Touch Input Device

Abstract

To provide a touch input device for preventing a display panel from flickering.SOLUTION: A touch input device 1 includes a touch sensor 10' and a control unit for controlling the touch sensor. The touch sensor includes a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes, the first electrode is disposed along a first direction, and the second electrode is disposed along a second direction different from the first direction. The second electrode includes a second a electrode pattern disposed immediately adjacent to the first electrode, and a second b electrode pattern disposed at a prescribed distance apart from the first electrode and not immediately adjacent to the first electrode. The control unit controls different driving signals to be applied simultaneously to at least two or more second electrodes among the plurality of second electrodes. The driving signal applied to the second b electrode pattern is equivalent to the driving signal applied to the second a electrode pattern whose phase is reversed by 180 degrees. Furthermore, the control unit detects a touch position of an object located on the touch sensor based on signals received from the plurality of first electrodes.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 13

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] An embodiment of the present invention relates to a touch input device, and more particularly, to a touch input device that can prevent flickering of a display panel due to driving of a touch sensor, reduce the driving time of the touch sensor, reduce power consumption of the touch input device, and drive an external stylus pen or sense a pen signal from the stylus pen. [Background technology]

[0002] Various types of input devices are used to operate a computing system, such as buttons, keys, joysticks, and touch screens. The use of touch screens in operating a computing system is increasing due to the ease and convenience of touch screens. The touch sensor can be used as a kind of information input device in a display device. For example, the touch sensor can be attached to one surface of a display panel or integrally manufactured with the display panel. A user can input information by touching the touch sensor while viewing an image displayed on a screen of the display device.

[0003] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a stacked structure of a conventional octa-type.

[0004] OCTA, a type of touch screen panel technology, is an abbreviation of On Cell Touch AMOLED, and is a type of TSP (Touch Screen Panel) in which a touch sensor is directly deposited on the cell of an AMOLED display as shown in Figure 1. In other words, it is a technology that incorporates the touch screen function of a smartphone / tablet into an OLED panel. As there is no tempered glass between the cell and the touch sensor, it has the effect of providing higher clarity than existing general TSPs.

[0005] Y-OCTA is a touch screen panel with touch sensor directly deposited on the cell. Y-OCTA is named by adding Y, which stands for YOUM, the brand name of Samsung Display's flexible OLED, to OCTA. Y-OCTA technology is applied to the thin film encapsulation (TFE) process of OLED manufacturing. The touch screen is realized by patterning an aluminum metal mesh sensor used as a touch sensor between the organic material for thin film encapsulation and the polarizer. Y-OCTA attaches the polarizer close to the cover window, solving the visibility problem that occurs at the curved edge. Also, by removing the support film, the thickness of the panel can be reduced and the cost can be reduced by omitting the lamination process.

[0006] A touch input device with a conventional wi-octa touch screen panel has a problem in a low ground mass (LGM) situation. The problem is that when a touch sensor is implemented with driving electrodes and receiving electrodes in a single layer or double layer, and a certain touch occurs when the touch input device in which the touch sensor is implemented is not held by the user (floating state), a signal that should be normally detected from the perspective of the touch input device disappears or is split and detected as being touched at two or more points.

[0007] In addition, a touch input device equipped with a conventional wired touch screen panel has a flicker problem in the display panel caused by driving the touch sensor. In the past, attempts were made to solve the flicker problem by using dithering for each frame, lowering the driving voltage of the touch sensor, or receiving frame rate information from a display driver chip (DDI) during VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) operation and changing the frequency of the driving signal of the touch sensor accordingly, but these attempts have not been able to completely solve the flicker problem.

[0008] As a result, the touch input device equipped with the conventional Wi-Octa touch screen panel is unable to solve the problems of malfunction and flicker in the LGM state. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] An object of the present invention is to provide a touch input device capable of preventing flicker from occurring in a display panel due to driving of a touch sensor.

[0010] Another object of the present invention is to provide a touch input device capable of shortening touch driving time and reducing power consumption.

[0011] Another object of the present invention is to provide a touch input device capable of eliminating noise signals due to LGM when the touch input device is in the LGM state.

[0012] Another object of the present invention is to provide a touch input device capable of preventing the occurrence of flicker on a display screen due to multi-driving of touch sensors.

[0013] Another object of the present invention is to provide a touch input device capable of driving an external stylus pen and sensing a pen signal from the stylus pen.

[0014] Another object of the present invention is to provide a touch input device capable of preventing a touch malfunction in the LGM state when the touch input device is in the LGM state. [Means for solving the problem]

[0015] According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a touch input device comprising a touch sensor and a controller for controlling the touch sensor, the touch sensor comprising a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes, the first electrodes being arranged along a first direction and the second electrodes being arranged along a second direction different from the first direction, a 2a electrode pattern arranged adjacent to the first electrodes, and a 2b electrode pattern arranged a predetermined distance apart from the first electrodes without being adjacent to the first electrodes, the controller controls the plurality of second electrodes to simultaneously apply different drive signals to at least two or more second electrodes among the plurality of second electrodes, the drive signal applied to the 2b electrode pattern being 180 degrees inverted in phase with the drive signal applied to the 2a electrode pattern, and the controller detects a touch position of an object located on the touch sensor based on signals received from the plurality of first electrodes.

[0016] A touch input device according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a touch sensor and a control unit that controls the touch sensor, the touch sensor including a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes, the first electrodes being arranged along a first direction and the second electrodes being arranged along a second direction different from the first direction, and including a 2a electrode pattern that forms a mutual capacitance with the first electrodes and a 2b electrode pattern that does not form a mutual capacitance with the first electrodes, the control unit controls so that different drive signals are simultaneously applied to at least two or more of the plurality of second electrodes, but the drive signal applied to the 2b electrode pattern is 180 degrees inverted in phase with the drive signal applied to the 2a electrode pattern, and the control unit detects a touch position of an object located on the touch sensor based on signals received from the plurality of first electrodes.

[0017] Here, the control unit may output a differential signal obtained by subtracting two of the received signals from each other, and detect a touch position of the object based on the differential signal.

[0018] Here, the control unit may include an integrator that integrates the differential signal to restore the received signal, and a sign processing unit that converts the sign of the value of the capacitance change amount, which has a negative (-) sign in the restored received signal, to positive (+).

[0019] Here, the control unit may include a baseline adjustment unit for reducing the baseline of the differential signal by half.

[0020] Here, the control unit may perform control such that different driving signals are simultaneously applied to all of the second electrodes.

[0021] Here, at least a part of another first electrode disposed adjacent to the first electrode may be disposed between the 2b electrode pattern and the first electrode.

[0022] Here, each of the plurality of first electrodes may have a shape extending in a first direction and a plurality of openings arranged along the first direction, the 2a electrode patterns of the plurality of second electrodes may be arranged in the plurality of openings of the first electrodes located at odd-numbered positions along the second direction, and the 2b electrode patterns of the plurality of second electrodes may be arranged in the plurality of openings of the first electrodes located at even-numbered positions along the second direction, and may include a first connecting pattern electrically connecting the 2a electrode patterns arranged along the second direction and a second connecting pattern electrically connecting the 2b electrode patterns arranged along the second direction.

[0023] Here, the touch sensor may further include a dummy pattern disposed in each of the 2a and 2b electrode patterns, each of which has an opening formed therein. The 2a and 2b electrode patterns may each have an opening formed therein.

[0024] Here, the first connecting pattern may be arranged so as not to overlap the 2b electrode pattern arranged between two 2a electrode patterns connected by the first connecting pattern.

[0025] Here, each of the plurality of first electrodes may have a shape extending in a first direction and a plurality of openings arranged along the first direction, the 2a electrode patterns of the plurality of second electrodes may be arranged in the plurality of openings of the first electrodes located at odd-numbered positions along the second direction, the 2b electrode patterns of the plurality of second electrodes may be arranged in the plurality of openings of the first electrodes located at even-numbered positions along the second direction, a portion of the 2a electrode pattern may be arranged in one of two adjacent openings of the first electrodes located at odd-numbered positions and the remainder may be arranged in the remaining one, and the 2b electrode pattern may be arranged in one of two adjacent openings of the first electrodes located at even-numbered positions and the remainder may be arranged in the remaining one, and the first connecting pattern electrically connects the 2a receiving electrode patterns arranged along the second direction and a second connecting pattern electrically connects the 2b electrode patterns arranged along the second direction.

[0026] According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a touch input device including a touch sensor including a plurality of first touch electrodes, a plurality of second touch electrodes arranged to cross the plurality of first touch electrodes, a plurality of first pen electrodes arranged adjacent to each of the first touch electrodes, and a plurality of second pen electrodes arranged adjacent to each of the second touch electrodes; and a control unit electrically connected to the plurality of first and second touch electrodes and electrically connected to the plurality of first pen electrodes or the second pen electrode to control the touch sensor, wherein each of the first touch electrodes includes a pair of electrode portions, and a control unit electrically connected to the plurality of first and second touch electrodes includes a pair of electrode portions. The first electrode portion is arranged adjacent to a part of at least one of the plurality of second touch electrodes, the second electrode portion of the pair of electrode portions is arranged adjacent to at least one remaining touch electrode of the plurality of second touch electrodes, one ends of the plurality of first pen electrodes are electrically connected to each other, and one ends of the plurality of second pen electrodes are electrically connected to each other, and the control unit controls so that a first drive signal is simultaneously applied to the first electrode portion of the first touch electrode and a second drive signal is simultaneously applied to the second electrode portion of the first touch electrode, and the second drive signal is the same as the first drive signal with a phase shift of 180 degrees.

[0027] Here, the first electrode portion of the first touch electrode and the second electrode portion of the first touch electrode may be alternately arranged along one direction, and the plurality of first electrode portions arranged along the one direction may be electrically connected to each other and connected to the control unit, and the plurality of second electrodes arranged along the one direction may be electrically connected to each other and connected to the control unit.

[0028] Here, the first electrode portion of the first touch electrode may be arranged so as to surround at least a part or all of one of the first pen electrodes, the second electrode portion of the first touch electrode may be arranged so as to surround at least a part or all of another of the first pen electrodes, and the second touch electrode may be arranged so as to surround at least a part or all of one of the second pen electrodes.

[0029] Here, the first touch electrodes and the second touch electrodes may be disposed in different layers.

[0030] Here, the first electrode portion and the second electrode portion may include a first pattern portion, a second pattern portion, and a connecting pattern portion disposed between the first and second pattern portions, and the first pattern portion may have an inverted triangular shape, the second pattern portion may have a triangular shape, and the connecting pattern portion may have a rectangular shape.

[0031] Here, the second touch electrode may include a plurality of patterns arranged in one direction, and the first touch electrode may be disposed between the plurality of patterns.

[0032] Here, the plurality of first touch electrodes may be arranged in the same layer as the plurality of second touch electrodes.

[0033] Here, the first electrode portion of the first touch electrode and the second electrode portion of the first touch electrode may be alternately arranged along one direction and may include a connecting pattern portion that electrically connects the first electrode portions arranged along the one direction to each other, and the connecting pattern portion may be arranged so as not to overlap with the second touch electrode.

[0034] Here, the second touch electrode may be disposed so as to surround at least a part or the whole of the first pen electrode.

[0035] Here, the first electrode portion of the first touch electrode and the second electrode portion of the first touch electrode may be arranged alternately along one direction, and the second touch electrode may be arranged to surround the first electrode portion or the second electrode portion of the multiple first touch electrodes arranged along another direction perpendicular to the one direction.

[0036] Here, the electrode assembly may include a connection pattern portion that electrically connects the plurality of first electrode portions arranged along the one direction to each other, and the connection pattern portion may be arranged so as not to overlap with the plurality of second electrode portions arranged along the one direction.

[0037] Here, the display device may further include a display panel having the touch sensor disposed therein.

[0038] Here, the display device may further include a display panel disposed above or below the touch sensor.

[0039] Here, the controller is configured to operate the touch sensor in one of a touch driving / sensing mode for sensing whether or not an object has been touched and / or a touch position, a pen driving mode for driving a stylus pen, and a stylus sensing mode for sensing a touch position of the stylus pen, and in the touch driving / sensing mode, the controller is configured to apply the first and second driving signals to at least one of the plurality of first touch electrodes and to receive a sensing signal from the plurality of second touch electrodes, In a pen driving mode, the control unit may be configured to apply a pen driving signal for driving the stylus pen to at least one type of electrode among the plurality of first touch electrodes, the plurality of first pen electrodes, the plurality of second touch electrodes, and the plurality of second pen electrodes, and in the stylus sensing mode, the control unit may be configured to receive a pen sensing signal emitted from the stylus pen through a combination of any one type of electrode among the plurality of first touch electrodes and the plurality of first pen electrodes, and any one type of electrode among the plurality of second touch electrodes and the plurality of second pen electrodes. Effect of the Invention

[0040] The use of a touch input device according to an embodiment of the present invention has the advantage that flicker caused by driving a touch sensor in a display panel can be prevented.

[0041] In addition, all the driving electrodes can be driven simultaneously, thereby shortening the driving time, and the turn-on time of the AFE (Analog Front End) can be reduced, thereby reducing power consumption.

[0042] Also, when the touch input device is in the LGM state, there is an advantage that noise signals due to the LGM can be eliminated.

[0043] Another advantage is that it is possible to prevent flicker from occurring in the display panel due to multi-driving of the touch sensor.

[0044] Another advantage is that it is possible to drive an external stylus pen and to sense pen signals from the stylus pen.

[0045] Another advantage is that it is possible to prevent erroneous touch operations in the LGM state. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0046] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating a conventional octa-type stacked structure. [Diagram 2] 1 is a schematic diagram of a touch input device according to one embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 3] 3 is a plan view of a portion of one embodiment of touch sensor 10 shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] 4 is a plan view of the touch sensor shown in FIG. 3 separated into layers. [Diagram 5] 5 is a diagram illustrating electrical connections between a plurality of receiving electrodes shown in FIG. 4. [Figure 6] 3 is a plan view of a portion of another embodiment of touch sensor 10 shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 7] 7 is a plan view of the touch sensor shown in FIG. 6 separated into layers. [Figure 8] 7 is a diagram illustrating electrical connections between a plurality of receiving electrodes shown in FIG. 6; [Figure 9] 3 is a plan view of a portion of yet another embodiment of the touch sensor 10 shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 10] 10 is a plan view of the touch sensor shown in FIG. 9 separated into layers. [Figure 11]3 is a plan view of a portion of yet another embodiment of the touch sensor 10 shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 12] 12 is a plan view of the touch sensor shown in FIG. 11 separated into layers. [Figure 13] 1 is a schematic diagram of a touch input device according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] 14(a) is a graph showing multi-driving being performed for four drive electrodes in the touch input device shown in FIG. 2, and FIG. 14(b) is an example of drive signals (or drive codes) applied to four drive electrodes TX0, TX1, TX2, and TX3 that are driven simultaneously during multi-driving of FIG. 14(a). [Figure 15] (a) is a graph showing that all drive electrodes are multi-driven in the touch input device shown in FIG. 13, and (b) of FIG. 15 is an example of a drive signal (or drive code) applied to all drive electrodes Tx0, Tx1, Tx2, Tx3, ... that are driven simultaneously during the multi-drive of (a) of FIG. 15. [Figure 16] 14 is a diagram illustrating a process in which a control unit 13 of the touch input device shown in FIG. 13 processes a signal received from a touch sensor 10'. [Figure 17] 14 is a diagram for explaining setting of a baseline in a control unit 13 of the touch input device shown in FIG. [Figure 18] 14 is a plan view of a portion of one embodiment of a touch sensor 10' shown in FIG. 13. [Figure 19] 14 is a plan view of a portion of another embodiment of a touch sensor 10' shown in FIG. 13. [Figure 20] 14 is a plan view of yet another embodiment of a portion of the touch sensor 10' shown in FIG. 13. [Figure 21] 14 is a plan view of yet another embodiment of a portion of the touch sensor 10' shown in FIG. 13. [Figure 22] 11 is a schematic block diagram of a touch input device according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 23] FIG. 23 is an enlarged view of part A shown in FIG. 22. [Figure 24] 11 is a schematic block diagram of a touch input device according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 25] 25 is a first embodiment of the touch input device shown in FIG. 24. [Figure 26] 26 is a diagram for explaining the use of the touch sensor 100a shown in FIG. 25 in No. 1 of Table 1. [Figure 27] 26 is a diagram for explaining the use of the touch sensor 100a shown in FIG. 25 in No. 1 of Table 1. [Figure 28] 26 is a diagram for explaining the use of the touch sensor 100a shown in FIG. 25 in No. 1 of Table 1. [Figure 29] 25 is a second embodiment of a touch sensor 100' of the touch input device shown in FIG. [Diagram 30] 25 is a third embodiment of a touch sensor 100' of the touch input device shown in FIG. [Diagram 31] 25 is a fourth embodiment of a touch sensor 100' of the touch input device shown in FIG. [Diagram 32] 25 is a fifth embodiment of a touch sensor 100' of the touch input device shown in FIG. [Diagram 33] 25 is a sixth embodiment of the touch sensor 100' of the touch input device shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0047] The following detailed description of the present invention refers to the accompanying drawings, which show by way of example specific embodiments in which the present invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the present invention. It should be understood that the various embodiments of the present invention are different from one another, but are not necessarily mutually exclusive. For example, a specific shape, structure, and characteristic described herein may be embodied in other embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. It should also be understood that the location or arrangement of individual components within each disclosed embodiment may be changed without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the following detailed description is not intended to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is limited only by the appended claims, together with the full scope of equivalents that such claims, if properly interpreted, are to be given. In the drawings, like reference numerals refer to the same or similar features throughout the various aspects. The touch input device according to various embodiments of the present document may include at least one of the following electronic devices: a smartphone, a tablet personal computer, a vehicle display device, a mobile phone, a video phone, an e-book reader, a laptop personal computer, a netbook computer, a mobile medical device, a camera, or a wearable device. Here, the wearable device may include at least one of an accessory type (e.g., a watch, a ring, a bracelet, an anklet, a necklace, glasses, a contact lens, or a head-mounted device (HMD)), a textile or clothing integrated type (e.g., electronic clothing), a body-attached type (e.g., a skin pad or a tattoo), or a biologically implanted type (e.g., an implantable circuit).

