Touch panel recognizing virtual touches in addition to actual touches, method for operation of such touch panel, and touch display device

A touch display device comprising:

• a touch panel, wherein the touch panel comprising:
• a substrate;
• a plurality of touch electrodes on the substrate, the plurality of touch electrodes being divided into a plurality of touch units, each of the plurality of touch units comprising at least two of the plurality of touch electrodes;
• a driver on the substrate and electrically connected to each of the plurality of touch electrodes, the driver configured to output touch driving signals to drive each of the plurality of touch electrodes and to recognize touch operation according to touch-sensing signals on each of the plurality of touch electrodes;
• and
• a plurality of connection lines on the substrate, each of the plurality of connection lines electrically connected to the driver and one of the plurality of touch electrodes;
• wherein the driver is further configured to determine whether a current value of the touch-sensing signals is less than a preset value,
• if the current value is less than the preset value, the driver is further configured to determine whether a duration that the current value remains less than the preset value is longer than a preset duration,
• the driver is further configured to set the touch panel to work in a first touch mode if the duration that the current value remains less than the preset value is not longer than the preset duration, and to set the touch panel to work in a second touch mode if the duration that the current value remains less than the preset value is longer than the preset duration;
• each of the plurality of touch electrodes is connected in parallel with each other to independently receive the touch driving signals from the driver when the touch panel works in the first touch mode;
• each of the at least two of the plurality of touch electrodes in each touch unit is connected in series to receive the touch driving signals from the driver when the touch panel works in the second touch mode;
• and
• a display panel for displaying an image according to the touch operation.

A touch method applied to a touch panel comprising a plurality of touch electrodes;

• the touch method comprising:
• outputting touch driving signals to each of the plurality of touch electrodes;
• acquiring touch-sensing signals from each of the plurality of touch electrodes;
• determining whether a current value of the touch-sensing signals is less than a preset value;
• if the current value is less than the preset value, determining whether a duration that the current value remains less than the preset value is longer than a preset duration;
• setting the touch panel to work in a first touch mode if the duration that the current value remains less than the preset value is not longer than the preset duration, and setting the touch panel to work in a second touch mode if the duration that the current value remains less than the preset value is longer than the preset duration;
• identifying a touch operation according to the touch-sensing signals in the first touch mode or the second touch mode.