Devices and methods for controlling proximity sensing in input-display device

Abstract

To improve proximity sensing performance by dynamically controlling proximity sensing depending on setting of image display.SOLUTION: A display driver includes a driver circuit and a sensing controller. The driver circuit is configured to drive a display panel according to display information. The display panel defines a sensing region. The sensing controller interface circuit is configured to transmit an output vertical sync signal to a proximity sensing controller. The proximity sensing controller is configured to generate positional information of an input object on the basis of, at least in part, a result signal received from a sensor electrode disposed in the sensing region. The output vertical sync signal comprises encoding the display information in the output vertical sync signal.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2A

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The disclosed technology relates generally to proximity detection, and more specifically to the control or adjustment of proximity detection in an input display device.

Background Art

[0002] Input display devices that support both image display and proximity detection are widely used as user interfaces for electronic systems. An input display device may include a display panel and an array of sensor electrodes provided near or integrated into the display panel. The input display device may further include a display driver configured to update the display panel based on image data, and a proximity detector configured to detect one or more input objects located on or proximate to the display panel based on result signals received from the sensor electrodes.

[0003] To improve proximity detection performance, it would be advantageous to dynamically control or adjust proximity detection depending on the situation. The control of proximity detection may include, but is not limited to, adjustment of the proximity detection frequency, proximity detection reporting rate, and / or analog / digital signal processing (e.g., filtering and baseline setting). There is a need to provide an improved architecture for dynamically controlling proximity detection.

Summary of the Invention

[0004] This summary is provided to introduce, in a concise form, a selection of concepts that are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0005] In one or more embodiments, a display driver is provided. The display driver comprises a driver circuit and a detection controller. The driver circuit is configured to drive a display panel according to display information. The display panel defines a detection area. The detection controller interface circuit is configured to transmit an output vertical synchronization signal to a proximity detection controller. The proximity detection controller is configured to generate input object position information based at least in part on result signals received from sensor electrodes provided in the detection area. The output vertical synchronization signal contains display information encoded therein.

[0006] In one or more embodiments, a proximity detection controller is provided. The proximity detection controller comprises a display driver interface circuit, a proximity detection circuit, and a control circuit. The display driver interface circuit is configured to receive an output vertical synchronization signal from a display driver configured to drive a display panel according to display information. The display panel defines a detection area. The display driver interface circuit is further configured to extract display information encoded in the output vertical synchronization signal. The proximity detection circuit is configured to generate input object position information based at least in part on result signals received from sensor electrodes provided in the detection area. The control circuit is configured to control the operation of the proximity detection circuit based at least in part on the display information.

[0007] In one or more embodiments, a method for operating an input display device is provided. The method includes driving a display panel according to display information using a display driver. The display panel defines a detection area. The method further includes encoding the display information into an output vertical synchronization signal. The method further includes transmitting the output vertical synchronization signal from the display driver to a proximity detection controller. The proximity detection controller is configured to generate input object position information based at least in part on the resulting signals received from sensor electrodes provided in the detection area. The method further includes controlling the operation of the proximity detection controller based at least in part on the display information.

[0008] Other embodiments of the model will be apparent from the following description and the appended claims. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] To enable a detailed understanding of the features of this disclosure, a more specific description of this disclosure, which is briefly summarized above, may be given with reference to embodiments. Some of these embodiments are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. However, it should be noted that the accompanying drawings illustrate only exemplary embodiments, and this disclosure recognizes other equally valid embodiments, and should not be considered to limit the scope of the invention.

[0010] [Figure 1A] Figure 1A illustrates an exemplary configuration of an input display device according to one or more embodiments.

[0011] [Figure 1B] Figure 1B illustrates an exemplary side view of a display panel and a proximity detection panel according to one or more embodiments.

[0012] [Figure 2A] Figure 2A illustrates an exemplary configuration of a display panel and a display driver according to one or more embodiments.

[0013] [Figure 2B] Figure 2B illustrates an exemplary "horizontal stripe pattern" according to one or more embodiments.

[0014] [Figure 3] Figure 3 illustrates an exemplary configuration of a proximity detection panel and a proximity detection controller according to one or more embodiments.

[0015] [Figure 4] Figure 4 illustrates an exemplary encoding of display information into an output vertical synchronization signal according to one or more embodiments.

[0016] [Figure 5] Figure 5 illustrates an exemplary pulse train of an output vertical synchronization signal according to one or more embodiments.

[0017] [Figure 6A] Figure 6A illustrates an exemplary encoding of display information into an output vertical synchronization signal according to one or more embodiments. [Figure 6B] Figure 6B illustrates an exemplary encoding of display information into an output vertical synchronization signal according to one or more embodiments.

[0018] [Figure 7] Figure 7 illustrates an exemplary configuration of a display panel according to one or more embodiments.

[0019] [Figure 8] Figure 8 illustrates an exemplary image display on a display panel in a two-area mode according to one or more embodiments.

[0020] [Figure 9] Figure 9 illustrates an exemplary operation of a display driver and a proximity detection controller according to one or more embodiments.

[0021] [Figure 10]FIG. 10 illustrates an exemplary operation of a display driver and a proximity detector according to one or more embodiments.

[0022] [Figure 11] FIG. 11 illustrates an exemplary operation of a display driver and a proximity detector according to one or more embodiments.

[0023] [Figure 12] FIG. 12 illustrates exemplary steps for operating an input display device according to one or more embodiments.

[0024] For ease of understanding, wherever possible, the same reference numerals are used to denote the same elements common to the drawings. It is contemplated that elements disclosed in one embodiment may be beneficially used in other embodiments without particular recitation. Subscripts may be attached to reference numerals to distinguish identical elements from one another. The drawings referred to in this specification are not to be understood as being drawn to scale unless otherwise noted. Also, for purposes of clarity of presentation and description, the drawings are often simplified by omitting details or components. The drawings and the discussion are useful for explaining the principles discussed below, and like reference numerals indicate like elements. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] The following detailed description of the invention is, in essence, merely exemplary and is not intended to limit the present disclosure or the application and uses of the present disclosure. Further, there is no intention to be bound by any theory, whether explicit or implicit, presented in the foregoing background, summary, or the following detailed description of the invention.

[0026] Throughout the application, ordinal numbers (e.g., 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.) may be used as adjectives for elements (i.e., any noun in the application). The use of ordinal numbers is not intended to imply or generate a specific ordering of any elements, nor to limit any element to being a single element, unless explicitly disclosed by the use of terms such as “before,” “after,” “single,” or other similar terms. Rather, the use of ordinal numbers is for distinguishing elements. For example, 1st element is distinct from 2nd element, 1st element may encompass more than one element, and may follow (or precede) 2nd element in the ordering of elements.

