Integrated Touch Screen Control Unit for Display Modules
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing touchscreen systems require multiple cables and separate controllers for connection to a computer system, making them complex and costly to produce, especially in small series production, and do not allow for seamless integration with touchscreens due to lack of necessary interfaces in graphics cards.
Innovation Solution
A screen unit with a touch screen is connected to a control unit via a single connection that supplies both electrical energy and data, with the control unit also connected to an output unit, allowing for simplified production and integration of a module consisting of the screen unit, touch screen, and control unit, using USB protocol for data exchange and LVDS for high data rates, and EDID-EEPROM for plug-and-play recognition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a touch screen is connected to a computer system via separate cable connections and a separate touch screen controller, then the touch screen can be operated independently, but the system complexity and production costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the touch screen controller and the screen unit controller into a single integrated control unit. This merging eliminates the need for separate controllers and reduces the number of cable connections from multiple separate connections to a single unified connection, thereby reducing system complexity while maintaining touch screen operation independence
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated control unit performs multiple functions: it controls both the screen unit and the touch screen, processes display data, and handles touch input data. This multi-functional design replaces what previously required separate dedicated controllers, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining full functionality
2Reliability
If multiple cable connections and separate controllers are used, then complete functionality is achieved, but production time and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the control units and reducing multiple cable connections to a single connection, the patent simplifies the assembly process. This reduces production time and costs while maintaining complete system functionality through the integrated control unit that handles all control tasks
3Loss of information
If graphics card interfaces are used for touch screen data transmission, then data can be transmitted, but the necessary interfaces are not available in standard graphics cards
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated control unit uses a universal USB interface for communication with the host computer, which is widely available in standard computers. This eliminates the need for specialized graphics card interfaces while maintaining full touch screen data transmission capability, thereby improving interface compatibility
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a monitor unit (1), which is connected via a first connection (3) to a control unit (5). The control unit (5) is connected via a second connection (4) to an output unit. Both the control unit (5) and the monitor unit (1) are jointly supplied with electric power via the second connection (4). In addition, data for driving the monitor unit (1) is transmitted to the latter via both connections (3, 4). The monitor unit (1) additionally has a touch screen (6), wherein the touch screen (6) is solely connected to the control unit (5).