INPUT DEVICE

• US 20070138513A1
• Filed: 12/18/2006
• Published: 06/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Sato, Tadamitsu, Ono, Shuzo
• Application Number:
  US11/612,351
• Publication Number:
  US 20070138513A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/239
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• 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: H01L 27/14678 Contact-type imagers

Abstract

Provided is an input device capable of driving X electrodes and Y electrodes provided in a plurality of detection regions by a common X driver and a common Y driver and detecting a coordinate of an operation body in the detection regions by a simple circuit configuration.

By the common X driver 11, X electrodes X1 to X6 in a first detection region 1 and X electrodes X11 to X16 in a second detection region 2 are simultaneously selected and supplied with a potential. By a common Y driver 12, Y electrodes Y1 to Y8 in the first detection region 1 and Y electrodes Y11 to Y18 in the second detection region 2 are simultaneously selected and supplied with a potential. A first detection electrode S1 is provided in the first detection region 1 and a second detection electrode S2 is provided in the second detection region 2. As a result, it is possible to identify whether a finger contacts the first detection region 1 or the second detection region 2 and obtain coordinate information of a contact position of the finger in the regions.

Claims

1. An input device comprising:

a plurality of detection regions,

an X electrode and a Y electrode, which are insulated from and perpendicular to each other, in each of the plurality of detection regions,

an X driver that is operative to select the X electrode in the plurality of detection regions and supply a potential to the X electrode,

a Y driver that is operative to select the Y electrode in the plurality of detection regions and supply a potential to the Y electrode, and

detection electrodes, which are independent of each other in the detection regions,

wherein a variation in a capacitance field between the X electrode supplied with the potential and the detection electrode and a variation in a capacitance field between the Y electrode supplied with the potential and the detection electrode are individually detected in each of the detection regions by the detection electrode.

2. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the X electrode and the Y electrode are provided in plural in at least one of the detection regions.

5. The input device according to claim 1, wherein X electrodes in different detection regions are simultaneously selected and supplied with the potential by the X driver.

6. The input device according to claim 1, wherein Y electrodes in different detection regions are simultaneously selected and supplied with the potential by the Y driver.

7. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the detection regions are provided on different substrates or a same substrate, the X electrode is provided on one surface of the substrate and the Y electrode is provided on the other surface of the substrate, and the detection electrodes are provided on the one surface or the other surface.

8. The input device according to claim 1, wherein a data processing unit that generates positional information of a detection region which an operation body of a conductor approaches and an approaching position of the operation body in the detection region from the variation in capacitance field between the X electrode supplied with the potential and the detection electrode and the variation in capacitance field between the Y electrode supplied with the potential and the detection electrode is provided.

9. The input device according to claim 8, wherein a switching unit that sequentially selects the detection electrodes, which are independently provided in the detection regions and connecting the detection electrodes to the data processing unit, is provided.

10. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the X electrodes in different detection regions are connected to one another.

11. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the Y electrodes in different detection regions are connected to one another.

3. An input device comprising:

at least one first detection region and a second detection region,

a plurality of X electrodes and Y electrodes, which are insulated from and perpendicular to each other, in the first detection region and one of an X electrode and a Y electrode is provided in the second detection region,

an X driver that is operative to select the X electrode in the first detection region and supply a potential to the X electrode, and

a Y driver that is operative to select the Y electrode in the second detection region and supply a potential to the Y electrode,

wherein a potential is supplied from the X driver to the X electrode provided in the second detection region and a potential is applied from the Y driver to the Y electrode provided in the second detection region,

wherein detection electrodes, which are independent of each other, are provided in the first detection region and the second detection region, and

wherein a variation in the capacitance field between the X electrode supplied with the potential and the detection electrode and a variation in the capacitance field between the Y electrode supplied with the potential and the detection electrode are detected in the first detection region and a variation in capacitance field between the X electrode supplied with the potential and the detection electrode or a variation in capacitance field between the Y electrode supplied with the potential and the detection electrode is detected in the second detection region.

4. The input device according to claim 3, wherein the X electrode and the Y electrode are provided in plural in the first detection region.