TWI421610B - Display device and method using the same - Google Patents

Description

Display device capable of touch input and method thereof

The present invention relates to an electronic display device and a method of using the same; in particular, to an electronic display device for a user to input and display input information by applying pressure.

Electrophoretic display is generally called electronic paper. It is a common tool for repeating writing of text images. It has excellent contrast, image resolution and wide viewing angle. The electronic ink material used therein comprises at least two kinds of microcapsule particles having opposite electrical properties, and the partial particle state can be driven by an external electric field change to display a color or an image. In addition, since the electronic ink material is a conductive polymer material, the appearance and characteristics are like ordinary paper, emphasizing the flexibility and portability of the electrophoretic display, and it is not necessary to continuously provide an additional voltage to maintain the same picture, thereby greatly reducing the overall power consumption.

In the current electrophoretic display writing technology, an additional provided electric pen contacts the surface of the electrophoretic display, and the surface charge is induced to change the electric field to drive the microcapsule particles to rotate to different states. In this design, the overall power consumption is increased because the power of the charged pen must be continuously supplied. In another design, the pen is written with a conductive pen, the metal material is used as the pen body material, and the pen tip is mainly made of a conductive material, and the surface charge changes are electrostatically induced by the user. However, in order to maintain a relatively large contact area to ensure effective sensing, the writing head is larger than a general atomic pen head, and it is impossible to simulate the stroke of a general ball pen, resulting in inconvenience in use.

In addition, because each person's electrostatic physique is different, the sensation affects the sensitivity of touch sensing during operation, and the convenience cannot be implemented.

Therefore, the input display device of the present invention does not need to be matched with a special structure pen to complete the input display information by touch pressure.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a display device that displays and records input information by applying pressure.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a display device that uses electronic paper writing and erasing techniques, so that it can be repeatedly written without continuously supplying an applied voltage to maintain a picture, thereby saving power consumption.

The display device of the present invention comprises a first electrode layer, a second electrode layer, an electrophoretic display layer, a gap layer and a control element, wherein the electrophoretic display layer is disposed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, and the gap layer is disposed on Between the second electrode layer and the electrophoretic display layer. The control element is electrically connected to the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer to provide a voltage difference between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer. The second electrode layer has a displacement deformation extending into the gap layer toward the electrophoretic display layer by pressing, and the electrophoretic display of the electrically driven driving portion is generated according to the deformation of the second electrode layer toward the electrophoretic display layer into the gap layer. Layer to display input information to the electrophoretic display layer.

The present invention provides a display device for inputting a message by applying a pressure. Preferably, the display device of the present invention can use a stylus that is not electrically, that is, a stylus that does not need to continuously supply power or has electrical conductivity, and can also be directly written by a finger, thereby having high convenience. Furthermore, the display device adopts an electronic paper writing and erasing technique, and it is preferable to maintain a high contrast picture without continuously supplying an applied voltage, and to repeatedly write a message, and the display device of the present invention has the advantage of low power consumption.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the display device 1 includes a first electrode layer 100, a second electrode layer 200, an electrophoretic display layer 300, a gap layer 400, and a control element 500. The first electrode layer 100 is preferably a metal electrode layer, and the second electrode layer 200 is preferably a transparent electrode layer. Suitable as a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) as a transparent electrode layer, such as indium tin oxide (ITO), or indium zinc oxide (indium zinc oxide) having high transmittance and high electrical conductivity. , IZO). The electrophoretic display layer 300 is disposed between the first electrode layer 100 and the second electrode layer 200, and the electrophoretic display layer 300 has a plurality of elastic microcapsule particles 310. The microcapsule particles 310 are preferably charged particles having two opposite electrical properties, and the two charged particles are of a different color, such as black and white. The microcapsule particles 310 are moved in the middle of the electrophoretic display layer 300 according to a change in electric field between the first electrode 100 and the second electrode 200. In the above device, the protective layer 600 is preferably formed on the outer side of the first electrode layer 100 and the second electrode layer 200 to protect the electrode layer and maintain smooth writing when inputting. The suitable material is polyethylene terephthalate. (Polyethylene terephthalate, PET).

As shown in FIG. 1, the gap layer 400 is disposed between the second electrode layer 200 and the electrophoretic display layer 300, and the gap between the gap layers 400 is preferably 3 to 5 micrometers (μm). As shown in FIG. 1, the gap layer 400 has a gap maintaining unit 410 supporting the gap between the gap layers 400 and providing an air gap 420. The gap maintaining unit 410 may be applied to the gap layer 400 by a spacer 412, or a surrounding arrangement. A frame 414 is on the gap layer 400.