[0027] Input display devices that support both image display and proximity detection are often used as user interfaces for electronic systems. The term "electronic system" broadly refers to any system capable of electronically processing information. Non-limiting examples of electronic systems include personal computers of all sizes and forms, such as desktop computers, laptop computers, and netbooks, as well as tablets, web browsers, e-book readers, and personal digital assistants (PDAs). Another example is an in-vehicle user interface configured to give the driver user interface capabilities.

[0028] An input display device may be configured to detect one or more input objects within its detection area while displaying an image on a display panel. The display panel may define the detection area by being at least one determining element of the detection area. For example, the detection area may be defined on or near the display panel. Other determining elements of the detection area may also exist. The input display device may include a display driver configured to drive or update the display panel based on image data, and a proximity detection controller configured to detect one or more input objects using an array of sensor electrodes located near or integrated into the display panel. The proximity detection controller may be configured to detect one or more input objects based on result signals received from the array of sensor electrodes.

[0029] To improve proximity detection performance, it would be advantageous if proximity detection could be dynamically controlled or adjusted depending on the situation. Adjustment of proximity detection may include, but is not limited to, adjustment of the proximity detection reporting rate and adjustment of the proximity detection frequency. The proximity detection reporting rate may correspond to the number of times the results of proximity detection (e.g., reporting of the location information of the detected input object) are reported per unit time. The proximity detection frequency may correspond to the frequency of the detection signal applied to the electrode used for proximity detection. In embodiments where proximity detection is achieved by absolute capacitance detection, configured to modulate the sensor electrode to detect a change in the absolute capacitance (or self-capacitance) of the sensor electrode, the proximity detection frequency may be the modulation frequency of the sensor electrode. In embodiments where proximity detection is achieved by transformer capacitance detection, configured to modulate the transmitter electrode to detect a change in transformer capacitance (or mutual capacitance) between the transmitter electrode and the sensor electrode (also called the "receiver electrode"), the proximity detection frequency may be the modulation frequency of the transmitter electrode. Proximity detection performance can be measured as one or more of the following: detection accuracy, linearity, jitter, latency, false detection, etc.

[0030] Proximity detection performance can be effectively improved by dynamically controlling proximity detection depending on the image display settings. Image display settings may include, but are not limited to, the display frame rate, vertical / horizontal sync signal frequency, partial image refresh, and the content of the image to be displayed. For example, controlling the proximity detection reporting rate based on the display frame rate may improve power consumption and / or optimize proximity detection latency. This disclosure provides an improved architecture for dynamically controlling proximity detection depending on one or more image display settings.

[0031] In some embodiments, the input display device comprises a display driver and a proximity detection controller. The display driver is configured to drive a display panel according to display information. The display panel defines a detection area. The display driver is further configured to transmit an output vertical synchronization signal to the proximity detection controller. The output vertical synchronization signal contains encoded display information. The proximity detection controller comprises a display driver interface circuit, a proximity detection circuit, and a control circuit. The proximity detection controller is configured to receive an output vertical synchronization signal from the display driver and extract the display information encoded in the output vertical synchronization signal. The proximity detection controller includes a proximity detection circuit configured to generate input object position information based at least partially on result signals received from sensor electrodes provided in the detection area. The proximity detection controller is further configured to control the operation of the proximity detection circuit based at least partially on the display information. By encoding the display information in the output vertical synchronization signal transmitted to the proximity detection controller, the proximity detection controller can dynamically control the operation of the proximity detection circuit based on the display information while avoiding an increase in the number of signal lines provided between the display driver and the proximity detection circuit. An architecture based on encoding display information into an output vertical synchronization signal can enable dynamic adjustment of proximity detection with reduced hardware. Various embodiments of this disclosure are described in detail below.

[0032] Figure 1A illustrates an exemplary configuration of an input display device 1000 according to one or more embodiments. The input display device 1000 may be configured to provide a user interface for a user to interact with an electronic system (not shown). In the illustrated embodiment, the input display device 1000 comprises a display panel 100, a display driver 200, a proximity sensing panel 300, and a proximity sensing controller 400. In some embodiments, the display driver 200 and the proximity sensing controller 400 may be implemented as two separate integrated circuits. In other embodiments, the display driver 200 and the proximity sensing controller 400 may be integrated into a single integrated circuit (e.g., a touch and display driver integrated (TDDI) circuit). The display driver 200 is configured to receive image data from a host 500 and to drive the display panel 100 based on the image data to display an image corresponding to the image data. Examples of the host 500 include an application processor, a central processing unit (CPU), a special-purpose processor, and other types of processors. The proximity sensing controller 400 is configured to perform proximity sensing and to detect one or more input objects based on result signals received from the proximity sensing panel 300. In this specification, proximity detection includes contact detection (e.g., contact with the proximity detection panel 300 and / or the display panel 100). Examples of input objects include a user's finger and a stylus. The proximity detection controller 400 is further configured to generate and provide location information of one or more detected input objects to the host 500.

[0033] In one or more embodiments, the display driver 200 is configured to transmit an output vertical synchronization signal VSOUT and an output horizontal synchronization signal HSOUT to the proximity detection controller 400 in order to synchronize the image display by the display driver 200 with the proximity detection by the proximity detection controller 400. The output vertical synchronization signal VSOUT is synchronized with a vertical synchronization signal generated internally by the display driver 200 that defines the display frame period (or vertical synchronization period). Similarly, the output horizontal synchronization signal HSOUT is synchronized with a horizontal synchronization signal generated internally by the display driver 200 that defines the line period (or horizontal synchronization period). The proximity detection controller 400 is configured to control the timing of proximity detection using the output vertical synchronization signal VSOUT and the output horizontal synchronization signal HSOUT.

[0034] Figure 1B illustrates an exemplary side view of a display panel 100 and a proximity detection panel 300 according to one or more embodiments. In the illustrated embodiments, the display panel 100 defines a detection area 350 in which a proximity detection controller 400 is configured to detect one or more input objects. In the illustrated embodiments, the detection area 350 is located near the display panel 100. The proximity detection panel 300 is mounted on or near the display panel 100 and at least partially overlaps the display panel 100 so as to be able to detect one or more input objects in the detection area 350.

[0035] Figure 2A illustrates an exemplary configuration of a display panel 100 and a display driver 200 according to one or more embodiments. The display panel 100 may be any type of dynamic display capable of displaying a visual interface to the user. Examples of the display panel 100 include organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display panels, micro light-emitting diode (μLED) display panels, and liquid crystal display (LCD) panels. In the illustrated embodiment, the display panel 100 comprises display elements 110, gate lines 120 (also called scan lines), source lines 130 (also called data lines), and a gate scan driver 140. Each display element 110 may include an OLED pixel, a μLED pixel, an LCD pixel, or another type of pixel. Each display element 110 is coupled to the corresponding gate line 120 and source line 130. Note that the source lines 130 have considerable capacitance, as they almost traverse the display panel 100 in the vertical direction. Each display element 110 of the display panel 100 is configured to be updated or programmed with the data voltage generated on the corresponding source line 130 when the gate line 120 coupled to the display element 110 is asserted.

