Integrated Common Electrodes for Touch LCD Noise Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Capacitive touch screens face issues with poor anti-interference performance, low frame rate, increased thickness, and high manufacturing complexity due to separate touch sensing and display circuitry, leading to noise interference and material inefficiencies.

Innovation Solution

The integration of common electrodes as both display and touch sensing electrodes in a two-dimensional array, with a single chip or multiple chips controlling the display and touch functions, reduces thickness, weight, and material usage while minimizing noise interference by using metal oxide or graphene for electrodes and optimizing electrode placement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If separate touch sensing electrode layer and display electrode layer are used, then touch sensing function is achieved, but device thickness increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetouch sensing functionVSAvoiddevice thickness
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the touch sensing electrode layer and display electrode layer into a single integrated electrode structure. The same electrode serves dual purposes: driving the liquid crystal display and sensing touch input through capacitance changes, thereby eliminating the need for separate layers and reducing overall device thickness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The electrode is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as both the common electrode for liquid crystal switching and the sensing electrode for touch detection. This multi-functional design allows the single electrode layer to fulfill both display and touch sensing roles without requiring additional dedicated layers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If separate touch sensing circuitry and display circuitry are used, then touch sensing capability is provided, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetouch sensing capabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent integrates touch sensing circuitry with display circuitry by using the same electrode connections and control lines for both functions. The touch sensing readout circuitry shares the electrode interface with the display driving circuitry, reducing the number of separate components and simplifying the manufacturing process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The control circuit is designed to perform dual functions: driving the liquid crystal display and reading touch sensor signals. The same control lines and electrode interfaces are used for both display operation and touch sensing, eliminating the need for separate dedicated circuitry and reducing manufacturing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Measurement precision

If additional touch sensing layers are added, then touch sensing precision is improved, but signal-to-noise ratio deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetouch sensing precisionVSAvoidnoise interference
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the touch sensing function from separate additional layers and integrates it into the existing display electrode structure. By using the same electrode for both display and sensing, the design eliminates the noise and interference that would be introduced by additional separate touch sensing layers while maintaining precise touch detection capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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 enhances the signal-to-noise ratio, reduces manufacturing costs, and increases frame rate by eliminating the need for additional touch sensing layers and synchronizing display and touch functionality, resulting in a more efficient and cost-effective capacitive touch screen design.

Implementation Method 1

a liquid crystal layer 15 and multiple pixel units, in which the liquid crystal layer 15 and the multiple pixel units are sandwiched between the first substrate and the second substrate

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLiquid crystal switching: Liquid Crystals

Implementation Method 2

each of the multiple common electrodes is connected to the touch control circuit as a touch sensing electrode in the case that a touch sensing is performed

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCapacitance sensing: Capacitance

Data Source

PatentEP2811482B1Touch liquid crystal display device
Publication Date: 2016.12.07 FOCALTECH ELECTRONICS LTD
  • EP2811482B1 patent drawingFigure 1(a)~1(b)
  • EP2811482B1 patent drawingFigure 1(c)
  • EP2811482B1 patent drawingFigure 1(d)

AI summary

A touch display apparatus is provided. The touch display apparatus includes a display touch screen including a first substrate, a second substrate, a liquid crystal layer and multiple pixel units, the display touch screen includes multiple common electrodes arranged in a two-dimensional array; and a display touch control circuit including a display control circuit and a touch conirol circuit. The display touch control circuit is connected to the multiple common electrodes through wires in such a way that the multiple common electrodes are connected to a common level provided to the display control circuit in the case of a display is performed, and each of the multiple common electrodes is connected to the touch control circuit as a touch sensing electrode in the case of a touch sensing is performed.