TWI412860B - Electronic paper device - Google Patents

Abstract

An electronic paper device is provided. The electronic paper device includes a touch panel, a conductively layer, a plurality of pix electrodes, an electrophoresis layer, a common electrode layer, and a processing unit. The electrophoresis layer is electrically connected between the plurality of pix electrodes and the common electrode layer. The conductively layer and the common electrode layer have a voltage which capable of driving the electrophoresis layer to change the display state. When the user touches the electronic paper device and causes the conductively layer connected to a pix electrode corresponding to the touch position, then the pix electrode and the common electrode layer have the voltage existed between the conductively layer and the common electrode layer, therefore, the position of the electrophoresis layer corresponding to the touch position is drive to change the display state. At the same time, the touch panel produces a touch signal in response to user's touch, the processing unit receives the touch signal and determines the touch position.

Description

Electronic paper device

The present invention relates to an electronic paper device, and more particularly to an electrophoresis type electronic paper device.

Electronic paper has gradually become a widely used display device because of its close proximity to ordinary paper, that is, high contrast, wide viewing angle, low power consumption and high comfort of reading.

In the prior art, there has been an electronic paper device that implements pen writing or handwriting input. However, most of the current handwriting input electronic paper devices can only realize the function of the drawing board, that is, when the electronic paper device is touched by a stylus or a finger, the area touched by the pen or the finger instantly displays the touch track, but the user cannot touch the touch track. Location and touch track. However, when it is necessary to acquire the user's touch position to control the electronic paper display, the electronic paper device which can only realize the handwriting input obviously cannot satisfy the requirement.

At present, some electronic paper devices control the display of electronic paper through a processing unit by superimposing a touch panel on the surface of the electronic paper, and sensing the user's touch through the touch panel. However, the refresh speed of the electronic paper is slow, if the software is passed through the software. When the user touch is detected, and the change of the corresponding position display of the electronic paper is controlled according to the touch position, the response time is obviously longer.

In addition, current handwritten electronic paper devices cannot be used as ordinary displays.

In view of the above, it is necessary to provide an electronic paper device that supports both handwriting input and touch position recognition or can be used as a general display to solve the above problems.

In view of this, the present invention provides an electronic paper device that supports handwriting input as well as touch position recognition or as a general display.

An electronic paper device includes a touch panel, a conductive layer, a plurality of primitive electrodes, an electrophoretic layer, a common electrode layer, and a processing unit. The touch panel is configured to generate a touch signal in response to a user touch. The touch panel, the conductive layer, the plurality of primitive electrodes, the electrophoretic layer, and the common electrode layer are sequentially arranged, and the touch panel, the conductive layer, and the plurality of primitive electrodes are all made of a transparent conductive material, and the touch panel is located on the viewing surface of the electronic paper device. One side; the electrophoretic layer is electrically connected to the plurality of picture element electrodes and the common electrode layer respectively, and the potential difference between the conductive layer and the common electrode layer is sufficient to drive display of the electrophoretic layer when the user touches the electronic paper device The touch panel and the conductive layer are pressed, so that the conductive layer is in contact with the primitive electrode corresponding to the touch position, so that the primitive electrode has a voltage of the conductive layer, so that a potential difference exists between the primitive electrode and the common electrode layer. The area of the electrophoretic layer corresponding to the touch position is displayed with a certain color, and the touch panel generates a touch signal in response to the user's touch. After receiving the touch signal, the processing unit determines the touch position according to the touch signal.

The electronic paper device of the present invention can simultaneously support handwriting and touch position recognition.

1‧‧‧electronic paper device

10‧‧‧ Conductive layer

20‧‧‧ element electrode

30‧‧‧electrophoretic layer

40‧‧‧Common electrode layer

12‧‧‧Isolation

121‧‧‧Insulation grid

301‧‧‧Microcavity

302‧‧‧suspension

303‧‧‧Black charged particles

50‧‧‧ touch panel

60‧‧‧Substrate

70‧‧‧Processing unit

80‧‧‧TFT matrix circuit

90‧‧‧Drive Control Circuit

100‧‧‧Power Management Unit

110‧‧‧Power supply

K‧‧‧Double-pole double-throw switch

1 is a detailed structural view of an electronic paper device of the present invention.

