One-Chip Touch Panel Driving Device With Bypass Path
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing touch panel devices face challenges with increased volume and manufacturing cost due to separate touch drive and force drive units, and difficulties in detecting resistance variations when these units are integrally formed, which hinders effective force sensing.
Innovation Solution
A one-chip touch panel driving device that integrates touch and force drive units, utilizing a single drive unit and control unit to generate and analyze sensing signals from both touch and force sensors, with bypass paths to prevent interference and enhance sensitivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the touch drive unit and the force drive unit are separately formed, then the touch sensing drive and force sensing drive can be performed independently, but the volume of the touch panel device increases and the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the touch drive unit and force drive unit into a single integrated drive unit. The sensing unit includes a capacitor circuit that can detect both touch position (through capacitance variation) and touch force (through resistance variation of the variable resistance sensor), eliminating the need for separate drive units and reducing device volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated sensing unit is designed to perform multiple functions: it can detect touch position using capacitance sensing and simultaneously detect touch force using resistance sensing. The single drive unit controls both sensing operations, making the system multi-functional without requiring separate dedicated units for each sensing type.
2Volume of stationary object
If the touch drive unit and the force drive unit are integrally formed, then the device volume is reduced and manufacturing cost is reduced, but it becomes difficult to detect the variation in resistance of the variable resistance sensor
Solution Approach 1:
The sensing unit is segmented into distinct functional components: the capacitor circuit for touch sensing and the variable resistance sensor for force sensing. Although integrated in one unit, the segmented architecture allows independent detection paths - the capacitor circuit detects capacitance variation for position sensing while the variable resistance sensor detects resistance variation for force sensing, resolving the detection difficulty.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a control unit that acts as an intermediary to manage the sensing operations. The control unit receives signals from both the capacitor circuit and variable resistance sensor, processes the resistance variation signals separately, and enables accurate force detection despite the integrated structure. This intermediary control mechanism resolves the signal interference issue.
3Measurement precision
If the touch drive unit and the force drive unit are separately formed, then accurate touch and force sensing can be achieved, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the touch drive unit and force drive unit into a single integrated drive unit, reducing the number of components and simplifying the manufacturing process. The sensing unit includes both the capacitor circuit and variable resistance sensor within one integrated structure, lowering manufacturing costs while maintaining sensing accuracy through proper signal separation and processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated sensing unit performs both touch sensing and force sensing functions, eliminating the need for separate manufacturing processes for two independent units. The multi-functional design reduces component count and assembly steps, directly lowering manufacturing cost while preserving measurement precision through dedicated detection circuits for each sensing type.
4Device complexity
If bypass paths are not provided in the integrated drive unit, then the structure is simpler, but erroneous signal transmission occurs between touch sensing and force sensing
Solution Approach 1:
The sensing unit is segmented into separate signal paths: one path for capacitance sensing (touch position) and another path for resistance sensing (touch force). The bypass paths provide dedicated signal transmission routes for each sensing type, preventing signal interference and erroneous transmission while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure through the segmented architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit serves as an intermediary that receives and processes signals from both sensing circuits. The bypass paths enable the control unit to independently process capacitance variation signals and resistance variation signals without interference, ensuring signal accuracy. This intermediary processing mechanism prevents erroneous signal transmission while adding minimal structural complexity.
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
Enables efficient and accurate simultaneous touch position and force sensing, reducing device volume and manufacturing costs while preventing erroneous signal transmission, thus improving overall touch panel performance.
Implementation Method 1
The sensing unit performs the touch sensing drive by detecting a variation in capacitance of a touch electrode formed in a touch panel
Implementation Method 2
The force drive unit performs the force sensing drive by detecting a variation in resistance of a variable resistance sensor formed independently on the touch panel
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3A~3B
Figure 3C~4
AI summary
A touch panel driving device that can easily perform a force sensing drive with a touch drive unit and a force drive unit that can be integrally formed in one-chip, a touch panel device can include the one-chip touch panel drive device, and a driving method thereof are provided. The touch panel device can include a bypass path that supplies a second touch sensing signal to a drive unit without passing through a sensing unit. Accordingly, the touch panel device can perform both touch sensing based on a first touch sensing signal and force sensing based on a second touch sensing signal using a single drive unit and prevent an erroneous second touch sensing signal from being transmitted to the drive unit due via the sensing unit, thereby easily and more accurately performing the force sensing.