Integrated touch screen

• US 10,199,439 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2014
• Issued: 02/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neodrón Limited (Atlantic IP Services Limited)
• Original Assignee: Atmel Corporation (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Guard, David Brent, Yilmaz, Esat
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Joseph L
• Application Number:
  US14/509,525
• Publication Number:
  US 20150021584A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,581 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1343 Electrodes reflective electrodes G02F1/133553
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1652 the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04111 Cross over in capacitive digitiser, i.e. details of structures for connecting electrodes of the sensing pattern where the connections cross each other, e.g. bridge structures comprising an insulating layer, or vias through substrate
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04112 Electrode mesh in capacitive digitiser: electrode for touch sensing is formed of a mesh of very fine, normally metallic, interconnected lines that are almost invisible to see. This provides a quite large but transparent electrode surface, without need for ITO or similar transparent conductive material
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04164 Connections between sensors and controllers, e.g. routing lines between electrodes and connection pads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/156 two-dimensional arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/00 Integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one organic light-emitting element covered by group H10K50/00
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/40 OLEDs integrated with touch screens

Abstract

In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a display stack for a touch-sensitive screen. The display stack comprises a plurality of layers in which a top layer comprises a substantially transparent cover layer. The display stack is configured to display a color image. The apparatus also includes a touch sensor provided within the display stack. The touch sensor comprises a plurality of first conductive electrodes contacting a layer of a subset of the plurality of layers of the display stack. The subset of the plurality of layers is below the substantially transparent cover layer. The touch sensor also includes a plurality of second conductive electrodes contacting a layer of the subset of the plurality of layers.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a light emitting diode (LED) display stack for a touch-sensitive screen, the display stack comprising a plurality of layers in which a top layer comprises a substantially transparent cover layer, the display stack being configured to display a color image; and

a touch sensor within the LED display stack, the touch sensor comprising;

a plurality of first conductive electrodes contacting a polarizer layer or a color filter layer of a subset of the plurality of layers, the subset being below the substantially transparent cover layer; and

a plurality of second conductive electrodes contacting the polarizer layer or the color filter layer of the subset of the plurality of layers.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the light emitting diode display stack comprises an organic light emitting diode display stack.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the display stack further comprises a polarizer layer is below the substantially transparent cover layer; and

the subset of the plurality of layers is between the substantially transparent cover layer and the polarizer layer.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the display stack further comprises a polarizer layer that is below the substantially transparent cover layer; and

the subset of the plurality of layers is below the substantially transparent cover and the polarizer layer.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the subset of the plurality of layers comprises the polarizer layer and the plurality of first conductive electrodes and the plurality of second conductive electrodes contact the polarizer layer.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the display stack further comprises a color filter layer that is below the substantially transparent cover layer and in addition to the subset of the plurality of layers; and

the subset of the plurality of layers is between the substantially transparent cover layer and the color filter layer that is in addition to the subset of the plurality of layers.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the subset of the plurality of layers comprises the color filter layer and the plurality of first conductive electrodes and the plurality of second conductive electrodes contact the polarizer layer.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the subset of the plurality of layers comprises a layer of birefringent material.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the subset of the plurality of layers comprises a layer of non-birefringent material.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the subset of the plurality of layers comprises a layer of polyethylene terephthalate material.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of first conductive electrodes and the plurality of second conductive electrodes comprise fine line metal electrodes.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the subset of the plurality of layers comprises one layer; and

the plurality of first conductive electrodes and the plurality of second conductive electrodes contact a same side of the one layer.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the subset of the plurality of layers comprises one layer;

the plurality of first conductive electrodes contacts a first side of the one layer; and

the plurality of second conductive electrodes contacts a second side of the one layer.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the display stack comprises a flexible display stack and the touch sensor comprises a flexible touch sensor.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the display with the touch sensor provided therein is substantially free of air gaps.

16. An apparatus, comprising:

a light emitting diode (LED) display stack for a touch-sensitive screen comprising a plurality of layers, the plurality of layers comprising at least a light emissive layer, a cathode layer, and a substantially transparent cover layer, the cathode layer being configured to energize the light emissive layer; and

a touch sensor disposed in the LED display stack between the substantially transparent cover layer and the cathode layer, the touch sensor comprising;

a layer that is a polarizer layer or a color filter layer;

a plurality of first conductive electrodes contacting the layer that is the polarizer layer or the color filter layer; and

a plurality of second conductive electrodes contacting the layer that is the polarizer layer or the color filter layer.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the LED display stack comprises an organic LED display stack.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the layer is used by the LED display stack to produce a color image.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the plurality of electrodes comprise fine lines of metal deposited on the layer.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein:

the display stack further comprises a polarizer layer that is below the substantially transparent cover layer and the touch sensor, or

the display stack further comprises a polarizer layer that is below the substantially transparent cover layer and above the touch sensor.