U.S. patent application number 15/886967 was filed with the patent office on 2019-04-25 for display panel, display device and force touch method.
The applicant listed for this patent is Xiamen Tianma Micro-Electronics Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Shaoting LIN, Yan ZHANG.
Application Number | 20190121484 15/886967 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 61092016 |
Filed Date | 2019-04-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20190121484 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
ZHANG; Yan ; et al. |
April 25, 2019 |
DISPLAY PANEL, DISPLAY DEVICE AND FORCE TOUCH METHOD
Abstract
The present disclosure provides a display panel, a display
device and a force touch method thereof. The display panel includes
a plurality of force sensors disposed in a display area and a touch
electrode including a plurality of touch electrode blocks. Each of
the plurality of force sensors includes four force electrodes
sequentially interconnected end-to-end, which are a first force
electrode, a second force electrode, a third force electrode and a
fourth force electrode. One or more of the plurality of touch
electrode blocks each are frame-shaped electrodes and each of the
plurality of force sensors corresponds to a respective one of the
frame-shaped electrodes. Each of the frame-shaped electrodes is
provided with a hollow area, and each of the plurality of force
sensors is disposed in the hollow area of the respective
frame-shaped electrode thereof. The display panel is applied in a
display device.
Inventors: |
ZHANG; Yan; (Xiamen, CN)
; LIN; Shaoting; (Xiamen, CN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Xiamen Tianma Micro-Electronics Co., Ltd. |
Xiamen |
|
CN |
|
|
Family ID: |
61092016 |
Appl. No.: |
15/886967 |
Filed: |
February 2, 2018 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 3/044 20130101;
G06F 2203/04105 20130101; G06F 3/0416 20130101 |
International
Class: |
G06F 3/041 20060101
G06F003/041 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 23, 2017 |
CN |
201710993767.2 |
Claims
1. A display panel, comprising: a plurality of force sensors
disposed in a display area, each of the plurality of force sensors
comprising four force electrodes sequentially interconnected
end-to-end, which are a first force electrode, a second force
electrode, a third force electrode and a fourth force electrode; a
touch electrode comprising a plurality of touch electrode blocks,
wherein one or more of the plurality of touch electrode blocks are
frame-shaped electrodes, and each of the plurality of force sensors
corresponds to a respective one of the frame-shaped electrodes,
each of the frame-shaped electrodes is provided with a hollow area,
and each of the plurality of force sensors is disposed in the
hollow area of the respective frame-shaped electrode.
2. The display panel according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of
touch electrode blocks are arranged in an array, in each
odd-numbered row of the array, each odd-numbered touch electrode
block is one of the frame-shaped electrodes, in each even-numbered
row of the array, each even-numbered touch electrode block is one
of the frame-shaped electrodes.
3. The display panel according to claim 1, wherein the four force
electrodes of each of the plurality of force sensors are disposed
in a same layer as the touch electrode.
4. The display panel according to claim 1, wherein the display
panel further comprises: a first electrode connecting line, via
which the first force electrode is connected with the second force
electrode; a second electrode connecting line, via which the second
force electrode is connected with the third force electrode; a
third electrode connecting line, via which the third force
electrode is connected with the fourth force electrode; a fourth
electrode connecting line, via which the fourth force electrode is
connected with the first force electrode; and a plurality of pixel
electrodes, wherein the first electrode connecting line, the second
electrode connecting line, the third electrode connecting line and
the fourth electrode connecting line are all disposed in the same
layer as the pixel electrodes.
5. The display panel according to claim 4, wherein the display
panel further comprises: a first force-sensing signal line
electrically connected with the first force electrode and the
second force electrode via the first electrode connecting line, a
second force-sensing signal line electrically connected with the
second force electrode and the third force electrode via the second
electrode connecting line, a third force-sensing signal line
electrically connected with the third force electrode and the
fourth force electrode via the third electrode connecting line, and
a fourth force-sensing signal line electrically connected with the
fourth force electrode and the first force electrode via the fourth
electrode connecting line.
6. The display panel according to claim 1, wherein the display
panel further comprises: a voltage application circuit, configured
to apply a voltage to the force sensors, a first input end of the
voltage application circuit being electrically connected with the
first force electrode, a second input end of the voltage
application circuit being electrically connected with the third
force electrode; and a detection circuit, configured to detect an
output signal of the force sensors, a first output end of the
detection circuit being electrically connected with the second
force electrode, a second output end of the detection circuit being
electrically connected with the fourth force electrode.
7. The display panel according to claim 1, wherein the display
panel further comprises: a plurality of touch signal lines, the
plurality of touch signal lines one-to-one corresponding to and
being electrically connected with the plurality of touch electrode
blocks; a first force-sensing signal line electrically connected
with the first force electrode, a second force-sensing signal line
electrically connected with the second force electrode, a third
force-sensing signal line electrically connected with the third
force electrode, a fourth force-sensing signal line electrically
connected with the fourth force electrode; wherein the first
force-sensing signal line, the second force-sensing signal line,
the third force-sensing signal line and the fourth force-sensing
signal line are all disposed in the same layer as the touch signal
lines.
8. The display panel according to claim 1, wherein areas of the
four force electrodes of each of the plurality of force sensors
each are different from one another.
9. The display panel according to claim 1, wherein areas of the
four force electrodes of each of the plurality of force sensors are
equal.
10. The display panel according to claim 9, wherein the display
panel comprises a first direction and a second direction
intersecting with the first direction, the first force electrode,
the second force electrode, the third force electrode and the
fourth force electrode are all rectangular-shaped, a component of a
length of the first force electrode in the first direction is
larger than a component of the length of the first force electrode
in the second direction; a component of a length of the second
force electrode in the first direction is smaller than a component
of the length of the second force electrode in the second
direction; a component of a length of the third force electrode in
the first direction is larger than a component of the length of the
third force electrode in the second direction; and a component of a
length of the fourth force electrode in the first direction is
smaller than a component of the length of the fourth force
electrode in the second direction.
