Mesh Conductive Layers in Capacitive Touch Panels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing touch panels face challenges in achieving a balance between thickness, weight, visibility, and power consumption, particularly due to noise interference from the display panel's driving mechanisms affecting detection sensitivity when capacitive touch sensors are closely integrated with the display surface.
Innovation Solution
A touch panel design incorporating multiple conductive layers with a mesh shape and overlapping configurations, including a common electrode and pixel electrodes, to reduce noise interference while allowing for high visibility and low power consumption, with optional features like light-blocking layers and circularly polarizing plates to enhance display quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of stationary object
If the distance between display panel components and touch sensor electrodes is reduced to achieve thinner profile, then the touch panel thickness is reduced, but noise interference increases and detection sensitivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
A light-blocking layer is introduced as an intermediary component between the display panel and the touch sensor electrodes. This layer serves dual purposes: it blocks light to improve display contrast and simultaneously acts as a shield to reduce noise interference from the display panel's driving mechanisms, thereby maintaining detection sensitivity even when the touch panel is made thinner.
Solution Approach 2:
The touch panel employs a composite structure combining light-blocking material and conductive shielding material in the same layer or adjacent layers. This composite approach allows the structure to simultaneously perform optical blocking and electromagnetic shielding functions, resolving the contradiction between thinness and noise resistance.
2Illumination intensity
If a light-blocking layer is added to improve display contrast, then display quality is improved, but the touch panel thickness and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The light-blocking layer is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it blocks light to improve display contrast, shields against electromagnetic noise to maintain detection sensitivity, and provides structural support. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate layers for each purpose, thereby avoiding additional thickness and weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the light-blocking function and noise-shielding function into a single integrated layer or closely coupled structure. By combining these functions that were previously performed by separate components, the overall thickness and weight of the touch panel are reduced while maintaining both display quality and detection sensitivity.
3Measurement precision
If multiple conductive layers are added to reduce noise interference, then detection sensitivity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The shielding function is segmented and distributed across multiple conductive layers at different positions within the touch panel structure. Instead of using a single complex shielding mechanism, the patent divides the shielding function into several simpler conductive layers that work together, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining effective noise protection.
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
The design results in a thin, lightweight touch panel with improved detection sensitivity and reduced power consumption, while maintaining high display quality and visibility by minimizing noise interference and eliminating the need for additional light-blocking layers.
Implementation Method 1
a state in which light from the backlight is transmitted through liquid crystal and output to the outside of the liquid crystal display device or a state in which light is not output is selected using optical modulation action of liquid crystal
Implementation Method 2
a state in which external light, that is, incident light is reflected at a pixel electrode and output to the outside of the device
Data Source
AI summary
To provide a thin touch panel, a touch panel with high visibility, a lightweight touch panel, or a touch panel with low power consumption. A pair of conductive layers is included in a capacitive touch sensor. The two conductive layers have a mesh shape including a plurality of openings. Furthermore, the conductive layers are provided to overlap with a region between two display elements in a plan view. Furthermore, the conductive layers included in the touch sensor are provided between two substrates included in the touch panel, and a conductive layer capable of supplying a constant potential is provided between a circuit which drives a display element and the pair of conductive layers.