2 is a schematic structural view of an e-paper apparatus performing an eraser erasing function according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic structural diagram of an eraser-type erase function portion of an electronic paper device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Please refer to FIG. 1 , which is a detailed structural diagram of an electronic paper device supporting handwriting and touch position recognition according to the present invention. The electronic paper device 1 supporting handwriting and touch position recognition includes a conductive layer 10, a plurality of primitive electrodes 20, an electrophoretic layer 30, a common electrode layer 40, and a touch panel 50. The touch panel 50, the conductive layer 10, the plurality of primitive electrodes 20, the electrophoretic layer 30, and the common electrode layer 40 are sequentially arranged, and the touch panel 50 is adjacent to the viewing surface side of the electronic paper device 1, and the plurality of primitive electrodes are in a matrix. Arranged in a plane parallel to the conductive layer 10, the electrophoretic layer 30, and the common electrode layer 40, the conductive layer 10 and the plurality of primitive electrodes 20 further include an isolation layer 12, the isolation layer 12 includes A plurality of insulating grids 121 are used to separate the conductive layer 10 from the plurality of primitive electrodes 20 when the user does not touch the electronic paper device 1. The electrophoretic layer 30 is located between the plurality of primitive electrodes 20 and the common electrode layer 40 and is electrically connected to the plurality of primitive electrodes 20 and the common electrode layer 40, respectively. In the embodiment, the touch panel 50 is a transparent touch panel, and the conductive layer 10 and the plurality of primitive electrodes 20 are made of a transparent conductive material, such as ITO (Indium Tin Oxide).

There is a potential difference between the conductive layer 10 and the common electrode layer 40, and the potential difference is sufficient to drive the display of the electrophoretic layer 30. When the user touches the electronic paper device 1, the touch panel 50 and the conductive layer 10 elastically deform the extruded isolation layer 12 such that the conductive layer 10 is in contact with the corresponding primitive electrode 20, and the primitive electrode 20 is obtained with the conductive layer. 10 is the same voltage, so that a potential difference is formed between the primitive electrode 20 and the common electrode layer 40, and the electrophoretic layer 30 is driven to display a certain color corresponding to the region of the primitive electrode 20, that is, The corresponding area of the electronic paper device 1 displays a certain color when viewed from the viewing side. As described above, when the user does not touch the electronic paper device 1, the isolation layer 12 separates the conductive layer 10 from the plurality of primitive electrodes 20, so that the primitive electrode 20 is not charged, due to the bistable state of the electronic paper. The picture displayed on the electrophoretic layer of the picture element electrode 20 and the common electrode layer 40 remains unchanged.

In the present embodiment, the electrophoretic layer 30 includes a plurality of microcavities 301, wherein at least one microcavity corresponds to one primitive electrode 20, and each microcavity 301 includes a suspension 302 and at least one charged particle, when the primitive electrode 20 is When the common electrode layer 40 generates a potential difference, the charged particles in the microcavity 301 corresponding to the primitive electrode 20 move, thereby causing the electrophoretic layer 30 to display a certain color corresponding to the region of the primitive electrode 20. For the specific display process of the electrophoretic layer 30, reference may be made to the patent application file of the Patent No. 03820879.2 published by the Chinese Patent Office on June 25, 2008. The microcavity 301 can be a micro-capsule or a micro-cup.

In the present invention, the charged particles in the microcavity 301 include a charged particle 303 of a specific color (for example, black) (hereinafter referred to as black charged particle 303) when the black charged particle 303 moves to the side close to the primitive electrode 20. The electrophoretic layer 30 displays the color of the black charged particles 303 corresponding to the region of the primitive electrode 20, and when the black charged particles 303 move to the side close to the common electrode layer 40, the region is different from the black charged particles 303. s color. The microcavity 301 can also include other color particles (not labeled) that are different from the black charged particles 303.

The electronic paper device 1 further includes a substrate 60 located below the common electrode layer 40 for carrying the conductive layer 10, the plurality of primitive electrodes 20, the electrophoretic layer 30, the common electrode layer 40, and the touch panel 50.

With continued reference to FIG. 1, the electronic paper device 1 further includes a processing unit 70 that is coupled to the touch panel 50. As described above, when the user touches the electronic paper device 1, the touch panel 50 responds to the user's touch. A touch signal is generated, and the processing unit 70 receives the touch signal to determine a location touched by the user, and implements a touch position detection function. Meanwhile, as described above, while the user touches the touch panel 50, the conductive layer 10 is caused to contact the primitive electrode 20 corresponding to the touch position, thereby driving the electrophoretic layer 30 to display a certain color corresponding to the area of the touch position. In the present embodiment, the touch panel 50 is a pressure-sensitive touch panel, and includes a pressure type touch panel, a resistive touch panel, a mutual capacitive touch panel, and the like that require the touch panel to be elastically deformed to cause a touch signal to be generated by the touch panel.

