Capacitive Touchscreen or Touchpad for Finger or Stylus
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A mutual capacitance combined finger and stylus sensing touchscreen or touchpad, comprising:
- a lower substrate having a first plurality of electrodes disposed substantially in a first plane in rows or columns positioned thereupon or therein, the lower substrate being substantially rigid and inflexible, andan upper downwardly deflectable upper substrate located above the lower substrate and operatively configured in association therewith, the upper substrate having an upper touch surface forming a portion thereof or disposed thereover, the upper substrate further comprising a second plurality of electrodes disposed substantially in a second plane and in rows or columns positioned thereupon or therein;
wherein the upper and lower substrates form opposing substantially planar and substantially parallel surfaces when the upper substrate is in a non-deflected position, the outer touch surface is configured for a user to place at least one finger or a stylus thereon and move the finger or the stylus thereacross, the first and second pluralities of electrodes form an electrode array configured to permit at least one location corresponding to the finger on the outer touch surface, or the stylus on the outer touch surface when the upper substrate is deflected downwardly towards the lower substrate by the stylus having a downward pressure applied thereto, to be detected by the array.
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Abstract
According to one embodiment, there is provided a mutual capacitance touchscreen or touchpad having combined finger navigation and stylus navigation and/or character entry capabilities. First and second pluralities of sense and drive electrodes are disposed in or on upper and lower substrates. The sense and drive electrodes form an array disposed substantially in two opposing planes that are configured to permit at least one location corresponding to a finger or stylus placed in proximity thereto to be detected thereby. The upper substrate is deflectable towards the lower substrate when the stylus is pressed downwardly thereagainst.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A mutual capacitance combined finger and stylus sensing touchscreen or touchpad, comprising:
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a lower substrate having a first plurality of electrodes disposed substantially in a first plane in rows or columns positioned thereupon or therein, the lower substrate being substantially rigid and inflexible, and an upper downwardly deflectable upper substrate located above the lower substrate and operatively configured in association therewith, the upper substrate having an upper touch surface forming a portion thereof or disposed thereover, the upper substrate further comprising a second plurality of electrodes disposed substantially in a second plane and in rows or columns positioned thereupon or therein; wherein the upper and lower substrates form opposing substantially planar and substantially parallel surfaces when the upper substrate is in a non-deflected position, the outer touch surface is configured for a user to place at least one finger or a stylus thereon and move the finger or the stylus thereacross, the first and second pluralities of electrodes form an electrode array configured to permit at least one location corresponding to the finger on the outer touch surface, or the stylus on the outer touch surface when the upper substrate is deflected downwardly towards the lower substrate by the stylus having a downward pressure applied thereto, to be detected by the array. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of sensing a position of a finger and a stylus on a touchscreen or touchpad, comprising:
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detecting the position of the finger on the touchscreen or touchpad when a mutual capacitance changes between a first plurality of electrodes and a second plurality of electrodes at the location corresponding to the finger, where the first and second pluralities of electrodes form an electrode array in the touchscreen or touchpad, and detecting the position of the stylus on the touchscreen when an upper portion of the touchscreen or touchpad is deflected downwardly by the stylus and the mutual capacitance changes between the first and second pluralities of electrodes at the location corresponding to the stylus.
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22. A method of making a mutual capacitance combined finger and stylus sensing touchscreen or touchpad, comprising:
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providing a lower substrate having a first plurality of electrodes disposed substantially in a first plane in rows or columns positioned thereupon or therein, the lower substrate being substantially rigid and inflexible; providing an upper downwardly deflectable upper substrate located above the lower substrate and operatively configured in association therewith, the upper substrate having an upper touch surface forming a portion thereof or disposed thereover, the upper substrate further comprising a second plurality of electrodes disposed substantially in a second plane and in rows or columns positioned thereupon or therein; forming the upper and lower substrates as opposing substantially planar and substantially parallel surfaces when the upper substrate is in a non-deflected position; configuring the rows or columns of the first plurality of electrodes substantially perpendicular to the rows or columns of the second plurality of electrodes; configuring the outer touch surface for a user to place at least one finger or a stylus thereon and move the finger or the stylus thereacross, and configuring the first and second pluralities of electrodes to form an electrode array configured to permit at least one location corresponding to the finger on the outer touch surface, or the stylus on the outer touch surface when the upper substrate is deflected downwardly towards the lower substrate by the stylus having a downward pressure applied thereto, to be detected by the array. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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Specification