Sensor panel for detecting stylus signals sent out by a stylus

Abstract

The present application relates to a kind of sensor panel (5), the subject is to solve or mitigate the various problems that can be generated along with the narrow frame of display panel, connect to (IC) for detecting the position of active pen in detection area, wherein, with: multiple linear electrodes (5y), in x direction extends and in y direction parallel manner is arranged;Multiple wiring (Ly), corresponding to each of multiple linear electrodes (5y) is set, connect to corresponding linear electrode (5y);Multiple FPC connection terminals, corresponding to each of multiple wiring (Ly) is set, corresponding wiring (Ly) and sensor controller are interconnected, multiple wiring (Ly) respectively has the path selection line (Ly_r) connected at angle not 0 degrees relative to the main line (Ly_c) directly connected with corresponding linear electrode (5y), the length of the main line (Ly_c) of each of multiple wiring (Ly) is substantially equal.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of application filed on September 20, 2018, with application number 201880060843.7, entitled "Sensor Panel for Detecting Pen Signals Emitted by a Pen". Technical Field

[0002] The present invention relates to a sensor panel for detecting pen signals emitted by a pen, and more particularly to a sensor panel configured to overlap with a display panel. Background Technology

[0003] In a tablet-type electronic device capable of detecting the position of a finger or stylus, a sensor panel is disposed on the display panel. The sensor panel is configured to have multiple linear electrodes, including multiple X electrodes extending in the Y direction and equally spaced in the X direction, and multiple Y electrodes extending in the X direction and equally spaced in the Y direction. Within the bezel area of ​​the display panel, corresponding to each of the multiple linear electrodes, multiple FPC (Flexible Printed Circuits) connection terminals and wiring are disposed, and the corresponding linear electrode is electrically connected to the FPC connection terminal through each wiring. Each FPC connection terminal is connected to a terminal on a flexible printed circuit board by crimping, and is connected to a control IC (Integrated Circuit) through wiring on the flexible printed circuit board.

[0004] In addition, as a type of stylus, an active stylus is known. An active stylus is a stylus equipped with a power supply and signal processing circuitry, configured to send a pen signal by supplying a charge corresponding to a signal generated by the signal processing circuitry to electrodes (pen electrodes) located near the pen tip. The pen signal includes a position signal and a data signal. The position signal is a pulse train signal used to indicate the stylus's position. The data signal includes pen pressure data indicating the pen pressure value detected by the active stylus, data indicating the pressed / released state of an operation button on the side or end of the active stylus, and various other data such as a pre-written unique ID on the active stylus. During active stylus detection, the pen signal is received by a linear electrode near the pen tip among multiple linear electrodes in the sensor panel and supplied to the IC via the aforementioned FPC connection terminal. The IC determines the X-coordinate of the active stylus based on the received pen signal level at each X electrode and the Y-coordinate based on the received pen signal level at each Y electrode, thereby detecting the position of the active stylus within the touch surface.

[0005] Patent Document 1 discloses a position detection device capable of detecting the positions of both a finger and an active pen. In this position detection device, the received signals from multiple electrodes are input to a differential amplifier, and the position of the finger or active pen is determined based on the received level of the output signal of the differential amplifier, thereby eliminating the influence of external noise. Hereinafter, this position detection method using a differential amplifier will be referred to as the "differential method".

[0006] In addition, an example of the structure of a sensor panel is disclosed in Patent Document 2.

[0007] Existing technical documents

[0008] Patent documents

[0009] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2014-063249

[0010] Patent Document 2: U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0319137 Summary of the Invention

[0011] The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0012] In recent years, the trend towards narrower bezels in display panels has led to a reduction in the area available for wiring in sensor panels. This has resulted in various problems, as described below, requiring improvements.

[0013] For example, if the bezel area becomes narrower, it may be necessary to place a portion of the wiring for the sensor panel in a position that overlaps with conductive components (such as the metal frame of the display panel, the antenna cable for the wireless LAN, and the camera module) located within the bezel area. In such cases, electrostatic capacitance is generated between the wiring and the conductive components, and a portion of the current flowing in the wiring flows towards the conductive material. Therefore, if the degree of overlap with the conductive components varies for each wiring, the uniformity of the pen signal distribution supplied to the IC may be compromised.

[0014] Furthermore, depending on the degree of bezel narrowing in the border area, the spacing of the wiring in the sensor panel needs to be smaller than before. This raises concerns about a decrease in the yield rate of the sensor panel.

[0015] Furthermore, if the bezel area becomes narrower and there is insufficient space in the wiring area, it becomes difficult to extend and install electrodes within the bezel area. As a result, the pen signal received from the wiring section must also be used for position detection, leading to a decrease in the position detection accuracy of the active pen near the outer edge of the display area.

[0016] Therefore, one of the objectives of this invention is to provide a sensor panel that can solve or mitigate various problems that may arise with the narrowing of the bezels of display panels.

[0017] Methods for solving problems

[0018] The sensor panel on the first side of the present invention is connected to an IC for detecting the position of an active pen in a detection area. The sensor panel includes: a plurality of first electrodes extending in a first direction within the detection area and arranged side-by-side in a second direction intersecting the first direction within the detection area; a plurality of first wirings corresponding to each of the plurality of first electrodes and connected to the respective first electrodes; and a plurality of first terminals corresponding to each of the plurality of first wirings, connecting the respective first wirings to the IC. Each of the plurality of first wirings has a first path selection line connected at an angle not of 0 degrees to a first trunk line directly connected to the corresponding first electrode, and the lengths of the first trunk lines corresponding to each of the plurality of first wirings are approximately equal.

[0019] The sensor panel on the second side of the present invention is connected to an IC for detecting the position of an active pen within a detection area. It includes: a plurality of first electrodes extending in a first direction within the detection area and arranged side-by-side in a second direction intersecting the first direction within the detection area; a plurality of first wirings corresponding to each of the plurality of first electrodes and connected to their respective first electrodes; and a plurality of first terminals corresponding to each of the plurality of first wirings, connecting the respective first wirings to the IC. The plurality of first wirings have a large-pitch portion extending parallel to a first spacing and a small-pitch portion extending parallel to a second spacing smaller than the first spacing within a first wiring area adjacent to the detection area in the first direction.

[0020] The sensor panel on the third side of the present invention is connected to an IC for detecting the position of an active pen within a detection area. It includes: a plurality of first electrodes extending in a first direction within the detection area and arranged side-by-side in a second direction intersecting the first direction within the detection area; a plurality of first wirings corresponding to each of the plurality of first electrodes and connected to the respective first electrodes; and a plurality of first terminals corresponding to each of the plurality of first wirings, connecting the respective first wirings to the IC. Each of the plurality of first wirings includes an extension line formed in a region farther from the connection point connected to the corresponding first electrode than the region of the plurality of first terminals when viewed in the second direction.

[0021] The sensor panel on the fourth side of the present invention is connected to an IC for detecting the position of an active pen within a detection area. It includes: a plurality of first electrodes extending in a first direction within the detection area and arranged side-by-side in a second direction intersecting the first direction within the detection area; a plurality of first wirings corresponding to each of the plurality of first electrodes and connected to their respective first electrodes; and a plurality of first terminals corresponding to each of the plurality of first wirings, connecting the respective first wirings to the IC. Each of the plurality of first wirings has a first path selection line connected at an angle not of 0 degrees relative to a first trunk line directly connected to the corresponding first electrode. The lengths of the first trunk lines corresponding to each of the plurality of first wirings are approximately equal. Each of the plurality of first wirings has a large-pitch portion extending parallel to a first spacing and a small-pitch portion extending parallel to a second spacing smaller than the first spacing within a first wiring region adjacent to the detection area in the first direction. Each of the plurality of first wirings includes an extension line formed in a region farther from the connection point connected to the corresponding first electrode than the plurality of first terminals when viewed in the second direction.

