Frameless Touch Display Embedded in Non-Transparent Surfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current touch screen technologies require transparent materials like glass, limiting their integration into non-transparent surfaces and compromising aesthetic integration and display quality.
Innovation Solution
Development of an interactive display device with a frameless design, comprising a sensor layer, light layer, and microcontroller, embedded within a non-transparent surface layer, allowing for touch sensing and digital information display through a variety of materials such as wood, stone, and plastics, without visible frames or air gaps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If touch screen technology uses transparent materials like glass, then display quality and touch sensing are achieved, but aesthetic integration into non-transparent surfaces is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The display system is divided into separate functional layers: a non-transparent surface layer for aesthetics, a light guide layer for light distribution, and a sensor layer for touch detection. This segmentation allows each layer to optimize its specific function while maintaining overall system performance.
Solution Approach 2:
A light guide layer acts as an intermediary between the light source and the non-transparent surface, enabling light to be transmitted through or reflected from the surface while maintaining its non-transparent appearance. This intermediary layer resolves the conflict between display functionality and aesthetic integration.
2Ease of manufacture
If multiple layers including air gaps and light guides are used for non-transparent touch screens, then aesthetic integration is improved, but overall dimensions and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the light guide and diffuser functions into a single integrated layer, and merges the touch sensor array with the display structure. This consolidation reduces the number of separate components and simplifies the overall device architecture while maintaining aesthetic integration capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor array is embedded within the display structure, with the light guide layer positioned between the light source and the non-transparent surface. This nested arrangement allows multiple functional elements to occupy overlapping spatial volumes, reducing the overall device thickness and complexity.
3Ease of manufacture
If wood veneer surface is used for touch responsive display panels, then aesthetic integration is improved, but display quality and content range are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide layer is designed with spatially varying optical properties, including regions with different refractive indices and scattering characteristics. This local variation in optical quality allows high-resolution light patterning through the non-transparent surface, enabling crisp display of fine text and images despite the aesthetic requirements.
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 seamless integration of touch screen functionality into non-transparent surfaces, enhancing aesthetic appeal and display capabilities while maintaining the functionality of traditional touch screens.
Implementation Method 1
The plurality of light elements may be selected from the group consisting of LED, OLED, and fiber optic lighting
Implementation Method 2
The plurality of light elements may be selected from the group consisting of LED, OLED, and fiber optic lighting
Implementation Method 3
The sensor layer may comprise a capacitive touch sensor configured to generate an input signal related to a touch position on the sensor layer
Data Source
AI summary
Touch responsive displays that may be integrated into a wide variety of non-transparent, non-glass surfaces to provide on-demand human computer interfaces that blend with the environment, i.e., remain invisible unless activated, effectively adding digital user interfaces (UI) to non-technology products and surfaces. The interactive display devices are frameless assemblies of a sensor layer, a light layer, and a support layer housing a microcontroller, wherein the device is configured to be positioned beneath a non-transparent surface layer with the sensor layer arranged below the surface layer.