Under-Display Touch Metal Layout for High-Transmittance Sensor Openings
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Solution Overview
Problem
In borderless electronic devices with full-face displays, sensors such as cameras and ambient light sensors face significant performance limitations due to low light transmission through the display stack, which is exacerbated by the dense thin-film transistors and associated routing structures.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of high-transmittance areas within the display, referred to as pixel removal regions, where display pixels and certain components like thin-film transistors, polyimide layers, and substrate material are selectively removed or modified to increase light transmission to underlying sensors, along with adjustments in touch sensor metal arrangements to optimize both transmission and touch sensing performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the display uses dense thin-film transistors and routing structures to achieve full pixel density, then the display quality and pixel density are improved, but the light transmission to the sensor is significantly reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The display is divided into two distinct regions: a first region with full pixel density for high-quality display, and a second region with reduced pixel density or pixel removal for high light transmission to the sensor. This segmentation allows each region to optimize for its specific function without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the display are assigned different pixel densities according to their functional requirements. The first region maintains high pixel density for display quality, while the second region uses pixel removal or reduced density to maximize light transmission to the underlying sensor.
2Illumination intensity
If pixels are removed or reduced in density to increase light transmission, then the sensor performance is improved, but the display area and visual coverage are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The display is divided into two distinct regions: a first region with full pixel density for high-quality display, and a second region with reduced pixel density or pixel removal for high light transmission to the sensor. This segmentation allows each region to optimize for its specific function without compromising the other.
3Illumination intensity
If the touch sensor metal arrangement is reduced in the pixel removal region to improve light transmission, then the light transmission is improved, but the touch sensing performance may be degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The touch sensor metal arrangement is customized for different regions: in the first region, a standard mesh pattern provides full touch functionality, while in the second region, the metal arrangement is optimized to balance light transmission with sufficient touch sensing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The touch sensor metal structure transitions from a complete mesh pattern in the first region to a reduced or modified pattern in the second region, dynamically adapting the metal coverage to match the functional requirements of each area while maintaining adequate touch sensing performance.
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 significantly enhances light transmission through the display stack, improving the performance of under-display sensors while maintaining satisfactory touch sensing capabilities and minimizing visual differences at off-axis viewing angles.
Implementation Method 1
The plurality of high-transmittance areas regions is configured to increase the transmittance of light through the display to the sensor
Data Source
AI summary
A display may have both a full pixel density region and a pixel removal region with a plurality of high-transmittance areas that overlap an optical sensor. Each high-transmittance area may be devoid of thin-film transistors and other display components. To improve transmission while maintaining satisfactory touch sensing performance, one or more segments of the touch sensor metal in the pixel removal region may have a reduced width relative to the touch sensor metal in the full pixel density region and/or one or more segments of the touch sensor metal in the pixel removal region may be omitted relative to the touch sensor metal in the full pixel density region. To mitigate a different appearance between the pixel removal region and the full pixel density region at off-axis viewing angles, the position of the touch sensor metal in the pixel removal region may be tuned.