Optical plate structure for a touch panel, and touch display panel and touch liquid crystal display panel including the same

• US 8,773,372 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2010
• Issued: 07/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AU Optronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: AU Optronics Corporation
• Inventors: Chien, Chih-Wei, Tsai, Shau-Yu
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, VIET DAVID
• Application Number:
  US12/948,744
• Publication Number:
  US 20120032920A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,329 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0428 by sensing at the edges of the touch surface the interruption of optical paths, e.g. an illumination plane, parallel to the touch surface which may be virtual sensing beam interruptions in a planar beam grid of an optical touch-screen G06F3/0421

Abstract

An optical plate structure for a touch panel includes an optical plate, at least a light source, and at least an optical camera. A light-emitting surface of the optical plate includes a plurality of micro-structure. The light source is disposed beside a vertical side of the optical plate and emits a first light entering the optical plate. The optical plate guides the first light and emits a second light from the light-emitting surface. The optical camera is disposed beside the optical plate or in a corner of the optical plate and above the light-emitting surface, for detecting a third light incident on the light camera. The second light is reflected by an object touching the optical plate to become the third light. The optical plate structure for a touch panel may be utilized in a touch display panel or a touch liquid crystal display panel.

Claims

1. An optical plate structure for a touch panel, comprising:

an optical plate having a light-emitting surface and a side surface, wherein the light-emitting surface and the side surface are connected to each other, and the light-emitting surface comprises a plurality of micro-structures;

at least a light source, disposed beside the side surface of the optical plate, and emitting a first light to be incident on the side surface to enter the optical plate, wherein the first light is guided by the optical plate and emitted out of the optical plate from the light-emitting surface of the optical plate to become a second light, wherein the micro-structures allow the light-emitting surface to have a first Ra value at a place relatively far to the light source and a second Ra value at a place relatively near to the light source, and the first Ra value is greater than the second Ra value; and

at least an optical camera disposed beside or in a corner of the optical plate and above the light-emitting surface, for detecting a third light incident on the light camera, wherein the second light is reflected by an object touching the optical plate to become the third light.

2. The optical plate structure for a touch panel according to claim 1, further comprising a printed circuit board electrically connected to the optical camera for determining the position of the optical plate being touched.

3. The optical plate structure for a touch panel according to claim 1, wherein the light source comprises an ultra-violet light, a visible light or an infrared light.

4. The optical plate structure for a touch panel according to claim 1, wherein the optical camera comprises a charge-coupled device image sensor or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor image sensor.

5. The optical plate structure for a touch panel according to claim 1, wherein the micro-structures comprise a plurality of structures formed through a process of sand blasting, screen printing, laser engraving, transfer printing or etching.

6. The optical plate structure for a touch panel according to claim 1, wherein the micro-structures allow the light-emitting surface to have a roughness as an Ra value of 0 to 0.25 μ

m.

7. The optical plate structure for a touch panel according to claim 1, wherein the micro-structures allow the light-emitting surface to have a first Ra value at a place relatively far to the optical camera and a second Ra value at a place relatively near to the optical camera, and the first Ra value is greater than the second Ra value.

8. The optical plate structure for a touch panel according to claim 1, wherein the optical plate structure for a touch panel comprises two optical cameras each disposed on each of two corners of the optical plate and higher than the light-emitting surface.

9. The optical plate structure for a touch panel according to claim 1, wherein the optical plate structure for a touch panel comprises:

two light sources each disposed beside a vertical side of each of two cut out corners of the optical plate, and

two optical cameras each disposed above each of the two light sources and higher than the light-emitting surface.

10. The optical plate structure for a touch panel according to claim 1, wherein the at least a light source comprises a bar-shaped infrared light source or a visible light source disposed beside the optical plate.

11. A touch display panel, comprising:

an optical plate structure for a touch panel according to claim 1; and

a display panel disposed under the optical plate structure for a touch panel.

12. A touch liquid crystal display device, comprising:

an optical plate structure for a touch panel according to claim 1;

a liquid crystal display panel disposed under the optical plate structure for a touch panel; and

a backlight module disposed under the liquid crystal display panel.