Apple Researching Technology to Provide Image Pixels With Touch Sensing Capabilities

[MacRumors]

Patently Apple reports on a newly-published patent application from Apple disclosing research on touchscreen technology involving the use of pixels with dual-function capacitive elements that are capable of both displaying images and registering touch input. The invention is designed to simplify the current process of overlaying traditional image pixels with transparent touch sensing materials, thereby allowing for thinner and brighter touchscreen displays.

This relates to displays including pixels with dual-function capacitive elements. Specifically, these dual-function capacitive elements form part of the display system that generates an image on the display, and also form part of a touch sensing system that senses touch events on or near the display. The capacitive elements can be, for example, capacitors in pixels of an LCD display that are configured to operate individually, each as a pixel storage capacitor, or electrode, of a pixel in the display system, and are also configured to operate collectively as elements of the touch sensing system. In this way, for example, a display with integrated touch sensing capability may be manufactured using fewer parts and/or processing steps, and the display itself may be thinner and brighter.

The highly-technical patent application offers a number of examples of the technology, and provides three examples of devices that could benefit from the invention: an iPhone-like mobile phone, an iPod-like media player, and a personal computer. Not shown in the application but obviously a potential beneficiary of the technology would be a tablet-style device such as that rumored to be forthcoming from Apple.

The patent application, which was filed on September 29th, 2008, is credited to several Apple inventors, including prominent engineers Steve Hotelling and John Zhong.

Article Link: Apple Researching Technology to Provide Image Pixels With Touch Sensing Capabilities

 

[rdowns]

It's all falling into place. 20 days to go.

 

[fat phil]

Probably unlikely to be related to the tablet, but good to see they're looking at ways to bring the costs down and upping the efficiency.

It's all falling into place. 20 days to go.

Your zeen sig is scaring me...

 

[flybynite]

Very nice. Maybe throw in some pixel-level haptic feedback while your at it, Apple.

 

[Small White Car]

Probably unlikely to be related to the tablet

You never know. The patent was filed over 17 months before the rumored tablet ship date, and there's no telling how long they'd worked on it before they filed it.

It's certainly possible this could be something the new tablet uses.

 

[DipDog3]

Yea, that would eliminate the need for the touch digitizer.

Would be interesting to see this in use.

 

[*LTD*]

The buildup is crazy.

 

[Mr Skills]

There was a lot of fuss recently about a company that's invented a new type of screen that can flip from e-paper style to a full colour normal computer screen. I seem to remember MacRumors suggesting possible links with the Tablet. The only issue was that when in 'normal' mode, it's not as vibrant and bright as a normal LED screen.

If this patent allows the screen to be brighter, perhaps it could offset some of that problem?

 

[Doctor Q]

Notice the part in italics.

Apple's patent generally relates to displays having pixels that include capacitive elements, and more particularly to displays in which capacitive elements of the pixels that form part of the display system that generates an image on the display also form part of a touch sensing system that senses touch events on or near the display.​

 

[cmaier]

Notice the part in italics.

Apple's patent generally relates to displays having pixels that include capacitive elements, and more particularly to displays in which capacitive elements of the pixels that form part of the display system that generates an image on the display also form part of a touch sensing system that senses touch events on or near the display.​

Nothing to see here. All capacitive touchscreens sense touch events on or near the display. My first iphone I could "tap" when still about 2 mm off the screen. As a patent attorney, I also always hedge like that, lest some future infringer claim that the glass surface isn't "the display," etc.

 

[sstarch1]

Nothing to see here. All capacitive touchscreens sense touch events on or near the display. My first iphone I could "tap" when still about 2 mm off the screen. As a patent attorney, I also always hedge like that, lest some future infringer claim that the glass surface isn't "the display," etc.

Patent Attorney or not, with all due respect, i think you may be missing the point of this patent and what it describes. Having your finger register a tap when 2mm away from the surface has NOTHING to do with this technology.

This describes an INTEGRATED on TFT Touch sensor and Display, as opposed to what every capacitive phone on the market today has, which is a touch overlay on TOP of the LCD.

 

[flybynite]

I think cmaier was responding only to Doctor Q's emphasis on the "touch events on or near the display" language. In other words, the implication that events could include hand movements from a distance, manipulation of virtual 3D objects, anticipation of touch, etc.

cmaier thinks this wording is just there to cover a technicality. He's probably right but it would be great if there was something more to it.

If the device simulates three dimensions in its display, a 'near-display' gesture input would close the gap between touch-input and a camera monitoring head/eye position.

 

[cmaier]

I think cmaier was responding only to Doctor Q's emphasis on the "touch events on or near the display" language. In other words, the implication that events could include hand movements from a distance, manipulation of virtual 3D objects, anticipation of touch, etc.

cmaier thinks this wording is just there to cover a technicality. He's probably right but it would be great if there was something more to it.

If the device simulates three dimensions in its display, a 'near-display' gesture input would close the gap between touch-input and a camera monitoring head/eye position.

Yes. I was responding to the specific italics that the Dr.Q had described. It would be nice if people would read what I'm saying before pouncing on me

 

[Thex1138]

Counter Weight

So they've had the patent lodged in secret for over a year... So for them Touch is the real way of the future...
This is more of the counter punch to the MS tablet debacle.
This is the real research into touch panel tech.

 

[MattInOz]

This is a great way to save money. Eliminating another part completely by getting more value out of probably one of the most expensive parts of the screen the silicon layer. I guess as feature sizes get smaller for fabricating screens then they have more options like this of what to do with the extra features.

The big question is how advanced this is towards production?
If you have a screen fab to use with a small enough process then it's really the other part of the process, designing the silicon layout would seem to be reasonably straight forward. Well that is if your laying out designing the layer anyway.

 

[Pigumon]

Won't help

There was a lot of fuss recently about a company that's invented a new type of screen that can flip from e-paper style to a full colour normal computer screen. I seem to remember MacRumors suggesting possible links with the Tablet. The only issue was that when in 'normal' mode, it's not as vibrant and bright as a normal LED screen.

If this patent allows the screen to be brighter, perhaps it could offset some of that problem?

The reason it makes the screen brighter is because there's not a touch layer over it which slightly dims the LCD underneath. Removing that layer is what allows the screen to appear brighter.

So as far as the e-ink, it's still on top of the LCD, causing the screen to be dimmer. I'm glad they're working on this though, I think it's the best idea yet, best of both worlds! Do you remember the company name?

 

[cmaier]

The reason it makes the screen brighter is because there's not a touch layer over it which slightly dims the LCD underneath. Removing that layer is what allows the screen to appear brighter.

So as far as the e-ink, it's still on top of the LCD, causing the screen to be dimmer. I'm glad they're working on this though, I think it's the best idea yet, best of both worlds! Do you remember the company name?

I assume he refers to Pixel Qi?

 

[Pigumon]

I assume he refers to Pixel Qi?

Aaaah if so.. it's not actually e-ink, just reflective LCD, like the old Nintendo Gameboys...

 

[Sydde]

So liquid crystal works by altering the transparency of the substrate (e.g., glass) to create pixel images. Yet it is assumed that a digital ink/LCD hybrid would have the digital ink layer on top of the LCD? Can someone explain to me why I seem to be stupid?