Display integrated antenna

• US 10,551,949 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2015
• Issued: 02/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Chai, Mei, Parikh, Kunjal, Horine, Bryce D., Nugraha, Thomas Agung, Lee, Kwan Ho, Skinner, Harry G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harris, Dorothy
• Application Number:
  US14/751,707
• Publication Number:
  US 20160328057A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,684 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• 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: G06F 3/0448 Details of the electrode shape, e.g. for enhancing the detection of touches, for generating specific electric field shapes, for enhancing display quality
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1271 for mounting on windscreens
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/10 Resonant slot antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0407 Substantially flat resonant element parallel to ground plane, e.g. patch antenna dipole H01Q9/285; monopole H01Q9/40

Abstract

A touch panel for a display, the touch panel having a touch sensor configured to receive touch input, and an antenna located within or below the touch sensor.

Claims

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

a touch sensor configured to receive touch input, and comprising a first portion disposed in a first layer, and a second portion disposed in a second layer, the first layer and the second layer each including a plurality of adjacent electrodes; and

a micro wire mesh antenna disposed in at least one of the first layer or the second layer in one or more spaces between the plurality of adjacent electrodes, and

wherein at least one of the plurality of adjacent electrodes included in the first layer and the second layer has a continuous meandering path forming a structure that is configured to improve an antenna efficiency associated with the micro wire mesh antenna, and

wherein the continuous meandering path forming the structure of the at least one of the plurality of adjacent electrodes includes a plurality of right angles at periodic intervals along the continuous meandering path,

wherein the plurality of right angles at periodic intervals included in the continuous meandering path form a plurality of adjacent teeth as part of a toothed structure, and

wherein each of the plurality of adjacent teeth forms a respective one of a plurality of apertures to improve the antenna efficiency associated with the micro wire mesh antenna.

2. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the micro wire mesh antenna is a slot antenna.

3. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the micro wire mesh antenna is a patch antenna.

4. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the micro wire mesh antenna comprises a copper mesh.

5. The touch panel of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of micro wire mesh antennas.

6. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the micro wire mesh antenna comprises a smaller surface area than the surface area of the touch panel display.

7. A wireless communication device comprising the touch panel of claim 1.

8. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the micro wire mesh antenna is disposed in both the first layer and the second layer.

9. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrodes included within the first layer are sense electrodes associated with the touch panel, and

wherein the plurality of electrodes included within the second layer are drive electrodes associated with the touch panel.

10. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the micro wire mesh antenna is comprised of a mesh with individual conductors made of a hybrid material.

11. The touch panel of claim 10, wherein the hybrid material comprises (i) silver, (ii) copper, and (iii) carbon nanotubes.

12. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the micro wire mesh antenna includes a driver and an antenna element, the driver being configured to drive the antenna element, and

wherein each of the driver and the antenna element are disposed in at least one of the first layer or the second layer in one or more spaces between the plurality of adjacent electrodes.

13. The touch panel of claim 12, wherein the antenna element is a monopole antenna.

14. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the micro wire mesh antenna is disposed in the space between the plurality of adjacent electrodes within the first layer and the second layer.

15. The touch panel of claim 14, wherein the micro wire mesh antenna forms a patch antenna having portions of the patch antenna occupying the first layer and the second layer of the touch panel.

16. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the micro wire mesh antenna has a substantially two-dimensional structure.

17. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the micro wire mesh antenna is comprised of individual conductors having a pitch such that the micro wire mesh antenna is substantially transparent.

18. The touch panel of claim 17, wherein the micro wire mesh antenna is comprised of individual conductors having a pitch such that the micro wire mesh antenna has a transparency of 92%.

19. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the micro wire mesh antenna is formed from a same material as the plurality of adjacent electrodes in the first layer and the second layer.