Touch screen display device and control method thereof

Abstract

The present invention relates to a touch screen display device, and relates to technology implementing a hover touch function by using a TDDI system in which a touch IC and a display driver IC are integrated. According to the present invention, the stability and reliability of hover touch recognition can be improved by temporally separating and processing hover touch data and normal touch data within one frame, and accumulating and processing the hover touch data during a set frame.

Description

Touchscreen display device and control method thereof

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of a touchscreen display device and a control method thereof, and more specifically, to a technology based on Touch and Display Driver Integration (TDDI) to minimize interference between a display signal and a touch signal and to provide stable touch detection performance even in high-resolution and high-refresh-rate environments.

[0002] Display devices and touch detection devices have established themselves as key elements of user interfaces, and improving the performance of these systems is a critical factor in determining the quality of the user experience. Conventional technology operates using standalone touch ICs, receiving a Vsync (vertical synchronization signal) from a display driver IC to synchronously drive the Tx (touch driving signal) or to drive it asynchronously with an external signal. The touch technology of conventional technology has the following problems.

[0003] First, if the sensor gain value is set high to detect minute touch sensitivities, such as hover touches, a problem arises where noise is amplified along with the increased sensitivity of the touch signal. This lowers the reliability of the touch data and increases the likelihood of detection errors.

[0004] Second, when the display driving signal and the touch detection signal operate at the same time, the touch signal data fluctuates significantly depending on changes in the display color or brightness. This fluctuation is caused by interference from the display signal, making it difficult to distinguish between the touch signal and the display signal.

[0005] Third, increasing the driving voltage level of the Touch Tx signal to improve touch signal sensitivity may increase electromagnetic interference in the display, causing flickering on the screen. This phenomenon not only degrades the user experience but also undermines the stability of the display and touch performance.

[0006] Therefore, a technical solution is needed to resolve the aforementioned problems and ensure the stability of touch signal detection.

[0007] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a technology that minimizes interference problems between a display and a touch detection signal, and provides stable and precise touch data even in high-resolution and high-refresh-rate environments.

[0008] The technical problems to be solved by the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other technical problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs from the description below.

[0009] A touchscreen display device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a touch sensor that detects at least one of hover touch data and normal touch data through a plurality of Tx electrodes for applying a touch driving signal and a plurality of Rx electrodes for touch detection, a touch IC that receives and processes the detected touch data, a display driver IC for driving a display panel, and a touch and display driver integration (hereinafter TDDI) in which the touch IC and the display driver IC are integrated. The touch IC may include processing the hover touch data and the normal touch data separately in time within one frame, and processing the hover touch data by accumulating it up to a set frame.

[0010] In a touchscreen display device according to at least one embodiment of the present invention, the touch sensor may include detecting a change in capacitance and transmitting data to the touch IC.

[0011] In a touchscreen display device according to at least one embodiment of the present invention, processing the hover touch data and the normal touch data separately in time within one frame may include processing the hover touch data in a blank section and processing the normal touch data in a display active section.

[0012] In a touchscreen display device according to at least one embodiment of the present invention, the hover touch data includes data detected without directly contacting the touch sensor, and the normal touch data may include data detected by directly contacting the touch sensor.

[0013] In a touchscreen display device according to at least one embodiment of the present invention, the blank section may include a section in which pixel data is not transmitted to the display panel.

[0014] In a touchscreen display device according to at least one embodiment of the present invention, the display information may include refresh rate information, which includes at least one of refresh rate information, brightness information, and synchronization timing information.

[0015] In a touchscreen display device according to at least one embodiment of the present invention, the touch IC may include controlling to detect touch data by increasing the driving voltage of the plurality of Tx electrodes in the blank section.

[0016] In a touchscreen display device according to at least one embodiment of the present invention, the touch IC is,

[0017] It may include controlling to detect touch data by simultaneously activating at least two of the plurality of Tx electrodes in the blank section.

[0018] Meanwhile, a control method for a touchscreen display device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes the step of detecting at least one of hover touch data and normal touch data through a plurality of Tx electrodes for applying a touch driving signal and a plurality of Rx electrodes for touch detection, and the step of receiving and processing the detected touch data, wherein the step of receiving and processing the detected touch data may include the step of processing the hover touch data and the normal touch data separately in time within one frame, and processing the hover touch data accumulated up to a set frame.

