# US 2018/0321779 A1 · Touch screen display device with improved esd protection > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0321779 A1 - Document ID: US20180321779A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/589,468 - Filed: 2017-05-08 - Published: 2018-11-08 - Earliest claimed: 2017-05-08 - Assignees: Dell Products L.P. - Applicants: Dell Products L.P. - Inventors: Hong-Ji Huang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180321779A1 ## CPC - G06F 3/0446: {using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes} - G06F 3/0412: {Digitisers structurally integrated in a display} - G06F 3/04164: {Connections between sensors and controllers, e.g. routing lines between electrodes and connection pads} - G02F 1/13338: {Input devices, e.g. touch panels} - G02F 2202/22: Antistatic materials or arrangements - G06F 2203/04107: Shielding in digitiser, i.e. guard or shielding arrangements, mostly for capacitive touchscreens, e.g. driven shields, driven grounds - G06F 2203/04111: Cross over in capacitive digitiser, i.e. details of structures for connecting electrodes of the sensing pattern where the connections cross each other, e.g. bridge structures comprising an insulating layer, or vias through substrate - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G02F: OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS ## Abstract Embodiments of a touch screen display device having improved electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection are provided herein with a touch screen and a display module underlying the touch screen. The touch screen described herein includes a touch panel substrate having a plurality of transmit lines, a plurality of receive lines, a plurality of routing traces and a ground ring formed thereon. The ground ring includes inner edges, which conform to and surround a periphery of the transmit lines, receive lines and routing traces, and outer edges that are substantially parallel and adjacent to edges of the touch panel substrate. At least one of the outer edges of the ground ring extend past at least one outer edge of the display module along at least one entire side of the display module, thereby providing ESD protection to the display module on all such sides. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A touch screen display device, comprising: a touch screen including a touch panel substrate having a plurality of transmit lines, a plurality of receive lines, a plurality of routing traces and a ground ring formed thereon; and a display module underlying the touch screen, wherein the display module is configured to generate one or more images, video content and graphical user interfaces for display on the touch screen; wherein the ground ring comprises inner edges, which conform to and surround a periphery of the transmit lines, receive lines and routing traces, and outer edges that are substantially parallel and adjacent to edges of the touch panel substrate; and wherein a width of the ground ring between the inner edges and the outer edges of the ground ring is inconsistent along opposing sides of the touch panel substrate. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The touch screen display device as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one outer edge of the ground ring extends past at least one outer edge of the display module along at least one entire side of the display module. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The touch screen display device as recited in claim 1, wherein the outer edges of the ground ring extend past outer edges of the display module along an entire first side and along an entire second side of the display module. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The touch screen display device as recited in claim 1, wherein the outer edges of the ground ring extend past outer edges of the display module along an entire first side, along an entire second side and along an entire third side of the display module. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The touch screen display device as recited in claim 1, wherein it the width of the ground ring is inconsistent across portions of the touch panel substrate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The touch screen display device as recited in claim 1, wherein the ground ring is substantially wider in a top portion of the touch panel substrate and substantially narrower in a bottom portion of the touch panel substrate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The touch screen display device as recited in claim 1, wherein the ground ring is substantially wider in a bottom portion of the touch panel substrate and substantially narrower in a top portion of the touch panel substrate. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The touch screen display device as recited in claim 1, wherein the ground ring is substantially wider on a first side of the touch panel substrate and substantially narrower on a second side of the touch panel substrate, and wherein the second side opposes the first side. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The touch screen display device as recited in claim 1, wherein the ground ring is symmetrically formed on the opposing sides of the touch panel substrate. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The touch screen display device as recited in claim 1, wherein the ground ring is not symmetrically formed on the opposing sides of the touch panel substrate. ### Claim 11 An information handling system including a touch screen display device, the touch screen display device comprising: a touch screen including a touch panel substrate having a plurality of transmit lines, a plurality of receive lines, and a plurality of routing traces formed thereon, wherein the touch panel substrate further comprises a ground ring surrounding the transmit lines, receive lines and routing traces; and a display module underlying the touch screen, wherein the display module is configured to generate one or more of images, video content and graphical user interfaces for display on the touch screen; wherein the ground ring comprises at least one of: an inconsistent width; and an outer edge that extends past an outer edge of the display module along at least one entire side of the display module. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The information handling system as recited in claim 11, wherein the ground ring comprises outer edges that extend past outer edges of the display module along an entire first side, along an entire second side and along an entire third side of the display module. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The information handling system as recited in claim 11, wherein the ground ring comprises inner edges, which follow and surround a periphery of the transmit lines, receive lines and routing traces, and outer edges that are substantially parallel and adjacent to edges of the touch panel substrate. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The information handling system as recited in claim 13, wherein the width of the ground ring between the inner edges and the outer edges of the ground ring is inconsistent across portions of the touch panel substrate. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The information handling system as recited in claim 11, wherein the ground ring is substantially wider in a top portion of the touch panel substrate and substantially narrower in a bottom portion of the touch panel substrate. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The information handling system as recited in claim 11, wherein the ground ring is substantially wider in a bottom portion of the touch panel substrate and substantially narrower in a top portion of the touch panel substrate. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The information handling system as recited in claim 11, wherein the ground ring is substantially wider along a first side of the touch panel substrate and substantially narrower along a second side of the touch panel substrate, and wherein the second side opposes the first side. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The information handling system as recited in claim 11, wherein the ground ring is symmetrically formed on opposing sides of the touch panel substrate. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The information handling system as recited in claim 11, wherein the ground ring is not symmetrically formed on opposing sides of the touch panel substrate. ### Claim 20 A method, comprising: providing a touch screen display device including a touch screen and a display module underlying the touch screen, wherein the touch screen comprises a touch panel substrate having a plurality of transmit lines, a plurality of receive lines, a plurality of routing traces and a ground ring formed thereon, wherein the ground ring surrounds the transmit lines, receive lines and routing traces, and wherein an outer edge of the ground ring extends past an outer edge of the display module along at least an entire first side and an entire second side of the display module; and discharging current of an electrostatic discharge (ESD) event to ground through the ground ring.