User Interface Panel Connection

• US 20130113712A1
• Filed: 11/04/2011
• Published: 05/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Calvo Alonso, Vicente
• Application Number:
  US13/289,268
• Publication Number:
  US 20130113712A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13458 Terminal pads
• 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 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04164 Connections between sensors and controllers, e.g. routing lines between electrodes and connection pads
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10128 Display
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10962 Component not directly connected to the PCB
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/2018 Presence of a frame in a printed circuit or printed circuit assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/301 by means of a mounting structure H05K3/325 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/32 electrically connecting electric components or wires to printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

An apparatus including a user interface panel having a plurality of substrate layers and a plurality of electrically conductive lines on the substrate layers. The substrate layers form perimeter side edges of the user interface panel. The electrically conductive lines each have an end forming an electrical contact pad at the perimeter side edges. The electrical contact pads are arranged in rows at more than one of the perimeter side edges. Each electrical contact pad is configured to directly connect to a separate contact of a user interface panel receiving socket.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising a user interface panel comprising a plurality of substrate layers and a plurality of electrically conductive lines on the substrate layers, where the substrate layers form perimeter side edges of the user interface panel, where the electrically conductive lines each have an end forming an electrical contact pad at the perimeter side edges, where the electrical contact pads are arranged at more than one of the perimeter side edges, and where each electrical contact pad is configured to directly connect to a separate contact of a panel receiving socket.

2. An apparatus as in claim 1 where the electrically conductive lines comprise source lines and first gate lines which are generally perpendicular to each other.

3. An apparatus as in claim 2 where the electrically conductive lines further comprise readout lines and second gate lines, where the user interface panel is a display/touch panel.

4. An apparatus as in claim 3 where the contact pads of the source lines, first gate lines, readout lines and second gate lines are at at least two respective ones of the perimeter side edges.

5. An apparatus as in claim 1 where the ends of each of the electrically conductive lines extend out of the substrate layers at their respective perimeter side edges and substantially immediately terminate in the contact pads at their respective perimeter side edges without traversing any substantial distance longways along the respective perimeter side edge.

6. An apparatus as in claim 1 where the substrate layers form a first shelf having a first height and a second shelf having a second height, where a first row of the electrical contact pads are on the first shelf at the first height, and where a second row of the electrical contact pads are on the second shelf at the second height.

7. An apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising the user interface panel having the panel receiving socket connected thereto, where the contacts of the socket each have a first end directly contacting the pads and a second end connected to a printed wiring board.

8. An apparatus as in claim 7 further comprising a display driver electrically connected to the contacts of the socket, where the display driver is spaced from the user interface panel and the socket.

9. An apparatus as in claim 8 where the apparatus comprises housing members forming exterior sides of the apparatus, where at least one of the housing members forms a housing of the socket with an aperture having the user interface panel therein, where the housing of the socket directly supports the contacts thereon.

10. An apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising the user interface panel having the panel receiving socket connected thereto, where the user interface panel comprises multiple user interface panels.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a socket comprising electrical contacts;

a user interface panel mounted in the socket, where the user interface panel comprises a plurality of electrically conductive lines extending across the user interface panel, where each of the electrically conductive lines comprises an end forming an electrical contact pad, where the electrical contact pads are arranged along perimeter edges of the user interface panel, where the electrical contacts of the socket directly connect to the electrical contact pads at the perimeter edges; and

a display driver connected to the electrical contacts of the socket, where the display driver is spaced from the user interface panel.

12. An apparatus as in claim 11 where the electrically conductive lines comprise source lines and first gate lines which are generally perpendicular to each other.

13. An apparatus as in claim 12 where the electrically conductive lines further comprise readout lines and second gate lines, where the user interface panel is a touch screen.

14. An apparatus as in claim 13 where the contact pads of the source lines, first gate lines, readout lines and second gate lines are at at least two respective ones of the perimeter side edges.

15. An apparatus as in claim 11 where the ends of each of the electrically conductive lines extend out of the substrate layers at their respective perimeter side edges and substantially immediately terminate in the contact pads at their respective perimeter side edges without traversing any substantial distance longways along the respective perimeter side edge.

16. An apparatus as in claim 11 where the substrate layers form a first shelf having a first height and a second shelf having a second height, where a first row of the electrical contact pads are on the first shelf at the first height, and where a second row of the electrical contact pads are on the second shelf at the second height.

17. An apparatus as in claim 11 comprising means for minimizing a size of non-active display area of the user interface panel at the perimeter edges.

18. An apparatus as in claim 11 where the apparatus comprises housing members forming exterior sides of the apparatus, where at least one of the housing members forms a housing of the socket with an aperture having the user interface panel therein, where the housing of the socket directly supports the contacts thereon.

19. An apparatus as in claim 11 where the user interface panel comprises multiple user interface panels mounted to the socket.

20. A method comprising:

inserting a user interface panel into a socket, where the user interface panel comprises a plurality of electrically conductive lines extending across the user interface panel, where each of the electrically conductive lines comprises an end forming an electrical contact pad, where the electrical contact pads are arranged in rows along perimeter edges of the user interface panel; and

electrically connecting the contact pads directly to electrical contacts of the socket, where the electrical contact pads automatically directly contact the electrical contacts of the socket when the user interface panel is inserted into the socket.