Touch panel, method for driving the same, and display device

Disclosed are a touch panel, a method for driving the same, and a display device, where patterns for performing a touch function are integrated into a transparent touch electrode pattern layer to thereby lower in effect a research and development cost of the product, and the transparent touch electrode pattern layer can be fabricated using only an photomask, so the research and development cost is very low, and the good yield of the product is very high, thus improving the competitiveness of the product. In the transparent touch electrode pattern layer, a plurality of third touch detection electrodes are arranged among touch elements to thereby make up for a blind area of touch between the touch elements, so that both the sensitivity and the uniformity throughout the touch panel can remain constant to thereby support in effect the touch panel with an active pen. Accordingly in an active pen touch detection stage, respective first touch detection electrodes, respective second touch detection electrodes, and respective third touch detection electrodes operate as touch sense electrodes to detect a touch signal transmitted by the active pen.

This application is a National Stage of International Application No. PCT/CN2018/070018, filed Jan. 2, 2018, which claims the benefit of Chinese Patent Application No. 201710433414.7, filed with the Chinese Patent Office on Jun. 9, 2017, and entitled “A touch panel, a method for driving the same, and a display device”, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD

This disclosure relates to the field of display technologies, and particularly to a touch panel, a method for driving the same, and a display device.

BACKGROUND

A touch panel is a system for positioning a touch by calculating the coordinates of the touch on a display screen, and includes a touch detector and a touch controller. The touch detector is installed in front of the display screen, and configured to detect the position of a touch by a user, and to transmit detected information to the controller, and the controller is configured to convert the information into coordinates, and then transmit the coordinates to a central processor, to receive a signal returned by the central processor, and to operate according to the signal, so that the user interacts with the touch panel.

As the touch panel is advancing, there is a demand for higher optical and electrical performance, a more pleasing appearance, and a lower cost thereof. Given a specification of the touch panel, if the cost thereof is lower, then a higher profit will be earned in an intense competition environment. Furthermore as a product carrying an active pen has emerged in the market, it is desirable to enable the touch panel to support the active pen at a low cost.

SUMMARY

In view of this, embodiments of this disclosure provide a touch panel, a method for driving the same, and a display device in the following technical solutions.

An embodiment of this disclosure provides a touch panel including: a base substrate, and a transparent touch electrode pattern layer arranged in single-layer on the base substrate, wherein:

the transparent touch electrode pattern layer includes a plurality of touch elements arranged in an array, and a plurality of third touch detection electrodes arranged among the touch elements;

each of the touch elements includes a first touch detection electrode and a second touch detection electrode which are arranged insulated from each other, a first sensing line connected with the first touch detection electrode, and a second sensing line connected with the second touch detection electrode;

each of the first touch detection electrodes is configured to operate as a touch scan electrode in a passive touch detection stage, and to operate as a touch sense electrode in an active pen touch detection stage;

each of the second touch detection electrodes is configured to operate as the touch sense electrode in both the passive touch detection stage and the active pen touch detection stage; and

each of the third touch detection electrodes is configured to operate as a self-capacitive electrode in the passive touch detection stage, and to operate as the touch sense electrode in the active pen touch detection stage.

Optionally, in the touch panel above according to the embodiment of this disclosure, the first touch detection electrodes and the second touch detection electrodes have same areas in the touch elements.

Optionally, in the touch panel above according to the embodiment of this disclosure, shapes of the first touch detection electrodes and shapes of the second touch detection electrodes are centrally symmetric in the touch elements.

Optionally, in the touch panel above according to the embodiment of this disclosure, gaps between the first touch detection electrodes and the second touch detection electrodes are in a shape of a curve in the touch elements.

Optionally, in the touch panel above according to the embodiment of this disclosure, a contour of the touch elements is a rectangle.

Optionally, in the touch panel above according to the embodiment of this disclosure, the first touch detection electrodes and the second touch detection electrodes constitute a Tai Chi pattern in the touch elements.

Optionally, in the touch panel above according to the embodiment of this disclosure, the transparent touch electrode pattern layer further includes supplementary electrodes located around the touch elements, wherein each of the supplementary electrodes is independent of, and a complementary pattern to, the Tai Chi pattern, and a contour of the supplementary electrode is a rectangle.