[0048] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a touch input device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] Referring to FIG. 2, a touch input device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a touch sensor 10, a sensing unit 11, a driving unit 12, and a control unit 13.

[0050] The driving unit 12 applies a driving signal (or a TX signal) to the touch sensor 10 under the control of the control unit 13, and the sensing unit 11 receives a sensing signal (or a RX signal) from the touch sensor 10.

[0051] The driving section 12 can sequentially supply driving signals to the multiple driving electrodes of the touch sensor 10 .

[0052] The sensing unit 11 receives signals output from a plurality of receiving electrodes of the touch sensor 10. Here, the signals may include information on the amount of capacitance change between adjacent driving electrodes and receiving electrodes, an LGM noise signal, a display noise signal, and the like.

[0053] The sensing unit 11 may subtract two signals from the signals output from the plurality of receiving electrodes and output a subtraction signal, and may perform analog-to-digital conversion on the output subtraction signal and output the converted signal. To this end, the sensing unit 11 may include a comparator and an ADC.

[0054] The control unit 13 can detect the presence or absence of a touch and / or the touch position based on the digital signal output from the sensing unit 11.

[0055] 2, the sensing unit 11, the driving unit 12, and the control unit 13 are shown separately for convenience of explanation, but are not limited to this. For example, at least one or more of the sensing unit 11, the driving unit 12, and the control unit 13 may be embodied as one module, unit, or chip, and the sensing unit 11, the driving unit 12, and the control unit 13 may be embodied as one module, unit, or chip.

[0056] The touch input device 1 shown in Fig. 2 may include a display panel. In this case, the touch sensor 10 may be disposed on the display panel, such as in an OCTA type, or may be disposed within the display panel, such as in an in-cell type. In some cases, the touch sensor 10 may be disposed under the display panel.

[0057] For example, the touch sensor 10 may be formed directly on an outer surface (e.g., an upper surface of the upper substrate or a lower surface of the lower substrate) or an inner surface (e.g., a lower surface of the upper substrate or an upper surface of the lower substrate) of an upper substrate and / or a lower substrate of a display panel. The touch sensor 10 may be coupled to the display panel to form a touch screen.

[0058] The touch sensor 10 includes a plurality of electrodes having a predetermined shape, and the predetermined electrodes include a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes. Here, when a driving signal is applied to the plurality of first electrodes, the plurality of first electrodes can become a plurality of driving electrodes Tx0, Tx1, Tx2, ..., and the plurality of second electrodes can become a plurality of receiving electrodes Rx0, Rx1, Rx2, Rx3, ....

[0059] The plurality of drive electrodes Tx0, Tx1, Tx2, ... and the plurality of receive electrodes Rx0, Rx1, Rx2, Rx3, ... may be arranged to cross each other. A predetermined mutual capacitance cm may be formed between the plurality of drive electrodes Tx0, Tx1, Tx2, ... and the plurality of receive electrodes Rx0, Rx1, Rx2, Rx3, ..., particularly at the intersections between them.

[0060] Each of the driving electrodes Tx0, Tx1, Tx2, ... may extend in a first axis direction, and each of the receiving electrodes Rx0, Rx1, Rx2, Rx3, ... may extend in a second axis direction different from the first axis direction. Here, the second axis direction may be perpendicular to the first axis direction.

[0061] Some of the receiving electrodes Rx0a, Rx1a, Rx2a, Rx3a, ... among the multiple receiving electrodes Rx0, Rx1, Rx2, Rx3, ... may be arranged so that a mutual capacitance cm is formed with some of the driving electrodes Tx0, Tx1, Tx2, ... among the multiple driving electrodes Tx0, Tx2, Tx4, Tx6, ..., and the remaining receiving electrodes Rx0b, Rx1b, Rx2b, Rx3b, ... among the multiple receiving electrodes Rx0, Rx1, Rx2, ... may be arranged so that a mutual capacitance cm is formed with the remaining driving electrodes Tx1, Tx3, Tx5, Tx7, ... among the multiple driving electrodes Tx0, Tx1, Tx2, ...

[0062] Some of the receiving electrodes Rx0a, Rx1a, Rx2a, Rx3a, ... among the multiple receiving electrodes Rx0, Rx1, Rx2, Rx3, ... may be arranged so as to be immediately adjacent to some of the driving electrodes Tx0, Tx1, Tx2, ... among the multiple driving electrodes Tx0, Tx2, Tx4, Tx6, ..., and may be arranged so as to be spaced a predetermined distance from the remaining driving electrodes Tx1, Tx3, Tx5, Tx7, ... without being immediately adjacent to them. Here, at least one other electrode may be arranged between the some of the receiving electrodes Rx0a, Rx1a, Rx2a, Rx3a, ... and the remaining driving electrodes Tx1, Tx3, Tx5, Tx7, .... The other electrodes may be some of the driving electrodes Tx0, Tx2, Tx4, Tx6, ....

[0063] The remaining receiving electrodes Rx0b, Rx1b, Rx2b, Rx3b, ... of the multiple receiving electrodes Rx0, Rx1, Rx2, ... may be arranged so as to be immediately adjacent to the remaining driving electrodes Tx1, Tx3, Tx5, Tx7, ... of the multiple driving electrodes Tx0, Tx1, Tx2, ..., and may be arranged so as to be spaced a predetermined distance from some of the driving electrodes Tx0, Tx2, Tx4, Tx6, ... without being immediately adjacent to them. Here, at least one other electrode may be arranged between the remaining receiving electrodes Rx0b, Rx1b, Rx2b, Rx3b, ... and some of the driving electrodes Tx0, Tx2, Tx4, Tx6, .... The other electrodes may be the remaining driving electrodes Tx1, Tx3, Tx5, Tx7, ....

[0064] When a driving signal is applied to some of the driving electrodes Tx0, Tx2, Tx4, Tx6, ..., a first signal is output from some of the receiving electrodes Rx0a, Rx1a, Rx2a, Rx3a, ... that form a mutual capacitance cm with the driving electrodes, and a second signal is output from the remaining receiving electrodes Rx0b, Rx1b, Rx2b, Rx3b, ... that do not substantially form a mutual capacitance cm with the driving electrodes. The sensing unit 11 can subtract the second signal from the first signal to be output and output the result to the control unit 13. The control unit 13 can detect a touch position of an object based on the signal from the sensing unit 11. Here, the first signal includes information on the change in mutual capacitance due to an object, display noise (e.g., zebra noise), the change due to an image change, LGM noise in a floating state, and noise due to a cathode re-transmission phenomenon (the larger the resistance (RELVSS) of the ELVSS layer (i.e., the weaker the GND), the higher the frequency component of the signal is transmitted to the RX sensor and added to the main signal). Meanwhile, the second signal contains almost no information on the change in mutual capacitance due to an object, but contains the remaining noise information (display noise (e.g., zebra noise), the change due to an image change, LGM noise in a floating state, and noise due to a cathode re-transmission phenomenon). Therefore, since the sensing unit 11 subtracts the second signal from the first signal, the signal input to the control unit 13 does not contain noise information and may contain only information on the change in mutual capacitance due to an object.

[0065] On the other hand, when the driving signal is applied to the remaining driving electrodes Tx1, Tx3, Tx5, Tx7, ..., the second signal is output from the remaining receiving electrodes Rx0b, Rx1b, Rx2b, Rx3b, ... that form a mutual capacitance cm with the driving electrodes Tx1, Tx3, Tx5, Tx7, ..., and the first signal is output from some receiving electrodes Rx0a, Rx1a, Rx2a, Rx3a, ... that do not substantially form a mutual capacitance cm with the driving electrodes Tx1, Tx3, Tx5, Tx7, .... The sensing unit 11 can subtract the first signal from the second signal output and output the result to the control unit 13. The control unit 13 can detect the touch position of the object based on the signal from the sensing unit 11. Here, since the second signal includes information on the amount of change in mutual capacitance due to the object, the signal input to the control unit 13 by subtracting the first signal from the second signal does not include noise information and includes only information on the amount of change in mutual capacitance due to the object.

[0066] The plurality of driving electrodes Tx0, Tx1, Tx2, ... and the plurality of receiving electrodes Rx0, Rx1, Rx2, ... may be disposed together in the same layer (1 layer) or in different double layers (2 layers). In addition, some of the plurality of driving electrodes Tx0, Tx1, Tx2, ... may be disposed in a layer different from the rest, and some of the plurality of receiving electrodes Rx0, Rx1, Rx2, ... may also be disposed in a layer different from the rest. The plurality of driving electrodes Tx0, Tx1, Tx2, ... and the plurality of receiving electrodes Rx0, Rx1, Rx2, ... may have a diamond pattern, a circular shape, an elliptical shape, or a polygonal shape.

[0067] The plurality of drive electrodes Tx0, Tx1, Tx2, . . . and the plurality of receive electrodes Rx0, Rx1, Rx2, . . . may be made of a metal mesh and patterned on a thin film encapsulation (TFE) layer of the display panel.

[0068] With reference to the following drawings, various embodiments of the touch sensor 10 shown in FIG. 2 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.

[0069] FIG. 3 is a partial plan view of one embodiment of the touch sensor 10 shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 4 is a plan view of the touch sensor shown in FIG. 3 separated by layers, and FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the electrical connection of multiple receiving electrodes shown in FIG. 4.

[0070] 3-5, a touch sensor according to one embodiment of the present invention may be disposed on or within a display panel.

[0071] A touch sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes. Among the plurality of first electrodes and the plurality of second electrodes, electrodes to which a driving signal is applied may be driving electrodes, and the remaining electrodes may be receiving electrodes. Hereinafter, it will be described that the plurality of first electrodes are a plurality of driving electrodes TX0, TX1, TX2, TX3, ..., and the plurality of second electrodes are a plurality of receiving electrodes RX0, RX1, RX2, RX3, RX4, ....

[0072] The plurality of drive electrodes TX0, TX1, TX2, TX3, ... may include a 0th drive electrode TX0, a first drive electrode TX1, a second drive electrode TX2, and a third drive electrode TX3, where the plurality of drive electrodes TX0, TX1, TX2, TX3, ... correspond to the plurality of drive electrodes Tx0, Tx1, Tx2, ... shown in FIG.

[0073] The plurality of receiving electrodes RX0, RX1, RX2, RX3, RX4, ... may include a 0th receiving electrode RX0, a first receiving electrode RX1, a second receiving electrode RX2, a third receiving electrode RX3, and a fourth receiving electrode RX4, where the plurality of receiving electrodes RX0, RX1, RX2, RX3, RX4, ... correspond to the plurality of receiving electrodes RX0, RX1, RX2, RX3, RX4, ... shown in FIG.

[0074] The plurality of driving electrodes TX0, TX1, TX2, TX3, ... may be arranged along a second direction (or vertical direction) and each extend along a first direction (or horizontal direction) perpendicular to the second direction. The plurality of receiving electrodes RX0, RX1, RX2, RX3, RX4, ... may be arranged along the second direction. Here, conversely, the plurality of driving electrodes TX0, TX1, TX2, TX3, ... may be arranged along the first direction (or horizontal direction), and the plurality of receiving electrodes RX0, RX1, RX2, RX3, RX4, ... may be arranged along the second direction (or vertical direction).

[0075] A predetermined capacitance may be formed between the plurality of driving electrodes TX0, TX1, TX2, TX3, ... and the plurality of receiving electrodes RX0, RX1, RX2, RX3, RX4, .... This capacitance changes when a touch input occurs at or around a corresponding point. Therefore, the presence or absence of a touch and the touch input can be detected by detecting the amount of change in capacitance from signals output from the plurality of receiving electrodes RX0, RX1, RX2, RX3, RX4, ....

[0076] Each of the multiple drive electrodes TX0, TX1, TX2, TX3, . . . may have a rectangular pattern or a bar pattern extending in the first direction, and may have multiple openings O therein arranged along the first direction.

[0077] A receiving electrode may be disposed in each opening O. The shape of each opening O corresponds to the shape of a receiving electrode disposed therein. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the openings O, except for the openings disposed on the left and right edges, may have a diamond shape, and the openings disposed on the left and right edges may have a triangular shape. Although not shown in the drawings, all the openings O may have a diamond shape. Alternatively, the openings O may have various shapes such as a polygon, a rectangle, a circle, or an ellipse.

[0078] Each of the receiving electrodes RX0, RX1, RX2, RX3, RX4, ... includes a plurality of receiving electrode patterns RX0a, RX0b, RX1a, RX1b, RX2a, RX2b, RX3a, RX3b, RX4a, RX4b and connection patterns P0, P1, P2, P3, P4. Here, some of the receiving electrode patterns RX0a, RX0b, RX1a, RX1b, RX2a, RX2b, RX3a, RX3b, RX4a, RX4b may correspond to some of the receiving electrodes Rx0a, Rx1a, Rx2a, Rx3a, ... shown in FIG. 2, and the remaining receiving electrode patterns RX0b, RX1b, RX2b, RX3b, RX4b may correspond to the remaining receiving electrodes Rx0b, Rx1b, Rx2b, Rx3b, ... shown in FIG. 2.

[0079] As shown in (a) of FIG. 4, a plurality of driving electrodes TX0, TX1, TX2, TX3, ... and a plurality of receiving electrode patterns RX0a, RX0b, RX1a, RX1b, RX2a, RX2b, RX3a, RX3b, RX4a, RX4b may be disposed together in a first layer. Here, the plurality of driving electrodes TX0, TX1, TX2, TX3, ... and the plurality of receiving electrode patterns RX0a, RX0b, RX1a, RX1b, RX2a, RX2b, RX3a, RX3b, RX4a, RX4b disposed in the first layer may be realized by a metal mesh. As shown in (b) of FIG. 4, a plurality of connecting patterns P0a, P0b, P1a, P1b, P2a, P2b, P3a, P3b, P4a, P4b may be disposed in a second layer. The second layer is a layer different from the first layer of FIG. 4(a) and is electrically insulated from the first layer. Here, the connection patterns P0a, P0b, P1a, P1b, P2a, P2b, P3a, P3b, P4a, and P4b may be realized with a metal mesh. The first layer of FIG. 4(a) may be disposed on the second layer of FIG. 4(b), or vice versa.

