KR20150078390A - Touch module and Method for detecting touch position - Google Patents

Abstract

A touch module according to an embodiment comprises a touch panel including touch electrodes; a touch detection part receiving detection signals by driving a touch screen; and a signal process part performing a palm removal by using touch information received from the touch detection part, wherein the signal process part removes a square area including the area judged to be a palm area to a block area.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to a touch module and a touch detection method,

An embodiment relates to a touch module.

An embodiment relates to a touch detection method.

As mobile electronic devices such as mobile communication terminals and notebook computers are developed, there is an increasing demand for display devices such as flat panel display devices that can be applied thereto.

Examples of such a display device include a liquid crystal display, a field emission display, a plasma display panel, an organic electro luminescence display device, and an electrophoretic display device. (EPD).

Meanwhile, as an input method for inputting a control signal to the display device, a touch input method in which a user can input information directly to a touch screen using a finger or a pen using a touch screen, And the like.

That is, a display device equipped with a touch screen may be used as a display device such as a navigation device, an industrial terminal, a notebook computer, a financial automation device, a game machine, etc. and a display device such as a mobile phone, MP3, PDA, PMP, PSP, Portable terminals, and household appliances such as refrigerators, microwave ovens, and washing machines, and has been widely applied due to its ease of operation.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a state in which a touch error occurs due to a palm in a conventional display device having a touch screen.

In a conventional display device provided with a touch screen using a capacitive method, as shown in FIG. 1, a user may place a palm on a touch screen to use a pen, When the device is caught, an abnormal touch (A) due to a palm or the like occurs in addition to the normal touch (B) by the pen.

There is a problem that a large number of errors occur at the system end due to the abnormal touch.

The touch module according to the embodiment provides a touch module that performs effective palm rejection.

The touch detection method according to the embodiment provides a touch detection method for performing effective palm rejection.

A touch module according to an embodiment includes a touch panel having touch electrodes formed therein; A touch sensing unit driving the touch screen to receive sensing signals; And a signal processing unit for performing palm removal using the touch information received from the touch sensing unit. The signal processing unit removes a rectangular area including a region determined as a palm area as a blocking area.

A touch detection method according to an embodiment includes: detecting a touch position; Detecting an area touched through the touch location and comparing the detected area with a threshold value; And performing a palm removal by comparing the touched area with a threshold value. The step of removing the palm removes a rectangular area including a region determined as a palm area as a blocking area.

The touch module according to the embodiment can remove the entire touch input when a touch of a large area is detected, thereby improving the reliability of the touch input by removing the unintended touch input.

The touch detection method according to the embodiment can improve the reliability of the touch input by performing unintentional touch input by hovering by performing pampling on a rectangular area including the detected palm area.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a state in which a touch error occurs due to a palm in a conventional display device having a touch screen.
2 is an exploded perspective view of a liquid crystal display device including a touch panel according to an embodiment.
3 is a block diagram showing a liquid crystal display device including a touch panel according to an embodiment.
4 is a block diagram showing a signal processing unit according to an embodiment.
5 is a table including coordinates and row data detected according to an embodiment.
6 is a diagram illustrating a touch detection method according to an embodiment.

A touch module according to an embodiment includes a touch panel having touch electrodes formed therein; A touch sensing unit driving the touch screen to receive sensing signals; And a signal processing unit for performing palm removal using the touch information received from the touch sensing unit. The signal processing unit removes a rectangular area including a region determined as a palm area as a blocking area.

The signal processor may perform the palm removal by comparing the touch information with a first threshold value and a second threshold value.

The signal processing unit may remove the entire touch data when the touched area of the touch information is equal to or larger than the first threshold value.

The signal processing unit may remove the entire touch data by a predetermined number of frames when the touched area of the touch information is equal to or larger than the first threshold value.

The signal processing unit may perform partial palm removal when the touched area of the touch information is equal to or greater than the second threshold value.

