ELECTRO-OPTIC DISPLAYS WITH TOUCH SENSORS AND/OR TACTILE FEEDBACK

• US 20110310459A1
• Filed: 10/28/2010
• Published: 12/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: E Ink Holdings Incorporated
• Original Assignee: E Ink Holdings Incorporated
• Inventors: Gates, Holly G., Zehner, Robert W., Wilcox, Russell J., Aprea, Matthew J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,754,859 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/296
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2407 Optical details
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/0018 Electro-optical materials
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/167 by electrophoresis
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/16757 Microcapsules
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1676 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1681 having two or more microcells partitioned by walls, e.g. of microcup type
• 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 3/04166 Details of scanning methods, e.g. sampling time, grouping of sub areas or time sharing with display driving Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally G06F3/04184
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/04 Structural and physical details of display devices
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/344 based on particles moving in a fluid or in a gas, e.g. electrophoretic devices electrophoretic devices per se G02F1/167

Abstract

An electro-optic display comprises, in order, a light-transmissive electrically-conductive layer; a layer of a solid electro-optic material; and a backplane (162) bearing a plurality of pixel electrodes, a peripheral portion of the backplane extending outwardly beyond the layer of solid electro-optic material and bearing a plurality of radiation generating means (166) and a plurality of radiation detecting means (168), the radiation generating means and radiation detecting means together being arranged to act as a touch screen.

Claims

1. An electro-optic display comprising, in order:

a light-transmissive electrically-conductive layer;

a layer of a solid electro-optic material; and

a backplane bearing a plurality of pixel electrodes, a peripheral portion of the backplane extending outwardly beyond the layer of solid electro-optic material, the peripheral portion of the backplane bearing a plurality of radiation generating means and a plurality of radiation detecting means, the plurality of radiation generating means and plurality of radiation detecting means together being arranged to act as a touch screen.

2. An electro-optic display according to claim 1 wherein the radiation generating means comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes emitting in the infra-red region.

3. An electro-optic display according to claim 1 wherein the radiation detecting means comprises a plurality of photodiodes.

4. An electro-optic display according to claim 1 further comprising a light-deflecting bezel arranged to deflect radiation from the radiation generating means across the light-transmissive electrically-conductive layer, and thence on to the radiation detecting means.

5. An electro-optic display according to claim 1 wherein the electro-optic material comprises an electrophoretic material comprising a plurality of electrically charged particles disposed in a fluid and capable of moving through the fluid under the influence of an electric field.

6. An electro-optic display according to claim 5 wherein the electrically charged particles and the fluid are confined within a plurality of capsules or microcells.

7. An electro-optic display according to claim 5 wherein the electrically charged particles and the fluid are present as a plurality of discrete droplets surrounded by a continuous phase comprising a polymeric material.

8. An electro-optic display according to claim 5 wherein the fluid is gaseous.

17. An electro-optic display according to claim 5 wherein the fluid is gaseous.

9. An electro-optic display comprising, in order:

a light-transmissive electrically-conductive layer, a peripheral portion of which bears a plurality of conductive members having a conductivity higher than that of the electrically-conductive layer;

a layer of a solid electro-optic material; and

a backplane bearing a plurality of pixel electrodes,

the electro-optic display further comprising means for controlling the potential of the plurality of conductive members, such that the plurality of conductive members and the light-transmissive electrically-conductive layer can serve as a touch screen.

10. An article of manufacture comprising, in order:

a light-transmissive electrically-conductive layer, a peripheral portion of which bears a plurality of conductive members having a conductivity higher than that of the electrically-conductive layer;

a layer of a solid electro-optic material;

a layer of a lamination adhesive; and

a release sheet.

11. An electro-optic display comprising, in order:

a light-transmissive electrically-conductive layer, a peripheral portion of which bears a plurality of conductive members having a conductivity higher than that of the electrically-conductive layer;

a light-transmissive electrically insulating layer;

a light-transmissive electrically-conductive layer;

a layer of a solid electro-optic material; and

a backplane bearing a plurality of pixel electrodes,

the electro-optic display further comprising means for controlling the potential of the plurality of conductive members, such that the plurality of conductive members and the light-transmissive electrically-conductive layer can serve as a touch screen.

12. An article of manufacture comprising, in order:

a light-transmissive electrically-conductive layer, a peripheral portion of which bears a plurality of conductive members having a conductivity higher than that of the electrically-conductive layer;

a light-transmissive electrically insulating layer;

a light-transmissive electrically-conductive layer;

a layer of a solid electro-optic material; and

a layer of a lamination adhesive; and

a release sheet.

13. An electro-optic display comprising, in order:

a light-transmissive electrically-conductive layer;

a layer of a solid electro-optic material;

a backplane bearing a plurality of pixel electrodes; and

first and second electrically conductive layers spaced apart from another but capable of being deformed towards one another, the first and second electrically conductive layers forming a touch screen.

14. An electro-optic display according to claim 13 wherein the electro-optic material comprises an electrophoretic material comprising a plurality of electrically charged particles disposed in a fluid and capable of moving through the fluid under the influence of an electric field.

15. An electro-optic display according to claim 14 wherein the electrically charged particles and the fluid are confined within a plurality of capsules or microcells.

16. An electro-optic display according to claim 14 wherein the electrically charged particles and the fluid are present as a plurality of discrete droplets surrounded by a continuous phase comprising a polymeric material.