KR101977253B1 - Touch and hover sensing system and driving method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a touch and hover sensing system and method of driving the same, comprising touch and hover sensors formed by transverse lines and longitudinal lines intersecting each other and longitudinal lines and longitudinal lines, touch screen; And a touch screen driving circuit that senses a touch input through intersecting lines among the lines formed on the touch screen and senses a space input through parallel lines formed on the touch screen.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to a touch and hover sensing system,

The present invention relates to a touch and hover sensing system and a driving method thereof.

A user interface (UI) enables a user (a user) to communicate with various electric or electronic devices, thereby enabling a user to easily control the device as desired. Representative examples of the user interface include a keypad, a keyboard, a mouse, an on-screen display (OSD), a remote controller having infrared communication or radio frequency (RF) communication functions. User interface technology has been developed to enhance the user's sensibility and ease of operation. The user interface has evolved into a touch UI, a voice recognition UI, a 3D UI and the like, and a gesture UI that senses a user's gesture is also introduced.

The touch UI senses an object approaching the touch screen directly or at a height close to the touch screen, and controls the electric and electronic devices as desired by the user. The gesture UI senses the movement of a user's gesture or object in space and controls the electric and electronic devices as desired by the user. Generally, the touch UI senses a touch input of a user or an object by using a touch screen including resistive or capacitive touch sensors. The gesture UI senses the space input that occurs when a user or object moves in space.

The capacitive touch sensing system can directly touch or sense fingers close to the touch sensor, but it is difficult to sense a space input performed by the movement of a user or an object in a space distant from the touch sensor. For this reason, the touch UI and the gesture UI are generally implemented as separate systems. However, implementing touch UI and gesture UI as a separate system greatly increases the cost and hardware complexity.

The present invention provides a touch and hover sensing system capable of sensing a touch input and a space input through a touch screen and a driving method thereof.

The touch and hover sensing system of the present invention comprises a touch screen comprising transverse and longitudinal lines intersecting each other and touch and hover sensors formed by said transverse and longitudinal lines; And a touch screen driving circuit that senses a touch input through intersecting lines among the lines formed on the touch screen and senses a space input through parallel lines formed on the touch screen.

The touch screen driver circuit applies a driving signal to the lateral lines in the touch sensing mode and receives the charges of the touch and hover sensors through the longitudinal lines to sense the touch input.

The touch screen driver circuit applies a driving signal to at least one of the parallel lines of the touch screen in the hover sensing mode and receives the charges of the touch and hover sensors through another line to sense the space input.

The touch screen driving circuit switches to the touch sensing mode when the touch input is sensed in the hover sensing mode.

The touchscreen driver circuit senses a spatial input by applying a drive signal to at least one of the transverse lines in the hover sensing mode and receiving charge of the touch and hover sensors through another transverse line, Sensing mode, sensing a spatial input by applying a drive signal to at least one of the longitudinal lines on the touch screen and receiving charges of the touch and hover sensors through another longitudinal line.

In the hover sensing mode, a line for receiving the driving signal and a line for receiving the charges of the touch and hover sensors in synchronization with the driving signal are spaced apart by N or more (N is a positive integer of 2 or more) lines or more. And a touch and hover sensing system.

The method of driving the touch and hover sensing system includes sensing a touch input through intersecting lines of lines formed on the touch screen; And sensing a spatial input through parallel lines formed on the touch screen.

The present invention senses a touch input through lines crossing the touch screen and senses a space input or a user's gesture through parallel lines. The present invention can sense the touch input and the space input by sharing the touch screen. Since the present invention does not need to separate the touch sensing system from the hover sensing system, the hardware complexity can be reduced and the cost can be reduced.