[0022] Invention Effects

[0023] According to the first and fourth aspects of the present invention, in cases where the lengths of the first backbones of the plurality of first wirings are significantly different from each other (for example, Patent Document 2), Figure 1 Compared to the described structure, it is possible to unify the degree of overlap between each of the multiple first wirings and the conductive components that may be arranged in the bezel area. Therefore, it is possible to solve or mitigate the problem that may arise with the narrowing of the bezel of the display panel, which is caused by the distribution of pen signals supplied to the IC damaging the uniformity.

[0024] Furthermore, according to the second and fourth sides of the invention, in the portion with spatial leeway, a plurality of first wirings can be formed at a first spacing larger than the second spacing. Therefore, concerns about a decrease in the yield rate of sensor panels, which may arise with the narrowing of display panel bezels, can be resolved or mitigated.

[0025] Furthermore, according to the third and fourth sides of the present invention, even when the active pen is near the outer edge of the display area, and both the pen signal received by the first electrode and the pen signal received by the first wiring are used for position detection, the same inter-electrode signal intensity distribution can be obtained as in the case where only the pen signal is received using the first electrode. Therefore, the problem of decreased position detection accuracy of the active pen near the outer edge of the display area, which may occur with the narrowing of the display panel bezel, can be solved or mitigated. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of the electronic device 1 and the active pen 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 2 Is with Figure 1 The cross-sectional view of electronic device 1 corresponding to line AA shown.

[0028] Figure 3 It is Figure 1 An enlarged view of a portion of the sensor panel 5 shown.

[0029] Figure 4 It is Figure 1 An enlarged view of a portion of sensor panel 5 shown (however, from...) Figure 3 The schematic diagram of the sensor panel 5 shown has removed the constituent elements of the second and third sides of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 5 This is an enlarged view of a portion of the sensor panel 5 in the background technology of this invention.

[0031] Figure 6 This is an enlarged view of a portion of the sensor panel 5 of the first modified embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 7 This is an enlarged view of a portion of the sensor panel 5 of a second variation of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 8 Yes Figure 4 The diagram shows an example of a sensor panel 5 formed by adding the third side structure of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 9 This is a diagram illustrating the capacitance generated between multiple wirings (Ly).

[0035] Figure 10 It is a graph showing the relationship between the ratio of line width and inter-line space and the capacitance generated between multiple wirings.

[0036] Figure 11 (a) is to Figure 1 An enlarged view of a portion of sensor panel 5 shown (however, from...) Figure 3 (a) is a schematic diagram of the constituent elements of the sensor panel 5 shown, excluding the constituent elements of the second side of the present invention. (b) is a diagram showing the signal intensity distribution between electrodes in the sensor panel 5 shown in (a).

[0037] Figure 12 (a) is to be Figure 4Also shown is an enlarged view of a portion of the sensor panel 5 on the first side of an embodiment of the present invention, and (b) is a diagram showing the signal intensity distribution between electrodes in the sensor panel 5 shown in (a).

[0038] Figure 13 It will be through the Figure 5 The diagram shown is an enlarged view of a portion of a sensor panel 5 constructed by adding the structure of the third side of the present invention to the background art of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 14 This is an enlarged view of a portion of the sensor panel 5 of the third variation of the embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0040] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0041] Figure 1 This is a diagram illustrating the structure of the electronic device 1 and the active pen 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Additionally, Figure 2 Is with Figure 1 The cross-sectional view of electronic device 1 corresponding to line AA shown.

[0042] The electronic device 1 in this embodiment is, for example, a tablet computer, such as... Figure 1 As shown, it is configured to have a host controller 2, a display panel 3, a sensor controller 4, and a sensor panel 5.

[0043] The host controller 2 is a computer with a processor and memory (neither shown). The processor reads and executes programs stored in the memory to control various parts of the electronic device 1, including the illustrated display panel 3 and sensor controller 4, and to perform various processing tasks, including the execution of various applications for illustration. The memory includes main memory such as DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) and auxiliary storage devices such as flash memory.

[0044] like Figure 2 As shown, the display panel 3 is a device having a liquid crystal module 21 including multiple pixels and their driving circuits (not shown), and a metal frame 22 covering the sides and bottom surface of the liquid crystal module 21. The driving circuit is a circuit that drives each pixel to perform arbitrary display on the display panel 3 by receiving control from the host controller 2. Specific examples of the display panel 3 include liquid crystal displays, organic EL displays, and electronic paper.

[0045] like Figure 1As shown, a display area 3a and a bezel area 3b are provided on the surface of the display panel 3. The display area 3a is a rectangular area in which the pixels of the liquid crystal module 21 are arranged in a matrix. The bezel area 3b is an area arranged to surround the outer side of the display area 3a, and contains the driving circuit of the liquid crystal module 21 and the wiring (not shown) connecting each pixel to the driving circuit.

[0046] Sensor controller 4 and sensor panel 5 are input devices relative to host controller 2. For example, Figure 2 As shown, the sensor panel 5 has a structure obtained by sequentially stacking an adhesive sheet 23, a film 24, an adhesive sheet 23 as an OCA, and a cover glass 26 from the display panel 3 side. The adhesive sheet 23 is a transparent adhesive such as OCA (Optical Clear Adhesive) or OCR (Optical Clear Resin).

[0047] Multiple linear electrodes 5x are fixed to the upper surface of the membrane 24 by adhesive tabs 25, and multiple wiring Lx for connecting each linear electrode 5x to multiple wirings Lx of the FPC connection terminal T described later. Figure 2 (Not shown in the image) and one or more protective wiring LG connected to a specific potential such as ground potential. Additionally, multiple linear electrodes 5y, multiple wiring Ly for connecting each linear electrode 5y to the FPC connection terminal T, and one or more protective wiring LG are fixed to the lower surface of the membrane 24 via adhesive sheet 23. If necessary, the wiring formed on the upper surface of the membrane 24 and the wiring formed on the lower surface of the membrane 24 can be interconnected via through electrodes penetrating the membrane 24.

[0048] The upper surface of the cover glass 26 forms a flat surface, i.e., a touch surface 26a, for touch using the active pen 10 or the user's finger. Each component of the sensor panel 5, including the cover glass 26, is made of transparent material or non-transparent material with a density designed to allow light to pass through, at least within the display area 3a, in a manner that allows the user to view the display area 3a of the display panel 3 through the sensor panel 5.

[0049] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, a detection area 5a and a wiring area 5b are provided on the surface of the sensor panel 5. The detection area 5a is a rectangular area capable of position detection using multiple linear electrodes 5x and 5y (details described later), such as... Figure 1As shown, the area is configured to be larger than the display area 3a. The wiring area 5b is configured to surround the outer side of the detection area 5a, and in this area are arranged the aforementioned multiple wirings Lx, multiple wirings Ly, and one or more protective wirings LG, as well as multiple FPC connection terminals T for connecting them to the sensor controller 4. Figure 1 As shown, multiple FPC connection terminals T are arranged side by side along one side of the rectangular sensor panel 5, which is parallel to the x-direction.