[0080] A plurality of receiving electrode patterns included in each receiving electrode may be divided into at least two or more groups. The receiving electrode patterns of one group are alternately arranged between the receiving electrode patterns of another group. The receiving electrode patterns of one group are electrically isolated from the receiving electrode patterns of the other group. Here, the receiving electrode patterns of one group may be named a first receiving electrode pattern, and the receiving electrode patterns of the other group may be named a second receiving electrode pattern.

[0081] The plurality of connection patterns included in each receiving electrode include a first connection pattern that electrically connects first receiving electrode patterns in one group and a second connection pattern that electrically connects second receiving electrodes in another group.

[0082] For example, the 0th receiving electrode RX0 may include a plurality of receiving electrode patterns RX0a, RX0b and a plurality of connecting patterns P0. The plurality of receiving electrode patterns RX0a, RX0b may include a first group of receiving electrode patterns RX0a and a second group of receiving electrode patterns RX0b arranged alternately one by one along a second direction. The first group of receiving electrode patterns RX0a and the second group of receiving electrode patterns RX0b may be electrically separated from each other. The 0th connecting pattern P0 may include a first connecting pattern P0a electrically connecting the first group of receiving electrode patterns RX0a and a second connecting pattern P0b electrically connecting the second group of receiving electrode patterns RX0b.

[0083] The first receiving electrode RX1 may include a plurality of receiving electrode patterns RX1a, RX1b and a plurality of connecting patterns P1. The plurality of receiving electrode patterns RX1a, RX1b may include a first group of receiving electrode patterns RX1a and a second group of receiving electrode patterns RX1b arranged alternately one by one along a second direction. The first group of receiving electrode patterns RX1a and the second group of receiving electrode patterns RX1b may be electrically separated from each other. The first connecting pattern P1 may include a first connecting pattern P1a electrically connecting the first group of receiving electrode patterns RX1a and a second connecting pattern P1b electrically connecting the second group of receiving electrode patterns RX1b.

[0084] The second receiving electrode RX2 may include a plurality of receiving electrode patterns RX2a, RX2b and a plurality of connecting patterns P2. The plurality of receiving electrode patterns RX2a, RX2b may include a first group of receiving electrode patterns RX2a and a second group of receiving electrode patterns RX2b arranged alternately one by one along a second direction. The first group of receiving electrode patterns RX2a and the second group of receiving electrode patterns RX2b may be electrically separated from each other. The second connecting pattern P2 may include a first connecting pattern P2a electrically connecting the first group of receiving electrode patterns RX2a and a second connecting pattern P2b electrically connecting the second group of receiving electrode patterns RX2b.

[0085] The third receiving electrode RX3 may include a plurality of receiving electrode patterns RX3a, RX3b and a plurality of connecting patterns P3. The plurality of receiving electrode patterns RX3a, RX3b may include a first group of receiving electrode patterns RX3a and a second group of receiving electrode patterns RX3b arranged alternately one by one along the second direction. The first group of receiving electrode patterns RX3a and the second group of receiving electrode patterns RX3b may be electrically separated from each other. The third connecting pattern P3 may include a first connecting pattern P3a electrically connecting the first group of receiving electrode patterns RX3a and a second connecting pattern P3b electrically connecting the second group of receiving electrode patterns RX3b.

[0086] The fourth receiving electrode RX4 may include a plurality of receiving electrode patterns RX4a, RX4b and a plurality of connecting patterns P4. The plurality of receiving electrode patterns RX4a, RX4b may include a first group of receiving electrode patterns RX4a and a second group of receiving electrode patterns RX4b arranged alternately one by one along the second direction. The first group of receiving electrode patterns RX4a and the second group of receiving electrode patterns RX4b may be electrically separated from each other. The fourth connecting pattern P4 may include a first connecting pattern P4a electrically connecting the first group of receiving electrode patterns RX4a and a second connecting pattern P4b electrically connecting the second group of receiving electrode patterns RX4b.

[0087] The multiple receiving electrode patterns RX0a, RX0b, RX1a, RX1b, RX2a, RX2b, RX3a, RX3b, RX4a, RX4b are arranged inside the multiple openings O of the multiple driving electrodes TX0, TX1, TX2, TX3, .... One receiving electrode pattern is arranged inside one opening O. The shape of each receiving electrode pattern corresponds to the shape of the opening corresponding to it.

[0088] In any given receiving electrode RX1, between a receiving electrode pattern RX1a in the first group and a receiving electrode pattern RX1b in the second group that are arranged adjacent to each other, a portion of the driving electrode TX0 immediately adjacent to the periphery of the receiving electrode pattern RX1a in the first group and a portion of the driving electrode TX1 immediately adjacent to the periphery of the receiving electrode pattern RX1b in the second group are both arranged.

[0089] An arbitrary driving electrode TX0 is arranged immediately adjacent to the receiving electrode patterns RX0a, RX1a, RX2a, RX3a, RX4a of one group, and another driving electrode TX1 arranged immediately adjacent to the receiving electrode patterns RX0b, RX1b, RX2b, RX3b, RX4b of the other group is arranged so as to be separated from the receiving electrode patterns RX0a, RX1a, RX2a, RX3a, RX4a of the one group by the arbitrary driving electrode TX0.

[0090] Each of the connection patterns P0a, P0b, P1a, P1b, P2a, P2b, P3a, P3b, P4a, and P4b may have a bar pattern shape extending along the second direction and include at least one conductive via v. The conductive via v may be disposed at both ends of each of the connection patterns.

[0091] In the 0th receiving electrode RX0, each of the first connecting patterns P0a electrically connects two adjacent receiving electrode patterns RX0a of the first group through a conductive via v, and is arranged to overlap under the receiving electrode pattern RX0b of the second group arranged between the two adjacent receiving electrode patterns RX0a. Each of the second connecting patterns P0b electrically connects two adjacent receiving electrode patterns RX0b of the second group through a conductive via v, and is arranged to overlap under the receiving electrode pattern RX0a of the first group arranged between the two adjacent receiving electrode patterns RX0b. The first connecting patterns P1a, P2a, P3a, P4a and the second connecting patterns P1b, P2b, P3b, P4b of the remaining receiving electrodes RX1, RX2, RX3, RX4 are also arranged in the same manner as described above.

[0092] Hereinafter, a detailed description will be given of an operation when a driving signal is applied to at least one of the driving electrodes TX0, TX1, TX2, and TX3. For convenience of explanation, the operation of the first receiving electrode RX1 and the operation of the sensing unit 11 of FIG. 2 will be specifically described.

[0093] When driving signals are applied to the driving electrodes TX0, TX1, TX2, and TX3 sequentially or simultaneously, two sensing signals are output through the first connecting pattern P1. The first signal is output through the first connecting pattern P1a, and the second signal is output through the second connecting pattern P1b. Therefore, first and second signals of two channels are output for each of the receiving electrodes RX0, RX1, RX2, RX3, and RX4. The first and second signals are output simultaneously, and the output first and second signals can be output to the sensing unit 11 of FIG. 2.

[0094] Depending on the driving electrodes TX0, TX1, TX2, TX3, ... to which the driving signal is applied, one of the first signal and the second signal may become an active channel signal (or an active reception signal ARX), and the remaining one may become a dummy channel signal (or a dummy reception signal DRX). Specifically, when the driving signal is applied to the driving electrodes (TX0 and / or TX2) in which the first group of receiving electrode patterns RX1a are arranged, the first signal outputted through the first connection pattern P1a becomes an active channel signal, and the second signal outputted through the second connection pattern P1b becomes a dummy channel signal. On the other hand, when the driving signal is applied to the driving electrodes (TX1 and / or TX3) in which the second group of receiving electrode patterns RX1b are arranged, the second signal outputted through the second connection pattern P1b becomes an active channel signal, and the first signal outputted through the first connection pattern P1a becomes a dummy channel signal.

[0095] For example, as shown in Fig. 3, assuming that an object (dotted line) is close to or in contact with the intersection point of the first driving electrode TX1 and the first receiving electrode RX1, when a driving signal is applied to the first driving electrode TX1, the capacitance (or mutual active capacitance) formed between the first driving electrode TX1 and the receiving electrode pattern RX1b belonging to the second group of the first receiving electrode RX1 changes. A second signal including information on the amount of change in capacitance is output as an active channel signal via the second connecting pattern P1b.

[0096] Meanwhile, the capacitance (or dummy capacitance) formed between the receiving electrode patterns RX1a belonging to the first group of the first receiving electrode RX1 also changes. The first signal including information on the amount of capacitance change is output as a dummy channel signal via the first connecting pattern P1a.

[0097] The sensing unit 11 shown in FIG. 2 can cancel out all or most of the cathode retransmission noise signal, the LGM noise signal, and the display noise signal input to the receiving electrode pattern RX1b belonging to the second group and the receiving electrode pattern RX1a belonging to the first group by subtracting the first signal output through the first connecting pattern P1a from the second signal output through the second connecting pattern P1b.

[0098] FIG. 6 is a plan view of a portion of another embodiment of the touch sensor 10 shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 7 is a plan view of the touch sensor shown in FIG. 6 separated by layers, and FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining the electrical connection of multiple receiving electrodes shown in FIG. 6.

[0099] The touch sensor according to another embodiment of the present invention shown in Figures 6 to 8 is different from the touch sensor according to the embodiment of the present invention shown in Figures 3 to 5 in terms of the plurality of receiving electrodes RX0', RX1', RX2', RX3', and RX4'. In particular, the structure of the plurality of receiving electrode patterns RX1a' included in each of the receiving electrodes RX0', RX1', RX2', RX3', and RX4' is different. Hereinafter, the structure of the plurality of receiving electrode patterns RX1a' will be described in detail, and the remaining configurations will be replaced with the contents described above.

[0100] Each of the receiving electrodes RX0', RX1', RX2', RX3', and RX4' includes a plurality of receiving electrode patterns RX1a' having an opening O' therein and including a dummy pattern DX1a disposed inside the opening O'. Here, the dummy pattern DX1a may have a shape corresponding to the opening O'.

[0101] The dummy pattern DX1a is not electrically connected to the connecting patterns P0a, P0b, P1a, P1b, P2a, P2b, P3a, P3b, P4a, and P4b, and is maintained in an electrically floating state.

[0102] The operation of the touch sensor according to the other embodiment of the present invention shown in Figures 6 to 8 is the same as the operation of the touch sensor according to the embodiment of the present invention shown in Figures 3 to 5. Therefore, the touch input device including the touch sensor according to the other embodiment of the present invention shown in Figures 6 to 8 also has the advantage of being able to remove various noises that may occur during touch sensing, such as cathode retransmission noise signals, display noise, and LGM noise.

[0103] FIG. 9 is a plan view of a portion of yet another embodiment of touch sensor 10 shown in FIG. 2, and FIG. 10 is a plan view of the touch sensor shown in FIG. 9 separated by layers.

[0104] The touch sensor according to another embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 9 to 10 is different from the touch sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 in terms of the plurality of receiving electrodes RX0'', RX1'', RX2'', RX3'', RX4''. In particular, the layout structure and shape of the plurality of connecting patterns P0', P1', P2', P3', P4' included in each of the receiving electrodes RX0'', RX1'', RX2'', RX3'', RX4'' are different. Hereinafter, the layout structure and shape of each connecting pattern P0', P1', P2', P3', P4' will be described in detail, and the remaining configuration will be replaced with the above-mentioned content.

[0105] Each of the connection patterns P0', P1', P2', P3', and P4' includes a first connection pattern P0a', P1a', P2a', P3a', and P4a' and a second connection pattern P0b', P1b', P2b', P3b', and P4b'.

[0106] Each of the first connection patterns P0a', P1a', P2a', P3a', and P4a' electrically connects two receiving electrode patterns RX0a, RX1a, RX2a, RX3a, and RX4a of the first group, but is arranged so as not to overlap with the receiving electrode patterns RX0b, RX1b, RX2b, RX3b, and RX4b of the second group arranged between the two receiving electrode patterns. For example, at least a portion of each of the first connection patterns P0a', P1a', P2a', P3a', and P4a' may be arranged between the receiving electrode patterns RX0b, RX1b, RX2b, RX3b, and RX4b of the second group and the driving electrodes TX0, TX1, TX2, and TX3 arranged immediately adjacent to the receiving electrode patterns RX0b, RX1b, RX2b, RX3b, and RX4b of the second group, so as not to overlap with the receiving electrode patterns RX0b, RX1b, RX2b, RX3b, and RX4b of the second group. On the other hand, the remaining portions may be disposed so as to overlap with the drive electrodes TX0, TX1, TX2, and TX3.

[0107] Each of the second connection patterns P0b', P1b', P2b', P3b', and P4b' electrically connects two receiving electrode patterns RX0b, RX1b, RX2b, RX3b, and RX4b of the second group, but is arranged so as not to overlap with the receiving electrode patterns RX0a, RX1a, RX2a, RX3a, and RX4a of the first group arranged between the two receiving electrode patterns. For example, at least a portion of each of the second connection patterns P0b', P1b', P2b', P3b', and P4b' may be arranged between the receiving electrode patterns RX0a, RX1a, RX2a, RX3a, and RX4a of the first group and the driving electrodes TX0, TX1, TX2, and TX3 arranged immediately adjacent to the receiving electrode patterns RX0a, RX1a, RX2a, RX3a, and RX4a of the first group so as not to overlap with the receiving electrode patterns RX0a, RX1a, RX2a, RX3a, and RX4a of the first group. On the other hand, the remaining portions may be disposed so as to overlap with the drive electrodes TX0, TX1, TX2, and TX3.

[0108] The touch sensor according to this further embodiment of the present invention has the advantage that the capacitance value between the first connecting pattern and the second group of receiving electrode patterns, or between the second connecting pattern and the first group of receiving electrode patterns, can be reduced compared to the touch sensor according to the embodiment of the present invention shown in Figures 3 to 5.

[0109] Meanwhile, although not shown in a separate drawing, the dummy pattern DX1a shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 may also be applied to a touch sensor according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0110] 11 is a plan view of a portion of yet another embodiment of touch sensor 10 shown in FIG. 2, and FIG. 12 is a plan view of the touch sensor shown in FIG. 11 separated by layers.

[0111] The touch sensor according to another embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 is different from the touch sensor according to the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 in terms of the plurality of receiving electrodes RX0''',RX1''',RX2''', and RX3'''. In particular, the structures and arrangements of the plurality of receiving electrode patterns RX0a-1, RX0a-2, RX0b-1, RX0b-2, RX1a-1, RX1a-2, RX1b-1, RX1b-2, RX2a-1, RX2a-2, RX2b-1, RX2b-2, RX3a-1, RX3a-2, RX3b-1, and RX3b-2 and the plurality of connection patterns P0'', P1'', P2'', and P3'' included in each of the receiving electrodes RX0''',RX1''',RX2'''', and RX3'''' are different. Below, the structures and arrangements of the receiving electrode patterns RX0a-1, RX0a-2, RX0b-1, RX0b-2, RX1a-1, RX1a-2, RX1b-1, RX1b-2, RX2a-1, RX2a-2, RX2b-1, RX2b-2, RX3a-1, RX3a-2, RX3b-1, RX3b-2 and the connection patterns P0'', P1'', P2'', P3'' will be described in detail, and the remaining configurations will be replaced with the contents previously described above.

[0112] The multiple receiving electrode patterns RX0a-1, RX0a-2, RX0b-1, RX0b-2, RX1a-1, RX1a-2, RX1b-1, RX1b-2, RX2a-1, RX2a-2, RX2b-1, RX2b-2, RX3a-1, RX3a-2, RX3b-1, RX3b-2 of each receiving electrode RX0''',RX1''',RX2''',RX3''' include a first group of receiving electrode patterns RX0a-1, RX0a-2, RX1a-1, RX1a-2, RX2a-1, RX2a-2, RX3a-1, RX3a-2 and a second group of receiving electrode patterns RX0b-1, RX0b-2, RX1b-1, RX1b-2, RX2b-1, RX2b-2, RX3b-1, RX3b-2 arranged alternately one by one along the second direction. The receiving electrode patterns RX0a-1, RX0a-2, RX1a-1, RX1a-2, RX2a-1, RX2a-2, RX3a-1, RX3a-2 of the first group and the receiving electrode patterns RX0b-1, RX0b-2, RX1b-1, RX1b-2, RX2b-1, RX2b-2, RX3b-1, RX3b-2 of the second group can be electrically isolated from each other.