11. The display panel according to claim 1, wherein an area of the
first force electrode is the same as an area of the second force
electrode, and an area of the third force electrode is the same as
an area of the fourth force electrode.
12. The display panel according to claim 1, wherein in a display
stage, the four force electrodes of each of the force sensors, and
the touch electrode each are multiplexed as a common electrodes for
obtaining a common voltage signal.
13. The display panel according to claim 1, wherein in a touch
stage, at least one of the four force electrodes of each of the
force sensors is multiplexed as a touch electrode for obtaining a
sensing electric signal of the force electrodes being
multiplexed.
14. The display panel according to claim 1, wherein in a touch
stage, the four force electrodes of each of the force sensors are
all multiplexed as touch electrodes for obtaining sensing electric
signals of the four force electrodes being multiplexed.
15. A display device comprising a display panel, wherein the
display panel comprises: a plurality of force sensors disposed in a
display area, each of the plurality of force sensors comprising
four force electrodes sequentially interconnected end-to-end, which
are a first force electrode, a second force electrode, a third
force electrode and a fourth force electrode; a touch electrode
comprising a plurality of touch electrode blocks, wherein one or
more of the plurality of touch electrode blocks are frame-shaped
electrodes, and each of the plurality of force sensors corresponds
to a respective one of the frame-shaped electrodes, each of the
frame-shaped electrodes is provided with a hollow area, and each of
the plurality of force sensors is disposed in the hollow area of
the respective frame-shaped electrode.
16. A force touch method, applied in a display panel, wherein the
display panel comprises: a plurality of force sensors disposed in a
display area, each of the plurality of force sensors comprising
four force electrodes sequentially interconnected end-to-end, which
are a first force electrode, a second force electrode, a third
force electrode and a fourth force electrode; a touch electrode
comprising a plurality of touch electrode blocks, wherein one or
more of the plurality of touch electrode blocks are frame-shaped
electrodes, and each of the plurality of force sensors corresponds
to a respective one of the frame-shaped electrodes, each of the
frame-shaped electrodes is provided with a hollow area, and each of
the plurality of force sensors is disposed in the hollow area of
the respective frame-shaped electrode, wherein the force touch
method comprises: obtaining an output signal of the force sensors
in a force touch stage.
17. The force touch method according to claim 16, wherein the force
touch method further comprises: in the touch stage, providing a
touch electric signal to the touch electrode and at least one of
the four force electrodes of each of the force sensors, obtaining
sensing electric signals of the touch electrode and the force
electrode multiplexed as the touch electrode.
18. The force touch method according to claim 16, wherein the force
touch method further comprises: in the touch stage, providing a
touch electric signal to the touch electrode and the four force
electrodes of each of the force sensors, obtaining sensing electric
signals of the touch electrode and the four force electrodes.
19. The force touch method according to claim 16, wherein the force
touch method further comprises: in a display stage, obtaining a
common electrode signal by the touch electrode and the four force
electrodes of each of the force sensors.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application claims priority to Chinese Patent
Application No. 201710993767.2, filed on Oct. 23, 2017, the content
of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present disclosure relates to the field of display
technologies and, in particular, to a display panel, a display
device and a force touch method thereof.
BACKGROUND
[0003] At present, electronic devices in the market can usually be
operated by touch control on the interface. When an operator
touches the display panel with a finger, the display panel sends a
signal to the electronic device. Some devices can detect the
magnitude of the touch force via a resistive force sensor, that is,
the magnitude of the touch force is achieved by detecting the
change of the resistance in the force sensor.
[0004] However, the inventor has found that the force sensor
provided on the display panel causes the border width of the
display panel be increased.
SUMMARY
[0005] The present disclosure provides a display panel, a display
device and a force touch method thereof, for reducing the border
width of the display panel.
[0006] In a first aspect, the present disclosure provides a display
panel. The display panel includes: a plurality of force sensors
disposed in a display area, each of the plurality of force sensors
including four force electrodes sequentially interconnected
end-to-end, which are a first force electrode, a second force
electrode, a third force electrode and a fourth force electrode; a
touch electrode including a plurality of touch electrode blocks,
wherein one or more of the plurality of touch electrode blocks are
frame-shaped electrodes, and each of the plurality of force sensors
corresponds to a respective one of the frame-shaped electrodes,
each of the frame-shaped electrodes is provided with a hollow area,
and each of the plurality of force sensors is disposed in the
hollow area of the respective frame-shaped electrode.
[0007] In a second aspect, the present disclosure provides a
display device including a display panel. The display panel
includes: a plurality of force sensors disposed in a display area,
each of the plurality of force sensors including four force
electrodes sequentially interconnected end-to-end, which are a
first force electrode, a second force electrode, a third force
electrode and a fourth force electrode; a touch electrode including
a plurality of touch electrode blocks, wherein one or more of the
plurality of touch electrode blocks are frame-shaped electrodes,
and each of the plurality of force sensors corresponds to a
respective one of the frame-shaped electrodes, each of the
frame-shaped electrodes is provided with a hollow area, and each of
the plurality of force sensors is disposed in the hollow area of
the respective frame-shaped electrode.
[0008] In a third aspect, the present disclosure provides a force
touch method applied in a display panel. The display panel includes
a plurality of force sensors disposed in a display area, each of
the plurality of force sensors including four force electrodes
sequentially interconnected end-to-end, which are a first force
electrode, a second force electrode, a third force electrode and a
fourth force electrode; a touch electrode including a plurality of
touch electrode blocks, wherein one or more of the plurality of
touch electrode blocks are frame-shaped electrodes, and each of the
plurality of force sensors corresponds to a respective one of the
frame-shaped electrodes, each of the frame-shaped electrodes is
provided with a hollow area, and each of the plurality of force
sensors is disposed in the hollow area of the respective
frame-shaped electrode. The force touch method includes obtaining
an output signal of the force sensors in a force touch stage.
