Touch panel, display device provided with touch panel and electronic equipment provided with display device

• US 7,656,391 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2005
• Issued: 02/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kimura, Hajime, Koyama, Jun, Yamazaki, Shunpei
• Primary Examiner(s): Lefkowitz; Sumati
• Assistant Examiner(s): SITTA, GRANT
• Application Number:
  US11/274,269
• Publication Number:
  US 20060066537A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,539 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-175, 345/102, 178/18.09, 178/19.05, 178/18.01
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0428 by sensing at the edges of the touch surface the interruption of optical paths, e.g. an illumination plane, parallel to the touch surface which may be virtual sensing beam interruptions in a planar beam grid of an optical touch-screen G06F3/0421

Abstract

A touch panel using an optical sensor has a simple construction and can accurately detect an input position. An illuminating lights emitted from illuminating means are turned into lights having a high directivity in an X-axis direction and in a Y-axis direction of the prism lens sheet and thereafter enter from side faces of a light guide panel as incident lights. The incident lights advance in the inside of the light guide panel toward opposite side faces while being subjected to a total reflection and are received by the optical sensor arrays. When an input pen or a fingertip touches a surface of the light guide panel, the lights are refracted or absorbed at a touched position and hence, a quantity of received lights at the optical sensor arrays is reduced.

Claims

1. An electroluminescence display device comprising:

a light guide panel comprising a first light transmitting material over a display screen of said electroluminescence display device;

a plurality of optical sensors opposed to a first side face of said light guide panel, said plurality of optical sensors having a light receiving face thereof opposed to a first side face;

a lens sheet having a light emitting face thereof opposed to a second side face of said light guide panel which is opposed to said first side face; and

a light source for illuminating an incident light face of said lens sheet, said light source opposed to said second side face of said light guide panel, wherein said lens sheet is provided between said first side face of said light guide panel and said light source.

2. The electroluminescence display device according to claim 1, wherein a refractive index of said first light transmitting material is 1.4 to 1.7.

3. The electroluminescence display device according to claim 1, wherein said first light transmitting material comprises a translucent material.

4. The electroluminescence display device according to claim 1, wherein said light emitting face of said lens sheet has a plurality of prismatic or semicylindrical protrusions.

5. The electroluminescence display device according to claim 1, wherein said light source comprises light emitting diodes.

6. The electroluminescence display device according to claim 1, wherein said electroluminescence display device is equipped with an input pen which is brought into contact with a surface of said light guide panel, and a contact portion of said input pen with said light guide panel comprises a second light transmitting material of which the refractive index is equal to or greater than that of said first light transmitting material.

7. The electroluminescence display device according to claim 1, wherein said electroluminescence display device is equipped with an input pen which is brought into contact with a surface of said light guide panel, and a tail end portion of said input pen comprises a material which absorbs illuminating light from said light source.

8. An electronic appliance comprising the electroluminescence display device according to claim 1, wherein said electronic appliance is selected from the group consisting of an information terminal equipment and an electronic note book.

9. An electroluminescence display device comprising:

a light guide panel comprising a first light transmitting material over a display screen of said electroluminescence display device;

a first optical sensor array opposed to a first side face of said light guide panel;

a second optical sensor array opposed to a second side face of said light guide panel;

a first lens sheet opposed to a third side face of said light guide panel;

a second lens sheet opposed to a fourth side face of said light guide panel;

a first light source opposed to said third side face of said light guide panel; and

a second light source opposed to said fourth side face of said light guide panel,

wherein said first side face is opposed to said third side face, and said second side face is opposed to said fourth side face, and

wherein said first lens sheet is provided between said first side face of said light guide panel and said first light source, and said second lens sheet is provided between said second side face of said light guide panel and said second light source.

10. The electroluminescence display device according to claim 9, wherein a refractive index of said first light transmitting material is 1.4 to 1.7.

11. The electroluminescence display device according to claim 9, wherein said first light transmitting material comprises a translucent material.