[0036] The gate scan driver 140 is configured to scan gate lines 120 and select rows of display elements 110 that should be updated. When the display elements 110 in the selected row are updated, the gate scan driver 140 asserts the gate lines 120 coupled to the display elements 110 in the selected row. In the illustrated embodiment, the gate scan driver 140 is configured to scan gate lines 120 in response to a gate control signal GOUT received from the display driver 200. The gate control signal GOUT may include, but is not limited to, a gate scan start pulse signal and a gate scan clock. The gate control signal GOUT may be used to control the frequency of scanning the gate lines 120 (which may correspond to the display frame rate). The gate control signal GOUT may also be used to select the gate lines 120 to be scanned. In some implementations, only a portion of the display panel 100 is refreshed or updated. In such cases, the gate control signal GOUT may be generated to specify the gate lines 120 to be scanned.

[0037] The display panel 100 may further include other components and signal lines depending on the display technology. For example, in embodiments in which an OLED display panel is used for the display panel 100, the display panel 100 may further include emission lines that control the light emission of the display elements 110, emission scan drivers that drive the emission lines, and / or power lines that distribute power supply voltage to each display element 110.

[0038] The display driver 200 is configured to drive the source lines 130 of the display panel 100 based on image data received from the host 500. The image data corresponds to the image to be displayed on the display panel 100. The image data may include the gradation of each display element 110 of the display panel 100. The display driver 200 is configured to generate a data voltage for each display element 110 based on the image data received from the host 500 and to supply the generated data voltage to each display element 110 via the source lines 130.

[0039] In the illustrated embodiment, the display driver 200 comprises a data interface circuit (I / F) 210, an image processing circuit 220, a driver circuit 230, a panel interface circuit 240, a control (CTRL) circuit 250, and a detection controller interface 260. The data interface circuit 210 is configured to receive image data from the host 500 and send the received image data to the image processing circuit 220. The image processing circuit 220 is configured to process the image data and supply the processed image data to the driver circuit 230. Image data processing may include, but is not limited to, color adjustment, uniformity correction, image scaling, subpixel rendering, overshoot driving, gamma conversion, and other image processing. The driver circuit 230 is configured to drive the display panel 100 based at least in part on the processed image data. The panel interface circuit (I / F) 240 is configured to generate a gate control signal GOUT that controls the gate scan driver 140 under the control of the control circuit 250. The panel interface circuit 240 may also be configured to generate control signals for other components of the display panel 100 (e.g., emission lines and emission scan drivers).

[0040] The control circuit 250 is configured to provide overall control of the display driver 200. For example, the control circuit 250 may be configured to generate a vertical synchronization signal Vsync, a horizontal synchronization signal Hsync, and a dot clock DCLK to provide timing control for the image processing circuit 220, the driver circuit 230, and other circuits (not shown) within the display driver 200. The vertical synchronization signal Vsync defines the display frame period (or vertical synchronization period) within the display driver 200, while the horizontal synchronization signal Hsync defines the line period (or horizontal synchronization period). Depending on the implementation, the vertical synchronization signal Vsync may be asserted at the start of each display frame period, and the horizontal synchronization signal Hsync may be asserted at the start of each line period.

[0041] The control circuit 250 may also be configured to control the display frame rate. The display frame rate may be the number of frame images displayed per unit time and may correspond to the frequency at which the display panel is refreshed or updated per unit time. In various implementations, the control circuit 250 may be configured to adjust the display frame rate by adjusting the frequency of scanning the gate line 120 via the panel interface circuit 240 that generates the gate control signal GOUT. The control circuit 250 may be configured to select a display frame rate from among several display frame rates (e.g., 24Hz, 30Hz, 60Hz, and 120Hz). The adjustment of the display frame rate may be in response to instructions received from the host 500.

[0042] The control circuit 250 may further be configured to control the frequency of the vertical sync signal Vsync and / or the frequency of the horizontal sync signal Hsync. The vertical sync signal Vsync may be adjusted according to the display frame rate. In embodiments where the vertical sync signal Vsync is generated by counting assertions of the horizontal sync signal Hsync, the control circuit 250 may be configured to adjust the frequency of the vertical sync signal Vsync, which is controlled by adjusting the frequency of the horizontal sync signal Hsync.

[0043] The control circuit 250 may further be configured to control the display mode of the display driver 200. In some embodiments, the display driver 200 is configured to have multiple display modes, including but not limited to game mode, normal mode, low-power display mode, and movie mode. In one or more embodiments, the display frame rate may vary depending on the display mode. For example, the control circuit 250 may be configured to adjust the display frame rate to the nominal display frame rate (e.g., 60Hz) in normal mode, while adjusting the display frame rate to a higher display frame mode (e.g., 120Hz) in game mode. The control circuit 250 may be configured to adjust the display frame rate to a lower display frame rate (e.g., 30Hz) in low-power display mode, and to an even lower display frame rate (e.g., 24Hz) in movie mode.

[0044] In various embodiments, the control circuit 250 is configured to generate display information indicating how the display panel 100 is driven or updated. The driver circuit 230 is configured to drive the display panel 100 according to the display information, while the panel interface circuit 240 is configured to generate a gate control signal GOUT according to the display information. The display information may be based on at least one of the display frame rate (or display refresh rate), the frequency of the horizontal synchronization signal Hsync, and the display mode. In some embodiments, the display information may be generated to indicate at least one of the display frame rate, the frequency of the horizontal synchronization signal Hsync, and the display mode.

[0045] The control circuit 250 may be configured to generate display information based at least partially on the image data received from the host 500. In some embodiments, the image processing circuit 220 may be configured to detect one or more predetermined patterns in the image displayed on the display panel 100 based on the image data and to notify the control circuit 250 of the detection of the one or more predetermined patterns. The control circuit 250 may be configured to generate display information indicating the detection of the one or more predetermined patterns.

