Touch Screen Display Device with Integrated Mask Process
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing touch screen-integrated display devices require additional manufacturing processes and time due to the need for separate touch sensing lines, increasing costs and inefficiencies in production.
Innovation Solution
Forming touch sensing lines using the same mask process as pixel electrodes and disposing thin film transistors in a zigzag shape on both sides of data lines to reduce the number of data lines and integrate touch sensing functionality without additional mask processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate touch sensing lines are formed in addition to pixel electrodes, then touch sensing functionality is achieved, but the number of mask processes increases and manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the formation of touch sensing lines and pixel electrodes into a single mask process. The transparent conductive layer is patterned to form both the touch sensing lines extending in the first direction and the pixel electrodes at intersections with gate lines, eliminating the need for separate mask processes for each component.
Solution Approach 2:
The transparent conductive layer serves multiple functions simultaneously: it forms both the touch sensing lines for detecting touch input and the pixel electrodes for displaying images. This multi-functional design allows one material layer to fulfill both touch sensing and display functions, reducing the overall number of manufacturing steps.
2Reliability
If separate touch sensing lines are formed with additional mask processes, then touch sensing is enabled, but manufacturing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the formation of touch sensing lines and pixel electrodes into a single mask process step. By patterning the transparent conductive layer to create both structures simultaneously, the manufacturing time is reduced while maintaining complete touch sensing functionality.
3Adaptability or versatility
If more data lines are disposed on the display panel, then more subpixels can be driven, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces touch sensing lines as a separate dimensional element extending in the first direction, perpendicular to the gate lines in the second direction. This additional dimensional arrangement allows for efficient subpixel addressing without requiring an excessive number of data lines, as the touch sensing lines provide an alternative pathway for signal distribution.
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 simplifies the manufacturing process, reduces the number of mask processes, and decreases production time and costs while maintaining effective touch sensing capabilities.
Implementation Method 1
detect exact touch coordinates... identify a touch or non-touch of a display device by a user and detect exact touch coordinates
Data Source
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AI summary
There is provided a touch screen-integrated display device including a plurality of gate lines (GL), a plurality of data lines (DL), a touch sensing line (SL), a plurality of subpixel areas (SP), a gate electrode (712) provided in each of the subpixel areas, an active layer (714), a source electrode (716) and a drain electrode (717), a gate insulator (702), a pixel electrode (720), and a sensing contact part (780). The sensing contact part includes a portion that is formed of the same material as the pixel electrode. Further, there is provided a method for fabricating a touch screen-integrated display device, including forming a gate electrode (712), forming an active layer (714), a source electrode (716), a drain electrode (717), and a data line (DL), forming a pixel electrode (720) and a touch sensing line (SL), and forming a common electrode (730) to be overlapped with the pixel electrode. Thus, there is an effect of reducing the number of mask processes.