[0019] In the method of at least one embodiment of the present invention, the step of detecting touch data may include detecting a change in capacitance and transmitting data to a touch IC.

[0020] In the method of at least one embodiment of the present invention, separating and processing the hover touch data and the normal touch data in time within one frame may include processing the hover touch data in a blank section and processing the normal touch data in a display active section.

[0021] In the method of at least one embodiment of the present invention, the hover touch data includes data detected without direct contact with the touch sensor, and the normal touch data may include data detected by direct contact with the touch sensor.

[0022] In the method of at least one embodiment of the present invention, the blank section may include a section in which pixel data is not transmitted to the display panel.

[0023] In the method of at least one embodiment of the present invention, the display information may include at least one of refresh rate information, brightness information, and synchronization timing information.

[0024] In the method of at least one embodiment of the present invention, the step of detecting touch data may include the step of detecting touch data by controlling the driving voltage of the plurality of Tx electrodes to be increased in a blank section.

[0025] In the method of at least one embodiment of the present invention, the step of detecting touch data may include the step of detecting touch data by controlling at least two or more electrodes among the plurality of Tx electrodes to be simultaneously activated in a blank section.

[0026] According to at least one embodiment of the present invention, by accumulating and processing hover touch data detected during a blanking interval over multiple frames, the present invention can provide accurate and precise touch data even in high-resolution and high-refresh-rate environments. This enables stable detection of even minute touch signals.

[0027] The effects obtainable from the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other unmentioned effects will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below.

[0028] FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a touchscreen display device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 2 is a diagram of the driving timing of a touchscreen display device operating with a conventional single-piece touch IC.

[0030] FIG. 3 is a diagram of the driving timing of a touchscreen display device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a touch data processing method for a touchscreen display device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of how touch data of a touchscreen display device is processed according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] The present invention is capable of various modifications and may have various embodiments, and specific embodiments are illustrated and described in the drawings. However, this is not intended to limit the invention to specific embodiments, and it should be understood that the invention includes all modifications, equivalents, and substitutions that fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0034] The suffixes "module" and "part" used in this specification are used merely for nominal distinction between components and should not be interpreted as presupposing that they are physically or chemically distinguished or separated, or that they can be distinguished or separated in this way.

[0035] Terms containing ordinal numbers, such as “first,” “second,” etc., may be used to describe various components, but said components are not limited by said terms. These terms may be used solely in a nominal sense to distinguish one component from another, and their sequential meaning is determined not by such nomenclature but by the context of the description.

[0036] The term “and / or” is used to include all cases of any combination of the multiple items in question. For example, “A and / or B” means including all three cases such as “A,” “B,” and “A and B.”

[0037] When it is stated that one component is "connected" or "joined" to another component, it should be understood that while it may be directly connected or joined to that other component, there may also be other components in between.

[0038] The terms used in this application are used merely to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the invention. The singular expression includes the plural expression unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this application, terms such as "comprising" or "having" are intended to specify the presence of the features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, and should be understood as not precluding the existence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0039] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as generally understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. Terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant technology, and should not be interpreted in an ideal or overly formal sense unless explicitly defined in this application.

[0040] Furthermore, "unit," "control unit," "control device," or "controller" are merely terms widely used to name devices that control the corresponding function, and do not imply a generic function unit. For example, a device referred to by these names may include a communication device that communicates with other controllers or sensors to control the corresponding function, a computer-readable recording medium that stores an operating system, logic instructions, and input / output information, and one or more processors that perform judgments, calculations, decisions, etc., necessary for controlling the assigned function.

[0041] Meanwhile, the processor may include semiconductor integrated circuits and / or electronic devices that perform at least one or more of comparison, judgment, operation, and decision to achieve programmed functions. For example, the processor may be any one or a combination of a computer, a microprocessor, a CPU, an ASIC, and electronic circuits (circuitry, logic circuits).

[0042] A processor can be electrically connected to memory, and it can retrieve and write data from memory. Memory and the processor may be integrated or physically separated.

[0043] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0044] FIG. 1 is a diagram of a display device configuration according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] Referring to FIG. 1, the display device (100) may include a display panel (120), a data processing device (130), a gate driving device (140), and a data driving device (110), etc. The present invention is capable of various modifications and may have various embodiments, and specific embodiments are illustrated and described in the drawings. However, this is not intended to limit the present invention to specific embodiments, and it should be understood that it includes all modifications, equivalents, and substitutions that fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0046] The suffixes "module" and "part" used in this specification are used merely for nominal distinction between components and should not be interpreted as presupposing that they are physically or chemically distinguished or separated, or that they can be distinguished or separated in this way.

