Electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10976860-B2
Application number	US-201716478688-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 18, 2017
Priority date	Jan 18, 2017
Publication date	Apr 13, 2021
Grant date	Apr 13, 2021

Abstract

The present disclosure provides an electronic device comprising: a touch screen including a display region for outputting an image; a window arranged on the touch screen; and a control unit, wherein the touch screen includes a touch sensing layer which receives a touch input applied on the display region and receives a touch input with a first sensing resolution, and a fingerprint sensing unit, which overlaps a specific portion of the display region, is arranged between the window and the touch sensing layer, and senses a fingerprint with a second sensing resolution higher than the first sensing resolution when a finger touches the specific portion, and in order to receive a touch input on the basis of the touching of the finger with the specific portion, the control unit controls the fingerprint sensing unit on the basis of a specific control command such that the second sensing resolution of the specific portion is changed to the first sensing resolution.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electronic device, comprising:
a window;
a display module;
a fingerprint sensing layer disposed at a lower part of the window;
a touch sensing layer having a specific area disposed between the fingerprint sensing layer and the display module, and a remaining area disposed between the window and the display module;
a first circuit board configured to process fingerprint information sensed by the fingerprint sensing layer;
a second circuit board configured to process a touch input sensed by the touch sensing layer and the fingerprint sensing layer;
a first switch configured to connect sensing electrode lines provided in the fingerprint sensing layer to the first circuit board;
a second switch configured to connect sensing electrode lines provided in the fingerprint sensing layer to the second circuit board;
a fourth switch configured to connect sensing electrode lines provided in the fingerprint sensing layer to the second circuit board; and
a controller configured to turn the second switch on in order to receive the touch input applied to the window and turn the first switch off in a touch sensing mode, and configured to turn the first switch on and turn the second switch off in a fingerprint sensing mode,
wherein the fingerprint sensing layer has first lines that overlap in the same direction one of lines of the touch sensing layer, and second lines that do not overlap the one of lines of the touch sensing layer,
wherein the first switch and the second switch are configured to connect the first lines,
wherein the touch input is sensed based on a touch applied to the specific area in the touch sensing mode, and
wherein one end of the second switch is connected to a branched line from the fourth switch so the first lines are grouped to operate as a single sensing line in the touch sensing mode.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a third switch configured to connect part of the first lines of the fingerprint sensing layer to the second circuit board,
wherein the controller controls the third switch such that the first lines of the fingerprint sensing layer are disconnected from the second circuit board while the fingerprint information is being acquired.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the sensing electrode lines connected to the first and second switches correspond to Rx electrode lines.

4. An electronic device, comprising:
a window;
a display module;
a fingerprint sensing layer disposed at a lower part of the window;
a touch sensing layer having a specific area disposed between the fingerprint sensing layer and the display module, and a remaining area disposed between the window and the display module;
a first circuit board connected to the fingerprint sensing layer to process fingerprint information;
a second circuit board connected to the touch sensing layer to process a touch input; and
a controller,
wherein the touch sensing layer includes a plurality of Rx electrode lines and a plurality of Tx electrode lines,
wherein the fingerprint sensing layer includes a plurality of Tx electrode lines and a plurality of Rx electrode lines,
wherein the plurality of Rx electrode lines of the fingerprint sensing layer includes first Rx electrode lines overlapping part of the plurality of Rx electrode lines of the touch sensing layer, and second Rx electrode lines which are remaining electrode lines of the plurality of Rx electrode lines,
wherein each of the plurality of Rx electrode lines of the fingerprint sensing layer further includes a switch unit so as to be connected to the first circuit board, and
wherein the switch unit includes:
a first switch configured to connect a corresponding first Rx electrode line to the first circuit board;
a second switch having one end connected to the corresponding first Rx electrode line; and
a fourth switch configured to connect another first Rx electrode line that is not connected to the first and second switches, to the first circuit board,
wherein one end of the second switch is connected to a branched line from the fourth switch, and
wherein the controller controls the switch unit such that the first Rx electrode lines are grouped to operate as a single sensing line, by disconnecting the first Rx electrode lines from the first switch and connecting the first Rx electrode lines to the second switch, while the touch input is being sensed.

5. An electronic device, comprising:
a touch screen including a display area for displaying an image,
a window disposed above the touch screen, and
a controller,
wherein the touch screen comprises:
a touch sensing layer for receiving a touch input applied to the display area and receiving the touch input at a first sensing resolution;
a fingerprint sensing layer overlapping a specific area of the touch sensing layer and disposed between the window and the touch sensing layer, and configured to sense a fingerprint at a second sensing resolution, which is higher than the first sensing resolution, when a finger is touched on the specific area,
wherein the touch sensing layer includes a plurality of first and second sensing electrode lines arranged to intersect each other,
wherein the fingerprint sensing layer includes a plurality of first and second fingerprint sensing electrode lines arranged to intersect each other,
wherein the plurality of second sensing electrode lines and the plurality of second fingerprint sensing electrode lines extend in a same direction, and
wherein the plurality of second fingerprint sensing electrode lines include first electrode lines overlapping with one area of one second sensing electrode line, and second electrode lines not overlapping with the second sensing electrode line;
a first switch configured to connect the first electrode lines to a circuit board;
a second switch configured to connect one end of the second switch to the first electrode lines; and
a fourth switch configured to connect sensing electrode lines provided in the fingerprint sensing layer to the second circuit board,
wherein one end of the second switch is connected to a branched line from the fourth switch so the first electrode lines are grouped to operate as a single sensing line in the touch sensing mode,
wherein the controller controls the fingerprint sensing layer so that the second sensing resolution of the specific area is changed to the first sensing resolution in order to receive a touch input of a finger making contact with the specific area based on a specific control command, and
wherein the controller controls the first switch to be disconnected and the second switch to be connected based on the specific control command, so that the second sensing resolution of the specific area is changed to the first sensing resolution by the first electrode lines being grouped to operate as a single sensing line.

6. The electronic device of claim 5 , further comprising:
a first circuit board connected to the plurality of first switches, and
a second circuit board connected to the plurality of second switches.

7. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of first switches connects the first electrode lines to the first circuit board so that each of the first electrode lines acquires fingerprint information together with the first fingerprint sensing electrode lines.

8. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the switch unit further comprises a third switch configured to disconnect the first sensing electrode lines from the second circuit board while the fingerprint information is being acquired.

9. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of second switches connects the first electrode lines overlapping with

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Jeon Sangkuk
• Sin Mansoo

Classifications

• G06V10/147

  Details of sensors, e.g. sensor lenses (fingerprint or palmprint sensors G06V40/13; vascular sensors G06V40/145; eye sensors G06V40/19) · CPC title

• G06V40/1306

  non-optical, e.g. ultrasonic or capacitive sensing · CPC title

• G06F3/0412 Primary

  Digitisers structurally integrated in a display · CPC title

• G06F3/0416

  Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers · CPC title

• G06F3/0414

  using force sensing means to determine a position · CPC title