Sensor stack with opposing electrodes

• US 10,088,960 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2015
• Issued: 10/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neodrón Limited (Atlantic IP Services Limited)
• Original Assignee: Atmel Corporation (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Yilmaz, Esat, Sleeman, Peter, Brunet, Samuel, Trend, Matthew, Philipp, Harald
• Primary Examiner(s): Sim, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US14/850,223
• Publication Number:
  US 20160162073A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,118 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 2210/58 Wireless transmission of information between a sensor or probe and a control or evaluation unit
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/003 for measuring position, not involving coordinate determination coordinate measuring G01B7/004
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/2405 by varying dielectric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04112 Electrode mesh in capacitive digitiser: electrode for touch sensing is formed of a mesh of very fine, normally metallic, interconnected lines that are almost invisible to see. This provides a quite large but transparent electrode surface, without need for ITO or similar transparent conductive material
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041661 using detection at multiple resolutions, e.g. coarse and fine scanning; using detection within a limited area, e.g. object tracking window
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9622 using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0296 Conductive pattern lay-out details not covered by sub groups H05K1/02 - H05K1/0295 H05K1/11 takes precedence; lay-out adapted to mounted component configuration H05K1/18

Abstract

In certain embodiments, an apparatus includes a first substrate with sense electrodes of a touch sensor disposed on it and a second substrate with drive electrodes of the touch sensor disposed on it. One or more of the following is true: the sense electrodes of the first substrate are made of a first conductive mesh of conductive material such that the sense electrodes include the first conductive mesh; and the drive electrodes of the second substrate are made of a second conductive mesh of conductive material such that the drive electrodes include the second conductive mesh. The apparatus also includes an insulating layer between the sense electrodes of the first substrate and the drive electrodes of the second substrate.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first substrate with sense electrodes of a touch sensor disposed on it;

a second substrate with drive electrodes of the touch sensor disposed on it, one or more of the following being true;

the sense electrodes of the first substrate are made of a first conductive mesh of conductive material such that the sense electrodes comprise the first conductive mesh, wherein the first conductive mesh comprises a plurality of interconnecting mesh segments occupying at least a portion of an area of the sense electrodes, each of the mesh segments of the first conductive mesh comprising a line of conductive material; and

the drive electrodes of the second substrate are made of a second conductive mesh of conductive material such that the drive electrodes comprise the second conductive mesh, wherein;

the second conductive mesh comprises a plurality of interconnecting mesh segments occupying at least a portion of an area of the drive electrodes,

each of the mesh segments of the second conductive mesh comprises a line of conductive material,

a first mesh segment of the interconnecting mesh segments forms a perimeter that defines a shape of one of the sense electrodes, and

a second mesh segment of the interconnecting mesh segments spans across the perimeter of the first mesh segment; and

an insulating layer between the sense electrodes of the first substrate and the drive electrodes of the second substrate.

2. The apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the first conductive mesh of the sense electrodes of the first substrate faces the second conductive mesh of the drive electrodes of the second substrate.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an adhesive layer between a cover panel and the first substrate.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the adhesive layer is a clear adhesive.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first or second substrate is made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the first conductive mesh of the sense electrodes substantially covers an entire touch-sensitive area of the touch sensor disposed on the first substrate; and

the second conductive mesh of the drive electrodes substantially covers an entire touch-sensitive area of the touch sensor disposed on the second substrate.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conductive material comprises gold, copper, or silver.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a display separated from the second substrate by a dielectric layer or an air gap.

9. A device comprising;

a first substrate with sense electrodes of a touch sensor disposed on it;

a second substrate with drive electrodes of the touch sensor disposed on it, one or more of the following being true;

the sense electrodes of the first substrate are made of a first conductive mesh of conductive material such that the sense electrodes comprise the first conductive mesh, wherein the first conductive mesh comprises, a plurality of interconnecting mesh segments occupying at least a portion of an area of the sense electrodes, each of the mesh segments of the first conductive mesh comprising a line of conductive material; and

the drive electrodes of the second substrate are made of a second conductive mesh of conductive material such that the drive electrodes comprise the second conductive mesh, wherein;

the second conductive mesh comprises a plurality of interconnecting mesh segments occupying at least a portion of an area of the drive electrodes,

each of the mesh segments of the second conductive mesh comprises a line of conductive material,

a first mesh segment of the mesh segments of the second conductive mesh forms a perimeter that defines a shape of one of the sense electrodes, and

a second mesh segment of the mesh segments of the second conductive mesh spans across the perimeter of the first mesh segment;

an insulating layer between the sense electrodes of the first substrate and the drive electrodes of the second substrate; and

one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying logic that is configured when executed to control the touch sensor.

10. The device of claim 9,

wherein the first conductive mesh of the sense electrodes of the first substrate faces the second conductive mesh of the drive electrodes of the second substrate.

11. The device of claim 9, further comprising an adhesive layer between a cover panel and the first substrate.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the adhesive layer is a clear adhesive.

13. The device of claim 9, wherein the first or second substrate is made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

14. The device of claim 9, wherein:

the first conductive mesh of the sense electrodes substantially covers an entire touch-sensitive area of the touch sensor disposed on the first substrate; and

the second conductive mesh of the drive electrodes substantially covers an entire touch-sensitive area of the touch sensor disposed on the second substrate.

15. The device of claim 9, wherein the conductive material comprises gold, copper, or silver.

16. The device of claim 9, further comprising a display separated from the second substrate by a dielectric layer or an air gap.

17. An apparatus comprising:

a first substrate with sense electrodes of a touch sensor disposed on it;

a second substrate with drive electrodes of the touch sensor disposed on it, one or more of the drive or sense electrodes being disposed on a surface of the first and second substrates that face each other, one or more of the following being true;

the sense electrodes of the first substrate are made of a first conductive mesh of conductive material such that the sense electrodes comprise the first conductive mesh, wherein the first conductive mesh comprises a plurality of interconnecting mesh segments occupying at least a portion of an area of the sense electrodes, each of the mesh segments of the first conductive mesh comprising a line of conductive material; and

the drive electrodes of the second substrate are made of a second conductive mesh of conductive material such that the drive electrodes comprise the second conductive mesh, wherein;

the second conductive mesh comprises a plurality of interconnecting mesh segments occupying at least a portion of an area of the drive electrodes,

each of the mesh segments of the second conductive mesh comprises a line of conductive material,

a first mesh segment of the mesh segments of the second conductive mesh forms a perimeter that defines a shape of one of the sense electrodes, and

a second mesh segment of the mesh segments of the second conductive mesh spans across the perimeter of the first mesh segment; and

an insulating layer between the sense electrodes of the first substrate and the drive electrodes of the second substrate.