Touch sensitive display device

• US 7,205,983 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2003
• Issued: 04/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Johnson, Mark Thomas, De Boer, Dirk Kornelis Gerhardus, Raap, Adriaan Yde
• Primary Examiner(s): Jankus; Almis R.
• Application Number:
  US10/523,620
• Publication Number:
  US 20050231461A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,371 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/174, 359/296
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact

Abstract

A touch-sensitive display is made by incorporating a pressure dependent resistive polymer composite into the polymer networks, which are components of the electro-optical pixels. Examples are PDLC, electrophoretic displays, polymer dispersed guest/host systems and other polymer dispersed LC devices.

Claims

1. A touch sensitive display device comprising an elastic structure with a multiple of picture elements and having means for applying driving voltages to said picture elements, the elastic structure comprising touch sensitive elements, the touch sensitive display device having means for monitoring electrical characteristics of said touch sensitive elements and sensing a change in said electrical characteristics, wherein the touch sensitive elements comprise quantum tunneling composites.

2. The touch sensitive display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the touch sensitive elements at least have a nonlinear resistive part.

3. The touch sensitive display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for monitoring the electrical characteristics of the touch sensitive elements comprise at least an electrode of a picture element.

4. The touch sensitive display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the picture elements comprise at least one capsule containing an electro-optical medium.

5. The touch sensitive display device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the electro-optical medium includes a liquid crystal, a guest host system or an electrophoretic medium.

6. The touch sensitive display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for monitoring the electrical characteristics monitor the electrical characteristics of at least one row of picture elements.

7. The touch sensitive display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for monitoring the electrical characteristics monitor the electrical characteristics of at least one column of picture elements.

8. The touch sensitive display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for monitoring the electrical characteristics monitor the electrical characteristics of a block of picture elements.

9. A touch sensitive display comprising:

picture elements;

at least one driver to drive the picture elements; and

pressure sensitive elements having changeable electrical characteristics in response to a strain, the pressure sensitive elements comprising quantum tunneling composites.

10. The touch sensitive display of claim 9, wherein the picture elements are encapsulated using a polymer network, the polymer network including the pressure sensitive elements.

11. The touch sensitive display of claim 9, wherein the picture elements are suspended in a medium, the pressure sensitive elements being included in the medium.

12. The touch sensitive display of claim 9, wherein the pressure sensitive elements have a resistivity that depends on the strain.

13. The touch sensitive display of claim 9, wherein the pressure sensitive elements have a nonlinear resistivity that depends on the strain.

14. A touch sensitive display device comprising:

picture elements;

at least one driver to drive the picture elements; and

a pressure sensitive elements having changeable electrical characteristics in response to a strain, the pressure sensitive elements comprising conducting particles with dendrites;

the conducting particles being separated from each other and being configured to transfer electrons through the dendrites when a spacing between the dendrite is reduced by the strain.

15. The touch sensitive display of claim 14, wherein the picture elements are encapsulated using a polymer network, the polymer network including the pressure sensitive elements.

16. The touch sensitive display of claim 14, wherein the picture elements are suspended an a medium, the pressure sensitive elements being included in the medium.

17. The touch sensitive display of claim 14, wherein the pressure sensitive elements have a resistivity that depends on the strain.

18. The touch sensitive display of claim 14, wherein the pressure sensitive elements have a nonlinear resistivity that depends on the strain.

19. The touch sensitive display of claim 14, wherein the transfer of electrons reduces resistivity of the pressure sensitive elements.