[0113] Each of the first group of receiving electrode patterns RX0a-1, RX0a-2, RX1a-1, RX1a-2, RX2a-1, RX2a-2, RX3a-1, RX3a-2 includes a first receiving electrode pattern RX0a-1, RX1a-1, RX2a-1, RX3a-1 and a second receiving electrode pattern RX0a-2, RX1a-2, RX2a-2, RX3a-2. The first receiving electrode patterns RX0a-1, RX1a-1, RX2a-1, RX3a-1 and the second receiving electrode patterns RX0a-2, RX1a-2, RX2a-2, RX3a-2 are respectively disposed in two openings O adjacent to each other in the first direction from the driving electrodes TX0, TX2. Among the multiple openings O of each driving electrode TX0, TX1, TX2, TX3, one first or second receiving electrode pattern is arranged in the openings located at both side ends, and in the remaining openings, the second receiving electrode pattern of the receiving electrode pattern of the first group of one of the multiple receiving electrodes RX0'',RX1'',RX2'',RX3'''' and the first receiving electrode pattern of the receiving electrode pattern of the first group of the other receiving electrode are arranged together, but spaced apart from each other.

[0114] Each of the connecting patterns P0'',P1'',P2'',P3'' includes first connecting patterns P0a'',P1a'',P2a'',P3a'' etc. that electrically connect the first group of receiving electrode patterns RX0a-1, RX0a-2, RX1a-1, RX1a-2, RX2a-1, RX2a-2, RX3a-1, RX3a-2 and second connecting patterns P0b'',P1b'',P2b'',P3b'' that electrically connect the second group of receiving electrode patterns RX0b-1, RX0b-2, RX1b-1, RX1b-2, RX2b-1, RX2b-2, RX3b-1, RX3b-2.

[0115] Each of the first connecting patterns P0a'',P1a'',P2a'',P3a'' and the second connecting patterns P0b'',P1b'',P2b'',P3b'' is constructed and arranged to connect two adjacent receiving electrode patterns in each group at the shortest distance. For example, each of the first connecting patterns P0a'',P1a'',P2a'',P3a'' and the second connecting patterns P0b'',P1b'',P2b'',P3b'' may have one end connected to one side of a lower end of one of two adjacent receiving electrode patterns in one group and the other end connected to one side of an upper end of the remaining receiving electrode pattern. The remaining part excluding the one end and the other end has a shape extending along the second direction and is arranged to overlap the opening O of the driving electrode as wide as possible without overlapping with the receiving electrode pattern of another group arranged between the one receiving electrode pattern and the remaining receiving electrode pattern.

[0116] In addition, each of the first connecting patterns P0a'', P1a'', P2a'', and P3a'' further includes a receiving connecting pattern electrically connecting the first and second receiving electrode patterns of the first group of receiving electrode patterns, and each of the second connecting patterns P0b'', P1b'', P2b'', and P3b'' further includes a receiving connecting pattern electrically connecting the first and second receiving electrode patterns of the second group of receiving electrode patterns.

[0117] The touch sensor according to this further embodiment of the present invention has the advantage that, compared to the touch sensor according to one embodiment of the present invention shown in Figures 3 to 5, the capacitance value between the first connecting pattern and the second group of receiving electrode patterns, or between the second connecting pattern and the first group of receiving electrode patterns, can be reduced, and the resistance value of each connecting pattern can also be reduced.

[0118] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram of a touch input device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0119] The touch input device shown in Fig. 13 has the following differences compared to the touch input device shown in Fig. 2. Specifically, the touch sensor 10' of the touch input device shown in Fig. 13 includes electrodes of a predetermined shape, and the predetermined electrodes include a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes. In the touch sensor 10 shown in Fig. 2, the plurality of first electrodes become a plurality of driving electrodes Tx0, Tx1, Tx2, ..., and the plurality of second electrodes become a plurality of receiving electrodes Rx0, Rx1, Rx2, ..., but in the touch sensor 10' shown in Fig. 13, the plurality of first electrodes become a plurality of receiving electrodes Rx0, Rx1, Rx2, ..., and the plurality of second electrodes become a plurality of driving electrodes Tx0, Tx1, Tx2, ....

[0120] In other words, compared to the touch sensor 10 shown in FIG. 2, the touch sensor 10' shown in FIG. 13 has the multiple drive electrodes Tx0, Tx1, Tx2, ... changed to multiple receiving electrodes Rx0, Rx1, Rx2, ... and the multiple receiving electrodes Rx0, Rx1, Rx2, ... changed to multiple drive electrodes Tx0, Tx1, Tx2, ....

[0121] Whether the multiple first electrodes become multiple driving electrodes as shown in Fig. 2 or multiple receiving electrodes as shown in Fig. 13 can be determined under the control of the control unit 13. If the control unit 13 applies a driving signal to the multiple first electrodes, the multiple first electrodes can become multiple driving electrodes, and if the control unit 13 applies a driving signal to the multiple second electrodes, the multiple second electrodes can become multiple driving electrodes.

[0122] The multiple driving electrodes Tx0, Tx1, Tx2, ... and the multiple receiving electrodes Rx0, Rx1, Rx2, ... can be arranged to cross each other. Each driving electrode Tx0, Tx1, Tx2, ... can extend in a second axis direction, and each receiving electrode Rx0, Rx1, Rx2, ... can extend in a first axis direction different from the first axis direction. Here, the first axis direction may be perpendicular to the second axis direction.

[0123] Some of the drive electrodes Tx0a, Tx1a, Tx2a, Tx3a, ... among the multiple drive electrodes Tx0, Tx1, Tx2, ... may be arranged so that a mutual capacitance cm is formed with some of the receiving electrodes Rx0, Rx1, Rx2, ... among the multiple receiving electrodes Rx0, Rx2, Rx4, Rx6, ..., and the remaining drive electrodes Tx0b, Tx1b, Tx2b, Tx3b, ... among the multiple drive electrodes Tx0, Tx1, Tx2, ... may be arranged so that a mutual capacitance cm is formed with the remaining receiving electrodes Rx1, Rx3, Rx5, Rx7, ... among the multiple receiving electrodes Rx0, Rx1, Rx2, ....

[0124] Some of the driving electrodes Tx0a, Tx1a, Tx2a, Tx3a, ... among the multiple driving electrodes Tx0, Tx1, Tx2, ... may be arranged so as to be immediately adjacent to some of the receiving electrodes Rx0, Rx1, Rx2, ... among the multiple receiving electrodes Rx0, Rx1, Rx2, ..., and may be arranged so as to be spaced a predetermined distance from the remaining receiving electrodes Rx1, Rx3, Rx5, Rx7, ... without being immediately adjacent to them. Here, at least one other electrode may be arranged between some of the driving electrodes Tx0a, Tx1a, Tx2a, Tx3a, ... and the remaining receiving electrodes Rx1, Rx3, Rx5, Rx7, .... The other electrodes may be some of the receiving electrodes Rx0, Rx2, Rx4, Rx6, ....

[0125] The remaining driving electrodes Tx0b, Tx1b, Tx2b, Tx3b, ... of the multiple driving electrodes Tx0, Tx1, Tx2, ... may be arranged so as to be immediately adjacent to the remaining receiving electrodes Rx1, Rx3, Rx5, Rx7, ... of the multiple receiving electrodes Rx0, Rx1, Rx2, ..., and may be arranged so as to be spaced a predetermined distance from some of the receiving electrodes Rx0, Rx2, Rx4, Rx6, ... without being immediately adjacent to them. Here, at least one other electrode may be arranged between the remaining driving electrodes Tx0b, Tx1b, Tx2b, Tx3b, ... and some of the receiving electrodes Rx0, Rx2, Rx4, Rx6, .... The other electrodes may be the remaining receiving electrodes Rx1, Rx3, Rx5, Rx7, ....

[0126] The drive signals applied to the remaining drive electrodes Tx0b, Tx1b, Tx2b, Tx3b, ... may be inverted drive signals obtained by inverting only the phase by 180 degrees from the drive signals applied to some of the drive electrodes Tx0a, Tx1a, Tx2a, Tx3a, .... For example, in the two drive electrodes Tx0a and Tx0b of the 0th drive electrode TX0, the drive signal applied to Tx0b is an inverted drive signal obtained by inverting the drive signal applied to Tx0a.

[0127] 13 is capable of multi-driving in which driving signals are simultaneously applied to all driving electrodes Tx0, Tx1, Tx2, Tx3, ... of the touch sensor 10', and has the advantage that such multi-driving does not cause a flicker problem in the display panel. In addition, since multi-driving is possible for all driving electrodes Tx0, Tx1, Tx2, Tx3, ..., it is possible to reduce the driving time for performing mutual sensing. Furthermore, since the turn-on time of the analog front end (AFE) can be reduced, power consumption can be further reduced.

[0128] Before describing how the effect of the touch input device shown in FIG. 13 occurs, a problem that may occur when multi-driving is performed in the touch input device shown in FIG. 2 will be described with reference to FIG. 14.

[0129] FIG. 14(a) is a graph showing multi-driving being performed for four drive electrodes in the touch input device shown in FIG. 2, and FIG. 14(b) is an example of drive signals (or drive codes) applied to four drive electrodes TX0, TX1, TX2, and TX3 that are driven simultaneously during the multi-driving of FIG. 14(a).

[0130] As shown in (a) of FIG. 14, when the drive signals shown in (b) of FIG. 14 are simultaneously applied to four drive electrodes TX0, TX1, TX2, and TX3 among the 20 drive electrodes Tx0 to Tx19 during an arbitrary time period (0 to T1), the total drive signal sum is 2. In this case, if the drive voltage applied to each drive electrode is, for example, 10 [V], the total drive voltage of 20 [V], which corresponds to 2*10 [V], affects the display panel, and flicker may occur on the display screen. Furthermore, as the number of simultaneously driven drive electrodes is greater than four, the total drive signal sum becomes greater, and the total drive voltage becomes greater, which may cause severe flicker on the display screen.

[0131] On the other hand, the touch input device shown in Fig. 13 has an advantage that the above-mentioned flicker problem in the display panel does not occur even if the control unit 13 controls so as to simultaneously apply the drive signal to four or more of the plurality of drive electrodes Tx0, Tx1, Tx2, ... or to all of the drive electrodes. A detailed description will be given with reference to Fig. 15.

[0132] FIG. 15(a) is a graph showing that all drive electrodes in the touch input device shown in FIG. 13 are multi-driven, and FIG. 15(b) is an example of drive signals (or drive codes) applied to all drive electrodes Tx0, Tx1, Tx2, Tx3, ... that are driven simultaneously during the multi-driving of FIG. 15(a).

[0133] As shown in FIG. 15(a), when the drive signals shown in FIG. 15(b) are simultaneously applied to all the drive electrodes Tx0, Tx1, Tx2, ... of the touch sensor 10' during a predetermined time period (0 to T1), the total sum of the drive signals is always "0". This is because the drive signals simultaneously applied to some drive electrodes Tx0a, Tx1a, Tx2a, Tx3a, ... and the drive signals simultaneously applied to the remaining drive electrodes Tx0b, Tx1b, Tx2b, Tx3b, ... have the same magnitude and are only inverted in phase by 180 degrees. In this way, since the total sum of the drive signals becomes 0, there is no effect on the display panel. Therefore, there is an advantage that no flicker occurs on the display screen when the display panel is driven.

[0134] Also, as shown in Fig. 15(a), the touch input device shown in Fig. 13 can reduce mutual driving time to 1 / 5 compared to the graph of Fig. 14(a) since the control unit 13 can simultaneously drive all or four or more of the driving electrodes Tx0, Tx1, Tx2, .... Furthermore, the turn-on time of the analog front end (AFE) can be reduced, thereby reducing power consumption of the touch input device.

[0135] In addition, in the touch input device shown in Fig. 13, the control unit 13 can detect the position of an object using reception signals output from the plurality of reception electrodes Rx0, Rx1, Rx2, ..., and can also detect the position of an object using differential signals obtained by differential sensing of the reception signals. Here, the control unit 13 can restore the reception signals output from the plurality of reception electrodes Rx0, Rx1, Rx2, ... by integrating and code-processing the differential signals. This will be described in detail later with reference to Fig. 16.

[0136] FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating a process in which the control unit 13 of the touch input device shown in FIG. 13 processes a signal received from the touch sensor 10'.

[0137] In FIG. 16, the change in mutual capacitance (Delta cm / diff) between the 0th driving electrode TX0 and the multiple receiving electrodes Rx0, Rx1, Rx2, Rx3, Rx5, Rx6, and Rx7 is assumed to be "Delta cm example," and it is assumed that a predetermined change in mutual capacitance corresponding to d1, d2, d3, and d4 has occurred in the second through fifth receiving electrodes Rx2, Rx3, Rx4, and Rx5, respectively.

[0138] 13 controls the control unit 13 to apply a predetermined drive signal to the 0th drive electrode TX0. Here, the drive signal applied to the 0ath drive electrode Tx0a and the drive signal applied to the 0bth drive electrode Tx0b are inverted drive signals that are different in phase from each other by 180 degrees.

[0139] Then, the control unit 13 receives reception signals from a plurality of receiving electrodes Rx0, Rx1, Rx2, Rx3, Rx5, Rx6, and Rx7 (diff example during single-ended reception). Specifically, the control unit 13 can receive a signal having a value of the amount of change in mutual capacitance of "d1" from the second receiving electrode RX2, and a signal having a value of the amount of change in mutual capacitance of "d3" from the fourth receiving electrode RX4. On the other hand, the control unit 13 can receive a signal having a value of the amount of change in mutual capacitance of "-d2" from the third receiving electrode RX3, and a signal having a value of the amount of change in mutual capacitance of "-d4" from the fifth receiving electrode Rx5.

[0140] Next, the control unit 13 outputs differential signals from the reception signals from the multiple reception electrodes Rx0, Rx1, Rx2, Rx3, Rx5, Rx6, and Rx7 (an example of a differential signal during differential reception). Specifically, the control unit 13 can output a differential signal having a value of a change in mutual capacitance of "d1" obtained by subtracting the reception signal from the first reception electrode RX1 from the reception signal from the second reception electrode RX2, output a differential signal having a value of a change in mutual capacitance of "-(d2+d1)" obtained by subtracting the reception signal from the second reception electrode RX2 from the reception signal from the third reception electrode RX3, output a signal having a value of a change in mutual capacitance of "(d3+d2)" obtained by subtracting the reception signal from the third reception electrode RX3 from the reception signal from the fourth reception electrode RX4, and output a differential signal having a value of a change in mutual capacitance of "-(d4+d3)" obtained by subtracting the reception signal from the fourth reception electrode RX4 from the reception signal from the fifth reception electrode Rx5.

[0141] Next, the control unit 13 can restore the received signals from the multiple receiving electrodes Rx0, Rx1, Rx2, Rx3, Rx5, Rx6, and Rx7 by integrating and encoding the differential signals. Specifically, the control unit 13 can integrate the differential signals to obtain the same value of the change in mutual capacitance as the "diff example at the time of single-ended reception". Then, the control unit 13 performs encoding to change the negative (-) sign of some of the restored received signals to a positive (+) sign, thereby obtaining the same value of the change in mutual capacitance as the "Delta cm example". Here, the control unit 13 may further include an integrator for integrating the received differential signals and an encoding processor for encoding.

[0142] During the signal processing process of the control unit 13 described above, in the process of outputting the differential signal described above, display noise (e.g., Zebra noise), changes due to image changes, LGM noise in a floating state, noise due to cathode retransmission, etc. can be cancelled out.

[0143] FIG. 17 is a diagram for explaining a baseline setting in the control unit 13 of the touch input device shown in FIG.

[0144] In FIG. 17, the value of the mutual capacitance between the 0th drive electrode TX0 and the multiple receiving electrodes Rx0, Rx1, Rx2, Rx3, Rx5, Rx6, and Rx7 is defined as "cm."

