Electric field shielding for in-cell touch type thin-film-transistor liquid crystal displays

• US 8,692,948 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2010
• Issued: 04/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Park, Young-Bae, Xu, Ming, Ge, Zhibing, Chen, Cheng, Chang, Shih Chang, Gettemy, Shawn R., Wurzel, Joshua G., Zhong, John Z.
• Primary Examiner(s): DUONG, THOI V
• Application Number:
  US12/785,395
• Publication Number:
  US 20110285640A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,418 Days
• Field of Search: 349/12, 349/40, 349/96, 349/122, 349/106, 349/158, 349/43, 349/50, 349/113, 349/114, 349/141, 349/139, 345/173, 345/174, 345/211, 345/87, 438/155, 257/E21.7, 361/816, 361/818
• US Class Current: 349/40
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133334 Electromagnetic shields
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04107 Shielding in digitiser, i.e. guard or shielding arrangements, mostly for capacitive touchscreens, e.g. driven shields, driven grounds
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• 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

Displays such as liquid crystal displays may be used in electronic devices. During operation of a display, electrostatic charges on the surface of the display may give rise to electric fields. One or more electric field shielding layers may be provided in the display to prevent the electric fields from disrupting operation of the liquid crystals material in the display. The shielding layers may be formed at a location in the stack of layers that make up the display that is above the liquid crystal material of the display. Touch sensors and thin film transistors may be located below the shielding layer.

Claims

1. A display, comprising:

an upper polarizer;

a lower polarizer;

a liquid crystal layer interposed between the upper polarizer and the lower polarizer;

a touch sensor array below the liquid crystal layer;

a thin-film-transistor substrate, wherein the touch sensor array is formed on the thin-film-transistor substrate;

an electric field shielding layer above the liquid crystal layer;

an additional electric field shielding layer above the liquid crystal layer, wherein the upper polarizer is interposed between the electric field shielding layer and the additional electric field shielding layer, and wherein the electric field shielding layer and the additional electric field shielding layer are electrically coupled to a ground contact on the thin-film-transistor substrate; and

a dot of conductive paste that electrically couples the additional electric field shield layer to the ground contact on the thin-film transistor substrate.

2. The display defined in claim 1 further comprising a switch that is electrically coupled between the electric field shielding layer and the ground contact.

3. The display defined in claim 1 further comprising a capacitive touch sensor electrode array below the liquid crystal layer.

4. The display defined in claim 3 wherein the electric field shielding layer has a resistivity of between 10 M-ohm/square and 10 G-ohm/square.

5. The display defined in claim 1 wherein the electric field shielding layer comprises a conductive layer with openings that increase resistivity for the conductive layer.

6. The display defined in claim 5, wherein the electric field shielding layer further comprises an insulating coating that protects the conductive layer.

7. The display defined in claim 6, wherein the conductive material comprises a nanomaterial.

8. The display defined in claim 6, wherein the insulating coating comprises a polymer resin.

9. The display defined in claim 5, wherein the conductive layer comprises carbon nanotubes.

10. The display defined in claim 5, wherein the conductive layer comprises conductive adhesive.

11. The display defined in claim 5, wherein the conductive layer comprises a conductive doped surface region of a dielectric substrate.

12. The display defined in claim 5, wherein the conductive layer comprises a conductive layer in an antistatic polarizer layer.

13. The display defined in claim 5, wherein the conductive layer comprises a spray-coated layer.

14. The display defined in claim 1 further comprising:

additional conductive paste electrically connected between the electric field shielding layer and a conductive structure.

15. A display, comprising:

an upper polarizer;

a lower polarizer;

a liquid crystal layer interposed between the upper polarizer and the lower polarizer;

a touch sensor array below the liquid crystal layer;

a thin-film-transistor substrate, wherein the touch sensor array is formed on the thin-film transistor substrate;

an electric field shielding layer above the liquid crystal layer, wherein the electric field shielding layer comprises a conductive polymer; and

a conductive paste electrically coupled between the electric field shielding layer and a ground terminal on the thin-film-transistor substrate, wherein the conductive paste comprises a dot of metal paint located at a corner of the electric field shielding layer.

16. The display defined in claim 15 further comprising an additional transparent electric field shielding layer above the liquid crystal layer.

17. The display defined in claim 16, wherein the electric field shielding layer is located above the upper polarizer and wherein the additional transparent electric field shielding layer is located below the upper polarizer.

18. The display defined in claim 15 further comprising a capacitive touch sensor electrode array below the liquid crystal layer.

19. The display defined in claim 15 wherein the electric field shielding layer has a resistivity of between 10 M-ohm/square and 10 G-ohm/square.

20. A display, comprising:

an upper polarizer;

a lower polarizer;

a liquid crystal layer interposed between the upper polarizer and the lower polarizer;

a touch sensor array below the liquid crystal layer;

an electric field shielding layer above the liquid crystal layer, wherein the electric field shielding layer comprises a conductive polymer; and

a switch that is electrically connected between the electric field shielding layer and a ground contact.

21. The display defined in claim 20 further comprising a thin-film-transistor substrate, wherein the touch sensor array is formed on the thin-film-transistor substrate and wherein the ground contact is located on the thin-film-transistor substrate.

22. The display defined in claim 21 further comprising a conductive paste electrically coupled between the electric field shielding layer and the ground contact on the thin-film-transistor substrate.