Capacitive touch sensor with integral EL backlight

• US 20070165004A1
• Filed: 01/17/2006
• Published: 07/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: World Properties Incorporated
• Original Assignee: World Properties Incorporated
• Inventors: Thomas, Alan, Paciorek, Walter, Pires, David, Seelhammer, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 8,421,755 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• 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

Abstract

A personal electronic device includes a programmable display and a programmable keypad, wherein at least one of the programmable display and the programmable keypad includes a capacitive touch sensor and an EL panel in a unitary structure. A conductive layer shields the capacitive touch sensor from the EL panel and can be a separate layer or be incorporated into either the capacitive sensor or the EL panel. The conductive layer includes antimony tin oxide (ATO), other conductive oxide, or a conductive polymer, such as Orgacon™ 3010.

Claims

1. A personal electronic device comprising:

a capacitive touch sensor and an integral EL panel, wherein the sensor and the panel each include conductive layers;

wherein at least one of the conductive layers is a cured resin selected from the group consisting of conductive resins, resins containing particles of conductive metal oxides, and mixtures thereof.

2. The personal electronic device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said metal oxides include conductive particles selected from the group consisting of indium oxide, antimony tin oxide, ITO, acicular ITO, and doped zinc oxide.

3. A personal electronic device comprising:

a programmable display;

a programmable keypad;

wherein at least one of the programmable display and the programmable keypad includes a capacitive touch sensor and an EL panel in a unitary structure.

4. The personal electronic device as set forth in claim 3 wherein said capacitive touch sensor includes at least one conductive layer including a cured resin containing particles of antimony tin oxide.

5. The personal electronic device as set forth in claim 3 wherein said capacitive touch sensor includes at least one conductive layer including a cured conductive resin.

6. The personal electronic device as set forth in claim 3 wherein said capacitive touch sensor includes at least one conductive layer including a cured resin containing carbon nanotubes.

7. The personal electronic device as set forth in claim 3 wherein said capacitive touch sensor includes at least one conductive layer including a cured resin containing polyaniline.

8. The personal electronic device as set forth in claim 3 wherein said programmable keypad includes a capacitive touch sensor and at least one contact switch.

9. The personal electronic device as set forth in claim 3 wherein said programmable keypad includes a capacitive touch sensor, an EL panel backlighting the capacitive touch sensor, and a grounded conductive layer for shielding the capacitive touch sensor from the EL panel.

10. The personal electronic device as set forth in claim 9 wherein said grounded conductive layer is one electrode of said EL panel and said EL panel is driven by a battery powered inverter:

11. The personal electronic device as set forth in claim 10 wherein said electrode is substantially transparent.

12. The personal electronic device as set forth in claim 9 wherein said grounded conductive layer is the rear electrode of said EL panel.

13. The personal electronic device as set forth in claim 3 and further including cellphone circuitry, wherein said programmable keypad is programmed to cause touch tones to be produced by said cellphone circuitry.