Shift register, image display including the same, and method of driving the same

A method of driving a shift register having a plurality of stages dependently connected to one another, the method comprising:

• sequentially driving first to nth stages dependently connected to one another in each of block regions divided according to an image display period and a touch sensing period alternating plural times during each frame period, where n is a positive integer equal to or greater than 2;
• driving a first bridge stage disposed between each pair of adjacent block regions;
• and
• driving a second bridge stage disposed between each pair of adjacent block regions,
• wherein, during the plurality of image display periods in each frame period, the first to nth stages in each block region sequentially output one carry pulse and one scan pulse, and
• during the plurality of touch sensing periods in each frame period, the first bridge stage next to the nth stage receives an nth carry pulse from the nth stage and outputs a first bridge pulse to the nth stage to force the nth stage to be disabled, and
• wherein, during the plurality of image display periods in each frame period, the second bridge stage supplies a second bridge pulse to a first stage in a next block region to force the first to nth stages in the next block region to sequentially output one carry pulse and one scan pulse.

A shift register comprising:

• a first block region including a first group of first to nth stages dependently connected to one another, where n is a positive integer equal to or greater than 2;
• a second block region including a second group of first to mth stages dependently connected to one another, where m is a positive integer equal to or greater than 2;
• a third block region including a third group of first to xth stages dependently connected to one another, where x is a positive integer equal to or greater than 2;
• a first pair of first and second bridge stages disposed between the first block region and the second block region;
• and
• a second pair of first and second bridge stages disposed between the second block region and the third block region,
• wherein the first to nth stages dependently connected to one another in each of the first, second and third block regions are divided according to an image display period and a touch sensing period,
• wherein the image display period and the touch sensing period alternate multiple times during each frame period,
• wherein the first bridge stage among the first pair of first and second bridge stages is configured to output a first bridge pulse to the nth stage in the first block region to force the nth stage in the first block region to be disabled during the touch sensing period, and
• wherein, during the image display period, the second bridge stage among the first pair of first and second bridge stages supplies a second bridge pulse to a first stage in a next block region to force the first to nth stages in the next block region to sequentially output one carry pulse and one scan pulse.