Flexible Display Touch and Fingerprint Sensing Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing display devices lack the capability to effectively sense touch and pressure while also recognizing epidermal ridge information, such as fingerprints, especially in flexible and foldable modes, which limits their security and input functionality.
Innovation Solution
A flexible display module with a touch sensing unit and a fingerprint recognition unit, integrated with a force sensor, that can sense pressure and recognize fingerprints by using a combination of light-emitting elements, capacitive sensing, and strain gauges, allowing for secure and intuitive user interaction in various folding modes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a touch sensing unit is integrated into the display panel, then touch sensing capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The touch sensing unit is integrated directly into the display panel structure, merging the touch sensing function with the display function. This allows the display panel to serve dual purposes: displaying visual information and sensing touch input, thereby improving ease of operation while managing device complexity through functional integration.
2Reliability
If a fingerprint recognition unit is added to the display device, then security function is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fingerprint recognition unit is integrated with the display panel and touch sensing unit, merging multiple functions into a single unified structure. This integration allows the display device to provide security authentication through fingerprint recognition while maintaining a compact design, thereby improving reliability without proportionally increasing device complexity.
3Measurement precision
If force sensors are integrated to sense pressure in folding modes, then pressure sensing capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Force sensors are integrated into the folding structure of the display device, merging the pressure sensing function with the mechanical folding mechanism. This allows the device to sense pressure and detect folding states through the existing structural movements, thereby improving measurement precision while minimizing additional complexity through structural integration.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple sensing units are integrated into the display panel, then input functionality is improved, but manufacturing difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple sensing units (touch sensing, fingerprint recognition, force sensing) are integrated into a single unified structure within the display panel. This merging approach allows multiple input functions to be provided through a single integrated component rather than separate units, thereby improving adaptability and versatility while simplifying the manufacturing process through reduced assembly steps.
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 secure fingerprint recognition and touch sensing in both normal and folded modes, enhancing user convenience and security through advanced input capabilities.
Implementation Method 1
The touch sensing unit is configured to sense a capacitance between a portion of the display area and another portion of the display area in an in-folding mode
Implementation Method 2
The force sensor is configured to sense pressure applied to the flexible display module in an out-folding mode in which the flexible display module is folded
Data Source
AI summary
A display device includes a flexible display module and provides a display area including a fingerprint recognition area, and a non-display area outside the display area. The flexible display module includes a display panel including a light-emitting element, a touch sensing unit disposed on the display panel, and a fingerprint recognition unit overlapping with the fingerprint recognition area. The touch sensing unit is configured to sense pressure applied to the flexible display module in an in-folding mode in which the flexible display module is folded such that a portion of the display area faces another portion of the display area.