[0047] Terms containing ordinal numbers, such as “first,” “second,” etc., may be used to describe various components, but said components are not limited by said terms. These terms may be used solely in a nominal sense to distinguish one component from another, and their sequential meaning is determined not by such nomenclature but by the context of the description.

[0048] The term “and / or” is used to include any combination of the multiple items in question. For example, “A and / or B” means including all three cases, such as “A,” “B,” and “A and B.”

[0049] When it is stated that one component is "connected" or "joined" to another component, it should be understood that while it may be directly connected or joined to that other component, there may also be other components in between.

[0050] The terms used in this application are used merely to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the invention. The singular expression includes the plural expression unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this application, terms such as "comprising" or "having" are intended to specify the presence of the features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, and should be understood as not precluding the existence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0051] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as generally understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. Terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant technology, and should not be interpreted in an ideal or overly formal sense unless explicitly defined in this application.

[0052] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0053] FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a touchscreen display device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0054] Of course, each component shown in FIG. 1 represents only the components related to the embodiment, and it goes without saying that in actual implementation, more components than this may be included in the touchscreen display device.

[0055] Referring to FIG. 1, the touchscreen display device includes a TDDI (100), a HOST (200), a display panel (300), and a touch sensor (400).

[0056] TDDI (Touch and Display Driver Integration, 100) includes a display driver IC (Display Driver IC, 110) and a touch IC (Touch IC, 120).

[0057] TDDI (100) is a device that integrates a touch IC (120) and a display driver IC (DDI, 110) into a single chipset and can perform the function of synchronizing a display driving signal and a touch signal.

[0058] In the TDDI (100), the touch IC (120) and the display driver IC (110) are integrated into a single chip, which reduces the number of components and simplifies the design, thereby saving internal space in the device and contributing to a reduction in manufacturing costs. Additionally, since the TDDI (100) handles both touch and display driving on a single chip, power consumption can be reduced. Furthermore, by optimizing the interaction between the display and the touch system, interference between the touch and display signals can be minimized, and overall screen quality can be improved. Additionally, since touch sensing is dynamically adjusted according to the display state, stable touch performance can be provided while maintaining high sensitivity.

[0059] The display driver IC (110) can control the display panel (300). It manages various information such as the refresh rate, brightness, and timing of the display panel (300), and can provide relevant information so that the touch IC (120) can accurately process touch signals.

[0060] The touch IC (120) converts a signal transmitted from the touch sensor (400) into a digital signal and analyzes the touch data to process the accurate input location and operation. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the touch IC (120) of the TDDI (100) receives display status information from the display driver IC (110) every frame and reflects it in the touch signal processing, thereby providing optimal touch performance suitable for the display status.

[0061] The HOST (200) can serve as a higher-level system that controls and manages the display driving and touch detection functions of the TDDI (100). The HOST (200) can function as a CPU or an AP (Application Processor), providing commands and data to enable the TDDI (100) to operate effectively, monitoring the system status, and coordinating the display and touch operations.

[0062] The display panel (300) is a component that controls the output and operation of the display screen in the TDDI (100) system. It outputs an image based on pixel data received from the display driver IC (110) and can be designed to minimize interference between the display driving signal and the touch signal. The pixel data is configured according to the screen resolution and refresh rate, and the display panel (300) accurately outputs it.

[0063] The display panel (300) periodically updates the screen based on timing signals (Vsync, Hsync) provided by the display driver IC (110). The display panel (300) can adjust the brightness and color of the screen according to commands received from the HOST (200) or the display driver IC (110).

[0064] The touch sensor (400) may include a touch panel of the display. It may detect changes in capacitance that occur when a user's finger or an object touches or approaches the screen through electrodes arranged on the surface of the display. It detects changes in capacitance and can transmit the detected touch data to the touch IC (120).

[0065] The touch sensor (400) can detect the touch of a user's finger or the hover state of a finger at a close distance using a capacitive method. Capacitive methods include mutual capacitive and self-capacitive methods.

[0066] Mutual capacitance is a method that detects changes in capacitance between two electrodes positioned along the X and Y axes at the bottom of the display; when a finger approaches these electrodes, the capacitance between them changes, and based on this, the position of the finger can be calculated.