When the partial palm is removed, the range from the minimum value area of the x coordinate and the y coordinate of the farm area to the maximum value area of the x coordinate and the y coordinate can be set as the blocking area.

The signal processing unit may set a rectangular area including the continuous plurality of palm areas as a blocking area when continuously different touched areas exceeding the second threshold value are detected.

The first threshold may have a value greater than the second threshold.

The signal processor may perform the palm removal by comparing the sum of the raw data of the touch information with the first threshold and the second threshold.

Wherein the signal processing unit comprises: a touch position detecting unit for detecting touch coordinates through a changed voltage value transmitted from the touch sensing unit; And a filtering unit for removing the palm from the touch coordinates and transmitting the palm to the timing controller.

The touch position detector may transmit a table including the touched coordinates and row data to the filtering unit.

A touch detection method according to an embodiment includes: detecting a touch position; Detecting an area touched through the touch location and comparing the detected area with a threshold value; And performing a palm removal by comparing the touched area with a threshold value. The step of removing the palm removes a rectangular area including a region determined as a palm area as a blocking area.

In the step of comparing the touched area with a threshold value, a palm removal is performed by comparing the touched area with a first threshold value and a second threshold value, and the first threshold value may be a value larger than the second threshold value.

The step of removing the palm may remove the entire touch data when the touched area is equal to or greater than the first threshold value.

If the touched area is equal to or larger than the first threshold value, the entire touch data can be removed by a predetermined number of frames.

Performing the palm removal may perform partial palm removal if the touched area is greater than or equal to the second threshold.

When the partial palm is removed, the range from the minimum value area of the x coordinate and the y coordinate of the farm area to the maximum value area of the x coordinate and the y coordinate can be set as the blocking area.

The step of performing the palm removal may set a rectangular area including the continuous plurality of palm areas as a blocking area when the touched area is continuously different from the second threshold value or more.

The step of comparing the touched area with the threshold value may perform the palm removal by comparing the sum of the row data of the touch position with the first threshold value and the second threshold value.

2 is an exploded perspective view of a liquid crystal display device including a touch panel according to an embodiment.

2, the liquid crystal display according to the embodiment includes a liquid crystal display panel 10 for displaying an image, a liquid crystal display panel 10 disposed below the liquid crystal display panel 10, A backlight unit 20 and a touch panel 100 attached to the front surface of the liquid crystal display panel 10.

A guide panel 18 for supporting the bottom edge of the liquid crystal display panel 10 and coupled with the backlight unit 20 and a bottom cover 70 for accommodating the backlight unit 20. [ have.

The guide panel 18 may be formed in a shape in which a central region is opened. The guide panel 18 is formed in an open shape with a central area so that light from the backlight unit 20 can be transmitted to the liquid crystal display panel 10. The guide panel 18 may be formed in a rectangular shape. The guide panel 80 may be formed of a mold material.

The liquid crystal display panel 10 includes a thin film transistor substrate 11, a color filter substrate 13 and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the thin film transistor substrate 11 and the color filter substrate 13.

The thin film transistor substrate 13 may be formed to have a larger size than the color filter substrate 13. The color filter substrate 13 may be bonded together by exposing a part of the thin film transistor substrate 11. A driver IC 15 may be mounted on the exposed thin film transistor substrate 11. The driver IC 15 can supply signals to gate lines and data lines formed on the thin film transistor substrate 11. The driver IC 15 may include a gate driver and a data driver. The driver IC 15 may further include a timing controller.

A flexible circuit board 17 may be attached to the exposed thin film transistor substrate 11. [ The flexible circuit board 17 may be electrically connected to the driver IC 15. The flexible circuit board 17 may be formed of a flexible or foldable material. The flexible circuit board 17 may be attached to the thin film transistor substrate 11 by an anisotropic conductive film (ACF) and electrically connected to the driver IC 15.

