Touch screen with equal resistance compensation pattern

Abstract

The invention relates to a touch screen with an equal-resistance compensation pattern. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the touch screen comprises: a plurality of touch electrodes arranged in a multi-row and multi-column matrix; a plurality of sensor signal lines each connected to a corresponding one of the touch electrodes; and a touch driving integrated circuit configured to analyze a touch signal of the touch electrode transmitted through the sensor signal lines to determine whether the touch electrode is touched, in which one dummy signal line is formed in at least one of the sensor signal lines, and one dummy signal line is formed in at least one of the sensor signal lines. The resistors of the sensor signal lines belonging to the same row are matched within an allowable tolerance range. The invention also comprises an embodiment different from the above embodiment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a touch screen having an equal resistance compensation pattern in a touch signal line region connected to a touch electrode. Background Art

[0002] Generally, a touch screen can be applied not only to mobile devices such as smart phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), portable multimedia players (PMPs), etc., but also to various different types of electronic devices such as navigation systems, netbooks, laptop computers, digital information devices (DIDs), Internet protocol televisions (IPTVs), etc.

[0003] Touch screens can be classified into a laminated touch screen provided on various types of displays such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), a plasma display panel (PDP), an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display, etc., and an in-cell touch screen integrated into such a display.

[0004] Displays having a touch screen can be classified into various types such as a touch screen external type display, a touch screen laminated type display, a touch screen in-cell type display, etc.

[0005] Touch screens can adopt various touch detection methods. For example, a resistive film method, a capacitive method, an electromagnetic induction method, an infrared method, an ultrasonic method, etc.

[0006] A capacitive touch screen can detect the presence and position of a touch based on a voltage change caused by a touch capacitance (Ct) generated in a touch electrode (touch sensor) when a touch input tool such as a finger or a stylus touches or approaches a touch electrode provided on the touch screen.

[0007] Capacitive touch screens can be classified into mutual capacitance touch screens and self-capacitance touch screens. In a mutual capacitance touch screen, transmitting (Tx) touch electrodes and receiving (Rx) touch electrodes placed in different layers work in pairs to generate a touch capacitance.

[0008] In a self-capacitance touch screen, a single touch electrode generates its own touch capacitance. A self-capacitance touch screen can be referred to as, for example, a self-capacitance type touch screen.

[0009] Figure 1a is a diagram showing a conventional touch screen.

[0010] Reference Figure 1a , the touch screen 100 can be divided into an active area (AA) as an effective area where a touch can occur, and an inactive area (IAA) corresponding to the remaining area of the touch screen 100, where the inactive area (IAA) can include a fan-out area (FO).

[0011] A touch drive integrated circuit (TDI) 140 can be mounted on a flexible film 150.

[0012] As shown Figure 1a in FIG. 1, the touch screen 100 may be provided with a plurality of touch electrodes 110, a plurality of sensor signal lines 120, and a plurality of connection terminals 130.

[0013] The touch electrodes 110 may be arranged in a matrix of multiple rows (e.g., R1 to R6) and multiple columns (e.g., C1 to C6), and the sensor signal lines 120 may be independently connected to one of the corresponding touch electrodes 110 and may be independently connected to the connection terminals 130 through a fan-out region (FO).

[0014] Figure 1b FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a conventional sensor signal line.

[0015] Referring to Figure 1b FIG. 3, multiple sensor signal lines 120 belonging to the same row may be arranged in different lengths. For example, as Figure 1b shown in FIG. 3, the first to sixth sensor signal lines 120-1 to 120-6 belonging to the first row R1 may have the same width and may be arranged in different lengths.

[0016] Since the first to sixth sensor signal lines 120-1 to 120-6 belonging to the first row R1 have the same width and different lengths, the sensor signal lines may have different inherent resistance values (RV1_R1C1, RV2_R1C2, RV3_R1C3, RV4_R1C4, RV5_R1C5, RV6_R1C6).

