Touch Sensor Electrode Integration for Display Devices
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional subframe type digital driving in organic EL displays often results in false contours, especially during high-speed movement of the sightline, and increasing the refresh rate to suppress these contours leads to increased power consumption, making it challenging to find an effective balance between contour suppression and power reduction.
Innovation Solution
A display device that digitally drives pixels in a matrix pattern using a driver and analyzing circuit to adjust the refresh rate based on the probability of false contour occurrence, determined by analyzing the ratio of false to true contour locations within video data, allowing for dynamic adjustment of unit frames and refresh rate according to the content's nature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If a touch screen display device is thinned by reducing the number of structures or material layers, then the overall thickness is reduced, but the strength and durability of the touch sensor deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by forming an integrated structure where the lower electrode, upper electrode, and reflective layer are combined into a single multi-layer composite. This composite structure provides both the electrical functionality of electrodes and the optical functionality of reflection, while the layered composition enhances mechanical strength despite reduced overall thickness. The composite nature allows thinning while maintaining durability through synergistic material combination.
Solution Approach 2:
The reflective layer serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as an optical reflector for display visibility, provides structural support for mechanical strength, and functions as an electrode (either lower or upper electrode) for touch sensing. This multi-functionality allows the removal of separate structural elements that would otherwise be needed for support, enabling thinning while maintaining strength through functional integration.
2Measurement precision
If the touch sensor is configured to have a transparent electrode and a reflective layer, then touch sensitivity is improved, but the structure becomes more complex and manufacturing difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the reflective layer and at least one electrode (lower or upper electrode) into a single integrated layer structure. This combining eliminates the need for separate reflective and electrode layers, reducing structural complexity while maintaining both touch sensitivity (through the transparent electrode) and reflectivity (through the integrated reflective layer). The merged structure simplifies manufacturing by reducing the number of deposition steps and alignment requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated layer serves dual purposes as both a reflective element and an electrode, providing multi-functionality that reduces overall structure complexity. This universal layer performs optical reflection and electrical sensing functions simultaneously, eliminating the need for separate dedicated structures for each function and thereby simplifying the overall device architecture.
3Reliability
If the first electrode and second electrode are formed in an interdigitated manner, then capacitance is increased improving touch detection, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode structure is segmented into interdigitated fingers that alternate between first and second electrode materials. This segmentation creates multiple discrete capacitance regions that can be independently formed, reducing the precision required for overall pattern alignment. The segmented structure allows for step-by-step formation processes where each finger pattern can be aligned to reference marks, making the manufacturing process more tolerant of precision variations while maintaining high touch detection capability through the cumulative effect of multiple capacitance regions.
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 allows for more accurate analysis and suppression of false contours while minimizing power consumption by adjusting the refresh rate only when necessary, effectively balancing contour suppression and power efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a first electrode and a second electrode which are arranged in an interdigitated manner, viewable from a front surface of the display device, are formed in a same layer
Data Source
AI summary
A display device which effectively reduces the occurrences of a false contour is provided. A driver digitally drives each pixel by obtaining a plurality of bit data from pixel data for one pixel to assign the plurality of bit data to a corresponding subframe; configuring one frame with a predetermined number of unit frames; and supplying corresponding bit data in each unit frame to each pixel. Specifically, an analyzing circuit 5-5 predicts a probability of occurrence of a false contour in one screen of the video signal based on the presence or absence of a true contour. A display method based on the video signal is set in accordance with an analysis result.