[0050] like Figure 1 As shown, multiple linear electrodes 5x extend in the y-direction (the direction within the detection region 5a, the second direction) and are arranged at equal intervals in the x-direction (the direction within the detection region 5a that intersects (or is orthogonal to) the y-direction, the first direction). Additionally, multiple linear electrodes 5y extend in the x-direction and are arranged at equal intervals in the y-direction. Alternatively, one of the multiple linear electrodes 5x or 5y can be shared with a common electrode (not shown) within the liquid crystal module 21; electronic devices 1 constructed in this way are called "in-cell type". It should be noted that... Figure 1 In the figures described below, only 17 linear electrodes 5x and 5y are shown for ease of understanding, but in reality, more linear electrodes 5x and 5y are configured.

[0051] The sensor controller 4 is an IC with a processor and memory (both not shown), disposed on a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) substrate (not shown). The flexible printed circuit board is crimped to a plurality of FPC connection terminals T arranged in the wiring area 5b of the sensor panel 5, through which the sensor controller 4 is electrically connected to each wiring in the sensor panel 5.

[0052] The sensor controller 4 is functionally configured to read and execute a program stored in memory via a processor to detect the indicated positions of the active stylus 10 and the user's finger (not shown) on the touch surface 26a, and to receive data signals transmitted by the active stylus 10. The detection of the indicated position of the active stylus 10 is performed using either electrostatic capacitance or active electrostatic coupling. Furthermore, the detection of the user's finger position is performed using electrostatic capacitance.

[0053] The electrostatic capacitance method obtains the indicated position based on the change in electrostatic capacitance generated between multiple linear electrodes 5x and 5y and a pen electrode (not shown) located near the tip of the active pen 10 or the user's finger. In the case of position detection using the electrostatic capacitance method, the sensor controller 4 sequentially supplies a predetermined detection signal to each of the multiple linear electrodes 5x, and measures the potential of each of the multiple linear electrodes 5y at each step. When a pen electrode or the user's finger approaches the intersection of a linear electrode 5x and a linear electrode 5y, a portion of the current flowing from that linear electrode 5x towards that linear electrode 5y flows outwards towards the user's body, thus decreasing the potential measured with respect to that linear electrode 5y. The sensor controller 4 uses this change in potential to detect the indicated position.

[0054] The active electrostatic coupling method utilizes the sensor panel 5 to receive pen signals transmitted by the active pen 10 and detects the indicated position of the active pen 10 based on the results. The pen signal, as described above, includes a position signal that is an unmodulated pulse train signal and data signals representing various data associated with the active pen 10. Among the various data are pen pressure data, representing the pressure applied to the tip of the active pen 10, etc.

[0055] In detecting the indicated position using the active electrostatic coupling method, the sensor controller 4 detects the indicated position of the active pen 10 based on the received position signals from each of the multiple linear electrodes 5x and 5y. More specifically, the sensor controller 4 is configured to derive the x-coordinate of the indicated position by interpolating the received intensity of the position signals received by each of the multiple linear electrodes 5x using a prescribed interpolation method, and to derive the y-coordinate of the indicated position by interpolating the received intensity of the position signals received by each of the multiple linear electrodes 5y using a prescribed interpolation method. Furthermore, the sensor controller 4 uses the linear electrode among the multiple linear electrodes 5x and 5y that is closest to the detected indicated position to detect the data signal transmitted by the active pen 10.

[0056] The detection of the indicated position performed by the sensor controller 4 will be described in more detail. In this embodiment, the sensor controller 4 is configured to detect the indicated position of the active pen 10 and the user's finger by means of a differential amplifier (differential method) in order to reduce the influence of noise generated in a generally common manner on the multiple linear electrodes 5x and 5y.

[0057] Specifically, firstly, in the case of electrostatic capacitance detection, the sensor controller 4 sequentially focuses on each of the plurality of linear electrodes 5x, supplying the aforementioned detection signal to one or more adjacent linear electrodes 5x, including the focused linear electrode 5x. In this state, sequentially focusing on each of the plurality of linear electrodes 5y, the focused linear electrode 5y and other linear electrodes 5y positioned a predetermined number (including zero) away from the focused linear electrode 5y are respectively connected to the non-inverting input terminal and the inverting input terminal of the differential amplifier. Then, the position indicated by the active pen 10 or the user's finger is detected by the potential of the output signal of the differential amplifier.

[0058] Next, in the case of active electrostatic coupling detection, when the sensor controller 4 detects, for example, the x-coordinate, it sequentially focuses on each of the plurality of linear electrodes 5x, and connects the focused linear electrode 5x and other linear electrodes 5x arranged a predetermined number (including 0) away from the focused linear electrode 5x to the non-inverting input terminal and the inverting input terminal of the differential amplifier, respectively. Then, the x-coordinate of the indicated position of the active pen 10 is detected by the potential of the output signal of the differential amplifier. Similarly, when detecting, for example, the y-coordinate, it sequentially focuses on each of the plurality of linear electrodes 5y, and connects the focused linear electrode 5y and other linear electrodes 5y arranged a predetermined number (including 0) away from the focused linear electrode 5y to the non-inverting input terminal and the inverting input terminal of the differential amplifier, respectively. Then, the y-coordinate of the indicated position of the active pen 10 is detected by the potential of the output signal of the differential amplifier.

[0059] Based on the detection using this differential method, regardless of whether it is electrostatic capacitance mode or active electrostatic coupling mode, the differential amplifier plays the role of canceling the noise commonly generated by multiple linear electrodes 5x and 5y. Therefore, the sensor controller 4 can accurately detect the indicated position without being affected by noise.

[0060] The sensor controller 4 is configured to report to the host controller 2 the coordinates of the indicated position of the active pen 10 and the user's finger, as detected as described above, and various data contained in the data signal received from the active pen 10. Furthermore, the sensor controller 4 is configured to acquire pen pressure data received from the active pen 10 indicating when the active pen 10 contacts the touch surface and pen lifting information indicating when the active pen 10 leaves the touch surface, and report these information to the host controller 2 at their respective timings.

[0061] The host controller 2 receives coordinates input from the sensor controller 4 and performs at least one of the following: displaying an indicator or generating ink data. The indicator is displayed by showing a predetermined indicator image at a position corresponding to the input coordinates on the display area 3a of the display panel 3.

[0062] Ink data comprises control points formed by multiple coordinates sequentially supplied from sensor controller 4, and curve data formed by interpolating the control points using a prescribed interpolation curve. Regarding the user's finger, host controller 2 initiates ink data generation upon input of coordinates and terminates ink data generation upon termination of input of coordinates. Conversely, regarding the active pen 10, ink data generation begins upon input of pen pressure information and terminates upon input of pen release information. It should be noted that when generating ink data with the active pen 10, host controller 2 also controls the width and / or transparency of the curve data constituting the ink data based on pen pressure data received from the active pen 10. Host controller 2 renders the generated ink data and displays it on display panel 3, and stores the generated ink data in its own memory.

[0063] Figure 3 It is Figure 1 The image shown is an enlarged view of approximately half of the sensor panel 5. The portion not shown has a structure that is linearly symmetrical to the portion shown, with the center line in the x-direction as its axis of symmetry.