12. The electroluminescence display device according to claim 9, wherein said light emitting face of said lens sheet has a plurality of prismatic and semicylindrical protrusions.

13. The electroluminescence display device according to claim 9, wherein said light source comprises light emitting diodes.

14. The electroluminescence display device according to claim 9, wherein said electroluminescence display device is equipped with an input pen which is brought into contact with a surface of said light guide panel, and a contact portion of said input pen with said light guide panel comprises a second light transmitting material of which the refractive index is equal to or greater than that of said first light transmitting material.

15. The electroluminescence display device according to claim 9, wherein said electroluminescence display device is equipped with an input pen which is brought into contact with a surface of said light guide panel, and a tail end portion of said input pen comprises a material which absorbs illuminating light from said light source.

16. An electronic appliance comprising the electroluminescence display device according to claim 9, wherein said electronic appliance is selected from the group consisting of an information terminal equipment and an electronic note book.

17. An electroluminescence display device comprising:

a light guide panel comprising a first light transmitting material over a display screen of said electroluminescence display device;

a plurality of optical sensors opposed to a first side face of said light guide panel;

a lens sheet opposed to a second side face of said light guide panel which is opposed to said first side face; and

a light source opposed to said second side face of said light guide panel,

wherein said lens sheet is provided between said first side face of said light guide panel and said light source, and

wherein said plurality of optical sensors are closely provided in said second side face of said light guide panel.

18. The electroluminescence display device according to claim 17, wherein a refractive index of said first light transmitting material is 1.4 to 1.7.

19. The electroluminescence display device according to claim 17, wherein said first light transmitting material comprises a translucent material.

20. The electroluminescence display device according to claim 17, wherein said light emitting face of said lens sheet has a plurality of prismatic or semicylindrical protrusions.

21. The electroluminescence display device according to claim 17, wherein said light source comprises light emitting diodes.

22. The electroluminescence display device according to claim 17, wherein said electroluminescence display device is equipped with an input pen which is brought into contact with a surface of said light guide panel, and a contact portion of said input pen with said light guide panel comprises a second light transmitting material of which the refractive index is equal to or greater than that of said first light transmitting material.

23. The electroluminescence display device according to claim 17, wherein said electroluminescence display device is equipped with an input pen which is brought into contact with a surface of said light guide panel, and a tail end portion of said input pen comprises a material which absorbs illuminating light from said light source.

24. An electronic appliance comprising an electroluminescence display device according to claim 17, wherein said electronic appliance is selected from the group consisting of an information terminal equipment and an electronic note book.

25. An electroluminescence display device comprising:

a light guide panel comprising a first light transmitting material over a display screen of said electroluminescence display device;

an optical sensor array having a light receiving face thereof opposed to a first side face of said light guide panel;

a lens sheet having a light emitting face thereof opposed to a second side face of said light guide panel which is opposed to said first side face; and

a light source for illuminating an incident light face of said lens sheet,

wherein triangular pole shaped protrusions or semicylindrical shaped protrusions are continuously formed at said light emitting face of said lens sheet.

26. The electroluminescence display device according to claim 25, wherein a refractive index of said first light transmitting material is 1.4 to 1.7.

27. The electroluminescence display device according to claim 25, wherein said first light transmitting material comprises a translucent material.

28. The electroluminescence display device according to claim 25, wherein said light source comprises light emitting diodes.

29. The electroluminescence display device according to claim 25, wherein said electroluminescence display device is equipped with an input pen which is brought into contact with a surface of said light guide panel, and a contact portion of said input pen with said light guide panel comprises a second light transmitting material of which the refractive index is equal to or greater than that of said first light transmitting material.

30. The electroluminescence display device according to claim 25, wherein said electroluminescence display device is equipped with an input pen which is brought into contact with a surface of said light guide panel, and a tail end portion of said input pen comprises a material which absorbs illuminating light from said light source.

31. An electronic appliance comprising the electroluminescence display device according to claim 25, wherein said electronic appliance is selected from the group consisting of an information terminal equipment and an electronic note book.

