Touch Electrode Architecture for Metal-Mesh-Free Optical Regions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing touch screens often degrade the performance of optical devices due to the use of opaque metal mesh, which reduces light transmittance and affects the functionality of integrated optical components.
Innovation Solution
Implementing touch electrode architectures that reduce or eliminate metal mesh in high-transmittance regions and use transparent or semi-transparent materials to maintain optical device performance, allowing light to pass through the touch screen layers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If opaque metal mesh is used for touch electrodes, then touch sensing capability is maintained, but light transmittance is reduced and optical device performance is degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different touch electrode architectures in different regions of the touch screen. In high-transmittance regions (such as notches or punch-hole areas where optical devices are located), the metal mesh is reduced or eliminated in favor of transparent conductive materials. In other regions, traditional metal mesh is used to maintain touch sensing capability. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by optimizing each region for its specific function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material structures combining transparent conductive materials (such as ITO, IZO, or GZO) with metal mesh in a layered configuration. This composite approach allows the touch screen to achieve both transparency in optical device regions and effective touch sensing in other areas, resolving the contradiction between light transmittance and touch sensing capability.
2Illumination intensity
If transparent conductive materials are used instead of metal mesh, then light transmittance is improved, but touch electrode conductivity and touch sensing performance may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the touch screen into different functional regions: high-transmittance regions (notches, punch-holes) where optical devices are located, and standard regions where touch sensing is primary. Each region is assigned an appropriate touch electrode architecture, allowing transparent materials to be used where needed without compromising overall touch sensing performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes multiple layers (first touch sensor layer and second touch sensor layer) to distribute touch sensing functions. This dimensional approach allows transparent conductive materials to be used in specific layers or regions while maintaining touch sensing capability through the multi-layer structure, resolving the contradiction between transparency and conductivity.
3Illumination intensity
If metal mesh is removed from high-transmittance regions, then light transmittance is improved for optical devices, but structural integrity and electrical connectivity may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces transparent conductive materials as intermediary elements that replace metal mesh in high-transmittance regions. These transparent materials serve as mediators that provide both electrical conductivity for touch sensing and optical transparency for light transmission, while also maintaining structural integrity through the multi-layered touch sensor architecture.
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
Achieves high-transmittance levels above 80% while maintaining effective touch sensing capabilities, ensuring optimal operation of integrated optical devices such as LEDs and cameras.
Implementation Method 1
In the case of some touch sensing systems, a physical touch on the display is not needed to detect a touch. For example, in some capacitive-type touch sensing systems, fringing electrical fields used to detect touch can extend beyond the surface of the display
Implementation Method 2
the high-transmittance can be achieved using touch electrode architecture techniques that reduce or eliminate metal mesh within the high-transmittance regions
Data Source
AI summary
Touch electrode architecture techniques can be used to reduce or eliminate metal mesh within the one or more high-transmittance regions of a touch screen including one or more high-transmittance regions. In some examples, one or more optical devices can be integrated with a touch screen such that light associated with the one or more optical devices passes through one or more layers of the touch screen. In some such examples, to avoid degrading performance of the optical devices, one or more high-transmittance regions can be used. Additionally or alternatively, in some examples, the high-transmittance can be achieved using touch electrode architecture techniques that use transparent or semi-transparent materials instead of opaque metal mesh within the high-transmittance regions.