Bent Display Touch Sensor Segmentation for Grip Malfunctions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Bent display devices often experience touch malfunctions at the side portion due to unintended detection of user grip states, as existing touch sensors are not effectively differentiated between the planar and curved surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A bent display device is designed with a combination of a capacitive touch sensor on the planar surface and pressure, optical, or ultrasonic touch sensors on the curved surface, each operating independently to prevent such malfunctions by utilizing distinct detection methods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single type of touch sensor is used across the entire display panel, then the device structure is simple, but touch malfunctions occur at the curved surface portion due to unintended detection of user grip states
Solution Approach 1:
The display panel is divided into two distinct regions: a planar surface portion and a curved surface portion. Each region is equipped with a touch sensor type optimized for its specific geometry - capacitive touch sensors for the planar portion and pressure/optical/ultrasonic touch sensors for the curved portion. This segmentation allows each sensor type to operate in its optimal performance range, preventing touch malfunctions while maintaining reasonable system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
Different touch sensor types are applied to different portions of the display panel based on local geometric characteristics. The planar surface portion uses capacitive touch sensors that are effective on flat surfaces, while the curved surface portion uses pressure, optical, or ultrasonic touch sensors that can accurately detect touches on curved geometries. This local quality approach ensures high touch detection accuracy in each specific region
2Adaptability or versatility
If touch sensors are provided at the side portion to enable touch actions, then user interaction capability is enhanced, but unintended touch detection based on user grip state causes malfunctions
Solution Approach 1:
The side portion of the display panel featuring curved surface geometry is equipped with specialized touch sensors (pressure, optical, or ultrasonic) that are inherently more reliable for curved surfaces. These sensors can distinguish between intentional user touches and unintentional grip contact by leveraging their specific detection mechanisms, thereby maintaining both versatility and reliability in the side portion
3Adaptability or versatility
If the curved surface portion is made flexible to enable bending, then the bent display device functionality is achieved, but touch sensor performance deteriorates due to the curved geometry
Solution Approach 1:
The curved surface portion is equipped with touch sensors specifically suited for curved geometries - pressure sensors that measure force applied to the curved surface, optical sensors that detect light interaction changes on curved surfaces, or ultrasonic sensors that use sound wave properties. These sensors maintain high performance on curved surfaces where capacitive sensors would fail
Solution Approach 2:
Capacitive touch sensing, which relies on electrical field interactions that are disrupted by curved geometries, is replaced with alternative sensing mechanisms - pressure sensing (mechanical force detection), optical sensing (light interaction detection), or ultrasonic sensing (acoustic wave detection). These alternative mechanisms are not adversely affected by the curved surface geometry and maintain reliable touch detection performance
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration substantially reduces the likelihood of touch malfunctions at the side portion of the bent display device by employing separate touch detection methods for the planar and curved surfaces, enhancing user interaction accuracy.
Implementation Method 1
The first touch sensor may be a capacitive touch sensor
Implementation Method 2
The second touch sensor may include: a sensor resistor having a resistance value that varies in accordance with a pressure applied by a contact
Implementation Method 3
The second touch sensor may include at least one of: a pressure sensitive touch sensor, an optical touch sensor
Implementation Method 4
The second touch sensor may include at least one of: a pressure sensitive touch sensor, an optical touch sensor and an ultrasonic touch sensor
Data Source
AI summary
A bent display device including: a display panel including a planar surface portion and a curved surface portion at an edge of the planar surface portion; a window having substantially the same shape as a shape of the display panel and disposed on the display panel; a first touch sensor overlapping the planar surface portion; and a second touch sensor overlapping the curved surface portion. The first touch sensor and the second touch sensor detect a touch using different methods, respectively.