Figure 1 is a flow chart illustrating a method of operating a touch and hover sensing system.
2 is a diagram illustrating a touch and hover sensing system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
3 to 5 are views showing various combinations of the display panel and the touch screen.
FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram showing the switch array shown in FIG. 2 in detail.
7 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the touch screen in the touch sensing mode.
8 is a waveform diagram showing an example of a drive signal of the touch screen generated in the touch sensing mode.
9 is a view showing the height of an electric field formed between two lines crossing in the touch sensing mode.
10 is a view showing an electric field formed between the horizontal lines in the hover sensing mode.
11 is a waveform diagram showing an example of a drive signal for generating an electric field between the horizontal lines in the hover sensing mode.
12 is a view showing the height of an electric field formed between the horizontal lines in the hover sensing mode.
13 is a diagram showing another example of an electric field formed between the horizontal lines in the hover sensing mode.
14 is a view showing an electric field formed between the longitudinal lines in the hover sensing mode.
15 is a waveform diagram showing an example of a driving signal for generating an electric field between the longitudinal lines in the hover sensing mode.
16 is a view showing the height of the electric field formed between the longitudinal lines in the hover sensing mode.
17 is a view showing another example of an electric field formed between the longitudinal lines in the hover sensing mode.
18 is a view showing another example of an electric field formed between the horizontal lines in the hover sensing mode.
19 is a view showing the height of the electric field shown in Fig.
20 is a view showing another example of an electric field formed between the longitudinal lines in the hover sensing mode.
FIG. 21 is a view showing the height of the electric field shown in FIG. 20. FIG.

The touch and hover sensing system of the present invention shares a capacitive touch screen to sense a touch input and a space input. Spatial input can be generated by the user's gesture. The capacitive touch screen may be implemented with mutual capacitance as in the following embodiments. Can be divided.

The display device of the present invention can be applied to a liquid crystal display (LCD), a field emission display (FED), a plasma display panel (PDP), an organic light emitting display , OLED), and electrophoresis (EPD) display devices. In the following embodiments, a liquid crystal display device is described as an example of a flat panel display device, but it should be noted that the display device of the present invention is not limited to a liquid crystal display device.

 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Like reference numerals throughout the specification denote substantially identical components. In the following description, a detailed description of known functions and configurations incorporated herein will be omitted when it may make the subject matter of the present invention rather unclear.

1, the touch and hover sensing system of the present invention maintains a touch sensing mode when a touch input is sensed through a touch screen in a touch sensing mode (S1 and S2). On the other hand, in a touch sensing mode, If the touch input is not sensed during the hover sensing mode (S3), it senses the space input through the touch screen.

The touch sensing mode S2 senses the touch input at a height at which the user's finger or conductor touches or touches the touch screen. In the touch sensing mode, the touch and hover sensors generate electric fields at low heights between the intersecting lines of the touch screen. On the other hand, the hover sensing mode S3 senses the spatial input performed in the space above the touch screen. In the hover sensing mode, the touch and hover sensors produce an electric field at a higher height than the touch sensing mode between parallel lines within the touch screen.

If the touch input is sensed within a predetermined waiting time, the touch screen can operate in the touch sensing mode (S2). On the other hand, when the touch input is not inputted for a predetermined waiting time or more, the touch screen can be switched to the hover sensing mode S3.

In the case where the touch screen is built in an in-cell type display panel, the touch screen driving period and the display driving period can be time-divided. In this case, the touch screen may operate in the touch sensing mode S2 during the touch screen driving period, and may operate in the hover sensing mode S3 during the display driving period.

2 to 5, the touch and hover sensing system of the present invention includes a touch screen (TSP) in which touch and hover sensors (Cts) are arranged, a touch screen driving circuit, and the like.

The touch screen TSP may be bonded onto the upper polarizer POL1 of the display panel DIS as shown in FIG. 3 or may be formed between the upper polarizer POL1 of the display panel DIS and the upper substrate GLS1 as shown in FIG. . In addition, the touch and hover sensors Cts of the touch screen TSP may be embedded in the lower substrate in an in-cell type together with the pixel array in the display panel DIS as shown in FIG. In Fig. 3 to Fig. 5, "PIX" means a pixel electrode of a liquid crystal cell, "GLS2" means a lower substrate, and "POL2" means a lower polarizer.

The display panel DIS includes a liquid crystal layer formed between two substrates. The pixel array of the display panel DIS includes pixels formed in the pixel region defined by the data lines (D1 to Dm, m is a positive integer) and the gate lines (G1 to Gn, n is a positive integer) . Each of the pixels is connected to TFTs (Thin Film Transistors) formed at intersections of the data lines D1 to Dm and the gate lines G1 to Gn, a pixel electrode for charging a data voltage, A storage capacitor (Cst) for maintaining the voltage, and the like.