[0145] 13 controls the control unit 13 to apply a predetermined drive signal to the 0th drive electrode TX0. Here, the drive signal applied to the 0ath drive electrode Tx0a and the drive signal applied to the 0bth drive electrode Tx0b are inverted drive signals that are different in phase from each other by 180 degrees.

[0146] The baselines (baseline during single-ended reception) when the control unit 13 shown in FIG. 13 receives reception signals from multiple receiving electrodes Rx0, Rx1, Rx2, Rx3, Rx5, Rx6, and Rx7 are all constant in centimeters, but the signs are negative (-) values ​​for the baselines of the reception signals from the first receiving electrode RX1, the third receiving electrode RX3, the fifth receiving electrode Rx5, and the seventh receiving electrode Rx7, which form mutual capacitance with the 0b-th driving electrode Tx0b.

[0147] On the other hand, the baseline (baseline during differential reception) when the control unit 13 shown in Fig. 13 outputs a differential signal from reception signals from multiple receiving electrodes Rx0, Rx1, Rx2, Rx3, Rx5, Rx6, and Rx7 increases by two times compared to the "baseline during single-ended reception." Therefore, the control unit 13 may further include a baseline adjustment unit for lowering the baseline by half to the baseline during single-ended reception.

[0148] FIG. 18 is a plan view of a portion of one embodiment of touch sensor 10' shown in FIG.

[0149] An embodiment of a touch sensor 10' shown in FIG. 18 has the same electrode structure as an embodiment of a touch sensor 10 shown in FIG. 3, but differs in that the driving electrodes TX0, TX1, TX2, TX3, and TX4 to which driving signals are applied and the receiving electrodes RX0, RX1, RX2, and RX3 to which receiving signals are output are configured in reverse.

[0150] 18, the controller 13 shown in FIG 13 can control a predetermined driving signal to be simultaneously applied to the connection patterns P0, P1, P2, P3, P4, ... of the plurality of driving electrodes TX0, TX1, TX2, TX3, TX4, .... Here, the driving signal applied to the second connecting pattern P0b of each connecting pattern P0 is an inverted driving signal whose phase is inverted by 180 degrees from the driving signal applied to the first connecting pattern P0a.

[0151] As described with reference to Fig. 16, the control unit 13 shown in Fig. 13 can receive reception signals having information on the change in mutual capacitance from a plurality of reception electrodes RX0, RX1, RX2, RX3, ... and output a differential signal from the received reception signals. The control unit 13 can integrate the differential signal to restore the reception signals received from the plurality of reception electrodes RX0, RX1, RX2, RX3, ... and can determine the touch position of an object based on information on the change in mutual capacitance obtained by processing the sign of the restored reception signals.

[0152] FIG. 19 is a plan view of a portion of another embodiment of touch sensor 10' shown in FIG.

[0153] Another embodiment of the touch sensor 10' shown in FIG. 19 has the same electrode structure as the embodiment of the touch sensor 10 shown in FIG. 6, but differs in that the drive electrodes to which the drive signals are applied and the receiving electrodes to which the received signals are output are configured in reverse.

[0154] 19, the controller 13 shown in FIG 13 can control a predetermined driving signal to be simultaneously applied to the connection patterns P0, P1, P2, P3, P4, ... of the driving electrodes TX0', TX1', TX2', TX3', TX4', .... Here, the driving signal applied to the second connecting pattern P0b of each connecting pattern P0 is an inverted driving signal whose phase is inverted by 180 degrees from the driving signal applied to the first connecting pattern P0a.

[0155] As described with reference to Fig. 16, the control unit 13 shown in Fig. 13 can receive reception signals having information on the change in mutual capacitance from a plurality of reception electrodes RX0, RX1, RX2, RX3, ... and output a differential signal from the received reception signals. The control unit 13 can integrate the differential signal to restore the reception signals received from the plurality of reception electrodes RX0, RX1, RX2, RX3, ... and can determine the touch position of an object based on information on the change in mutual capacitance obtained by processing the sign of the restored reception signals.

[0156] FIG. 20 is a plan view of yet another embodiment of a portion of touch sensor 10' shown in FIG.

[0157] Another embodiment of the touch sensor 10' shown in FIG. 20 has the same electrode structure as another embodiment of the touch sensor 10 shown in FIG. 9, but differs in that the drive electrodes to which the drive signals are applied and the receiving electrodes to which the received signals are output are configured in reverse.

[0158] 20, the control unit 13 shown in FIG 13 can control a predetermined driving signal to be simultaneously applied to the connection patterns P0', P1', P2', P3', P4'... of the plurality of driving electrodes TX0', TX1', TX2', TX3', TX4'.... Here, the driving signal applied to the second connecting pattern P0b of each connecting pattern P0' is an inverted driving signal whose phase is inverted by 180 degrees from the driving signal applied to the first connecting pattern P0a.

[0159] The control unit 13 shown in Fig. 13 can receive reception signals having information on the change in mutual capacitance from a plurality of reception electrodes RX0, RX1, RX2, RX3, ..., as described with reference to Fig. 16, and output a differential signal from the received reception signals. The control unit 13 can integrate the differential signal to reconstruct the reception signals received from the plurality of reception electrodes RX0, RX1, RX2, RX3, ..., and can determine the touch position of an object based on information on the change in mutual capacitance obtained by processing the sign of the reconstructed reception signals.

[0160] FIG. 21 is a plan view of yet another embodiment of a portion of touch sensor 10' shown in FIG.

[0161] Another embodiment of the touch sensor 10' shown in FIG. 21 has the same electrode structure as another embodiment of the touch sensor 10 shown in FIG. 11, but differs in that the driving electrodes to which the driving signals are applied and the receiving electrodes to which the receiving signals are output are configured in reverse.

[0162] 21, the control unit 13 shown in Fig. 13 can control a predetermined driving signal to be simultaneously applied to the connection patterns P0'',P1'',P2'',P3'',... of the plurality of driving electrodes TX0''',TX1''',TX2''',TX3''',.... Here, the driving signal applied to the second connecting pattern P0b of each connecting pattern P0'' is an inverted driving signal whose phase is inverted by 180 degrees from the driving signal applied to the first connecting pattern P0a.

[0163] The control unit 13 shown in Fig. 13 can receive reception signals having information on the change in mutual capacitance from a plurality of reception electrodes RX0, RX1, RX2, RX3, ..., as described with reference to Fig. 16, and output a differential signal from the received reception signals. The control unit 13 can integrate the differential signal to reconstruct the reception signals received from the plurality of reception electrodes RX0, RX1, RX2, RX3, ..., and can determine the touch position of an object based on information on the change in mutual capacitance obtained by processing the sign of the reconstructed reception signals.

[0164] FIG. 22 is a schematic block diagram of a touch input device according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

[0165] A touch input device according to yet another embodiment of the present invention includes a touch sensor 100 and a controller 300 .

[0166] The control unit 300 controls the touch sensor 100 .

[0167] The control unit 300 applies a driving signal (or a Tx signal) to a driving electrode (or a Tx electrode) of the touch sensor 100, and receives a sensing signal (or an Rx signal) from a receiving electrode (or an Rx electrode) of the touch sensor 100.

[0168] The control unit 300 can sequentially supply drive signals to the multiple drive electrodes of the touch sensor 100, or can simultaneously supply a predetermined drive signal to at least two or more of the multiple drive electrodes. The former is called a sequential drive method, and the latter is called a multi-drive method.

[0169] The controller 300 receives sensing signals output from a plurality of receiving electrodes of the touch sensor 100. Here, the sensing signals may include information on the amount of capacitance change between each receiving electrode and an adjacent driving electrode, an LGM noise signal, a display noise signal, etc.

[0170] The controller 300 may perform analog-to-digital conversion on the sensing signals output from the plurality of receiving electrodes and output digital sensing signals.

[0171] The controller 300 may output a differential signal between two of the sensing signals output from the plurality of receiving electrodes, and may output the output signal after analog-to-digital conversion. To this end, the controller 300 may include a comparator and an ADC. The controller 300 may detect the presence or absence of a touch and / or the touch position based on the output digital signal.

[0172] 22, the control unit 300 may be implemented as one module, unit, or chip. However, without being limited thereto, the control unit 300 may be divided into a sensing unit that receives sensing signals from receiving electrodes of the touch sensor 100, a driving unit that applies driving signals to driving electrodes of the touch sensor 100, and a control unit that controls the sensing unit and the driving unit. Alternatively, at least two of the sensing unit, driving unit, and control unit may be implemented as one module, unit, or chip.

[0173] The touch input device shown in FIG. 22 may include a display panel (not shown), although not shown separately. The touch sensor 100 may be disposed on a cell of the display panel, as in the OCTA type shown in FIG. 1, or may be disposed within a cell of the display panel, as in the in-cell type. Depending on the case, the touch sensor 100 may be disposed under the display panel. As an example, the touch sensor 100 may be directly formed on an outer surface (e.g., an upper surface of the upper substrate or a lower surface of the lower substrate) or an inner surface (e.g., a lower surface of the upper substrate or an upper surface of the lower substrate) of an upper substrate and / or a lower substrate of the display panel. The touch sensor 100 may be coupled to the display panel to form a touch screen panel (TSP).

[0174] The display panel may have a number of scan lines (or gate lines) and a number of data lines arranged thereon, and sub-pixels may be located at the intersections of the scan lines and the data lines.

[0175] The display panel may include an active area in which a number of sub-pixels are arranged, and a non-active area located outside the active area. The active area may constitute a display screen of a touch input device. The display screen may have a rectangular shape with a length longer than a width.

[0176] The touch input device shown in FIG. 22 may include a gate driving circuit for driving various signal lines arranged on the display panel, a data driving circuit, and a display controller to drive the display panel.

[0177] The gate driving circuit is controlled by a display controller, and can sequentially output display scan signals on a number of scan lines arranged on the display panel, thereby controlling the driving timing of a number of sub-pixels.

[0178] The data driving circuit receives image data from a display controller and converts the image data into an analog data voltage. The data driving circuit outputs a data voltage (Vdata) to each data line in accordance with a timing when a scan signal is applied through a scan line, thereby controlling each sub-pixel to express brightness according to the image data.

[0179] The display controller may provide various control signals to the gate driver and the data driver to control the operation of the gate driver and the data driver. The display controller may be configured separately from the controller 300 shown in FIG. 22 or may be configured integrally with the controller 300.

[0180] The touch sensor 100 includes a plurality of electrodes (or a plurality of sensors) having a predetermined shape, and the predetermined electrodes include a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes. Here, when a driving signal is applied to the plurality of first electrodes, the plurality of first electrodes can become a plurality of driving electrodes, and the plurality of second electrodes can become a plurality of receiving electrodes.

[0181] The plurality of drive electrodes Tx0, Tx1, Tx2, Tx3, ..., Tx16, Tx17, Tx18, Tx19 and the plurality of receive electrodes Rx0, Rx1, Rx2, Rx3, ..., Rx35, Rx36, Rx37 may be arranged to cross each other. A predetermined mutual capacitance cm may be formed between the plurality of drive electrodes Tx0, Tx1, Tx2, Tx3, ..., Tx16, Tx17, Tx18, Tx19 and the plurality of receive electrodes Rx0, Rx1, Rx2, Rx3, ..., Rx35, Rx36, Rx37, particularly at the crossings.

[0182] The driving electrodes Tx0, Tx1, Tx2, Tx3, ..., Tx16, Tx17, Tx18, and Tx19 can be arranged in a first axis direction, and the receiving electrodes Rx0, Rx1, Rx2, Rx3, ..., Rx35, Rx36, and Rx37 can be arranged in a second axis direction different from the first axis direction. Here, the second axis direction may be perpendicular to the first axis direction.

[0183] Each of the driving electrodes Tx0, Tx1, Tx2, Tx3, ..., Tx16, Tx17, Tx18, and Tx19 includes a pair of electrode portions, which will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

[0184] FIG. 23 is an enlarged view of part A shown in FIG.

[0185] Referring to FIG. 23, each of the plurality of drive electrodes Tx0, Tx1, and Tx2 includes a first drive electrode portion Tx0a, Tx1a, and Tx2a and a second drive electrode portion Tx0b, Tx1b, and Tx2b.

[0186] The first driving electrode units Tx0a, Tx1a, and Tx2a may be arranged to form a mutual capacitance cm with some of the receiving electrodes Rx0 and Rx2 among the plurality of receiving electrodes RX0, RX1, RX2, and RX3, and may be arranged to form almost no mutual capacitance cm with the remaining receiving electrodes Rx1 and Rx3. Here, almost no mutual capacitance cm means a mutual capacitance value that is relatively small compared to the mutual capacitance cm with some of the receiving electrodes Rx0 and Rx2.

[0187] The second driving electrode units Tx0b, Tx1b, and Tx2b may be arranged to form a mutual capacitance cm with the remaining receiving electrodes Rx1 and Rx3 among the plurality of receiving electrodes RX0, RX1, RX2, and RX3, and may be arranged to form almost no mutual capacitance cm with the some receiving electrodes Rx0 and Rx2. Here, almost no mutual capacitance cm means a mutual capacitance value that is relatively small compared to the mutual capacitance cm with the remaining receiving electrodes Rx1 and Rx3.

[0188] The first driving electrode portions Tx0a, Tx1a, Tx2a may be arranged so as to be immediately adjacent to some of the receiving electrodes Rx0, Rx2 among the multiple receiving electrodes RX0, RX1, RX2, RX3, and may be arranged so as to be spaced a predetermined distance apart from the remaining receiving electrodes Rx1, Rx3, but not immediately adjacent to them.

[0189] Here, at least one other electrode may be disposed between the first driving electrode unit Tx0a, Tx1a, Tx2a and the remaining receiving electrodes Rx1, Rx3. The other electrode may be at least one of the receiving electrodes Rx0, Rx2.

[0190] The second driving electrode units Tx0b, Tx1b, and Tx2b may be disposed adjacent to the remaining receiving electrodes Rx1 and Rx3 among the plurality of receiving electrodes RX0, RX1, RX2, and RX3, and may be disposed at a predetermined distance from the part of receiving electrodes Rx0 and Rx2, but not adjacent to them. At least one other electrode may be disposed between the second driving electrode units Tx0b, Tx1b, and Tx2b and the part of receiving electrodes Rx0 and Rx2. The other electrode may be at least one of the remaining receiving electrodes Rx1 and Rx3.

[0191] In each of the drive electrodes Tx0, Tx1, Tx2, the second drive signal applied to the second drive electrode section Tx0b, Tx1b, Tx2b may be shifted in phase by 180 degrees from the first drive signal applied to the first drive electrode section Tx0a, Tx1a, Tx2a. Therefore, when a predetermined drive signal is applied to each of the drive electrodes Tx0, Tx1, Tx2, the predetermined drive signal is applied to the first drive electrode section Tx0a, Tx1a, Tx2a of each of the drive electrodes Tx0, Tx1, Tx2, and an inverted drive signal, the phase of which is inverted by 180 degrees from the predetermined drive signal, may be applied to the second drive electrode section Tx0b, Tx1b, Tx2b.

[0192] When the multi-driving signal is applied to at least two of the driving electrodes Tx0, Tx1, and Tx2 by the control unit 300, a signal (or a sensing signal) is output from each of the receiving electrodes RX0, RX1, RX2, and RX3. The output signal may include a difference between a capacitance change amount (first capacitance information) between the first driving electrode unit and any one of the second driving electrode units that is immediately adjacent to the receiving electrode, and a capacitance change amount (second capacitance information) between the first driving electrode unit and any one of the second driving electrode units that is not immediately adjacent to the receiving electrode.

[0193] The control unit 300 can detect whether or not an object has been touched and / or the touch position based on the output signal. Here, the output signal includes information on the change in mutual capacitance due to an object, display noise (e.g., zebra noise), the change due to an image change, LGM noise in a floating state, and noise due to a cathode re-transmission phenomenon (the larger the resistance (RELVSS) of the ELVSS layer (i.e., the weaker the GND), the higher the signal frequency (high-frequency component) is transmitted to the receiving electrode of the touch sensor and added to the main signal), which are canceled out. Therefore, the output signal may include only information on the change in mutual capacitance due to most of the object.

