US-20260126877-A1 - DRIVING CIRCUIT AND OPERATING METHOD THEREOF AND CONTROLLING CIRCUIT

US20260126877A1US 20260126877 A1US20260126877 A1US 20260126877A1US-20260126877-A1

Abstract

A driving circuit and an operating method thereof and a controlling circuit which are suitable for a knob apparatus are provided. The driving circuit includes multiple touch-sensing electrodes and a controlling circuit. The knob apparatus includes a knob and a touch panel. The knob is disposed on the touch panel. The touch-sensing electrodes and the controlling circuit are disposed in the touch panel. The touch-sensing electrodes are coupled to multiple pixel switches of the touch panel. The controlling circuit is coupled to the touch-sensing electrodes. During a touch period, the controlling circuit provides an offset voltage to a first touch-sensing electrode of the touch-sensing electrodes, such that a first pixel switch coupled to the first touch-sensing electrode maintains being turned off according to a touch-controlling signal and the offset voltage.

Inventors

Wu Wei Lin

Assignees

NOVATEK MICROELECTRONICS CORP.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20250501
Priority Date: 20241104

Claims (17)

1 . A driving circuit, for a knob apparatus, wherein the knob apparatus comprises a knob and a touch panel, the knob is disposed on the touch panel, wherein the driving circuit comprises: a plurality of touch-sensing electrodes, disposed in the touch panel and coupled to a plurality of pixel switches of the touch panel; and a controlling circuit, disposed in the touch panel, coupled to the plurality of touch-sensing electrodes, and configured to provide an offset voltage to a first touch-sensing electrode of the plurality of touch-sensing electrodes during a touch period, and a first pixel switch coupled to the first touch-sensing electrode maintains being turned off according to a touch-controlling signal and the offset voltage.
2 . The driving circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the controlling circuit provides the offset voltage according to characteristics of the plurality of pixel switches.
3 . The driving circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the first pixel switch is a transistor, wherein a control terminal of the transistor receives the touch-controlling signal, and a first terminal of the transistor receives the offset voltage and a liquid crystal electrode voltage in the touch panel during the touch period, such that a voltage difference between the control terminal and the first terminal of the transistor is less than a threshold voltage value of the transistor.
4 . The driving circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the offset voltage is a direct current voltage and has a voltage value greater than 0 volts.
5 . The driving circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the controlling circuit is further configured to provide a touch driving signal to a second touch-sensing electrode of the plurality of touch-sensing electrodes during the touch period, such that a second pixel switch coupled to the second touch-sensing electrode maintains being turned off according to the touch-controlling signal and the touch driving signal.
6 . The driving circuit according to claim 5 , wherein the second pixel switch is a transistor, wherein a control terminal of the transistor receives the touch-controlling signal, and a first terminal of the transistor receives the touch driving signal and a liquid crystal electrode voltage in the touch panel during the touch period, such that a voltage difference between the control terminal and the first terminal of the transistor is less than a threshold voltage value of the transistor.
7 . The driving circuit according to claim 5 , wherein the offset voltage is a combination of a direct current voltage and an inverse phase of the touch driving signal.
8 . The driving circuit according to claim 5 , wherein the touch driving signal is one of a sine wave signal, a square wave signal, and a triangle wave signal.
9 . An operating method of a driving circuit, for a knob apparatus, wherein the knob apparatus comprises a knob and a touch panel, the knob is disposed on the touch panel, wherein the operating method comprises: providing, by a controlling circuit, an offset voltage to a first touch-sensing electrode of a plurality of touch-sensing electrodes during a touch period, wherein the plurality of touch-sensing electrodes and the controlling circuit are disposed in the touch panel, and the plurality of touch-sensing electrodes are coupled to a plurality of the pixel switches of the touch panel, and maintaining, by the controlling circuit, a first pixel switch coupled to the first touch-sensing electrode being turned off according to a touch-controlling signal and the offset voltage during the touch period.
10 . The operating method according to claim 9 , further comprising: providing, by the controlling circuit, the offset voltage according to characteristics of the pixel switches.
11 . The operating method according to claim 9 , wherein the first pixel switch is a transistor, the operating method further comprises: receiving, by a control terminal of the transistor, the touch-controlling signal during the touch period; and receiving, by a first terminal of the transistor, the offset voltage and a liquid crystal electrode voltage in the touch panel during the touch period, such that a voltage difference between the control terminal and the first terminal of the transistor is less than a threshold voltage value of the transistor.
12 . The operating method according to claim 9 , wherein the offset voltage is a direct current voltage and has a voltage value greater than 0 volts.
13 . The operating method according to claim 9 , further comprising: providing, by the controlling circuit, a touch driving signal to a second touch-sensing electrode of the plurality of touch-sensing electrodes during the touch period; and maintaining, by the controlling circuit, a second pixel switch coupled to the second touch-sensing electrode being turned off according to the touch-controlling signal and the touch driving signal during the touch period.
14 . The operating method according to claim 13 , wherein the second pixel switch is a transistor, the operating method further comprises: receiving, by a control terminal of the transistor, the touch-controlling signal during the touch period; and receiving, by a first terminal of the transistor, the touch driving signal and a liquid crystal electrode voltage in the touch panel during the touch period, such that a voltage difference between the control terminal and the first terminal of the transistor is less than a threshold voltage value of the transistor.