[0017] In addition, since the fifth sensor signal line 120-5 corresponding to the first row R1 and the fifth column C5 has the shortest length, the fifth sensor signal line may have the lowest inherent resistance RV5_R1C5, and since the first sensor signal line 120-1 corresponding to the first row R1 and the first column C1 has the longest length, the first sensor signal line may have the highest inherent resistance RV1_R1C5.

[0018] As described above, when there is a resistance difference between the sensor signal lines belonging to the same row (e.g., R1), the conductivity of each sensor signal line for transmitting the touch signal generated by the touch electrodes in the same row (e.g., R1) changes, resulting in a decrease in the accuracy of low-scan type touch detection.

[0019] Figure 1c FIG. 4 is a diagram showing another example of a conventional sensor signal line.

[0020] Figure 1c FIG. 5 shows an example in which not only the length of the sensor signal lines belonging to a single column is changed, but also their width is changed to reduce the resistance deviation of the sensor signal lines.

[0021] Specifically, in Figure 1cIn this case, the width of the sensor signal line 10a far from the fan-out (FO) region is set to be greater than the width of the sensor signal line 10d close to the fan-out (FO) region to reduce the resistance deviation of the sensor signal lines.

[0022] However, Figure 1c the illustrated example of the sensor signal line has a problem in that the sensor signal lines are designed with different widths according to the position of the touch driving integrated circuit (TDI) 140. Summary of the Invention

[0023]

Technical Problem

[0024] The present invention aims to solve the problems of the above-mentioned conventional touch screens and relates to a touch screen having an equal resistance compensation pattern that can reduce the resistance deviation of the sensor signal lines and minimize the design change of the sensor signal lines despite the change in the position of the touch driving integrated circuit (TDI).

[0025] The present invention can provide a touch screen that effectively compensates for the resistance deviation of the sensor signal lines belonging to the same row through virtual resistance lines in certain regions of the sensor signal lines.

[0026]

Technical Solution

[0027] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a touch screen having an equal resistance compensation pattern includes:

[0028] a plurality of touch electrodes arranged in a matrix of multiple rows and multiple columns;

[0029] a plurality of sensor signal lines, each sensor signal line being connected to a corresponding touch electrode; and

[0030] a touch driving integrated circuit (IC) configured to analyze a touch signal of the touch electrode transmitted through the sensor signal line to determine whether the touch electrode is touched,

[0031] wherein a virtual signal line is formed in at least one sensor signal line so that the resistances of the sensor signal lines belonging to the same row match within an allowable tolerance range.

[0032] Preferably, the virtual signal line is formed by disconnecting a part of the sensor signal line so as not to transmit a touch signal.

[0033] Preferably, the width of the virtual signal line increases as the width of the sensor signal line increases,

[0034] the width and length of the virtual signal line are determined in consideration of the width and length of the sensor signal line in the fan-out region, and

[0035] The fan-out region is an area where each sensor signal line in the non-active area of the touch screen is connected to the touch driving integrated circuit with the shortest length, and the sensor signal lines belonging to the same row in the fan-out region are multiplexed through a multiplexer to be connected to the same connection terminal of the touch driving integrated circuit.

[0036] Preferably, at least one of the sensor signal lines belonging to the same row does not have a dummy signal line.

[0037] Preferably, the sensor signal line has a different shape from the dummy signal line.

[0038] Preferably, the width and length of the dummy signal lines belonging to the same row vary according to the position of the touch driving integrated circuit, and the width of the sensor signal lines belonging to the same row does not vary according to the position of the touch driving integrated circuit.

[0039] Preferably, the dummy signal line includes at least one separately separated sub-dummy signal line.

[0040] Preferably, the sensor signal line and the dummy signal line are made of a transparent conductive material.

[0041]

Effects of the Invention

[0042] The touch screen with an equal-resistance compensation pattern according to an embodiment of the present invention has the effect of keeping the resistance deviation of the sensor signal lines belonging to the same row at a minimum.