[0064] like Figure 3 As shown, multiple wirings Lx (second wirings) are correspondingly arranged with multiple linear electrodes 5x, and connected to one end of the corresponding linear electrode 5x in the y-direction. Additionally, multiple wirings Ly (first wirings) are correspondingly arranged with multiple linear electrodes 5y, and connected to one end of the corresponding linear electrode 5y in the x-direction. It should be noted that in... Figure 3 In the example, two wirings Ly are provided relative to one linear electrode 5y, and these two wirings Ly are respectively connected to one end and the other end of the corresponding linear electrode 5y in the x direction. However, similar to wiring Lx, one wiring Ly can also be provided relative to one linear electrode 5y.

[0065] Multiple wirings Lx and Ly extend in a generally equal and parallel manner, except near the connection points to their corresponding linear electrodes. This parallel extension is to ensure uniform electrostatic capacitance between adjacent wirings. It should be noted that... Figure 3In the example, the wiring Lx and Ly each have a portion extending with a first spacing P1 (=line width W1 + line spacing S1) (the portions shown by reference numerals A and B) and a portion extending with a second spacing P2 (=line width W2 + line spacing S2) smaller than the first spacing P1 (the portions other than the portions shown by reference numerals A and B). However, this is a characteristic structure of the present invention as described in the second aspect of the present invention, which will be explained in detail later.

[0066] The multiple FPC connection terminals T are configured to include multiple FPC connection terminals Tx (second terminals), multiple FPC connection terminals Ty (first terminals), and multiple FPC connection terminals TG. The multiple FPC connection terminals Tx are correspondingly configured with and connected to the corresponding wiring Lx. The multiple FPC connection terminals Ty are correspondingly configured with and connected to the corresponding wiring Ly. The multiple FPC connection terminals TG are each connected to any of the protective wiring LG.

[0067] Multiple FPC connection terminals Tx in Figure 3 The area 5by (the area in wiring area 5b adjacent to detection area 5a in the y-direction; the second wiring area) is arranged at equal intervals in the center of the x-direction. Additionally, multiple FPC connection terminals Ty are arranged at equal intervals on both sides of the multiple FPC connection terminals Tx in the x-direction, the same number as the number of linear electrodes 5y. At least one FPC connection terminal TG is arranged on each side of the series of FPC connection terminals Tx and on each side of the series of FPC connection terminals Ty in the x-direction. Because the multiple FPC connection terminals T are arranged in this way, multiple wirings Lx are only extended in area 5by; on the other hand, multiple wirings Ly extend from... Figure 3 The area shown is 5bx (the area in wiring area 5b that is adjacent to detection area 5a in the x-direction. The first wiring area) extending to area 5by.

[0068] Hereinafter, embodiments of the first to third aspects of the present invention will be described in sequence.

[0069] The first aspect of this invention addresses the problem that the uniformity of the distribution of pen signals supplied to the sensor controller 4 is impaired due to the narrowing of the bezel of the display panel 3. Hereinafter, referring to... Figures 3-5 An embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention will be described.

[0070] First, the background art subject corresponding to the first aspect of the present invention will be described in detail.

[0071] Figure 5This is an enlarged view of a portion of the sensor panel 5 of the prior art of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the plurality of wirings Ly provided in the sensor panel 5 of the prior art are each configured as a path selection line Ly_r connected at an angle (not 0 degrees, specifically 90 degrees) relative to the base line Ly_c which is directly connected to the corresponding linear electrode 5y. It should be noted that the base line Ly_c is also part of the wiring Ly. Each path selection line Ly_r is composed of a straight line parallel to the y-direction, thereby achieving this by extending the plurality of wirings Ly in parallel at equal intervals.

[0072] In the background art, such as Figure 5 As shown, the length of each backbone line Ly_c varies for each wiring Ly. More specifically, the length of each backbone line Ly_c varies from the connected linear electrode 5y to the end of the backbone line. Figure 2 From the wiring Ly (wiring Ly1 in the diagram) in region 5by to the wiring Ly (wiring Ly7 in the diagram) connected to the linear electrode 5y away from region 5by, the length of the trunk line Ly_c increases sequentially. This is because each path selection line Ly_r is constructed using a straight line parallel to the y-direction.

[0073] Here, if the bezel of the display panel 3 becomes narrower and the bezel area 3b becomes narrower, it may be necessary to place a portion of the wiring for the sensor panel 5 in a position that overlaps with conductive components disposed within the bezel area 3b. These conductive components may include various parts such as the metal frame of the display panel 3, the antenna cable for the wireless LAN, and the camera module. Figure 5 As an example, it will also be in China. Figure 2 The position of the metal frame 22 shown in the figure is indicated by dashed lines.

[0074] If the wiring used in sensor panel 5 is positioned to overlap with conductive components, electrostatic capacitance is generated between the wiring and the conductive components. Consequently, a portion of the current flowing in the wiring will flow towards the conductive material. Therefore, assuming that the degree of overlap with conductive components varies for each wiring, the uniformity of the pen signal distribution supplied to sensor controller 4 may be compromised.

[0075] If Figure 5For example, in the illustrated seven wirings Ly1 to Ly7, the path selection lines Ly_r of wirings Ly3 and Ly4 overlap entirely with the metal frame 22, while the path selection lines Ly_r of wirings Ly1, Ly2, and Ly5 to Ly7 do not overlap with the metal frame 22 at all. In this case, the current flowing in wirings Ly3 and Ly4 is significantly absorbed by the metal frame 22, while the current flowing in wirings Ly1, Ly2, and Ly5 to Ly7 is not absorbed much by the metal frame 22. Therefore, the uniformity between the pen signal supplied to the sensor controller 4 through wirings Ly3 and Ly4 and the pen signal supplied to the sensor controller 4 through wirings Ly1, Ly2, and Ly5 to Ly7 is compromised.

[0076] According to the first aspect of the present invention, such damage to uniformity is prevented. Hereinafter, the structure of the sensor panel 5 in the first aspect of the present invention will be described in detail.

[0077] Figure 4 It is Figure 1 This is an enlarged view of a portion of sensor panel 5 (a portion of region 5bx and its vicinity). However, this view is from... Figure 1 The constituent elements of the sensor panel 5 shown are schematic diagrams of the constituent elements of the second and third sides of the present invention, excluding those shown.

[0078] like Figure 4 As shown, in the sensor panel 5 of this embodiment, the lengths of the base lines Ly_c of the multiple wirings Ly are set to be approximately equal to each other. Here, "approximately equal" means equal within the range of errors (pattern deviations, etc.) that may occur during the formation of the wirings Ly. Furthermore, in order to ensure that the lengths of the base lines Ly_c of the multiple wirings Ly are approximately equal to each other and that the wirings Ly are configured without intersecting each other, multiple straight lines extending in the y-direction and positioned differently in the x-direction are provided on the path selection lines Ly_r of each wiring Ly. More specifically, as... Figure 4 As shown, the path selection lines Ly_r are set to extend in a stepped manner.

[0079] By adopting such a structure, and as Figure 5 The background technology shown in Patent Document 2 Figure 1 Compared to the previously described structure where the lengths of the base lines Ly_c of the multiple wirings Ly differ significantly, this embodiment can homogenize the degree of overlap between each of the multiple wirings Ly and the conductive components that may be disposed within the bezel region 3b. Therefore, it is possible to solve or mitigate the problem that may arise from the narrow bezel of the display panel 3, which is caused by the distribution of pen signals supplied to the sensor controller 4 impairing uniformity.

