Emissive Display with Resistive Touch Sensor for Avionics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Incorporating force-sensitive touch functionality into avionics displays without increasing mechanical complexity or interfering with the limited display bezel space, while avoiding issues like display distortion and sensitivity to direct forces, which are challenges with liquid crystal display (LCD) assemblies.
Innovation Solution
Employing an emissive display system with a film/film resistive touch sensor and a force-sensitive resistor or frustrated total internal reflection (FTIR) assembly positioned behind the display, allowing for force-sensitive input detection without bulkiness or sensitivity issues, and enabling adjustments to displayed content based on touch force and position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If force sensors are placed directly behind an LCD display, then force-sensitive touch input can be detected, but the display becomes sensitive to force causing cell gap distortion and display distortion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary layer (the emissive display itself) between the force sensor and the LCD display. The force sensor detects touch force, and this information is used to control the emissive display, which then presents the information to the user. This mediator approach allows force sensing without directly applying force to the LCD, avoiding cell gap distortion while still enabling force-sensitive interaction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical force-sensing approach (strain gauges) with an optical/electronic system. Instead of mechanically measuring force and translating it to display control, the system uses an emissive display that can be directly controlled by force sensor data, substituting mechanical measurement with electronic control and optical presentation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If strain gauges or force-sensing hardware are added to enable force-sensitive input, then force detection capability is improved, but mechanical complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the emissive display serve multiple functions: it acts as both the display medium and the interface for presenting force-sensing information. The same display hardware that shows visual information also presents force-sensitive data, eliminating the need for separate force-sensing hardware and reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the force-sensing functionality with the display system by using the emissive display as the common interface. Instead of having separate force-sensing hardware and display hardware that must be integrated, the system combines their functions through the emissive display, which receives control signals based on force sensor input and presents unified output.
3Ease of operation
If force sensors are incorporated into a limited display bezel, then force-sensitive input is enabled, but the available bezel space is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent moves the force-sensing interface from the horizontal bezel dimension to the vertical layer dimension. Instead of placing force sensors in the limited horizontal bezel space, the system layers the emissive display vertically behind the LCD, allowing force-sensitive interaction across the entire display area without consuming horizontal bezel space.
4Illumination intensity
If an LCD assembly with backlight module is used, then display functionality is provided, but the assembly thickness increases making it difficult to place force sensors behind
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the light source function from the traditional LCD backlight module and places it in the emissive display layer. The emissive display generates its own light, eliminating the need for a separate backlight module and reducing overall assembly thickness, which enables placement of force-sensing components.
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
Enables intuitive force-sensitive input in avionics displays with reduced complexity and thickness, maintaining display integrity and allowing for compact, thin, and flexible implementations suitable for aircraft cockpits.
Implementation Method 1
detect the touch force of a contact with the device and position data of the contact via a resistive sensor layer
Implementation Method 2
a force sensing device positioned behind the touch sensor for generating force data based on the detected touch force
Implementation Method 3
an emissive layer configured to display images via an array of emissive devices
Implementation Method 4
a force-sensitive resistor or frustrated total internal reflection (FTIR) assembly positioned behind the display
Data Source
AI summary
A system and related method for force-sensitive emissive display incorporates a force sensing device, such as a force-sensitive resistor or frustrated total internal reflection (FTIR) assembly, bonded to a flexible film/film resistive touch sensor and an emissive display surface. The film/film resistive touch sensor may detect contact with the display surface and transmit the detected contact to the force sensing device, which determines a magnitude or degree of touch force associated with the detected contact. A display controller of the force-sensitive emissive display system may adjust the displayed content, or execute other responsive actions, based on the detected touch force as well as the position of the contact relative to the display surface, as determined by the film/film resistive touch sensor or by the force sensing device.