[0067] Self-capacitive is a method in which each electrode independently detects changes in capacitance, and it is particularly advantageous for hover touch detection. When detecting a hover touch, as a finger approaches the display, the change in capacitance of individual electrodes increases, allowing the proximity of the finger to be detected even without physical contact.

[0068] Hover Touch is a technology on touchscreen devices that detects movement of a user's finger across the screen without the finger actually touching it. In other words, it is a feature that allows the device to recognize the location and respond simply by bringing a finger within a certain distance of the screen, without any physical contact.

[0069] Figure 2 is a diagram of the driving timing of a touchscreen display device operating with a conventional single-piece touch IC.

[0070] Referring to FIG. 2, the driving timing of a display touch device operating with a conventional single-piece touch IC includes a Display signal (S11), a Vsync signal (S12), and a Touch Tx (S13) signal.

[0071] Referring to the Display signal (S11), the Display signal (S11) can be divided into a Blanking Interval section (hereinafter, the first blank section, T1) and a Display Time section (hereinafter, the first display active section, T2).

[0072] The first blank period (T1) is the time during which the display is disabled at the time of frame transition. During this period, the display does not transmit or update pixel data, and the process of preparing for the next frame proceeds. The role of the first blank period (T1) is to prevent screen flickering or data transmission errors that may occur during frame transition and to help ensure that the frame transition proceeds smoothly.

[0073] The first display active period (T2) is the time during which the display actually displays an image or data on the screen. During this time, the display can activate pixel data and display an image on the screen. In other words, it is a period during which the pixels of the display are turned on so that the user can view the screen. The first display active period (T2) is the time for transmitting and processing the pixel data of a frame, and the time during which the frame is displayed on the screen varies depending on the display refresh rate. During the first display active period (T2), the display continuously processes pixel data, and the result appears to the user on the screen.

[0074] Referring to the Vsync signal (S12), the Vsync signal (S12) is activated during the first blank interval (T1) of the Display signal (S11). The Vsync signal (S12) is a vertical synchronization signal that indicates the frame switching time in the display. The Vsync signal (S12) occurs at the time when one frame ends and the next frame begins to display a new frame. Through this, the display driver IC (110) manages frame switching and resets pixel data on the screen. Since the standalone touch IC, which is not part of the TDDI (100) structure, operates independently, it can receive the Vsync signal (S12) to synchronize the touch signal in order to prevent a conflict between the display driving signal and the touch signal. By receiving the Vsync signal (S12), the standalone touch IC can recognize the timing when the display switches frames and determine the optimal time to transmit the touch signal.

[0075] Referring to the Touch Tx signal (S13), the Vsync signal (S12) and the Touch Tx signal (S13) are synchronized. The Touch Tx signal (S13) is a signal transmitted from a standalone touch IC to a touch sensor to detect changes in capacitance. When driving the standalone touch IC, the Vsync signal (S12) is received, and the Touch Tx signal (S13) is transmitted in a synchronized manner. This synchronization method minimizes interference between the touch signal and the display signal by transmitting the touch signal in accordance with the display frame switching time.

[0076] In conventional standalone touch ICs, display driving and touch detection are performed separately, so signal interference may occur if complete synchronization is not achieved. In particular, for high-resolution or high-frequency displays, the display driving speed is fast, so the possibility of interference increases when touch signals are processed asynchronously. To solve this problem, the touch signal and the display driving signal are synchronized using a Vsync signal (S12), but signal interference may still exist.

[0077] Furthermore, in the case of a touchscreen display device operating with a conventional standalone touch IC, if the gain of the Touch Tx signal (S13) is increased so that it can detect minute capacitance changes such as hover touch, not only the touch signal but also the noise generated by the display may be amplified. The noise generated at this time may include electromagnetic signals caused by changes in brightness or color output by the display on the screen. The display exchanges electrical signals to output an image on the screen, and this operates differently depending on brightness or color. Whenever the display becomes brighter or the color changes, the electromagnetic environment changes, causing interference with the touch signal, and in this case, it becomes difficult to distinguish between the touch signal caused by an actual finger and the signal generated by the display.

[0078] In addition, if the Touch Tx (S13) driving level is increased to increase the transmission strength of the touch signal, the touch sensitivity is improved and it may be advantageous for detecting fine signals, but due to the collision between the first display active section (T2) and the touch signal, a flickering phenomenon called Flicker may occur on the screen.