[0194] The driving electrodes Tx0, Tx1, Tx2 and the receiving electrodes RX0, RX1, RX2, RX3 may be disposed together in the same layer (1 layer) or in different double layers (2 layers). Some of the driving electrodes Tx0, Tx1, Tx2 may be disposed in a layer different from the rest, and some of the receiving electrodes RX0, RX1, RX2, RX3 may also be disposed in a layer different from the rest. The driving electrodes Tx0, Tx1, Tx2 and the receiving electrodes RX0, RX1, RX2, RX3 may have a diamond pattern, a circular shape, an elliptical shape, or a polygonal shape.

[0195] The multiple drive electrodes Tx0, Tx1, and Tx2 and the multiple receive electrodes RX0, RX1, RX2, and RX3 may be configured with a metal mesh and patterned on a thin film encapsulation (TFE) layer of the display panel.

[0196] The touch sensor 100 shown in Figures 22 and 23 can prevent flicker from occurring when driving a display panel. The flicker can occur more noticeably as the magnitude of the voltage of the driving signals simultaneously applied to the driving electrodes of the touch sensor 100 increases. In particular, according to a multi-driving method in which driving signals are simultaneously applied to various driving electrodes, the flicker becomes more noticeable as the total sum of driving signals simultaneously applied within a certain period of time increases.

[0197] However, the touch sensor 100 shown in Figures 22 and 23 has a pair of first and second drive electrode portions for each drive electrode, and the first drive signal applied to the first drive electrode portion and the second drive signal applied to the second drive electrode portion are 180 degree out of phase with each other, so that the sum of the drive signals applied simultaneously over a certain period of time is always 0, which has the advantage that the occurrence of flicker is reduced or almost nonexistent.

[0198] FIG. 24 is a schematic block diagram of a touch input device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0199] The touch input device according to another embodiment of the present invention shown in Fig. 24 is different from the touch input device shown in Fig. 22 in that it has a touch sensor 100'. The touch input device including the touch sensor 100' and the controller 300 can not only detect the position of an object such as a finger placed on a screen, but also output a driving signal for driving a stylus pen and detect the position of the stylus pen placed on the screen by sensing a signal emitted from the stylus pen.

[0200] The touch sensor 100' includes a plurality of touch driving electrodes FTx0, FTx1, ..., FTx8, FTx9, a plurality of pen driving electrodes STx0, STx1, ..., STx8, STx9, a plurality of touch receiving electrodes FRx0, FRx1, ..., FRx4, FRx5, and a plurality of pen receiving electrodes SRx0, SRx1, ..., SRx4, SRx5. Here, the plurality of touch driving electrodes FTx0, FTx1, ..., FTx8, FTx9 correspond to the plurality of driving electrodes Tx1, Tx2, ..., Tx38, Tx39 in FIG. 22, and the plurality of touch receiving electrodes FRx0, FRx1, ..., FRx4, FRx5 correspond to the plurality of receiving electrodes Rx0, Rx1, Rx2, Rx3, ..., Rx35, Rx36, Rx37.

[0201] Each of the touch drive electrodes FTx0, FTx1, . . . , FTx8, and FTx9 is an electrode to which a touch drive signal for sensing an object such as a finger or a conductive member is applied.

[0202] Each of the pen driving electrodes STx0, STx1, ..., STx8, STx9 is disposed adjacent to the touch driving electrodes FTx0, FTx1, ..., FTx8, FTx9 and is disposed at a predetermined interval from the touch driving electrodes FTx0, FTx1, ..., FTx8, FTx9. Each of the pen driving electrodes STx0, STx1, ..., STx8, STx9 may be disposed in the same direction as a scan line of a display panel (not shown). Each of the pen driving electrodes STx0, STx1, ..., STx8, STx9 may receive a pen driving signal for driving a stylus pen or may receive or sense a pen signal from a stylus pen. The pen driving electrodes STx0, STx1, ..., STx8, STx9 may also be named first pen driving / receiving electrodes.

[0203] One end of each of the pen driving electrodes STx0, STx1, ..., STx8, STx9 is electrically connected to one another via a conductive pattern, which may be a metal mesh or a silver trace.

[0204] Each of the touch receiving electrodes FRx0, FRx1, ..., FRx4, and FRx5 is arranged in a direction different from a direction in which each of the touch driving electrodes FTx0, FTx1, ..., FTx8, and FTx9 is arranged. Each of the touch receiving electrodes FRx0, FRx1, ..., FRx4, and FRx5 is an electrode that outputs a touch sensing signal for sensing an object such as a finger or a conductive member.

[0205] Each pen receiving electrode SRx0, SRx1, ..., SRx4, SRx5 is disposed adjacent to the touch receiving electrode FRx0, FRx1, ..., FRx4, FRx5 and is disposed at a predetermined interval from the touch receiving electrodes FRx0, FRx1, ..., FRx4, FRx5. Each pen receiving electrode SRx0, SRx1, ..., SRx4, SRx5 may be disposed in a different direction from the pen driving electrodes STx0, STx1, ..., STx8, STx9. Each pen receiving electrode SRx0, SRx1, ..., SRx4, SRx5 may receive a pen driving signal for driving the stylus pen or sense a pen signal from the stylus pen. The pen receiving electrodes SRx0, SRx1, ..., SRx4, SRx5 may also be named second pen driving / receiving electrodes.

[0206] One end of each of the pen receiving electrodes SRx0, SRx1, ..., SRx4, SRx5 is electrically connected to one another via a conductive pattern, which may be a metal mesh or a silver trace.

[0207] The multiple touch receiving electrodes FRx0, FRx1, ..., FRx4, FRx5 and the multiple pen receiving electrodes SRx0, SRx1, ..., SRx4, SRx5 are arranged on the multiple touch drive electrodes FTx0, FTx1, ..., FTx8, FTx9 and the multiple pen drive electrodes STx0, STx1, ..., STx8, STx9, and may be arranged at a predetermined interval from the multiple touch drive electrodes FTx0, FTx1, ..., FTx8, FTx9 and the multiple pen drive electrodes STx0, STx1, ..., STx8, STx9.

[0208] The number of the plurality of touch driving electrodes FTx0, FTx1, ..., FTx8, FTx9 and the number of the plurality of touch receiving electrodes FRx0, FRx1, ..., FRx4, FRx5 can be increased or decreased depending on the screen size of the touch input device and the relative lengths of the major and minor axes.

[0209] The plurality of touch driving electrodes FTx0, FTx1, ..., FTx8, FTx9 and the plurality of touch receiving electrodes FRx0, FRx1, ..., FRx4, FRx5 basically sense touches of objects such as fingers and conductive members. To this end, the plurality of touch driving electrodes FTx0, FTx1, ..., FTx8, FTx9 may operate as touch driving electrodes to which a touch driving signal is applied, and the plurality of touch receiving electrodes FRx0, FRx1, ..., FRx4, FRx5 may operate as touch sensing electrodes (or touch receiving electrodes) to which a touch sensing signal is received. Of course, they may also operate in the opposite manner.

[0210] Each of the multiple touch drive electrodes FTx0, FTx1, ..., FTx8, FTx9 includes a pair of first drive electrode portions FTx0a, FTx1a, ..., FTx9a and second drive electrode portions FTx0b, FTx1b, ..., FTx9b.

[0211] The first drive electrode portions FTx0a, FTx1a, ..., FTx9a and the second drive electrode portions FTx0b, FTx1b, ..., FTx9b may be arranged alternately one by one in one direction.

[0212] The first driving electrode portions FTx0a, FTx1a, ..., FTx9a may form mutual capacitance with some of the receiving electrodes FRx0, FRx2, FRx4 among the multiple receiving driving electrodes FRx0, FRx1, ..., FRx4, FRx5, or may be arranged immediately adjacent to them, and may form almost no mutual capacitance with the remaining receiving electrodes FRx1, FRx3, FRx5, or may be arranged so that they are not immediately adjacent to them.

[0213] The second driving electrode portions FTx0b, FTx1b, ..., FTx9b may form mutual capacitance with the remaining receiving electrodes FRx1, FRx3, FRx5 among the multiple receiving driving electrodes FRx0, FRx1, ..., FRx4, FRx5, or may be arranged immediately adjacent to them, and may form almost no mutual capacitance with some of the receiving electrodes FRx0, FRx2, FRx4, or may be arranged so that they are not immediately adjacent to them.

[0214] A first driving signal and a second driving signal may be simultaneously or sequentially applied to a pair of first and second driving electrode portions of each touch driving electrode, where the first driving signal and the second driving signal may be pulse signals or sine signals having a phase shift of 180 degrees from each other.

[0215] The touch sensor 100' of the touch input device shown in FIG. 24 has a plurality of touch driving electrodes each including a pair of first and second driving electrode units, and the control unit 300 controls the first and second driving electrodes to simultaneously apply first and second driving signals having phases opposite to each other by 180 degrees, thereby having the advantage of being able to significantly reduce or prevent flickering in the display panel, as described above in FIGs. 22 and 23.

[0216] Meanwhile, in order for the touch sensor 100' of the touch input device shown in FIG. 24 to drive and sense a stylus pen, a plurality of touch driving electrodes FTx0, FTx1, ..., FTx8, FTx9, a plurality of pen driving electrodes STx0, STx1, ..., STx8, STx9, a plurality of touch receiving electrodes FRx0, FRx1, ..., FRx4, FRx5, and a plurality of pen receiving electrodes SRx0, SRx1, ..., SRx4, SRx5 can be used in various combinations.

[0217] The various combinations are shown in Table 1 below.

[0218] In Table 1 below, "1" indicates multiple touch drive electrodes FTx0, FTx1, ..., FTx8, FTx9, "2" indicates multiple pen drive electrodes STx0, STx1, ..., STx8, STx9, "3" indicates multiple touch receiving electrodes FRx0, FRx1, ..., FRx4, FRx5, and "4" indicates multiple pen receiving electrodes SRx0, SRx1, ..., SRx4, SRx5.

[0219] [Table 1]

[0220] Referring to Table 1 above, in various combinations (No. 1 to No. 32), multiple touch driving electrodes FTx0, FTx1, ..., FTx8, FTx9 and multiple touch receiving electrodes FRx0, FRx1, ..., FRx4, FRx5 sense a touch by an object such as a finger.

[0221] One or two of the plurality of touch drive electrodes FTx0, FTx1, ..., FTx8, FTx9, the plurality of pen drive electrodes STx0, STx1, ..., STx8, STx9, the plurality of touch receiving electrodes FRx0, FRx1, ..., FRx4, FRx5, and the plurality of pen receiving electrodes SRx0, SRx1, ..., SRx4, SRx5 can operate as a stylus drive electrode for driving a stylus pen. A current loop for driving a stylus pen can be formed using one or two patterns of the plurality of touch drive electrodes FTx0, FTx1, ..., FTx8, FTx9, the plurality of pen drive electrodes STx0, STx1, ..., STx8, STx9, the plurality of touch receiving electrodes FRx0, FRx1, ..., FRx4, FRx5, and the plurality of pen receiving electrodes SRx0, SRx1, ..., SRx4, SRx5. The X-axis drive may be any one of a plurality of touch drive electrodes FTx0, FTx1, ..., FTx8, FTx9 and a plurality of pen drive electrodes STx0, STx1, ..., STx8, STx9, and the Y-axis drive may be any one of a plurality of touch receiving electrodes FRx0, FRx1, ..., FRx4, FRx5 and a plurality of pen receiving electrodes SRx0, SRx1, ..., SRx4, SRx5. The stylus pen can be driven by either the X-axis drive or the Y-axis drive, or both.

[0222] Two of the plurality of touch driving electrodes FTx0, FTx1, ..., FTx8, FTx9, the plurality of pen driving electrodes STx0, STx1, ..., STx8, STx9, the plurality of touch receiving electrodes FRx0, FRx1, ..., FRx4, FRx5, and the plurality of pen receiving electrodes SRx0, SRx1, ..., SRx4, SRx5 can operate as sensing electrodes for sensing a stylus pen signal emitted from a stylus pen. Since both X-axis sensing and Y-axis sensing are required to sense a stylus pen signal, two patterns of the plurality of touch driving electrodes FTx0, FTx1, ..., FTx8, FTx9, the plurality of pen driving electrodes STx0, STx1, ..., STx8, STx9, the plurality of touch receiving electrodes FRx0, FRx1, ..., FRx4, FRx5, and the plurality of pen receiving electrodes SRx0, SRx1, ..., SRx4, SRx5 are used. The X-axis sensing may be any one of a plurality of touch driving electrodes FTx0, FTx1, ..., FTx8, FTx9 and a plurality of pen driving electrodes STx0, STx1, ..., STx8, STx9, and the Y-axis sensing may be any one of a plurality of touch receiving electrodes FRx0, FRx1, ..., FRx4, FRx5 and a plurality of pen receiving electrodes SRx0, SRx1, ..., SRx4, SRx5.

[0223] In the above Table 1, "uplink signal magnitude" refers to the magnitude of a drive signal for driving a stylus pen. "downlink signal magnitude" refers to the magnitude of a stylus pen signal received from a stylus pen. "Stylus additional channel" refers to whether an additional channel must be configured for a stylus pen other than touch sensing.

[0224] FIG. 25 is a first embodiment of the touch input device shown in FIG.

[0225] 25, the touch input device according to the first embodiment includes a touch sensor 100a and a controller 300. The touch sensor 100a includes a plurality of first to fourth patterns 101a, 102a, 103a, and 104a.

[0226] A large number of the first patterns 101a are arranged along a first direction and a second direction perpendicular to each other, where the first direction may be a long axis direction of a screen of the touch input device, and the second direction may be a short axis direction of the screen of the touch input device.

[0227] The multiple first patterns 101a include multiple first pattern portions 101o and multiple second pattern portions 101e.

[0228] One first pattern portion 101o and one second pattern portion 101e are alternately arranged along the first direction.

[0229] A plurality of first pattern portions 101o arranged along a first direction are electrically connected by a plurality of conductive patterns, and a plurality of second pattern portions 101e arranged along the first direction are also electrically connected by a plurality of conductive patterns.

[0230] Meanwhile, the first pattern portions 101o arranged in the second direction are not electrically connected to each other, and the second pattern portions 101e arranged in the second direction are not electrically connected to each other.

[0231] Each of the first pattern unit 101o and the second pattern unit 101e includes an upper pattern unit, a lower pattern unit, and a connecting pattern unit connecting the upper pattern unit and the lower pattern unit. Here, the upper pattern unit may have an inverted triangular shape with an empty interior, the lower pattern unit may have an empty triangular shape with an empty interior, and the connecting pattern unit may have a rectangular shape with an empty interior. The upper pattern unit, the lower pattern unit, and the connecting pattern unit may be integrally formed.

[0232] Each of the first pattern portion 101o and the second pattern portion 101e may have an opening in which at least one second pattern 102a is disposed. The shape of the opening may correspond to the shape of each of the first pattern portion 101o and the second pattern portion 101e.

[0233] Each first pattern portion 101o has a structure surrounding at least a part or all of each second pattern 102a and is electrically insulated from each other, and each second pattern portion 101e also has a structure surrounding at least a part or all of each second pattern 102a and is electrically insulated from each other.

[0234] The multiple first patterns 101a arranged along the first direction form an electrical path in the first direction. The multiple first patterns 101a arranged along the first direction have two channels (or terminals). One channel is a channel in which the multiple first pattern units 101o arranged along the first direction are electrically connected by a conductive pattern, and the other channel is a channel in which the multiple second pattern units 101e arranged along the first direction are electrically connected by a conductive pattern. The two channels may be electrically connected to the control unit 300, respectively.

[0235] At least one second pattern 102a is disposed inside each of the multiple first pattern portions 101o and the multiple second pattern portions 101e.

[0236] The multiple second patterns 102a arranged along the first direction may be electrically connected by multiple conductive patterns. Two second patterns 102a adjacent to each other along the first direction may be electrically connected by one conductive pattern.

[0237] Of the multiple second patterns 102a arranged along the first direction, the second pattern arranged at one end may be electrically connected to the control unit 300, and the second pattern 102a arranged at the other end may be electrically connected to the second patterns arranged along the second direction via the conductive pattern 102m.