15 . The operating method according to claim 13 , wherein the offset voltage is a combination of a direct current voltage and an inverse phase of the touch driving signal.
16 . The operating method according to claim 13 , wherein the touch driving signal is one of a sine wave signal, a square wave signal, and a triangle wave signal.
17 . A controlling circuit, to control a voltage level of a touch-sensing electrode disposed in a touch panel at different moments, wherein the touch-sensing electrode corresponds to a conductive electrode which is disposed in a bottom of a knob, when the knob is disposed in the touch panel, a user operates the touch panel through the knob, wherein the controlling circuit comprises: a signal transmission circuit, having a plurality of first terminals for receiving an offset voltage, a touch driving signal and a reference voltage, wherein a second terminal of the signal transmission circuit is coupled to the touch-sensing electrode to provide one of the offset voltage, the touch driving signal and the reference voltage to the touch-sensing electrode during a touch period, or to receive a touch result signal, wherein during the touch period, a pixel switch which is coupled to the touch-sensing electrode and is disposed in the touch panel maintains turned off according to a touch-controlling signal and the offset voltage; an amplification circuit, coupled to one of the plurality of first terminals of the signal transmission circuit to receive the touch result signal; and a signal processing circuit, coupled to the amplification circuit, to generate a touch output signal according to the touch result signal.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan application serial no. 113142072, filed on Nov. 4, 2024. The entirety of the above-mentioned patent application is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of this specification. BACKGROUND Technical Field The disclosure relates to an electronic circuit, and in particular relates to a driving circuit suitable for a knob apparatus and an operating method thereof. Description of Related Art Generally speaking, knobs are suitable for various electronic apparatuses. For example, the knob may be applied to the in-vehicle center information display (CID). Current in-vehicle center information displays allow drivers to touch knobs to implement corresponding functions, such as adjusting the temperature. However, during the touch operation, the pixel elements of the in-vehicle center information display may experience electrical leakage, resulting in visual anomalies (e.g., image retention) on the in-vehicle center information display. SUMMARY A driving circuit suitable for a knob apparatus is provided in the embodiments of the disclosure, in which the driving circuit is capable of preventing visual anomalies in the knob apparatus during a touch period. The driving circuit in the embodiment of the disclosure includes a plurality of touch-sensing electrodes and a controlling circuit. The knob apparatus includes a knob and a touch panel. The knob is disposed on the touch panel. The plurality of touch-sensing electrodes are disposed in the touch panel. The plurality of touch-sensing electrodes are coupled to a plurality of pixel switches of the touch panel. The controlling circuit is disposed in the touch panel. The controlling circuit is coupled to the plurality of touch-sensing electrodes. The controlling circuit is configured to provide an offset voltage to a first touch-sensing electrode of the plurality of touch-sensing electrodes during a touch period, such that a first pixel switch coupled to the first touch-sensing electrode maintains being turned off according to a touch-controlling signal and the offset voltage. An operating method of a driving circuit is further provided in an embodiment of the disclosure. The operating method is suitable for a knob apparatus. The operating method includes the following operation. The knob apparatus includes a knob and a touch panel. The knob is disposed on the touch panel. A controlling circuit provides an offset voltage to a first touch-sensing electrode of a plurality of touch-sensing electrodes during a touch period. The plurality of touch-sensing electrodes and the controlling circuit are disposed in the touch panel. The plurality of touch-sensing electrodes are coupled to a plurality of the pixel switches of the touch panel. The controlling circuit maintains a first pixel switch coupled to the first touch-sensing electrode being turned off according to a touch-controlling signal and the offset voltage during the touch period. A controlling circuit is further provided in an embodiment of the disclosure. The controlling circuit is configured to control a voltage level of a touch-sensing electrode disposed in a touch panel at different moments. The touch-sensing electrode corresponds to a conductive electrode which is disposed in a bottom of a knob. When the knob is disposed in the touch panel, a user operates the touch panel through the knob. The controlling circuit includes a signal transmission circuit, an amplification circuit and a signal processing circuit. The signal transmission circuit has a plurality of first terminals and a second terminal. The first terminals of the signal transmission circuit are configured to receive offset voltage, a touch driving signal and a reference voltage. The second terminal of the signal transmission circuit is coupled to the touch-sensing electrode to provide one of the offset voltage, the touch driving signal and the reference voltage to the touch-sensing electrode during a touch period, or to receive a touch result signal. During the touch period, a pixel switch which is coupled to the touch-sensing electrode and is disposed in the touch panel maintains turned off according to a touch-controlling signal and the offset voltage. The amplification circuit is coupled to one of the first terminals of the signal transmission circuit to receive the touch result signal. The signal processing circuit is coupled to the amplification circuit. The signal processing circuit is configured to generate a touch output signal according to the touch result signal. Based on the above, during the touch period, the driving circuit and the operating method and the controlling circuit of the embodiment of the disclosure provide the offset voltage to the touch-sensing electrode by the controlling circuit, such that the pixel switch coupled to such touch-sensing electrode is capable of being maintained at a turned off status based on such offset vo