Hybrid display integratable antennas using touch sensor trace and edge discontinuity structures

• US 10,241,631 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2017
• Issued: 03/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Chai, Mei, Sajuyigbe, Adesoji J., Lee, Kwan Ho, Horine, Bryce D., Skinner, Harry G., Konanur, Anand S., Karacaoglu, Ulun
• Primary Examiner(s): Hicks, Charles V
• Application Number:
  US15/465,261
• Publication Number:
  US 20180275789A1
• Time in Patent Office: 735 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04107 Shielding in digitiser, i.e. guard or shielding arrangements, mostly for capacitive touchscreens, e.g. driven shields, driven grounds
• 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 3/0445 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: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/44 using equipment having another main function to serve additionally as an antenna , e.g. means for giving an antenna an aesthetic aspectH01Q1/27 - H01Q1/34 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/48 Earthing means; Earth screens; Counterpoises
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/30 the primary active element being centre-fed and substantially straight, e.g. Yagi antenna
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/371 Branching current paths
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/42 with folded element, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of the operating wavelength

Abstract

A touch panel for a display may include a touch sensor with a plurality of electrode traces. A first portion of the plurality of electrode traces may form sensing lines configured to receive touch input. The touch sensor includes an edge dummy area between an edge of the touch sensor and an electrode trace of a remaining portion of the plurality of electrode traces. The edge dummy area may be located outside of the sensing lines. The touch panel may further include an antenna with a radiation structure and a ground structure. The radiation structure may be located within a routing traces area outside of the touch sensor. The ground structure may be located within the edge dummy area. The ground structure may include an electrode trace of the plurality of electrode traces located within the edge dummy area of the touch sensor.

Claims

1. A touch panel for a display, the touch panel comprising:

a touch sensor comprising a plurality of electrode traces, wherein a first portion of the plurality of electrode traces form sensing lines configured to receive touch input,

the touch sensor having an edge dummy area formed between an edge of the touch sensor and one of the electrode traces of a remaining portion of the plurality of electrode traces, wherein the edge dummy area is outside of the sensing lines and is non-overlapping with the first portion of the plurality of electrode traces; and

an antenna comprising a radiation structure and a ground structure, wherein the radiation structure is within a routing traces area outside of the touch sensor, and the ground structure is located within the edge dummy area.

2. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the ground structure comprises an electrode trace of the plurality of electrode traces located within the edge dummy area of the touch sensor.

3. The touch panel of claim 2, wherein the electrode trace of the ground structure is disposed along the edge of the touch sensor.

4. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the ground structure and the touch sensor comprise a same transparent conductive material.

5. The touch panel of claim 4, wherein the transparent conductive material comprises indium tin oxide (ITO).

6. The touch panel of claim 5, wherein the transparent conductive material comprises a micro-wire metal mesh.

7. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the radiation structure comprises an opaque conductive material.

8. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the antenna radiation structure is a planar inverted-F antenna (PIFA).

9. The touch panel of claim 1, further comprising:

a global ground ring, wherein the global ground ring is directly coupled to the ground structure and is co-planar with the touch sensor.

10. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the ground structure is capacitively coupled to the plurality of electrode traces.

11. A touch panel for a display, the touch panel comprising:

a first touch sensor layer comprising a first plurality of electrode traces forming a plurality of sensing lines;

a second touch sensor layer comprising a second plurality of electrode traces forming a plurality of driving lines, the driving lines and the sensing lines configured to receive touch input;

a global ground ring that is co-planar with the second touch sensor layer and is located within a routing traces area outside of the second touch sensor layer,

the second touch sensor layer having edge dummy area formed between an edge of the second touch sensor layer and one of the plurality of driving lines, wherein the edge dummy area is non-intersecting with the plurality of driving lines; and

an antenna comprising a radiation structure and a ground structure, wherein the radiation structure is located within the routing traces area and is non-overlapping with the driving lines and the sensing lines, and the ground structure is located within the edge dummy area and is coupled to the radiation structure.

12. The touch panel of claim 11, wherein the radiation structure comprises a solid metal feed structure configured to receive an antenna feed line and an antenna ground line.

13. The touch panel of claim 11, wherein the ground structure is a floating ground structure within the edge dummy area.

14. The touch panel of claim 11, wherein the ground structure is an electrode trace located along the edge of the second touch sensor layer.

15. The touch panel of claim 14, wherein the electrode trace forming the ground structure is directly coupled to the global ground ring.

16. The touch panel of claim 14, wherein the electrode trace forming the ground structure is capacitively coupled to the second plurality of electrode traces forming the second touch sensor layer.

17. The touch panel of claim 11, wherein the ground structure and the touch sensor comprise a same transparent conductive material.

18. The touch panel of claim 17, wherein the transparent conductive material comprises indium tin oxide (ITO).

19. The touch panel of claim 17, wherein the transparent conductive material comprises a micro-wire metal mesh.

20. The touch panel of claim 11, further comprising:

a plurality of routing traces coupled to the plurality of driving lines and located within the routing traces area.

21. The touch panel of claim 11, further comprising:

a second radiation structure associated with a second antenna, wherein the second radiation structure is located within a routing traces area of the first touch sensor layer.

22. The touch panel of claim 21, wherein the second radiation structure comprises a dipole antenna, the dipole antenna configured to receive an antenna feed line and an antenna ground line.

23. The touch panel of claim 21, further comprising:

a plurality of routing traces coupled to the plurality of sensing lines and located within the routing traces area and outside of the first plurality of electrode traces.

24. A touch panel for a display, the touch panel comprising:

a first touch sensor layer comprising a first plurality of electrode traces forming a plurality of sensing lines;

a first radiation structure associated with a first antenna, wherein the first radiation structure is located within a routing traces area of the first touch sensor layer; and

a second radiation structure associated with a second antenna, wherein the second radiation structure is located within the routing traces area of the first touch sensor layer and is non-overlapping with the first radiation structure.

25. The touch panel of claim 24, wherein the first radiation structure is a dipole antenna, and the second radiation structure is a planar inverted-F antenna (PITA).