[0080] If you refer to this effect Figure 4 The example will be explained in detail, then... Figure 4 In the example shown, a portion of each of the seven wirings Ly1 to Ly7 in the diagram, specifically wirings Ly3 to Ly7, overlaps with the metal frame 22. Therefore, with... Figure 5 Compared to the previous example, it can be said that the uniformity of the distribution of pen signals supplied to the sensor controller 4 through each wiring Ly is ensured.

[0081] Here, in Figure 4 and Figure 5 Although only routing Ly is shown, the same applies to routing Lx. That is, as... Figure 3 As shown, the multiple wirings Lx are each configured as path selection lines (second path selection lines) connected at an angle (specifically 90 degrees) to the base line (second base line) directly connected to the corresponding linear electrode 5y. Furthermore, each path selection line is configured with multiple straight sections extending in the x-direction and positioned differently in the y-direction, more specifically, extending in a stepped manner. Therefore, regarding the wirings Lx, the problem of uneven distribution of the pen signal supplied to the sensor controller 4, which may arise with the narrowing of the display panel 3, can be solved or mitigated.

[0082] As explained above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, compared to cases where the lengths of the base lines Ly_c of the multiple wirings Ly differ significantly from each other, the degree of overlap between each of the multiple wirings Ly and the conductive components that may be disposed within the bezel region 3b can be made uniform. The same applies to wiring Lx. Therefore, the problem that may arise from the narrow bezel of the display panel 3—where the distribution of pen signals supplied to the sensor controller 4 impairs uniformity—can be solved or mitigated.

[0083] It should be noted that, as Figure 3 As shown, it is preferable that each wiring Ly in region 5by is also formed in the same stepped shape as in region 5bx. In this way, even when each wiring Ly in region 5by overlaps with the conductive component, the possibility of the distribution of the pen signal supplied to the sensor controller 4 being impaired in terms of uniformity can be reduced. Furthermore, since multiple wirings Lx, multiple wirings Ly, and guard wiring LG can be formed in parallel within region 5by, the electrostatic capacitance generated between these wirings can be made uniform.

[0084] Furthermore, the shape of the path selection line required to achieve the above effect is not limited to, for example, Figure 3 and Figure 4 The step-like shape shown.

[0085] For example, Figure 6This is an enlarged view of a portion of the sensor panel 5 of the first modified example of this embodiment. In the example shown in this figure, the portion of the path selection line of each wiring Ly formed within region 5bx is configured to have a straight line portion inclined relative to the y-direction, and the portion formed within region 5by is configured to have a straight line portion inclined relative to the x-direction. Furthermore, the path selection line of each wiring Lx is also configured to have a straight line portion inclined relative to the x-direction. The length of the trunk line corresponding to each wiring Lx and Ly is set to 0. The specific tilt angle is fixed, except for the portion where the spacing changes via the second side described later and the region between region 5bx and region 5by.

[0086] In this way, it is also possible to... Figure 3 Similarly, the example shown addresses or mitigates the problem that may arise from the narrow bezel of the display panel 3, which can impair the uniformity of the pen signal distribution supplied to the sensor controller 4. Furthermore, by making the tilt angle of the path selection line of each wiring Ly within region 5by relative to the x-direction the same as the tilt angle of the path selection line of each wiring Lx relative to the x-direction, multiple wirings Lx, multiple wirings Ly, and guard wiring LG can be formed in parallel within region 5bx, thus ensuring uniform electrostatic capacitance generated between these wirings.

[0087] It should be noted that, in Figure 6 While the example shows a structure where the length of the trunk line Ly_c is set to 0, it's also possible to set the length of Ly_c to a value greater than 0. For more information, see [reference needed]. Figure 7 To illustrate.

[0088] Figure 7 This is an enlarged view of a portion of the sensor panel 5 in the second variation of this embodiment. The example shown in this figure, besides having a trunk line length greater than 0, also possesses the structure described later as the third aspect of the present invention. Figure 6 The first variation shown is different. The connection angle between the backbone line and the path selection line in each wiring Lx and Ly becomes a value greater than 90 degrees due to the inclination of the path selection line. By setting the length of the backbone line to a value greater than 0, the first and third aspects of the present invention can be combined and utilized.

[0089] For example, Figure 8 It shows the... Figure 4 The diagram shows an example of a sensor panel 5 formed by adding the third side of the present invention to the structure shown. In this example, the length of the trunk line is also set to a value greater than 0, thus enabling the combination of the third side. It should be noted that... Figure 8 The structure of the sensor panel 5 shown will be explained later. Figure 11 The structures described are the same.

[0090] Next, a second aspect of the present invention will be described in detail. This second aspect addresses the concern that the reduced wiring spacing accompanying the narrowing of the display panel 3 could lead to a decrease in the yield rate of the sensor panel 5. Hereinafter, with reference to… Figure 3 The second aspect of the invention will now be described.

[0091] like Figure 3 As shown, in this embodiment, the plurality of wirings Ly are configured to have portions extending parallel to a first pitch P1 (the portion indicated by reference numeral A; hereinafter, the portion extending parallel to the first pitch P1 will be referred to as the "large pitch portion") and portions extending parallel to a second pitch P2 smaller than the first pitch P1 (the portions other than the portion indicated by reference numeral A; hereinafter, the portion extending parallel to the second pitch P2 will be referred to as the "small pitch portion"). In other words, the plurality of wirings Ly are configured such that the portions extending in the y-direction have both a large pitch portion and a small pitch portion. The small pitch portion is formed closer to the plurality of FPC connection terminals Ty than the large pitch portion. Furthermore, in the large pitch portion, both the line width and the inter-line spacing are set to values ​​larger than those in the small pitch portion.

[0092] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the plurality of wiring Lx is configured to have a large-pitch portion (the portion indicated by reference numeral B) and a small-pitch portion (the portion other than the portion indicated by reference numeral B) within the region 5by. In this case, the small-pitch portion is formed in the portion that is closer to the plurality of FPC connection terminals Tx compared to the large-pitch portion.

[0093] By forming the wirings Lx and Ly as described above, in the sensor panel 5 of this embodiment, wirings can be extended with a relatively narrow spacing in areas where a relatively large number of wirings extend in parallel (i.e., areas with no space leeway), and wirings can be extended with a relatively wide spacing in areas where a relatively small number of wirings extend in parallel (i.e., areas with space leeway). Therefore, the formation of wirings with narrow spacing, which could lead to a decrease in yield, is minimized, thus solving or mitigating the problem that may arise with the narrowing of the bezel of the display panel, which could cause a decrease in the yield of the sensor panel 5.

[0094] It should be noted that in region 5by, such as Figure 3 As shown, it is preferable to provide both large-pitch portions (the portions indicated by reference numeral B) and small-pitch portions (the portions other than those indicated by reference numeral B) in multiple wirings Ly. In this way, in areas of region 5by where few wirings Lx are formed in parallel, not only wirings Lx but also wirings Ly can be formed with relatively large spacing. Therefore, the yield of the sensor panel 5 can be further improved.

[0095] As explained above, according to the third aspect of the present invention, in the portion with spatial leeway, multiple wirings Lx and Ly can be formed with a first spacing P1 that is larger than the second spacing P2. Therefore, the concern about a decrease in the yield of the sensor panel 5, which may arise with the narrowing of the bezel of the display panel 3, can be resolved or mitigated.

