CAPACITIVE SENSING DEVICE COMPRISING CROSS-SHAPED SENSING ELEMENTS

• US 20110157079A1
• Filed: 12/20/2010
• Published: 06/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: WU, Zhong-Yuan, KIM, Hyoung-rae
• Granted Patent: US 8,922,501 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04108 Touchless 2D- digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface without distance measurement in the Z direction
• 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 3/0443 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 3/0448 Details of the electrode shape, e.g. for enhancing the detection of touches, for generating specific electric field shapes, for enhancing display quality

Abstract

A capacitive sensing device comprises first electrodes in which a plurality of first sensing elements are arranged in rows and columns, and second electrodes in which a plurality of second sensing elements are arranged in rows and columns. Each of the first sensing elements has an iron cross shape, and each of the second sensing elements has a double-cross shape in which a first cross and a second cross overlap each at a shared center point and the second cross is rotated with respect to the first cross. Capacitances are formed between the first sensing elements and the second sensing elements.

Claims

1. A capacitive sensing device, comprising:

first electrodes in which a plurality of first sensing elements are arranged in rows and columns; and

second electrodes in which a plurality of second sensing elements are arranged in rows and columns,

wherein each of the first sensing elements has an iron cross shape,

wherein each of the second sensing elements has a double-cross shape in which a first cross and a second cross overlap each other at a shared center point and the second cross is rotated with respect to the first cross, and

wherein capacitances are formed between the first sensing elements and the second sensing elements.

2. The capacitive sensing device of claim 1, wherein the second cross is rotated by 45°

with respect to the first cross.

3. The capacitive sensing device of claim 1, wherein the first electrodes are drive electrodes and the second electrodes are sense electrodes.

4. The capacitive sensing device of claim 1, wherein the first sensing elements are electrically connected to each other in one direction by flying conductors.

5. The capacitive sensing device of claim 1, wherein the first electrodes and the second electrodes are formed in one layer.

6. The capacitive sensing device of claim 1, wherein the first cross and the second cross have different lengths.

7. The capacitive sensing device of claim 1, wherein additional crosses are formed by lines perpendicular to each of four arms of the first cross of the second sensing elements, and

wherein the first sensing elements are separated from the second sensing elements to form capacitors, and are symmetrically formed to fill remaining spaces in which the second sensing elements are not formed.

8. The capacitive sensing device of claim 7, wherein the first cross is symmetrical about a central axis.

9. The capacitive sensing device of claim 7, wherein the first electrodes and the second electrodes are formed in one layer.

10. The capacitive sensing device of claim 1, wherein additional crosses are formed by lines perpendicular to each of four arms of the second cross of the second sensing elements, and

wherein the first sensing elements are separated from the second sensing elements to form capacitors, and are symmetrically formed to fill remaining spaces in which the second sensing elements are not formed.

11. The capacitive sensing device of claim 10, wherein the four arms of the second cross are symmetrical to each other.

12. The capacitive sensing device of claim 10, wherein the first electrodes and the second electrodes are formed in one layer.

13. The capacitive sensing device of claim 1, wherein additional crosses are formed by lines perpendicular to each of four arms of the first cross of the second sensing elements,

wherein additional crosses are formed by lines perpendicular to each of four arms of the second cross of the second sensing elements, and

wherein the plurality of the first sensing elements are separated from the second sensing elements to form capacitors, and are symmetrically formed to fill remaining spaces in which the second sensing elements are not formed.

14. The capacitive sensing device of claim 13, wherein the first cross is symmetrical about a first axis, and the second cross is symmetrical about a second axis.

15. A capacitive sensing device comprising:

first electrodes in which a plurality of first sensing elements are arranged in rows and columns; and

second electrodes in which a plurality of second sensing elements are arranged in rows and columns,

wherein each of the second sensing elements has a shape comprising a cross having four arms, and additional crosses formed by lines perpendicular to the four arms, and

wherein the first sensing elements are separated from the second sensing elements to form capacitors, and are symmetrically formed to fill remaining spaces in which the second sensing elements are not formed.