[0238] The first pattern 101a and the second pattern 102a may be disposed in the same layer. The first pattern 101a and the second pattern 102a can be formed in the same layer using a metal mesh.

[0239] The third pattern 103a has a shape extending along the second direction (or the minor axis).

[0240] The third pattern 103a may include a plurality of diamond pattern portions and a connecting pattern portion connecting two adjacent diamond pattern portions among the plurality of diamond pattern portions.

[0241] The third pattern 103a may have an opening within which the fourth pattern 104a is disposed.

[0242] The third pattern 103a may have a structure surrounding at least a part or the whole of the fourth pattern 104a. The third pattern 103a is disposed at a predetermined distance from the fourth pattern 104a, and is thereby electrically insulated from the fourth pattern 104a.

[0243] The fourth pattern 104a is disposed adjacent to the third pattern 103a, has a shape extending along the second direction, and is disposed inside the third pattern 103a.

[0244] The fourth pattern 104a may include a plurality of diamond pattern portions and a connecting pattern portion connecting two adjacent diamond pattern portions among the plurality of diamond pattern portions.

[0245] A large number of such third patterns 103a and fourth patterns 104a are arranged along the first direction.

[0246] One end of each of the third patterns 103a may be electrically connected to the control unit 300, and the other end may be electrically open.

[0247] One end of the plurality of fourth patterns 104a may be electrically open as shown in Fig. 25, or may be connected to the control unit 300 in a manner different from that shown in Fig. 25. The other ends of the plurality of fourth patterns 104a are electrically connected to each other via a conductive pattern 104m. Here, the other ends electrically connected to each other may be grounded. If the other ends of the plurality of fourth patterns 104a are electrically connected to each other, capacitance is added to each fourth pattern 104a, so that the overall impedance is reduced, and an effect similar to that of the other ends of the plurality of fourth patterns 104a being grounded may be obtained.

[0248] The third pattern 103a and the fourth pattern 104a may be disposed in the same layer. The third pattern 103a and the fourth pattern 104a may be formed in the same layer using a metal mesh. Here, the first pattern 101a and the second pattern 102a may be disposed in a first layer, and the third pattern 103a and the fourth pattern 104a may be disposed in a second layer different from the first layer.

[0249] The controller 300 is electrically connected to the touch sensor 100a and controls the touch sensor 100a. The controller 300 and the touch sensor 100a may be electrically connected to each other via a conductive pattern.

[0250] The control unit 300 may cause the multiple first patterns 101a to become the multiple touch driving electrodes FTx0 to FTx0 shown in FIG. 24, the multiple third patterns 103a to become the multiple touch receiving electrodes FRx0 to FRx5 shown in FIG. 24, the multiple second patterns 102a to become the multiple pen driving electrodes STx0 to STx9 shown in FIG. 24, and the multiple fourth patterns 104a to become the multiple pen receiving electrodes SRx0 to SRx5 shown in FIG. 24.

[0251] The control unit 300 may include multiple drive circuitry and sensing circuitry.

[0252] The multiple drive circuit units may include a drive circuit unit for touch drive and a drive circuit unit for stylus drive.

[0253] The plurality of sensing circuits may include a sensing circuit for touch sensing and a sensing circuit for stylus sensing, where some of the plurality of sensing circuits may perform both touch sensing and stylus sensing.

[0254] The controller 300 may control the touch sensor 100a to operate in any one of a touch driving / sensing mode, a pen driving mode, and a stylus sensing mode.

[0255] The controller 300 may electrically connect a number of driving / sensing circuits to the touch sensor 100a according to each mode. To this end, the controller 300 may include a number of switches for electrically connecting a number of driving / sensing circuits to the touch sensor 100a.

[0256] 26 to 28 are diagrams for explaining the case where the touch sensor 100a shown in FIG. 25 is used in No. 1 of Table 1 above.

[0257] FIG. 26 is a diagram showing a case where the touch input device shown in FIG. 25 operates in a touch driving / sensing mode (or a 2D sensing mode), FIG. 27 is a diagram showing a case where the touch input device shown in FIG. 25 operates in a pen driving mode (or a stylus driving mode or a stylus uplink mode), and FIG. 28 is a diagram showing a case where the touch input device shown in FIG. 25 operates in a stylus sensing mode (or a stylus downlink mode).

[0258] 26, in the touch driving / sensing mode, the controller 300 can electrically connect the driving circuit units 310, 31' for touch driving to a plurality of first patterns 101a of the touch sensor 100a. The first patterns 101a arranged along the first direction have a first pattern unit 101o and a second pattern unit 101e, and the controller 300 can electrically connect the first driving circuit unit 310 to the first pattern unit 101o arranged along the first direction and electrically connect the second driving circuit unit 310' to the second pattern unit 101e arranged along the first direction. Here, the second driving circuit unit 310' can output a driving signal output from the first driving circuit unit 310 by inverting only the phase of the driving signal by 180 degrees.

[0259] The controller 300 may electrically connect a sensing circuit unit 330 for touch sensing to a plurality of third patterns 103a of the touch sensor 100a.

[0260] The controller 300 may apply a first driving signal to the first pattern unit 101o arranged along the first direction and a second driving signal (an inverted signal of the first driving signal) to the second pattern unit 101e, and may receive sensing signals from a plurality of third patterns 103a. The sensing circuit unit 330 of the controller 300 may output information on the amount of capacitance change included in the input sensing signal as a predetermined voltage value. The controller 300 may process the output voltage value to detect the presence or absence of a touch and / or the touch position.

[0261] The sensing signal output from each third pattern 103a includes a difference between a change in a first capacitance between the third pattern 103a and the first pattern unit 101o and a change in a second capacitance between the third pattern 103a and the second pattern unit 101e. Therefore, the display noise and the LGM noise are offset in the output sensing signal, and as described above in FIG. 22 and FIG. 23, the occurrence of flicker in the display panel can be significantly reduced or prevented.

[0262] Meanwhile, the control unit 300 may control the second patterns 102 to apply a reference potential to the second patterns 102 so that capacitive coupling between the first pattern 101a and the second pattern 102a does not occur.

[0263] Referring to FIG. 27, in the pen driving mode, the controller 300 can electrically connect a driving circuit unit 340 for driving the stylus pen to the second patterns 102a arranged along the first direction.

[0264] The control unit 300 can control the pen driving signals output from the driving circuits 340 and 340' connected to the second patterns 102a arranged along the first direction. For example, the control unit 300 can control the first driving circuit 340 to output a pulse signal of a predetermined frequency, control the second driving circuit 340' to not output any pulse signal, and control the third driving circuit 340'' to output a pulse signal opposite to the pulse signal output from the first driving circuit 340. In this case, a current loop is formed by at least one second pattern 102a electrically connected to the first driving circuit 340 and at least one second pattern electrically connected to the third driving circuit 340''. A magnetic field is generated by the formed current loop, and the magnetic field can resonate and drive the nearby stylus pens.

[0265] The control unit 300 may control two or more of the driving circuits 340, 340', 340'' electrically connected to the second patterns 102a to output opposite pulse signals. Thus, the control unit 300 may change and set the size and position of the current loop in various ways. For example, when the control unit 300 detects the position of a nearby stylus pen, it may control two driving circuits electrically connected to the second patterns around the position of the stylus pen to output opposite pulse signals, and when the control unit 300 cannot detect the position of the stylus pen, it may control two driving circuits electrically connected to the second patterns located around the outermost edges on both sides of the second patterns 102a to output opposite pulse signals.

[0266] 28, in the stylus sensing mode, the controller 300 may electrically connect the sensing circuits 350, 350' for stylus sensing to the plurality of first patterns 101a and the plurality of third patterns 103a of the touch sensor 100a, respectively. Here, since the first patterns 101a arranged along the first direction among the plurality of first patterns 101a are composed of two channels, the first sensing circuit 350 may be electrically connected in parallel to the two channels. The second sensing circuit 350' may be electrically connected to each of the third patterns 103a.

[0267] In the stylus sensing mode, when a stylus pen approaches any position on the touch sensor 100a, a pen signal output from the stylus pen generates an induced current in some of the second patterns 102a and some of the fourth patterns 104a located around the stylus pen among the second patterns 102a and the fourth patterns 104a. This is because the second patterns 102a and the fourth patterns 104a form a current loop.

[0268] A part of the induced current generated in the second patterns 102a is transferred to the first pattern 101a due to capacitive coupling between the second patterns 102a and the first pattern 101a, generating an induced voltage. Also, a part of the induced current generated in the fourth patterns 104a is transferred to the third pattern 103a due to capacitive coupling between the fourth pattern 104a and the third pattern 103a, generating an induced voltage.

[0269] The control unit 300 can detect the induced voltages generated in the first pattern 101a and the third pattern 103a through the first and second sensing units 350 and 350' to detect the position of the stylus pen.

[0270] 26 to 28 show the touch position of an object being sensed using the touch sensor 100a of FIG. 25 in method No. 1 of Table 1 above, and the stylus pen being driven and sensed, however, the touch sensor 100a of FIG. 25 can also be used in any one of methods No. 2 to No. 32 of Table 1 above.

[0271] FIG. 29 is a second embodiment of the touch sensor 100' of the touch input device shown in FIG.

[0272] 29, the touch sensor 100b includes a number of first to fourth patterns 101b, 102b, 103b, and 104b. The first to fourth patterns 101b, 102b, 103b, and 104b are arranged together in the same layer, unlike the touch sensor 100a shown in FIG. 25. For reference, in the touch sensor 100a shown in FIG. 25, the first and second patterns 101a and 102a are arranged together in a first layer, and the third and fourth patterns 103a and 104a are arranged together in a second layer different from the first layer.

[0273] Since the multiple first and second patterns 101b, 102b have the same structure and arrangement as the multiple first and second patterns 101a, 102a of the touch sensor 100a shown in FIG. 25, the detailed description will be given below in place of the above content, and the multiple third and fourth patterns 103b, 104b will be described in detail.

[0274] A plurality of third patterns 103b are arranged in the first and second directions. One first pattern 101b is disposed between the plurality of third patterns 103b arranged in the second direction. The third patterns 103b may be disposed on both sides of the connecting pattern portion of the first pattern 101b.

[0275] The third pattern 103b has a rectangular, polygonal, circular or elliptical shape. The third pattern 103b has an opening in which one fourth pattern 104b is disposed. The third pattern 103b may have a closed curve shape in which the opening is formed. The third pattern 103b may be disposed so as to surround at least a part or the whole of one fourth pattern 104b.

[0276] The multiple third patterns 103b arranged along the second direction are electrically connected via a conductive pattern. Two third patterns adjacent to each other along the second direction may be electrically connected by one conductive pattern. Meanwhile, the multiple third patterns 103b arranged along the first direction are not electrically connected to each other. The multiple third patterns arranged along a different second direction adjacent to the first direction are also electrically connected via a conductive pattern.

[0277] Each of the multiple fourth patterns 104b is disposed inside one third pattern 103b. One fourth pattern 104b is surrounded by one third pattern 103b. The shape of the fourth pattern 104b may correspond to the shape of the opening of the third pattern portion 103b. The fourth pattern 104b may have a rectangular, polygonal, circular or elliptical shape. The fourth pattern 104b may be a plate-like shape without an opening therein.

[0278] A number of fourth patterns 104b arranged along the second direction are electrically connected through a conductive pattern. Two fourth patterns adjacent to each other along the second direction may be electrically connected by one conductive pattern. The fourth pattern arranged at one end of the number of fourth patterns 104b arranged along the second direction may be electrically connected to the control unit 300 shown in Fig. 25, and the fourth pattern 104b arranged at the other end is electrically connected to the number of fourth patterns arranged along the first direction through the conductive pattern 104m. Through this, the electrical connection path of the fourth pattern 104a shown in Fig. 25 may be configured in the same manner.

[0279] The touch sensor 100b shown in FIG. 29 can be substituted for the touch sensor 100a shown in FIG. 25. Therefore, the touch sensor 100b shown in FIG. 29 can also sense the touch position of an object and drive and sense a stylus pen in various ways as described in [Table 1] above. Specifically, the touch sensor 100a shown in FIGS. 26 to 28 can be substituted for the touch sensor 100b shown in FIG. 29. A touch input device having the touch sensor 100b and the controller 300 can perform the touch driving / sensing mode of FIG. 26, the pen driving mode of FIG. 27, and the stylus sensing mode of FIG. 28 in the same manner. Furthermore, the touch sensor 100b of FIG. 29 can be used in any one of the ways No. 2 to No. 32 in [Table 1] above.

[0280] FIG. 30 illustrates a third embodiment of the touch sensor 100' of the touch input device shown in FIG. 24, which is a modification of the touch sensor 100b shown in FIG.

[0281] The structures and shapes of the first to fourth patterns 101b, 102b, 103b, and 104b of the touch sensor 100b' shown in Fig. 30 are the same as the first to fourth patterns 101b, 102b, 103b, and 104b of the touch sensor 100b shown in Fig. 29. Therefore, the description of the structures and shapes of the first to fourth patterns 101b, 102b, 103b, and 104b replaces the description above.

[0282] The touch sensor 100b' shown in FIG. 30 differs from the touch sensor 100b shown in FIG. 29 in that a conductive pattern 101om electrically connects two adjacent first pattern portions 101o and two adjacent second pattern portions 101e in the first direction of the first pattern 101b.

[0283] The conductive pattern 101om is arranged to bypass the third and fourth patterns 103b and 104b without intersecting with them. Also, the conductive pattern 101om may be arranged to intersect with a conductive pattern that electrically connects two adjacent third and fourth patterns 103b and 104b along the second direction.

[0284] The conductive pattern electrically connecting the two adjacent first pattern parts 101o and the two adjacent second pattern parts 101e in the first direction from the touch sensor 100b in Fig. 29 has a shape that extends in a straight line in the first direction except for both ends, and therefore has an overlapping portion with the third and fourth patterns 103b and 104b. A predetermined capacitance may be formed between the conductive pattern and the third and fourth patterns 103b and 104b in the overlapping portion. The predetermined capacitance may affect touch sensing or stylus sensing sensitivity and may also affect the operating frequency bandwidth.

[0285] On the other hand, since the conductive pattern 101om in FIG. 30 does not overlap with the third and fourth patterns 103b, 104b, and is arranged to bypass the third pattern 103b, the above-mentioned capacitance is not formed, which has the advantage of reducing the impact on the sensitivity of touch sensing or stylus sensing and reducing the impact on the operating frequency bandwidth.

[0286] On the other hand, the conductive pattern of FIG. 29 is shorter in length than the conductive pattern 101om of FIG. 30, and therefore has the advantage that the resistance of the conductive pattern of FIG. 29 is smaller than that of the conductive pattern 101om of FIG.

[0287] FIG. 31 is a fourth embodiment of the touch sensor 100' of the touch input device shown in FIG.

[0288] 31, a touch sensor 100c includes a plurality of first to fourth patterns 101c, 102c, 103c, and 104c. The plurality of first to fourth patterns 101c, 102c, 103c, and 104c are arranged together in the same layer as the touch sensors 100b and 100b' shown in FIGS.

[0289] Since the third and fourth patterns 103c, 104c have the same structure and arrangement as the third and fourth patterns 103b, 104b of the touch sensor 100b shown in FIG. 29, the detailed description will be given below in detail on the first and second patterns 101c, 102c instead of the above description.

[0290] Each of the multiple second patterns 102c is disposed so as to surround at least a part or the whole of one third pattern 103c. One second pattern 102b has an opening in which one third pattern 103c is disposed.

[0291] Each of the multiple first patterns 101c is disposed so as to surround at least a part or the whole of one second pattern 102c. One first pattern 101c has an opening in which one second pattern 102c is disposed.

[0292] One second pattern 102c is disposed inside one first pattern 101c, one third pattern 103c is disposed inside one second pattern 102c, and one fourth pattern 104c is disposed inside one third pattern 103c.

[0293] The first pattern 101c may have a shape corresponding to the second pattern 102c, and the third pattern 103c may have a shape corresponding to the fourth pattern 104c. Alternatively, the first to fourth patterns 101c, 102c, 103c, and 104c may have shapes corresponding to each other.