[0079] FIG. 3 is a diagram of the driving timing of a touchscreen display device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0080] Referring to FIG. 3, the driving timing of the display touch device of the present invention includes a Display signal (S21), a Vsync signal (S22), a VBlank signal (S23), a Touch Sync signal (S24), and a Touch Tx (S25) signal.

[0081] Referring to the Display signal (S21), the Display signal (S21) can be divided into a Blanking Interval section (hereinafter, the second blank section, T3) and a Display Time section (hereinafter, the second display active section, T4).

[0082] The display signal (S21) is a signal that drives one frame of the display and can update the frame at a constant period. Generally, since it is difficult to change the refresh rate for video playback, a fixed refresh rate may be applied.

[0083] The second blank period (T3) of the display signal (S21) is an inactive period during which the display does not transmit pixel data, and can provide time during the second blank period (T3) for touch detection to occur.

[0084] The second display active section (T4) of the display signal (S21) may be an active section where the display transmits pixel data and renders the screen. Since there may be a possibility of interference between the display and the touch in the second display active section (T4), the touch detection may be restricted.

[0085] In a video environment, the refresh rate of the display signal (S21) is fixed, and the lengths of the second blank interval (T3) and the second display active interval (T4) may also be constant. For example, in a 60Hz environment, one frame period is fixed at approximately 16.67ms.

[0086] The Vsync signal (S23) is a vertical synchronization signal indicating the start of a new frame of the display and includes a vertical front porch (VFP; hereinafter VFP) and a vertical back porch (VBP; hereinafter VBP). VFP is a waiting time from the end of a frame until the start of a new frame, and VBP may be a waiting time for stabilization before the start of a new frame.

[0087] The Vsync signal (S23) can be generated at a constant interval. The interval of the Vsync signal (S23) is fixed according to the refresh rate, and the display timing and touch timing can be synchronized based on this signal.

[0088] The VBlank signal (S23) is a signal indicating that the display output is stopped during the second blank period (T3).

[0089] The VBlank signal (S23) indicates a second blank period (T3), during which the display driving signal may be disabled. Hover touch detection may be performed while the VBlank signal (S23) is active.

[0090] The Touch Sync signal (S24) can stably process touch data during the second blank period (T3) and the second display active period (T4) by synchronizing the touch signal detection timing with the display timing (Vsync, VBlank). In the second blank period (T3), the Touch Sync signal (S24) can perform hover touch detection by synchronizing with the VBlank signal (S23). Since the display driving signal is disabled in the second blank period (T3), touch detection interference can be minimized. In the second display active period (T4), the Touch Sync signal (S24) performs normal touch detection, but can adjust the signal strength considering the possibility of interference with the display driving signal or operate in a way that avoids interference.

[0091] The Touch Tx signal (S25) can induce a change in capacitance by applying voltage to the Tx electrode of the touch sensor (400) and generate touch data by detecting this at the Rx electrode. In the second blank section (T3), the Touch Tx signal (S25) can operate with high sensitivity by increasing the driving voltage for hover touch detection or by simultaneously activating at least two Tx lines among a plurality of Tx lines. Thus, the display driving signal is deactivated during the second blank section (T3), allowing for stable detection of capacitance changes without interference. In the second display active section (T4), the Touch Tx signal (S25) operates for normal touch detection, and can operate with low sensitivity by driving with a lower driving voltage than in the second blank section (T3) or by activating only a single Tx line to avoid interference with the display driving signal. In addition, in high resolution and high refresh rate environments, since the second blanking interval (T3) is relatively short, it may be difficult to effectively process hover touch data during one frame, so frames can be processed cumulatively.

[0092] FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a touch data processing method for a touchscreen display device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0093] Referring to FIG. 4, when a hover touch mode command is given from the HOST (200) to the touch IC (120) of the TDDI (100), the hover touch mode is executed.

[0094] When a hover touch mode command is given from the HOST (200) to the touch IC (120) of the TDDI (100), the hover touch mode is executed (S101). This may be an initialization step that prepares to detect touch data in the blanking section (T1) of the touchscreen display device.

[0095] After the hover touch mode is executed (S101), the first frame starts (S102), and the touch IC (120) of the TDDI (100) acquires display information (S103). At this time, the display information includes information necessary for touch signal processing, such as refresh rate information, brightness information, and timing information. Based on the refresh rate information, Vsync, a second blanking interval (T3), a second display active interval (T4), etc. are determined.

