JP2004361990A - Mobile terminal device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a thin and light portable terminal equipped with an image display device, an information processor and an input device. <P>SOLUTION: A portable terminal 10 is provided with an image display device 1, an information processor 2 and an input device 3. The input device 3 is provided with: an insulating layer having a plane; an electrode arranged on the back face of the insulating layer having an area which is almost equal to that of a fingertip; and a detecting circuit connected to the electrode for outputting a digital value corresponding to the potential of the electrode. The image display device 1, the information processor 2 and the input device 3 are formed on the same substrate. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a mobile terminal device including an image display device, an information processing device, and an input device. A portable terminal device that requires a small and reliable data input, and that does not require a time difference between the time for performing an operation related to the data input and the time for actually performing the data input. Belongs to the technical field.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as an input device to a mobile terminal device, an input device for inputting an AC signal to a mobile terminal device via a body is known in addition to a push button input device (for example, see Patent Document 1).
[0003]
On the other hand, a fingerprint input device is known as an input device including an insulating layer having a flat surface, an electrode disposed on the back surface thereof, and a detection circuit connected to the electrode and outputting a digital value corresponding to the potential of the electrode. (For example, see Non-Patent Document 1). In a fingerprint input device, an electrode having an area of about 60 (μm) square and a detection circuit connected to the electrode and outputting a digital value corresponding to the potential of the electrode are defined as one pixel, and the pixel has a plane. Fingerprint data is input by arranging in a matrix on the back surface of the insulating layer and reading the output of each pixel while scanning.
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-2003-29899 [Non-Patent Document 1]
R. Hashido, A .; Iwata, T .; Ogawa, T .; Okamoto, Y .; Satoh, M .; Inoue, ISSCC 2001 DIGEST OF TECHNICAL PAPERS P251-A Capacitive Fingerprint Sensor with Low-Temperature Poly-Si TFTs
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Conventional push-button input devices cannot be manufactured in the same process as an information processing device and an image display device manufactured by a semiconductor manufacturing process, so that they can be formed on the same substrate. Therefore, it has been difficult to realize a thin portable terminal device. Accordingly, it has been difficult to realize a lightweight portable terminal device.
Further, in an input device for inputting an AC signal to the portable terminal device via the body, it is necessary to input the AC signal to the body. For this purpose, a transmitter is separately attached to the body, or the AC signal is transmitted from the portable terminal device. A device for inputting to the body is required, and in addition to the input device, a device for assisting the input device is required.
[0006]
Further, in the fingerprint input device, since the electrodes of each pixel are very small, it may be difficult to detect the potential of the electrode, which is a problem as an input device of the portable terminal device according to the present invention which requires reliable data input. was there.
Furthermore, since the fingerprint input device reads while scanning the output of the pixels arranged in a matrix, there is a time difference between the time when the fingertip is placed on a plane as an operation related to data input and the time when data is actually input. There was a problem.
[0007]
Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide, as an input device of a portable terminal device, an input device that can be formed on the same substrate as an information processing device and an image display device. An object of the present invention is to provide a thin and lightweight portable terminal device.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable terminal device which is excellent in portability, because data can be inputted only with the input device as an input device of the portable terminal device, and a separate device for assisting the input is not required. I do.
Another object is to provide a portable terminal device capable of reliably inputting data.
It is still another object to provide a mobile terminal device that does not cause a time difference between a time for performing an operation related to data input and a time for actually performing data input.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problem, a portable terminal device according to the present invention includes a portable terminal device including an image display device, an information processing device, and an input device, wherein the input device includes an insulating layer having a flat surface, An electrode disposed on the back surface of the layer and having an area approximately equal to that of a fingertip, and a detection circuit connected to the electrode and outputting a digital value corresponding to the potential of the electrode, the image display device, and the information The processing device and the input device are formed on the same substrate.
Here, the detection circuit outputs a digital value of ON or OFF to the information processing device according to the magnitude of the capacitance of the electrode that changes when a fingertip contacts or approaches a plane of the insulating layer. Things.
Further, the detection circuit may include a P-channel transistor, a gate of which is connected to the electrode, and a source connected to the power supply for detection.