The touch panel 100 may be positioned on the front surface of the liquid crystal display panel 10. The touch panel 100 may be attached to the front surface of the liquid crystal display panel 10. The touch panel 100 may be attached to the front surface of the color filter substrate 13. A touch flexible circuit board 110 may be attached to the touch panel 100. The touch panel 100 senses a user's touch input and can transmit it to a driving chip (not shown) through the touch flexible circuit board 110. The touch panel 100 will be described later in detail.

The backlight unit 20 may include an optical sheet 30, a light guide plate 40, a light source 50, and a reflection plate 60.

The optical sheet 30 is positioned between the liquid crystal display panel 10 and the light guide plate 40 to diffuse and condense light from the light source 50 and transmit the light to the liquid crystal display panel 10. The optical sheet 30 may include a prism sheet, a diffusion sheet, or the like.

The light guide plate 40 may be positioned below the optical sheet 30. The light guide plate 40 is positioned below the optical sheet 30 and converts light incident from the light source 50 into surface light and supplies the light to the liquid crystal display panel 10. The light guide plate 40 may be made of PMMA (polymethylmethacrylate), vinyl chloride, acrylic resin, PC (polycarbonate), PET (polyethylene terephthalate), PE , PS (polystyrene), PP (polypropylene), PI (polyimide), glass, silica, and the like.

The light source 50 may include a light emitting diode 51 and a printed circuit board 53.

The light emitting diode 51 is mounted on the printed circuit board 53, receives a voltage from the printed circuit board 53, generates light, and transmits the light toward the light guide plate 40.

Although not shown, the printed circuit board 53 may receive a driving voltage from an external driver and apply the driving voltage to the light emitting diode 51.

The reflection plate 60 may be positioned between the light guide plate 40 and the bottom cover 70. The reflection plate 60 may reflect light from the light source 50 and transmit the light to the light guide plate 40 and the liquid crystal display panel 10.

Although the touch panel 100 is attached to the liquid crystal display panel 10, the touch panel 100 may include a plasma display panel (PDP) or an organic light emitting diode And can be used attached to a display device.

3 is a block diagram showing a liquid crystal display device including a touch panel according to an embodiment.

3, a liquid crystal display according to an exemplary embodiment includes a liquid crystal display panel 10, a touch panel 100, a gate driver 200, a data driver 300, a timing controller 400, a touch sensing unit 500 And a signal processing unit 600. [

The touch panel 100, the timing controller 400, the touch sensing unit 500, and the signal processing unit 600 may form a separate touch module.

The liquid crystal display panel 10 may be formed with a plurality of data lines DL1 to DLm in a direction crossing the gate lines GL1 to GLn and the gate lines GL1 to GLn. A plurality of pixel regions may be defined by the plurality of gate lines GL1 to GLn, and a thin film transistor may be formed in each of the plurality of pixel regions. The thin film transistor may be electrically connected to the gate lines GL1 to GLn and the data lines DL1 to DLm.

The thin film transistor receives the gate signal from the gate lines GL1 to GLn and is turned on. When the thin film transistor is turned on, the thin film transistor transfers the data voltage received from the data lines DL1 to DLm to the pixel electrode , An electric field is generated by a potential difference between the voltage applied to the pixel electrode and the common voltage, and the liquid crystal is displaced by the electric field to adjust the brightness of the light from the backlight to display an image.

The timing controller 400 receives a gate control signal GCS for controlling the gate driver 200 and a clock signal CLK for receiving video data RGB, a horizontal synchronizing signal H, a vertical synchronizing signal V, And generates a data control signal DCS for controlling the data driver 300.

The gate driver 200 includes a shift register for sequentially generating scan pulses in response to a gate control signal GCS from the timing controller 400 and a shift register for shifting the swing width of the scan pulse to a level suitable for driving the liquid crystal cell A level shifter, and an output buffer. The gate driver 200 supplies gate signals to the gate lines GL1 to GLn to turn on the thin film transistors connected to the gate lines GL1 to GLn to select one horizontal line of liquid crystal cells to be supplied with the data voltage . The data voltage generated from the data driver 300 is supplied to the liquid crystal cell of the horizontal line selected by the gate signal.

