CAPACITIVE TOUCH SENSOR

• US 20100201647A1
• Filed: 05/06/2009
• Published: 08/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: InnoLux Corporation
• Original Assignee: TPO Displays Corporation (InnoLux Corporation)
• Inventors: Verweg, Frans
• Application Number:
  US12/436,673
• Publication Number:
  US 20100201647A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/174
• 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

The invention relates to a capacitive touch sensor for use with a display device. The capacitive touch sensor includes a first electrode layer including a plurality of first sensor elements. The capacitive touch sensor has a longitudinal direction and a transversal direction, and the plurality of first sensor elements are separated with respect to each other in the longitudinal direction and the transversal direction.

Claims

1. A capacitive touch sensor for use with a display device and having a longitudinal direction and a transversal direction, comprising:

a first electrode layer comprising a plurality of first sensor elements, wherein the plurality of first sensor elements are separated with respect to each other in the longitudinal direction and the transversal direction.

2. The capacitive touch sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of first sensor elements are coplanar first sensor elements, provided in a coplanar configuration.

3. The capacitive touch sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first electrode layer further comprises electrically conducting tracks that electrically connect at least one of the first sensor elements, to enable the execution of charging and discharging cycles of the coplanar first sensor elements for detecting a touch.

4. The capacitive touch sensor as claimed in claim 3, wherein the tracks are arranged to connect the at least one of the coplanar first sensor elements to a controller.

5. The capacitive touch sensor as claimed in claim 3, wherein a spatial configuration of the electrically conducting tracks is substantially coplanar within the first electrode layer.

6. The capacitive touch sensor as claimed in claim 3, wherein the respective values for the electrical resistance of individual electrically conducting tracks are substantially equal.

7. The capacitive touch sensor as claimed in claim 6, wherein the length and the cross-sectional area of at least one of the electrically conducting tracks are arranged such as to obtain substantially equal values for the electrical resistance of individual electrically conducting tracks.

8. The capacitive touch sensor as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a shielding coating at the position of the electrically conducting tracks to shield the electrically conducting tracks from a touch.

9. The capacitive touch sensor as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a second electrode layer comprising a shielding substrate, and

a transparent electrically insulating layer arranged in between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer.

10. The capacitive touch sensor as claimed in claim 9, wherein a sensor controller is in electrical communication with the second electrode layer (482).

11. The capacitive touch sensor as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a transparent window plate for use as a cover window, wherein the first electrode layer is arranged behind the transparent protective layer from a user'"'"'s perspective.

12. The capacitive touch sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first electrode is at least partially composed of 110.

13. A display module comprising a display device and a capacitive touch sensor as claimed in claim 1.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a display module according to claim 12, and

an apparatus controller arranged to operate the display device and the capacitive touch sensor.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the apparatus is a mobile phone, a portable media player, a gaming device, a portable consumer appliance, a visual interface in medical device, a ticket machine, a automotive display, a aerospace display or various other general purpose computer display.

16. A method of manufacturing a capacitive touch sensor according to claim 1, the method comprising:

performing a pre-exposure process,

performing exposure action, and

performing a post-exposure process.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the post-exposure process further comprises a coating process, in which a shielding coating is applied to the substrate, covering at least parts of the electrically conducting tracks.

18. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the pre-exposure process comprises:

providing a substrate;

loading the substrate into a lithographic apparatus;

cleaning the substrate;

performing a first roller coating action; and

performing a pre-bake action.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the post-exposure process comprises:

performing a developing action;

performing a first UV/post-bake action;

performing an etching/strip action; and

unloading the substrate from the lithographic apparatus.

20. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the post-exposure process further comprises an in-line coating process, the in-line coating process comprises:

performing a first flipping action;

performing a second roller coating action;

performing a second flipping action; and

performing a second UV/post-bake action;

wherein the developing action and the first UV/post-bake action are a buffer action or the developing action and the first flipping action are a buffer action.