Split resistive touch sensor

• US 10,275,078 B1
• Filed: 03/20/2017
• Issued: 04/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Harwood, Craig E., Mosier, Donald E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Khoo, Stacy
• Application Number:
  US15/464,008
• Time in Patent Office: 771 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04164 Connections between sensors and controllers, e.g. routing lines between electrodes and connection pads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact

Abstract

Touch sensors with multiple electrically isolated touch regions are disclosed. A touch sensor may include a first substrate and a second substrate. The first substrate may include two or more resistive layers covering two or more separate areas. The second substrate may include a continuous resistive layer that partially overlaps with each of the two resistive layers of the first substrate. The touch sensor may also include a first controller electrically connected to the continuous resistive layer of the second substrate and electrically connected to a first one of the two resistive layers of the first substrate, forming a first independently operable region. The touch sensor may further include a second controller electrically connected to the continuous resistive layer of the second substrate and electrically connected to a second one of the two resistive layers of the first substrate, forming a second independently operable region.

Claims

1. A touch sensor, comprising:

a first substrate, the first substrate comprising at least two resistive layers covering at least two separate areas of the first substrate;

a second substrate, the second substrate comprising a continuous resistive layer that at least partially overlaps with each of the at least two resistive layers of the first substrate;

a first controller electrically connected to the continuous resistive layer of the second substrate and electrically connected to a first one of the at least two resistive layers of the first substrate, forming a first independently operable region electrically isolated from a second one of the at least two resistive layers of the first substrate; and

a second controller electrically connected to the continuous resistive layer of the second substrate and electrically connected to the second one of the at least two resistive layers of the first substrate, forming a second independently operable region electrically isolated from the first one of the at least two resistive layers of the first substrate.

2. The touch sensor of claim 1, wherein the first and second independently operable regions are each configured as a 4-wire resistive touch sensing region.

3. The touch sensor of claim 1, wherein the first and second independently operable regions are each configured as an 8-wire resistive touch sensing region.

4. The touch sensor of claim 1, further comprising:

a coordinator in communication with the first and second controllers, the coordinator configured to coordinate access to the continuous resistive layer of the second substrate from the first and second controllers.

5. The touch sensor of claim 4, wherein the coordinator is an integrated component of the first controller or the second controller.

6. The touch sensor of claim 4, wherein the coordinator is a component of the touch sensor separate from the first and second controllers.

7. The touch sensor of claim 1, wherein the first substrate is a flexible substrate and the second substrate is a rigid substrate.

8. The touch sensor of claim 1, wherein the resistive layers of the first and second substrates comprise indium tin oxide coatings.

9. The touch sensor of claim 1, wherein the touch sensor is implemented as a component of an electronic display.

10. The touch sensor of claim 9, wherein the electronic display is a flight display.

11. A touch sensor, comprising:

a first substrate, the substrate comprising at least two resistive layers covering at least two separate areas of the first substrate;

a second substrate, the second substrate comprising a continuous resistive layer that at least partially overlaps with each of the at least two resistive layers of the first substrate;

a first controller electrically connected to the continuous resistive layer of the second substrate and electrically connected to a first one of the at least two resistive layers of the first substrate, forming a first independently operable region electrically isolated from a second one of the at least two resistive layers of the first substrate;

a second controller electrically connected to the continuous resistive layer of the second substrate and electrically connected to the second one of the at least two resistive layers of the first substrate, forming a second independently operable region electrically isolated from the first one of the at least two resistive layers of the first substrate; and

a coordinator in communication with the first and second controllers, the coordinator configured to coordinate access to the continuous resistive layer of the second substrate from the first and second controllers.

12. The touch sensor of claim 11, wherein the first and second independently operable regions are each configured as a 4-wire resistive touch sensing region.

13. The touch sensor of claim 11, wherein the first and second independently operable regions are each configured as an 8-wire resistive touch sensing region.

14. The touch sensor of claim 11, wherein the coordinator is an integrated component of the first controller or the second controller.

15. The touch sensor of claim 11, wherein the coordinator is a component of the touch sensor separate from the first and second controllers.

16. The touch sensor of claim 11, wherein the touch sensor is implemented as a component of an electronic display.

17. The touch sensor of claim 16, wherein the electronic display is a flight display.

18. An apparatus, comprising:

a display; and

a touch sensor coupled to the display, the touch sensor comprising;

a first substrate, the substrate comprising at least two resistive layers covering at least two separate areas of the first substrate;

a second substrate, the second substrate comprising a continuous resistive layer that at least partially overlaps with each of the at least two resistive layers of the first substrate;

a first controller electrically connected to the continuous resistive layer of the second substrate and electrically connected to a first one of the at least two resistive layers of the first substrate, forming a first independently operable region electrically isolated from a second one of the at least two resistive layers of the first substrate; and

a second controller electrically connected to the continuous resistive layer of the second substrate and electrically connected to the second one of the at least two resistive layers of the first substrate, forming a second independently operable region electrically isolated from the first one of the at least two resistive layers of the first substrate.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the first and second independently operable regions are each configured as a 4-wire resistive touch sensing region.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the first and second independently operable regions are each configured as an 8-wire resistive touch sensing region.