Digitizer Bridge Patterns for Foldable Display Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic apparatuses with digitizers face challenges in maintaining effective folding characteristics, leading to compromised performance in sensing external inputs due to the structural limitations of digitizer components.
Innovation Solution
The electronic apparatus incorporates a digitizer design with a folding region and non-folding regions, featuring loop coils and bridge patterns connected through contact holes, allowing for improved sensing capabilities while maintaining structural integrity during folding and unfolding operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If sensing coils are disposed in the folding region of the digitizer, then the sensing coverage is improved, but the folding characteristics and durability are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The digitizer is divided into three distinct regions: a first non-folding region, a folding region, and a second non-folding region. The sensing coils are strategically disposed only in the non-folding regions, while the folding region contains only bridge patterns and contact holes. This segmentation allows the sensing coils to maintain their functionality without being subjected to folding stress, thus preserving both sensing coverage and folding reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
Bridge patterns are introduced as intermediary elements in the folding region to electrically connect the sensing coils located in separate non-folding regions. These bridge patterns consist of conductive lines and contact holes that span across the folding region, enabling signal transmission without placing sensing coils in the high-stress folding zone. This intermediary structure resolves the contradiction by allowing extended sensing coverage through multiple coil segments while protecting the coils themselves from folding damage.
2Ease of manufacture
If the digitizer structure is simplified to improve manufacturing, then manufacturing ease is improved, but electrical connectivity and sensing performance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The digitizer structure employs dynamic design elements including flexible base layers and adaptable bridge patterns that can accommodate folding movements. The bridge patterns are designed with appropriate geometry and positioning to maintain electrical connectivity during folding and unfolding cycles. This dynamic structure achieves manufacturing efficiency through standardized patterns while ensuring reliable electrical connectivity through carefully engineered flexible connection paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The digitizer utilizes flexible base layers and thin film structures to enable folding functionality. The bridge patterns are formed on these flexible substrates, allowing the structure to bend and fold without breaking electrical connections. This approach maintains manufacturing simplicity through conventional flexible electronics fabrication techniques while ensuring reliable connectivity through the inherent flexibility of the substrate and carefully designed trace geometries.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If sensing coils are placed in non-folding regions only, then folding durability is improved, but sensing coverage in the folding region is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple sensing coil segments disposed in separate non-folding regions are electrically merged through bridge patterns to form a unified sensing array. The bridge patterns connect the coil segments across the folding region, creating a continuous sensing coverage area that spans the entire display surface. This merging approach maintains folding durability by keeping coils out of the folding zone while achieving comprehensive sensing coverage through the combined effect of multiple coil segments working together.
Solution Approach 2:
The bridge patterns ensure continuous electrical connectivity between sensing coil segments across the folding region, maintaining uninterrupted sensing functionality. The conductive paths and contact holes in the bridge patterns are designed to preserve signal continuity during folding and unfolding operations, ensuring that the sensing coverage remains effective across the entire display area without interruption, thus achieving both durability and comprehensive 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 design enhances the digitizer's ability to sense external inputs effectively by maintaining electrical connectivity between loop coils through bridge patterns, even when the apparatus is folded, thereby improving sensitivity and reducing the need for sensing coils in the folding part.
Implementation Method 1
The digitizer may include first loop coils disposed on the first base layer, where first loop coils include first first coils disposed in the first non-folding part and second first coils disposed in the second non-folding part; second loop coils disposed between the first base layer and the second base layer
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic apparatus includes a display panel and a digitizer disposed under the display panel and provided with a plurality of holes defined therethrough to overlap the folding region. The digitizer includes a first base layer, first loop coils including first first coils and second first coils, a second base layer disposed under the first base layer, second loop coils including first second coils and second second coils, and interposed between the first base layer and the second base layer, and bridge patterns. A first first line included in one bridge pattern is connected to a corresponding first first coil, and a second first line included in the bridge pattern is connected to the second first coil which receives a signal the same as a signal of the first first coil.