Optionally, in the touch panel above according to the embodiment of this disclosure, the supplementary electrodes are electrically connected with adjacent first touch detection electrodes, second touch detection electrodes, or third touch detection electrodes.

Optionally, in the touch panel above according to the embodiment of this disclosure, the first sensing lines and the second sensing lines extend in a column direction of the array, and the third touch detection electrodes are arranged at the gaps between every two columns of control elements.

Optionally, in the touch panel above according to the embodiment of this disclosure, the first sensing lines and the second sensing lines extend in a row direction of the array, and the third touch detection electrodes are arranged at the gaps between every two rows of control elements.

Optionally, in the touch panel above according to the embodiment of this disclosure, the transparent touch electrode pattern layer further includes a ground sensing line arranged around the plurality of touch elements.

In another aspect, an embodiment of this disclosure further provides a method for driving the touch panel above, the method including the steps of:

applying a touch scan signal to each of the first touch detection electrodes, detecting touch sense signals coupled, with each of the second touch detection electrodes, and detecting changes in capacitance of each of the third touch detection electrodes, upon determining that a passive touch detection is started; and

detecting a touch signal, transmitted by an active pen, sensed by each of the first touch detection electrodes, each of the second touch detection electrodes, and each of the third touch detection electrodes, upon determining that an active pen touch detection is started.

Optionally, in the driving method above according to the embodiment of this disclosure, the method further includes:

determining that the active pen touch detection is started, upon determining that a change of a detected touch sense signal coupled with a second touch detection electrode is above a preset threshold.

In still another aspect, an embodiment of this disclosure provides a display device including: a display panel, and the touch panel above according to the embodiment of this disclosure arranged on a display side of the display panel.

Optionally, in the display device above according to the embodiment of this disclosure, the display panel includes: the display panel includes an opposite substrate and an array substrate arranged opposite thereto;

the touch panel is arranged on a side of the opposite substrate away from the array substrate, and the transparent touch electrode pattern layer of the touch panel is located on a side of the base substrate facing the opposite substrate; and

the touch panel further includes a black frame pattern arranged between the base substrate and the transparent touch electrode pattern layer, and a planarization layer arranged on a side of the transparent touch electrode pattern layer away from the black frame pattern.

Optionally, in the display device above according to the embodiment of this disclosure, the display panel includes an opposite substrate and an array substrate arranged opposite thereto;

the touch panel shares the base substrate with the opposite substrate; and

the display device further includes a polarizer arranged on the side of the touch panel away from the opposite substrate.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Implementations of a touch panel, a method for driving the same, and a display device according to embodiments of this disclosure will be described below in details with reference to the drawings.

The shapes and sizes of respective components in the drawings are not intended to reflect any real proportion of the touch panel, but only intended to illustrate the disclosure.

An embodiment of this disclosure provides a touch panel as illustrated inFIG. 1andFIG. 2, which includes: a base substrate100, and a transparent touch electrode pattern layer200arranged on the base substrate100.

The transparent touch electrode pattern layer200includes a plurality of touch elements210arranged in an array, and a plurality of third touch detection electrodes220arranged in areas A, B, C, D, E among the touch elements210.

The respective touch elements210include a first touch detection electrode211and a second touch detection electrode212arranged insulated from each other, a first sensing line213aconnected with the first touch detection electrode211, and a second sensing line213bconnected with the second touch detection electrode212.

The respective first touch detection electrodes211are configured to operate as touch scan electrodes Tx in a passive touch detection stage, and to operate as touch sense electrodes Rx in an active pen touch detection stage.

The respective second touch detection electrodes212are configured to operate as touch sense electrodes Rx in both the passive touch detection stage and the active pen touch detection stage.

The respective third touch detection electrodes220are configured to operate as self-capacitive electrodes in the passive touch detection stage, and to operate as touch sense electrodes Rx in the active pen touch detection stage.

Stated otherwise, in the passive touch detection stage, the respective first touch detection electrodes211operate as touch scan electrodes Tx, the respective second touch detection electrodes212operate as touch sense electrodes Rx, and the first touch detection electrodes211and the second touch detection electrodes212detect a touch in a mutual capacitance mode; and the respective third touch detection electrodes220operate as self-capacitive electrodes, and the third touch detection electrodes220detect a touch in a self-capacitance mode.

