Integrated Touch Sensing Electrodes in Display Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional touch-sensitive display devices are bulky due to the separate integration of touch screens with display panels, which hinders the development of slim portable terminals like smartphones and tablets.
Innovation Solution
Integrating touch screen elements within the display panel itself, utilizing a matrix configuration of pixels, gate lines, data lines, and sensing lines to enable touch sensing without the need for a separate touch screen, allowing the first and second electrodes to function as both display and sensing electrodes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a separate touch screen is attached to a display panel, then touch sensing functionality is achieved, but the device thickness increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the touch screen and display panel into a single integrated structure where the first electrode serves as both a display electrode and a touch sensing electrode. The gate lines and data lines are shared between the display and touch sensing functions, eliminating the need for a separate touch screen layer and reducing overall device thickness.
Solution Approach 2:
The first electrode is designed to perform dual functions: displaying images as a display electrode and sensing touch positions as a touch sensing electrode. This multi-functionality allows the same structural element to serve multiple purposes, reducing the number of separate components needed and thereby reducing device thickness.
2Length of stationary object
If touch screen elements are integrated within the display panel, then device thickness is reduced, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated display and touch sensing structure is divided into distinct functional regions with clearly defined electrode patterns. The first electrode is segmented into display electrode portions and touch sensing electrode portions, allowing for simplified manufacturing processes while achieving the integrated 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 integration results in a thinner display device capable of sensing touch positions while maintaining display functionality, addressing the bulkiness issue and enhancing portability.
Implementation Method 1
a first electrode and a second electrode insulated from the first electrode and connected to one of the thin film transistors
Data Source
AI summary
A display device includes a plurality of gate lines; a plurality of data lines; a plurality of thin film transistors each connected to one of the gate lines and one of the data lines; a plurality of pixels each including a first electrode and a second electrode insulated from the first electrode and connected to one of the thin film transistors, the pixels arranged in a plurality of pixel rows and a plurality of pixel columns; and a plurality of sensing lines connected to the first electrodes. The gate lines include front gate lines and rear gate lines arranged at a front and a rear of each of the respective pixel rows, and a rear gate line of a front pixel row and a front gate line of a rear pixel row are arranged between adjacent pixel rows, and two pixel columns are arranged between adjacent data lines.