Touch Sensor Routing Wire Reduction for Display Devices

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing touch sensor integrated type display devices face challenges with increasing touch routing wires as the display size grows, leading to reduced touch sensitivity and higher manufacturing costs due to parasitic capacitance and complex line structures.

Innovation Solution

The proposed touch sensor integrated type display device reduces the number of touch routing wires by rearranging the connection configuration of touch electrodes and routing wires, using a matrix arrangement with specific routing wire patterns to connect touch electrodes, thereby minimizing parasitic capacitance and maintaining touch sensitivity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If the number of touch routing wires is increased to support larger display sizes, then the touch coverage area is improved, but the parasitic capacitance increases and touch sensitivity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetouch coverage areaVSAvoidparasitic capacitance
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the touch electrode connections by dividing them into two independent sets: first touch electrodes connected to first touch routing wires, and second touch electrodes connected to second touch routing wires. This segmentation allows each routing wire to serve fewer electrodes, reducing the total number of routing wires needed while maintaining comprehensive touch coverage across the display area.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a dual-routing-dimension approach where touch routing wires are arranged in different spatial dimensions or patterns. By utilizing multiple routing dimensions and alternating connection patterns, the design achieves comprehensive electrode coverage with fewer wires, thereby reducing parasitic capacitance while maintaining large-area touch functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Area of stationary object

If the number of touch routing wires is increased to connect more touch electrodes, then the touch electrode coverage is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetouch electrode coverageVSAvoidline structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the touch electrode array into two independent groups with separate routing wire connections. This segmentation simplifies the overall line structure by creating two independent, manageable routing systems rather than one complex comprehensive routing system, making the design easier to manufacture and maintain while covering the same area.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of connecting all touch electrodes through a single complex routing network, the patent inverts the approach by using multiple independent simplified routing networks. Each routing wire connects to a specific subset of electrodes, and the combination of these simpler independent networks achieves the same coverage as a single complex network would provide.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If more touch routing wires are used to maintain touch sensitivity across larger areas, then the touch sensitivity is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetouch sensitivityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the touch electrode connections into two independent sets with separate routing wires, the patent reduces the total number of routing wires required compared to a traditional single-network design. This reduction directly lowers manufacturing costs while maintaining touch sensitivity across the entire display area through the distributed routing approach.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the routing wire configuration parameters by introducing a dual-set arrangement with different connection patterns. This parameter change optimizes the balance between touch sensitivity maintenance and manufacturing cost reduction, achieving comparable or improved sensitivity with fewer wires and lower production expenses.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 configuration significantly reduces the number of touch routing wires by about 65% compared to traditional designs, improving touch sensitivity and reducing manufacturing costs while preventing the increase in touch IC size.

Implementation Method 1

measures changes in a capacitance of each independent pattern, thereby deciding whether or not a touch operation is performed

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCapacitance: Capacitance

Data Source

PatentEP2985681B1Touch sensor integrated type display device
Publication Date: 2017.09.13 LG DISPLAY CO LTD
  • EP2985681B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2985681B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2985681B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A touch sensor integrated type display device includes gate lines (GL1, GL2, ..., GL6) and data lines (DL1, DL2, ..., DL6), pixel electrodes (P11, P12, ..., P66), and touch electrodes (Tx11, Tx12, ..., Tx81) arranged in a matrix with a row direction and a column direction. The touch electrodes (Tx11, Tx12, ..., Tx81) include first (1-1), third (1-2), second (2-1), and fourth (2-2) touch electrodes respectively connected to first (1-1) (TWX1, TWX3, TWXS, TWX7), third (1-2) (TWX2, TWX4, TWX6, TWX8), second (2-1) (TWP12, TWP32, TWP52, TWP72, ..., TWP78), and fourth (2-2) touch routing wires (TWY1, TWY2, ..., TWY5). The first (1-1) touch routing wire (TWX1, TWX3, TWX5, TWX7) connect first (1-1) touch electrodes and is arranged in the row direction. The second (2-1) touch routing wires (TWP12, TWP32, TWP52, TWP72, ..., TWP78) are respectively connected to second (2-1) touch electrodes and arranged in the column direction. The third (1-2) touch routing wire (TWX2, TWX4, TWX6, TWX8) connects third (1-2) touch electrodes and is arranged parallel to the first (1-1) touch routing wire (TWX1, TWX3, TWX5, TWX7). The at least one fourth (2-2) touch routing wire (TWY1, TWY2, ..., TWY5) connects fourth (2-2) touch electrodes and is arranged parallel to the second (2-1) touch routing wire (TWP12, TWP32, TWP52, TWP72, ..., TWP78).