Touch panel module and electrostatic discharging method

• US 9,814,133 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2015
• Issued: 11/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Novatek Microelectronics Corporation (Novatek Microelectronics Corp Limited)
• Original Assignee: Novatek Microelectronics Corporation (Novatek Microelectronics Corp Limited)
• Inventors: Huang, He-Wei, Lai, Chih-Chang, Tang, Wing-Kai, Pai, Ching-Yang
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Long D
• Application Number:
  US14/669,006
• Publication Number:
  US 20150309625A1
• Time in Patent Office: 957 Days
• Field of Search: 345173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0418 for error correction or compensation, e.g. based on parallax, calibration or alignment
• 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: H05K 1/0259 Electrostatic discharge [ESD] protection
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09781 Dummy conductors, i.e. not used for normal transport of current; Dummy electrodes of components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10128 Display

Abstract

A touch panel module including a touch panel and an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit is provided. The touch panel includes one or more conductive electrodes and one or more dummy electrodes. The one or more conductive electrodes include at least one of one or more driving electrodes and one or more sensing electrodes. The one or more dummy electrodes are configured to fill areas between the one or more conductive electrodes or areas outside the one or more conductive electrodes. The ESD protection circuit is electrically connected to at least one dummy electrode of the one or more dummy electrodes, and configured to provide an electrostatic discharging path to the at least one dummy electrode. Furthermore, an electrostatic discharging method of the touch panel module is also provided.

Claims

1. A touch panel module, comprising:

a touch panel, comprising one or more conductive electrodes and one or more dummy electrodes, wherein the one or more conductive electrodes comprise at least one of one or more driving electrodes and one or more sensing electrodes, and the one or more dummy electrodes are configured to fill areas between the one or more conductive electrodes or areas outside the one or more conductive electrodes; and

an electrostatic discharge protection circuit, electrically connected to at least one dummy electrode of the one or more dummy electrodes, and configured to provide an electrostatic discharging path to the at least one dummy electrode,

wherein the electrostatic discharge protection circuit discharges accumulated electrostatic charges of the at least one dummy electrode through the electrostatic discharging path at all times, or

the electrostatic discharge protection circuit discharges the accumulated electrostatic charges of the at least one dummy electrode through the electrostatic discharging path when a potential difference between two ends of the electrostatic discharge protection circuit is greater than a voltage threshold.

2. The touch panel module of claim 1, wherein

the one or more conductive electrodes are disposed in an active area of the touch panel,

the touch panel further comprises one or more routings disposed in a routing area of the touch panel and connected to the one or more conductive electrodes, and

the one or more dummy electrodes are disposed in at least one of the routing area and the active area.

3. The touch panel module of claim 2, wherein the one or more dummy electrodes comprise one or ore first dummy electrodes and one or more second dummy electrodes, the one or more first dummy electrodes are disposed in the active area and electrically connected to one another, the one or more second dummy electrodes are disposed in the routing area and electrically connected to one another, and the one or more first dummy electrodes and the one or more second dummy electrodes are electrically connected to each other and electrically connected to the electrostatic discharge protection circuit.

4. The touch panel module of claim 3, wherein the touch panel is a single-layer multi-touch touch panel.

5. The touch panel module of claim 1, wherein the one or more conductive electrodes comprise the one or more sensing electrodes, the one or more dummy electrodes are configured to fill areas between the one or more sensing electrodes, and the one or more dummy electrodes are electrically connected to one another and electrically connected to the electrostatic discharge protection circuit.

6. The touch panel module of claim 5, wherein the touch panel is a double-layer touch panel.

7. The touch panel module of claim 1, wherein the electrostatic discharge protection circuit comprises a passive circuit.

8. The touch panel module of claim 7, wherein the passive circuit is coupled between the at least one dummy electrode and a reference voltage.

9. The touch panel module of claim 1, further comprising:

a flexible printed circuit board, connected to the touch panel, wherein the electrostatic discharge protection circuit is disposed on the flexible printed circuit board.

10. The touch panel module of claim 1, further comprising:

a touch control integrated circuit, configured to control operations of the touch panel module, wherein the electrostatic discharge protection circuit is disposed inside the touch control integrated circuit.

11. The touch panel module of claim 1, wherein the electrostatic discharge protection circuit is turned on when the potential difference between the two ends of the electrostatic discharge protection circuit is greater than the voltage threshold, so as to provide the electrostatic discharging path.

12. The touch panel module of claim 1, wherein the electrostatic discharge protection circuit comprises one or more wires electrically connected to at least one dummy electrode of the one or more dummy electrodes.

13. The touch panel module of claim 1, wherein the one or more dummy electrodes are electrically connected to one another, and further electrically connected to the electrostatic discharge protection circuit.

14. An electrostatic discharging method of a touch panel module, the touch panel module comprising a touch panel, and the touch panel comprising one or more conductive electrodes and one or more dummy electrodes, wherein the one or more conductive electrodes comprises at least one of one or more driving electrodes and one or more sensing electrodes, the one or more dummy electrodes are configured to fill areas between the one or more conductive electrodes or areas outside the one or more conductive electrodes, and the method comprises:

providing an electrostatic discharging path to at least one dummy electrode of the one or more dummy electrodes; and

discharging accumulated electrostatic charges of the at least one dummy electrode through the electrostatic discharging path at all times, or

discharging the accumulated electrostatic charges of the at least one dummy electrode through the electrostatic discharging path when a potential difference between two ends of the electrostatic discharge protection circuit is greater than a voltage threshold.