The data driver 300 samples and latches the video data RGB received from the timing controller 400, and converts the video data RGB into an analog data voltage. The data driver 300 may supply the data voltages to the plurality of data lines DL1 to DLm.

The gate driver 200 and the data driver 300 may be implemented as a plurality of data integrated circuits.

The touch panel 100 is configured to detect a touch from a user, and may be configured in various forms such as a resistance film type and a capacitance type. In this embodiment, the touch panel 100 is of a capacitive type.

The touch panel 100 may be formed in various forms according to the arrangement position. That is, the touch panel 100 may be stacked on the liquid crystal display panel 10 as shown in FIG.

The touch panel 100 may be embedded in the liquid crystal display panel 10 and the touch panel 100 may be formed on the thin film transistor substrate 11 together with a thin film transistor .

The touch panel 100 may include a plurality of touch electrodes.

The touch sensing unit 500 may sense whether the user touches the touch panel 100 using the sensing signal received from the touch panel 100.

The touch sensing unit 500 may have a different configuration depending on whether the touch panel 100 is configured as a mutual mode or a self-cap mode. Hereinafter, the present invention will be described as an example of a touch panel 100 constructed in a mutual manner.

The touch panel 100 using the mutual method includes a plurality of driving electrodes T1 to Tn for receiving driving pulses from the touch sensing unit 500 and a touch sensing unit 500 And a plurality of reception electrodes Rl through Rm for transmitting the signals Rl through Rm.

When a user touches a specific area of the touch panel 100 with a finger or a pen while a driving pulse for touch detection is applied to the driving electrodes T1 to Tn of the touch panel 100, T1 to Tn and the reception electrodes R1 to Rm are changed. The change of the capacitance changes a voltage value applied to the touch sensing unit 500 through the receiving electrodes R1 to Rm.

That is, the receiving electrodes R1 to Rm are connected to the touch sensing unit 500, and the touch sensing unit 500 transmits the changed voltage values to the signal processing unit 600. [

The touch sensing unit 500 may convert the changed voltage value into a digital value and apply the digital value to the signal processor 600. [

The signal processor 600 can detect the touch position of the touch panel 100 using the voltage value. The signal processing unit 600 may detect the touch position of the touch panel 100 and transmit the result to the timing controller 400 or the control unit of the external system.

4 is a block diagram showing a signal processing unit according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 4, the signal processing unit 600 according to the embodiment may include a touch position detecting unit 610 and a filtering unit 620.

The touch position detector 610 can detect coordinates of each touch through the changed voltage value transmitted from the touch sensor 500. [ The touch position detector 610 generates the table as shown in FIG. 5 by using the coordinates and the changed voltage values of each touch on the changed voltage value received from the touch sensing unit 500 as raw data do.

The touch position detector 610 transmits the table including the coordinates and the raw data Raw to the filtering unit 620. [

The filtering unit 620 may remove the palm from the table as shown in FIG. 5, and may transmit the result to the timing controller 400. That is, the filtering unit 620 can transmit only the intended touch value to which the Palm rejection has been performed, to the timing controller 400.

6 is a diagram illustrating a touch detection method according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 6, the touch position detector 610 receives the changed voltage value from the touch sensing unit 500, and detects coordinates of the touch.

The touch position detector 610 may transmit the table including the touched coordinates and raw data to the filtering unit 620. [

The filtering unit 620 compares the size of the touch with the first threshold value using the table received from the touch position detector 610. (S120)

The filtering unit 620 may detect the touched region using the touched coordinates and compare the touched region with the first threshold value. That is, when the row data of the touched coordinates is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, the touched area is determined as a touched area, and the area of the touched area is compared with the first threshold value.

Alternatively, the filtering unit 620 may compare the sum of the row data with the first threshold value.

