ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND TOUCH SCREEN HAVING DISCRETE TOUCH-SENSITIVE AREAS

• US 20090146970A1
• Filed: 12/10/2007
• Published: 06/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Ma, ZhongMing Richard, Hui, Edward, LOWLES, Robert
• Application Number:
  US11/953,298
• Publication Number:
  US 20090146970A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04809 Textured surface identifying touch areas, e.g. overlay structure for a virtual keyboard
• 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 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

An electronic device includes a base, a touch screen display, and operational components. The touch screen display is connected to the base and includes a display device and a touch-sensitive overlay disposed on the display device. The touch-sensitive overlay comprises at least one capacitive touch sensor circuit layer disposed on a substrate and patterned with discrete circuits. Ones of the discrete circuits provide associated discrete touch-sensitive areas on an outer touch surface of the touch screen display. The operational components include a controller connected to the touch-sensitive overlay and a processor connected to the controller and the display device for providing a graphical user interface.

Claims

1. A touch screen display unit comprising:

a display device; and

a touch-sensitive overlay disposed on the display device, the touch-sensitive overlay comprising at least one capacitive touch sensor circuit layer disposed on a substrate and patterned with discrete circuits, ones of the discrete circuits providing associated discrete touch-sensitive areas on an outer touch surface thereof.

2. The touch screen display unit according to claim 1, wherein a single one of the at least one capacitive touch sensor circuit layer comprises at least two discrete circuits providing associated discrete touch-sensitive areas on an outer touch surface thereof.

3. The touch screen display unit according to claim 1, wherein the at least one capacitive touch sensor circuit layer comprises a single capacitive touch sensor circuit layer.

4. The touch screen display unit according to claim 1, wherein the outer touch surface comprises a protective cover layer disposed on the at least one capacitive touch sensor circuit layer.

5. The touch screen display unit according to claim 4, wherein the cover layer comprises ridges defining at least one of the touch-sensitive areas.

6. The touch screen display unit according to claim 1, wherein one of the discrete circuits is sized for providing a touch-sensitive area for a single virtual button.

7. The touch screen display unit according to claim 1, wherein ones of the discrete circuits are sized for providing respective touch-sensitive areas for respective single virtual buttons.

8. The touch screen display according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the discrete circuits is triangular shaped for providing a discrete touch-sensitive area.

9. The touch screen display according to claim 1, wherein the at least one capacitive touch sensor circuit layer comprises a plurality of discrete circuits patterned in triangular shapes for providing respective discrete touch-sensitive areas.

16. The electronic device according to claim 9, wherein ones of the discrete circuits are sized for providing respective touch-sensitive areas for respective single virtual buttons.

17. The electronic device according to claim 16, wherein the discrete circuits are arranged for providing keyboard functions for simultaneous input from at least two of the discrete circuits.

10. An electronic device comprising:

a base;

a touch screen display connected to the base and comprising a display device and a touch-sensitive overlay disposed on the display device, the touch-sensitive overlay comprising at least one capacitive touch sensor circuit layer disposed on a substrate and patterned with discrete circuits, ones of the discrete circuits providing associated discrete touch-sensitive areas on an outer touch surface of the touch screen display; and

operational components comprising a controller connected to the touch-sensitive overlay and a processor connected to the controller and the display device for providing a graphical user interface.

11. The electronic device according to claim 10, wherein a single one of the at least one capacitive touch sensor circuit layer comprises at least two discrete circuits providing associated discrete touch-sensitive areas on an outer touch surface thereof.

12. The electronic device according to claim 10, wherein the at least one capacitive touch sensor circuit layer comprises a single capacitive touch sensor circuit layer.

13. The electronic device according to claim 10, wherein the outer touch surface comprises a protective cover layer disposed on the at least one capacitive touch sensor circuit layer.

14. The electronic device according to claim 13, wherein the cover layer comprises ridges defining at least one of the discrete touch-sensitive areas.

15. The electronic device according to claim 10, wherein one of the discrete circuits is sized for providing a touch-sensitive area for a single virtual button.

18. The touch screen display according to claim 10, wherein at least one of the discrete circuits is triangular shaped for providing a discrete touch-sensitive area.

19. The touch screen display according to claim 10, wherein the at least one capacitive touch sensor circuit layer comprises a plurality of discrete circuits patterned in triangular shapes for providing respective discrete touch-sensitive areas.