Touch Panel Electrode Multiplexing for Precise Pen Input
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-end touch panels supporting pen input require a large number of touch electrodes, leading to increased manufacturing costs and power consumption due to the need for a large number of touch channels.
Innovation Solution
A touch panel design with alternating first and second electrodes in different directions, utilizing DEMUX modules to share adjacent electrodes and enable time division operation, allowing for precise finger and pen input detection with reduced channel requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a large number of touch electrodes are used to support pen input with high precision, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The touch electrode array is segmented into two sets (first touch electrodes and second touch electrodes) arranged in different directions. By alternately arranging these two sets and using time-division multiplexing, the patent achieves high-precision pen input detection with fewer total channels than a conventional single-direction electrode array would require.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs periodic action by alternately activating the first touch electrodes and second touch electrodes in different time periods. This time-division multiplexing approach allows the touch sensor to detect touches in both directions sequentially, achieving high precision pen input capability while reducing the total number of simultaneous channels needed.
2Measurement precision
If a large number of touch electrodes are used to support pen input, then measurement precision is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each touch electrode serves multiple functions: it can detect both finger touches and pen touches, and each electrode can be activated in different time periods to serve different detection directions. This multi-functionality reduces the total number of electrodes and channels needed, thereby lowering manufacturing costs while maintaining high precision.
3Measurement precision
If a large number of touch channels are used to support precise pen input, then measurement precision is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reduces power consumption by activating only one set of touch electrodes (either first or second) at a time in different time periods, rather than activating all channels simultaneously. This periodic activation approach maintains high-precision pen input detection capability while significantly reducing the instantaneous and average power consumption of the touch sensor.
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
Reduces manufacturing costs and power consumption by supporting precise pen input with a lower number of touch channels, while maintaining high precision for both finger and pen inputs.
Implementation Method 1
The touch sensor may recognize (or detect) a touch input based on changes (e.g., a change of a resistance, change of a pressure, change of an electrostatic capacity (or capacitance), etc.) occurring in the plurality of touch electrodes.
Data Source
AI summary
A touch panel includes: a substrate; a first touch electrode part including first-1 electrodes and first-2 electrodes; a second touch electrode part including second-1 electrodes and second-2 electrodes; first DEMUX modules which each share an adjacent first-1 electrode and first-2 electrode of the first touch electrode part with one output; second DEMUX modules which each share an adjacent second-1 electrode and the second-2 electrode of the second touch electrode part with one output; and a touch sensor which includes first touch channels each connected with the first DEMUX modules, and second touch channels each connected with the second DEMUX modules, and is configured to provide a first channel signal to control operations of the first DEMUX modules to the first DEMUX modules, and provide a second channel signal to control operations of the second DEMUX modules to the second DEMUX modules.