LED Backlight Layout With Antistatic Pads for ESD Protection

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Display apparatuses face challenges in preventing static electricity damage to light sources, particularly with increasing numbers of light sources which narrows the area for electrostatic discharge protection circuits like Zener diodes.

Innovation Solution

The display apparatus incorporates light sources without Zener diodes and employs an antistatic member, such as antistatic pads, around the light sources to absorb and direct electrostatic discharge to ground, enhancing electrostatic discharge tolerance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If the number of light sources is increased to improve contrast ratio, then image quality is improved, but the area available for electrostatic discharge protection circuits becomes narrower

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrast ratioVSAvoidarea for protection circuits
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the Zener diode protection circuit from each individual light source and replaces it with a shared ground line system at the circuit board level. This removes the space-consuming protection components from the limited light source area while maintaining electrostatic discharge protection functionality through the grounding structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The protection mechanism is shifted from the horizontal plane (individual components next to each light source) to the vertical/distribution dimension (ground lines routed through the circuit board). This allows protection functionality to be implemented in a different spatial dimension, freeing up the horizontal area for additional light sources.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Reliability

If Zener diodes are added to each light source for electrostatic discharge protection, then light source reliability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrostatic discharge toleranceVSAvoidcircuit complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges individual protection circuits into a single shared grounding system. Instead of each light source having its own Zener diode, multiple light sources share a common ground line structure that provides collective electrostatic discharge protection, thereby reducing the total number of protection components and simplifying the overall circuit design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The ground line system serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides the reference potential for all light sources and acts as a shared electrostatic discharge protection path for all light sources. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate protection circuits at each light source location.

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

3Reliability

If grounding lines are extended to protect multiple light sources, then electrostatic discharge protection is improved, but the area occupied by grounding structures increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrostatic discharge protectionVSAvoidarea occupied by grounding structures
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The grounding protection is implemented using thin trace lines on the circuit board rather than bulky physical structures. These thin film-like conductive paths provide effective electrostatic discharge protection while occupying minimal area, allowing the protection system to be integrated into the existing circuit board layout without significant area penalty.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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 effectively prevents static electricity damage to light sources, improving their electrostatic discharge tolerance and maintaining image quality by reducing color distortion and mura phenomena.

Implementation Method 1

an antistatic member, such as antistatic pads, around the light sources to absorb and direct electrostatic discharge to ground

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectrostatic Discharge: Electrostatic Discharge

Data Source

PatentEP4163714B1Display device
Publication Date: 2024.12.18 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP4163714B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4163714B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4163714B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided is a light apparatus including: a reflective sheet in which a hole is formed; and a light source module exposed through the hole. The light source module may include a board aligned in parallel with the reflective sheet, wherein a first surface of the board is toward the reflective sheet, a light emitting diode positioned in an area defined by the hole on the first surface of the board, a feed pad positioned on the first surface of the board and contacting the light emitting diode, an insulating dome positioned in the area defined by the hole on the first surface of the board and covering the light emitting diode, and at least one antistatic pad positioned in the area defined by the hole on the first surface of the board, without contacting the light emitting diode.