[0009] Any one of the above technical solutions has the following
beneficial effects.
[0010] The force sensor is disposed in the display area of the
display panel, on the one hand, the force sensor does not occupy
the non-display area, thereby effectively reducing the width of the
border of the display panel to meet the user's requirements on a
narrow border; on the other hand, when the user presses a certain
position of the display area, the force sensor can directly sense
the change of the electric signal, which avoids attenuation of the
output signal value caused by a long wiring, and thus improving the
sensitivity of the force sensor.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0011] In order to make the technical solutions in the embodiments
of the present disclosure to be clearer, the accompanying drawings
required for illustrating the embodiments will be briefly
introduced in the following. The accompanying drawings merely show
some embodiments of the present disclosure, and person skilled in
the art may still obtain other accompanying drawings on the basis
of the following accompanying drawings without creative
efforts.
[0012] FIG. 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a display panel
provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0013] FIG. 2 is a structural schematic diagram of a force sensor
provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0014] FIG. 3 is another structural schematic diagram of a force
sensor provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0015] FIG. 4 is another structural schematic diagram of a display
panel provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0016] FIG. 5 is another structural schematic diagram of a force
sensor provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0017] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of AA' direction of FIG. 5
provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0018] FIG. 7 is a structural schematic diagram showing connection
relation of force sensors provided by an embodiment of the present
disclosure;
[0019] FIG. 8 is another structural schematic diagram of a force
sensor provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0020] FIG. 9 is another structural schematic diagram of a display
panel provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0021] FIG. 10 is another structural schematic diagram of a display
panel provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0022] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of BB' direction of FIG. 9
provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0023] FIG. 12 is another structural schematic diagram showing
connection relation of force sensors provided by an embodiment of
the present disclosure;
[0024] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of CC' direction of FIG.
12 provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0025] FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram of a Wheatstone bridge
provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0026] FIG. 15 is another structural schematic diagram of a force
sensor provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0027] FIG. 16 is another structural schematic diagram of a force
sensor provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0028] FIG. 17 is another structural schematic diagram of a force
sensor provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0029] FIG. 18 is another structural schematic diagram of a force
sensor provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure; and
[0030] FIG. 19 is a structural schematic diagram of a display
device provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0031] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions, and
advantages of the embodiments of the present disclosure to be
clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present
disclosure are clearly and completely described in the following
with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the
described embodiments are merely exemplary embodiments of the
present disclosure, which shall not be interpreted as providing
limitations to the present disclosure. All other embodiments
obtained by those skilled in the art without creative efforts
according to the embodiments of the present disclosure are within
the scope of the present disclosure.
[0032] The terms used in the embodiments of the present disclosure
are merely for the purpose of describing particular embodiments but
not intended to limit the present disclosure. Unless otherwise
noted in the context, the singular form expressions "a", "an",
"the" and "said" used in the embodiments and appended claims of the
present disclosure are also intended to represent plural form
expressions thereof.
[0033] It should be understood that, the term "and/or" as used
herein merely means an association relationship that describes
relation of associated objects, which means that there may be three
relationships. For example, "A and/or B" may represent three cases:
only "A" is presented, both "A and B" are presented, and only "B"
is presented. In addition, the symbol "/" as used herein generally
means an "or" relation of the associated objects.
[0034] It should be understood that, although the force electrode
may be described using the terms of "first", "second", "third",
"fourth", etc., in the embodiments of the present disclosure, the
force electrodes will not be limited to these terms. These terms
are merely used to distinguish force electrodes from one another.
For example, without departing from the scope of the embodiments of
the present disclosure, a first force electrode may also be
referred to as a second force electrode, similarly, a second force
electrode may also be referred to as a first force electrode, a
third force electrode may also be referred to as a fourth force
electrode, etc.
[0035] It should be noted that, the expressions such as "upper",
"lower", "left", "right" and the like mentioned in embodiments of
the present disclosure are described with reference to the
placement status in the accompanying drawings, and should not be
construed as limiting embodiments of the present disclosure. In
addition, it should also be understood that, in the context, while
referring to an element being formed "above" or "below" another
element, it is possible that the element is directly formed "above"
or "below" the other element, it is also possible that the element
is formed "above" or "below" the other element via an intermediate
element.
[0036] The present disclosure provides a display panel, as shown in
FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, FIG. 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a
display panel provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure,
FIG. 2 is a structural schematic diagram of a force sensor provided
by an embodiment of the present disclosure. In combination with
FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the display panel 1 includes a display area 2,
and a non-display area 3 surrounding the display area 2.
[0037] Further, the display panel 1 includes: a plurality of force
sensors 10 disposed in the display area 2, each of the force
sensors 10 including a first force electrode 11, a second force
electrode 12, a third force electrode 13 and a fourth force
electrode 14 sequentially connected end to end; and a touch
electrode 20 including a plurality of touch electrode blocks 21.
One or more of the touch electrode blocks 21 are frame-shaped
electrodes 211 corresponding to each force sensor 10, and each
frame-shaped electrode 211 is provided with a hollow area 2110.
Each force sensor 10 is disposed in the hollow area 2110 of a
corresponding frame-shaped electrode 211.
[0038] In the related art, the force sensors are arranged in the
non-display area of the display panel, which may increase the area
occupied by the non-display area and thus is adverse to realization
of a narrow border. In addition, the pressing position is
relatively far from the position of the force sensor, the output
signal has a relatively small value, and thus the sensitivity is
relatively poor.