[0046] In some embodiments, one or more predetermined patterns to be detected may include a “horizontal stripe pattern”. Figure 2B illustrates an exemplary “horizontal stripe pattern” according to one or more embodiments. In the illustrated embodiments, the so-called horizontal stripe pattern may comprise one or more bright stripes 122 and one or more dark stripes 124 that both extend in a “horizontal” direction (i.e., the direction in which the gate line 120 extends) and are alternately arranged in a “vertical” direction (i.e., the direction in which the source line 130 extends). The horizontal stripe pattern in the display image may generate a large change in the voltage level of the source line 130, and capacitive coupling between the source line 130 and the sensor electrodes provided on the proximity detection panel 300 may undesirably increase electromagnetic interference on the proximity detection panel 300. In Figure 2B, the relevant gate line 120 and source line 130 are also shown as dashed lines, but the display elements coupled to the gate line 120 and source line 130 are not shown for simplification. In the illustrated embodiment, each bright stripe 122 corresponds to a row of display elements with a first grayscale assigned, and each dark stripe 124 corresponds to a row of display elements with a second grayscale assigned, which is lower than the first grayscale. Here, a "row" of display elements refers to display elements coupled to the same gate line 120. In some embodiments, the first grayscale may be the highest grayscale, and the second grayscale may be the lowest grayscale. In embodiments where each bright stripe 122 corresponds to a row of display elements with the highest grayscale and each dark stripe 124 corresponds to a row of display elements with the lowest grayscale, the maximum possible change occurs in the data voltage generated on the source line 130.

[0047] Returning to Figure 2A, the detection controller interface 260 is configured to generate and supply output vertical synchronization signals VSOUT and output horizontal synchronization signals HSOUT to the proximity detection controller 400. The output vertical synchronization signal VSOUT is synchronized with the vertical synchronization signal Vsync to notify the proximity detection controller 400 of the start of each display frame period (or each vertical synchronization period). The output vertical synchronization signal VSOUT may be asserted in response to the assertion of the vertical synchronization signal Vsync. Similarly, the output horizontal synchronization signal HSOUT is synchronized with the horizontal synchronization signal Hsync to notify the proximity detection controller 400 of the start of each line period (or each horizontal synchronization period). The output horizontal synchronization signal HSOUT may be asserted in response to the assertion of the horizontal synchronization signal Hsync.

[0048] The detection controller interface 260 is further configured to receive display information from the control circuit 250 and encode this display information into an output vertical synchronization signal VSOUT to be transmitted to the proximity detection controller 400. The proximity detection controller 400 is configured to extract the display information from the output vertical synchronization signal VSOUT and adjust proximity detection based on the extracted display information to detect an input object. For example, the proximity detection controller 400 may be configured to adjust the proximity detection frequency and / or proximity detection reporting rate based on the extracted display information. Details of encoding the display information into the output vertical synchronization signal VSOUT and adjusting proximity detection will be described in detail later.

[0049] Figure 3 illustrates an exemplary configuration of a proximity detection panel 300 and a proximity detection controller 400 according to one or more embodiments. In the illustrated embodiment, the proximity detection panel 300 includes an array of sensor electrodes 310 provided in a detection area 350 defined by a display panel 100 (as illustrated in Figure 1B). The sensor electrodes 310 are used for proximity detection to detect one or more input objects in the detection area 350. Although nine sensor electrodes 310 are illustrated in Figure 3, those skilled in the art will understand that the proximity detection panel 300 may include more or fewer sensor electrodes 310 than nine. Although Figure 3 illustrates that the sensor electrodes 310 are rectangular, the sensor electrodes 310 may be formed in shapes such as triangles, squares, rhombuses, hexagons, or other suitable shapes.

[0050] In other embodiments, the sensor electrodes for proximity detection may be integrated into the display panel 100. In one implementation, the sensor electrodes may be provided on the sealing layer of the display panel 100. The display panel 100 is (often V COM In an embodiment where the LCD panel includes an array of common electrodes (or counter electrodes) that generate a common voltage (referred to as), the common electrodes may be used as sensor electrodes.

[0051] The proximity detection controller 400 comprises a proximity detection circuit 410, a display driver interface (I / F) 420, and a control circuit 430. The proximity detection circuit 410 is configured to detect one or more input objects based on result signals received from the sensor electrodes 310 and to generate position information for the detected one or more input objects. As used herein, “position information” broadly encompasses absolute position, relative position, velocity, acceleration, and other types of spatial information. Exemplary “0-dimensional” position information includes near / far or contact / non-contact information. Exemplary “1-dimensional” position information includes position along an axis. Exemplary “2-dimensional” position information includes motion in a plane. Exemplary “3-dimensional” position information includes instantaneous or average velocity in space. Further examples include other representations of spatial information. For example, historical data relating to one or more types of position information, including historical data tracking position, motion, or instantaneous velocity over time, may also be determined and / or stored. The generated position information is sent to the host 500.

[0052] In one or more embodiments, the proximity detection circuit 410 is configured to detect one or more input objects by capacitive proximity detection. Some implementations of capacitive proximity detection use an "absolute capacitance" (often also called "self-capacitance") detection method based on a change in the capacitive coupling between the sensor electrode 310 and the input object. In various embodiments, an input object near the sensor electrode 310 changes the electric field near the sensor electrode 310, thereby changing the capacitive coupling. The resulting signal obtained from the sensor electrode 310 includes the effect of the change in capacitive coupling. In some implementations, the absolute capacitance detection method is operated by modulating the sensor electrode 310 with respect to a reference voltage, for example, system ground, and detecting the capacitive coupling between the sensor electrode 310 and the input object. In such implementations, the proximity detection frequency may correspond to the modulation frequency of the sensor electrode 310.

[0053] Some implementations of capacitive proximity sensing employ a “transformer capacitance” (often also called “mutual capacitance”) sensing method based on changes in the capacitive coupling between a transmitter electrode (not shown) and a sensor electrode 310 used as a receiver electrode. In various embodiments, an input object near the sensor electrode 310 alters the electric field between the transmitter electrode and the sensor electrode 310, thereby altering the capacitive coupling. In one implementation, the transformer capacitance sensing method operates by detecting the capacitive coupling between one or more transmitter electrodes and one or more sensor electrodes 310. The coupling may decrease as an input object coupled to system ground approaches the sensor electrode 310. The transmitter electrode may be modulated with respect to a reference voltage, e.g., system ground. In such embodiments, the proximity sensing frequency may correspond to the modulation frequency of the transmitter electrode. The sensor electrode 310 may be kept substantially constant with respect to a reference voltage and may also be modulated with respect to the transmitter electrode to facilitate reception of the resulting signal.

[0054] In the illustrated embodiment, the proximity detection circuit 410 comprises an analog front-end (AFE) 440 and a processor 450. The AFE 440 is configured to receive a result signal from the sensor electrode 310 and process the result signal to generate digital capacitance data. The digital capacitance data contains information about the capacitance of the sensor electrode 310. Processing of the result signal may include analog signal filtering and analog-to-digital conversion. In embodiments where absolute capacitance detection is used for proximity detection, the AFE 440 may be configured to supply a detection signal to the sensor electrode 310. In some embodiments, the detection signal may be a constant voltage signal. In other embodiments, the detection signal may be a voltage signal modulated with respect to system ground. The detection voltage may be a periodic voltage signal such as a sinusoidal voltage, a triangular wave voltage, or a trapezoidal wave voltage. In embodiments where transformer capacitance detection is used for proximity detection, the AFE 440 may further be configured to supply a detection signal to a transmitter electrode.