[0096] Here, the value of the wiring spacing affects the inter-wiring capacitance per unit length. Therefore, if large-pitch and small-pitch portions are provided for wirings Lx and Ly as described above, the inter-wiring capacitance per unit length may differ between the large-pitch and small-pitch portions. Such differences in inter-wiring capacitance are detrimental to maintaining a consistent quality of the pen signal supplied to the sensor controller 4. Therefore, in the sensor panel 5 of this embodiment, the ratio of the linewidth to the inter-line spacing of wiring Lx in each of the large-pitch and small-pitch portions is further set so that the inter-wiring capacitance per unit length in both the large-pitch and small-pitch portions is substantially the same. It should be noted that "substantially the same value" here includes a state where the values ​​of the inter-wiring capacitance are close to each other to a degree that is practically without problems. Hereinafter, with reference to Figure 9 and Figure 10 He explained in detail.

[0097] first, Figure 9 (a) is a diagram showing a cross-section of the wiring Ly that extends with a first spacing P1. Figure 9 (b) is a diagram showing a cross-section of a wiring Ly extending at a second spacing P2. As indicated by the dashed lines with arrows in these diagrams, inter-wiring capacitance is formed between the multiple wirings Ly disposed nearby. Furthermore, the specific value of this inter-wiring capacitance may differ depending on whether the wiring spacing is a first spacing P1 or a second spacing P2. However, by appropriately selecting the ratio of line width to inter-line space, the value of the inter-wiring capacitance can be made uniform in both cases.

[0098] Figure 10 This is a graph showing the relationship between the ratio of line width W to line spacing S (W / S) and the value of line capacitance for the cases where the wiring spacing is a first spacing P1 and a second spacing P2, respectively. The graph shows the case where the first spacing P1 is set to 60 μm and the second spacing P2 is set to 40 μm.

[0099] like Figure 10 As shown, the inter-wiring capacitance increases approximately proportionally to the line width W regardless of whether the wiring spacing is the first spacing P1 or the second spacing P2. The proportionality factor varies depending on the spacing, but from... Figure 10It can be understood that the range of values ​​for inter-wire capacitance is approximately the same regardless of the spacing. For example, the inter-wire capacitance is 53.8 fF / mm when the spacing is a first spacing P1 and the line width W is 23 μm (i.e., the ratio of line width W1 to inter-wire space S1 is 23 / 37), and it is 53.6 fF / mm when the spacing is a second spacing P2 and the line width W is 15 μm (i.e., the ratio of line width W2 to inter-wire space S2 is 15 / 25). These values ​​are approximately equal. Therefore, for example, by setting the ratio of line width W1 to inter-wire space S1 in the large-spacing portion of the wiring formed with a 60 μm spacing to 23 / 37, and setting the ratio of line width W2 to inter-wire space S2 in the small-spacing portion of the wiring formed with a 40 μm spacing to 15 / 25, the value of inter-wire capacitance per unit length can be made substantially the same in both the large-spacing and small-spacing portions.

[0100] It should be noted that the relationship between the ratio of line width W to line spacing S and the value of the inter-line capacitance (especially the scaling factor), and the specific value of the inter-line capacitance, depends on... Figure 2 The dielectric constants of the adhesive sheets 23 and 25 shown vary. Therefore, the specific ratio of line width W to line spacing S required to make the inter-wire capacitance per unit length substantially the same in both large-pitch and small-pitch sections should be studied for each product depending on the materials used, etc.

[0101] Next, a third aspect of the present invention will be described in detail. This third aspect addresses the problem that the position detection accuracy of the active pen 10 near the outer edge of the display area 3a decreases as the narrowing of the bezel of the display panel 3 makes it difficult to extend and provide electrodes within the bezel area 3b. Hereinafter, with reference to… Figure 3 , Figure 11 and Figure 12 The third aspect of the present invention will be described below.

[0102] First, the background art subject corresponding to the third aspect of the present invention will be described in detail.

[0103] Figure 12 (a) is in Figure 4 The image also shows an enlarged view of a portion of the sensor panel 5 on the first side (a portion of region 5bx and its vicinity) according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 12 (b) is shown Figure 12 (a) A diagram showing the signal intensity distribution between the electrodes in sensor panel 5. (See diagram from...) Figure 12 (a) As understood, in the third aspect of the invention, the structure of the first aspect of the invention becomes an example of the prior art.

[0104] like Figure 12As shown in (a), in the sensor panel 5 of the background art, multiple wirings Ly are respectively connected to the center of the surface 5ya at one end of the corresponding linear electrode 5y in the x-direction. Furthermore, from this point, they are connected to the aforementioned trunk line Ly_c and path selection line Ly_r. Figure 3 The FPC connection terminal Ty is shown. The trunk line Ly_c extends parallel to the x-direction. Hereinafter, we will continue to explain with regard to the four parallel linear electrodes 5y, namely linear electrodes 5y1 to 5y4, and their corresponding wiring Ly, namely wiring Ly1 to Ly4.

[0105] exist Figure 12 (b) shows the tip of the active pen 10 as shown. Figure 12 (a) shows the inter-electrode signal intensity distribution at the center of the y-direction near one end of the linear electrode 5y2 in the x-direction. As shown in the figure, in this case, the intensity of the pen signal at each of the linear electrodes 5y1 to 5y4 weakens in the order of linear electrodes 5y2, 5y3, 5y1, and 5y4.

[0106] Here, the sensor controller 4 is configured such that, when detecting, for example, the y-coordinate of the active pen 10, as described above, it receives pen signals (more specifically, position signals contained in the pen signals) using each of multiple linear electrodes 5y, not just one linear electrode 5y, and detects the indicated position of the active pen 10 based on the result. This is to also detect the y-coordinates between adjacent linear electrodes 5y; specifically, it is configured to derive the y-coordinates by interpolating the received intensity of the pen signals received by each of the multiple linear electrodes 5y using a prescribed interpolation method. Therefore, if... Figure 12 In the case shown in (a), where the tip of the active pen 10 is close to the center of the y-direction at one end of the linear electrode 5y2 in the x-direction, the received pen signal strength at the linear electrodes 5y1 and 5y3 needs to be equal in order to accurately determine the position of the active pen 10.

[0107] However, if we observe Figure 12 (b) It is clear that the received signal strengths at the linear electrodes 5y1 and 5y3 are not equal. Therefore, the sensor controller 4 cannot derive the signal with high accuracy. Figure 12 (a) The position of the active pen 10 in the example. This is because, as a result of narrowing the bezel of the display panel 3, it is difficult to ensure the extension space of the linear electrode 5y within the bezel area 3b. As a result, the amount of pen signal received at the wiring Ly is included in the signal strength.

[0108] According to the third aspect of the present invention, such a decrease in position detection accuracy is prevented. The structure of the sensor panel 5 in the third aspect of the present invention will be described in detail below.

[0109] Figure 11 (a) is to Figure 1 An enlarged view of a portion of sensor panel 5 (a portion of region 5bx and its vicinity) is shown. Figure 11 (b) is shown Figure 11 (a) is a diagram showing the signal intensity distribution between the electrodes in sensor panel 5. However, Figure 11 (a) is from Figure 1 The constituent elements of the sensor panel 5 shown are schematic diagrams of the constituent elements of the second side of the present invention, excluding those shown.