[0039] In an embodiment, the force sensor is disposed in the
display area of the display panel, on the one hand, the force
sensor does not occupy the non-display area, thereby effectively
reducing the width of the border of the display panel to meet the
user's requirements on a narrow border; on the other hand, when the
user presses a certain position of the display area, the force
sensor can directly sense the change of the electric signal, which
avoids attenuation of the output signal value caused by a long
wiring, and thus improving the sensitivity of the force sensor.
[0040] It should be noted that, as for the touch electrode, the
hollow area can be disposed at any position of the frame-shaped
electrode. In the present embodiment, the hollow area is disposed
at the center position of the frame-shaped electrode, so as to
achieve uniform touch sensitivity with respect of the entire
periphery of the frame-shaped electrode.
[0041] Besides, the hollow area does not influence the sensitivity
of the touch electrode for the following reasons.
[0042] The force sensor has a small size along a certain direction,
which may be a micron size, whereas the size of the touch electrode
block along the above-mentioned direction may be a millimeter size.
That is, the area of the force sensor is approximately 1/1000 or
even 1/10000 of the area of the touch electrode block, which has
little influence on the touch sensitivity of the touch electrode
block. For example, assuming that the area of the touch electrode
is 4*4 mm.sup.2, the area of the force sensor (the hollow area) is
20*20 .mu.m.sup.2, then the area of the force sensor (the hollow
area) is 1/40000 of the area of the touch electrode, and the touch
area by the finger of a user is much larger than the above area, so
it can be considered that the force sensor has little influence on
the touch sensitivity of the touch electrode block.
[0043] In addition, as an example, as shown in FIG. 3, FIG. 3 is
another structural schematic diagram of a force sensor provided by
an embodiment of the present disclosure, the smaller the hollow
area (the area occupied by the force sensor), the smaller the
distance between four force electrodes, so that in a relatively
small range, the temperature changes of the first force electrode
11, the second force electrode 12, the third force electrode 13 and
the fourth force electrode 14 are synchronous, thereby eliminating
the influence on the deformation of the force electrode due to the
temperature difference, and the accuracy of the output signal value
is improved.
[0044] It should be noted that, for example, the number of the
touch electrode blocks is 12 in FIG. 1, of which 6 touch electrode
blocks are frame-shaped electrodes. In fact, the number of the
touch electrode blocks on the display panel may be much larger than
12, and the number of the frame-shaped electrodes may be much
larger than 6. The number of touch electrode blocks and the
frame-shaped electrodes will not be limited in the present
disclosure. In addition, the size and location of the frame-shaped
electrode, the touch electrode block, and the touch electrode do
not represent their size and location in the actual product.
[0045] In combination with the display panel shown in FIG. 1, the
present disclosure provides a force touch method.
[0046] The force touch method includes: obtaining an output signal
of the force sensor in a force touch stage.
[0047] In an embodiment, the force sensors may be evenly
distributed on the display panel so as to make a signal output by
the force sensors more accurate.
[0048] Further, the force sensors may be evenly distributed on the
display panel in multiple manners, for example, as shown in FIG. 4,
FIG. 4 is another structural schematic diagram of a display panel
provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure, the touch
electrode blocks 21 are distributed in an array. In an odd row, an
odd touch electrode block 21 is a frame-shaped electrode 211; and
in an even row, an even touch electrode block 21 is a frame-shaped
electrode 211. In FIG. 4, seven rows and five columns of touch
electrode blocks 21 are provided, taking the touch electrode blocks
provided in a first row as an example, a first touch electrode
block, a third touch electrode block, and a fifth touch electrode
block are frame-shaped electrodes, that is, in the first row, every
other touch electrode block is provided with a frame-shaped
electrode (force sensor), so that the force sensors can be evenly
distributed on the display panel.
[0049] Optionally, in an embodiment, an even touch electrode block
may be provided as the frame-shaped electrode in an odd row, and an
odd touch electrode block may be provided as the frame-shaped
electrode in an even row.
[0050] The hollow area 2110 of each frame-shaped electrode 211 is
provided with the force sensor 10, that is, when the frame-shaped
electrodes 211 are evenly distributed on the display panel 1, the
force sensors 10 are uniformly distributed on the display panel 1.
No matter which position of the display panel is pressed, it can be
sensed by the force sensor, so that the sensing accuracy of the
force sensor is improved.
[0051] Further, each touch electrode block may be provided as the
frame-shaped electrode. The hollow area (the area occupied by the
force sensor) is 1/1000 or even 1/10000 of the entire touch
electrode block, which has little influence on the touch
sensitivity of the touch electrode block. Therefore, when each
touch electrode block is provided with the hollow area (force
sensor), the sensitivity of the touch electrode will not be
influenced, and the accuracy of the force sensor can be
improved.
[0052] In an embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, FIG. 5 is
another structural schematic diagram of a force sensor provided by
an embodiment of the present disclosure, FIG. 6 is a
cross-sectional view of AA' direction of FIG. 5 provided by an
embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 6, the four
force electrodes of each force sensor 10 are disposed in the same
layer as the touch electrode 20. For example, in the present
embodiment, the touch electrode 20 and the four force electrodes of
the force sensor 10 may be disposed in a separate film layer.
Optionally, the touch electrode 20 and the four force electrodes of
the force sensor are disposed in a common electrode layer. The
common electrode may be provided as common electrode blocks, one or
more of the common electrode blocks may be provided with a hollow
area, and four force electrodes of the force sensor is provided in
the hollow area. During a display stage, all the common electrode
blocks, and the four force electrodes disposed in the hollow area
receive a common voltage signal; during a touch stage, one or more
of the common electrode blocks may be multiplexed as the touch
electrode, in this case, since the four force electrodes occupy a
very small area, the four force electrodes may be or may not be
multiplexed as the touch electrode, and the reason that the four
force electrodes are not multiplexed as the touch electrode is
described as above, which will not be further described herein. In
addition, in an embodiment, since indium tin oxide (ITO) has good
conductivity and transparency and does not block the emergent
light, material of the common electrode may be ITO.