Referring to FIG. 1 , the electronic paper device 1 further includes a TFT (Thin-Film Transistor) matrix circuit 80 and a drive control circuit 90 . The TFT matrix circuit 80 includes a plurality of thin film transistors (not shown), each of which is connected to a picture electrode 20, and the drive control circuit 90 is connected to the TFT matrix circuit 80 and the processing unit 70. The processing unit 70 is configured to generate a display signal in response to the user's operation. For example, when the user performs an operation of opening a picture, the processing unit 70 generates a display signal including the picture material. The driving control circuit 90 is configured to receive the display signal generated by the processing unit 70, and control the corresponding thin film transistor in the TFT matrix circuit 80 to be turned on according to the display signal, and the primitive electrode 20 corresponding to the conductive thin film transistor. A driving voltage is applied to drive a corresponding area of the electrophoretic layer 30 to display a certain color.

In the present embodiment, the screen for handwriting input by the user and the overall screen clearing of the screen can be sent to the drive control circuit 100 by the processing unit 70. The control electronic paper device 1 displays a blank, such as white. For example, it is assumed that the black charged particles 303 in the electrophoretic layer 30 are negatively charged, and when displayed, for a region where black is to be displayed, the voltage applied to the pixel electrode 20 corresponding to the region by the drive control circuit 90 is a positive voltage, so that black is made. The charged particles 303 move toward the side closer to the primitive electrode 20, and the corresponding region of the electrophoretic layer 30 displays black. When the overall cleaning is performed, the processing unit 70 sends the clear display signal to control the driving control circuit 90 to apply a negative voltage to all of the primitive electrodes 20, thereby controlling the black charged particles 303 to move closer to the common electrode layer 40, thereby displaying the black region. The color is replaced by another color (for example, white), and the entire screen of the electronic paper device 1 is blank.

The eraser-type clearing can be controlled by the processing unit 70 to control the driving control circuit 90 to apply a voltage to the primitive electrode 20 corresponding to the touch position so that the area displays blank, that is, the eraser-type clearing is implemented. The user can select to perform overall clearing or eraser-type clearing of the screen by means of function table selection or button pressing, and whether the electronic paper device 1 is to write a screen or clear the screen.

In the present embodiment, the conductive layer 10 and the common electrode layer 40 are respectively connected to the positive and negative electrodes of a power source (not shown), so that the conductive layer 10 and the common electrode layer 40 have a potential difference.

2 is a schematic structural diagram of an eraser-type erasing function portion of an electronic paper device supporting handwriting and touch position recognition according to an embodiment of the present invention. The electronic paper device 1 further includes a power management unit 100 and a power source 110. In the embodiment, the conductive layer 10 and the common electrode layer 40 are respectively connected to the power management unit 100, and the power management unit is controlled by the processing unit 70. 100 distributes the voltage supplied from the power source 110 to the conductive layer 10 and the common electrode layer 40 such that the conductive layer 10 and The potential difference between the common electrode layers 40 is positive or negative, correspondingly causing the electronic paper device 1 to be in a write mode or an eraser-type clear mode. For example, if the black charged particles 303 in the microcavity 301 are negatively charged, the potential difference between the conductive layer 10 and the common electrode layer 40 is positive when the voltage distributed by the power management unit 100 is positive during writing. Touching the electronic paper device 1 causes the potential difference between the primitive electrode 20 and the common electrode layer 40 at the corresponding position to be positive, so that the black charged particles 303 in the microcavity 301 corresponding to the primitive electrode 20 are directed to the primitive electrode 20 Moving on one side, the electronic paper device 1 displays black in an area corresponding to the touched position, thereby displaying a touch trajectory touched by the user by a touch pen or a hand, thereby realizing a handwriting function. When erasing, the processing unit 70 controls the power management unit 100 to assign a negative potential difference between the conductive layer 10 and the common electrode layer 40, and the user touches the electronic paper device 1 such that the conductive layer 10 and the corresponding primitive electrode When the contact is 20, the potential difference between the primitive electrode 20 and the common electrode layer 40 is also negative, so that the black charged particles 303 in the microcavity 301 corresponding to the touch position move toward the side close to the common electrode layer 40, and the user touches The picture displayed in the area is cleared, so that the eraser can be cleared.

In the present embodiment, the user can also select the write screen or erase the screen by the function table selection or key press.

