DISPLAY APPARATUS WITH PIXEL-ALIGNED GROUND MICRO-WIRE

• US 20140085214A1
• Filed: 09/26/2012
• Published: 03/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Original Assignee: Ronal Steven Cok
• Inventors: COK, RONALD STEVEN
• Granted Patent: US 8,854,327 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• 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 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• 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: G06F 3/0448 Details of the electrode shape, e.g. for enhancing the detection of touches, for generating specific electric field shapes, for enhancing display quality

Abstract

A display apparatus includes a display having an array of pixels formed in rows and columns. The rows of pixels are separated by row inter-pixel gaps and the columns of pixels separated by column inter-pixel gaps. A touch-screen includes a transparent dielectric layer having a row side and an opposed column side located over the display, the touch screen having row electrodes spaced apart by row inter-electrode gaps located on the row side of the transparent dielectric layer and column electrodes spaced apart by column inter-electrode gaps located on the column side of the transparent dielectric layer. The row and column electrodes are separated by the transparent dielectric layer. Ground lines are located on the row side between neighboring row electrodes in the row inter-electrode gaps and between the pixels in a row inter-pixel gap.

Claims

1. A display apparatus, comprising:

a display including an array of pixels formed in rows and columns, the rows of pixels separated by row inter-pixel gaps and the columns of pixels separated by column inter-pixel gaps;

a touch-screen including a transparent dielectric layer having a row side and an opposed column side located over the display, the touch screen having row electrodes spaced apart by row inter-electrode gaps located on the row side of the transparent dielectric layer and column electrodes spaced apart by column inter-electrode gaps located on the column side of the transparent dielectric layer, the row and column electrodes separated by the transparent dielectric layer; and

ground lines located on the row side between neighboring row electrodes in the row inter-electrode gaps and between the pixels in a row inter-pixel gap.

2. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ground lines are electrically connected.

3. The display apparatus of claim 1, further including column ground lines located on the column side between each pair of column electrodes in the column inter-electrode gaps and between the pixels in a column inter-pixel gap.

4. The display apparatus of claim 3, wherein the column ground lines are electrically connected.

5. The display apparatus of claim 3, wherein the ground lines are electrically connected to the column ground lines.

6. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the display is formed on or over a display substrate, the display substrate having a first display substrate side on or over which the pixels are formed and a second display substrate side opposing the first display substrate side.

7. The display apparatus of claim 6, wherein the row electrodes are formed on or over the second display substrate side or on layers formed on the second display substrate side and the display substrate is between the row electrodes and the pixels.

8. The display apparatus of claim 6, wherein the row electrodes are formed on the first display substrate side or on layers formed on the first display substrate side and the pixels are located between the row electrodes and the display substrate.

9. The display apparatus of claim 1, further including an electrode substrate having a first electrode substrate side and a second electrode substrate side opposing the first electrode substrate side.

10. The display apparatus of claim 9, wherein the row electrodes and the ground lines are formed on the first electrode substrate side or on layers formed on the first electrode substrate side.

11. The display apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first electrode substrate side is between the electrode substrate and the display.

12. The display apparatus of claim 9, wherein the ground lines are formed on the first electrode substrate side or on layers formed on the first electrode substrate side and the column electrodes are formed on the second electrode substrate side or on layers formed on the second electrode substrate side.

13. The display apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first electrode substrate side is between the electrode substrate and the display.

14. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ground lines substantially fill the row inter-pixel gap.

15. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ground lines include a micro-wire or a plurality of electrically connected micro-wires.

16. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least some of the micro-wires form a straight line.

17. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ground lines include metal or a metal alloy.

18. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ground lines are partially transparent.

19. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the display further includes a display ground and the ground lines are electrically connected to the display ground.

20. The display apparatus of claim 1, further including an electrode control circuit having an electrode ground and wherein the ground line is electrically connected to the electrode ground.

21. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein alternating rows or columns of pixels are offset and the ground lines form a crenellated pattern.