Wearable electronic device and a reflected-capacitive touch panel thereof

• US 10,521,060 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2017
• Issued: 12/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Himax Technologies Ltd. (Himax Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Himax Technologies Ltd. (Himax Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Tsai, Cheng-Hung, Liu, Yao-Mao, Li, Wen-Juan, Liu, Jyun-Yan, Liu, Li-Lin, Li, Jui-Ni, Wu, Wai-Pan, Tai, Shen-Feng
• Primary Examiner(s): Ghebretinsae, Temesghen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Abebe, Sosina
• Application Number:
  US15/857,646
• Publication Number:
  US 20190073053A1
• Time in Patent Office: 732 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/08 Touch switches specially adapted for time-pieces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04164 Connections between sensors and controllers, e.g. routing lines between electrodes and connection pads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041662 using alternate mutual and self-capacitive scanning
• 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

Abstract

A reflected-capacitive touch panel of a wearable electronic device includes a center touch sensing portion composed of a plurality of mutual-capacitance sensors; a border touch sensing portion composed of a plurality of hybrid self-capacitance and mutual-capacitance sensors; and a predetermined bonding area into which channels of the center touch sensing portion and the border touch sensing portion are routed.

Claims

1. A reflected-capacitive touch panel of a wearable electronic device, comprising:

a center touch sensing portion composed of a plurality of mutual-capacitance sensors;

a border touch sensing portion surrounding the center touch sensing portion, the border touch sensing portion being composed of a plurality of hybrid self-capacitance and mutual-capacitance sensors; and

a predetermined bonding area into which channels of the center touch sensing portion and the border touch sensing portion are routed;

wherein the center touch sensing portion comprises;

a plurality of center transmitting channel arranged in a first direction; and

a plurality of center receiving channels arranged in a second direction that is distinct from the first direction;

wherein driving signals are sent via the center transmitting channels and sensing signals are then received via the center receiving channels to detect mutual-capacitance of the center touch sensing portion;

wherein the border touch sensing portion comprises;

at least one border transmitting channel;

wherein the center receiving channels are shared between the center touch sensing portion and the border touch sensing portion, driving signals are sent via the border transmitting channel and sensing signals are received via the center receiving channels to detect mutual-capacitance of the border touch sensing portion, and sensing signals are received via the center receiving channels to detect self-capacitance and mutual-capacitance of the border touch sensing portion.

2. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the second direction is substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

3. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the at least one border transmitting channel comprises a single border transmitting channel.

4. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the border transmitting channel is independent from the center transmitting channels.

5. The touch panel of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of ground channels.

6. The touch panel of claim 5, wherein the center transmitting channels, the center receiving channels, the at least one border transmitting channel and the ground channels are routed into the predetermined bonding area.

7. The touch panel of claim 1, further comprising a flexible printed circuit connected with the predetermined bonding area.

8. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the wearable electronic device comprises a smartwatch.

9. A wearable electronic device, comprising:

a housing;

a reflected-capacitive touch panel disposed on a front surface of the housing, the touch panel comprising;

a center touch sensing portion composed of a plurality of mutual-capacitance sensors;

a border touch sensing portion surrounding the center touch sensing portion, the border touch sensing portion being composed of a plurality of hybrid self-capacitance and mutual-capacitance sensors; and

a predetermined bonding area into which channels of the center touch sensing portion and the border touch sensing portion are routed;

wherein the center touch sensing portion comprises;

a plurality of center transmitting channel arranged in a first direction; and

a plurality of center receiving channels arranged in a second direction that is distinct from the first direction;

wherein driving signals are sent via the center transmitting channels and sensing signals are then received via the center receiving channels to detect mutual-capacitance of the center touch sensing portion;

wherein the border touch sensing portion comprises;

at least one border transmitting channel;

wherein the center receiving channels are shared between the center touch sensing portion and the border touch sensing portion, driving signals are sent via the border transmitting channel and sensing signals are received via the center receiving channels to detect mutual-capacitance of the border touch sensing portion, and sensing signals are received via the center receiving channels to detect self-capacitance and mutual-capacitance of the border touch sensing portion.

10. The wearable electronic device of claim 9, wherein the second direction is substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

11. The wearable electronic device of claim 9, wherein the at least one border transmitting channel comprises a single border transmitting channel.

12. The wearable electronic device of claim 9, wherein the border transmitting channel is independent from the center transmitting channels.

13. The wearable electronic device of claim 9, wherein the touch panel further comprises a plurality of ground channels.

14. The wearable electronic device of claim 13, wherein the center transmitting channels, the center receiving channels, the at least one border transmitting channel and the ground channels are routed into the predetermined bonding area.

15. The wearable electronic device of claim 9, further comprising a flexible printed circuit connected with the predetermined bonding area.

16. The wearable electronic device of claim 9, wherein the wearable electronic device comprises a smartwatch.