Touch Screen Driver Segmentation and Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing touch screen drivers require a large number of channels to handle increased resolution and size, leading to the need for new integrated circuits that can efficiently manage a growing number of Tx and Rx channels.
Innovation Solution
A touch screen driver system utilizing multiple integrated circuits that are synchronized to divide the driving and sensing operations across the touch screen, allowing for efficient operation with a relatively small number of channels by sharing Tx and Rx lines and using synchronization signals to coordinate sensing operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the number of Tx channels and Rx channels is increased to handle higher resolution and larger touch screen size, then the touch screen driver can support higher resolution and larger size, but the device complexity and integration difficulty increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The touch screen driver is segmented into multiple independent integrated circuits, each handling a subset of Tx and Rx channels. This division allows the system to support high-resolution touch screens by distributing the channel handling across multiple simpler ICs rather than requiring one complex IC to handle all channels simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
Each integrated circuit is designed with universal functionality to handle both Tx channel driving and Rx channel sensing operations. The ICs can be configured to work with different channel assignments, providing flexibility in system design while maintaining consistent operational characteristics across all channels.
2Device complexity
If multiple integrated circuits are used to drive a touch screen, then the device complexity is reduced, but synchronization issues may arise causing sensing errors
Solution Approach 1:
A synchronization signal is generated based on the driving signal and fed back to all integrated circuits. This feedback mechanism ensures that all ICs operate in sync with the same timing reference, preventing sensing errors that would otherwise occur due to timing mismatches between multiple independent ICs.
Solution Approach 2:
The synchronization signal is generated in advance based on the driving signal characteristics before the actual sensing operation begins. This preliminary synchronization ensures that all integrated circuits are properly aligned and ready to operate together without timing conflicts during the measurement phase.
3Reliability
If one integrated circuit generates and transmits synchronization signals to others, then synchronized operation is achieved, but the signal transmission path and timing coordination become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The synchronization signal acts as an intermediary that mediates the coordination between multiple integrated circuits. By using a dedicated synchronization signal path separate from the data and control signals, the timing coordination is simplified and isolated from other signal interactions, reducing overall system complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
A touch screen driver (30) includes a plurality of integrated circuits for dividedly driving a touch screen (TSP). One of the plurality of integrated circuits, which generates a driving signal to be supplied to Tx lines of the touch screen (TSP), transmits a synchronization signal synchronized with the driving signal to other integrated circuit. The other integrated circuit receiving the synchronization signal receives charges of the touch sensors (TSN) through Rx lines of the touch screen (TSP) in response to the synchronization signal.