[0055] The processor 450 is configured to process digital capacitive data to generate location information for one or more detected input objects. Examples of the processor 450 include a microcontroller (MCU), a central processing unit (CPU), and other processors configured to process digital capacitive data to generate location information. The processor 450 is further configured to supply the location information to the host 500. The host 500 may be configured to generate image data corresponding to a user interface image to be displayed on the display panel 100, based on the location information of the input objects.

[0056] Processing of digital capacitive data may include noise filtering configured to mitigate or remove noise caused by electromagnetic interference to the sensor electrode 310. The capacitive coupling between the source line 130 and the sensor electrode 310 may cause electromagnetic interference to the sensor electrode 310 when the display driver 200 drives the source line 130 during updates of the display panel 100. The electromagnetic interference may depend on the image data, i.e., the image displayed on the display panel 100. As described in relation to Figure 2B, the horizontal stripe pattern causes a large change in the voltage level on the source line 130, so the electromagnetic interference may be particularly severe when the displayed image includes the horizontal stripe pattern. The processor 450 may be configured to dynamically apply noise filtering to the digital capacitive data to mitigate the effect of electromagnetic interference to the sensor electrode 310 in response to the detection of the horizontal stripe pattern. The digital filtering may be firmware (FW) based filtering, which is achieved by having the processor 450 execute code contained in the firmware 432.

[0057] The display driver interface circuit 420 is configured to receive the output vertical sync signal VSOUT and the output horizontal sync signal HSOUT, and to regenerate the vertical sync signal Vsync and the horizontal sync signal Hsync from the output vertical sync signal VSOUT and the output horizontal sync signal HSOUT, respectively. The display driver interface circuit 420 is further configured to supply the regenerated vertical sync signal Vsync and the regenerated horizontal sync signal Hsync to the control circuit 430. The display driver interface circuit 420 is further configured to extract the display information encoded in the output vertical sync signal VSOUT and to supply the extracted display information to the control circuit 430. The control circuit 430 may be configured to store the display information in the register circuit 434.

[0058] The control circuit 430 is further configured to control the operation of the proximity detection circuit 410 based at least in part on the display information to adjust the proximity detection performed by the proximity detection circuit 410. Examples of controlling the operation of the proximity detection circuit 410 include adjusting the proximity detection reporting rate, adjusting the proximity detection frequency, and / or instructing the application of noise filtering to the digital capacitance data. In embodiments where the absolute capacitance detection method is used, the proximity detection frequency may correspond to the frequency of the detection signal applied to the sensor electrode 310. In embodiments where the transformer capacitance detection method is used, the proximity detection frequency may correspond to the frequency of the transmitter signal applied to the transmitter electrode (not shown).

[0059] This disclosure recognizes that encoding display information into an output vertical sync signal VSOUT effectively reduces the hardware used to adjust proximity detection depending on one or more image display settings. These one or more image display settings may include the display frame rate, the frequency of the horizontal sync signal Hsync, the display mode, and the inclusion of a predetermined pattern in the image to be displayed (e.g., a horizontal stripe pattern). The architecture of encoding display information into an output vertical sync signal VSOUT reduces hardware by eliminating the need for additional signal lines to transmit the display information from the display driver 200 to the proximity detection controller 400.

[0060] Figure 4 illustrates exemplary encoding of display information into the output vertical synchronization signal VSOUT according to one or more embodiments. In the illustrated embodiments, the display information is encoded in the form of a pulse train 600 that appears in the output vertical synchronization signal VSOUT at the start of each display frame period. Figure 4 illustrates two pulse trains 600 that indicate the start of display frame periods #1 and #2. The timing of the appearance of the pulse trains 600 is synchronized with the assertion of the vertical synchronization signal Vsync generated in the display driver 200.

[0061] Figure 5 illustrates an exemplary pulse train 600 of the output vertical synchronization signal VSOUT according to one or more embodiments. The output vertical synchronization signal VSOUT is first asserted (pulled up to a high level in Figure 5) to indicate the start of the corresponding display frame period, and then modulated to encode the display information in the form of a pulse train 600. The pulse train 600 contains one or more data digits of the display information. In the embodiment of Figure 5, the pulse train 600 contains 16 data digits #0 to #15. Note that the number of data digits in the pulse train 600 may be less than or more than 16. Each data digit may be represented by the voltage level of the output vertical synchronization signal VSOUT.

[0062] In some embodiments, the detection controller interface 260 of the display driver 200 (shown in Figure 2A) is configured to generate an output vertical synchronization signal VSOUT such that the data digits of the display information appear in the output vertical synchronization signal VSOUT in synchronization with the output horizontal synchronization signal HSOUT. In the illustrated embodiments, each data digit is synchronized with the leading or trailing pulse edge of the output horizontal synchronization signal HSOUT. In such embodiments, the display driver interface circuit 420 of the proximity detection controller 400 (shown in Figure 3) may be configured to latch the data digits in synchronization with the output horizontal synchronization signal HSOUT using the output horizontal synchronization signal HSOUT as a latch clock signal. In one implementation, the display driver interface circuit 420 is configured to latch the data digits in synchronization with the leading and trailing pulse edges of the output horizontal synchronization signal HSOUT.

[0063] Figures 6A and 6B illustrate exemplary encoding of display information into the output vertical synchronization signal VSOUT according to another embodiment. In the illustrated embodiment, the display information is encoded in the form of pulse widths of pulses appearing on the output vertical synchronization signal VSOUT. Figure 6A illustrates a pulse with pulse width W1, and Figure 6B illustrates a pulse with pulse width W2. The detection controller interface 260 of the display driver 200 (illustrated in Figure 2A) may be configured to adjust the pulse width of the pulses of the output vertical synchronization signal VSOUT based on the display information to be encoded, while the display driver interface circuit 420 of the proximity detection controller 400 (illustrated in Figure 3) is configured to identify the pulse width and retrieve the display information based on the identified pulse width.

[0064] The following describes the details of controlling or adjusting proximity detection based on display information encoded in the output vertical synchronization signal VSOUT.

[0065] In one or more embodiments, display information may be generated to indicate the detection of a predetermined pattern in an image to be displayed. One example of the predetermined pattern to be detected may be the “horizontal stripe pattern” described in relation to Figure 2B. In such embodiments, the control circuit 430 may be configured to adjust the proximity detection frequency in response to the detection of the predetermined pattern. In embodiments using absolute capacitance detection, the proximity detection frequency may correspond to the frequency of a detection signal applied to the sensor electrode 310. In embodiments using transformer capacitance detection, the proximity detection frequency may correspond to the frequency of a transmitter signal applied to a transmitter electrode (not shown).