[0096] Subsequently, the touch IC (120) of the TDDI (100) collects hover touch data in the second blanking interval (T3) (S104) and collects normal touch data in the second display active interval (T4) (S105). In the second blanking interval (T3), the sensitivity of the touch signal can be enhanced by increasing the Tx driving voltage or by simultaneously activating multiple Tx lines. Then, hover touch data is accumulated per frame (S106), but normal touch data is not accumulated.

[0097] When the number of frames accumulated reaches the set number of frames (Yes in S107), hover touch and normal touch data are processed (S109), and when the number of accumulated frames does not reach the set number of frames (No in S107), only normal data is processed (S108). In high-resolution and high-refresh-rate environments, since the second blanking interval (T3) is relatively short, it may be difficult to effectively process hover touch data during one frame; therefore, frames can be accumulated for processing.

[0098] When the set number of frames is reached (Yes in S107) and hover touch and normal touch data are processed (S109), the touch event is reported to the Host (S110), the frame calculation is initialized (S111), and the frame is started again (S102).

[0099] FIG. 5 is a diagram of an example of touch data processing of a touchscreen display device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0100] Referring to FIG. 5, a hover touch operation scenario of a touchscreen display device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a HOST, a T-IC, and a DDI, and includes events occurring between them.

[0101] The HOST (200) is the upper control unit of the system and performs the role of transmitting commands to the touch IC (120) and DDI (110) and processing touch data. The touch IC (120) detects touch data (normal touch, hover touch), processes the data, and transmits it to the HOST. The DDI (110) controls the display driving signal and provides display status and timing information to the touch IC.

[0102] When a frame starts (S201), the touch IC (120) can acquire display information (S202). Here, the display information may include refresh rate information, brightness information, synchronization timing information, etc. At this time, since the HOST (200) has not issued a hover touch command, the touch IC (120) can operate in normal touch mode.

[0103] And the touch IC (120) reads information from the DDI (110) every frame. The reason the touch IC (120) reads information from the DDI (110) every frame is that the display refreshes the screen tens to hundreds of times per second, and the content displayed on the screen, the brightness of the screen, the refresh rate, etc., can change continuously. Since these changes can cause interference with the touch signal, the T-IC (120) must detect the state of the display in real time to maintain stable touch sensitivity.

[0104] When a hover touch is required, the HOST (200) can send a command to the touch IC (120) to change to hover touch mode (S203). When touch input information is required, the HOST (200) can request data from the touch IC (120), collect touch events, and perform app or system control based on this.

[0105] Sending a command at this time may include the process of the HOST (200) instructing the touch IC (120) to change the mode or activate a function. For example, if a phone call comes in while the user is using a smartphone, a function may be needed where the device detects the user's face and automatically turns off the screen without the user touching the screen. This function includes a hover touch mode. At this time, the HOST (200) transmits a command to the touch IC (120) of the TDDI (100) to switch to hover touch mode. Through this command, the touch system activates the hover touch function, so that it becomes capable of detecting fingers or faces without touching.

[0106] The touch IC (120) receives a command from the HOST (200) to change to hover touch mode, and when the first frame starts (S204). From this point on, both normal touch mode and hover touch mode operate within one frame.

[0107] The touch IC (120) receives a command from the HOST (200) to change to hover touch mode, and after the first frame starts (S204), it acquires display information (S205). The display information may be display information for hover touch mode operation and includes refresh rate information, brightness information, and synchronization timing information. At this time, based on the refresh rate information, Vsync, a second blanking interval (T3), a second display active interval (T4), etc. are determined, and the hover touch mode operates in the second blanking interval (T3) and the normal touch mode operates in the second display active interval (T4). At this time, the touch IC (120) can increase the driving voltage to detect hover touch in the second blanking interval (T3) or simultaneously activate at least two Tx lines among a plurality of Tx lines to operate with high sensitivity.

[0108] Afterwards, frames are accumulated, and when hover data is accumulated up to a set number of frames, hover touch data and normal touch data are processed in the set frames (S207). In high resolution and high refresh rate environments, since the second blanking interval (T3) is relatively short, it may be difficult to effectively process hover touch data during one frame, so frames can be accumulated for processing.

[0109] Afterwards, based on the processed touch data, the final event (e.g., touch location, action, etc.) is reported to the HOST (200).

