Display Device With Coordinate Input Function

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a display device with coordinate input function by which a man-machine interface is achieved between an electronic computer and its operator.

2. Description of the Prior Art

In the prior art, a liquid crystal display device with coordinate input function is disclosed, for example, in Japanese patent application laid-open No. 262835/1986 or Japanese patent application laid-open No. 81521/1988.

FIG. 1 is a constitution diagram of a display device with a coordinate input function in an example of the prior art. Also, FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a liquid crystal display cell.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, reference numeral 1 designates a liquid crystal display cell where a liquid crystal 10 is sealed between two glass substrates 12, 13, numerals 2 and 3 designate transparent electrodes arranged at a predetermined distance on the glass substrates 12, 13, numerals 4 and 5 designate drive circuits to activate the transparent electrodes 2, 3, numeral 6 designates a control circuit, numeral 7 designates a magnetic field sensor, numeral 8 designates an amplifier to amplify output signals of the magnetic field sensor 7, numeral 11 designates a seal substance to seal the liquid crystal 10 between the glass substrates 12, 13, and numerals 14 and 15 designate polarizing plates.

Next, the operation of this arrangement will be described.

The control circuit 6 supplies an AC signal as a coordinate input detection signal in time-sharing with a display drive signal through the drive circuits 4, 5 in sequence to the transparent electrodes 2, 3 arranged on the glass substrates 12, 13 of the liquid crystal display cell 1. As a result, a rotating magnetic field is generated on the periphery of each of the transparent electrodes 2, 3 by the coordinate input detection signal current. If the sensor 7 with a material having electromagnetic induction effect characteristics embedded therein comes close to the field, a detection voltage corresponding to the rotating magnetic field is obtained from the sensor 7. The detection voltage is amplified by the amplifier 8 to a suitable amplitude and then compared in sequence in synchronism with timing of the coordinate input detection signal applied to the transparent electrodes 2, 3, thereby an intersection position of the transparent electrodes 2 and 3 can be detected.

The display device with a coordinate input function of the above-mentioned constitution is advantageous in that display of the image and the coordinate input can be realized by the same transparent electrodes 2, 3 and a special coordinate input panel is not required.

Since the display device with coordinate input function in the prior art is constituted as above described and the coordinate input detection signal current flows through the transparent electrodes, basically, the transparent electrodes 2, 3 must not have a nonconductive part there along. However, liquid-crystal display devices in recent years are called upon to have higher resolution, and in order to prevent deterioration in the contrast ratio of the display image, a liquid crystal display panel having a display screen divided into two, upper and lower, separately driven parts is used. Liquid crystal display panels are being significantly advanced, and a liquid crystal display panel of two-layer type to enable the black-and-white display has been put to practical use in recent years and also a color liquid crystal display panel in combination of the liquid crystal display panel of two-layer type with a color filter has been developed.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a standard liquid crystal display panel of two-layer type in the prior art, and FIG. 4 is a constitution diagram of a liquid crystal display panel divided into two, upper and lower, separately driven parts in the prior art. In FIGS. 3 and 4, reference numeral 1 designates a liquid crystal display cell, numerals 2U, 2L and 3 designate transparent electrodes, numerals 4U, 4L and 5 designate drive circuits, numeral 6 designates a control circuit, and numeral 21 designates a liquid crystal cell for phase compensation, which is constituted by sealing a liquid crystal 10 between glass substrates 32 and 33 with a seal substance 31 and compensates optical characteristics of the liquid crystal display panel 1. Since details of the principle or the like of the liquid crystal panel of two-layer type shown in FIG. 3 do not have direct relation to the present invention, the description shall be omitted here.