[0066] The proximity detection frequency may be adjusted to mitigate the effect of electromagnetic interference on the sensor electrode 310 while the display panel 100 is being updated. When an image is displayed in a predetermined pattern (for example, the horizontal stripe pattern shown in Figure 2B), electromagnetic interference may occur at a certain frequency or in a certain frequency band. In one implementation, the proximity detection frequency may be adjusted to a frequency different from the frequency at which electromagnetic interference occurs, or to a frequency outside the frequency band at which electromagnetic interference occurs.

[0067] In addition, or alternatively, the control circuit 430 may be configured to instruct the processor 450 to apply noise filtering to the digital capacitive data in response to the detection of a predetermined pattern. The noise filtering may be performed to mitigate or remove noise caused by electromagnetic interference to the sensor electrode 310. The noise filtering may be firmware-based noise filtering, which may be achieved by executing code contained in the firmware 432.

[0068] In other embodiments, the control circuit 430 may be configured to determine whether electromagnetic interference can be sufficiently reduced by adjusting the proximity detection frequency. The control circuit 430 may be further configured to adjust the proximity detection frequency if it determines that electromagnetic interference can be sufficiently reduced by adjusting the proximity detection frequency. If the control circuit 430 determines that electromagnetic interference cannot be sufficiently reduced by adjusting the proximity detection frequency, it may be further configured to instruct the processor 450 to apply noise filtering to the digital capacitive data.

[0069] In one or more embodiments, the display information may be generated to indicate the frequency of the horizontal synchronization signal Hsync. In such embodiments, the control circuit 430 may be configured to adjust the proximity detection frequency based on the frequency of the horizontal synchronization signal Hsync. Updating the display panel 100 may generate electromagnetic interference to the sensor electrode 310 at or around the frequency of the horizontal synchronization signal Hsync. In one implementation, the proximity detection frequency may be adjusted to a frequency that is sufficiently different from the horizontal synchronization signal Hsync.

[0070] In addition, or alternatively, the control circuit 430 may be configured to instruct the processor 450 to apply noise filtering to the digital capacitive data based on the frequency of the horizontal synchronization signal Hsync. Noise filtering may be performed to mitigate or remove noise caused by electromagnetic interference to the sensor electrode 310. Noise filtering may be firmware-based noise filtering, which may be achieved by executing code contained in firmware 432.

[0071] In other embodiments, the control circuit 430 may be configured to determine whether electromagnetic interference at or around the frequency of the horizontal synchronization signal Hsync can be sufficiently reduced by adjusting the proximity detection frequency. The control circuit 430 may further be configured to adjust the proximity detection frequency if it determines that electromagnetic interference can be sufficiently reduced by adjusting the proximity detection frequency. The control circuit 430 may further be configured to instruct the processor 450 to apply noise filtering to the digital capacitive data if it determines that electromagnetic interference cannot be sufficiently reduced by adjusting the proximity detection frequency.

[0072] In one or more embodiments, the display information may be generated to indicate the display frame rate. In such embodiments, the control circuit 430 may be configured to adjust the proximity detection report rate based on the display frame rate. Adjusting the proximity detection report rate based on the display frame rate may allow for optimization of power consumption and / or proximity detection latency. In some embodiments, the proximity detection report rate may be adjusted so that the proximity detection report rate increases as the display frame rate increases. In one implementation, the proximity detection report rate may be adjusted to 240Hz for a 120Hz display frame rate (which may be suitable for games), to 120Hz for a 60Hz display frame rate (which may be the nominal display frame rate), to 60Hz for a 30Hz display frame rate (which may be used for low-power operation), and to 48Hz for a 24Hz display frame rate (which may be suitable for playing movies).

[0073] In one or more embodiments, display information may be generated to indicate the display mode of the display driver 200. In such embodiments, the control circuit 430 may be configured to adjust the proximity detection reporting rate based on the display mode. Adjusting the proximity detection reporting rate based on the display mode may enable optimization of power consumption and / or proximity detection latency. In some embodiments, the display modes of the display driver 200 may include at least two of the following: game mode, normal mode, low-power mode, and movie mode. Normal mode may be a display mode where the display frame rate is the nominal display frame rate (e.g., 60Hz). Game mode may be a display mode suitable for playing games. In game mode, the display frame rate may be set higher than the nominal display frame rate (e.g., 120Hz). Low-power mode may be a display mode with reduced power consumption. In low-power mode, the display frame rate may be set lower than the nominal display frame rate (e.g., 30Hz). Movie mode may be a display mode suitable for playing movies. In movie mode, the display frame rate may be set to a level suitable for playing movies (for example, 24Hz). In some embodiments, the proximity detection reporting rate may be adjusted so that the proximity detection reporting rate increases as the display frame rate increases. In one implementation, the proximity detection reporting rate may be adjusted to 240Hz in game mode, 120Hz in normal mode, 60Hz in low-power mode, and 48Hz in movie mode.

[0074] Figure 7 illustrates another exemplary configuration of a display panel indicated by reference numeral 100A according to one or more embodiments. In the illustrated embodiments, the display panel 100A includes an upper display area (or first display area) 150 and a lower display area (or second display area) 160. The display panel 100A is configured to be foldable at the boundary 170 between the upper display area 150 and the lower display area 160. In some embodiments, the angle between the upper display area 150 and the lower display area 160 may be adjustable.

[0075] In an embodiment using the display panel 100A shown in Figure 7, the display mode of the display driver 200 may include a two-area mode in which the upper display area 150 and the lower display area 160 are controlled in different ways. In the two-area mode, the upper display area 150 may be primarily used to present main content (e.g., video) to the user, while the lower display area 160 may be primarily used to display user interface images for accepting user input. In the embodiment shown in Figure 7, a game image 152 is displayed in the upper display area 150, while user interface icons, which may include a directional pad icon 162 and buttons 164, 166, are displayed in the lower display area 160. In the two-area mode, the display driver 200 may be configured to update the upper display area 150 and the lower display area 160 at different display refresh rates. The display refresh rate may correspond to the number of times the image in the target display area is refreshed (or updated) per unit time. To improve the user experience, in some embodiments, the display refresh rate in the upper display area 150, where the main content may be displayed, may be higher than the display refresh rate in the lower display area 160, which may be used to display user interface images.

