US 8704762

Patent Summary: US 8,704,762

Title: Display device

Assignee: The patent is currently assigned to Paneltouch Technologies LLC. The original assignee was Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Co., Ltd.

Inventors: Kouichi Anno, Takumi Sato, Masahiro Teramoto

Filing Date: June 2, 2011

Issue Date: April 22, 2014

Abstract:
A display device includes a coordinate input device including a transparent substrate having a first signal interconnect disposed in a region outside a detection region corresponding to a contact position, a first electrode terminal, a flexible interconnect substrate connected to the first electrode terminal, and a display panel for image display based on a video signal from an external system. The coordinate inputting device has a second signal interconnect disposed outside the first signal interconnect but near the peripheral edge of the transparent substrate, the second signal interconnect surrounding the area where the detection region is included and the first signal interconnect is formed, the second signal interconnect being opened at opposite ends thereof and being connected to respective electrode terminals for inspection at the open ends, and the second signal interconnect is disposed along the peripheral edge portion of three sides of the transparent substrate.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

Claim 1: This claim describes a display device that has both a screen for showing images and a touch input system. The key feature is a special wire (a "second signal interconnect") placed around the edge of the touch-sensitive area. This wire is designed to help check for damage, like cracks or chips, at the edge of the display. It's a separate circuit with its own connection points ("electrode terminals for inspection") that can be used to test its continuity. If this outer wire is broken, it's a strong indication that the display's edge may be damaged, which could also affect the main signal wires of the touch screen.

Claim 9: This claim focuses on the display panel itself, rather than the touch input layer. It describes a display with a similar inspection feature. In this case, a special wire (a "fourth signal interconnect") is placed around the perimeter of the active display area. This wire is located outside the normal signal lines that control the pixels. Much like the wire in the first claim, this one has its own terminals for testing. The purpose is the same: to easily detect damage to the substrate of the display panel by checking if this outer wire has been broken.

As of early 2025, this patent is the subject of litigation. Paneltouch Technologies LLC has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd. in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas (Case 2:25-cv-00245). My search of the CAFC 2026 dockets did not reveal any appeals related to this case at this time; however, given the district court filing date, any potential appeal would likely not appear in the 2026 docket yet. No other litigation involving this specific patent was found in the CAFC 2026 dockets.