In the detection circuit, when the fingertip contacts or approaches the plane of the insulating layer, the potential difference between the source voltage Vs and the gate voltage Vg in the P-channel transistor becomes equal to or greater than a threshold voltage, while the fingertip is When not contacting or approaching the plane of the layer, the thickness and / or the constituent material of the insulating layer may be adjusted so that the potential difference is equal to or lower than the threshold voltage.
Further, the image display device can be configured by an organic EL display device including a pixel circuit including a thin film transistor and a peripheral circuit, and the information processing device is configured by a processor including a thin film transistor. And the input device may further include a capacitance detection circuit including a thin film transistor.
[0009]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing the portable terminal device of the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the mobile terminal device of the present embodiment includes an image display device 1, an information processing device 2, and an input device 3. Further, the input device 3 includes an insulating layer 4 that forms a plane to be brought into contact with or close to the fingertip, an electrode 5 disposed on the back surface thereof, and having an area approximately equal to that of the fingertip. A capacitance detection circuit 6 for detecting capacitance. One or a plurality of electrodes 5 and a capacitance detection circuit 6 are arranged, and the capacitance detection circuit 6 is turned on by a change in the capacitance of the electrode 5 when a fingertip contacts or approaches a plane. Alternatively, an off digital signal is output to the information processing device 2.
[0010]
Here, the details of the input device 3 will be described based on FIG. In the figure, 3 is the input device described above, 4 is an insulating layer, 5 is an electrode, and 6 is a capacitance detection circuit. The capacitance detection circuit 6 includes, for example, a P-channel transistor 210, a gate connected to the electrode 5, a source connected to the detection power supply line 220, and a drain connected to the output of the capacitance detection circuit 6. It becomes. Reference numerals 200 and 201 denote capacitances (Cf) generated between the electrode 5 and the capacitance (Cf) between the case where the fingertip is in contact with or close to the plane of the insulating layer 4 near the electrode 5 and the case where it is not.
[0011]
The voltage Vg applied to the gate of the P-channel transistor 210 when Vs is supplied to the detection power supply line 220 is determined by Cf201 and the parasitic capacitance Cpc of the P-channel transistor 210, and is represented by Vg = Cpc × Vs / (Cpc + Cf). You. At this time, when the fingertip is brought into contact with or close to the plane formed of the insulating layer 4 near the electrode 5, the potential difference between Vs and Vg becomes higher than the threshold voltage of the P-channel transistor 210; The thickness and the material of the insulating layer 4 are adjusted so as to be equal to or lower than the threshold voltage. Thereby, the capacitance detection circuit 6 outputs Vs when the fingertip is in contact with or close to the plane formed by the insulating layer 4 near the electrode 5, and otherwise, the capacitance detection circuit 6 does not output. Therefore, the input device 3 outputs different digital signals depending on whether the fingertip is in contact with or in proximity to the plane formed of the insulating layer 4 near the electrode 5 or not.
The input device described above can be manufactured by a semiconductor manufacturing process. That is, the P-channel transistor 210 constituting the capacitance detection circuit 6 may be manufactured by a normal semiconductor manufacturing process, and the electrode 5 can be manufactured by applying a transistor electrode forming technique. The insulating layer 4 can be manufactured by applying a gate insulating film forming technique of a transistor. That is, the input device 3 can be manufactured by the same process as the information processing device 2 and the image display device 1 manufactured by the semiconductor manufacturing process.
[0012]
The details of the information processing apparatus 2 will be described with reference to FIG. In the figure, reference numeral 2 denotes the above-mentioned information processing apparatus, 300 denotes a processor, and 301 denotes a memory. An input device controller 302 receives data from the input device 3 via a terminal 304, and the input device controller 302 transmits the data to the processor 300. Reference numeral 303 denotes an image display device controller that controls the image display device 1 according to a command from a processor.
[0013]
Further, details of the image display device 1 will be described with reference to FIG. The image display device includes, for example, the organic EL display shown in FIG. In the figure, reference numerals 410 to 414 denote scanning lines, 420 to 424 denote source lines, and pixels 430 to 432 are arranged corresponding to their intersections. Reference numeral 440 is a scanning line driving circuit, and 450 is a source line driving circuit. An organic EL display 460 is formed on the same substrate.