In the active pen touch detection stage, the respective first touch detection electrodes211, the respective second touch detection electrodes212, and the respective third touch detection electrodes220operate as touch sense electrodes Rx to detect a touch signal transmitted by an active pen.

Optionally, in the touch panel above according to the embodiment of this disclosure, patterns for performing a touch function are integrated into the transparent touch electrode pattern layer200to thereby lower in effect a research and development cost of the product, and the transparent touch electrode pattern layer200can be fabricated using only a photomask, so the research and development cost is very low, and the good yield of the product is very high, thus improving the competitiveness of the product.

Furthermore in the transparent touch electrode pattern layer200, the plurality of third touch detection electrodes220are arranged in areas A, B, C, D, E between the touch elements210to thereby make up for a blind area of touch between the touch elements210, so that both the sensitivity and the uniformity throughout the touch panel can remain constant to thereby support in effect the touch panel with an active pen. Optionally, in the passive, i.e., finger, touch detection stage, the first touch detection electrodes211and the second touch detection electrodes212in the touch elements210detect a touch in the mutual-capacitance mode, and the third touch detection electrodes220detect a touch in the self-capacitance mode; and in the active pen touch detection stage, the respective first touch detection electrodes211, the respective second touch detection electrodes212, and the respective third touch detection electrodes220operate as touch sense electrodes Rx to detect a touch signal transmitted by the active pen.

Optionally, in the touch panel above according to the embodiment of this disclosure, in order to facilitate arrangement of the transparent touch electrode pattern layer200in a single layer, as illustrated inFIG. 1andFIG. 2, the first sensing lines213aand the second sensing lines213bare typically arranged to extend in the same direction, so that one terminals of the sensing lines are bound with an externally connected touch detection chip as connection terminals.

Optionally, in the touch panel above according to the embodiment of this disclosure, as illustrated inFIG. 1, the first sensing lines213aand the second sensing lines213bcan extend in the column direction, that is, they are arranged in the vertical direction, and at this time, the first sensing lines213aand the second sensing lines213bare distributed so densely between adjacent columns of touch elements210that signals may interfere with each other, thus resulting in a blind area of touch in which a touch finger fails to be recognized; and at this time, the third touch detection electrodes220can be arranged at gaps between every two adjacent columns of touch elements210, and the third touch detection electrodes220can be strip electrodes, so that the third touch detection electrodes220can be bounded with the externally connected touch detection chip through shorter third sensing lines with one terminals thereof being connection terminals.

Optionally, in the touch panel above according to the embodiment of this disclosure, as illustrated inFIG. 2, the first sensing lines213aand the second sensing lines213bcan extend in the row direction, that is, they are arranged in the horizontal direction, and at this time, the first sensing lines213aand the second sensing lines213bare distributed so densely between adjacent rows of touch elements210that signals may interfere with each other, thus resulting in a blind area of touch in which a touch finger fails to be recognized; and at this time, the third touch detection electrodes220can be arranged particularly at gaps between every two adjacent rows of touch elements210, and particularly the third touch detection electrodes220can be strip electrodes, so that the third touch detection electrodes220can be bounded with the externally connected touch detection chip through shorter third sensing lines with one terminals thereof being connection terminals.

Optionally, in the touch panel above according to the embodiment of this disclosure, as illustrated inFIG. 1andFIG. 2, in order to improve the uniformity of detecting a touch, the first touch detection electrodes211and the second touch detection electrodes212have the same areas in the touch elements210.

Optionally, in the touch panel above according to the embodiment of this disclosure, as illustrated inFIG. 1andFIG. 2, the shapes of the first touch detection electrodes211, and the shapes of the second touch detection electrodes212are centrally symmetric in the touch elements210.

Optionally, in the touch panel above according to the embodiment of this disclosure, as illustrated inFIG. 2, in order to improve the sensitivity of detecting a touch, the gaps between the first touch detection electrodes211and the second touch detection electrodes212can be set in the shape of a curve in the touch elements210.

As illustrated inFIG. 3, the gaps between the first touch detection electrodes211and the second touch detection electrodes212can be in the shape of an arc, or as illustrated inFIG. 4, the gaps between the first touch detection electrodes211and the second touch detection electrodes212can be in the shape of a zigzag, although the embodiment of this disclosure will not be limited thereto.