A black matrix, a color filter and the like are formed on the upper substrate of the display panel DIS. The lower substrate of the display panel DIS may be implemented with a COT (Color Filter On TFT) structure. In this case, the color filter may be formed on the lower substrate of the display panel DIS. The common electrode to which the common voltage is supplied may be formed on the upper substrate or the lower substrate of the display panel DIS. On the upper substrate and the lower substrate of the display panel DIS, a polarizing plate is attached, and an alignment film for forming a pre-tilt angle of the liquid crystal on the inner surface in contact with the liquid crystal is formed. A column spacer for maintaining a cell gap of the liquid crystal cell is formed between the upper substrate and the lower substrate of the display panel DIS.

A backlight unit may be disposed below the rear surface of the display panel DIS. The backlight unit is implemented as an edge type or direct type backlight unit, and irradiates the display panel (DIS) with light. The display panel DIS may be implemented in any known liquid crystal mode such as TN (Twisted Nematic) mode, VA (Vertical Alignment) mode, IPS (In Plane Switching) mode and FFS (Fringe Field Switching) mode.

The display driving circuit includes a data driving circuit 12, a scan driving circuit 14, and a timing controller 20, and writes the video data voltage of the input image to the pixels of the display panel DIS. The data driving circuit 12 converts the digital video data RGB input from the timing controller 20 into an analog positive / negative gamma compensation voltage to output a data voltage. The data voltage output from the data driving circuit 12 is supplied to the data lines D1 to Dm. The scan driving circuit 14 sequentially supplies a gate pulse (or a scan pulse) synchronized with the data voltage to the gate lines G1 to Gn to select a line of the display panel DIS to which the data voltage is written.

The timing controller 20 inputs a timing signal such as a vertical synchronizing signal Vsync, a horizontal synchronizing signal Hsync, a data enable signal DE and a main clock MCLK input from the host system 50 And synchronizes the operation timings of the data driving circuit 12 and the scan driving circuit 14 with each other. The data timing control signal for controlling the data driving circuit 12 includes a source sampling clock (SSC), a polarity control signal (Polarity), a source output enable signal (SOE) do. The scan timing control signal for controlling the scan driver circuit 14 includes a gate start pulse GSP, a gate shift clock signal, a gate output enable signal GOE, do.

The host system 50 may be implemented as any one of a television system, a set-top box, a navigation system, a DVD player, a Blu-ray player, a personal computer (PC), a home theater system, and a phone system. The host system 50 includes a system on chip (SoC) with a built-in scaler to convert the digital video data RGB of the input image into a format suitable for display on the display panel DIS. The host system 50 transmits timing signals (Vsync, Hsync, DE, MCLK) to the timing controller 20 together with the digital video data. The host system 50 executes the application program associated with the coordinate information XY of the touch input position input from the touch screen drive circuit.

The touch screen TSP includes the transverse lines 52 formed along the transverse direction (or the x-axis direction) and the longitudinal lines 54 formed along the longitudinal direction (or the y-axis direction). The transverse lines 52 and the longitudinal lines 54 are orthogonal to each other.

The touch and hover sensors Cts are formed at the intersection of the transverse lines 52 and the longitudinal lines 54 intersecting each other in the touch sensing mode. On the other hand, the touch and hover sensors Cts are formed between the transverse lines 52 or the longitudinal lines 54 parallel to each other in the hover sensing mode.

In the touch sensing mode, the transverse lines 52 are operated with Tx lines to which drive signals (or stimulus signals) are applied and the longitudinal lines 54 are operated in synchronism with the drive signals to generate touch and hover sensors Cts Lt; RTI ID = 0.0 > Rx < / RTI > The driving signal can be generated in various forms such as a square wave, a sinusoidal wave, and a triangular wave. On the other hand, in the hover sensing mode, some of the transverse lines 52 operate with Tx lines to which drive signals are applied and the remaining transverse lines 52 operate with the touch and hover sensors Cts Lt; RTI ID = 0.0 > Rx < / RTI > Further, in the hover sensing mode, some of the longitudinal lines 54 operate as Tx lines to which drive signals are applied, and the remaining longitudinal lines 54 operate as touch and hover sensors Cts in synchronization with the drive signal. Lt; RTI ID = 0.0 > Rx < / RTI >

The touch screen driving circuit includes a Tx driving unit 32, an Rx sensing unit 34, a switch array 38, a timing generator 36, an algorithm executing unit 40, and the like. The touch screen driver circuit can be integrated into one ROIC (read-out integrated circuit).

