Deformable Light Path Touch Sensing in Display Substrates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing touch screen and display systems are cumbersome due to increased parts count, weight, and cost, with redundant components and mechanical mounting designs, which can lead to reliability issues and image quality degradation, and are prone to blockages and contamination.
Innovation Solution
A display system with an elastically deformable substrate and light paths that change light transmission in response to force application, integrating light-emitting and light-sensing elements to provide both display and touch functionality in a single, compact unit, reducing redundant materials and mechanical complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate touch screens and displays are mechanically mated, then touch functionality and display functionality are achieved, but device complexity, weight, and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the touch screen and display into a single integrated device where the display substrate serves dual purposes: showing visual information and detecting touch inputs through light path interruptions. This eliminates the need for separate touch screen and display components, reducing parts count while maintaining both functionalities.
Solution Approach 2:
The display substrate is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as both the visual display medium and the touch sensing mechanism. The light paths embedded in the substrate enable touch detection while the same substrate provides the display function, creating a multi-functional component.
2Adaptability or versatility
If light sources and light guides are positioned above display surface, then touch sensing capability is achieved, but device thickness increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the light guiding function from separate external light guides and integrates it directly into the display substrate itself. The light paths are embedded within the substrate material, eliminating the need for separate light guide components and reducing overall device thickness while maintaining touch sensing capability.
3Ease of manufacture
If separate mechanical mounting means are used, then touch screen and display are assembled, but reliability decreases due to additional interfaces
Solution Approach 1:
By combining the touch screen and display into a single integrated substrate, the patent eliminates the mechanical mounting interface between separate components. This integration removes potential failure points at connection interfaces while maintaining ease of manufacture through single-substrate fabrication processes.
4Adaptability or versatility
If light guides are used for touch detection, then positional information is obtained, but measurement precision is limited to binary interruption detection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs multiple light paths distributed across the substrate, where only a subset of light paths need to be interrupted for touch detection. This partial action approach enables both binary detection and variable input sensing by analyzing which specific light paths are interrupted and by how much, achieving enhanced measurement precision without requiring complete light path coverage.
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 solution minimizes device weight and cost, increases reliability, and maintains image quality by integrating touch and display functions, while reducing the risk of blockages and improving sensing accuracy with deformable light paths that adapt to force inputs.
Implementation Method 1
The support is elastically deformable so that an application of force to the support causes the light paths to deform in a manner that reduces the portion of light passing through light paths that are elastically deformed by the application of force
Data Source
AI summary
A display and method for making the same are provided that can sense a force applied thereto. The display comprises a substrate, an array of individually controllable image-forming elements arranged on the substrate; and a support located proximate to the substrate. The support has an arrangement of light paths formed therein to transmit light from a light source to a light sensor. The light paths are arranged in an area that is, at least in part, co-extensive with the array. The support is elastically deformable so that an application of force to the support causes the light paths to deform in a manner that reduces the portion of light passing through light paths elastically deformed by the application of force.