DISPLAY MODULE FOR A TOUCHSCREEN DISPLAY

• US 20110242039A1
• Filed: 03/30/2010
• Published: 10/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Garmin Limited
• Original Assignee: Garmin Limited
• Inventors: Hanshew, Christopher J., Kalis, Robert M.
• Application Number:
  US12/749,765
• Publication Number:
  US 20110242039A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133615 Edge-illuminating devices, i.e. illuminating from the side
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1658 related to the mounting of internal components, e.g. disc drive or any other functional module
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0436 in which generating transducers and detecting transducers are attached to a single acoustic waves transmission substrate
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0426 Layout of electrodes and connections

Abstract

A display module for use in a touchscreen display of an electronic device. The display module includes a display screen, support structure for the display screen, and LEDs or other light sources for backlighting one or more touch-sensitive fixed icons on a touch panel positioned over the display module. The light sources are sandwiched between an inactive border area of the display screen and the support structure.

Claims

1. A display module for use in a touchscreen display, the display module comprising:

a display screen having an inactive border;

a support structure for the display screen; and

a light source supported between the inactive border of the display screen and the support structure for backlighting a component placed over the display module.

2. The display module as set forth in claim 1, wherein the support structure comprises a front bezel that partially overlays a front face of the display screen and that sandwiches the light source on the inactive border of the display screen.

3. The display module as set forth in claim 1, wherein the light source is mounted to a flexible printed circuit that is sandwiched between the display screen and the support structure.

4. The display module as set forth in claim 3, further comprising a plurality of backlights positioned on a rear face of the display screen for backlighting the display screen.

5. The display module as set forth in claim 4, wherein the backlights for the display screen and the light source are mounted to a common flexible printed circuit.

6. The display module as set forth in claim 2, wherein the front bezel includes a cutout for the light source.

7. The display module as set forth in claim 1, wherein the display module further comprises a display driver for driving the display screen.

8. The display module as set forth in claim 1, wherein the component backlighted by the light source is a touch-sensitive fixed icon integrated into a touch panel positioned over the display module.

9. The display module as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of light sources positioned between the display screen and the support structure for backlighting a plurality of touch-sensitive fixed icons integrated into a touch panel positioned over the display module.

10. The display module as set forth in claim 9, wherein the touch-sensitive fixed icons enable functions of Home, Menu, Back, Send, or End in an electronic device in which the display module is mounted.

11. The display module as set forth in claim 1, wherein the light source is an upward-lighting type LED.

12. A touchscreen display for an electronic device, the touchscreen display comprising:

a display module comprising—

a display screen having an inactive border,

a support structure for the display screen, and

a light source supported between the inactive border of the display screen and the support structure; and

a touch panel positioned over the display module for sensing touches thereon, the touch panel having an integral touch-sensitive fixed icon aligned with and illuminated by the light source of the display module.

13. The touchscreen display as set forth in claim 12, wherein the support structure comprises a front bezel that partially overlays a front face of the display screen and that sandwiches the light source on the inactive border of the display screen.

14. The touchscreen display as set forth in claim 12, wherein the light source is mounted to a flexible printed circuit that is positioned between the display screen and the support structure.

15. The touchscreen display as set forth in claim 14, further comprising a plurality of backlights positioned on a rear face of the display screen for backlighting the display screen.

16. The touchscreen display as set forth in claim 15, wherein the backlights for the display screen and the light source are mounted to a common flexible printed circuit.

17. The touchscreen display as set forth in claim 12, wherein the display module further comprises a display driver for driving the display screen.

18. The touchscreen display as set forth in claim 12, wherein the touch panel is a capacitive type touch panel.

19. The touchscreen display as set forth in claim 12, wherein the touch panel is a resistive, surface acoustic wave, infrared, or strain gauge type touch panel.

20. An electronic device comprising:

a circuit board;

electronic circuitry mounted on the circuit board for performing logical operations;

a display module electrically connected to the circuit board for displaying information related to the logical operations, the display module comprising

a display screen having an inactive border,

a support structure for the display screen, and

a light source supported between the inactive border of the display screen and the support structure; and

a touch panel positioned over the display module for sensing touches thereon, the touch panel having an integral touch-sensitive fixed icon aligned with and backlit by the light source of the display module.