Display device having mutiple display areas and method for driving the same

1 . A method for driving a display device, comprising the steps of:

sensing a touch input on a second display area while no pixel data is written to second pixels in the second display area and first pixel data is written on first pixels in a first display area; and

sensing a touch input on the first display area while no pixel data is written to the first pixels in the first display area and second pixel data is written on the second pixels in the second display area.

2 . The method of claim 1 , comprising, when sensing the touch input on the second display area, applying a first data voltage corresponding to the first pixel data to first data lines in the first display area.

3 . The method of claim 2 , comprising applying a first noise compensation voltage having a phase opposite to a phase of the first data voltage to second data lines in the second display area to compensate for a noise component that is generated in the second display area by the first data voltage when the first pixel data is written on the first pixels.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the first data lines and the second data lines are physically separated from each other, and the first noise compensation voltage is not transferred to the first data lines.

5 . The method of claim 1 , comprising when sensing the touch input on the first display area, applying a second data voltage corresponding to the second pixel data to second data lines in the second display area.

6 . The method of claim 5 , comprising applying a second noise compensation voltage having a phase opposite to a phase of the second data voltage to first data lines in the first display area to compensate for a noise component that is generated in the first display area by the second data voltage when the second pixel data is written on the second pixels.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the display device is configured to electrically connect the second data lines and the second pixels to each other, and to electrically separate the first data lines and the first pixels from each other.

8 . A display device comprising:

a display panel including a first display area in which a plurality of first pixels are disposed and a second display area in which a plurality of second pixels are disposed, the plurality of second pixels being electrically separated from the first pixels;

a first display area driver configured to write first pixel data on first pixels in the first display area;

a second display area driver configured to write second pixel data on second pixels in the second display area;

first touch sensors disposed on the first display area;

second touch sensors disposed on the second display area; and

a touch sensor driver configured to sense a touch input on the second display area by driving the second touch sensors while the first pixel data is written on the first pixels and the second display area driver is deactivated, and to sense a touch input on the first display area by driving the first touch sensors while the second pixel data is written on the second pixels and the first display area driver is deactivated.

9 . The display device of claim 8 , wherein:

the first display area driver comprises:

a first gate driving circuit configured to output a gate signal to the first display area; and

a first data driving circuit configured to output a first data voltage corresponding to the first pixel data to first data lines disposed in the first display area, and

the second display area driver comprises:

a second gate driving circuit configured to output a gate signal to the second display area; and

a second data driving circuit configured to output a second data voltage corresponding to the second pixel data to second data lines disposed in the second display area.

10 . The display device of claim 9 , wherein in operation, when the touch sensor driver drives the second touch sensors, the second gate driving circuit is configured not to output the gate signal to the second display area, and the second data driving circuit is configured to output a first noise compensation voltage having a phase opposite to a phase of the first data voltage to the second data lines to compensate for a noise component that is generated in the second touch sensors by the first data voltage.

11 . The display device of claim 10 , wherein the first data lines and the second data lines are physically separated from each other, and the first noise compensation voltage is not configured to be transferred to the first data lines.

12 . The display device of claim 9 , wherein in operation, when the touch sensor driver drives the first touch sensors, the first gate driving circuit is configured not to output the gate signal to the first display area, and the first data driving circuit is configured to output a second noise compensation voltage having a phase opposite to a phase of the second data voltage to the first data lines to compensate for a noise component that is generated in the first touch sensors by the second data voltage.

13 . The display device of claim 8 , wherein the touch sensor driver comprises:

a first touch driving circuit configured to drive the first touch sensors while the second pixel data is written on the second pixels; and

a second touch driving circuit configured to drive the second touch sensors while the first pixel data is written on the first pixels.

14 . The display device of claim 13 , wherein a portion of a first period in which the first pixel data is written on the first pixels and a portion of a second period in which the second pixel data is written on the second pixels overlap each other.

15 . The display device of claim 14 , wherein the second touch driving circuit is configured to drive the second touch sensors in a period in the first period that does not overlap the second period, and not to drive the second touch sensors in a period that overlaps the second period.

16 . The display device of claim 14 , wherein the first touch driving circuit is configured not to drive the first touch sensors in a period in the second period that overlaps the first period, and to drive the first touch sensors in a period that does not overlap the first period.