Integrated Touch Electrode Layout for Full-Area Display Sensing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing display devices face challenges in ensuring reliable touch sensing across the entire touch sensor area without requiring a separate sensor layer or digitizer layer, which can increase thickness and cost.

Innovation Solution

The display device incorporates a touch sensing unit with touch electrodes and switching elements, utilizing a common voltage line and electromagnetic control lines to sense touch inputs through self-capacitance and mutual capacitance changes, eliminating the need for a separate sensor layer.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a separate sensor layer or digitizer layer is added to ensure reliable touch sensing, then sensing reliability is improved, but device thickness and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesensing reliabilityVSAvoiddevice thickness
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the touch sensing function with the display panel by integrating touch electrodes directly into the display structure. The touch electrodes are formed in the same thin-film transistor layer as the display pixels, eliminating the need for separate sensor layers or digitizer layers while maintaining sensing reliability across the entire touch sensor area.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The display panel serves multiple functions: it acts as both the display unit and the touch sensing unit. The same thin-film transistor layer that controls pixel illumination also controls touch electrode operation, allowing the display panel to universally perform both display and touch sensing functions without additional components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Area of stationary object

If touch electrodes are extended to the edges of the display area, then sensing coverage is improved, but electrode complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetouch sensor areaVSAvoidelectrode manufacturing
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The touch sensor area is divided into multiple regions, each served by different sets of touch electrodes. First touch electrodes extend from the first edge to cover a first touch sensor area, while second touch electrodes extend from the second edge to cover a second touch sensor area. This segmentation allows comprehensive edge-to-edge coverage while maintaining manageable electrode configurations for manufacturing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extends touch electrodes not only in the horizontal direction but also in the vertical direction beyond the display area edges. This multi-dimensional extension ensures that touch sensing coverage reaches all edges of the display area while distributing the manufacturing complexity across different spatial dimensions rather than concentrating it in a single direction.

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

This configuration enhances sensing reliability and sensitivity across the entire touch sensor area while reducing device thickness and cost by integrating touch sensing directly into the display unit.

Implementation Method 1

sense touch inputs through self-capacitance and mutual capacitance changes

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSelf-capacitance: Capacitance

Implementation Method 2

sense touch inputs through self-capacitance and mutual capacitance changes

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMutual capacitance: Capacitance

Data Source

PatentEP4134796B1Display device and a sensing system including the same
Publication Date: 2025.11.26 SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO LTD
  • EP4134796B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4134796B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4134796B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A display device including: a display unit having a plurality of pixels; a plurality of touch electrodes disposed on the display unit; a touch line connected to a first end of each of the plurality of touch electrodes; a common voltage line spaced apart from the plurality of touch electrodes; and a plurality of switching elements connected between the common voltage line and a second end of each of the plurality of touch electrodes.