Display Hole Alignment Marks for Narrow-Bezel Touch Panels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current display devices face challenges in accurately inspecting the alignment of holes regardless of their shape and number, and in reducing the non-display area, particularly when integrating touch sensing capabilities.
Innovation Solution
The display device incorporates a peripheral area with connection lines between sensing electrodes, alignment marks in the non-display area, and a test line with varying light transmittance and width, allowing for proper hole alignment inspection and reduced non-display area by overlapping these features.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If alignment marks are disposed in the non-display area for hole alignment inspection, then measurement precision is improved, but the non-display area increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions into the alignment marks: they serve both as reference markers for hole alignment inspection and as part of the non-display area structure. The alignment marks are integrated with the sensing electrodes and connection lines, allowing the same spatial region to fulfill multiple purposes rather than adding separate inspection features that would increase the non-display area.
Solution Approach 2:
The alignment marks in the non-display area serve multiple functions: they provide reference points for inspecting hole alignment, they are integrated with the sensing electrode structure, and they help define the boundary between display and non-display areas. This multi-functionality allows accurate hole inspection without requiring additional dedicated space beyond what is already allocated for the non-display area.
2Measurement precision
If multiple alignment marks are disposed in the non-display area for comprehensive hole alignment inspection, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent places alignment marks at specific strategic locations within the non-display area rather than uniformly distributing them. The alignment marks are positioned to provide optimal reference points for hole alignment inspection based on the local geometric relationships with the holes and sensing electrodes, rather than using a complex uniform pattern across the entire non-display area.
Solution Approach 2:
The alignment marks are pre-positioned in the non-display area during the manufacturing process, establishing reference points before the actual hole alignment inspection occurs. This preliminary placement of alignment marks simplifies the inspection process by having all necessary reference points already in place, rather than requiring complex real-time calculation or adjustment during inspection.
3Measurement precision
If test lines with varying light transmittance are disposed in the non-display area for alignment inspection, then measurement precision is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes variations in light transmittance parameters of the test lines disposed in the non-display area to achieve different inspection functions. By controlling the material composition and structural properties of the test lines, different light transmittance levels are achieved without requiring fundamentally different manufacturing processes, allowing precise alignment inspection while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through parameter optimization rather than process complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
A display device includes a substrate having a hole (AH), a non-display area (NDA) surrounding the hole, and a display area surrounding the non-display area (DA); a display unit disposed on the substrate and having pixels disposed in the display area; and sensing electrodes (TE) disposed in the display area and a first alignment mark (M1) disposed in the non-display area on the display unit.