The touch screen driver circuit applies a driving signal to the lateral lines 52 in the touch sensing mode as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 and controls the touch and hover sensors 54, Lt; / RTI > The touch screen driver circuit applies a drive signal to some of the transverse lines 52 in the hover sensing mode and receives charge from the touch and hover sensors through the remaining transverse lines 52 in synchronization with the drive signal do. The touch screen driver circuit applies a driving signal to a portion of the longitudinal lines 54 in the hover sensing mode and charges the touch and hover sensors through the remaining longitudinal lines 54 in synchronization with the driving signal .

The touch screen driver circuit can calculate the two-dimensional coordinates of the touch input or the space input by analyzing the charge change of the touch and hover sensors by a preset coordinate calculation algorithm and calculate the height from the touch screen (TSP) Space input can be distinguished. The touch screen driving circuit switches the touch sensing mode and the hover sensing mode as shown in FIG.

The Tx driver 32 selects the Tx channel to output the driving signal in response to the Tx setup signal from the timing generator 36 and outputs the lines 52 and 54 connected to the selected Tx channel through the switch array 38, As shown in FIG. Charges are charged in the touch and hover sensors Cts when a drive signal is generated. The drive signal is supplied to each of the lines connected to the Tx channel selected by the Tx driver 32 as shown in FIG. 8 in order to increase the integration effect by repeatedly accumulating charges in the capacitor of the integrator built in the Rx sensing unit 34 N (N is a positive integer equal to or greater than 2) times.

The Rx sensing unit 34 selects the Rx channel in response to the Rx setup signal from the timing generating unit 36 and supplies the driving signal to the Rx sensing unit 34 through the switch array 38 through the lines 52 and 54 to be connected to the Rx channel And receives charge from the touch and hover sensor (Cts). The Rx sensing unit 34 charges the charge of the received touch and hover sensor Cts to the sampling capacitor to sample the output voltage of the touch and hover sensor. The Rx sensing unit 34 accumulates the sampled voltage in the capacitor of the built-in integrator and converts the capacitor voltage of the integrator into digital data through an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) do. The digital data increases in proportion to the amount of change of the charge received from the touch and hover sensors before and after the touch and hover sensing.

The switch array 38 connects the Tx channels of the Tx driver 32 to the lateral lines 52 in response to a selection signal (Figure 6, SEL) from the timing generator 36 in the touch sensing mode, To the lateral lines (52). The switch array 38 connects the Rx channels of the Rx sensing portion 34 to the longitudinal lines 54 in response to the selection signal SEL from the timing generator 36 in the touch sensing mode. In contrast, the switch array 38 connects the Tx channels of the Tx driver 32 to some of the lateral lines 52 in response to the selection signal SEL from the timing generator 36 in the hover sensing mode And connects the Rx channels of the Rx sensing portion 34 to the remaining lateral lines 52. [ The switch array 38 connects the Tx channels of the Tx driver 32 to some of the longitudinal lines 54 in response to the selection signal SEL from the timing generator 36 in the hover sensing mode, And connects the Rx channels of the sensing portion 34 to the remaining longitudinal lines 54.