[0110] The method according to the above-described embodiment may be produced as a program to be executed on a computer, and the program may be stored on a computer-readable recording medium, examples of computer-readable recording media include ROM, RAM, CD-ROM, magnetic tape, floppy disk, optical data storage device, etc., and also includes being implemented in the form of a carrier wave (e.g., transmission over the Internet).

[0111] Computer-readable recording media are distributed across networked computer systems, allowing computer-readable code to be stored and executed in a distributed manner. Furthermore, functional programs, code, and code segments for implementing the above-described method can be easily inferred by programmers skilled in the art to which the embodiments belong.

[0112] It is obvious to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit and essential features of the invention.

[0113] Accordingly, the above detailed description should not be interpreted restrictively in all respects but should be considered exemplary. The scope of the invention should be determined by a reasonable interpretation of the appended claims, and all modifications within the equivalent scope of the invention are included within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A touch sensor that detects at least one of hover touch data and normal touch data through a plurality of Tx electrodes for applying a touch driving signal and a plurality of Rx electrodes for touch detection; A touch IC that receives and processes the above-mentioned detected touch data; A display driver IC for driving a display panel; and It includes a touch and display driver integration (hereinafter TDDI) in which the above-mentioned touch IC and the above-mentioned display driver IC are integrated, and The above touch IC is, A touchscreen display device that processes the hover touch data and the normal touch data separately in time within one frame, and processes the hover touch data accumulated up to a set frame.

2. In Paragraph 1, The above touch sensor is, A touchscreen display device comprising detecting a change in capacitance and transmitting data to the touch IC.

3. In Paragraph 1, Processing the hover touch data and the normal touch data separately in time within the above frame is, A touchscreen display device comprising processing hover touch data in a blank section and processing normal touch data in a display active section.

4. In Paragraph 1, The above hover touch data is, It includes data detected without direct contact with the touch sensor, and The above normal touch data is, A touchscreen display device comprising data detected by direct contact with the touch sensor.

5. In Paragraph 3, The above blank section is, A touchscreen display device including a section in which pixel data is not transmitted to the display panel.

6. In Paragraph 1, The above display information is, A touchscreen display device comprising at least one of refresh rate information, brightness information, and synchronization timing information.

7. In Paragraph 3, The above touch IC is, A touchscreen display device comprising controlling the driving voltage of the plurality of Tx electrodes to be increased in the blank section to detect the touch data.

8. In Paragraph 3, The above touch IC is, A touchscreen display device comprising controlling to detect touch data by simultaneously activating at least two electrodes among the plurality of Tx electrodes in the blank section.

9. A step of detecting at least one of hover touch data and normal touch data through a plurality of Tx electrodes for applying a touch driving signal and a plurality of Rx electrodes for touch detection; and It includes the step of receiving and processing the detected touch data, The step of receiving and processing the above-mentioned detected touch data is, A control method for a touchscreen display device comprising the step of processing the hover touch data and the normal touch data separately in time within one frame, and processing the hover touch data accumulated up to a set frame.

10. In Paragraph 9, The step of detecting the above touch data is, A control method for a touchscreen display device, comprising detecting a change in capacitance and transmitting data to a touch IC.

11. In Paragraph 9, Processing the hover touch data and the normal touch data separately in time within the above frame is, A control method for a touchscreen display device, comprising processing hover touch data in a blank section and processing normal touch data in a display active section.

12. In Paragraph 9, The above hover touch data is, Includes data detected without direct contact with the touch sensor, The above normal touch data is, A method for controlling a touchscreen display device, comprising data detected by direct contact with the touch sensor.

13. In Paragraph 11, The above blank section is, A method for controlling a touchscreen display device, comprising a section in which pixel data is not transmitted to the display panel.

14. In Paragraph 9, The above display information is, A method for controlling a touchscreen display device comprising at least one of refresh rate information, brightness information, and synchronization timing information.

15. In Paragraph 11, The step of detecting the above touch data is, A control method for a touchscreen display device comprising the step of detecting touch data by controlling the driving voltage of the plurality of Tx electrodes to be increased in the blank section.

16. In Paragraph 11, The step of detecting the above touch data is, A method for controlling a touchscreen display device, comprising the step of detecting touch data by controlling at least two or more electrodes among the plurality of Tx electrodes to be simultaneously activated in the blank section.

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