CAPACITIVE TOUCH SCREEN WITH REDUCED ELECTRODE TRACE RESISTANCE

• US 20100328248A1
• Filed: 06/24/2009
• Published: 12/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ocular LCD, Inc. (Ocular Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ocular LCD, Inc. (Ocular Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mozdzyn, Larry Stephen
• Application Number:
  US12/491,079
• Publication Number:
  US 20100328248A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04111 Cross over in capacitive digitiser, i.e. details of structures for connecting electrodes of the sensing pattern where the connections cross each other, e.g. bridge structures comprising an insulating layer, or vias through substrate
• 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

An improved touch screen has enhanced optical performance and aesthetic quality. The electrodes on the touch screen employ additional fine traces of conductive material to reduce the overall electrode trace resistance to increase electrical performance without sacrificing optical quality. The additional fine traces of conductive material may be placed on the top of the ITO traces or in channels inside the boundaries of the ITO traces. The additional traces preferably run the length of the ITO traces to reduce the resistance in the longer dimension. Further, the additional traces are very small in width such that in the aggregate they cover only a small portion of the ITO electrode trace in lateral dimension to reduce the visibility of the additional traces. The conductive material may also be formed as a plurality of geometric shapes substantially forming a line in the longer dimension of the transparent conductive traces to reduce the visibility of the conductive material.

Claims

1. A touch screen comprising:

a plurality of transparent conductive traces formed on a transparent material;

a plurality of opaque low resistance conductors electrically connected to the transparent conductive traces along a length of the transparent conductive traces; and

wherein the plurality of opaque low resistance conductors are substantially narrower than the transparent conductive traces such that the plurality of opaque low resistance conductors cover less than fifteen percent of the width of the transparent conductive traces.

2. The touch screen of claim 1 wherein the opaque low resistance conductors are on a top surface of the transparent conductive traces.

3. The touch screen of claim 1 wherein the opaque low resistance conductors are embedded inside the transparent conductive traces.

4. The touch screen of claim 1 wherein the plurality of transparent conductive traces are formed of indium tin oxide (ITO).

5. The touch screen of claim 1 wherein the touch screen is a capacitive touch screen and the conductive traces are formed on a glass surface.

6. The touch screen of claim 1 wherein the transparent conductive traces comprise sense lines.

7. The touch screen of claim 1 wherein the plurality of opaque low resistance conductors comprise a plurality of geometric shapes substantially forming a line in the longer dimension of the transparent conductive traces.

8. The touch screen of claim 7 wherein the plurality of geometric shapes are chosen from the following:

two adjacent lines of rectangles and overlapping curved lines.

9. A capacitive touch screen comprising:

a plurality of transparent conductive traces formed on a transparent material;

a plurality of opaque low resistance conductors electrically connected to the transparent conductive traces along a length of the transparent conductive traces; and

wherein the plurality of opaque low resistance conductors are substantially narrower than the transparent conductive traces such that the plurality of opaque low resistance conductors cover less than five percent of the width of the transparent conductive traces.

10. The touch screen of claim 9 wherein the opaque low resistance conductors are on a top surface of the transparent conductive traces.

11. The touch screen of claim 9 wherein the opaque low resistance conductors are embedded inside the transparent conductive traces.

12. The touch screen of claim 9 wherein the plurality of transparent conductive traces are formed of indium tin oxide (ITO).

13. The touch screen of claim 9 wherein the transparent conductive traces comprise sense lines.

14. The touch screen of claim 13 wherein the plurality of opaque low resistance conductors comprise a plurality of geometric shapes substantially forming a line in the longer dimension of the transparent conductive traces.

15. A capacitive touch screen comprising:

a plurality of transparent conductive traces formed of indium tin oxide (ITO) on a transparent glass material;

a plurality of metal conductors electrically connected to the transparent conductive traces along a length of the transparent conductive traces; and

wherein the plurality of metal conductors are substantially narrower than the transparent conductive traces such that the plurality of low resistance conductors cover less than five percent of the width of the transparent conductive traces.

16. The touch screen of claim 15 wherein the metal conductors are on a top surface of the transparent conductive traces.

17. The touch screen of claim 15 wherein the metal conductors are embedded inside the transparent conductive traces.

18. The touch screen of claim 15 wherein the transparent conductive traces comprise sense lines.

19. The touch screen of claim 15 wherein the plurality of metal conductors comprise a plurality of geometric shapes substantially forming a line in the longer dimension of the transparent conductive traces.

20. The touch screen of claim 19 wherein the plurality of geometric shapes are chosen from the following:

two adjacent lines of rectangles and overlapping curved lines.