[0294] The first and second patterns 101c, 102c may have a rectangular shape, but are not limited thereto, and may have a polygonal, circular or elliptical shape.

[0295] The first pattern 101c includes first pattern portions 101o arranged at odd-numbered positions along the first direction and second pattern portions 101e arranged at even-numbered positions along the first direction.

[0296] The first pattern portions 101o arranged along the first direction are electrically connected via the conductive pattern 101om, and the second pattern portions 101e arranged along the first direction are electrically connected via the conductive pattern.

[0297] A conductive pattern 101om electrically connecting two first pattern portions 101o arranged along a first direction to each other is disposed adjacent to one side of a second pattern portion 101e disposed between the two first pattern portions 101o.

[0298] In addition, a conductive pattern electrically connecting two second pattern portions 101e arranged along the first direction to each other is also disposed adjacent to the other side of the first pattern portion disposed between the two second pattern portions 101e.

[0299] Due to such an arrangement of the conductive pattern 101om, the touch sensor 100c shown in Fig. 31 can minimize the length of the conductive pattern 101om, thereby minimizing the resistance, and since the conductive pattern 101om does not overlap with other patterns, the capacitance can also be minimized. That is, the touch sensor 100c shown in Fig. 31 has both the advantage of being able to minimize the resistance of the touch sensor 100b shown in Fig. 29 and the advantage of being able to minimize the capacitance of the touch sensor 100b' shown in Fig. 30.

[0300] A number of second patterns 102c arranged along the first direction are electrically connected by a number of conductive patterns. Two second patterns adjacent to each other along the first direction may be electrically connected by one conductive pattern. The second pattern arranged at one end of the number of second patterns 102c arranged along the first direction may be electrically connected to the control unit 300 shown in FIG. 25, and the second pattern 102c arranged at the other end is electrically connected to the number of second patterns arranged along the second direction through the conductive pattern 102m. Through this, the electrical connection path may be configured similarly to that of the second pattern 102a shown in FIG. 25.

[0301] The touch sensor 100c shown in FIG. 31 can be substituted for the touch sensor 100a shown in FIG. 25. Therefore, the touch sensor 100c shown in FIG. 31 can also sense the touch position of an object and drive and sense a stylus pen in various ways as described in [Table 1] above. Specifically, the touch sensor 100a shown in FIGS. 26 to 28 can be substituted for the touch sensor 100c shown in FIG. 31. A touch input device having such a touch sensor 100c and a controller 300 can similarly perform the touch driving / sensing mode of FIG. 26, the pen driving mode of FIG. 27, and the stylus sensing mode of FIG. 28. Furthermore, the touch sensor 100c of FIG. 31 can be used in any one of the ways No. 2 to No. 32 in [Table 1] above.

[0302] FIG. 32 is a fifth embodiment of the touch sensor 100' of the touch input device shown in FIG.

[0303] 32, the touch sensor 100d includes a plurality of first to fourth patterns 101d, 102d, 103d, and 104d. The plurality of first to fourth patterns 101d, 102d, 103d, and 104d are disposed together in the same layer.

[0304] A large number of the first patterns 101d are arranged along a first direction and a second direction perpendicular to each other, where the first direction may be a long axis direction of a screen of the touch input device, and the second direction may be a short axis direction of the screen of the touch input device.

[0305] The first pattern 101d includes a first pattern portion 101o and a second pattern portion 101e. The multiple first patterns 101d include multiple first pattern portions 101o and multiple second pattern portions 101e, and each first pattern portion 101o and each second pattern portion 101e are alternately arranged along the first direction.

[0306] The first pattern units 101o arranged in the first direction are electrically connected to each other by a conductive pattern, and the second pattern units 101e arranged in the first direction are also electrically connected to each other by a conductive pattern. Here, the first pattern units 101o arranged in the second direction are not electrically connected to each other. Also, the second pattern units 101e arranged in the second direction are not electrically connected to each other.

[0307] Each of the first pattern portion 101o and the second pattern portion 101e may have a rectangular shape. In the case of a rectangular shape, the rectangular shape may be a polygon having at least four sides. Although not shown in the drawings, each of the first pattern portion 101o and the second pattern portion 101e may have an elliptical or circular shape.

[0308] Each of the first pattern portion 101o and the second pattern portion 101e may have an opening in which at least one second pattern 102d is disposed. The shape of the opening may correspond to the shape of each of the first pattern portion 101o and the second pattern portion 101e.

[0309] Each first pattern portion 101o has a structure surrounding at least a part or all of one second pattern 102d and is electrically insulated from each other, and each second pattern portion 101e has a structure surrounding at least a part or all of one second pattern 102b and is electrically insulated from each other.

[0310] The multiple first patterns 101d arranged along the first direction form the same electrical path as the first pattern 101 shown in FIG. 24. The multiple first patterns 101d arranged along the first direction have two input / output channels (or terminals). One channel is a channel in which the multiple first pattern units 101o arranged along the first direction are electrically connected by a conductive pattern, and the other channel is a channel in which the multiple second pattern units 101e arranged along the first direction are electrically connected by a conductive pattern. The two channels may be electrically connected to the control unit 300 shown in FIG. 25.

[0311] At least one second pattern 102d is disposed inside each of the multiple first pattern portions 101o and the multiple second pattern portions 101e.

[0312] A number of second patterns 102d arranged along the first direction are electrically connected by a number of conductive patterns. Two second patterns adjacent to each other along the first direction may be electrically connected by one conductive pattern. The second pattern arranged at one end of the number of second patterns 102d arranged along the first direction may be electrically connected to the control unit shown in FIG. 25, and the second pattern 102d arranged at the other end is electrically connected to the number of second patterns arranged along the second direction through the conductive pattern 102m. Through this, the electrical connection path may be configured to be the same as that of the second pattern 102a shown in FIG. 25.

[0313] Each of the multiple third patterns 103d has a shape extending along the second direction (or short axis). One third pattern 103d surrounds the multiple first patterns arranged along the second direction.

[0314] Each of the third patterns 103d located at odd positions in the first direction among the multiple third patterns 103d has multiple openings in which the multiple first pattern portions 101o arranged along the second direction are disposed. One first pattern portion 101o is disposed in each opening.

[0315] Each of the third patterns 103d located at an even-numbered position in the first direction has a number of openings in which a number of second pattern portions 101e arranged along the second direction are disposed. One second pattern portion 101e is disposed in each opening.

[0316] Each third pattern 103d may include a third outer pattern 103o, a number of third inner patterns 103i, and a number of third connecting patterns 103c.

[0317] The third external pattern 103o may have a shape corresponding to the contour shape of the third pattern 103d and may be a closed curve shape extending along the second direction. A plurality of third internal patterns 103i and a plurality of third connecting patterns 103c are arranged inside one third external pattern 103o.

[0318] The multiple third internal patterns 103i are arranged along the second direction within one third external pattern 103o. One third internal pattern 103i has a rectangular or elliptical shape and has an opening in which one first pattern portion 101o or one second pattern portion 101e is disposed. The shape of the opening may correspond to the external shape of the third internal pattern 103i.

[0319] The third connecting patterns 103c electrically connect the third internal patterns 103i arranged along the second direction, and electrically connect the third internal patterns located at both side ends of the third internal patterns 103i arranged along the second direction to the first external patterns 103o.

[0320] Each of the multiple fourth patterns 104d has a shape extending along the second direction, and is disposed adjacent to the third pattern 103d.

[0321] The other ends of the fourth patterns 104d are electrically connected to each other by a conductive pattern 104m.

[0322] Each of the fourth patterns 104d is disposed within one of the third patterns 103d. More specifically, the fourth patterns 104d may be disposed in an opening (or an inner opening) defined by the third outer pattern 103o, the multiple third inner patterns 103i, and the multiple third connecting patterns 103c of the third pattern 103d.

[0323] The fourth pattern 104d may include a fourth upper pattern 104u and a fourth lower pattern 104l. A predetermined space is formed between the third outer pattern 103o and the plurality of third inner patterns 103i, and the predetermined space is divided into two openings by the plurality of third connecting patterns 103c, and the fourth upper pattern 104u may be disposed in the upper opening of the two openings, and the fourth lower pattern 104l may be disposed in the lower opening of the two openings. The shapes of the fourth upper pattern 104u and the fourth lower pattern 104l may correspond to the shapes of the upper opening and the lower opening, respectively.

[0324] The fourth upper pattern 104u and the fourth lower pattern 104l may be electrically connected to each other by a conductive pattern extending along the first direction and crossing the third connecting pattern 103c.

[0325] The touch sensor 100d shown in FIG. 32 can be substituted for the touch sensor 100a shown in FIG. 25. Therefore, the touch sensor 100d shown in FIG. 32 can also sense the touch position of an object and drive and sense a stylus pen in various ways as described in [Table 1] above. Specifically, the touch sensor 100a shown in FIG. 26 to FIG. 29 can be substituted for the touch sensor 100d shown in FIG. 32. A touch input device having such a touch sensor 100d and a controller 300 can similarly perform the touch driving / sensing mode of FIG. 26, the pen driving mode of FIG. 27, and the stylus sensing mode of FIG. 28. Furthermore, the touch sensor 100d of FIG. 32 can be used in any one of the ways No. 2 to No. 32 in [Table 1] above.

[0326] FIG. 33 is a sixth embodiment of the touch sensor 100' of the touch input device shown in FIG.

[0327] The structures and shapes of the first to fourth patterns 101d, 102d, 103d, and 104d of the touch sensor 100d' shown in Fig. 33 are the same as the first to fourth patterns 101d, 102d, 103d, and 104d of the touch sensor 100d shown in Fig. 32. Therefore, the description of the structures and shapes of the first to fourth patterns 101d, 102d, 103d, and 104d replaces the description above.

[0328] The touch sensor 100d' shown in FIG. 33 differs from the touch sensor 100d shown in FIG. 32 in the conductive pattern 101om that electrically connects two adjacent first pattern portions 101o in the first direction of the first pattern 101d, and the conductive pattern that electrically connects two adjacent second pattern portions 101e.

[0329] The conductive pattern 101om does not intersect with the second pattern 102d but is arranged to bypass it.

[0330] In the touch sensor 100d of FIG. 32, the conductive pattern 101om electrically connecting two adjacent first pattern portions 101o in the first direction of the first pattern 101d and the conductive pattern electrically connecting two adjacent second pattern portions 101e have a shape extending in a straight line in the first direction, and therefore have an overlapping portion with the second pattern 102d. A predetermined capacitance may be formed between the conductive pattern and the second pattern 102d in the overlapping portion. The predetermined capacitance may affect touch sensing or stylus sensing sensitivity and may also affect the operating frequency bandwidth.

[0331] On the other hand, since the conductive pattern 101om in FIG. 33 is arranged to bypass the second pattern 102d without overlapping with the second pattern 102d, the above-mentioned capacitance is not formed, which has the advantage of reducing the impact on touch sensing or stylus sensing sensitivity and reducing the impact on the operating frequency bandwidth.

[0332] On the other hand, the conductive pattern in FIG. 32 is shorter in length than the conductive pattern 101om in FIG. 33, and therefore has the advantage that the resistance of the conductive pattern in FIG. 32 is smaller than that of the conductive pattern 101om in FIG.

[0333] In the above, the features, structures, effects, etc. described in the embodiments are included in one embodiment of the present invention and are not necessarily limited to only one embodiment. Furthermore, the features, structures, effects, etc. exemplified in each embodiment can be combined or modified in other embodiments by a person having ordinary knowledge in the field to which the embodiment belongs. Therefore, the contents related to such combinations and modifications should be interpreted as being included in the scope of the present invention.

[0334] In addition, although the above description focuses on the embodiment, this is merely an example and does not limit the present invention. A person having ordinary knowledge in the field to which the present invention belongs will understand that various modifications and applications not exemplified above are possible within the scope of the essential characteristics of the present embodiment. For example, each component specifically illustrated in the embodiment can be modified and implemented. The differences related to such modifications and applications should be interpreted as being included in the scope of the present invention defined in the appended claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0335] 1: Touch input device 10, 10', 100, 100', 100a, 100b, 100c, 100d: Touch sensor 13, 300: Control unit

Claims

1. A touch sensor and a control unit that controls the touch sensor, the touch sensor includes a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes; The first electrode is disposed along a first direction, The second electrodes are arranged along a second direction different from the first direction, and include a 2a electrode pattern arranged to be immediately adjacent to the first electrodes, and a 2b electrode pattern arranged at a predetermined distance from the first electrodes without being immediately adjacent to the first electrodes, At least two of the 2a electrode patterns and at least two of the 2b electrode patterns are alternately arranged one by one along the second direction, the control unit controls so that mutually different drive signals are simultaneously applied to at least four or more of the plurality of second electrodes, and the drive signal applied to the 2b electrode pattern is a drive signal that is 180 degrees inverted in phase with the drive signal applied to the 2a electrode pattern; The control unit detects a touch position of an object placed on the touch sensor based on received signals from the plurality of first electrodes.

2. A touch sensor and a control unit that controls the touch sensor, the touch sensor includes a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes; The first electrode is disposed along a first direction, the second electrode is arranged along a second direction different from the first direction, and includes a second a electrode pattern that forms a mutual capacitance with the first electrode and a second b electrode pattern that does not form a mutual capacitance with the first electrode; At least two of the 2a electrode patterns and at least two of the 2b electrode patterns are alternately arranged one by one along the second direction, the control unit controls so that mutually different drive signals are simultaneously applied to at least four or more of the plurality of second electrodes, and the drive signal applied to the 2b electrode pattern is a drive signal that is 180 degrees inverted in phase with the drive signal applied to the 2a electrode pattern; The control unit detects a touch position of an object placed on the touch sensor based on received signals from the plurality of first electrodes.

3. The touch input device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit outputs a differential signal obtained by subtracting two of the received signals from each other, and detects a touch position of the object based on the differential signal.

4. The control unit is an integrator that integrates the differential signal to restore the received signal; The touch input device according to claim 3 , further comprising: a sign processing unit that converts a sign of a capacitance change amount value having a negative (−) sign in the restored received signal to a positive (+) sign.

5. The touch input device according to claim 3 , wherein the control unit includes a baseline adjustment unit for reducing a baseline of the differential signal by a factor of 2.

6. The touch input device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit controls the second electrodes so that different drive signals are simultaneously applied to all of the second electrodes.

7. The touch input device according to claim 1 , wherein at least a part of another first electrode arranged adjacent to the first electrode is arranged between the 2b electrode pattern and the first electrode.

8. Each of the plurality of first electrodes has a shape extending in a first direction and has a number of openings arranged along the first direction; the 2a electrode patterns of the plurality of second electrodes are disposed in a number of openings of the first electrode that are odd-numbered in the second direction; the 2b electrode patterns of the plurality of second electrodes are disposed in a number of openings of the first electrodes that are even-numbered in the second direction; a first connection pattern electrically connecting the 2a electrode patterns arranged along the second direction and a second connection pattern electrically connecting the 2b electrode patterns arranged along the second direction, 3. A touch input device according to claim 1 or 2.

9. The touch sensor includes: Each of the 2a and 2b electrode patterns has an opening formed therein; The touch input device of claim 8 , further comprising a dummy pattern disposed within an opening of each of the 2a and 2b electrode patterns.

10. The touch input device of claim 8 , wherein the first connecting pattern is arranged so as not to overlap the 2b electrode pattern arranged between two 2a electrode patterns connected by the first connecting pattern.

11. Each of the plurality of first electrodes has a shape extending in a first direction and has a number of openings arranged along the first direction; the 2a electrode patterns of the plurality of second electrodes are disposed in a number of openings of the first electrode that are odd-numbered in the second direction; the 2b electrode patterns of the plurality of second electrodes are disposed in a number of openings of the first electrodes that are even-numbered in the second direction; The 2a electrode pattern is disposed in one of two adjacent openings of the odd-numbered first electrode, and in the remaining opening, The 2b electrode pattern is arranged such that a part of one of two adjacent openings of the first electrode located at an even number is disposed, and the remainder is disposed in the remaining one, a first connection pattern electrically connecting the 2a receiving electrode patterns arranged along the second direction and a second connection pattern electrically connecting the 2b receiving electrode patterns arranged along the second direction, 3. A touch input device according to claim 1 or 2.

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