Optionally, in the touch panel above according to the embodiment of this disclosure, in order to facilitate the arrangement, as illustrated inFIG. 1,FIG. 2, andFIG. 4, the contours of the touch elements210are typically a rectangle, and for example, can be a square.

Optionally, in the touch panel above according to the embodiment of this disclosure, as illustrated inFIG. 3, the first touch detection electrodes211and the second touch detection electrodes212can constitute a Tai Chi pattern in the touch elements210to thereby improve the ratio of the area of a first touch detection electrode211to the area of a second touch detection electrode212in a touch element210so as to improve a change in mutual capacitance arising from sensing by the second touch detection electrode212as many as possible, thus improving the sensitivity to a touch sensed in the mutual-capacitance mode.

Optionally, in the touch panel above according to the embodiment of this disclosure, when the first touch detection electrodes211and the second touch detection electrodes212are arranged in the Tai Chi pattern, in order to avoid a significant part of the pattern from becoming absent between the touch elements210in the Tai Chi pattern with a round contour, which would otherwise result in the problem of invisibility in the product, i.e., a visible pattern, as illustrated inFIG. 3andFIG. 5, the transparent touch electrode pattern layer200can further include supplementary electrodes214located around the respective touch elements210, where each supplementary electrode214is independent of, and a complementary pattern to, the Tai Chi pattern, and the contour of the supplementary electrode214is a rectangle, thus avoiding a significant part of the pattern from becoming absent in the touch element210.

Furthermore in order to narrow a blind area of touch in the transparent touch electrode pattern layer200as many as possible, in the touch panel above according to the embodiment of this disclosure, the supplementary electrodes214can be electrically connected with the adjacent first touch detection electrodes211, second touch detection electrodes212, or third touch detection electrodes213so that the supplementary electrodes214are parts of the electrodes connected therewith, and operate in the same way as the electrodes. Furthermore the supplementary electrodes214are independent of the Tai Chi patterns and the third touch detection electrodes213, so optionally the supplementary electrodes214can be connected with the other electrodes by setting connection wires. As illustrated inFIG. 3, for example, the left halves of the supplementary electrodes214can be connected with the first touch detection electrodes211through connection wires, and correspondingly the right halves of the supplementary electrodes214can be connected with the second touch detection electrodes212through connection wires; and in order to avoid the first touch detection electrodes211from being short-circuited with the second touch detection electrodes212, the left halves of the supplementary electrodes214, and the right halves of the supplementary electrodes214are insulated from each other.

Optionally, in the touch panel above according to the embodiment of this disclosure, the transparent touch electrode pattern layer200is only arranged in a single layer to thereby arrange touch electrodes, so in order to prevent electrostatic interference, as illustrated inFIG. 5, the transparent touch electrode pattern layer200can further include a ground sensing line230arranged on the periphery thereof, that is, the ground sensing line230is arranged to surround the touch elements210and the third touch detection electrodes220. The ground sensing line230can be arranged to prevent electrostatic charges to thereby protect the surrounded electrode pattern from electrostatic interference.

Based upon the same inventive idea, an embodiment of this disclosure further provides a method for driving the touch panel above according to the embodiment of this disclosure, and since the driving method addresses the problem under a similar principle to the touch panel above, reference can be made to an implementation of the touch panel for an implementation of the driving method, and a repeated description thereof will be omitted here.

Optionally, an embodiment of this disclosure provides a method for driving a touch panel as illustrated inFIG. 6, where the method includes the following steps.

S601: applying a touch scan signal to the respective first touch detection electrodes, detecting touch sense signals coupled with the respective second touch detection electrodes, and detecting changes in capacitance of the respective third touch detection electrodes, upon determining that passive touch detection is started.

S602: detecting a touch signal, transmitted by an active pen, sensed by the respective first touch detection electrodes, the respective second touch detection electrodes, and the respective third touch detection electrodes, upon determining that active pen touch detection is started.

Optionally, in the method above for driving a touch panel according to the embodiment of this disclosure, the method can further include the step of determining switching between a passive touch detection mode and an active pen touch detection mode, where it is determined that active pen touch detection is started, upon determining that a change of a detected touch sense signal coupled with a second touch detection electrode is above a preset threshold.