If the touched area is equal to or larger than the first threshold value, the filtering unit 620 determines that the touched area is a full touch and removes all the input data. (S130)

That is, if the touched area is equal to or greater than the first threshold value, the filtering unit 620 determines that there is an unintended touch in the entire area, and can remove the entire touch data.

The filtering unit 620 transmits information indicating that no touch is input to the timing controller 400 and the timing controller 400 can recognize the touch by receiving information that no touch has been input. (S200)

If the filtering unit 620 determines that the entire touch is made, the filtering unit 620 can remove the entire touch data by a predetermined number of frames. The frame may be calculated in synchronization with the vertical synchronization signal V of the timing controller 400. [

The filtering unit 620 may remove the entire touch data by the predetermined number of frames to remove the hovering data. That is, although the palm does not directly touch the touch panel 100, it is possible to prevent unintended touch input in a state where the palm is slightly separated.

The filtering unit 620 compares the touched area with the second threshold value when the touched area is less than the first threshold value. (S140)

The second threshold value may be a value smaller than the first threshold value.

The first threshold may be a value for determining whether the value input from the touch sensing unit 500 is an entire touch, and the second threshold may be a threshold for performing partial refraction.

The first threshold value and the second threshold value can be separately input by the user.

The filtering unit 620 may compare the touched area with the second threshold value using the touched coordinates. That is, when the row data of the touched coordinates is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, it is determined that the touched area is the touched area, and the area of the touched area is compared with the second threshold value.

That is, the filtering unit 620 can detect the palm area by comparing the second threshold value with A or B using the row data as shown in FIG. 5A. When the second threshold value is set as a value between the area of A and the area of B, the filtering unit 620 detects the B area as a farm area.

Alternatively, the filtering unit 620 may compare the sum of the raw data with the second threshold.

If the touched area is greater than or equal to the second threshold value, the filtering unit 620 determines that the touched area is to be subjected to partial pampling, and sets a blocking area. (S150)

The filtering unit 620 may set a blocking area for the area B in FIG. 5A.

The blocking area may be set as a B area or an R1 area including a B area. That is, the filtering unit 620 may set a larger area than the area detected as the farm area as the blocking area.

The filtering unit 620 may set a range from the minimum value of the x coordinate of the farm area, the minimum value area of the y coordinate, and the maximum value area of the x coordinate and the y coordinate as a blocking area. (Minimum value of x coordinate, minimum value of y coordinate), (minimum value of x coordinate, maximum value of y coordinate), (maximum value of x coordinate, maximum value of y coordinate) , the maximum value of the y-coordinate) as the four vertexes can be set as the blocking area.

The filtering unit 620 may remove the touch within the set blocking area. (S160)

The filtering unit 620 may set a large area including the area detected as the palm area as a blocking area to remove the unintended touch area clearly.

If a new farm area larger than the second threshold value is detected, the filtering unit 620 may set an area including the existing farm area and the new farm area as a blocking area. That is, the filtering unit 620 may set a plurality of successive farm regions as a blocking region when a farm region having successively different second thresholds or more is detected.

For example, as shown in FIG. 5B, when a new farm area C is detected in addition to the existing farm area B, the area including the B area and the C area can be set as a blocking area. In this case, the blocking region may be a region larger than the B region and the C region.

The filtering unit 620 may set the range from the minimum value of the x coordinate of the existing farm area and the new farm area, the minimum value area of the y coordinate, and the maximum value area of the x coordinate and y coordinate as the blocking area.

(The minimum value of the x coordinate, the minimum value of the y coordinate, the maximum value of the x coordinate, and the maximum value of the y coordinate) of the B area and the C area, The maximum value of the coordinates, and the maximum value of the y coordinate) as the four vertexes can be set as the R2 region, which is the blocking region.

The filtering unit 620 may set a large area including the area detected as the palm area as a blocking area to remove the unintended touch area clearly.

In addition, even if a large area including an area detected in the palm area is cut off, the probability that the touch will not be recognized is low Do.