The timing generator 38 controls the setting of the Tx channel and the Rx channel, and synchronizes the Tx driver 32, the Rx sensing unit 34, and the switch array 38. The timing generator 38 receives the synchronization signal from the timing controller 20 and can be synchronized with the timing controller 20. [

The algorithm executing unit 40 executes a preset coordinate calculation algorithm to compare the digital data received from the Rx sensing unit 34 with a preset threshold value. Any algorithm known in the art can be used for the coordinate calculation algorithm. The coordinate calculation algorithm detects digital data above a threshold value. Digital data (or touch and hover raw data) of a threshold value or more is judged to be touch data obtained from touch and hover sensors at a position where a touch input or a space input is generated. The algorithm executing unit 40 can analyze the digital data received from the Rx sensing unit 34 and calculate the height of a finger or a conductor from the touch screen TSP, thereby distinguishing the touch input from the space input. The algorithm executing section 40 executes a coordinate calculation algorithm to calculate coordinates for each of the touch inputs and the space inputs, and performs labeling to add an identification code to each of the touch inputs and the space inputs. The identification code includes information for distinguishing the touch input from the space input, information for distinguishing each of the touch inputs, information for distinguishing each of the space inputs, and the like. The algorithm executing section 40 transmits the identification codes of the touch inputs and the spatial inputs and the coordinate information XY to the host system 50. [

Fig. 6 is a circuit diagram showing the switch array 38 shown in Fig. 2 in detail.

Referring to FIG. 6, the switch array 38 includes a plurality of multiplexers (MUXs).

Each of the multiplexers MUX includes a first input channel connected to the Tx channels Tx1 through Txn of the Tx driver 32, a second input channel connected to the Rx channels Rx1 through Rxn of the Rx sensing unit 34, A third input channel connected to the power source voltage source Vss, an output channel connected to either one of the horizontal lines 52 and the longitudinal lines 54 of the touch screen TSP, And a control terminal to which the signal SEL is input. The low potential voltage source Vss may be a ground voltage source (GND).

The multiplexers (MUX) connect Tx channels to which the driving signals are supplied to the lateral lines 52 as shown in FIG. 7 in response to the selection signal SEL in the touch sensing mode, and Rx Connect the channels.

The multiplexers (MUX) connect the Tx channels to which the driving signals are supplied to some of the lateral lines 52 as shown in FIG. 10 in response to the selection signal SEL in the hover sensing mode, and the remaining horizontal lines 52 0.0 > Rx < / RTI > channels. The multiplexers MUX may connect the low potential voltage source Vss to the vertical lines 54 as shown in FIG. 10 in response to the selection signal SEL in the hover sensing mode, or may connect the vertical lines 54, Can be floated. In Fig. 13, the switches S1 represent a multiplexer (MUX). The switches S1 control the longitudinal lines 54 in a floating state where they are turned off in the hover sensing mode and no external signal is applied to the longitudinal lines 54. [

The multiplexers (MUX) connect the Tx channels to which driving signals are supplied to some of the longitudinal lines 54 as shown in FIG. 14 in response to the selection signal SEL in the hover sensing mode, and connect the remaining longitudinal lines 54 0.0 > Rx < / RTI > channels. The multiplexers MUX may connect the low potential source Vss to the transverse lines 52 as shown in FIG. 14 in response to the selection signal SEL in the hover sensing mode, or alternatively connect the low potential voltage source Vss to the transverse lines 52, Can be floated. In Fig. 17, the switches S2 represent a multiplexer (MUX). The switches S2 are turned off in the hover sensing mode to control the lateral lines 54 to a floating state where no external signals are applied to the lateral lines 52. [

7 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the touch screen in the touch sensing mode. 8 is a waveform diagram showing an example of a drive signal of the touch screen generated in the touch sensing mode. 9 is a view showing the height of an electric field formed between two lines crossing in the touch sensing mode.

7 to 9, in the touch sensing mode, a driving signal is supplied to the horizontal lines 52 of the touch screen TSP to supply charges to the touch and hover sensors Cts. Charges from the touch and hover sensors Cts are received through the longitudinal lines 54 in synchronization with the drive signal.

In the touch sensor mode, the touch and hover sensors Cts are formed between the narrow horizontal line 52 and the longitudinal line 54. Thus, in the touch sensor mode, an electric field E is generated between the transverse line 52 and the longitudinal line 54. [

The distance between the transverse line 52 and the longitudinal line 54 is small. Therefore, an electric field E is generated only in the vicinity of the line of the touch screen TSP in the touch sensing mode. For example, in the case of a mutual capacitance type touch screen (TSP), the height of the electric field E capable of touch input sensing in the touch sensing mode is approximately 5 cm or less from the line of the touch screen.

