Touch Electrode Mesh Layout to Avoid Pixel Opening Interference

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing touch electrode structures in display panels, particularly in OLED displays, face issues such as metal lines obstructing pixel openings, leading to cross-color interference and reduced display quality due to non-uniform sub-pixel spacing, which complicates manufacturing and affects display performance.

Innovation Solution

The solution involves arranging metal mesh lines outside pixel opening regions and configuring the touch electrode structure to avoid interference with the pixel opening regions, and configuring the pixel electrode structure to avoid interference with the pixel electrode structure to avoid interference with the pixel electrode structure to avoid interference with the pixel opening regions, and configuring the touch electrode structure to cover only the pixel separation regions, ensuring metal lines are spaced adequately from pixel openings, thus improving display quality and reducing manufacturing complexity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If metal lines are arranged to cover pixel opening regions for touch electrode structure, then touch sensitivity is improved, but display quality deteriorates due to cross-color interference and light obstruction

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetouch sensitivityVSAvoidcross-color interference
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The pixel array is divided into pixel opening regions and pixel separation regions. Metal lines are segmented to be arranged only in pixel separation regions, avoiding pixel opening regions. This spatial segmentation resolves the contradiction by allowing touch electrodes to exist without interfering with light emission from sub-pixels.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions are assigned different functions: pixel opening regions are optimized for light emission (display quality), while pixel separation regions are optimized for electrode placement (touch sensitivity). This local differentiation allows each region to perform its primary function without compromising the other.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Object-affected harmful factors

If metal lines are placed in pixel separation regions to avoid pixel openings, then display quality is improved, but touch electrode coverage is reduced affecting sensitivity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelight obstructionVSAvoidtouch sensitivity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The touch electrode structure is extended into the third dimension by adding multiple stacked layers. This allows sufficient electrode coverage and sensitivity while keeping each layer's metal lines confined to pixel separation regions, maintaining display quality. The vertical stacking compensates for the restricted horizontal placement area.

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

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple metal mesh layers are combined to form a complete touch electrode structure. Each layer contributes to the overall electrode coverage, and their combined effect provides sufficient touch sensitivity even when individual layers are restricted to pixel separation regions only.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of manufacture

If sub-pixel spacing is made non-uniform to accommodate metal lines, then manufacturing complexity increases, but touch electrode structure can be implemented

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing complexityVSAvoidsub-pixel spacing uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The display panel is segmented into pixel opening regions with uniform sub-pixel spacing (for display quality) and pixel separation regions (for metal line placement). This segmentation allows standard uniform manufacturing processes to be used for the majority of the panel while accommodating metal lines in dedicated separation areas.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Metal lines are extracted from the pixel opening regions and placed exclusively in pixel separation regions. This extraction eliminates the need to adjust sub-pixel spacing for metal line accommodation, maintaining uniform spacing and simplifying manufacturing processes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Measurement precision

If metal lines are arranged densely to improve touch coverage, then touch sensitivity improves, but interference with pixel openings increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetouch sensitivityVSAvoidcross-color interference
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Touch electrode density is increased by adding more layers in the vertical dimension rather than increasing horizontal density. Multiple stacked metal mesh layers provide high touch sensitivity while each layer maintains adequate spacing from pixel openings by being confined to pixel separation regions.

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

Data Source

PatentEP4130944B1Touch-control structure, touch-control display panel, and electronic apparatus
Publication Date: 2026.01.07 BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO LTD
  • EP4130944B1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP4130944B1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP4130944B1 patent drawingFigure 1C~1D

AI summary

A touch structure, a touch display panel and an electronic device are provided. The touch structure includes a first metal mesh layer including first touch electrodes spaced and extended along a first direction, each first touch electrode includes first touch sub-electrodes and first connection electrodes arranged along the first direction and connected with each other, and the first metal mesh layer further includes second touch sub-electrodes spaced and arranged sequentially along a second direction; at least one first metal mesh includes three insulated first metal mesh parts which are respectively belong to three insulated touch sub-electrodes; the three touch sub-electrodes include two first touch sub-electrodes adjacent in the second direction and a second touch sub-electrode, or includes two second touch sub-electrodes adjacent in the first direction and a first touch sub-electrode. The touch structure can effectively increase touch sensibility.