Capacitive Touch Sensing Apparatus with Color Filter Integration
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Capacitive touch sensing technologies integrated into displays face challenges in maintaining visual effects and display brightness due to interference from sensing apparatus components, particularly in achieving optimal light transmittance and color filtering without additional layers.
Innovation Solution
A sensing apparatus with a substrate, a first conductive layer, a color filter layer, and a second conductive layer, where the first conductive layer has electrode patterns with lower light transmittance and the second conductive layer has electrode patterns that intersect with the first, allowing for mutual capacitance touch sensing while using the color filter layer as an insulating layer for color filtering and light guidance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the sensing apparatus is integrated into the display, then the response time and reliability are improved, but the light transmittance and display brightness deteriorate due to the sensing components blocking light
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating different light transmittance regions within the sensing apparatus. The first region has lower light transmittance containing the first conductive layer with electrode patterns, while the second region has higher light transmittance allowing better light passage. This spatial differentiation of optical properties resolves the contradiction by localizing the light-blocking function only where electrode patterns are necessary, rather than uniformly across the entire sensing layer.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a vertical dimension by stacking multiple conductive layers (first conductive layer and second conductive layer) at different heights. The connection portions extend vertically through the color filter layer to electrically connect the first and second conductive layers. This multi-layer vertical structure allows the sensing function to be distributed across different dimensions, reducing the light-blocking impact of any single layer while maintaining overall sensing reliability.
2Manufacturing precision
If additional layers are added for color filtering and light guidance, then the color filtering performance is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple functions into the color filter layer. It serves both as the traditional color filtering element and as the insulating layer between the first and second conductive layers. The connection portions of the second conductive layer pass through this same color filter layer to establish electrical connections. By combining color filtering, insulation, and light guidance functions into a single layer, the patent avoids adding separate dedicated layers for each function, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The color filter layer is designed with multi-functionality, serving as simultaneously: (1) the color filtering element for display quality, (2) the insulating layer separating the first and second conductive layers to prevent electrical shorting, and (3) the light guidance structure through which connection portions pass. This universal application of the color filter layer eliminates the need for additional specialized layers, resolving the contradiction between performance and complexity.
3Measurement precision
If the first conductive layer has lower light transmittance for touch sensing, then the touch sensing capability is improved, but the display brightness and visual effects worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the sensing apparatus into distinct optical regions: the first region with lower light transmittance containing the first conductive layer for touch sensing, and the second region with higher light transmittance for better display brightness. By segmenting the structure rather than using a uniform design, the patent allows each region to optimize for its specific function - touch sensing in the first region and light transmission in the second region - thereby resolving the contradiction between sensing capability and display brightness.
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
The solution enables effective touch sensing and color filtering without additional layers, improving display brightness and maintaining clear display frames even in high ambient light conditions by guiding light through regions of higher transmittance and filtering interference at the interface between color filter patterns.
Implementation Method 1
The color filter layer is disposed on the substrate and covers the first conductive layer... filtering interference at the interface between color filter patterns
Implementation Method 2
the sensing apparatus may determine a position that the user's finger touches or approaches based on a capacitance change on a sensing array
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, a sensing apparatus having a first region with light transmittance less than a second region is provided. The sensing apparatus includes a first conductive layer, a color filter layer and a second conductive layer disposed on a substrate. The first conductive layer is located in the first region and includes first electrode patterns. The color filter layer covers the first conductive layer. The second conductive layer is disposed on the color filter layer and includes second electrode patterns. At least one of the second electrode patterns has a connection portion passing through the color filter layer to electrically connect to one of the first electrode patterns. The first electrode patterns and the second electrode patterns form first electrode series and second electrode series intersecting with the first electrode series. The connection portion is located at the intersection of one first electrode series and one second electrode series.