Capacitive Touch Display Electrode Assembly Layer Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing touch-sensitive displays in portable electronic devices face challenges in optimizing space and improving user input efficiency due to limited space for user input and output, necessitating advancements in their assembly and functionality.

Innovation Solution

The proposed assembly for a touch-sensitive display includes a substrate with scanning and sense electrodes disposed between a color filter and black matrix, integrated with a thin-film transistor structure, and a controller to detect touches, enhancing touch detection accuracy and reducing manufacturing complexity by eliminating unnecessary layers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If traditional multi-layer assembly is used for touch-sensitive display, then manufacturing precision can be maintained, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of layersVSAvoidtouch detection accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the color filter and black matrix into a single integrated layer, and integrates the scanning and sense electrodes directly onto the substrate without requiring separate carrier substrates. This merging of functions reduces the total number of layers while maintaining the necessary functional precision for touch detection and display quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The substrate serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as the base for mounting scanning and sense electrodes, provides structural support, and serves as the foundation for the color filter and black matrix arrangement. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized layers, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining manufacturing precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Illumination intensity

If more layers are added to improve display quality, then display quality improves, but manufacturing cost and device thickness increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisplay qualityVSAvoidnumber of layers
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The color filter and black matrix are combined into a single integrated arrangement that is disposed directly on the substrate. This merging maintains the optical quality necessary for display performance while reducing the number of separate manufacturing steps and layers required, thereby controlling manufacturing cost and device thickness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Manufacturing precision

If scanning electrodes and sense electrodes are disposed on separate substrates, then manufacturing precision can be maintained, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrode alignmentVSAvoidsubstrate structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Both scanning electrodes and sense electrodes are disposed on the same substrate, eliminating the need for separate carrier substrates for each electrode type. This merging reduces structural complexity while the precise positioning methods described in the patent ensure that electrode alignment and manufacturing precision are maintained.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 improves touch detection accuracy and reduces manufacturing costs by minimizing the number of layers, while maintaining high display quality and clarity, effectively addressing the space constraints and efficiency needs of portable electronic devices.

Implementation Method 1

scanning electrodes and sense electrodes disposed between the substrate and the arrangement. A controller is coupled to the scanning electrodes and the sense electrodes, and is configured to detect touches on the touch-sensitive display

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCapacitive coupling: Capacitance

Data Source

PatentEP2620804B1Electronic device with capacitive touch-sensitive display
Publication Date: 2017.09.20 BLACKBERRY LTD
  • EP2620804B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2620804B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2620804B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

An assembly includes a substrate (202), scanning electrodes (204) and sense electrodes (206) disposed on the substrate, and color filter (218) and black matrix (220) disposed in an arrangement on the scanning electrodes and sense electrodes. The scanning electrodes and sense electrodes are disposed between the substrate and the arrangement. The assembly forms a component of a touch-sensitive display.