[0053] With further reference to FIG. 5, the display panel further
includes: a plurality of touch signal lines 22, each of which
corresponding to and being electrically connected with each touch
electrode block 21 one to one; a first force-sensing signal line
101 electrically connected with the first force electrode 11, a
second force-sensing signal line 102 electrically connected with
the second force electrode 12, a third force-sensing signal line
103 electrically connected with the third force electrode 13, and a
fourth force-sensing signal line 104 electrically connected with
the fourth force electrode 14.
[0054] In combination with FIG. 6, the first force-sensing signal
line 101, the second force-sensing signal 102, the third
force-sensing signal line 103, and the fourth force-sensing signal
line 104 are disposed in the same layer as the touch signal line
22. Since the force-sensing signal line and the touch signal line
22 are arranged in the same layer, on the one hand, film layers can
be provided less, which makes the display panel lighter and
thinner, on the other hand, the number of manufacturing processes
are decreased, which improves the manufacture efficiency of the
display panel and effectively saves cost. In addition, the four
force electrodes of the force sensor 10 are disposed in the display
area, and the corresponding wiring thereof, i.e., the four
force-sensing signal lines are also disposed in the display area,
which will not occupy the space of the non-display area surrounding
the display area, further reducing the border width of the display
panel.
[0055] In order to clearly express the film layer relation of the
display panel in the present disclosure, based on the orientation
shown in FIG. 6, from bottom to top, a first passivation layer 41
is disposed above a layer of the touch signal line 22
(force-sensing signal line layer), a layer of the touch electrode
20 (common electrode layer or force electrode layer) is disposed
above the first passivation layer 41, and a second passivation
layer 42 is disposed above the layer of the touch electrode 20.
[0056] It should be noted that, FIG. 5 is taken as an example, in
order to clearly express the relation between the touch electrode
and the touch signal line, FIG. 5 does not show the relation
between all of the touch electrodes (the touch electrode blocks and
the frame-shaped electrodes) and the touch signal line, but
exemplarily shows the relation between one frame-shaped electrode
and the touch signal line and the relation between one touch
electrode block and the touch signal line. Similarly, FIG. 5 only
shows the connection relation between the force electrodes of only
one force sensor and the force-sensing signal line. For the
connection relation of other components, FIG. 5 can be
referenced.
[0057] It should be understood that, with further reference to FIG.
5, the display panel 1 further includes a drive end disposed in the
non-display area 3. An end of the touch signal line not
electrically connected with the touch electrode (touch electrode
block and frame-shaped electrode) can be connected with the drive
end, and the drive end includes a touch drive end. In a touch
stage, the touch drive end provides a drive electric signal to the
touch electrode (touch electrode block and frame-shaped electrode)
via the touch signal line, the touch electrode (touch electrode
block and frame-shaped electrode) senses the touching and feeds
back a sensing electric signal to the touch drive end, then the
touch drive end detects the touch position by analyzing the fed
back sensing electric signal, and then outputs a corresponding
touch operation. As for the force-sensing signal line, the drive
end includes a force-sensing power source drive end and a
force-sensing detection end. The first force electrode and the
third force electrode are connected with the force-sensing power
source drive end via their respective force-sensing signal lines so
as to obtain drive signal provided by the force-sensing power
source drive end, and the drive signal may be a voltage signal; the
second force electrode and the fourth force electrode are connected
with the force-sensing detection end via their respective
force-sensing signal lines, so that when the force sensor is
pressed, the force applied to the four force electrodes is fed back
to the force-sensing detection end via the force-sensing signal
line, and based on the detection, the force-sensing end outputs a
corresponding signal.
[0058] The drive end can be construed as an integrated circuit IC
including various ends for realizing respective functions, such as
a touch drive end, a force-sensing power source drive end, and a
force-sensing detection end.
[0059] As shown in FIG. 7, FIG. 7 is a structural schematic diagram
of a connection relation of force sensors provided by an embodiment
of the present disclosure, the display panel 1 further includes a
voltage application circuit 50 and a detection circuit 60.
[0060] A first input end IN1 of the voltage application circuit 50
is electrically connected with the first force electrode 11, a
second input end IN2 of the voltage application circuit 50 is
electrically connected with the third force electrode 13, the
voltage application circuit 50 is used to apply a voltage to the
force sensor 10. In combination with the display panel shown in
FIG. 5, the voltage application circuit 50 can be construed as a
force-sensing power source drive end. In addition, the number of
the force sensor can be the same as the number of the voltage
application circuit, or it is also possible that, as shown in FIG.
7, one voltage application circuit provides a voltage to a
plurality of force sensors. For sake of safety, and for eliminating
static electricity generated by the force sensor (four force
electrodes), the first end or the second end of the voltage
application circuit may be connected with the ground.
[0061] A first output end OUT1 of the detection circuit 60 is
electrically connected with the second force electrode 12, a second
output end OUT2 of the detection circuit 60 is electrically
connected with the fourth force electrode 14, the detection circuit
60 is used to detect the output signal of the force sensor 10. In
combination with the display panel shown in FIG. 5, the detection
circuit 60 can be construed as a force-sensing detection end.
[0062] Both the force sensors are disposed in the display area,
while the voltage application circuit 50 and the detection circuit
60 are disposed in the non-display area.
[0063] In an embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9, FIG. 8 is
another structural schematic diagram of a force sensor provided by
an embodiment of the present disclosure, FIG. 9 is another
structural schematic diagram of a display panel provided by an
embodiment of the present disclosure. The display panel 1 further
includes: a first electrode connecting line 15, via which the first
force electrode 11 is connected with the second force electrode 12;
a second electrode connecting line 16, via which the second force
electrode 12 is connected with the third force electrode 13; a
third electrode connecting line 17, via which the third force
electrode 13 is connected with the fourth force electrode 14; and a
fourth electrode connecting line 18, via which the fourth force
electrode 14 is connected with the first force electrode 11.