[0110] like Figure 11 As shown in (a), in this embodiment, the base line Ly_c of the wiring Ly is connected to the linear electrode 5y at the end of the surface 5ya constituting one end of the corresponding linear electrode 5y in the x-direction, on the side away from the FPC connection terminal Ty. Furthermore, when viewed in the y-direction, the wiring Ly of this embodiment has an extension line Ly_e in a region farther from the connection point connected to the corresponding linear electrode 5y than the FPC connection terminal Ty. Each extension line Ly_e is formed in a straight line extending in the y-direction, protruding from the center of the corresponding base line Ly_c. The length of each extension line Ly_e is set such that it overlaps with other linear electrodes 5y adjacent to the corresponding linear electrode 5y when viewed in the x-direction. It should be noted that, as... Figure 11 As shown in (a), the wiring Ly, which is furthest from the FPC connection terminal Ty, may not require an extension line Ly_e.

[0111] Figure 11 (b) shows the signal intensity distribution between electrodes and Figure 12 (b) Similarly, the example shows the inter-electrode signal strength distribution when the tip of the active pen 10 is close to the center of the y-direction at one end of the linear electrode 5y2 in the x-direction. As shown in the figure, in the sensor panel 5 of this embodiment, the received pen signal strength at the linear electrodes 5y1 and 5y3 becomes approximately the same value in this case. This is based on the fact that by configuring the wiring Ly as described above, the received amount at wiring Ly1 increases while the received amount at wiring Ly3 decreases. As a result of the received pen signal strength at the linear electrodes 5y1 and 5y3 becoming equal, according to this embodiment, with Figure 12 Compared to the background technology shown, the position detection accuracy of the active pen 10 near the outer edge of the display area 3a is improved. Therefore, it is possible to solve or mitigate the problem that may arise from the narrowing of the bezel of the display panel 3, which results in a decrease in the position detection accuracy of the active pen 10 near the outer edge of the display area 3a.

[0112] Here, in Figure 11 and Figure 12Although only routing Ly is shown, the same applies to routing Lx. That is, as... Figure 3 As shown, in this embodiment, the backbone of the wiring Lx is connected to the linear electrode 5x at the end of the surface constituting one end of the corresponding linear electrode 5x in the y-direction, on the side away from the FPC connection terminal Tx. Furthermore, when viewed in the x-direction, the wiring Lx of this embodiment has extension lines in the region farther from the connection point connected to the corresponding linear electrode 5x from the FPC connection terminal Tx. Each extension line is formed in a straight line extending in the x-direction, becoming a shape that protrudes from the center of the corresponding backbone. The length of each extension line is set such that it overlaps with other linear electrodes 5x adjacent to the corresponding linear electrode 5x when viewed in the y-direction. It should be noted that, as... Figure 3 As shown, extension lines may not be required for wiring Lx that is far from the FPC connection terminal Tx.

[0113] By configuring the wiring Lx in this way, the position detection accuracy of the active pen 10 near the outer edge of the display area 3a can be improved in the same way as described above, when the pen tip of the active pen 10 is close to the center of the active pen 10 in the x direction at one end of the linear electrode 5x in the y direction.

[0114] As explained above, according to the third aspect of the present invention, even when the active pen 10 is located near the outer edge of the display area 3a, and both the pen signals received by the linear electrodes 5x and 5y and the pen signals received by the wiring Lx and Ly are used for position detection, the same inter-electrode signal intensity distribution can be obtained as in the case where only the linear electrodes 5x and 5y are used to receive the pen signals. Therefore, the problem of decreased position detection accuracy of the active pen 10 near the outer edge of the display area 3a, which may occur with the narrowing of the bezel of the display panel 3, can be solved or mitigated.

[0115] It should be noted that, in Figure 11 Although the structure of adding the third side of the present invention to the sensor panel 5 of the first side of the present invention has been described, it is of course also possible to form the third side of the present invention by adding an extension line to the sensor panel 5 which does not have the first side.

[0116] For example, Figure 13 Through the Figure 5 The figure shown is an enlarged view of a portion of a sensor panel 5 constructed by adding the third side of the present invention to the background art of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the third side of the present invention can also be applied to a sensor panel 5 of the background art where the length of the trunk line Ly_c is not fixed.

[0117] Furthermore, the specific shapes of the wiring Lx and Ly required to achieve the above effects are not limited to... Figure 3 , Figure 11 and Figure 13The shape shown.

[0118] For example, Figure 14 This is an enlarged view of a portion of the sensor panel 5 of the third variation of this embodiment. In the example shown in this figure, each extension line Ly_e is formed to overlap with another adjacent linear electrode 5y (e.g., linear electrode 5y4 relative to linear electrode 5y2) when viewed from the x-direction. More specifically, the path selection line Ly_r of each wiring Ly is formed to extend further away from the FPC connection terminal Ty than the base line Ly_c, and each extension line Ly_e extends further away from the FPC connection terminal Ty than the extended path selection line Ly_r. The connection point where the extension line Ly_e connects to other parts of the wiring Ly is located in the path selection line Ly_r at the position furthest from the FPC connection terminal Ty in the y-direction. In this way, it is also possible to connect with... Figure 3 The example shown similarly addresses or mitigates the problem of decreased position detection accuracy of the active pen 10 near the outer edge of the display area 3a, a problem that may arise from the narrowing of the bezel of the display panel 3. It should be noted that, of course, it is also possible to... Figure 14 The structure is applied to wiring Lx.

[0119] While the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to such embodiments in any way, and the present invention can certainly be implemented in various ways without departing from its spirit.

[0120] For example, as also mentioned in the above embodiments, the sensor panel of the present invention can be configured to satisfy one, two or all of the first to third sides of the present invention, and any sensor panel is included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[0121] In addition, the path selection line does not necessarily need to be on the same plane as the corresponding linear electrode. It can also be formed on a curved surface along the shape of the frame, or set in a direction at a specified angle.

[0122] Furthermore, based on the structure of the bezel, liquid crystal panel, etc., exceptions may naturally be included in the invention. For example, regarding the first aspect of the invention, it is not necessary for the lengths of the main lines to be equal in all linear electrodes. Due to structural or electrical constraints, main lines with different lengths from other main lines may also be included as a part.

[0123] Label Explanation

[0124] 1. Electronic equipment

[0125] 2. Host Controller

[0126] 3 Display Panel

[0127] 3a Display Area

[0128] 3b Border Area

[0129] 4. Sensor Controller

[0130] 5. Sensor Panel

[0131] 5a Detection Area

[0132] 5b Wiring Area

[0133] 5bx is the area in wiring region 5b that is adjacent to detection region 5a in the x-direction.

[0134] The area in wiring region 5b that is adjacent to detection region 5a in the y-direction

[0135] 5x, 5y linear electrodes

[0136] 10 Active Pen

[0137] 21 LCD Module

[0138] 22 Metal Frame

[0139] 23 Adhesive Sheets

[0140] 24 membranes

[0141] 25 Adhesive Sheets

[0142] 26 Cover glass

[0143] 26a Touch surface

[0144] LG Protective Cabling

[0145] Lx, Ly wiring

[0146] Ly_c is the backbone of the Ly cabling.

[0147] Ly_e is the extension line of the Ly wire.

[0148] Ly_r routing path selection line

[0149] T, Tx, Ty, TG FPC connection terminals.