In addition, it is possible to prevent false recognition due to hovering that may occur in the existing farm area and the area adjacent to the new farm area.

The filtering unit 620 may transmit the touch area information excluding the removed area to the timing controller 400. [ The timing controller 400 can recognize the touch by receiving the area A excluding the removed area. (S200)

10: liquid crystal display panel
11: Thin film transistor substrate
13: Color filter substrate
15: Driver IC
18: Guide panel
20: Backlight unit
30: Optical sheet
40: light guide plate
50: Light source
60: reflector
70: Bottom cover
100: Touch panel
200: gate driver
300: data driver
400: timing controller
500: Touch sensing unit
600: Signal processor
610: Touch position detector
620:

Claims (19)

A touch panel on which touch electrodes are formed;
A touch sensing unit driving the touch screen to receive sensing signals; And
And a signal processing unit for performing palm removal using the touch information received from the touch sensing unit,
Wherein the signal processing unit removes a rectangular area including an area determined as a palm area as a blocking area. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the signal processing unit compares the touch information with a first threshold value and a second threshold value to perform palm removal. 3. The method of claim 2,
Wherein the signal processing unit removes the entire touch data when the touched area of the touch information is equal to or larger than the first threshold value. The method of claim 3,
Wherein the signal processing unit removes all the touch data by a predetermined number of frames when the touched area of the touch information is equal to or larger than the first threshold value. 3. The method of claim 2,
Wherein the signal processing unit performs partial palm removal when the touched area of the touch information is equal to or greater than the second threshold value. 6. The method of claim 5,
Wherein when the partial palm is removed, the range from the minimum value area of the x coordinate and the y coordinate of the farm area to the maximum value area of the x coordinate and the y coordinate is set as the blocking area. 6. The method of claim 5,
Wherein the signal processing unit sets a rectangular area including the continuous plurality of palm areas as a blocking area when continuously different touched areas exceeding the second threshold value are detected. 3. The method of claim 2,
Wherein the first threshold is greater than the second threshold. 3. The method of claim 2,
And the signal processing unit compares the sum of the raw data of the touch information with the first threshold value and the second threshold value to perform palm removal. The method according to claim 1,
The signal processing unit,
A touch position detector for detecting touch coordinates through the changed voltage value transmitted from the touch sensing unit; And
And a filtering unit for removing the palm from the touch coordinates and transmitting the palm to the timing controller. 11. The method of claim 10,
Wherein the touch position detector transmits a table including the touched coordinates and raw data to the filtering unit. Detecting a touch position;
Detecting an area touched through the touch location and comparing the detected area with a threshold value; And
And performing a palm removal by comparing the touched area with a threshold value,
Wherein the step of removing the palm removes the rectangular area including the area determined as the palm area into the blocking area. 13. The method of claim 12,
Comparing the touched area with a threshold value,
Performing a palm removal by comparing the touched area with a first threshold value and a second threshold value,
Wherein the first threshold value is greater than the second threshold value. 14. The method of claim 13,
The step of performing the palm removal comprises:
And if the touched area is equal to or greater than the first threshold, removing all the touch data. 15. The method of claim 14,
And removing all the touch data by a predetermined number of frames when the touched area is equal to or larger than the first threshold value. 14. The method of claim 13,
The step of performing the palm removal comprises:
And performing partial palm removal when the touched area is equal to or greater than the second threshold. 17. The method of claim 16,
Wherein when the partial palm is removed, a range from the minimum value area of the x coordinate and the y coordinate of the farm area to the maximum value area of the x coordinate and the y coordinate is set as the blocking area. 17. The method of claim 16,
The step of performing the palm removal comprises:
And setting a rectangular area including the continuous plurality of palm areas as a blocking area when the touched area is continuously different from the second threshold value or more. 13. The method of claim 12,
Wherein the step of comparing the touched area with a threshold value comprises:
Wherein the palm removal is performed by comparing the sum of the row data of the touch position with the first threshold value and the second threshold value.

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