32. An electroluminescence display device comprising:

a light guide panel comprising a first light transmitting material over a display screen of the electroluminescence display device;

an optical sensor array having a light receiving face thereof opposed to a first side face of said light guide panel;

a first lens sheet having a light emitting face thereof opposed to a second side face of said light guide panel which is opposed to said first side face;

a second lens sheet having a light emitting face thereof opposed to said first side face;

a light source for illuminating an incident of light face of said first lens sheet;

wherein said first lens sheet is provided between said first side face of said light guide panel and said light source, and said second lens sheet is provided between said second side face of said light guide panel and said optical sensor array.

33. The electroluminescence display device according to claim 32, wherein a refractive index of said first light transmitting material is 1.4 to 1.7.

34. The electroluminescence display device according to claim 32, wherein said first light transmitting material comprises a translucent material.

35. The electroluminescence display device according to claim 32, wherein said light emitting face of said lens sheet has a plurality of prismatic or semicylindrical protrusions.

36. The electroluminescence display device according to claim 32, wherein said light source comprises light emitting diodes.

37. The electroluminescence display device according to claim 32, wherein said electroluminescence display device is equipped with an input pen which is brought into contact with a surface of said light guide panel, and a contact portion of said input pen with said light guide panel comprises a second light transmitting material of which the refractive index is equal to or greater than that of said first light transmitting material.

38. The electroluminescence display device according to claim 32, wherein said electroluminescence display device is equipped with an input pen which is brought into contact with a surface of said light guide panel, and a tail end portion of said input pen comprises a material which absorbs illuminating light from said light source.

39. An electronic appliance comprising the electroluminescence display device according to claim 32, wherein said electronic appliance is selected from the group consisting of an information terminal equipment and an electronic note book.

40. An electroluminescence display device comprising:

a light guide panel comprising a first light transmitting material over a display screen of the electroluminescence display device;

a first optical sensor array opposed to a first side face of said light guide panel;

a second optical sensor array opposed to a second side face of said light guide panel;

a first lens sheet opposed to a first side face of said light guide panel;

a second lens sheet opposed to a second side face of said light guide panel;

a third lens sheet opposed to a third side face of said light guide panel

a fourth lens sheet opposed to a fourth side face of said light guide panel;

a first light source opposed to said third side face of said light guide panel; and

a second light source opposed to said fourth side face of said light guide panel,

wherein said first side face is opposed to said third side face, and said second side face is opposed to said fourth side face, and

wherein said first lens sheet is provided between said third side face of said light guide panel and said first optical sensor array, and second lens sheet is provided between said fourth side face of said light guide panel and said second optical sensor array, and

wherein said third lens sheet is provided between said first side face of said light guide panel and said first light source, and said fourth lens sheet is provided between said second side face of said light guide panel and said second light source.

41. The electroluminescence display device according to claim 40, wherein a refractive index of said first light transmitting material is 1.4 to 1.7.

42. The electroluminescence display device according to claim 40, wherein said first light transmitting material comprises a translucent material.

43. The electroluminescence display device according to claim 40, wherein said light emitting face of said lens sheet has a plurality of prismatic or semicylindrical protrusions.

44. The electroluminescence display device according to claim 40, wherein said light source comprises light emitting diodes.

45. The electroluminescence display device according to claim 40, wherein said electroluminescence display device is equipped with an input pen which is brought into contact with a surface of said light guide panel, and a contact portion of said input pen with said light guide panel comprises a second light transmitting material of which the refractive index is equal to or greater than that of said first light transmitting material.

46. The electroluminescence display device according to claim 40, wherein said electroluminescence display device is equipped with an input pen which is brought into contact with a surface of said light guide panel, and a tail end portion of said input pen comprises a material which absorbs illuminating light from said light source.

47. An electronic appliance comprising the electroluminescence display device according to claim 40, wherein said electronic appliance is selected from the group consisting of an information terminal equipment and an electronic note book.