Integrated Touch Screen Panel Using Ultrasonic Wave Transducers

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional touch screen panels degrade the inherent characteristics of displays due to increased thickness and optical degradation, and are limited in size, making them unsuitable for large displays and mobile applications that require thinness and high resolution.

Innovation Solution

An integrated touch screen panel is developed using ultrasonic wave excitation and detection transducers formed on a separate substrate, which are attached to the image display unit, maintaining high image quality without increasing thickness or size, utilizing piezoelectric layers and electrodes to generate and receive ultrasonic waves.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a separate touch screen panel is attached to the display, then touch functionality is added, but the overall thickness increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetouch functionalityVSAvoidthickness
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the touch screen panel with the display by forming the touch sensor electrodes and display electrodes on the same substrate. The touch screen layer is integrated into the display structure, eliminating the need for a separate attached panel and reducing overall thickness while maintaining touch functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The substrate serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as both the display substrate and the touch sensor substrate. The same substrate supports both the display electrodes for image output and the touch sensor electrodes for touch detection, making the system multi-functional without requiring additional layers.

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

2Adaptability or versatility

If a separate touch screen panel is attached to the display, then touch functionality is added, but optical characteristics are degraded

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetouch functionalityVSAvoidoptical characteristics
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

By merging the touch screen and display into a single integrated structure, the patent eliminates the air gap between separate panels that causes Newton's Ring interference. The integrated design ensures optical continuity and prevents light interference effects, maintaining high optical quality while enabling touch functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Adaptability or versatility

If conventional touch screen panels are used, then touch functionality is achieved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetouch functionalityVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a universal substrate that serves both display and touch sensor functions. By making the substrate multi-functional, the design eliminates the need for separate touch screen panels and their associated complex assembly processes, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity while achieving touch functionality.

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

4Adaptability or versatility

If conventional touch screen panels are used, then touch functionality is achieved, but size is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetouch functionalityVSAvoiddisplay size
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The multi-functional substrate approach allows the touch sensor and display to be manufactured together in the same process on the same substrate. This eliminates the size limitations of conventional separate panels and enables the integration of touch functionality across large display areas, including large-screen televisions.

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

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 allows for a slim touch screen panel that maintains high image quality and is applicable to both large and mobile displays, integrating touch functionality without degrading display characteristics, and reduces manufacturing costs by eliminating the need for separate substrates.

Implementation Method 1

an excitation transducer for generating an ultrasonic wave of a predetermined frequency; and a detection transducer for receiving the ultrasonic wave of predetermined frequency

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPiezoelectric effect: Piezoelectric Effect

Implementation Method 2

a detection transducer for receiving the ultrasonic wave of predetermined frequency

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPiezoelectric effect: Piezoelectric Effect

Data Source

PatentEP1892610B1Touch screen panel, method of manufacturing the same, and display having the same
Publication Date: 2018.02.21 SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO LTD
  • EP1892610B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2B
  • EP1892610B1 patent drawingFigure 2C~3C
  • EP1892610B1 patent drawingFigure 4A~4B

AI summary

Disclosed herein is a touch screen panel, a method of manufacturing the touch screen panel, and a display having the touch screen panel. Ultrasonic excitation and detection transducers are attached to the front surface of the image display unit of a display, thereby implementing the touch screen panel, The substrate of the display, that is, the upper surface of the image display unit is used as a surface acoustic wave propagation medium, so that it is not required to manufacture the touch screen panel in a separate substrate and to attach the substrate, in which the touch screen panel is manufactured, to the image display unit of the display, thereby not only preventing degradation of image quality but also not increasing the thickness and size thereof.