In the embodiment of FIG. 2A, a spacer 412 is applied between the gap layers 400 as a gap maintaining unit such that a portion of the gap layer is filled with the spacers 412 to support maintaining the gap between the gap layers 400 to provide air. The gap 420 is used as the displacement stroke height when the pressure is applied. In addition, in the embodiment of FIG. 2B, the gap maintaining unit is formed by surrounding the hollow rectangular plastic frame 414 with the gap layer 400. The plastic frame 414 itself can support the distance between the gap layers 400, and the air gap 420 in the middle of the plastic frame 414 provides the displacement stroke height of the writing touch pressure. In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2C, the hollow rectangular frame 414 and the spacer 412 are simultaneously disposed to maintain the gap between the gap layers 400, and the air gap 420 also provides a displacement stroke height of the user's touch pressure. In the above three embodiments, the arrangement of the gap maintaining unit 410 can maintain the air gap 420, providing a displacement stroke height for operating the user's pressure, thereby sensing the electrical change of the contact position, so that the electrophoretic display layer 300 can be The electrical change drives a portion of the microcapsule particles 310 to immediately display writing information on the display device 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, the display device 1 further has a control element 500, that is, a set of control circuits for supplying a voltage to drive the electrophoretic display layer 300, which can be implemented by an ASIC or an FPGA circuit. The control element 500 provides a first output 510 and a second output 520; the first output 510 is electrically connected to the first electrode layer 100, and the second output 520 is electrically connected to the second electrode layer 200.

The implementation of the input display method is as shown in FIG. 3. Step S1 provides the above display device 1 including a first electrode layer, a second electrode layer, an electrophoretic display layer and a gap layer, and then in step S2, the control element 500 provides a voltage difference V. Acting on the first electrode layer 100 and the second electrode layer 200; as shown in FIG. 4A, the voltage difference V of the control element 500 at this time provides a uniform external electric field to act on the electrophoretic display layer 300, so that the microcapsule of the electrophoretic display layer 300 The particles 310 are subjected to a uniform electric field, and a uniform electrical movement is attached to the surface of the electrophoretic display layer 300. At this time, the user writes the information on the display device 1 by the touch pressure method, and the air gap 420 of the gap layer 400 is deformed due to the touch action, and the electric field changes immediately outside the portion to drive the partial electrophoresis. The elastic microcapsule particles 310 of the display layer 300 are relatively moved, and finally step S5 is performed to display input information.

Referring to step S2 and FIG. 4A, the control element 500 provides a voltage difference V between the first electrode layer 100 and the second electrode layer 200, that is, providing a uniform electric field to the electrophoretic display layer 300, and the microcapsule particles 310 are subjected to an electric field. The effect is to uniformly move the first surface 320 attached to the electrophoretic display layer 300. At this time, the display device 1 presents a uniform picture, and is prepared in advance for the user to write information. As described in step S3, since the second electrode layer 200 and the electrophoretic display layer 300 have a gap layer 400, when the user touches the second electrode layer 200 or the protective layer 600 to perform a writing operation, the second electrode layer 200 has a orientation. The displacement of the electrophoretic display layer 300 into the gap layer 400 is deformed, so that the electric field at the contact position generates a change, and the microcapsule particles 310 of the electrophoretic display layer 300 are partially electrically driven. As shown in the lower diagram of FIG. 4A, a portion of the microcapsule particles 310 are moved and attached to the second surface 330 of the electrophoretic display layer 300 due to a change in the electric field at the touch position. The microcapsule particles 310 themselves have two kinds of electrically different and differently charged particles, and are attached to the first surface 320 with respect to the uncapped microcapsule particles 310, and the microcapsule particles 310 under the contact position are electrically generated. The displacement is attached to the second surface 330, and the step S4 displays the high contrast input information on the electrophoretic display layer 300 to complete the input and display the information function.

The invention also provides another embodiment. Referring to the upper diagram of step S2 and FIG. 4B, the control element 500 provides a reverse voltage difference V between the first electrode layer 100 and the second electrode layer 200. As with the principle of operation of the above embodiment, a uniform electric field is applied to the electrophoretic display layer 300, and the microcapsule particles 310 are uniformly moved and attached to the second surface 330 of the electrophoretic display layer 300 by the electric field. At this time, the display device 1 also presents a uniform picture, and the preliminary preparation is completed for the user to write information. As described in step S3, when the gap layer 400 generated by the user's touch writing action is deformed by displacement, the electric field generation change at the contact position enables the microcapsule particles 310 of the electrophoretic display layer 300 to be electrically moved. Referring to the lower diagram of FIG. 4B, a portion of the microcapsule particles 310 are moved and attached to the first surface 320 of the electrophoretic display layer 300 due to a change in the electric field at the touch position. The microcapsule particles 310 are not attached to the second surface 330, and the microcapsule particles 310 under the contact position are attached to the first surface 320 by electrical displacement. Step S4 displays high contrast input information. On the electrophoretic display layer 300, the input is completed and the information function is displayed.

