Timing Controller for Touch Detection Using Display Emission
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current display devices with touch screen capabilities require a separate touch sensing device or IC, complicating the manufacturing process and increasing costs due to the need for additional components.
Innovation Solution
A timing controller that uses light emitted from self-emission elements in the display panel to sense touch coordinates, allowing for the time-division of a frame duration to output emission data for touch coordinates and image data, and varying the number of pixels emitting light based on resolution and precision, without a separate touch IC or screen panel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a separate touch sensing device or touch IC is included to detect touch inputs, then touch coordinate detection capability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the touch sensing function with the existing display panel by utilizing the self-emission elements (OLEDs) to emit light for touch coordinate detection. Instead of adding a separate touch sensing device or touch IC, the display panel's own emission elements are employed to serve dual purposes: image display and touch sensing, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining touch coordinate detection capability
Solution Approach 2:
The self-emission elements in the display panel are designed to perform multiple functions: they serve as both the light source for image display and the light source for touch coordinate detection. By making the emission elements universal, the system eliminates the need for separate dedicated touch sensing components, addressing the contradiction between detection capability and device complexity
2Measurement precision
If a separate touch sensing device or touch IC is included to detect touch inputs, then touch coordinate detection capability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the touch sensing functionality into the existing display panel structure, eliminating the need for separate touch sensing devices or touch ICs. This merging approach reduces the total component count and assembly steps, thereby lowering manufacturing costs while preserving touch coordinate detection capability
Solution Approach 2:
The display panel's self-emission elements are utilized to serve the touch sensing function, allowing the system to use its own resources (the emission elements) for dual purposes. This self-service approach avoids the need for additional dedicated components, reducing manufacturing complexity and cost
3Measurement precision
If emission data is output for touch coordinate detection, then touch coordinate detection capability is improved, but image display quality may be degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the frame duration into distinct time periods: a first period for outputting emission data for touch coordinate detection and a second period for outputting image data. This temporal segmentation allows the system to dedicate specific time slots to each function, ensuring that touch detection does not interfere with image display quality and vice versa
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs periodic action by alternating between emission data output for touch detection and image data output for display within the frame duration. This periodic switching allows both functions to operate without simultaneous interference, maintaining both touch coordinate detection capability and image display quality through time-division multiplexing
4Measurement precision
If the number of pixels emitting light is varied for touch detection, then coordinate precision is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by varying the number of pixels that emit light for touch coordinate detection based on the required precision. Instead of all pixels emitting light simultaneously, the system activates only the necessary number of pixels to achieve the desired coordinate precision, thereby reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining adequate detection accuracy
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach simplifies the manufacturing process, reduces costs, and allows for accurate touch coordinate detection without degrading image quality or resolution, while preventing ghost images by randomly varying the emission color.
Implementation Method 1
sensing touch coordinates of a pen that comes into contact with a display panel using light emitted from a self-emission element included in a pixel of a display panel
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a timing controller including a coordinate data generation circuit configured to generate X coordinate emission data for acquiring X coordinates and Y coordinate emission data for acquiring Y coordinates of the touch coordinates, a selection circuit configured to time-divide 1 frame duration, to output image data to a display driving circuit during a display field, to output the X coordinate emission data to the display driving circuit during an X coordinate field, and to output the Y coordinate emission data to the display driving circuit during a Y coordinate field, and a control data generation circuit configured to generate source control data and gate control data for outputting the image data, the X coordinate emission data, and the Y coordinate emission data to a display panel and to output the source control data and the gate control data to the display driving circuit.