As clearly seen from FIG. 4, each of the transparent electrodes arranged in the vertical direction is divided into an upper transparent electrode 2U and a lower transparent electrode 2L corresponding to the dividing of the display screen. In this case, the bottom end of the upper transparent electrode 2U and the top end of the lower transparent electrode 2L are within the liquid crystal display cell 1 and therefore cannot be drawn as electrodes outside the liquid crystal cell 1. Accordingly, the coordinate input detection signal current cannot flow through the transparent electrodes 2U, 2L, and the display device with coordinate input function as shown in FIG. 1 cannot be constituted as in the prior art.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a standard liquid crystal display panel of two-layer type with an optical phase compensation film in the prior art. In FIG. 7, reference numeral 1 designates a liquid crystal display cell, numerals 2U, 2L and 3 designate transparent electrodes, and numeral 41 designates a phase compensation film which exhibits optical anisotropy used for optical phase compensation, which compensates optical characteristics of the liquid crystal display panel 1. Since details of the principle or the like of the liquid crystal panel of two-layer type shown in FIG. 7 do not have direct relation to the present invention, the description shall be omitted here.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems in the prior art, an object of the present invention is to provide a display device with a coordinate input function even in case of a liquid crystal display panel having a display screen divided into two, upper and lower, parts to be driven separately, by ensuring the continuity of the coordinate input detection signal current flowing in a two-layer type liquid crystal display panel.

In order to attain the foregoing object, in a display device with coordinate input function according to the present invention, a liquid crystal display panel of the two-layer type with a liquid crystal cell for phase compensation is used, and coordinate input electrodes are arranged in the liquid crystal cell for phase compensation and the coordinate input detection signal current flows through the coordinate input electrodes whereby inputting of the coordinates is performed.

In order to further attain the foregoing object, in a display device with coordinate input function according to the present invention, a liquid crystal display panel of the two-layer type is used, with an optically anisotropic film layer for optical phase compensation, and coordinate input electrodes are arranged on the optically anisotropic phase compensation film, and the coordinate input detection signal current flows through the coordinate input electrodes whereby inputting of the coordinates is performed.

The foregoing and other objects and novel features of the present invention will be more fully appear from the following detailed description when the same is read in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a constitution diagram of a display device with coordinate input function in the prior art;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a liquid crystal display panel in the prior art;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a standard liquid crystal display panel of two-layer type in the prior art;

FIG. 4 is a constitution diagram of a liquid crystal display panel divided into two, upper and lower, parts in the prior art;

FIG. 5 is a constitution diagram of a display device with coordinate input function according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a liquid crystal display panel of two-layer type according to the embodiment of the present invention of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a standard liquid crystal display panel of two-layer type with an optical phase compensation film in the prior art;

FIG. 8 is a constitution diagram of a display device with coordinate input function with an optical phase compensation film according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of a liquid crystal display panel of two-layer type according to the embodiment of the present invention of FIG. 8.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described referring to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 5 is a constitution diagram of a display device with coordinate input function as an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 5, reference numeral 1 designates a liquid crystal display cell, numerals 2U, 2L, 3 designate transparent electrodes for image display, which are arranged on glass substrates 12, 13 (FIG. 6) to constitute the liquid crystal display cell 1, numerals 4U, 4L, 5 designate drive circuits which activate the transparent electrodes 2U, 2L, 3 and drive the liquid crystal display cell 1, numeral 6 designates a control circuit, numeral 7 designates a magnetic field sensor, and numeral 8 designates an amplifier which amplifies output signals of the magnetic field sensor 7. Also, numeral 21 designates a liquid crystal cell for phase compensation, numerals 22, 23 designate transparent electrodes for coordinate input, which are arranged on glass substrates 32, 33 to constitute the liquid crystal cell 21 for phase compensation, and numerals 24, 25 designate drive circuits which activate the transparent electrodes 22, 23 and through which the coordinate input detection signal current flows.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the liquid crystal display panel as the embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 6, reference numeral 1 designates a liquid crystal display cell, numeral 21 designates a liquid crystal cell for phase compensation, numerals 11, 31 designate seal substances which seal a liquid crystal 10 between glass substrates 12, 13 and between glass substrates 32, 33 respectively, and numerals 14, 15 designate polarizing plates.

As clearly seen from comparison with FIG. 3 showing a sectional view of the standard liquid crystal display panel of two-layer type in the prior art, in the present invention, the glass substrates 32, 33 which constitute the liquid crystal cell 21 for phase compensation of the liquid crystal display panel of two-layer type, are provided with transparent electrodes 22, 23 arranged in an X-Y matrix form, and an AC signal as the coordinate input detection signal is supplied from the control circuit 6 through the drive circuits 24, 25 to the transparent electrodes 22, 23 in sequence. As a result, a rotating magnetic field is generated on the periphery of each of the transparent electrodes 22, 23 by the coordinate input detection signal current. And then, the coordinate input can be detected through processes similar to those in the prior art. Thus, even in a liquid crystal display panel having a display screen divided into two, upper and lower, parts which are separately driven, the coordinate input detection can be performed.

