Flat panel display with a built-in touch panel and method for manufacturing the same

• US 6,538,706 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2001
• Issued: 03/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Acer Display Technology Inc (AU Optronics Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Unipac Optoelectronics Corp. (AUO Corp.)
• Inventors: Sun, Ming-shen
• Primary Examiner(s): Sikes, William L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): AKKAPEDDI, PRASAD R
• Application Number:
  US09/950,676
• Publication Number:
  US 20020033920A1
• Time in Patent Office: 558 Days
• Field of Search: 349/12, 349/74, 349/143, 349/141, 349/148, 349/155, 349/187, 349/96
• US Class Current: 349/12
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• 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

Abstract

A liquid crystal display panel having abuilt-in touch panel is disclosed. The liquid crystal display panel disclosed here includes a display comprising one first substrate, one second substrate, a bottom polarizer and a liquid crystal layer; a top polarizer, a plurality of parallel stripes of first electrodes, a plurality of spacers, said spacers locating between said top polarizer; wherein the projection of said first electrodes on said first substrate intersects the projection of said second electrodes on said first electrodes. Furthermore, a method for manufacturing the liquid crystal display panel illustrated above is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal display panel including a touch panel, comprising:

a display comprising one first substrate, one second substrate, a bottom polarizer and a liquid crystal layer, wherein said liquid crystal layer is located between said first substrate and said second substrate, said bottom polarizer being located on a first surface of said second substrate;

a top polarizer, said top polarizer being located above said first substrate; and

a resistance pressure sensing mechanism for sensing a resistance of a position of pressure on the touch panel, said resistance pressure sensing mechanism including;

a plurality of parallel strips arranged to form first electrodes, said first electrodes being located on a second surface of said first substrate between said top polarizer and said first substrate;

a plurality of parallel strips arranged to form second electrodes, said second electrodes being located between said top polarizer and said first substrate; and

a plurality of spacers, said spacers being located between said top polarizer and said first substrate or between said top polarizer and said first electrodes;

wherein a projection of said first electrodes on said first substrate intersects a projection of said second electrodes on said first electrodes.

2. The liquid crystal display panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein said film is a PET (polyethylene terephthalate) film, and wherein said PET (polyethylene terephthalate film is located between said top polarizer and said first electrodes, and said second electrodes are located on a surface of said PET (polyethylene terephthalate) film.

3. The liquid crystal display panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second electrodes are deposited on a surface of said top polarizer.

4. The liquid crystal display panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first electrodes are indium tin oxides.

5. The liquid crystal display panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second electrodes are indium tin oxides.

6. The liquid crystal panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein said projection of first electrodes on said first substrate intersects with said projection of second electrodes on said first substrate perpendicularly.

7. The liquid crystal panel as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a backlight unit module for providing light for said display.

8. A method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display and touch panel, comprising the steps of:

(A) providing a display comprising a first substrate, a second substrate, a bottom polarizer and a liquid crystal layer;

wherein said liquid crystal layer is located between said first substrate and said second substrate, said bottom polarizer being located on a first surface of said second substrate;

(B) forming a plurality of first electrodes of a resistance pressure-sensing mechanism in parallel strips on said first substrate or on a bottom PET (polyethylene terephthalate) film;

(C) spraying spacers on the surface of said first substrate or the surface of said bottom PET (polyethylene terephthalate) film to form a layer of spacers;

(D) forming a plurality of second electrodes of said resistance pressure-sensing mechanism in parallel strips so as to be situated between the top polarizer and the first electrodes when the top polarizer or a top PET (polyethylene terephthalate) film is placed on said first substrate and said layer of spacers; and

(E) placing said top polarizer or said top PET (polyethylene terephthalate) film on said first substrate and said layer of spacers;

wherein a projection of said first electrodes on said first substrate intersects a projection of said second electrodes on said first electrodes.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein in step (D), said parallel strips of said second electrodes are formed by laying a layer of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) film having a plurality of parallel of said second electrodes on a surface of said top polarizer.

10. The method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising the step (F) of laying a bottom polarizer on a surface of said top polarizer.

11. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the projection of said first electrodes on said first substrate is perpendicular to the projection of said second electrodes on said first substrate.

12. The method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising (G) combining a backlight assembly with said display unit to provide light source for said liquid crystal display panel.