Two-Dimensional Position Sensor

• US 20110018841A1
• Filed: 10/06/2010
• Published: 01/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neodrón Limited (Atlantic IP Services Limited)
• Original Assignee: Atmel U.K. Limited (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hristov, Luben
• Granted Patent: US 8,223,133 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04164 Connections between sensors and controllers, e.g. routing lines between electrodes and connection pads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04186 Touch location disambiguation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0448 Details of the electrode shape, e.g. for enhancing the detection of touches, for generating specific electric field shapes, for enhancing display quality
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00

Abstract

A capacitive position sensor for determining the position of an object along first and second directions is described. The sensor comprises a substrate having an arrangement of electrodes mounted on a single surface thereof. The electrodes are arranged so as to define an array of sensing cells arranged in columns and rows to form a sensing area. Each of the sensing cell including a column sensing electrode and a row sensing electrode with the column sensing electrodes of sensing cells in the same column being electrically coupled together and the row sensing electrodes of sensing cells in the same row also being electrically coupled together. Row sensing electrodes of sensing cells at opposing ends of at least one of the rows are connected together by an electrical connection made outside of the sensing area so that there is no requirement for electrical connections to cross within the sensing area, thus providing a capacitive position sensor having a sensing area with electrodes on only one side of a substrate.

Claims

1. A capacitive position sensor for determining the position of an object in a sensing area, the sensor comprising a substrate having a surface with an arrangement of electrodes mounted thereon, wherein the electrodes define an array of sensing cells arranged in columns and rows to form the sensing area, each sensing cell including a column sensing electrode and a row sensing electrode, the column sensing electrodes of sensing cells in the same column being electrically coupled together and the row sensing electrodes of sensing cells in the same row being electrically coupled together, wherein row sensing electrodes of sensing cells at opposing ends of at least one of the rows are electrically coupled to one another by respective row wrap-around connections made outside of the sensing area.

2-27. -27. (canceled)