Touch Sensor Layer With Auxiliary Electrodes for Pen Input

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electronic devices lack efficient methods to sense inputs from both passive and active input means, such as a user's body and a pen, without increasing thickness, weight, or decreasing flexibility due to the inclusion of a digitizer.

Innovation Solution

An electronic device with a sensor layer and driver that operates in multiple modes to sense touch and pen inputs, utilizing a network of electrodes and auxiliary electrodes to compensate for sensing signals and induce currents, allowing for both touch and pen input detection without a digitizer.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a digitizer is included to sense pen inputs, then pen sensing capability is improved, but device thickness increases and flexibility decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepen sensing capabilityVSAvoiddevice thickness

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the touch sensing and pen sensing functions into a single sensor layer structure. The sensor layer includes first electrodes and second electrodes arranged in a matrix pattern, where the same electrode structure serves both for detecting touch inputs and for detecting pen inputs through mutual capacitance changes, eliminating the need for a separate digitizer layer.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The sensor layer is designed to perform multiple functions: it can sense both touch inputs from a user's body and pen inputs from an active pen. The sensor driver selectively operates in different modes (first mode for touch, second mode for pen) to achieve universal input detection capability with a single sensor structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Measurement precision

If a digitizer is included to sense pen inputs, then pen sensing capability is improved, but device flexibility decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepen sensing capabilityVSAvoiddevice flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the touch sensing and pen sensing functions into a single sensor layer structure. The sensor layer includes first electrodes and second electrodes arranged in a matrix pattern, where the same electrode structure serves both for detecting touch inputs and for detecting pen inputs through mutual capacitance changes, eliminating the need for a separate digitizer layer.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Measurement precision

If separate sensing structures are used for touch and pen inputs, then sensing accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesensing accuracyVSAvoidsensor structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor driver dynamically switches between different operating modes to adapt to different input types. In the first mode, it senses touch inputs by measuring capacitance changes between first and second electrodes. In the second mode, it senses pen inputs by measuring mutual capacitance changes. This dynamic mode switching allows accurate sensing of both input types without requiring structurally different sensor components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The sensor layer is designed to perform multiple functions: it can sense both touch inputs from a user's body and pen inputs from an active pen. The sensor driver selectively operates in different modes (first mode for touch, second mode for pen) to achieve universal input detection capability with a single sensor structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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

Enables effective sensing of both touch and pen inputs without the need for a digitizer, maintaining device thickness and flexibility, and supporting various input types including passive and active means.

Implementation Method 1

a sensor layer and a sensor driver that drives the sensor layer and operates in a first mode for sensing a touch input and a second mode for sensing a pen input

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCapacitance: Capacitance

Implementation Method 2

The plurality of first auxiliary electrodes may be electrically connected to a ground in the pen sensing driving mode and the plurality of second auxiliary electrodes may be electrically connected to a ground in the pen sensing driving mode

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectromagnetic Induction: Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentUS12517619B2Electronic device

Publication Date: 2026.01.06 SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO LTD

AI summary

Disclosed is an electronic device including a sensor layer and a sensor driver that operates in a first mode for sensing a touch input and a second mode for sensing a pen input. The sensor layer includes a plurality of first electrodes, a plurality of second electrodes, a plurality of first auxiliary electrodes, and a plurality of second auxiliary electrodes. In the first mode, the sensor driver outputs a transmission signal to at least one of the plurality of first electrodes, receives a sensing signal from the plurality of second electrodes, receives an auxiliary signal from at least one of the plurality of first auxiliary electrodes and the plurality of second auxiliary electrodes, and compensates for the sensing signal based on the auxiliary signal.