Input device and display device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016291735-A1
Application number	US-201615080911-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 25, 2016
Priority date	Mar 30, 2015
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An input device includes a first substrate, a first light-emitting element unit, and a third electrode unit. The first substrate has a first surface and a second surface. The first light-emitting element includes a first electrode unit formed on the second surface, a second electrode unit formed in a layer different from that of the first electrode unit, and a luminescent layer electrically in contact with at least a part of the first electrode unit and a part of the second electrode unit, and formed between the first electrode unit and the second electrode unit. The third electrode unit is insulated from the first electrode unit and detects a change in an electric field between the first electrode unit and the third electrode unit depending on coordinates of a proximity object present at a position overlapping with the first surface in planar view.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An input device comprising:
a first substrate having a first surface and a second surface; a first light-emitting element unit including
a first electrode unit formed on the second surface,
a second electrode unit formed in a layer different from a layer of the first electrode unit, and
a luminescent layer electrically in contact with at least a part of the first electrode unit and a part of the second electrode unit, and formed between the first electrode unit and the second electrode unit; and
a third electrode unit insulated from the first electrode unit and that detects a change in an electric field between the first electrode unit and the third electrode unit depending on coordinates of a proximity object present at a position overlapping with the first surface in planar view.

2 . The input device according to claim 1 , wherein
the first electrode unit includes a plurality of first conductive layers formed in one layer, the second electrode unit includes a second conductive layer having a size overlapping with the first conductive layers in planar view, and the third electrode unit includes a plurality of third conductive layers formed in one layer different from the layer of the first conductive layers.

3 . The input device according to claim 2 , wherein
the first conductive layers have a shape continuously extending in a first direction in planar view and are in contact with the luminescent layer along the shape of the first conductive layers, and the first light-emitting element unit is capable of emitting light along the shape of the first conductive layers.

4 . The input device according to claim 1 , wherein
the first electrode unit includes a plurality of first conductive layers formed in one layer, the second electrode unit includes a second conductive layer having a size overlapping with the first conductive layers in planar view, and the third electrode unit includes a plurality of third conductive layers formed in the same layer as the layer in which the first conductive layers are formed.

5 . The input device according to claim 3 , wherein
the first conductive layers are laminated on the luminescent layer with an insulation layer interposed therebetween and have a shape continuously extending in the first direction in planar view, the third conductive layers are laminated on the luminescent layer with the insulation layer interposed therebetween and have a shape continuously extending in a second direction intersecting with the first direction in planar view, a plurality of fourth conductive layers are provided at portions where the first conductive layers intersect with the third conductive layers, the fourth conductive layers each coupling ends of the first conductive layers divided by the third conductive layers and crossing over the third conductive layers in a manner insulated from the third conductive layers, and the fourth conductive layers are electrically coupled to a part of the luminescent layer via a first contact portion.

6 . The input device according claim 3 , wherein
the first conductive layers are laminated on the luminescent layer with an insulation layer interposed therebetween and are scattered in planar view like an island, a plurality of fourth conductive layers are provided at portions where the first conductive layers intersect with the third conductive layers, the fourth conductive layers each coupling ends of the first conductive layers sandwiching the third conductive layers, and crossing over the third conductive layers in a manner insulated from the third conductive layers, a direction coupled by the fourth conductive layers extending in the first direction, the third conductive layers are laminated on the luminescent layer with the insulation layer interposed therebetween and have a shape continuously extending in a second direction intersecting with the first direction in planar view, and the fourth conductive layers are electrically coupled to a part of the luminescent layer via a first contact portion.

7 . The input device according claim 1 , wherein the first light-emitting element unit includes a first light-blocking portion that is arranged closer to the first surface than the luminescent layer is.

8 . The input device according claim 5 , wherein
the luminescent layer has a protrusion formed such that the area of a section of the first contact portion parallel to the second surface decreases as the section comes closer to the second surface, and the fourth conductive layers are made of a metal having metallic luster and cover an inclination surface corresponding to a side surface of the protrusion inclined with respect to the second surface.

9 . The input device according claim 3 , further comprising a second light-emitting element unit including a second contact portion coupled to a part of the first conductive layers extending between adjacent third conductive layers and electrically coupled to a part of the luminescent layer.

10 . The input device according claim 1 , wherein a drive signal pulse is applied to a part of the first conductive layers, the drive signal pulse rising in a reverse-bias direction opposite to a forward-bias direction of a voltage applied between the first conductive layers and the second conductive layer at which the first light-emitting element unit emits light.

11 . The input device according to claim 10 , further comprising:
a first electrode driver that supplies a voltage to the first electrode unit; a second electrode driver that supplies a voltage to the second electrode unit; and a proximity detecting unit that processes the change in the electric field as a proximity detection signal in response to the drive signal pulse, wherein the first electrode driver scans a part of the first electrode unit as a drive electrode in a time-division manner and supplies the drive signal pulse to the scanned part of the first electrode unit.

12 . The input device according to claim 10 , further comprising:
a first electrode driver that supplies a voltage to the first electrode unit; a second electrode driver that supplies a voltage to the second electrode unit; and a proximity detecting unit that processes the change in the electric field as a proximity detection signal in response to the drive signal pulse, wherein the second electrode driver applies the forward-bias voltage between the first electrode unit and the second electrode unit, thereby causing the first light-emitting element unit to emit light.

13 . The input device according to claim 12 , wherein the first electrode driver applies a pulse signal of a non-lighting period which rises in the reverse-bias direction to the first electrode unit.

14 . The input device according to claim 10 , further comprising:
a first electrode driver that supplies a voltage to the first electrode unit; a second electrode driver that supplies a voltage to the second electrode unit; and a proximity detecting unit that processes the change in the electric field as a proximity detection signal in response to the drive signal pulse, wherein the first electrode driver applies a lighting pulse which rises in the forward-bias direction, thereby causing the first light-emitting element unit to emit light in response to the lighting pulse.

15 . The input device according to claim 14 , wherein, when a request signal for the drive signal pulse output before the drive signal pulse coincides with a request signal for the lighting pulse output before the lighting pulse, the first electrode driver applies the drive s

Assignees

• Japan Display Inc

Inventors

• Nakanishi Takayuki
• Tamaki Masaya
• Yata Tatsuya

Classifications

• G06F2203/04103

  Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices · CPC title

• G06F2203/04101

  2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup · CPC title

• G06F3/044 Primary

  by capacitive means · CPC title

• G06F3/0416

  Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers · CPC title

• G06F2203/04111

  Cross over in capacitive digitiser, i.e. details of structures for connecting electrodes of the sensing pattern where the connections cross each other, e.g. bridge structures comprising an insulating layer, or vias through substrate · CPC title