Electronic document reading devices

• US 8,619,021 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2009
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: FlexEnable Limited (Plastic Logic JSC)
• Original Assignee: Plastic Logic Limited (Plastic Logic JSC)
• Inventors: Hayton, Carl
• Primary Examiner(s): BOYD, JONATHAN A
• Application Number:
  US12/647,632
• Publication Number:
  US 20110095999A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,464 Days
• Field of Search: 345/107
• US Class Current: 345/107
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• 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 1/1652 the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• 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: G09G 3/344 based on particles moving in a fluid or in a gas, e.g. electrophoretic devices electrophoretic devices per se G02F1/167
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/003 Details of a display terminal, the details relating to the control arrangement of the display terminal and to the interfaces thereto specific for a CRT G09G1/165; for a flat panel G09G3/2092

Abstract

We describe an architecture for a large-area, touch-sensitive electronic document reading device which is able to tolerate bending. In broad terms, a control circuit board is mounted behind a flexible display structure in the housing and at respective points of attachment of first and second laminar connectors to the control circuit board each laminar connector has a plurality of electrical connections running along a longitudinal direction of the laminar connector and disposed alongside one another in a transverse direction across the laminar connector. At the respective points of attachment of the first and second laminar connectors to the control circuit board the longitudinal directions of the laminar connectors are aligned such that, when said device is flexed, a relative displacement in said longitudinal direction between said control circuit board and of said display structure can be tolerated without damage to the control electronics, touch sensitive display screen or connections therebetween.

Claims

1. A flex-tolerant electronic document reading device, the device comprising:

a flexible display structure comprising;

a transparent front panel, a pixellated flexible display screen behind said front panel, an active matrix backplane bearing a plurality of pixel driver circuits for driving pixels of said display screen, said active matrix backplane having a flexible plastic substrate, said flexible display screen being mounted on said active matrix backplane, and a touch sensing layer mounted over a display surface of said display screen and behind said front panel to sense an X-Y touch position on said display screen;

a control circuit hoard carrying control electronics for the electronic;

document reading device; and

a flex-tolerant housing for said display structure and control circuit board;

wherein said active matrix backplane is coupled to said control circuit board by a backplane connector including a first part which connects to an edge of the active matrix backplane and at least one first flexible, substantially laminar connector which is connected to the first part and which has a longitudinal direction which is parallel to a long axis of the laminar connector,

wherein said touch sensing layer is coupled to said control circuit board by a sensor connector including a first portion which connects to an edge of the touch sensing layer and at least one second flexible, substantially laminar connector which is connected to the first portion and which has a longitudinal direction which is parallel to a long axis of the laminar connector,

wherein said edge of the touch sensing layer to which said first portion of said sensor connector is connected is orthogonal to said edge of the active matrix backplane to which the first part of said backplane connector is connected;

wherein said control circuit board is mounted behind said flexible display structure in said housing,

wherein at respective points of attachment of said at least one first and second laminar connectors to said control circuit board, each said laminar connector has a plurality of electrical connections running along a longitudinal direction of the laminar connector and disposed alongside one another in a transverse direction across the laminar connector, wherein said first portion of said sensor connector and said first part of said backplane connector include at least one substantially 180 degree bend;

wherein, at said respective points of attachment of said at least one first and second laminar connectors to said control circuit board, at least one of said first and second laminar connectors comprises a fold so that the longitudinal directions of said laminar connectors are aligned, wherein when said device is flexed, a relative displacement in said longitudinal direction between. said control circuit board and of said display structure is able to be tolerated.

2. The flex-tolerant electronic. document reading device as claimed in. claim 1, Wherein one of said at least one first laminar connector and said at least one second laminar connector has a fold to turn a longitudinal direction of said laminar connector though substantially 90 degrees before connecting to said control circuit board, such that said longitudinal directions of said laminar connectors are aligned.

3. The flex-tolerant electronic document reading device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said active matrix backplane is coupled to said control circuit board by a first and a second backplane connector, wherein each of said first and second backplane connectors comprises a first part which connects to an edge of the backplane and at least one first flexible, substantially laminar connector which is connected to the first part, wherein said first parts of said first and second backplane connectors are connected to orthogonal sides of said active matrix backplane, wherein said laminar connector for said first backplane connector has one said 90 degree turning fold and wherein said laminar connector for said second backplane connector has two said 90 degree turning folds such that, at points of attachment of all said laminar connectors to said circuit board, said longitudinal directions of all said laminar connectors are aligned to allow relative longitudinal movement between said control circuit board and said display structure when said housing is flexed.

4. The flex-tolerant electronic document reading device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said touch sensing layer is divided into first and second regions each covering opposite respective first and second sides of said display screen, each said region having a respective set of row and column touch sensing electrode lines, and further comprising first and second touch sensing circuits, mounted on respective first and second circuit boards, said first touch sensing circuit being connected to said row and column touch sensing electrode lines of said first region of said touch sensing layer, said second touch sensing circuit being connected to said row and column touch sensing electrode lines of said second region of said touch sensing layer, and further comprising two of said sensor connectors each comprising a first portion comprising one of said first and second touch sensing circuits and at least one second flexible, substantially laminar connector with said second laminar connectors aligned along a single said longitudinal direction to provide electrical connections to orthogonal said row and column touch sensing electrode lines of said first and second regions of said touch sensing layer.