When a finger or a conductor touches or touches the touch screen TSP, at least a part of the electric field E is blocked by the finger or the conductor and the amount of charge of the touch and hover sensor Cts is reduced. Accordingly, in the touch sensing mode, the touch input can be sensed based on the amount of change in charge before and after the touch input.

In the touch sensing mode, since the drive signal is applied in the lateral direction (x-axis direction) and the amount of charge of the touch and hover sensor (Cts) is received along the longitudinal direction (y-axis direction), the two- . On the other hand, in the hover sensing mode, the driving signal and the charge receiving direction of the touch and hover sensor (Cts) are transverse (or longitudinal). Accordingly, in order to obtain the two-dimensional coordinate value of the spatial input in the hover sensing mode, the spatial input is sensed in the x-axis direction of the lateral direction as shown in Figs. 10 to 17 and then the space input is sensed on the y- It is necessary to sense the spatial input in the reverse order.

The hover sensing mode can be used as a mode for judging only the presence or absence of the space input and sensing the space input. In this case, the hover sensing mode may sense the spatial input along the uniaxial direction of the x- or y-axis. Therefore, the hover sensing mode is not limited to sensing the spatial input in the biaxial direction, and can sense the spatial input in at least one axial direction.

It can be used as a mode for judging only the presence or absence of the space input and sensing the space input.

10 is a view showing an electric field formed between the horizontal lines in the hover sensing mode. 11 is a waveform diagram showing an example of a drive signal for generating an electric field between the horizontal lines in the hover sensing mode. 12 is a view showing the height of an electric field formed between the horizontal lines in the hover sensing mode. 13 is a diagram showing another example of an electric field formed between the horizontal lines in the hover sensing mode.

10 to 13, in the hover sensing mode, a driving signal is supplied to the odd-numbered horizontal lines 52 of the touch screen TSP to supply charges to the touch and hover sensors Cts. Charges from the touch and hover sensors Cts are received through the even transverse lines 52 in synchronization with the drive signal. At the same time, the switch array 38 connects the low potential voltage source Vss to the longitudinal lines 54 as shown in FIG. 10 or floats the longitudinal lines 54 as shown in FIG.

In Fig. 11, Tx1 and Tx3 are Tx channels to which a driving signal is applied. The Tx channels are connected to the odd-numbered transverse lines through the switch array 38. Rx1 and Rx2 are the Rx channels on which the charge of the touch and hover sensor (Cts) is received. The Rx channels are connected to the odd-numbered transverse lines through the switch array 38. The even transverse lines are connected to the Tx channels (Tx2, Tx4) in the touch sensing mode.

In the hover sensor mode, touch and hover sensors Cts are formed between the odd-numbered transverse line 52 and the outermost transverse line 52. Thus, in the hover sensor mode, an electric field E is generated between neighboring transverse lines 52.

The transverse lines 52 are parallel without being crossed. The spacing between adjacent transverse lines 52 is greater than the spacing between transverse lines 52 and longitudinal transverse lines 54 which intersect with each other. Therefore, in the hover sensing mode, the electric field E is formed higher in the space above the touch screen TSP as shown in FIG. 12, and the height of the electric field E is higher than the touch sensing mode.

In the hover sensing mode, since a high electric field is formed from the touch screen TSP, when a finger or a conductor moves in a space above the touch screen TSP, the amount of charge of the touch and hover sensor Cts changes along the movement. Therefore, in the hover sensing mode, the spatial input can be sensed based on the amount of charge change before and after the space input.

The electric field intensity between the transverse line 52 and the longitudinal line 54 may be greater than the electric field intensity between the adjacent transverse lines 52 depending on the voltage level of the low potential voltage source Vss. In the hover sensing mode, when the electric field intensity between the lateral line 52 and the longitudinal line 54 increases, the electric field height becomes lower. Thus, in the hover sensing mode, the field strength between neighboring transverse lines 52 must be greater than the field strength between neighboring transverse line 52 and longitudinal line 54. For this purpose, it is preferable that the potential of the even-numbered lateral lines 52 is set lower than the potential of the low potential voltage Vss. A dc reference voltage lower than the low potential voltage Vss may be applied to the even-numbered transverse lines 52. [

14 is a view showing an electric field formed between the longitudinal lines in the hover sensing mode. 15 is a waveform diagram showing an example of a driving signal for generating an electric field between the longitudinal lines in the hover sensing mode. 16 is a view showing the height of the electric field formed between the longitudinal lines in the hover sensing mode. 17 is a view showing another example of an electric field formed between the longitudinal lines in the hover sensing mode.

