TOUCH SENSOR PANEL DESIGN

• US 20100328228A1
• Filed: 06/29/2009
• Published: 12/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: ELIAS, John Greer
• Granted Patent: US 8,957,874 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• 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 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49105 Switch making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49204 Contact or terminal manufacturing

Abstract

A touch sensor panel including a plurality of drive lines crossing a plurality of sense lines, forming an array, is disclosed. The plurality of drive lines and the plurality of sense lines are formed by interconnecting a plurality of substantially transparent conductive sections having a first resistivity. A substantially transparent conductive material, with a second resistivity that is lower than the first resistivity, is deposited over at least part of at least one of the plurality of substantially transparent conductive sections of at least one of the plurality of drive lines and the plurality of sense lines. A second layer of the substantially transparent conductive material, with the second resistivity, can be deposited thereafter. At least one dummy section is disposed in an area of the touch sensor panel around the conductive sections of at least one of the plurality of drive lines and the plurality of sense lines.

Claims

1. A method of forming a touch sensor panel, comprising:

forming a plurality of drive lines by interconnecting a plurality of substantially transparent conductive sections having a first resistivity;

forming a plurality of sense lines by interconnecting a plurality of substantially transparent conductive sections having the first resistivity; and

depositing a substantially transparent conductive material, having a second resistivity, over at least part of at least one of the plurality of substantially transparent conductive sections of at least one of the plurality of drive lines and the plurality of sense lines,

wherein the second resistivity is lower than the first resistivity.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

depositing at least one dummy section, having the first resistivity, in an area of the touch sensor panel around and electrically isolated from the conductive sections of at least one of the plurality of drive lines and the plurality of sense lines.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

interconnecting the plurality of conductive sections using a plurality of interconnectors configured for enabling the plurality of drive and sense lines to cross over each other to form an array of capacitive touch sensors

4. The method of claim 3, wherein at least one of the plurality of interconnectors are formed from an opaque metal.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein an opaque mask is layered over the plurality of interconnectors.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein at least one of the plurality of interconnectors is formed from the substantially transparent conductive material, with the second resistivity.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein at least one of the plurality of interconnectors is connected directly to at least one of the conductive sections of at least one of the plurality of drive lines and the plurality of sense lines.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein at least one of the plurality of interconnectors is connected to the deposited substantially transparent conductive material, with the second resistivity.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

depositing another layer of the substantially transparent conductive material, with the second resistivity, over at least part of the substantially transparent conductive material with the second resistivity and at least part of at least one of the plurality of substantially transparent conductive sections of at least one of the plurality of drive lines and the plurality of sense lines.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

at least partially overlaying a display device with the touch sensor panel to form a touch screen.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the touch screen is incorporated within a computing system.

12. A touch sensor panel, comprising:

a plurality of drive lines and sense lines, each drive and sense line formed from an interconnected plurality of sections of conductive material having a first resistivity, the drive and sense lines configured to form an array of capacitive touch sensors; and

a first layer of a substantially transparent conductive material having a second resistivity lower than the first resistivity deposited over at least part of the plurality of drive and sense lines.

13. The touch sensor panel of claim 12, further comprising:

at least one dummy section, having the first resistivity, disposed in an area of the touch sensor panel around and electrically isolated from the plurality of drive and sense lines.

14. The touch sensor panel of claim 12, wherein the plurality of conductive sections are interconnected using a plurality of interconnectors configured for enabling the plurality of drive and sense lines to cross over each other to form the array of capacitive touch sensors

15. The touch sensor panel of claim 14, wherein at least one of the plurality of insulating interconnectors are formed from an opaque metal.

16. The touch sensor panel of claim 15, wherein an opaque mask is layered over the plurality of interconnectors.

17. The touch sensor panel of claim 14, wherein at least one of the plurality of interconnectors is formed from the same material as the substantially transparent conductive material, having the second resistivity.

18. The touch sensor panel of claim 14, wherein at least one of the plurality of interconnectors is connected directly to at least one of the conductive sections of at least one of the plurality of drive lines and the plurality of sense lines.

19. The touch sensor panel of claim 14, wherein at least one of the plurality of interconnectors is connected to the deposited substantially transparent conductive material, having the second resistivity.

20. The touch sensor panel of claim 12, further comprising:

a second layer of the substantially transparent conductive material, having the second resistivity, deposited over at least part of the first layer of the substantially transparent conductive material having the second resistivity.

21. The touch sensor panel of claim 12, wherein the touch sensor panel is incorporated within a computing system.

22. A computing device including a touch sensor panel, the touch sensor panel comprising:

a plurality of drive lines and sense lines, each drive and sense line formed from an interconnected plurality of sections of conductive material having a first resistivity, the drive and sense lines configured to form an array of capacitive touch sensors; and

a first layer of a substantially transparent conductive material having a second resistivity lower than the first resistivity deposited over at least part of the plurality of drive and sense lines.

23. The computing device of claim 22, the touch sensor panel further comprising a plurality of interconnectors connected to the first layer of substantially conductive material having the second resistivity and configured for connecting the plurality of conductive sections in the drive and sense lines and enabling the plurality of drive and sense lines to cross over each other.

24. A method of forming a touch sensor panel, comprising:

forming a plurality of drive lines and sense lines from an interconnected plurality of sections of conductive material having a first resistivity, the drive and sense lines configured to form an array of capacitive touch sensors; and

lowering the overall resistivity of at least one of the conductive sections by depositing a substantially transparent conductive material having a second resistivity lower than the first resistivity over at least part of one of the conductive sections.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

depositing at least one dummy section of conductive material having the first resistivity in an area of the touch sensor panel around and electrically isolated from the conductive sections of at least one of the plurality of drive and sense lines.