Claims

1. A sensor panel connected to an IC for detecting the position of a active pen in a detection area, wherein, have: Multiple first electrodes extend in a first direction within the detection area and are arranged side-by-side in a second direction intersecting the first direction within the detection area. A plurality of first trunk lines are respectively disposed corresponding to the plurality of first electrodes, extending in the first direction and connected at one end to the corresponding first electrode; Multiple first path selection lines are respectively disposed corresponding to the multiple first trunk lines and connected to the other end of the corresponding first trunk line; and Multiple first terminals are configured corresponding to the multiple first path selection lines, and the corresponding first path selection lines and the IC are connected to each other. The lengths of the plurality of first trunk lines are set to be equal to each other. The plurality of first path selection lines, within a first wiring region adjacent to the detection region in the first direction, have a large-pitch portion extending parallel to each other with a first spacing and a small-pitch portion extending parallel to each other with a second spacing smaller than the first spacing. At least a portion of the plurality of first path selection lines, at the boundary between the large-pitch portion and the small-pitch portion, has a straight portion in which the shortest distance between the detection area and one end of the first path selection line (measured from the corresponding first terminal along the corresponding first path selection line) is relatively shorter than the shortest distance between the detection area and one end of the first path selection line (measured from the corresponding first terminal along the corresponding first path selection line). In the large-pitch section, the line width is set to a larger value than that in the small-pitch section.

2. A sensor panel connected to an IC for detecting the position of a active pen in a detection area, wherein, have: Multiple first electrodes extend in a first direction within the detection area and are arranged side-by-side in a second direction intersecting the first direction within the detection area. A plurality of first trunk lines are respectively disposed corresponding to the plurality of first electrodes, extending in the first direction and connected at one end to the corresponding first electrode; Multiple first path selection lines are respectively disposed corresponding to the multiple first trunk lines and connected to the other end of the corresponding first trunk line; and Multiple first terminals are configured corresponding to the multiple first path selection lines, and the corresponding first path selection lines and the IC are connected to each other. The lengths of the plurality of first trunk lines are set to be equal to each other. The plurality of first path selection lines, within a first wiring region adjacent to the detection region in the first direction, have a large-pitch portion extending parallel to each other with a first spacing and a small-pitch portion extending parallel to each other with a second spacing smaller than the first spacing. At least a portion of the plurality of first path selection lines, at the boundary between the large-pitch portion and the small-pitch portion, has a straight portion in which the shortest distance between the detection area and one end of the first path selection line (measured from the corresponding first terminal along the corresponding first path selection line) is relatively shorter than the shortest distance between the detection area and one end of the first path selection line (measured from the corresponding first terminal along the corresponding first path selection line). The inter-line space of the portion extending in the second direction in the large-pitch portion is set to a larger value than the inter-line space of the portion extending in the second direction in the small-pitch portion.

3. The sensor panel according to claim 1 or 2, The large-pitch portion and the small-pitch portion are the portions of the plurality of first path selection lines that extend in the second direction.

4. The sensor panel according to claim 1 or 2, The small-pitch portion is formed closer to the plurality of first terminals than the large-pitch portion.

5. The sensor panel according to claim 1 or 2, The ratio of line width to line spacing in both the large-pitch and small-pitch portions is set such that the line spacing capacitance per unit length is the same in both the large-pitch and small-pitch portions.

6. The sensor panel according to claim 1 or 2, comprising: Multiple second electrodes extend in the second direction and are arranged side-by-side in the detection area in the first direction; Multiple second wirings are provided corresponding to each of the multiple second electrodes and connected to the corresponding second electrode; as well as Multiple second terminals are provided, each corresponding to one of the multiple second wirings, and the corresponding second wirings are interconnected with the IC. The plurality of second wirings have the large-pitch portion and the small-pitch portion in the second wiring area adjacent to the detection area in the second direction.

7. The sensor panel according to claim 6, The plurality of first path selection lines within the second wiring area also have the large-pitch portion and the small-pitch portion.

8. An input device comprising: The IC according to claim 1; and The sensor panel according to claim 1.

9. An electronic device comprising: The input device as claimed in claim 8; and The host controller accepts coordinates input from the input device and performs at least one of the following: displaying the indicator and generating ink data.

10. An input device comprising: The IC as described in claim 2; and The sensor panel according to claim 2.

11. An electronic device comprising: The input device as claimed in claim 10; and The host controller accepts coordinates input from the input device and performs at least one of the following: displaying the indicator and generating ink data.

12. A sensor panel connected to an IC for detecting the position of a active pen in a detection area, wherein, have: Multiple first electrodes extend in a first direction within the detection area and are arranged side-by-side in a second direction intersecting the first direction within the detection area. Multiple first wirings are provided corresponding to each of the multiple first electrodes and connected to the corresponding first electrode; and Multiple first terminals are provided, each corresponding to one of the multiple first wirings, and the corresponding first wirings are interconnected with the IC. The plurality of first wirings each include an extension line formed, when viewed from the second direction, in a region farther away from the plurality of first terminals than the connection point of the corresponding first electrode. The plurality of first wirings are respectively connected to the first electrode at a position away from the plurality of first terminals at the center of the surface in the second direction of one end of the first direction constituting the corresponding first electrode. The extension line extends to a position in the second direction away from the central portion of the surface of one end of the first direction that is farther from the plurality of first terminals than the first terminals of the two first electrodes adjacent to the corresponding first electrodes.

13. The sensor panel according to claim 12, The extension line includes the straight section extending in the second direction.

14. The sensor panel according to claim 12 or 13, comprising: Multiple second electrodes extend in the second direction and are arranged side-by-side in the detection area in the first direction; Multiple second wirings are provided corresponding to each of the multiple second electrodes and connected to the corresponding second electrode; as well as Multiple second terminals are provided, each corresponding to one of the multiple second wirings, to connect the corresponding second wirings and the IC to each other. The plurality of second wirings each include an extension line formed, when viewed from the first direction, in a region farther away from the plurality of second terminals than the connection point of the corresponding second electrode.

15. A sensor panel connected to an IC for detecting the position of a active pen in a detection area, wherein, have: Multiple first electrodes extend in a first direction within the detection area and are arranged side-by-side in a second direction intersecting the first direction within the detection area. Multiple first wirings are provided corresponding to each of the multiple first electrodes and connected to the corresponding first electrode; and Multiple first terminals are provided, each corresponding to one of the multiple first wirings, and the corresponding first wirings are interconnected with the IC. The plurality of first wirings each have a first path selection line, which is connected at an angle not of 0 degrees relative to the first trunk line directly connected to the corresponding first electrode. The lengths of the first trunk lines corresponding to the plurality of first wirings are equal. The plurality of first wirings, within a first wiring region adjacent to the detection region in the first direction, have a large-pitch portion extending parallel to each other with a first spacing and a small-pitch portion extending parallel to each other with a second spacing smaller than the first spacing. The plurality of first wirings each include, when viewed from the second direction, an extension line formed in a region farther away from the plurality of first terminals than the connection point of the corresponding first electrode. The first trunk line is connected to the first electrode at a position away from the plurality of first terminals at the center of the surface in the second direction, which is at one end of the first direction constituting the corresponding first electrode. The extension line extends to a position in the second direction away from the central portion of the surface of one end of the first direction that is farther from the plurality of first terminals than the first terminals of the two first electrodes adjacent to the corresponding first electrodes.

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