Please refer to FIG. 3 , which is a structural diagram of an eraser-type erasing function portion of an electronic paper device supporting handwriting and touch position recognition according to another embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, the electronic paper device 1 further includes a double-pole double-throw switch K, and the conductive layer 10 and the common electrode layer 40 are respectively connected to the positive and negative electrodes of the power source 110 through the double-pole double-throw switch K. The external performance of the double-pole double-throw switch K can be a button switch or a slide switch, and the user can switch the conductive layer 10 and the common electrode layer through the double-pole double-throw switch K. 40 is connected to the positive and negative electrodes of the power source 110, thereby switching the positive and negative of the potential difference between the conductive layer 10 and the common electrode layer 40, thereby realizing the switching between the writing and the eraser-type cleaning of the electronic paper device.

The electronic paper device of the present invention can support handwriting, touch position recognition, and general electronic paper display functions.

1‧‧‧electronic paper device

10‧‧‧ Conductive layer

20‧‧‧ element electrode

30‧‧‧electrophoretic layer

40‧‧‧Common electrode layer

12‧‧‧Isolation

121‧‧‧Insulation grid

301‧‧‧Microcavity

302‧‧‧suspension

303‧‧‧Black charged particles

50‧‧‧ touch panel

60‧‧‧Substrate

70‧‧‧Processing unit

80‧‧‧TFT matrix circuit

90‧‧‧Drive Control Circuit

Claims (7)

An electronic paper device, the improvement comprising: a touch panel for generating a touch signal in response to a user touch; a conductive layer; a plurality of primitive electrodes arranged in a matrix; an electrophoretic layer; a common electrode layer; and a processing unit Wherein the touch panel is located on a side of the viewing surface of the electronic paper device, and the touch panel, the conductive layer, the plurality of primitive electrodes, the electrophoretic layer, and the common electrode layer are viewed from a side of the viewing surface of the electronic device away from the electronic device The direction of one side of the surface is sequentially arranged, and the touch panel, the conductive layer and the plurality of primitive electrodes are all made of a transparent material; the electrophoretic layer is electrically connected to the plurality of primitive electrodes and the common electrode layer, respectively, the conductive layer and the common electrode layer There is a potential difference, the potential difference is sufficient to drive the display of the electrophoretic layer, when the user touches the electronic paper device, the touch panel and the conductive layer are pressed, so that the conductive layer contacts the primitive electrode corresponding to the touch position, so that the primitive The electrode has a voltage of the conductive layer, so that there is a potential difference between the element electrode and the common electrode layer, so that Swimming layer region should touch position display a predetermined color, while the response to the user touches the touch panel produces touch signals, the processing unit after receiving the touch signal, determining the touch location based on the touch signal. The electronic paper device of claim 1, wherein the electronic paper device further comprises an isolation layer between the conductive layer and the plurality of primitive electrodes, the isolation layer comprising A transparent grid separating the conductive layer from the plurality of primitive electrodes when the user does not touch the electronic paper device. The electronic paper device of claim 1, wherein the electronic paper device further comprises a TFT matrix circuit and a driving control circuit, the TFT matrix circuit comprising a plurality of thin film transistors, each of the thin film transistors respectively The pixel electrode is connected to the TFT matrix circuit and the processing unit for receiving the display signal of the processing unit to control the corresponding thin film transistor in the TFT matrix circuit, and corresponding to the conductive thin film transistor A driving voltage is applied to the element electrode, and the electrophoretic layer is driven to display a certain color corresponding to the area of the element electrode, and the electronic paper device displays a picture corresponding to the display signal. The electronic paper device of claim 3, wherein the processing unit is further configured to generate a clear display signal to the drive control circuit, thereby controlling the drive control circuit to clear the image displayed by the entire electrophoretic layer. The electronic paper device of claim 3, wherein the processing unit is further configured to determine a user touch position, and then control the drive control circuit to apply a voltage to the primitive electrode corresponding to the touch position, thereby clearing the corresponding position of the touch position. The screen displayed in the area of the electrophoretic layer. The electronic paper device of claim 1, wherein the electronic paper device further comprises a power source and a power management unit, the conductive layer and the common electrode layer are connected to the power management unit, and the power management unit is in the processing unit The voltage supplied to the conductive layer and the common electrode layer is distributed under control by making the potential difference between the conductive layer and the common electrode layer positive or negative. The electronic paper device of claim 1, wherein the electronic paper device further comprises a double-pole double-throw switch and a power source through which the conductive layer and the common electrode layer pass The double-pole double-throw switch is connected to the positive and negative poles of the power supply. Through the switching of the double-pole double-throw switch, the connection relationship between the conductive layer and the common electrode layer and the positive and negative poles of the power source changes.