[0064] Taking FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 as an example, FIG. 10 is another
structural schematic diagram of a display panel provided by an
embodiment of the present disclosure, FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional
view of BB' direction of FIG. 9 provided by an embodiment of the
present disclosure, and the display principle of the display panel
will be briefly described in the following.
[0065] The display panel 1 may be a liquid crystal display panel.
The liquid crystal display panel includes an array substrate 62, a
color film substrate 61 arranged opposite to the array substrate
62, and a liquid crystal layer 63 between the array substrate 62
and the color film substrate 61. The array substrate 62 is provided
with a plurality of sub-pixels (not shown) defined by a plurality
of rows of gate lines (not shown) intersecting with a plurality of
columns of data lines (not shown). Each of the sub-pixels is
provided with a thin film transistor, a pixel electrode 30 and a
common electrode. A gate electrode 48 of each thin film transistor
is connected with a gate line, a source electrode 49 thereof is
connected with a data line, and a drain electrode 46 thereof is
connected with a pixel electrode 30. Under control of the
corresponding gate line, the data line corresponding to the source
electrode 49 of the thin film transistor charges/discharges to the
pixel electrode 30 corresponding to the drain electrode 46 via the
thin film transistor, and an electric field is formed between the
pixel electrode 30 and the common electrode. During display of the
liquid crystal display panel, i.e., in a display stage, the common
electrode obtains a common voltage signal (usually a constant
voltage signal), and an electric field is formed between the pixel
electrode and the common electrode 30 to control rotation of liquid
crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer so as to achieve the
display function. Moreover, it should be noted that, in the display
stage, the frame-shaped electrode 211, the touch electrode block
21, and the four force electrodes 11-14 are all multiplexed as
common electrode, and obtains a common voltage signal.
[0066] Further, with further reference to FIG. 11, in an
embodiment, the display panel further includes a plurality of pixel
electrodes 30. The first electrode connecting line 15, the second
electrode connecting line 16, the third electrode connecting line
17 and the fourth electrode connecting line 18 may be disposed in
the same layer as the pixel electrode 30. In this case, film layers
can be provided less, so that the width of the display panel can be
decreased and the cost can also be decreased.
[0067] Taking the orientation shown in FIG. 11 as a reference, the
structure of each film layer will be briefly described. An active
layer 47, an insulation layer 45, a gate electrode 48, an
interlayer insulation layer 44, a drain electrode 46 (or source
electrode 49), and a planarization layer 43 are sequentially formed
from bottom to top. The drain electrode 46 is electrically
connected with the pixel electrode 30. The structure of the film
layers above the planarization layer 43 can refer to descriptions
with respect to FIG. 6, which will not be further described
herein.
[0068] The connection manner between the touch electrode and the
corresponding touch signal line will be described in the
following.
[0069] In a first connection manner, as shown in FIG. 6, the touch
electrode 20 (touch electrode block 21 and frame-shaped electrode
211) can be electrically connected with the touch signal line 22
one to one via a through hole.
[0070] In a second connection manner, as shown in FIG. 11, the
touch electrode 20 (touch electrode block 21 and frame-shaped
electrode 211) can be electrically connected with the touch signal
line 22 via a touch bridge line 106. Since the touch bridge line
106 and the pixel electrode 30 are provided in the same layer,
material of the touch bridge line 106 may also be ITO. The touch
electrode 20 is electrically with the touch signal line 22 by using
the touch bridge line 106 as a bridge, it only requires to make an
improvement with respect of the existing ITO layer (a layer of the
pixel electrode 30), and there is no need to add an entire group of
mask processes including exposing, etching, developing and so on.
The manufacturing process is relatively mature, additional risks
will not be brought, thus higher yield can be achieved, and
manufacturing cost can be decreased.
[0071] Similarly, with further reference to FIG. 11, the
force-sensing signal line may be electrically connected with the
force electrode via a bridge. Taking the first force electrode as
an example, the first force electrode 11 is electrically connected
with the first force-sensing signal line 101 via a force-sensing
bridge line 105. Similarly, such a design can reduce the
manufacturing processes and improve the yield.
[0072] In an embodiment, as shown in FIG. 12 and FIG. 13, FIG. 12
is a structural schematic diagram showing connection relation of
force sensors provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure,
FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of CC' direction of FIG. 12
provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure, the display
panel also includes: a first force-sensing signal line 101, a
second force-sensing signal line 102, a third force-sensing signal
line 103 and a fourth force-sensing signal line 104.
[0073] The first force-sensing signal line 101 is electrically
connected with the first force electrode 11 and the second force
electrode 12 via the first electrode connecting line 15.
[0074] The second force-sensing signal line 102 is electrically
connected with the second force electrode 12 and the third force
electrode 13 via the second electrode connecting line 16.
[0075] The third force-sensing signal line 103 is electrically
connected with the third force electrode 13 and the fourth force
electrode 14 via the third electrode connecting line 17.
[0076] The fourth force-sensing signal line 104 is electrically
connected with the fourth force electrode 14 and the first force
electrode 11 via the fourth electrode connecting line 18.
[0077] As an example, as clearly shown in FIG. 12, the four
electrode connecting lines 15-18 are connected to form a ring-like
structure. The ring-like structure may be any structure having an
enclosed shape. On the one hand, the four force electrodes 11-14
are connected with each other by the ring-like electrode connecting
lines 15-18; and on the other hand, the force electrodes 11-14 are
connected with the force-sensing signal lines 101-104 by the
ring-like electrode connecting lines 15-18. In such a manner, the
four electrode connecting lines are formed as a ring-like
structure, the size is relatively large, which facilitates the
preparation of subsequent processes, for example, it may be
beneficial to etching and the like. It should be noted that, in
order to clearly present a relation of each force layer, the
ring-like electrode connecting lines 15-18 are provided with
certain transparency in the figures.