As shown in FIG. 5, the display operation mode S10 of the display device 1 preferably has a first operation mode S11 and a second operation mode S12. The control element 500 provides a first voltage difference V1 in the first operational mode S11 and a second voltage difference V2 that is different from the first voltage difference V1 in the second operational mode S12. In the preferred embodiment, the second voltage difference V2 is opposite to the first voltage difference V1. In the first operation mode S11, please refer to the operation diagram of FIG. 4A. Step S11a provides a first voltage difference effect V1 to provide a uniform electric field to the electrophoretic display layer 300, and the electric field at the touch position generates a change enabling portion of the microcapsule particles 310. The movement is attached to the second surface 330 of the electrophoretic display layer 300, and the step S11b further displays the input information to the display device 1 according to the pressure position of the user. In the second operation mode S12, step S12a provides a second voltage difference V2 that is opposite to the first voltage difference V1. Please refer to the operation diagram of the upper diagram of FIG. 4B. At this time, the microcapsule particles 310 are uniformly moved and attached to the second surface 330 by the reverse electric field, and the input of the electrophoretic display layer 300 is written when the first operation mode S11 is erased when the electric field direction is erased. News. Then, the step S12b touches the writing operation, and the writing display information of the display device 1 is also provided. By switching between the two operation modes, in addition to providing the user to repeatedly input information on the display device 1, the screen can be quickly switched to erase the last written information, and no additional device is needed to erase the update screen, and the display device 1 is actually improved. Convenience.

In another embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 6, the display device 1 further includes a detecting component 700, which can be controlled by an ASIC or an FPGA to be electrically connected to the control component 500 for sensing and recording the electrophoretic display layer 300. Sexual changes (eg, electric field, charge, or capacitance change). The circuit and timing description of the detecting component 700 are as shown in FIGS. 7A to 8B. As shown in FIG. 7A, a voltage line 710 provides a voltage pulse to the electrophoretic display layer 300. In the timing diagram 8A, the first time point t1 to the second time point t2 are reset periods, and the voltage source 710 supplies the voltage V3 to cause the microcapsule particles 310 of the electrophoretic display layer 300 to move and adhere to the surface of the electrophoretic display layer 300. . At this time, the first switch SW1 is turned off and the second switch SW2 is turned on to make the first capacitor C1 record the capacitance value of the electrophoretic display layer 300, and the charge value of the first node N1 is raised from the Q1 level to the Q2 level, and the charge is stored during the reset period. . During the writing period from the second time point t2 to the third time point t3, the voltage source 710 provides the V4 level voltage, and the V4 voltage level is lower than the V3 voltage level, because it is not required to continuously supply the high voltage power supply, and at the same time achieve the reduction. Power consumption and preparation for touch detection, as shown in FIG. 7B, when the first switch SW1 is turned on and the second switch SW2 is turned off, the first capacitor C1 starts to charge the second capacitor C2, ready to record the user's touch writing. News.

During the writing period of FIG. 8A, the charge value of the first node N1 has been charged to the Q2 charge level at the reset time, but the electric field of the area is not maintained because the user does not touch the display device 1 . The first node N1 charge value is maintained at the Q2 level. At this time, the readout line 720 records that the charge value of the first node N1 is stable, and is determined to be an untouched area. On the other hand, referring to the writing period of FIG. 8B, when the user touches the surface of the display device 1 at the touch time point tp and writes an input message, the displacement of the gap layer 400 induces a change in the external electric field, first. The amount of charge of the electrophoretic display layer 300 of the capacitor C1 is changed such that the amount of charge of the second capacitor C2 is synchronously formed to vary, and the amount of charge of the first node N1 is decreased by Q2 by the amount of ΔQ. At this time, the ΔQ change amount of the first node N1 is read by the reading line 720 to record the input information position of the electrophoretic display layer 300 at that time, and is determined as the touch area. The detecting component 700 reads the charge change of the electrophoretic display layer 300 of the recording portion, thereby discriminating the user's writing information and completing the recording.