Stated otherwise, in the step of detecting passive touch detection, if the active pen is approaching the touch panel, the touch sense signal coupled with the second touch detection electrode significantly changes, so the change of the touch sense signal coupled with the second touch detection electrode is compared with the preset threshold, so that it can be determined whether the active pen is approaching the touch panel; and if so, then the touch panel will be switched to the active pen touch detection mode, that is, the respective first touch detection electrodes, the respective second touch detection electrodes, and the respective third touch detection electrodes operate as touch sense electrodes, and a touch signal, transmitted by the active pen, sensed by the respective first touch detection electrodes, the respective second touch detection electrodes, and the respective third touch detection electrodes is detected to thereby detect the position of a touch; otherwise, passive touch detection will be maintained, that is, a touch scan signal is applied to the respective first touch detection electrodes, touch scan signals sensed by the respective second touch detection electrodes are detected, and changes in capacitances of the respective third touch detection electrodes are detected, to thereby detect the position of a touch.

Based upon the same inventive idea, an embodiment of this disclosure further provides a display device, which can be a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a TV set, a monitor, a notebook computer, a digital photo frame, a navigator, or any other product or component with a display function. Reference can be made to the embodiment of the touch panel for an implementation of the display device, and a repeated description thereof will be omitted here.

Optionally, an embodiment of this disclosure provides a display device as illustrated inFIG. 7AandFIG. 7B, where the display device includes a display panel01, and the touch panel02above according to the embodiment of this disclosure arranged on a display side of the display panel01.

Optionally, the display panel01in the display device above according to the embodiment of this disclosure can be embodied in a number of implementations, e.g., a liquid crystal display panel, an organic light-emitting display panel, or another flat display panel. Optionally, as illustrated inFIG. 7A, generally the display panel01includes an opposite substrate011and an array substrate012arranged opposite thereto, where the display side is generally a side of the opposite substrate011.

Optionally, the touch panel02in the display device above according to the embodiment of this disclosure can be arranged on-cell, that is, as illustrated inFIG. 7A, the touch panel02is arranged on the side of the opposite substrate011away from the array substrate012, and the transparent touch electrode pattern layer200of the touch panel02is located on the side of the base substrate100facing the opposite substrate011; and at this time, the touch panel02generally can further include a black frame pattern300arranged between the base substrate100and the transparent touch electrode pattern layer200, and a planarization layer400arranged on the side of the transparent touch electrode pattern layer200away from the black frame pattern300. The planarization layer400is generally made of an Optical Clear Resin (OCR). The base substrate100supporting the touch panel02further protects it.

Optionally, the touch panel02in the display device above according to the embodiment of this disclosure can alternatively be structured on the opposite substrate, that is, as illustrated inFIG. 7B, the touch panel02shares the base substrate100with the opposite substrate011; and at this time, the display device generally can further include a polarizer03arranged on the side of the touch panel02away from the opposite substrate011, where the polarizer03has a reflect function to block ambient light, thereby guarantee contrast required for the display device.

In the touch panel, the method for driving the same, and the display device above according to the embodiments of this disclosure, patterns for performing a touch function are integrated into the transparent touch electrode pattern layer to thereby lower in effect a research and development cost of the product, and the transparent touch electrode pattern layer can be fabricated using only an photomask, so the research and development cost is very low, and the good yield of the product is very high, thus improving the competitiveness of the product. In the transparent touch electrode pattern layer, the plurality of third touch detection electrodes are arranged between the touch elements to thereby make up for a blind area of touch between the touch elements, so that both the sensitivity and the uniformity throughout the touch panel can remain constant to thereby support in effect the touch panel with an active pen. Particularly in the passive, i.e., finger, touch detection stage, the first touch detection electrodes and the second touch detection electrodes in the touch elements detect a touch in the mutual-capacitance mode, and the third touch detection electrodes detect a touch in the self-capacitance mode; and in the active pen touch detection stage, the respective first touch detection electrodes, the respective second touch detection electrodes, and the respective third touch detection electrodes operate as touch sense electrodes to detect a touch signal transmitted by the active pen.