Display device having pressure sensors on side edges

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11474630-B2
Application number	US-202117216583-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 29, 2021
Priority date	Aug 1, 2018
Publication date	Oct 18, 2022
Grant date	Oct 18, 2022

Abstract

A display device includes: a display panel; an input sensing panel; a display flexible circuit board to control the display panel having an input sensing driving circuit electrically connected to the input sensing panel, the display flexible circuit board being connected to the display panel; and a first pressure sensor disposed adjacent to and extending along a first edge of the display panel, wherein the first pressure sensor is electrically connected to the input sensing driving circuit of the display flexible circuit board.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A display device comprising:
a display panel;
a display circuit board connected to the display panel;
a first pressure sensor disposed on a first surface of the display panel and adjacent to a first edge of the display panel;
a second pressure sensor disposed on the first surface of the display panel and adjacent to a second edge of the display panel; and
a sensing circuit board connected to the first pressure sensor, a second pressure sensor, and the display circuit board,
wherein the sensing circuit board includes a first portion extending from the first pressure sensor to the second pressure sensor, and a second portion extending from the first portion to the display circuit board.

2. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the second portion is adjacent to the first edge rather than the second edge.

3. The display device of claim 1 , further comprising a frame disposed on the first surface of the display panel, the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor; and
a battery device overlapping a battery hole of the frame,
wherein the second portion does not overlap the battery hole.

4. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the sensing circuit board includes a first line connected to the first pressure sensor and a second line connected to the second pressure sensor, and
wherein the first line and the second line have different line widths.

5. The display device of claim 4 , wherein a length of the second line is longer than a length of the first line.

6. The display device of claim 5 , wherein a width of the second line is larger than a width of the first line.

7. The display device of claim 1 , further comprising:
an input sensing unit disposed on a second surface of the display panel, the second surface of the display panel being opposite to the first surface of the display panel; and
an input sensing driving circuit disposed on the display circuit board and electrically connected to the input sensing unit.

8. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the display panel comprises a flat portion and a first curved portion extending from one side of the flat portion, and
wherein the first pressure sensor overlaps the first curved portion.

9. A display device comprising:
a display panel;
a display circuit board connected to the display panel;
a first pressure sensor disposed on a first surface of the display panel and adjacent to a first edge of the display panel;
a second pressure sensor disposed on the first surface of the display panel and adjacent to a second edge of the display panel; and
a sensing circuit board connected to the first pressure sensor, a second pressure sensor, and the display circuit board,
wherein each of the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor comprises:
a first base;
a second base facing the first base;
a first electrode disposed on a surface of the first base facing the second base;
a second electrode disposed on the surface of the first base and separated from the first electrode; and
a pressure sensing layer disposed on a surface of the second base facing the first base.

10. The display device of claim 9 , wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are configured to contact the pressure sensing layer in response to a pressure applied to the first edge of the display panel.

11. The display device of claim 9 , wherein the first electrode comprises a first stem electrode and a plurality of first branch electrodes extending from the stem electrode,
wherein the second electrode comprises a second stem electrode and a plurality of second branch electrodes extending from the second stem electrode, and
wherein the first branch electrodes and the second branch electrodes are arranged alternately.

12. The display device of claim 9 , wherein each of the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor further comprises:
a bump member disposed on another surface of the second base.

13. A method of operating a display device having integrated pressure sensors disposed along at least one side of the device and no physical buttons, the integrated pressure sensors including a plurality of sensing regions spaced apart from each other, the method comprising:
pressing sensing regions of a first sensing region group among the plurality of sensing regions to operate a first function of the display device based on a magnitude of the pressure applied to the pressure sensor;
pressing sensing regions of a second sensing region group among the plurality of sensing regions to operate a second function of the display device different from the first function of the display device; and
squeezing at least one sensing region of the plurality of sensing regions to operate a third function of the display device different from the first function and the second function of the display device, and
wherein an area of one of the at least one sensing region is larger than an area of one of the sensing regions of the first sensing region group and an area of one of the sensing regions of the second sensing region group.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the number of the sensing regions of the first sensing region group is different from the number of the sensing regions of the second sensing region group.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein an area of the first sensing region group is different from an area of the second sensing region group.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the at least one sensing region includes one sensing region disposed on a first side of the device and another sensing region disposed on a second side of the device, and the first side of the device is opposite to the second side of the device.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the sensing regions of the first sensing region group, the sensing regions of the second sensing region group, and the sensing regions of the at least one sensing region are disposed in a single column on one sidewall of the display device.

Assignees

• Samsung Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Tae Hee
• Park Sung Kook
• Park So Hee
• Seomoon Hee
• Hong Won Ki

Classifications

• G06F3/0488

  using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures · CPC title

• H05K2201/10128

  Display · CPC title

• G06F1/1684

  Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675 · CPC title

• G06F1/1626 Primary

  with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs] · CPC title

• G06F1/1671

  Special purpose buttons or auxiliary keyboards, e.g. retractable mini keypads, keypads or buttons that remain accessible at closed laptop (G06F1/1666 takes precedence) · CPC title