5. The flex-tolerant electronic document reading device as claimed in claim 4 wherein said first and second circuit boards comprise flexible printed circuit boards, and wherein said two second flexible, substantially laminar connectors comprise part of said first and second circuit boards on which said first and second touch sensing circuits are mounted.

6. The flex-tolerant electronic document reading device as claimed in claim 4 wherein said combination of said touch sensing layer and first and second circuit boards are connected to said control circuit board adjacent a maximum of two opposite edges of said control circuit board.

7. The flex-tolerant electronic document reading device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said touch sensing layer comprises a projected capacitance touch sensor, and wherein said display screen has an active display area with a diagonal dimension of at least 20 cm.

8. The flex-tolerant electronic document reading device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said active matrix backplane is coupled to said control circuit board at locations adjacent edges of said active matrix backplane, at two opposite edges of said active matrix backplane, said two opposite edges being edges parallel to said aligned longitudinal. directions of said laminar connectors.

9. The flex-tolerant electronic document reading device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising an intermediate frame plate between said control circuit board and said display structure, wherein said display structure is adhesively mounted on said frame plate in fixed alignment to the frame plate, and wherein said frame plate has one or more datums to hold said frame plate in fixed alignment with said housing.

10. The flex-tolerant electronic document reading device as claimed in claim 9 wherein said flexible display screen is an electrophoretic display screen and wherein said frame plate comprises a metal plate to thermally shield said electrophoretic display screen from said control circuit board.

11. The flex-tolerant electronic document reading device as claimed in claim 9 wherein said flexible mounts for said control circuit board comprise adhesive pads mounting said control circuit board on said frame plate in flexible alignment to said frame plate.

12. The flex-tolerant electronic document reading device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said control circuit board is generally L-shaped and has edges adjacent edges of said active matrix backplane and touch sensing layer, and wherein said first and second laminar connectors connect at locations adjacent edges of said L-shape.

13. The flex-tolerant electronic document reading device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the device has a lateral diagonal dimension of at least 25 cm and a thickness of no greater than 9 mm.

14. The flex-tolerant electronic document reading device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said housing has a removable rear panel with a gutter between an edge of said removable rear panel and an edge of said housing, and wherein said removable rear panel is attached to said housing by stretch release adhesive tape having a pull tab located in said gutter.

15. The flex-tolerant electronic document reading device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said flexible display screen is an electrophoretic display screen, and further comprising a user control operatively connected to said control circuit board to control display of information on said electrophoretic display screen and an illumination device, wherein a perimeter of said housing is configured to conduct light from said illumination device to a side or edge of said housing, and wherein said control electronics is configured to control said illumination device in response to user operation of said user control to provide substantially instant optical feedback to a user of the device on operation of said user control to compensate for a delay time in a response of said electrophoretic display screen to said operation of said user control.

16. The flex-tolerant electronic document reading device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said flexible display screen is an electrophoretic display screen.

17. The flex tolerant electronic document reading device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said active matrix backplane and said touch sensing layer are on different, orthogonal sides.

18. A flex-tolerant electronic document reading device, the device comprising:

a flexible display structure comprising;

a transparent front panel, a pixellated flexible display screen behind said front panel, an active matrix backplane bearing a plurality of pixel driver circuits for driving pixels of said display screen, said active matrix backplane having flexible plastic substrate, said flexible display screen being mounted on said active matrix backplane, and a touch sensing layer mounted over a display surface of said display screen and behind said front panel to sense an X-Y touch position on said display screen;

a control circuit board carrying control electronics for the electronic document reading device; and

a flex-tolerant housing for said display structure and control circuit board;

wherein said active matrix backplane is coupled to said control circuit board by a backplane connector including a first part which connects to an edge of the active matrix backplane and at least one first flexible, substantially laminar connector which is connected to the first part and which has a longitudinal direction which is parallel to a long axis of the laminar connector,

wherein said touch sensing layer is coupled to said control circuit board by a sensor connector including a first portion which connects to an edge of the touch sensing layer and at least one second flexible, substantially laminar connector which is connected to the first portion and which has a longitudinal direction which is parallel to a long axis of the laminar connector,

wherein said edge of the touch sensing layer to which said first portion of said sensor connector is connected is orthogonal to said edge of the active matrix backplane to which the first part of said backplane connector is connected;

wherein said control circuit board is mounted behind said flexible display structure in said housing,

wherein at respective points of attachment of said at least one first and second laminar connectors to said control circuit board, each said laminar connector has a plurality of electrical connections running along a longitudinal direction of the laminar connector and disposed alongside one another in a transverse direction across the laminar connector;

wherein, at said respective points of attachment of said at least one first and second laminar connectors to said control circuit board, at least one of said first and second laminar connectors comprises a fold so that the longitudinal directions of said laminar connectors are aligned, wherein when said device is flexed, a relative displacement in said longitudinal direction between said control circuit board and of said display structure is able to be tolerated.