Integrated in-plane switching

A multi-touch enabled display comprising:

• a plurality of data lines;
• a plurality of cells, each cell including a driven electrode and a counter electrode, the driven electrodes of the plurality of cells being connected to the plurality of data lines during a first time period;
• a plurality of first lines wherein a plurality of first type cells of the plurality of cells is such that the counter electrode of each first type cell is connected to one of the plurality of first lines;
• a plurality of second lines wherein a plurality of second type cells of the plurality of cells is such that the counter electrode of each second type cell is connected to a one of the plurality of second lines;
• and
• control circuitry configured to:
• drive the plurality of data lines with data signals during the first time period in order to create voltage differentials between the driven and counter electrodes of one or more cells of the plurality of cells;
• drive the plurality of first lines connected to the first type cells with a stimulation signal during a second time period, so that the stimulation signal does not significantly change the voltage differentials between the electrodes of the first type cells;
• connect the plurality of second lines connected to the second type cells with one or more sensor circuits during the second time period;
• drive the plurality of second lines connected to the second type cells with a stimulation signal during a third time period, so that the stimulation signal does not significantly change the voltage differentials between the electrodes of the second type cells;
• and
• connect the plurality of first lines connected to the first type cells with one or more sensor circuits during the third time period.

A method of operating a display for displaying data and providing touch sensing, the display having a plurality of cells, each cell having a driven electrode and a counter electrode, some of the plurality of cells comprising first type cells having their counter electrodes connected to ones of a first plurality of lines and others of the plurality of cells comprising second type cells having their counter electrodes connected to ones of a second plurality of lines, the method comprising:

• connecting a plurality of data lines to the driven electrode of the plurality of cells during a first time period to thereby display data on the display;
• driving the plurality of data lines with data signals during the first time period in order to create voltage differentials between the driven and counter electrodes of one or more cells of the plurality of cells;
• driving the first plurality of lines connected to the first type cells with a stimulation signal during a second time period, such that the stimulation signal does not significantly change the voltage differentials between the electrodes of the first type cells;
• connecting the second plurality of lines connected to the second type cells with one or more sensor circuits during the second time period;
• driving the second plurality of lines connected to the second type cells with a stimulation signal during a third time period, such that the stimulation signal does not significantly change the voltage differentials between the electrodes of the second type cells;
• and
• connecting the first plurality of lines connected to the first type cells with the one or more sensor circuits during the third time period.

A touch screen comprising an in-plane-switching (IPS) liquid crystal display with integral touch sensing, the touch screen comprising:

• a plurality of gate lines;
• a plurality of data lines;
• a pair of electrodes for each of a plurality of display pixels, the pair of electrodes disposed in an in-plane-switching arrangement;
• a driven electrode being one of the pair of electrodes;
• a counter electrode being the other of the pair of electrodes;
• the plurality of data lines transmitting display data to the driven electrodes of the plurality of display pixels;
• and
• a plurality of switches, operative in a display mode of operation and responsive to the plurality of gate lines, for connecting the data lines to the driven electrodes of the plurality of display pixels;
• a first plurality of display pixels having first groups of display pixels disposed along a first direction, each of the first groups having counter electrodes connected together by a common first line;
• a second plurality of display pixels having second groups of display pixels disposed along a second direction, each of the second groups having counter electrodes connected together by a common second line;
• the common first lines and the common second lines distinct from the gate lines and the data lines;
• and
• during a touch sensing mode of operation,
• a stimulation signal is applied to at least one of (1) a plurality of the common first lines while capacitance sensing circuitry is coupled to a plurality of the common second lines or (2) a stimulation signal is applied to the plurality of the common second lines while capacitance sensing circuitry is coupled to a plurality of the common first lines.

A touch screen comprising an in-plane-switching liquid crystal display with integral touch sensing, the touch screen having a plurality of touch pixels responsive to a touch or near touch of the touch screen wherein the touch screen comprises:

• a plurality of display pixels each having first and second electrodes disposed adjacent one another in an in-plane switching arrangement;
• a select terminal, a data terminal and a common terminal, the display pixels used during a display mode of operation;
• first type pixels, each having first and second electrodes disposed adjacent one another in an in-plane switching arrangement;
• a select terminal, a data terminal and a common terminal with common terminals of adjacent first type pixels electrically connected together to form touch sensing columns, the first type pixels used at least during a touch sensing mode of operation;
• second type pixels each having first and second electrodes disposed adjacent one another in an in-plane switching arrangement;
• a select terminal, a data terminal and a common terminal with common terminals of adjacent second type pixels electrically connected together to form touch sensing row, the second type pixels used at least during a touch sensing mode of operations;
• a first column group formed by first type pixels and display pixels disposed in one or more columns, wherein a ratio of display pixels to first type pixels is X:1, where X is an integer greater than 1;
• a second column group formed by second type pixels and display pixels disposed in one or more columns, wherein a ratio of display pixels to second type pixels is X:1, where X is an integer greater than 1 the second column group disposed adjacent the first column group;
• wherein during a touch sense mode of operation,
• a stimulation signal is alternately applied to the plurality of touch sensing rows and the plurality of touch sensing columns;
• and
• a capacitance sensing circuitry alternately coupled to the plurality of touch sensing columns and the plurality of touch sensing rows.

A touch screen comprising a liquid crystal display with integral touch sensing, the touch screen having a plurality of touch pixels responsive to a touch or near touch of the touch screen wherein the touch screen comprises:

• first type pixels, each having first and second electrodes disposed adjacent one another in an in-plane switching arrangement;
• a select terminal, a data terminal and a common terminal with common terminals of adjacent first type pixels electrically connected together to form touch sensing columns;
• second type pixels each having first and second electrodes disposed adjacent one another in an in-plane switching arrangement;
• a select terminal, a data terminal and a common terminal with common terminals of adjacent second type pixels electrically connected together to form touch sensing rows;
• a plurality of switches operative in a display mode to connect the data terminals of the first type and second type pixels to data lines;
• a first group of first type pixels disposed in one or more columns;
• a first group of second type pixels disposed in one or more columns, adjacent the first group of first type pixels;
• a second group of first type pixels disposed in one or more columns adjacent the first group of second type pixels;
• a second group of second type pixels disposed in one or more columns adjacent the second group of first type pixels;
• and
• wherein the first group of first type pixels, the adjacent first group of second type pixels, the adjacent second group of first type pixels and the adjacent second group of second type pixels form alternating first type and second type pixels columns;
• and
• the plurality of switches operative in a touch sensing mode to disconnect the data terminals of the first type and second type pixels from the data lines.