[0078] Taking the first force electrode shown in FIG. 13 as an
example, the first force electrode 11 is connected with the first
force-sensing signal line 101 via the fourth electrode connecting
line 18, and the first force electrode 11 is connected with the
fourth force electrode 14 by the fourth electrode connecting line
18 (force-sensing bridge line 105). Comparing FIG. 13 with FIG. 11,
it can be seen that, four electrode connecting lines electrically
connect four force electrodes via one bridge, and meanwhile
electrically connect the force-sensing signal line with the
corresponding force electrode. Since the electrode connecting line
and the pixel electrode are disposed in the same layer, the
material may also be ITO. Therefore, for improving the ITO layer (a
layer of pixel electrode 30), there is no need to add an entire
group of mask processes including exposing, etching, developing and
the like. Such a design can minimize the number of manufacturing
processes to the maximum extent, thereby improving yield.
[0079] In an embodiment, in the display stage, the touch electrode
20 and the four force electrodes of the force sensor 10 are all
multiplexed as common electrode for obtaining a common voltage
signal. The touch electrode and the force electrode are disposed in
the common electrode layer, therefore, film layers can be provided
less due to the multiplexing, and the corresponding wiring can be
provided simple.
[0080] In combination with the structure of the above-mentioned
display panel, a force touch method is provided.
[0081] The force touch method further includes: in a display stage,
the touch electrode and the four force electrodes of the force
sensor obtain a common voltage signal.
[0082] In an embodiment, in combination with FIG. 12 and FIG. 13,
in the touch stage, at least one of the four force electrodes of
the force sensor is multiplexed as the touch electrode for
obtaining a sensing electric signal on the multiplexed force
electrode. The four force electrodes are formed a ring-like
structure by four electrode connecting wires, in this case, one of
the four force electrodes is multiplexed as the touch electrode,
and the other three force electrodes can also sense corresponding
touch signals via the corresponding electrode connecting wires so
as to obtain the sensing electric signal on the four force
electrodes. In such a manner, the number of drive ends (integrated
circuit IC ends) opened can be decreased.
[0083] With reference to the structure of the display panel shown
in FIG. 9 and FIG. 11, a force touch method is provided.
[0084] The force touch method further includes: in a touch stage,
providing a touch electric signal to the touch electrode and at
least one of the four force electrodes of the force sensor,
obtaining sensing electric signals on each touch electrode and the
force electrode multiplexed as the touch electrode.
[0085] In another embodiment, in the touch stage, the four force
electrodes of the force sensor are all multiplexed as touch
electrode for obtaining sensing electric signals on the four force
electrodes. When the four force electrodes are all multiplexed as
the touch electrode, the drive ends opened are provided more,
however, since each force electrode can output a corresponding
sensing electric signal at the same time, the required time for the
touch control can be decreased, and the obtained sensing electric
signal can achieve a higher accuracy.
[0086] With reference to the structure of the display panel shown
in FIG. 12 and FIG. 13, a force touch method is provided.
[0087] The force touch method further includes: in a touch stage,
providing a touch electric signal to the touch electrode and the
four force electrodes of the force sensor, obtaining sensing
electric signals on each touch electrode and the four force
electrodes.
[0088] The principle of force sensor will be briefly described in
the following.
[0089] The four force electrodes are equivalent to four resistors
of a Wheatstone bridge, as shown in FIG. 14, FIG. 14 is a schematic
diagram of a Wheatstone bridge provided by an embodiment of the
present disclosure, the four resistors Ra, Rb, Rc and Rd of the
Wheatstone bridge are connected with each other to form a
quadrangle ABCD, the four resistors are referred to as four bridge
arms of the Wheatstone bridge. A diagonal BD of the quadrangle ABCD
is connected with a galvanometer G, referred to as a "bridge."
Another diagonal AC of the quadrangle ABCD is connected with a
power source E. When the power source E is turned on, electric
current exists in each branch of the bridge circuit. When the
resistances of the four resistors Ra, Rb, Rc and Rd satisfy a
condition of Ra/Rb=Rd/Rc, a potential of point B is equal to a
potential of point D, the current flowing through the galvanometer
G in the bridge circuit is 0, and the pointer of the galvanometer G
points to zero scale, at this moment, the Wheatstone bridge is in a
balance state, and the condition of Ra/Rb=Rd/Rc is referred to as a
Wheatstone bridge balance condition. When the resistances of the
four resistors Ra, Rb, Rc and Rd do not satisfy the above-mentioned
bridge balance condition, a potential of point B is not equal to a
potential of point D, in this case, the current flowing through the
galvanometer G in the bridge circuit is not 0, the pointer of the
galvanometer G deflects, and a corresponding signal value is
output.
[0090] When the Wheatstone bridge is provided on an object to be
detected, for example a display panel, and the display panel is
subjected to a force, the display panel is deformed, Ra, Rb, Rc,
and Rd arranged on the display panel are all deformed, causing
resistances thereof be changed correspondingly, thereby resulting
in an unbalanced state of the bridge, the galvanometer G outputs a
corresponding signal value. Since there exists a certain
correspondence between the signal value output by the galvanometer
and the force value, in the force detection process, a
corresponding force value can be obtained by obtaining a signal
value output by the galvanometer.
[0091] According to the above-mentioned Wheatstone bridge
principle, the force sensor can be provided in the following three
manners.
[0092] In a first manner, as shown in FIG. 15, FIG. 15 is another
structural schematic diagram of a force sensor provided by an
embodiment of the present disclosure, each of the four force
electrodes of the force sensor has a different area.