14 to 17, in the hover sensing mode, a driving signal is supplied to the odd-numbered vertical lines 54 of the touch screen TSP to supply charges to the touch and hover sensors Cts. Charges from the touch and hover sensors Cts are received through the odd-numbered longitudinal lines 54 in synchronization with the drive signal. At the same time, the switch array 38 connects the low potential voltage source Vss to the transverse lines 52 as shown in Fig. 14 or floats the transverse lines 52 as shown in Fig.

15, Tx1 and Tx2 are Tx channels to which a driving signal is applied. The Tx channels Tx1 and Tx2 are connected to the odd-numbered longitudinal lines through the switch array 38. [ Rx2 and Rx4 are the Rx channels on which the charge of the touch and hover sensor (Cts) is received. The Rx channels are connected to the odd-numbered longitudinal lines through the switch array 38. The odd-numbered longitudinal lines are connected to the Rx channels Rx1 and Rx3 in the touch sensing mode.

In the hover sensor mode, the touch and hover sensors Cts are formed between the odd-numbered longitudinal line 54 and the outermost longitudinal line 54. Thus, in the hover sensor mode, an electric field E is generated between neighboring longitudinal lines 54.

The longitudinal lines 54 are parallel without being crossed. The spacing between adjacent longitudinal lines 54 is greater than the spacing between crossing lines 52 and longitudinal lines 54 that intersect with each other. Therefore, in the hover sensing mode, the electric field E is formed to be higher in the upper space of the touch screen TSP as shown in FIG. 16, and the height of the electric field E is higher than the touch sensing mode.

In the hover sensing mode, since a high electric field is formed from the touch screen TSP, when a finger or a conductor moves in a space above the touch screen TSP, the amount of charge of the touch and hover sensor Cts changes along the movement. Therefore, in the hover sensing mode, the spatial input can be sensed based on the amount of charge change before and after the space input.

The electric field intensity between the transverse line 52 and the longitudinal line 54 may be larger than the electric field intensity between the adjacent longitudinal lines 54 depending on the voltage level of the low potential voltage source Vss. In the hover sensing mode, when the electric field intensity between the lateral line 52 and the longitudinal line 54 increases, the electric field height becomes lower. Thus, in the hover sensing mode, the field strength between adjacent longitudinal lines 54 must be greater than the electric field strength between neighboring lateral lines 52 and longitudinal lines 54. For this purpose, the potential of the odd-numbered longitudinal lines 54 is preferably set lower than the potential of the low potential voltage Vss. A dc reference voltage lower than the low potential voltage Vss may be applied to the odd-numbered longitudinal lines 54. [

The voltage of the driving signal generated in the hover sensing mode can be set higher than that in the touch sensing mode. When the driving signal voltage is set high in the hover sensing mode, the intensity and height of the electric field generated between the parallel lines can be sufficiently increased.

In the hover sensing mode, as shown in FIG. 18 to FIG. 21, the height of the electric field E can be further increased by widening the distance between the Tx channel and the Rx channel by N or more (N is a positive integer of 2 or more) lines or more. Here, the N line means the N pitch of the transverse lines 52 or the longitudinal lines 54. 18 to 21 show an example in which the intervals between the Tx channel and the Rx channel are spaced apart by three lines, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

18 is a view showing another example of an electric field formed between the horizontal lines in the hover sensing mode. 19 is a view showing the height of the electric field shown in Fig.

18 and 19, in the hover sensing mode, the nth (n is a positive integer) transverse line 52 of the touch screen TSP is connected to the Tx channel Tx1 to which the driving signal is applied, The n + 3 transverse line 52 is connected to the Rx channel Rx1. The remaining transverse lines 52 and all the longitudinal lines 54 are connected to or plotted with the low potential voltage source Vss. On the other hand, the (n + 3) th horizontal line 52 is connected to the Tx channel Tx4 in the touch sensing mode.

