Touchpad Optical Modulation for Color Deviation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Touchpads often experience color deviation between touch areas and non-touch areas due to different structures, leading to a poor visual experience for users.

Innovation Solution

A touchpad structure is designed with a cover plate, a backlight unit, a touch circuit layer, a first optical modulation layer, and a second optical modulation layer. The second optical modulation layer is positioned between the light shielding material and the first optical modulation layer, ensuring they have the same reflectivity or penetration rate, thus maintaining consistent refractive indices across the touch and non-touch areas.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the touch area and non-touch area have different structures to define light emission zones, then the touchpad can function as an input device with luminous capability, but the different structures cause different reflectance between areas leading to color deviation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveluminous capabilityVSAvoidcolor deviation

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by configuring the light shielding layer with different light transmission rates in different regions: the first light shielding layer has a first light transmission rate in the touch area and a second light transmission rate in the non-touch area. This allows different optical properties in different locations to achieve both luminous functionality and color consistency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the optical parameters (light transmission rate) of the light shielding layer to resolve the contradiction. By adjusting the light transmission rate parameter differently in touch and non-touch areas, the patent achieves uniform color appearance while maintaining the ability to define luminous and non-luminous zones.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Manufacturing precision

If the touch area and non-touch area have different structures to ensure light only passes through the touch area, then the touchpad can distinguish between touch and non-touch zones, but this results in poor visual experience due to color deviation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvezone definition accuracyVSAvoidcolor deviation

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses composite material structure with multiple light shielding layers having different light transmission rates. The first light shielding layer and second light shielding layer are combined to achieve both precise zone definition and color consistency, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing precision and visual quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

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 ensures that the touch area and non-touch area of the touchpad present the same color when not emitting light, thereby enhancing the user's visual experience.

Implementation Method 1

The first optical modulation layer is disposed between the cover plate and the backlight unit, and having a first reflectivity

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectReflection: Reflection

Implementation Method 2

The second optical modulation layer has a second reflectivity and a first penetration rate

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectReflection: Reflection

Implementation Method 3

one side of the second optical modulation layer facing the touch circuit layer has a light shielding material, and defines a light penetration area

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight penetration: Absorption (EM radiation)

Data Source

PatentUS12222536B1Touchpad structure

Publication Date: 2025.02.11 LITE ON TECH CHANG ZHOU CO LTD

AI summary

The present disclosure is related to a touchpad structure, which includes a cover plate, a backlight unit, a touch circuit layer, a first optical modulation layer, and a second optical modulation layer. The first optical modulation layer is disposed between the cover plate and the backlight unit, and having a first reflectivity. The second optical modulation layer is disposed between the first optical modulation layer and the touch circuit layer. The second optical modulation layer has a second reflectivity and a first penetration rate, wherein the second reflectivity is the same as the first reflectivity, or the first reflectivity is the same as the first penetration rate. The touchpad structure can present a uniform color spectrum via the second optical modulation layer and the first optical modulation layer.