16. The capacitive sensing device of claim 15, wherein the first electrodes are drive electrodes and the second electrodes are sense electrodes.

17. The capacitive sensing device of claim 15, wherein the first sensing elements are electrically connected to each other in one direction by flying conductors.

18. The capacitive sensing device of claim 15, wherein the first electrodes and the second electrodes are formed in one layer.

19. The capacitive sensing device of claim 15, wherein the cross is rotated at an angle of 45°

to form an x shape, and wherein an additional line is formed vertically through a center point of the x shape.

20. The capacitive sensing device of claim 19, wherein additional crosses are formed by lines perpendicular to upper and lower arms of the additional line.

21. A capacitive sensing device comprising:

first electrodes in which a plurality of first sensing elements are arranged in rows and columns; and

second electrodes in which a plurality of second sensing elements are arranged in rows and columns,

wherein each of second sensing elements has an x shape in which additional crosses are formed by adding lines perpendicular to each of four arms of the x shape, and

wherein the first sensing elements are separated from the second sensing elements to form capacitors, and are symmetrically formed to fill remaining spaces in which the second sensing elements are not formed.

22. The capacitive sensing device of claim 21, wherein the first electrodes are drive electrodes and the second electrodes are sense electrodes.

23. The capacitive sensing device of claim 21, wherein the first sensing elements are electrically connected to each other in a horizontal direction by flying conductors.

24. The capacitive sensing device of claim 21, wherein the first electrodes and the second electrodes are formed in one layer.

25. The capacitive sensing device of claim 21, wherein each of the second sensing elements has an x shape with a vertical line passing through a center point of the x shape.

26. The capacitive sensing device of claim 25, wherein additional crosses are formed by lines perpendicular to upper and lower arms of the vertical line with respect to the center point of the x shape.

27. The capacitive sensing device of claim 21, wherein each of the second sensing elements has a horizontal line passing through a center point of the x shape.

28. The capacitive sensing device of claim 27, wherein the first sensing elements are electrically connected to each other in a horizontal direction by flying conductors.

29. The capacitive sensing device of claim 27, wherein the first electrodes and the second electrodes are formed in one layer.

30. The capacitive sensing device of claim 27, wherein additional crosses are formed by lines perpendicular to left and right arms of the horizontal line with respect to the center point of the x shape.

31. A capacitive sensing system, comprising:

at least one touch panel;

first electrodes arranged under the touch panel in rows and columns that are electrically a connected to each other;

second electrodes arranged in rows and columns that are electrically connected to each other, wherein the first electrodes and the second electrodes are formed in one layer, wherein the second electrodes have a double-cross shape in which a first cross and a second cross overlap each other at a shared center point and the second cross is rotated with respect to the first cross, and wherein, where a user touches the touch panel, a touch event is detected for at least one point where a row or column of the first electrodes crosses a row or column of the second electrodes; and

a shielding layer formed under the one layer in which the first electrodes and the second electrodes are formed.

32. The capacitive sensing system of claim 31, wherein the first electrodes are drive electrodes and the second electrodes are sense electrodes.

33. The capacitive sensing system of claim 31, wherein the second cross is rotated by 45°

with respect to the first cross.

34. The capacitive sensing system of claim 31, wherein the one layer is formed of indium tin oxide (ITO).

35. A method of manufacturing a capacitive sensing device, comprising:

forming first electrodes in which a plurality of first sensing elements are arranged in rows and columns;

forming second electrodes in which a plurality of second sensing elements are arranged in rows and columns; and

forming capacitances between the first sensing elements and the second sensing elements,

wherein each of the first sensing elements has an iron cross shape, and

wherein each of the second sensing elements has a double-cross shape in which a first cross and a second cross overlap each other at a shared center point and the second cross is rotated with respect to the first cross.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the second cross is rotated by 45°

with respect to the first cross.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the first electrodes are drive electrodes and the second electrodes are sense electrodes.

38. The method of claim 35, wherein the first sensing elements are electrically connected to each other in a horizontal direction by flying conductors.

39. The method of claim 35, wherein the first electrodes and the second electrodes are formed in one layer.