[0093] A resistor of the first force electrode 11 is R1, a resistor
of the second force electrode 12 is R2, a resistor of the third
force electrode 13 is R3, and a resistor of the fourth force
electrode 14 is R4. The force sensor 10 is arranged in the display
area of the display panel, in an initial state (no force being
applied), R1/R4.noteq.R2/R3, at this moment, the galvanometer
displays an initial signal value. When the display panel is
subjected to a force, the display panel is deformed, the
resistances of the resistors of the four force electrodes of the
force sensor are correspondingly changed, by a detection of the
galvanometer G, the detection signal is processed (for example, the
initial signal value is subtracted), so that a corresponding force
value can be obtained.
[0094] In a second manner, as shown in FIG. 16, FIG. 16 is another
structural schematic diagram of a force sensor provided by an
embodiment of the present disclosure, each of the four force
electrodes of the force sensor has the same area. So that in a
balance state (no force being applied), R1/R4=R2/R3, at this
moment, the current flowing through the galvanometer G is 0, when
the display panel is subjected to a force, the resistances of the
resistors of the four force electrodes of the force sensor are
correspondingly changed, and the galvanometer G outputs a
corresponding signal value.
[0095] Each of the four force electrodes has the same area, that
is, the resistances of the resistors of the four force electrodes
are the same, so that in a balance state (no force being applied),
the output signal value of the force sensor is 0, which is
beneficial to measuring the signal output due to a strain, thereby
improving the measurement accuracy of the output value of the force
sensor when a strain exists.
[0096] Further, since the change of the resistance value of the
force sensor is in direct proportion to the change of the
deformation amount of the force sensor, the strain of the force
electrode in a certain direction can be adjusted by adjusting the
resistance value in this certain direction, so that a larger output
value can be obtained, which is beneficial to eliminating
interference signals, and the accuracy is high.
[0097] As shown in FIG. 17, FIG. 17 is another structural schematic
diagram of a force sensor provided by an embodiment of the present
disclosure, the display panel includes a first direction X and a
second direction Y intersecting with the first direction X.
[0098] The shapes of the first force electrode 11, the second force
electrode 12, the third force electrode 13, and the fourth force
electrode 14 are all rectangular.
[0099] A component of a length of the first force electrode 11 in
the first direction X is larger than a component of the length of
the first force electrode 11 in the second direction Y.
[0100] A component of a length of the second force electrode 12 in
the first direction X is smaller than a component of the length of
the second force electrode 12 in the second direction Y.
[0101] A component of a length of the third force electrode 13 in
the first direction X is larger than a component of the length of
the third force electrode 13 in the second direction Y.
[0102] A component of a length of the fourth force electrode in the
first direction X is smaller than a component of the length of the
fourth force electrode 14 in the second direction Y.
[0103] Taking the first force electrode 11 as an example, the
resistor of the first force electrode 11 is R1. The component n of
the length of the first force electrode 11 in the first direction X
is larger than the component m of the length of the first force
electrode 11 in the second direction Y, so the first force
electrode 11 mainly bear the strain in the first direction X.
Similarly, the third force electrode 13 mainly bear the strain in
the first direction X. The second force electrode 12 and the fourth
force electrode 14 mainly bear the strain on the second direction
Y, as for specific explanations, please refer to the above
description with respect of the first force electrode 11, which
will not be further described herein. In addition, as shown in FIG.
14, the two input ends A and C divide the circuit into two
branches, one of the two branches has a current path of ABC, and
the other one of the two branches has a current path of ADC. In
each branch, since two adjacent force electrodes bear strains in
different directions, so that there exists a maximal resistance
difference in a certain direction, thereby making the deformation
amount maximal, so that the signal value at the output end is
larger and the sensitivity is higher.
[0104] In a third manner, as shown in FIG. 18, FIG. 18 is another
structural schematic diagram of a force sensor provided by an
embodiment of the present disclosure, an area of the first force
electrode is the same as an area of the second force electrode, an
area of the third force electrode is the same as an area of the
fourth force electrode, and the area of the first force electrode
is different from the area of the third force electrode. So that in
a balance state (no force being applied), R1/R4=R2/R3, at this
moment, the current flowing through the galvanometer G is 0, when
the display panel is subjected to a force, the resistances of the
resistors of the four force electrodes of the force sensor are
correspondingly changed, and the galvanometer G outputs a
corresponding signal value.
[0105] In addition, in an embodiment, it is also possible that the
area of the first force electrode is the same as the area of the
fourth force electrode, the area of the third force electrode is
the same as the area of the second force electrode, and the area of
the first force electrode is different from the area of the third
force electrode, in this case, in a balance state (no force being
applied), a balance condition is R1/R2=R4/R3.
[0106] It should be noted that, the above-mentioned galvanometer
can be construed as the detection circuit mentioned above.
[0107] The present disclosure provides a display device, as shown
in FIG. 19, FIG. 19 is a structural schematic diagram of a display
device provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure. The
display device 500 includes the display panel 1 described above. It
should be noted that, FIG. 19 takes a cellphone as an example of
the display device, however, the display device is not limited to a
cellphone. The display device may include but is not limited to any
electrical device having a display function, such as a personal
computer (PC), a personal digital assistant (PDA), a wireless
handheld device, a tablet computer, an mp4 player, a television and
the like.
[0108] Finally, it should be noted that, the above-described
embodiments are merely for illustrating the present disclosure but
not intended to provide any limitation. Although the present
disclosure has been described in detail with reference to the
above-described embodiments, it should be understood by those
skilled in the art that, it is still possible to modify the
technical solutions described in the above embodiments or to
equivalently replace some or all of the technical features therein,
but these modifications or replacements do not cause the essence of
corresponding technical solutions to depart from the scope of the
present disclosure.
* * * * *