[0043] The touch screen with an equal-resistance compensation pattern according to an embodiment of the present invention does not require changing the design of the sensor signal lines despite the change in the position of the touch driving integrated circuit. Description of the Drawings

[0044] Figure 1a is a diagram of a conventional touch screen.

[0045] Figure 1b is a diagram of an example of a conventional sensor signal line.

[0046] Figure 1c is a diagram of another example of a conventional sensor signal line.

[0047] Figure 2 is a diagram of a touch screen including sensor signal lines with an equal-resistance compensation pattern according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0048] Figure 3a and Figure 3b is a view of an example of a sensor signal line with an equal-resistance compensation pattern according to the present invention.

[0049] Description of Reference Numerals

[0050] 100, 200: Touch screen

[0051] 110, 210: Touch electrode

[0052] 120, 220, 301, 302, 303, 304, 305: Sensor signal line

[0053] 130, 230: Connection terminal

[0054] 140, 240: Touch driving integrated circuit

[0055] 150, 250: Flexible film

[0056] 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d: Sensor signal line

[0057] 306, 307, 308, 309, 310, 311: Virtual signal line Detailed implementation manner

[0058] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0059] The touch screen according to an embodiment of the present invention can be applied not only to mobile devices such as smart phones, PDAs, PMPs, etc., but also to many different types of electronic devices such as navigation systems, netbooks, laptops, DID, IPTV, etc.

[0060] The touch screen according to an embodiment of the present invention can be attached to various types of displays such as LCDs, PDPs, and OLEDs, or can be integrated with these displays.

[0061] Figure 2 is a diagram of a touch screen including a sensor signal line having an equal resistance compensation pattern according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0062] The touch screen 200 having an equal resistance compensation pattern according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of touch electrodes 210 arranged in a matrix of multiple rows and multiple columns, a plurality of sensor signal lines 220, each connected to a corresponding touch electrode 210, and a touch driving integrated circuit 240 configured to analyze the touch signals of the touch electrodes 210 transmitted through the sensor signal lines 220 to determine whether the touch electrodes 210 are touched.

[0063] In one embodiment, virtual signal lines (e.g., Figure 3a 306, 307, and 308 in

[0064] The virtual signal line according to the present invention is formed by disconnecting a part of the sensor signal line 220 so as not to transmit the touch signal from the touch electrode 210.

[0065] In one embodiment, the touch electrode 210, the sensor signal line 220, and the virtual signal line (e.g., Figure 3a 306, 307, and 308 in

[0066] In one embodiment, the touch electrode 210, the sensor signal line 220, and the virtual signal line (e.g., Figure 3a 306, 307, and 308 in

[0067] Figure 3a and Figure 3b are exemplary views of a sensor signal line having an equal resistance compensation pattern according to the present invention.

[0068] Figure 3a is Figure 2 an enlarged view of certain regions of the sensor signal line 220 shown.

[0069] Referring to Figure 3a , the sensor signal lines 301 to 305 and the virtual signal lines 306 to 308 are configured to have the same geometry and have a zigzag shape.

[0070] The sensor signal line and the virtual signal line are not limited to a specific shape and may have various shapes as needed.

[0071] In one embodiment, the widths of the virtual signal lines 306 to 308 increase as the width of the sensor signal line increases.

[0072] Referring to Figure 3a , the sensor signal lines 301 to 302 do not include virtual signal lines.

[0073] The sensor signal line 303 includes the virtual signal line 306, the sensor signal line 304 includes two mutually separated sub-virtual signal lines 307, and the sensor signal line 305 includes four mutually separated sub-virtual signal lines 308.

[0074] In Figure 3a , the sensor signal line 305 located on the rightmost side has a greater width than the other sensor signal lines 301 to 304 located on the left side. Accordingly, the virtual signal line 308 located on the rightmost side also has a greater width than the virtual signal lines 306 or 307 located on the left side.

[0075] In one embodiment, the widths and lengths of the virtual signal lines 306 to 308 are determined according to the widths and lengths of the sensor signal lines in the fan-out region.

