In-cell Touch Panel Gate Line Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing add-on touch panels have complex structures, high manufacturing costs, low light transmittance, and thicker modules, making it challenging to design ultra-thin touch displays with high performance and low cost without altering the technical process or display effect.
Innovation Solution
The In-cell touch panel integrates touch driving lines, touch sensing lines, and Thin Film Transistors (TFTs) on substrates, forming an electric field to achieve touch functionality, allowing for a simple structure and low-cost manufacturing by controlling the scanning of gate lines and touch driving lines with a specific touch driving circuit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an Add-on touch panel is used, then touch functionality is achieved, but the structure becomes complex and manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the touch panel and display screen into a single integrated structure. The touch sensing electrodes are formed on the same substrate as the display pixels, merging two previously separate functions (touch sensing and display) into one unified device. This eliminates the need for separate touch panel modules and reduces overall structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The gate lines in the display driver circuit are made multi-functional by enabling them to serve both as display control lines and as touch sensing signal lines. During display operation, they control pixel switching; during touch sensing operation, they function as sensing electrodes. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated touch sensing lines, simplifying the overall structure.
2Reliability
If an Add-on touch panel is used, then touch functionality is achieved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the touch sensing electrode formation process with the existing display pixel fabrication process. Both the display pixels and touch sensing electrodes are formed using the same thin-film transistor fabrication steps on the same substrate, allowing simultaneous production of both functions in a single manufacturing line, thereby reducing manufacturing cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The gate lines serve dual purposes as both display driver lines and touch sensing electrodes, eliminating the need to manufacture separate dedicated touch sensing lines. This reduces the total number of conductive layers and fabrication steps required, lowering manufacturing complexity and cost.
3Reliability
If an Add-on touch panel is used, then touch functionality is achieved, but light transmittance decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The touch sensing electrodes are integrated within the display pixel structure itself, using the same transparent conductive materials and layers that are already present in the display. This eliminates the need for additional opaque touch electrode layers that would block light, thereby maintaining high light transmittance while achieving touch functionality.
4Reliability
If an Add-on touch panel is used, then touch functionality is achieved, but module thickness increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the touch sensing function within the existing display panel thickness by forming touch sensing electrodes on the same substrate as the display pixels. This eliminates the need for a separate touch panel module that would add additional thickness, thereby achieving touch functionality while maintaining an ultra-thin overall profile.
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 solution results in a thinner, cost-effective touch display with a simple manufacturing process, enabling high-performance touch functionality while maintaining the display quality.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of touch scanning Thin Film Transistors (TFTs), wherein each touch scanning TFT has a gate connected to one of the plurality of gate lines, a source connected to a touch driving circuit, and a drain connected to one of the plurality of touch driving lines
Implementation Method 2
the In-cell touch panel is configured to form an electric field between at least one of the plurality of touch driving lines and at least one of the plurality of touch sensing lines to achieve a touch function
Data Source
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AI summary
An embodiment of the disclosure discloses an In-cell touch panel having advantages such as a simple structure and a low cost. The In-cell touch panel comprises: a first substrate and a second substrate arranged oppositely, wherein a plurality of gate lines arranged horizontally are formed on the first substrate; the In-cell touch panel further comprises: a plurality of touch driving lines arranged horizontally; a plurality of touch sensing lines arranged vertically; and a plurality of touch scanning TFTs, wherein each touch scanning TFT has a gate connected to one gate line, a source connected to a touch driving circuit, and a drain connected to one touch driving line, the one gate line is only connected to the gate of one touch scanning TFT; wherein, the number of the gate lines ≥ the number of the touch scanning TFTs ≥ the number of the touch driving lines.