Touch Control Input Device Segmented Electrodes

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional capacitive touch sensors face limitations in increasing touch control resolution due to the need for more electrodes, which leads to complex wiring and oversized flexible print circuits, making it difficult to improve touch control precision.

Innovation Solution

The solution involves dividing sensing electrodes in the row direction and optionally dividing driving electrodes in the column direction, allowing for improved touch control resolution with reduced electrode leads and uniformly distributed touch sensitivity, achieved by forming capacitors with equal capacitance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the number of sensing electrodes and driving electrodes is increased to improve touch control resolution, then touch control precision is improved, but the number of second connecting lines increases causing wiring complexity and oversized flexible print circuit

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetouch control resolutionVSAvoidwiring complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sensing electrode is divided into multiple segments along the row direction, with each segment forming a capacitor with driving electrodes. This segmentation allows the same electrode structure to provide multiple detection points without proportionally increasing the number of connecting lines, as adjacent segments can share common connecting lines.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Adjacent sensing electrode segments share common connecting lines (first connecting lines), reducing the total number of second connecting lines required. This merging approach allows multiple capacitors to be formed while minimizing the wiring infrastructure needed to support them.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Measurement precision

If the number of sensing electrodes and driving electrodes is increased to improve touch control resolution, then touch control precision is improved, but the flexible print circuit size increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetouch control resolutionVSAvoidflexible print circuit size
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

Dividing the sensing electrode into segments allows multiple detection points to be achieved within the same physical electrode area. Each segment forms a capacitor with driving electrodes, effectively increasing resolution without requiring proportionally more electrode material or larger circuit board area.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The sensing electrode is extended in the row direction and divided into segments, utilizing the spatial dimension more efficiently. This allows multiple capacitors to be formed along the row direction without increasing the column direction footprint, thereby maintaining a compact flexible print circuit size.

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

3Measurement precision

If more second connecting lines are added to transmit driving signals to more driving electrodes, then touch control resolution is improved, but wiring design difficulty increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetouch control resolutionVSAvoidwiring design ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Adjacent sensing electrode segments share common first connecting lines, reducing the total number of second connecting lines required. This merging strategy significantly reduces wiring design complexity while maintaining the ability to address multiple capacitors individually through selective activation of driving electrodes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 approach enhances touch control precision while maintaining the same area occupied by electrodes, reducing the number of driving electrode leads and improving sensitivity distribution, thus overcoming the limitations of existing designs.

Implementation Method 1

For a capacitive touch panel, capacitance would be changed when a user's finger gets close to the touch panel. The change in the capacitance is detected by the touch panel itself and converted into coordinates

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCapacitance: Capacitance

Implementation Method 2

Each driving electrode and a portion of a corresponding sensing electrode constitute a capacitor 30. When touch occurs in a region corresponding to the capacitor 30, the capacitance would be changed

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCapacitance: Capacitance

Data Source

PatentEP3291067B1Touch control input device and touch display device
Publication Date: 2021.05.19 BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO LTD
  • EP3291067B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3291067B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3291067B1 patent drawingFigure 3(a)

AI summary

The present disclosure discloses a touch input device including a plurality of driving electrodes and a plurality of sensing electrodes that are formed on a first surface of a substrate. An improved touch input device (with e.g. reduced area occupied by electrodes or improved touch control resolution, and/or decreased number of driving electrode leads) is provided by 1) divisionally using the sensing electrode in a horizontal direction; and 2) further divisionally using the driving electrode in the column direction. One sensing electrode which is divisionally used in a row direction can be further split into two adjacent sub-sensing electrodes in the row direction. Also disclosed is a touch display device including the touch input device.