Thin Film Charged Body Sensor for Contact and Non-Contact Touch
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional touch sensing technologies in display devices require complex and costly separate sensors for contact and non-contact touch detection, limiting their application and user experience due to high manufacturing costs and limited sensitivity.
Innovation Solution
A thin film charged body sensor is integrated into the manufacturing process of flat panel display devices, utilizing a stacked structure of thin film transistor and antenna units that generate input currents in response to electric fields, enabling both contact and non-contact touch sensing with improved sensitivity using oxide semiconductors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate sensors are used for contact and non-contact touch detection, then sensing capability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines contact-type and non-contact-type sensing functions into a single sensor structure. The sensor includes a first electrode and a second electrode with an insulating layer between them, where the insulating layer has different dielectric constants in different regions. This unified structure enables both contact and non-contact sensing capabilities simultaneously, eliminating the need for separate sensors and reducing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor is designed to perform multiple sensing functions through a single device. By configuring the insulating layer with regions of different dielectric constants, the same sensor structure can detect both contact touches (through direct electrode contact) and non-contact touches (through capacitive coupling), making it a universal sensing solution that handles various touch types without requiring additional specialized sensors.
2Adaptability or versatility
If separate sensors are used for contact and non-contact touch detection, then sensing capability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines contact-type and non-contact-type sensing functions into a single sensor structure. The sensor includes a first electrode and a second electrode with an insulating layer between them, where the insulating layer has different dielectric constants in different regions. This unified structure enables both contact and non-contact sensing capabilities simultaneously, eliminating the need for separate sensors and reducing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor is designed to perform multiple sensing functions through a single device. By configuring the insulating layer with regions of different dielectric constants, the same sensor structure can detect both contact touches (through direct electrode contact) and non-contact touches (through capacitive coupling), making it a universal sensing solution that handles various touch types without requiring additional specialized sensors.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional touch sensing technologies are used, then manufacturing process is simple, but sensitivity is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating regions with different dielectric constants within the insulating layer. Specifically, the insulating layer includes a first region with a first dielectric constant and a second region with a second dielectric constant that is different from the first. This spatial variation in dielectric properties allows different regions to optimize for different sensing modes (contact vs. non-contact), thereby improving overall sensitivity while maintaining compatibility with conventional manufacturing processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The insulating layer is constructed as a composite structure with materials or regions having different dielectric constants. This composite configuration enables the sensor to achieve enhanced sensitivity for both contact and non-contact sensing by leveraging the complementary electrical properties of different insulating materials in specific spatial arrangements.
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 allows for seamless integration into display devices, enhancing sensitivity and user experience by enabling smooth manipulation sensing without the need for separate sensors, reducing manufacturing complexity and costs while improving touch detection capabilities.
Implementation Method 1
the thin film antenna unit being adapted to generate an input current in response to an electric field of a charged body
Data Source
AI summary
A thin film charged body sensor for sensing a contact and/or non-contact movement of a charged body based on an electric field of the charged body. The thin film charged body sensor may include a substrate, a first thin film transistor unit on the substrate, and including a gate layer, an active layer insulated from the gate layer, and source/drain layers insulated from the gate layer and connected to the active layer; and a thin film antenna unit on the substrate, and including a first film including a conductive material electrically connected to the gate layer, the thin film antenna unit adapted to generate an input current in response to an electric field of a charged body.