[0076] Figure 8 illustrates an exemplary image display on the display panel 100A in two-area mode according to the embodiment of Figure 7. In the illustrated embodiment, the upper display area 150 is refreshed or updated in each frame period, while the lower display area 160 is refreshed every four frame periods. In some embodiments, both the upper and lower display areas 150 and 160 (i.e., the entire display panel 100A) are refreshed in a "full refresh frame period". After the full refresh frame period, there are three "partial refresh frame periods" in which only the upper display area 150 is refreshed. The sequence of a full refresh frame period followed by three partial refresh frame periods is repeated thereafter. Therefore, the display refresh rate of the upper display area 150 is four times that of the lower display area 160. Note that the number of partial refresh frame periods following the full refresh frame period may be more or less than three.

[0077] In some embodiments, the proximity detection controller 400 may be configured to adjust the proximity detection reporting rate depending on the display area in two-area mode. In some applications, the upper display area 150 is refreshed (or updated) at an increased display refresh rate suitable for displaying main content (e.g., game images), while the lower display area 160 is refreshed (or updated) at a reduced display refresh rate suitable for displaying user interface images. In this case, since it is unlikely that the user will touch the upper display area 150, the proximity detection controller 400 may be configured to perform proximity detection for the upper display area 150 at a reduced proximity detection reporting rate in order to reduce power consumption. Since it is expected that the user will frequently touch the lower display area 160, the proximity detection controller 400 may also be configured to perform proximity detection for the lower display area 160 at an increased proximity detection reporting rate (higher than the proximity detection reporting rate for the upper display area 150).

[0078] Figure 9 illustrates exemplary operation of the display driver 200 and proximity detection controller 400 during full refresh frame periods and partial refresh frame periods according to one or more embodiments. Both the upper display area 150 and the lower display area 160 are refreshed during the full refresh frame period. On the other hand, during the partial refresh frame period, only the upper display area 150 is refreshed.

[0079] In the illustrated embodiment, the display driver 200 is configured to generate display information indicating the target display area and encode the display information into the output vertical synchronization signal VSOUT. In the embodiment of Figure 9, the display information is encoded in the form of pulse widths in the output vertical synchronization signal VSOUT. In one implementation, pulse width W1 indicates that the upper display area 150 is the target, and pulse width W2 indicates that the lower display area 160 is the target. The proximity detection controller 400 identifies the pulse width of each pulse appearing in the output vertical synchronization signal VSOUT and adjusts the proximity detection reporting rate based on the identified pulse widths, i.e., the display information indicating the target display area.

[0080] In the illustrated embodiment, two pulses 172 and 174 appear in the output vertical synchronization signal VSOUT during each frame period. Pulse 172 appears at the start of each frame. Pulse 172 has a pulse width W1 indicating that the upper display area 150 is the target. The display driver 200 refreshes or updates the upper display area 150 after pulse 172 appears in the output vertical synchronization signal VSOUT. Meanwhile, the proximity detection controller 400 adjusts the proximity detection reporting rate of the upper display area 150 to a "low" rate, depending on the pulse width being identified as W1. Then, pulse 174 appears in the output vertical synchronization signal VSOUT. Pulse 174 has a pulse width W2 indicating that the lower display area 160 is the target. The display driver 200 refreshes the lower display area 160 during the full refresh frame period, but does not refresh the lower display area 160 during the partial refresh frame period. Meanwhile, the proximity detection controller 400 adjusts the proximity detection reporting rate in the lower display area 160 to the "normal" rate, depending on the pulse width being determined to be W2. The "low" rate is lower than the "normal" rate. Adjusting the proximity detection reporting rate in the upper display area 150 to the "low" rate effectively reduces power consumption without degrading the user experience.

[0081] Figure 10 illustrates exemplary operation of the display driver 200 and proximity detection controller 400 during full refresh frame periods and partial refresh frame periods in other embodiments. In the illustrated embodiments, the display information encoded in the output vertical synchronization signal VSOUT indicates the target display area and further indicates whether the target display area should be refreshed or not. Note that, as in Figure 9, the display information is encoded in the form of pulse widths. In one implementation, pulse width W1 indicates that the upper display area 150 is targeted, and pulse widths W2 and W3 indicate that the lower display area 160 is targeted. Pulse width W2 further indicates that the lower display area 160 should be refreshed in the current frame period, and pulse width W3 further indicates that the lower display area 160 should not be refreshed in the current frame period.

[0082] In the illustrated embodiment, two pulses 176 and 178 appear in the output vertical synchronization signal VSOUT during the entire refresh frame period. Pulse 176 appears at the start of the entire refresh frame period. Pulse 176 has a pulse width W1 indicating that the upper display area 150 is targeted. The display driver 200 refreshes or updates the upper display area 150 after pulse 172 appears in the output vertical synchronization signal VSOUT. Meanwhile, the proximity detection controller 400 adjusts the proximity detection reporting rate of the upper display area 150 to a "low" rate, in accordance with the determination that the pulse width is W1. Then, pulse 178 appears in the output vertical synchronization signal VSOUT. Pulse 178 has a pulse width W2 indicating that the lower display area 160 should be refreshed during the current frame period, i.e., during the entire refresh frame period. The display driver 200 refreshes the lower display area 160 after pulse 178 appears. Meanwhile, the proximity detection controller 400 adjusts the proximity detection reporting rate in the lower display area 160 to the "normal" rate, in accordance with the determination that the pulse width is W2.

[0083] During a partial refresh frame period, two pulses 180 and 182 appear in the output vertical synchronization signal VSOUT. Pulse 180 appears at the start of the partial refresh frame period. Pulse 180 has a pulse width W1 indicating that the upper display area 150 has been targeted. The display driver 200 refreshes or updates the upper display area 150 after pulse 180 appears in the output vertical synchronization signal VSOUT. Meanwhile, the proximity detection controller 400 adjusts the proximity detection reporting rate of the upper display area 150 to a "low" rate, depending on the pulse width being identified as W1. Subsequently, pulse 182 appears in the output vertical synchronization signal VSOUT. Pulse 182 has a pulse width W3 indicating that the lower display area 160 has been targeted but should not be refreshed during the current frame period (i.e., the partial refresh frame period). The proximity detection controller 400 adjusts the proximity detection reporting rate of the lower display area 160 to a "normal" rate, depending on the pulse width being identified as W3. The operation shown in Figure 10 also allows for control over whether or not the lower display area 160 is refreshed for each frame period.

