Touch Electrode Bridge Segmentation for Display Transmittance
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Solution Overview
Problem
In display devices with touch sensors, the opaque metal bridges connecting touch electrodes reduce transmittance due to interference with the pixel structure, especially as the resolution increases, leading to decreased performance in touch sensing and image display.
Innovation Solution
A display device design featuring touch electrodes with bridges of reduced length and an insulating layer to separate the touch electrodes and bridges, allowing direct connections that enhance contact resistance and minimize pixel area coverage, thereby improving transmittance and touch sensing capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If metal bridges are used to connect touch electrodes, then electrical connection between touch electrodes is achieved, but transmittance is reduced due to opaque material interference with pixels
Solution Approach 1:
The bridge structure is divided into multiple segments positioned at different layers (first bridge segment at first layer, second bridge segment at second layer), allowing light to pass through gaps between segments while maintaining electrical connectivity through the segmented path
Solution Approach 2:
The bridge connection transitions from a single-layer planar structure to a multi-layer three-dimensional structure, enabling the bridge to connect touch electrodes through vertical stacking while reducing horizontal coverage that would block light
2Ease of operation
If metal bridges connect touch electrodes in traditional configuration, then touch sensing function is enabled, but contact resistance increases due to bridge opacity and length
Solution Approach 1:
The bridge is segmented into multiple sections across different layers, creating multiple contact points with touch electrodes that collectively reduce contact resistance through parallel conduction paths
Solution Approach 2:
Conductive layers and conductive particles are introduced as intermediary materials between bridge segments and touch electrodes to improve contact quality and reduce contact resistance at connection interfaces
3Manufacturing precision
If resolution of display panel is increased, then image quality is improved, but transmittance reduction from metal bridges becomes more serious
Solution Approach 1:
The bridge structure is segmented into multiple smaller sections distributed across different layers, reducing the continuous opaque area and allowing light to pass through the segmented configuration while maintaining connectivity
Solution Approach 2:
The bridge connection utilizes vertical layering to reduce horizontal footprint, allowing higher resolution pixel arrangements without increased interference from bridge structures
Data Source
AI summary
A display device includes: a lower substrate; a display layer disposed on the lower substrate and including an electro-optical active layer; a touch electrode layer disposed on the display layer and including first touch electrodes arranged in columns and second touch electrodes arranged in rows intersecting the columns; connections connecting adjacent first electrodes in each of the columns, connections each including islands disposed on the second electrodes, and bridges connecting the first electrodes to the islands; and an insulating layer electrically separating the second touch electrodes and the bridges. The bridges each include a first end that is directly connected to one of the first electrodes and a second end that is indirectly connected to another one of the first electrodes.