Patterned Touch Line Layout for Uniform Display Contrast

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Solution Overview

Problem

Display apparatuses experience non-uniform contrast ratios due to increased resistance and reflection issues in touch lines, leading to visible dark areas and reduced aesthetic appeal when not in operation.

Innovation Solution

Incorporation of patterns in touch lines to scatter external light and enhance light transmission, ensuring uniform contrast ratios by using a substrate with first and second touch lines and a front member with transmissive and blocking parts.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the touch line is designed to have a larger width to reduce resistance and RC delay, then the electrical performance is improved, but the reflected light transmission is reduced causing darker appearance and non-uniform contrast ratio

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrical performanceVSAvoidcontrast ratio uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The touch line is designed with different widths at different locations: a first width in the non-active area and a second width (narrower) in the active area. This local variation allows the line to have sufficient width for low resistance in the non-active area while being narrow enough in the active area to allow reflected light transmission, thus resolving the contradiction between electrical performance and visual appearance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The invention introduces a spatial dimension solution by varying the line width along the length of the touch line according to its position (active vs non-active area). This dimensional approach allows optimizing both electrical performance and optical appearance by adapting the cross-section dimension to the functional requirements of different regions.

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

2Reliability

If the touch line width is increased to reduce resistance, then the resistance decreases, but the aesthetic appearance deteriorates due to visible dark areas

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignal transmissionVSAvoidaesthetic appearance
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The touch line width is locally optimized: wider in non-active areas where aesthetics are less critical and electrical performance is paramount, and narrower in active areas where aesthetic appearance is more important. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between signal transmission reliability and aesthetic appearance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Illumination intensity

If the touch line is made thinner to improve aesthetic appearance, then the visual appearance improves, but the resistance and RC delay increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrast ratio uniformityVSAvoidelectrical performance
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The touch line is designed with location-dependent width: thinner sections in active areas for aesthetic purposes and thicker sections in non-active areas for electrical performance. This spatial differentiation allows simultaneous optimization of both appearance and electrical characteristics.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The solution uses dimensional variation along the touch line length to balance optical and electrical requirements. By changing the cross-sectional dimension (width) according to position, the design achieves both aesthetic appearance and reliable signal transmission.

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

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 solution improves product reliability and aesthetic appeal by uniformly maintaining contrast ratios, reducing visible dark areas, and enhancing light transmission.

Implementation Method 1

the first touch line is disposed in an area overlapping the transmissive part and includes at least two patterns

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight scattering: Scattering

Data Source

PatentEP4206880B1Display apparatus
Publication Date: 2026.01.28 LG DISPLAY CO LTD
  • EP4206880B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4206880B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4206880B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a display apparatus. The display apparatus includes a substrate (110) which includes an active area (AA) and a non-active area (NA) adjacent to the active area (AA), a first touch line (451) disposed in the non-active area (NA) and a second touch line (452) disposed on the first touch line (451) and a front member (800) which is disposed on the first and second touch lines (451, 452), is disposed in at least a part of the non-active area (NA), and includes a transmissive part (GT) and a blocking part (GB), wherein the first touch line (451) is disposed in an area overlapping the transmissive part (GT) and includes at least two patterns (451a).