[0084] Figure 11 illustrates exemplary operation of the display driver 200 and proximity detection controller 400 during full refresh frame periods and partial refresh frame periods according to further embodiments. In some embodiments, display information may be encoded in an output vertical sync signal VSOUT and an output horizontal sync signal HSOUT. In the illustrated embodiments, the display information is encoded in the form of a combination of voltage levels (or values) of the output vertical sync signal VSOUT and the output horizontal sync signal HSOUT. A combination of a high-level (or value "1") output vertical sync signal VSOUT and a high-level output horizontal sync signal HSOUT indicates that the upper display area 150 is targeted. A combination of a high-level output vertical sync signal VSOUT and a low-level output horizontal sync signal HSOUT indicates that the lower display area 160 is targeted and should be refreshed. A combination of a low-level (or value "0") output vertical sync signal VSOUT and a high-level output horizontal sync signal HSOUT indicates that the lower display area 160 is targeted but should not be refreshed.

[0085] In the illustrated embodiment, the output vertical sync signal VSOUT and the output horizontal sync signal HSOUT are pulled up to a high level for a predetermined duration at the start of the entire refresh frame period. The pull-up of the output vertical sync signal VSOUT and the output horizontal sync signal HSOUT indicates that the upper display area 150 is being targeted, so the display driver 200 refreshes or updates the upper display area 150 in response to the pull-up of the output vertical sync signal VSOUT and the output horizontal sync signal HSOUT. Meanwhile, the proximity detection controller 400 adjusts the proximity detection reporting rate of the upper display area 150 to a "low" rate in response to the pull-up of the output vertical sync signal VSOUT and the output horizontal sync signal HSOUT.

[0086] Before the upper display area 150 has finished refreshing, the output vertical sync signal VSOUT is pulled up to a high level while the output horizontal sync signal HSOUT is held at a low level. The display driver 200 refreshes the lower display area 160 after the output vertical sync signal VSOUT has been pulled up. Meanwhile, the proximity detection controller 400 adjusts the proximity detection reporting rate of the lower display area 160 to the "normal" rate in response to the output vertical sync signal VSOUT being set to a high level while the output horizontal sync signal HSOUT is held at a low level.

[0087] At the start of a partial refresh frame period following a full refresh frame period, the output vertical sync signal VSOUT and the output horizontal sync signal HSOUT are pulled up to a high level for a predetermined duration. The pull-up of the output vertical sync signal VSOUT and the output horizontal sync signal HSOUT indicates that the upper display area 150 is being targeted, so the display driver 200 refreshes or updates the upper display area 150 in response to the pull-up of the output vertical sync signal VSOUT and the output horizontal sync signal HSOUT. Meanwhile, the proximity detection controller 400 adjusts the proximity detection reporting rate of the upper display area 150 to a "low" rate in response to the pull-up of the output vertical sync signal VSOUT and the output horizontal sync signal HSOUT.

[0088] Before the upper display area 150 has finished refreshing, the output horizontal sync signal HSOUT is pulled up to a high level while the output vertical sync signal VSOUT is held at a low level. The display driver 200 does not refresh the lower display area 160 after the output horizontal sync signal HSOUT has been pulled up. Meanwhile, the proximity detection controller 400 adjusts the proximity detection reporting rate of the lower display area 160 to the "normal" rate in response to the output horizontal sync signal HSOUT being set to a high level while the output vertical sync signal VSOUT is held at a low level. The embodiment illustrated in Figure 11 also allows the proximity detection controller 400 to adjust the proximity detection reporting rate depending on whether a display area and / or refresh is performed.

[0089] The method in Figure 12 illustrates exemplary steps for operating an input display device (e.g., the input display devices illustrated in Figures 1A, 2A, and 3) according to one or more embodiments. Note that one or more steps illustrated in Figure 12 may be omitted, repeated, and / or performed in a different order. Furthermore, note that two or more steps may be performed simultaneously.

[0090] Method 1200 includes, in step 1202, driving a display panel (e.g., a display panel 100 in Figures 1A, 1B, and 2A) according to display information using a display driver (e.g., a display driver 200 in Figures 1A and 2A). The display panel defines a detection area (e.g., a detection area 350 in Figure 1B). Method 1200 further includes, in step 1204, encoding the display information into an output vertical synchronization signal (e.g., an output vertical synchronization signal VSOUT in Figures 1A, 2A, and 3). Method 1200 further includes, in step 1206, transmitting the output vertical synchronization signal from the display driver to a proximity detection controller (e.g., a proximity detection controller 400 in Figures 1A and 3). Here, the proximity detection controller is configured to generate input object position information at least in part based on the result signal received from a sensor electrode (e.g., a sensor electrode 310 in Figure 3) provided in the detection area. Method 1200 further includes, in step 1208, controlling the operation of the proximity detection controller based at least in part on the display information.

[0091] Although many embodiments have been described, those skilled in the art who are interested in this disclosure will likely find that other embodiments can be devised without departing from the technical scope. Accordingly, the technical scope of the present invention should be limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A driver circuit configured to drive a display panel that defines a detection area according to the displayed information, A proximity detection controller configured to generate input object position information based at least partially on the result signals received from sensor electrodes provided in the detection area is provided with a detection controller interface circuit configured to transmit an output vertical synchronization signal. Equipped with, The output vertical synchronization signal includes encoded display information. Display driver.

2. The display information includes the display mode of the display driver, The display driver further includes a control circuit configured to control the first display frame rate of the first display area of ​​the display panel and the second display frame rate of the second display area of ​​the display panel, at least in part, based on the display mode. The display driver according to claim 1.

3. The encoded display information is in the form of the pulse width of the output vertical synchronization signal. The display driver according to claim 1.

4. The detection controller interface circuit is further configured to supply an output horizontal synchronization signal to the proximity detection controller. The display driver according to claim 1.

5. It receives an output vertical synchronization signal from a display driver configured to drive a display panel that defines the detection area according to the display information, A display driver interface circuit configured to extract the display information encoded in the output vertical synchronization signal, A proximity detection circuit is configured to generate position information of an input object based at least partially on the result signal received from a sensor electrode provided in the detection area. A control circuit configured to control the operation of the proximity detection circuit based at least partially on the display information, Equipped with Proximity detection controller.

6. Controlling the operation of the proximity detection circuit includes controlling the proximity detection reporting rate based at least partially on the display information. The proximity detection controller according to claim 5.

7. Controlling the operation of the proximity detection circuit includes controlling the proximity detection frequency based at least partially on the display information. The proximity detection controller according to claim 5.

8. The display driver drives the display panel that defines the detection area according to the display information, Encoding the display information into the output vertical synchronization signal, The display driver transmits the output vertical synchronization signal to a proximity detection controller configured to generate input object position information based at least partially on the result signal received from the sensor electrode provided in the detection area. Controlling the operation of the proximity detection controller based at least partially on the aforementioned display information, including method.

9. Controlling the operation of the proximity detection controller is This includes controlling the proximity detection reporting rate based at least partially on the aforementioned display information. The method according to claim 8.

10. Controlling the operation of the proximity detection controller is This includes controlling the proximity detection frequency based at least partially on the display information. The method according to claim 8.

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