Array Substrate Data Line Reuse for Touch Electrodes
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Solution Overview
Problem
In existing in-cell type touch display apparatuses, the need for separate manufacturing processes for common electrodes and touch transmitting electrode lines increases manufacturing difficulty and cell gap, as common electrodes are typically made of transparent materials with poor conductivity, requiring additional steps for forming metal touch transmitting electrode lines.
Innovation Solution
An array substrate with a display/touch conversion switch array and a conversion control signal line allows data lines to be reused as touch transmitting electrodes, eliminating the need for separate touch transmitting electrode lines and simplifying the manufacturing process by forming them in the same process as data lines, which are made of metal material.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate manufacturing processes are used for common electrodes and touch transmitting electrode lines, then touch transmitting electrode lines can be formed with metal material for improved conductivity, but manufacturing complexity and cell gap increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the formation of common electrodes and touch transmitting electrode lines into a single manufacturing process. The data lines, which are already formed as metal structures, are directly reused as touch transmitting electrode lines, eliminating the need for separate electrode line formation steps and reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining conductivity requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements multi-functionality by enabling data lines to serve dual purposes: as data transmission lines during display operation and as touch transmitting electrode lines during touch operation. This is achieved through the display/touch conversion switch array that routes data lines to different terminals based on operational mode, allowing the same physical structure to fulfill multiple functions
2Reliability
If separate manufacturing processes are used for common electrodes and touch transmitting electrode lines, then metal material can be used for touch transmitting electrode lines, but manufacturing difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the manufacturing steps by reusing existing data line structures as touch transmitting electrode lines. Since data lines are already formed with metal material in the standard display manufacturing process, no additional metal deposition or electrode formation steps are required, thereby reducing manufacturing difficulty while ensuring adequate conductivity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies self-service by having the data lines serve their own additional function as touch transmitting electrode lines without requiring separate manufacturing interventions. The existing metal data line structure inherently provides the conductivity needed for touch operation, eliminating the need for separate electrode formation processes
3Device complexity
If data lines are reused as touch transmitting electrodes, then manufacturing complexity and cell gap are reduced, but touch response speed may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic switching through the display/touch conversion switch array that can dynamically route data lines to either data signal input terminals or touch transmitting signal input terminals based on the operational mode. This dynamic reconfiguration allows the same physical lines to optimize their function for either display or touch operations, maintaining touch response speed while reducing manufacturing complexity
Data Source
AI summary
An array substrate is provided. The array substrate includes a substrate, a pixel switch array, and a plurality of gate scanning lines and a plurality of data lines formed on the substrate, and having data signal input terminals and touch transmitting signal input terminals, the array substrate further comprising a display/touch conversion switch array and a conversion control signal line formed on the substrate, wherein the display/touch conversion switch array is coupled to at least a part of the data lines and to the conversion control signal line, and is adapted to, under control of the conversion control signal line, couple the at least a part of the data lines to the data signal input terminals in a display stage, and couple the at least a part of the data lines to the touch transmitting signal input terminals in a touch stage as touch transmitting electrodes.