[0014]
FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of a pixel formed on the organic EL display 460 shown in FIG. In the figure, 500 is a source line, 501 is a scanning line, 502 is a power supply line for driving an organic EL element, 503 is a switching transistor composed of an N-channel transistor, 504 is a data holding capacitor, 505 is a driving transistor composed of an N-channel transistor, and 506 is an organic EL element. The pixels arranged on the organic EL display 460 emit light in response to driving signals from the scanning line driving circuit 440 and the source line driving circuit 450 controlled by the image display device controller 303. In addition, the image display device 1 may include, for example, a liquid crystal display or an electrophoretic display. The input device 3, the information processing device 2, and the image display device 1 described above can be formed on the same substrate.
[0015]
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the portable terminal device 10 of the present embodiment in which the image display device 1, the information processing device 2, and the input device 3 are formed on the same substrate. As the image display device 1, for example, an organic EL display including a pixel circuit and a peripheral circuit formed by a thin film transistor is used. As the information processing device 2, an information processing device including a processor and the like formed by thin film transistors is used. As the input device 3, the above-described input device including a capacitance detection circuit formed by a thin film transistor is used.
[0016]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, as the input device of the portable terminal device, the input device that can be manufactured by the semiconductor manufacturing process is provided, so that the input device is provided on the same substrate as the information processing device and the image display device. Accordingly, a thin and lightweight portable terminal device can be provided.
Further, according to the present invention, as the input device of the portable terminal device, data can be input only by the input device, and a portable terminal device having excellent portability is provided because a separate device for assisting the input is not required. It becomes possible.
Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a portable terminal device capable of reliably inputting data.
Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a mobile terminal device that does not cause a time difference between a time for performing an operation related to data input and a time for actually performing data input.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an input device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an image display device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a structure of a pixel of the image display device according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a portable terminal device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 image display device 2 information processing device 3 input device 4 insulating layer 5 electrode 6 capacitance detection circuit

Claims (10)

In a portable terminal device including an image display device, an information processing device, and an input device,
The input device includes an insulating layer having a flat surface, an electrode disposed on a back surface of the insulating layer, having an area approximately equal to a fingertip, and a detection circuit connected to the electrode and outputting a digital value corresponding to a potential of the electrode. And
The portable terminal device, wherein the image display device, the information processing device, and the input device are formed on the same substrate. The detection circuit outputs a digital value of ON or OFF to the information processing device according to a magnitude of capacitance of the electrode that changes when a fingertip contacts or approaches a plane of the insulating layer. The mobile terminal device according to claim 1. 3. The mobile phone according to claim 1, wherein the detection circuit includes a P-channel transistor, a gate of which is connected to the electrode, and a source of which is connected to the power supply for detection. Terminal device. In the detection circuit, when the fingertip contacts or approaches the plane of the insulating layer, the potential difference between the source voltage Vs and the gate voltage Vg in the P-channel transistor is equal to or greater than a threshold voltage, while the fingertip is The mobile terminal according to claim 3, wherein the thickness and / or constituent material of the insulating layer is adjusted so that the potential difference is equal to or less than a threshold voltage when the flat surface does not contact or approach the flat surface. apparatus. In the detection circuit, when the fingertip contacts or approaches the plane of the insulating layer, the potential difference between the source voltage Vs and the gate voltage Vg in the P-channel transistor is equal to or less than a threshold voltage, while the fingertip is 4. The portable terminal according to claim 3, wherein the thickness and / or constituent material of the insulating layer is adjusted so that the potential difference is equal to or higher than a threshold voltage when the flat surface does not contact or approach the flat surface. apparatus. The mobile terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the image display device includes an organic EL display device including a pixel circuit including a thin film transistor and a peripheral circuit. The mobile terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the image display device includes a liquid crystal display device including a pixel circuit including a thin film transistor and a peripheral circuit. The mobile terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the image display device is configured by an electrophoretic display device including a pixel circuit including a thin film transistor and a peripheral circuit. 9. The mobile terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the information processing device is configured by a processor including a thin film transistor. The mobile terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the input device includes a capacitance detection circuit including a thin film transistor.

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