Relay driving of conductive segments in displays

• US 8,593,450 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2010
• Issued: 11/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Chang, Shih Chang, Bae, Hopil
• Primary Examiner(s): Yang, Kwang-Su
• Application Number:
  US12/976,978
• Publication Number:
  US 20120162090A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,070 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/214
• US Class Current: 345/214
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13306 Circuit arrangements or driving methods for the control of single liquid crystal cells G02F1/132, G02F1/133382 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04184 Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally
• 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

Abstract

Multiple Vcom segments of display screens can be driven in a relay fashion, such that the driving of different Vcom segments overlaps. For example, a Vcom signal can be applied to a first segment of Vcom, and lines of display pixels in the first segment can be scanned. When scanning nears the end of the first segment, a Vcom signal can be applied to the next segment of Vcom before scanning in the first segment ends. For example, when the second-to-the-last line of display pixels in a segment of Vcom is scanned, the next Vcom segment can be driven with a Vcom signal. Likewise, when scanning in the next segment of Vcom begins, the Vcom signal can continue to be applied to the first segment of Vcom until a few lines of display pixels in the next segment have been scanned.

Claims

1. A method of displaying an image on a display including a plurality of lines of display pixels, each display pixel being associated with a common electrode, the method comprising:

applying a first signal to the common electrode associated with each of a plurality of display pixels in a first group of display pixels, the first group including one or more of the plurality of lines of display pixels, wherein the first signal is an alternating current signal;

scanning a first set of the lines of display pixels of the first group while not applying a second signal to the common electrode associated with each of a plurality of display pixels in a second group of display pixels, the second group including one or more of the plurality of lines of display pixels different from the first group, wherein the second signal is an alternating current signal;

applying the second signal to the common electrode associated with each of the plurality of display pixels in the second group;

scanning a second set of the lines of display pixels of the first group while the first and second signals are being applied

discontinuing application of the first signal; and

scanning a third set of the lines of display pixels of the second group while the second signal is being applied.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein scanning the third set of the lines includes scanning the third set of the lines prior to discontinuing application of the first signal, such that the third set of lines is scanned while the first and second signals are being applied.

3. The method of claim 2, the method further comprising:

scanning a fourth set of the lines of display pixels of the second group while the second signal is being applied and after discontinuation of the first signal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the common electrode associated with each of the plurality of display pixels in the first group includes a first common electrode that is a contiguous layer of conductive material associated with a plurality of the display pixels.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the common electrode associated with each of the plurality of display pixels in the first group includes an individual common electrode associated with each of the display pixels, wherein a plurality of the individual common electrodes are electrically connected together.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein all of the individual common electrodes associated with the display pixels in the first group are electrically connected together through a plurality of conductive lines within a plurality of stackups of the display pixels.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein a first subset of the individual common electrodes are electrically connected together, a second subset of the individual common electrodes are electrically connected together, and the first and second subsets are electrically disconnected within a plurality of stackups of the display pixels.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the common electrode associated with the display pixels in the second group is electrically floating after discontinuing application of at least one of the first or second signal to the common electrode.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the common electrode associated with the display pixels in the second group is electrically connected to a fixed voltage after discontinuing application of at least one of the first or second signal to the common electrode.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the first and second signals occur during a display operation, the method further comprising:

operating, during a touch sensing operation, the common electrodes associated with each of the display pixels in the first group as one of a drive line and a sense line, wherein operating the common electrodes as the drive line includes applying stimulation signals to the common electrodes, and operating the common electrodes as the sense line includes receiving sense signals from the common electrodes.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

applying a third signal to the common electrode associated with each of a plurality of display pixels in a third group, wherein the third signal is an alternating current signal, the third signal being applied during the scanning of the first, second, and third sets of lines.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the third group includes the display pixels in the first, second, and third sets of lines.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

operating, during the touch sensing operation, the common electrodes associated with each of the display pixels in the third group as the drive line, if the common electrodes associated with the first group are being operated as the sense line, and operating the common electrodes associated with the third group as the sense line, if the common electrodes associated with the first group are being operated as the drive line.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions executable to perform a method of displaying an image on a display including a plurality of lines of display pixels, each display pixel being associated with a common electrode, the method comprising:

applying a first signal to the common electrode associated with each of a plurality of display pixels in a first group of display pixels, the first group including one or more of the plurality of lines of display pixels, wherein the first signal is an alternating current signal;

scanning a first set of the lines of display pixels of the first group while not applying a second signal to the common electrode associated with each of a plurality of display pixels in a second group of display pixels, the second group including one or more of the plurality of lines of display pixels different from the first group, wherein the second signal is an alternating current signal;

applying the second signal to the common electrode associated with each of the plurality of display pixels in the second group;

scanning a second set of the lines of display pixels of the first group while the first and second signals are being applied;

discontinuing application of the first signal; and

scanning a third set of the lines of display pixels of the second group while the second signal is being applied.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein scanning the third set of the lines includes scanning the third set of the lines prior to discontinuing application of the first signal, such that the third set of lines is scanned while the first and second signals are being applied.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, the method further comprising:

scanning a fourth set of the lines of display pixels of the second group while the second signal is being applied and after discontinuation of the first signal.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the common electrode associated with each of the plurality of display pixels in the first group includes a first common electrode that is a contiguous layer of conductive material associated with a plurality of the display pixels.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the common electrode associated with each of the plurality of display pixels in the first group includes an individual common electrode associated with each of the display pixels, wherein a plurality of the individual common electrodes are electrically connected together.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein all of the individual common electrodes associated with the display pixels in the first group are electrically connected together through a plurality of conductive lines within a plurality of stackups of the display pixels.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein a first subset of the individual common electrodes are electrically connected together, a second subset of the individual common electrodes are electrically connected together, and the first and second subsets are electrically disconnected within a plurality of stackups of the display pixels.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the common electrode associated with the display pixels in the second group is electrically floating after discontinuing application of at least one of the first or second signal to the common electrode.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the common electrode associated with the display pixels in the second group is electrically connected to a fixed voltage after discontinuing application of at least one of the first or second signal to the common electrode.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein applying the first and second signals occur during a display operation, the method further comprising:

operating, during a touch sensing operation, the common electrodes associated with each of the display pixels in the first group as one of a drive line and a sense line, wherein operating the common electrodes as the drive line includes applying stimulation signals to the common electrodes, and operating the common electrodes as the sense line includes receiving sense signals from the common electrodes.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, further comprising:

applying a third signal to the common electrode associated with each of a plurality of display pixels in a third group, wherein the third signal is an alternating current signal, the third signal being applied during the scanning of the first, second, and third sets of lines.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 24, wherein the third group includes the display pixels in the first, second, and third sets of lines.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 24, further comprising:

operating, during the touch sensing operation, the common electrodes associated with each of the display pixels in the third group as the drive line, if the common electrodes associated with the first group are being operated as the sense line, and operating the common electrodes associated with the third group as the sense line, if the common electrodes associated with the first group are being operated as the drive line.