The liquid crystal cell for phase compensation 21 is an example of a compensation cell to improve the optical characteristics of the liquid crystal cell for display 1. Another example of an optical phase compensation cell to improve the optical characteristics of the liquid crystal cell for display 1 is an optical phase compensation film or the like which exhibits optical anisotropy. Substances suitable for comprising optically anisotropic films include polycarbonates, polyvinyl alcohols, polyethylene tetraphthalates, and the like. The thickness of the optically anisotropic film can be in the range of between about 50 micrometers to about 150 micrometers. Preferably, the thickness of the optically anisotropic film is about 100 micrometers. Generally, a film comprised of a suitable substance possesses the property of optical anisotropy, characterized by a position dependent and spatially varying index of refraction, when the film is drawn or stretched along an axis of optical activity.

FIG. 8 is a constitution diagram of a display device with coordinate input function with an optical phase compensation film according to another embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 8, reference numeral 1 designates a liquid crystal display cell, numerals 2U, 2L, 3 designate transparent electrodes for image display, which are arranged on glass substrates 12, 13 (FIG. 9) to constitute the liquid crystal display cell 1, numerals 4U, 4L, 5 designate drive circuits which activate the transparent electrodes 2U, 2L, 3 and drive the liquid crystal display cell 1, numeral 6 designates a control circuit, numeral 7 designates a magnetic field sensor, and numeral 8 designates an amplifier which amplifies output signals of the magnetic field sensor 7. Also, numeral 41 designates a phase compensation film which exhibits optical anisotropy used for optical phase compensation, numerals 22, 23 designate transparent electrodes for coordinate input, which are arranged on phase compensation film 41 to constitute an optical phase compensation cell which compensates optical characteristics of the liquid crystal display panel 1, and numerals 24, 25 designate drive circuits which activate the transparent electrodes 22, 23 and through which the coordinate input detection signal current flows.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the liquid crystal display panel embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 8. In FIG. 9, reference numeral 1 designates a liquid crystal display cell, numeral 41 designates a film which exhibits optical anisotropy used for optical phase compensation, numeral 11 designates a seal substance which seals a liquid crystal 10 between glass substrates 12, 13 and numerals 14, 15 designate polarizing plates.

As clearly seen from comparison with FIG. 7 showing a sectional view of the standard liquid crystal display panel of two-layer type with an optical phase compensation film in the prior art, in the present invention, as shown in FIG. 9, the phase compensation film 41 of the liquid crystal display panel of two-layer type is provided with transparent electrodes 22, 23 arranged in an X-Y matrix form, and an AC signal as the coordinate input detection signal is supplied from the control circuit 6 through the drive circuits 24, 25 to the transparent electrodes 22, 23 in sequence. As a result, a rotating magnetic field is generated on the periphery of each of the transparent electrodes 22, 23 by the coordinate input detection signal current. And then, the coordinate input can be detected through processes similar to those in the prior art. Thus, even in a liquid crystal display panel having a display screen divided into two, upper and lower, parts which are separately driven, the coordinate input detection can be performed.

Although an electromagnetic coupling system is used as a coordinate input detection system in the above-described embodiments, the present invention is not limited to this.

According to the above-described present invention, the optical phase compensation cell of the liquid crystal display panel of two-layer type is provided with transparent electrodes arranged thereon in an X-Y matrix form as the coordinate input detecting electrodes, whereby the display device with coordinate input function can be constituted without using a special coordinate input panel in addition to the display panel even in the case that the liquid crystal display panel has a display screen that is divided into two parts which are separately driven.

The principles, preferred embodiments and modes of operation of the present invention have been described in the foregoing specification. The invention which is intended to be protected heroin, however, is not to be construed as limited to the particular forms disclosed, since these are to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. Moreover, variations and changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention should not be regarded as being limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but instead should be regarded as being fully commensurate in scope with the following claims.

Furthermore, any element in the following claims expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described herein and equivalents thereof.