Touch panel circuit with electrostatic discharge protection structure and touch panel including same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10152165-B2
Application number	US-201615074969-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 18, 2016
Priority date	Mar 23, 2015
Publication date	Dec 11, 2018
Grant date	Dec 11, 2018

Abstract

A touch panel circuit is disclosed. The touch panel circuit includes a signal transmission path and a ground path. An end of the signal transmission path is provided with a first tip structure protruding outward and having a needlepoint-shape end portion. The ground path is provided with a second tip structure having a needlepoint-shape end portion which is opposite to the needlepoint-shape end portion of the first tip structure. The needlepoint-shape end portion of the first tip structure of the signal transmission path is configured to aggregate electrostatic charges on the signal transmission path, and discharge the aggregated electrostatic charges to the second tip structure of the ground path opposite to the first tip structure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A touch panel circuit, comprising a signal transmission path and a ground path, wherein:
an end of the signal transmission path is provided with a first tip structure protruding outward and having a needlepoint-shape end portion;
the ground path is provided with a second tip structure having a needlepoint-shape end portion which is opposite to the needlepoint-shape end portion of the first tip structure; and
the needlepoint-shape end portion of the first tip structure of the signal transmission path is configured to aggregate electrostatic charges on the signal transmission path, and discharge the aggregated electrostatic charges to the second tip structure of the ground path opposite to the first tip structure,
wherein the first tip structure is formed by etching when etching the signal transmission path, and the second tip structure is formed by etching when etching the ground path.

2. The touch panel circuit of claim 1 , wherein the needlepoint-shape end portion of the second tip structure is configured to receive the electrostatic charges discharged by the needlepoint-shape end portion of the first tip structure, and guide the electrostatic charges to the ground path.

3. The touch panel circuit of claim 1 , wherein a distance between the needlepoint-shape end portion of the first tip structure and the needlepoint-shape end portion of the second tip structure is smaller than a predetermined distance threshold.

4. The touch panel circuit of claim 1 , wherein the ground path is configured to provide a charge-flowing loop for the electrostatic charges received by the second tip structure.

5. The touch panel circuit of claim 1 , wherein the signal transmission path is coupled to a touch panel control chip to receive a capacitance value generated on a touch panel and carry a driving signal of the touch panel control chip.

6. A touch panel comprising a touch panel circuit, the touch panel circuit including a signal transmission path and a ground path, wherein:
an end of the signal transmission path is provided with a first tip structure protruding outward and having a needlepoint-shape end portion;
the ground path is provided with a second tip structure having a needlepoint-shape end portion which is opposite to the needlepoint-shape end portion of the first tip structure; and
the needlepoint-shape end portion of the first tip structure of the signal transmission path is configured to aggregate electrostatic charges on the signal transmission path, and discharge the aggregated electrostatic charges to the second tip structure of the ground path opposite to the first tip structure,
wherein the first tip structure is formed by etching when etching the signal transmission path, and the second tip structure is formed by etching when etching the ground path.

7. The touch panel of claim 6 , wherein the needlepoint-shape end portion of the second tip structure is configured to receive the electrostatic charges discharged by the needlepoint-shape end portion of the first tip structure, and guide the electrostatic charges to the ground path.

8. The touch panel of claim 6 , wherein a distance between the needlepoint-shape end portion of the first tip structure and the needlepoint-shape end portion of the second tip structure is smaller than a predetermined distance threshold.

9. The touch panel of claim 6 , wherein the ground path is configured to provide a charge-flowing loop for the electrostatic charges received by the second tip structure.

10. The touch panel of claim 6 , wherein the signal transmission path is coupled to a touch panel control chip to receive a capacitance value generated on the touch panel and carry a driving signal of the touch panel control chip.

11. A device, comprising:
a touch panel control chip; and
a touch panel including a touch panel circuit that further includes a signal transmission path and a ground path, wherein:
an end of the signal transmission path is provided with a first tip structure protruding outward and having a needlepoint-shape end portion;
the ground path is provided with a second tip structure having a needlepoint-shape end portion which is opposite to the needlepoint-shape end portion of the first tip structure; and
the needlepoint-shape end portion of the first tip structure of the signal transmission path is configured to aggregate electrostatic charges on the signal transmission path, and discharge the aggregated electrostatic charges to the second tip structure of the ground path opposite to the first tip structure,
wherein the first tip structure is formed by etching when etching the signal transmission path, and the second tip structure is formed by etching when etching the ground path.

12. The device of claim 11 , wherein the needlepoint-shape end portion of the second tip structure is configured to receive the electrostatic charges discharged by the needlepoint-shape end portion of the first tip structure, and guide the electrostatic charges to the ground path.

13. The device of claim 11 , wherein a distance between the needlepoint-shape end portion of the first tip structure and the needlepoint-shape end portion of the second tip structure is smaller than a predetermined distance threshold.

14. The device of claim 11 , wherein the ground path is configured to provide a charge-flowing loop for the electrostatic charges received by the second tip structure.

15. The device of claim 11 , wherein the signal transmission path is coupled to the touch panel control chip to receive a capacitance value generated on the touch panel and carry a driving signal of the touch panel control chip.

Assignees

• Xiaomi Inc

Inventors

• Hao Ning
• Zhao Qinghui
• Wang Yanteng

Classifications

• G06F3/0416 Primary

  Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers · CPC title

• G06F2203/04103

  Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices · CPC title

• G06F2203/04107

  Shielding in digitiser, i.e. guard or shielding arrangements, mostly for capacitive touchscreens, e.g. driven shields, driven grounds · CPC title

• G06F3/044

  by capacitive means · CPC title

• G06F3/0446 Primary

  using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes · CPC title