Touch Panel Electrode Merging for Pin Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

As touch panels increase in size, the number of pins required for touch detection also increases, leading to higher production costs and lower update rates, necessitating a reduction in the number of pins needed for effective touch detection.

Innovation Solution

A touch panel design that includes a substrate with touch areas, featuring first, second, and third electrodes arranged in intersecting directions, where third electrodes fill gaps between the first and second electrodes, allowing multiple electrodes to share pins and reduce the overall number of pins required for touch detection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If the size of the touch panel increases, then the coverage area increases, but the number of pins required for touch detection increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoverage areaVSAvoidnumber of pins

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple first electrodes arranged in the first direction are electrically connected to share common pins. Similarly, multiple second electrodes arranged in the second direction are electrically connected to share common pins. This merging of electrode functions reduces the total number of pins required while maintaining the ability to detect touches across different touch areas.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The third electrodes serve multiple functions: they fill the gaps between first and second electrodes to maintain capacitive coupling, and they act as additional sensing elements for touch detection. This multi-functionality allows the structure to maintain effective touch detection with fewer pins.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Measurement precision

If more pins are disposed for touch detection, then the touch detection coverage improves, but the production cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetouch detection coverageVSAvoidproduction cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple electrodes are electrically connected to share common pins, reducing the total pin count required. This merging approach maintains comprehensive touch detection coverage while reducing the number of connection points needed, thereby lowering production costs associated with pin fabrication and assembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Measurement precision

If more pins are disposed for touch detection, then the touch detection capability improves, but the hardware load increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetouch detection capabilityVSAvoidhardware load

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple first electrodes are electrically connected together, and multiple second electrodes are electrically connected together, allowing them to share common pins. This significantly reduces the hardware load by decreasing the total number of pins and connection points required, while still maintaining the capability to detect touches across multiple touch areas.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The third electrodes serve dual purposes: maintaining capacitive coupling by filling gaps and providing additional touch sensing capability. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated sensing elements, thereby reducing overall hardware complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Measurement precision

If more pins are disposed for touch detection, then the touch detection accuracy improves, but the update rate decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetouch detection accuracyVSAvoidupdate rate

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

By electrically connecting multiple electrodes to share common pins, the system reduces the total number of independent signal channels. This reduces the data processing burden and increases the update rate, while the third electrodes ensure touch detection accuracy is maintained by filling gaps and providing additional sensing points.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS9811231B2Touch panel for reducing pins required for touch detection

Publication Date: 2017.11.07 WISTRON CORP

AI summary

A touch panel including a substrate and a touch element is provided. The substrate has a predetermined number of touch areas. The touch element is disposed in the predetermined number of touch areas and includes a plurality of first electrodes, a plurality of second electrodes, and the predetermined number of third electrodes. Each third electrode includes a plurality of third electrode patterns and a plurality of third connection portions. Each third connection portion electrically insulatingly intersects at least one of the first electrodes or at least one of the second electrodes and electrically connects two adjacent third electrode patterns. Several of the first electrodes arranged in a first direction and corresponding to different touch areas are electrically connected, and several of the second electrodes arranged in a second direction and corresponding to different touch areas are electrically connected.