching state for position or movement detection without contact is carried out by means of a multiplexer device.

7. OLED interface of claim 6, wherein the portion of the cycle for adopting the operational state for position or movement detection without contact is set to zero, or is reduced, as long as a contact is detected.

8. OLED interface of claim 6, wherein the portion of the cycle for adopting the operational state for position detection is reduced at contact to the interface as long as no contact is detected.

17. OLED interface, comprising:

a support layer,

an electrode layer that is connected to the support layer, and

an OLED function layer

wherein the electrode layer is subdivided into a plurality of electrode segments and these electrode segments in this connection form a segment array that comprises segment rows and segment columns,

an interpretation circuitry that is formed such that it may adopt a circuitry state in which via the electrode segments of the electrode layer a contact detection is carried out, and

may adopt a circuitry state in which a contactless position or movement detection of a finger of the user may be carried out in an area in front of the OLED interface,

wherein the contactless position or movement detection is carried out via combining several electrode segments of the segment array to a row-like or column-like electrode segment group.

18. Method for producing input signals in connection with the movement of a finger of a user on a touchpad component, wherein this touchpad component comprises a OLED layer structure, a support layer, and an electrode layer that is connected to the support layer, wherein this electrode layer is subdivided into a plurality of electrode segments and these electrode segments in this connection form a segment array that comprises segment rows and segment columns, and the interpretation of the signals detected via the segment rows and segment columns is carried out by means of an interpretation circuitry that is formed such that it may adopt a circuitry state therefore in which via the electrode segments of the electrode layer a contact detection is carried out, and may adopt a further circuitry state in which a contactless position or movement detection of a finger of the user may be carried out in an area in front of the touchpad component, wherein the contactless position or movement detection is carried out via combining several electrode segments of the segment array to a row-like or column-like electrode segment group.