Since the distance between the nth transverse line 52 and the (n + 3) th transverse line 52 is large, the electric field E in the hover sensing mode is formed as a space above the touch screen TSP as shown in FIG. Accordingly, when the finger or the conductor moves in the space above the touch screen TSP, the amount of charge of the touch and hover sensor Cts changes along with the movement, so that the space input can be sensed.

20 is a view showing another example of an electric field formed between the longitudinal lines in the hover sensing mode. FIG. 21 is a view showing the height of the electric field shown in FIG. 20. FIG.

20 and 21, in the hover sensing mode, the n-th longitudinal direction line 54 of the touch screen TSP is connected to the Tx channel Tx1 to which the driving signal is applied, and the (n + 3) 54 are connected to the Rx channel Rx4. The remaining longitudinal lines 54 and all the transverse lines 52 are connected to or plotted with the low potential voltage source Vss. On the other hand, the n-th longitudinal line 54 is connected to the Rx channel Rx1 in the touch sensing mode.

The distance between the n-th longitudinal direction line 54 and the (n + 3) -th longitudinal direction line 54 is large and therefore the electric field E in the hover sensing mode is formed as a space above the touch screen TSP as shown in FIG. Accordingly, when the finger or the conductor moves in the space above the touch screen TSP, the amount of charge of the touch and hover sensor Cts changes along with the movement, so that the space input can be sensed.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, the technical scope of the present invention should not be limited to the contents described in the detailed description of the specification, but should be defined by the claims.

DIS: Display panel TSP: Touch screen
12: Data driving circuit 14: Scan driving circuit
20: timing controller 32: Tx driver
34: Rx sensing unit 36:
38: switch array 40: algorithm execution unit

Claims (9)

A touch screen comprising transverse and longitudinal lines intersecting each other and touch and hover sensors formed by said transverse and longitudinal lines; And
And a touch screen driving circuit for sensing a touch input through intersecting lines of lines formed on the touch screen and sensing a space input through parallel lines formed on the touch screen. The method according to claim 1,
The touch screen driving circuit includes:
Wherein the touch and hover sensing system applies a drive signal to the transverse lines in a touch sensing mode and receives charge of the touch and hover sensors through the longitudinal lines to sense the touch input. 3. The method of claim 2,
The touch screen driving circuit includes:
Sensing the space input by applying a drive signal to at least one of the parallel lines of the touch screen and receiving charge of the touch and hover sensors through another line in a hover sensing mode, . The method of claim 3,
The touch screen driving circuit includes:
Wherein the touch sensing mode is switched to the touch sensing mode when the touch input is sensed in the hover sensing mode. The method of claim 3,
The touch screen driving circuit includes:
Sensing the space input by applying a drive signal to at least one of the transverse lines in the hover sensing mode and receiving charge of the touch and hover sensors through another transverse line,
Sensing the space input by applying a drive signal to at least one of the longitudinal lines on the touch screen and receiving charge of the touch and hover sensors via another longitudinal line in the hover sensing mode. Hover sensing system. The method according to claim 3 or 5,
The line receiving the driving signal in the hover sensing mode and the line receiving the charges of the touch and hover sensors in synchronization with the driving signal are spaced apart from each other by N or more (N is a positive integer of 2 or more) Touch and hover sensing system. CLAIMS 1. A method of driving a touch and hover sensing system including a touch screen including transverse and longitudinal lines intersecting each other and touch and hover sensors formed by the transverse and longitudinal lines,
Sensing a touch input through intersecting lines of lines formed on the touch screen; And
Sensing a spatial input through parallel lines formed on the touch screen. ≪ Desc / Clms Page number 21 > 8. The method of claim 7,
Wherein the step of sensing the touch input comprises:
And applying a drive signal to the transverse lines in the touch sensing mode and receiving charges of the touch and hover sensors through the longitudinal lines to sense the touch input. 9. The method of claim 8,
Sensing the spatial input comprises:
Sensing the space input by applying a drive signal to at least one of the parallel lines of the touch screen and receiving charge of the touch and hover sensors through another line in a hover sensing mode, .

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