The present invention has been described by the above-described related embodiments, but the above embodiments are merely examples for implementing the present invention. It must be noted that the disclosed embodiments do not limit the scope of the invention. On the contrary, modifications and equivalent arrangements of the spirit and scope of the invention are included in the scope of the invention.

1. . . Display device

100. . . First electrode layer

200. . . Second electrode layer

300. . . Electrophoretic display layer

310. . . Microcapsule particles

320. . . First surface

330. . . Second surface

400. . . Gap layer

410. . . Gap maintenance unit

412. . . Spacer

414. . . Plastic frame

420. . . Air gap

500. . . control element

510. . . First output

520. . . Second output

600. . . The protective layer

700. . . Detection component

710. . . Voltage line

720. . . Readout line

V. . . Voltage difference

V1‧‧‧First voltage difference

V2‧‧‧second voltage difference

T1‧‧‧ first time

T2‧‧‧ second time

T3‧‧‧ third time

Tp‧‧‧ touch time point

△Q‧‧‧Charge of charge change

N1‧‧‧ first node

C1‧‧‧first capacitor

C2‧‧‧Electric two capacitor

SW1‧‧‧ first switch

SW2‧‧‧second switch

V1~V4‧‧‧voltage level

Q1 Q2‧‧‧ Charge level

1 is an embodiment of a display device of the present invention.

2A is an embodiment of a gap layer of a display device.

2B and 2C are other gap layer embodiments of the display device.

Figure 3 is a flow chart of the input display method.

4A is a state diagram of a microcapsule particle of an electrophoretic display layer.

Figure 4B is a diagram showing another microcapsule particle state of the electrophoretic display layer.

Figure 5 is a flow chart of two modes of operation.

Figure 6 is another embodiment of the display device of the present invention.

Figure 7A is a circuit diagram during reset of the detecting element.

Fig. 7B is a circuit diagram during the writing of the detecting element.

Fig. 8A is a timing chart in which no touch operation is performed.

Fig. 8B is a timing chart for performing a touch operation.

1. . . Display device

100. . . First electrode layer

200. . . Second electrode layer

300. . . Electrophoretic display layer

310. . . Microcapsule particles

400. . . Gap layer

500. . . control element

510. . . First output

520. . . Second output

600. . . The protective layer

Claims (14)

A display device includes: a first electrode layer; a second electrode layer; an electrophoretic display layer disposed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer; and a gap layer disposed on the second electrode layer Between the electrophoretic display layer, at least one gap maintaining unit for supporting the gap layer to maintain an air gap, and a control element electrically connected to the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer to provide a voltage difference And between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer; wherein the electrical changes generated by the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer can drive the electrophoretic display layer. The display device of claim 1, wherein the gap maintaining unit is a gap and is coated in the gap layer. The display device of claim 1, wherein the gap maintaining unit is a plastic frame disposed around the gap layer. The display device of claim 1, wherein the gap maintaining unit comprises a plastic frame and a gap, the plastic frame is disposed around the gap layer, and the gap is coated in the gap layer. The display device of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the gap layer is 3 to 5 microns. The display device of claim 1, wherein the second electrode layer is a transparent electrode layer. The display device of claim 1, wherein the voltage difference provided by the control component comprises a first voltage difference and a second voltage difference, wherein the first voltage difference is provided in a first operation mode, and Providing the second voltage difference in a second mode of operation is different from the first voltage difference. The display device of claim 7, wherein the second voltage difference is opposite to the first voltage difference. The display device of claim 1, further comprising a detecting component electrically connected to the control component for sensing and recording the electrical change of the electrophoretic display layer. The display device of claim 1, wherein the second electrode layer has a displacement deformation extending toward the electrophoretic display layer into the gap layer. An input display method includes the following steps: providing a display device comprising a first electrode layer, a second electrode layer, an electrophoretic display layer between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, and a gap layer Between the electrophoretic display layer and the second electrode layer; providing a voltage difference between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer; and extending the gap layer toward the electrophoretic display layer according to the second electrode layer Deformation The electrophoretic display drives a portion of the electrophoretic display layer to display input information to the electrophoretic display layer. The input display method of claim 11, wherein the step of providing a voltage difference comprises: providing a first voltage difference to the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer in a first mode of operation For displaying the input information to the electrophoretic display layer; and providing a second voltage difference between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer for erasing the display during a second mode of operation Input information for the electrophoretic display layer. The input display method of claim 12, wherein the second operating mode step comprises reversing the first voltage difference as the second voltage difference. The input display method of claim 11, further comprising: sensing an electrical change of the electrophoretic display layer to record input information displayed on the electrophoretic display layer.