[0076] The fan-out region (FO) refers to the region in the inactive area (IAA) of the touch screen 200 where each sensor signal line is connected to the touch driving integrated circuit 240 with the shortest length. The sensor signal lines belonging to the same row in the fan-out region are multiplexed and connected to the same connection terminal of the touch driving integrated circuit 240.

[0077] In one embodiment, at least one of the sensor signal lines (301 and 302) among the sensor signal lines 301 to 305 belonging to the same row may not have a dummy signal line.

[0078] In one embodiment, the sensor signal lines 301 to 305 have a different shape from the dummy signal lines 306 to 308.

[0079] In one embodiment, the width and length of the dummy signal lines belonging to the same row vary according to the position of the touch driving integrated circuit 240, while the width of the sensor signal lines belonging to the same row does not vary according to the position of the touch driving integrated circuit 240.

[0080] Figure 1c The conventional sensor signal lines shown need to change the design of the sensor signal line width when the position of the touch driving integrated circuit changes.

[0081] Despite the change in the touch driving integrated circuit 240, the sensor signal lines according to the present invention can keep the resistance deviation between the sensor signal lines constant without changing the sensor signal line width design by separating some of the sensor signal lines in each sensor signal line and converting them into dummy signal lines.

[0082] In one embodiment, the sensor signal lines 301 to 305 and the dummy signal lines 306 to 308 are formed of a transparent conductive material (e.g., ITO).

[0083] In one embodiment, the dummy signal lines (307 and 308) include at least one separately separated sub-dummy signal line.

[0084] In one embodiment, the dummy signal line is composed of one or more interconnected sub-dummy signal lines.

[0085] In one embodiment, the sensor signal lines 301 to 305 have a different shape from the dummy signal lines 309 to 311.

[0086] Reference Figure 3b , the sensor signal lines 301 to 305 have a zigzag shape, and the dummy signal lines 309 to 311 have a straight shape.

[0087] Although some embodiments have been described, those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and the accompanying figures, and various modifications, variations, and changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A touch screen with an equal-resistance compensation pattern, comprising: A plurality of touch electrodes arranged in a multi-row and multi-column matrix; A plurality of sensor signal lines, each sensor signal line connected to a corresponding one of the touch electrodes; And A touch driving integrated circuit configured to analyze the touch signals of the touch electrodes transmitted through the sensor signal lines to determine whether the touch electrodes are touched, Wherein, a virtual signal line is formed in at least one of the sensor signal lines so that the resistances of the sensor signal lines belonging to the same row match within an allowable tolerance.

2. The touch screen according to claim 1, wherein, The virtual signal line is formed by disconnecting a part of the sensor signal line so as not to transmit the touch signal.

3. The touch screen according to claim 2, wherein The width of the virtual signal line increases as the width of the sensor signal line increases, The width and length of the virtual signal line are determined in consideration of the width and length of the sensor signal line in the fan-out area, The fan-out area is an area in the non-active area of the touch screen where each of the sensor signal lines is connected to the touch driving integrated circuit with the shortest length, and The sensor signal lines belonging to the same row in the fan-out area are multiplexed through a multiplexer to be connected to the same connection terminal of the touch driving integrated circuit.

4. The touch screen according to claim 1, wherein, At least one of the sensor signal lines belonging to the same row does not have a virtual signal line.

5. The touch screen according to claim 4, wherein, The sensor signal line has a different shape from the virtual signal line.

6. The touch screen according to claim 3, wherein, The width and length of the virtual signal lines belonging to the same row vary according to the position of the touch driving integrated circuit, and the width of the sensor signal lines belonging to the same row does not vary according to the position of the touch driving integrated circuit.

7. The touch screen according to claim 1, wherein The sensor signal line and the virtual signal line are formed of a transparent conductive material.

8. The touch screen according to claim 1, wherein, The virtual signal line includes at least one separately separated sub-virtual signal line.

Images