Simplified Mechanical Design for an Acoustic Touch Screen
First Claim
1. A touch screen system for an electronic device having a power source and a touch screen control board, comprising:
- a transparent substrate having an external surface and an internal surface, the transparent substrate for receiving a contact from an object upon the external surface;
deposited layers arranged about a perimeter of the internal surface of the transparent substrate, the deposited layers consisting of;
a conductive layer deposited upon the internal surface of the transparent substrate, wherein the conductive layer forms a pattern of conductive traces; and
an isolation layer deposited upon the conductive layer;
one or more acoustic sensors associated with the transparent substrate, wherein the acoustic sensors receive an acoustic wave generated by the contact and convert the acoustic wave to an electronic signal, and wherein the acoustic sensors are electrically connected through a first one of the conductive traces; and
a plurality of capacitive sensors associated with the transparent substrate, each of the capacitive sensors comprising a first electrode that is spaced a distance from a second electrode, wherein each of the first electrodes is both formed by and electrically connected through a second one of the conductive traces and each of the second electrodes is electrically connected through a third one of the conductive traces, and wherein the contact of the object causes a capacitive change in the capacitive sensors.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A simplified touch screen system that can sense when an object is held in continuous direct or indirect contact with a transparent substrate of the touch screen system as well as determine a location (e.g., X, Y coordinates) of the object in relation to the transparent substrate. The touch screen system employs capacitance technology to sense whether the object is held in contact with the transparent substrate and acoustic sensing technology to determine a position of the object that is contacting the transparent substrate. The touch screen system requires a reduced number of shielding and isolation layers to be deposited upon the transparent substrate, partially because the touch screen system utilizes a bezel associated with an underlying display to provide shielding against electromagnetic radiation emitted by the display.
40 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A touch screen system for an electronic device having a power source and a touch screen control board, comprising:
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a transparent substrate having an external surface and an internal surface, the transparent substrate for receiving a contact from an object upon the external surface; deposited layers arranged about a perimeter of the internal surface of the transparent substrate, the deposited layers consisting of; a conductive layer deposited upon the internal surface of the transparent substrate, wherein the conductive layer forms a pattern of conductive traces; and an isolation layer deposited upon the conductive layer; one or more acoustic sensors associated with the transparent substrate, wherein the acoustic sensors receive an acoustic wave generated by the contact and convert the acoustic wave to an electronic signal, and wherein the acoustic sensors are electrically connected through a first one of the conductive traces; and a plurality of capacitive sensors associated with the transparent substrate, each of the capacitive sensors comprising a first electrode that is spaced a distance from a second electrode, wherein each of the first electrodes is both formed by and electrically connected through a second one of the conductive traces and each of the second electrodes is electrically connected through a third one of the conductive traces, and wherein the contact of the object causes a capacitive change in the capacitive sensors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of analyzing a contact from an object upon a touch screen system, comprising:
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providing a transparent substrate having external and internal surfaces; depositing layers, other than shielding layers, on the internal surface of the transparent substrate, the depositing comprising; depositing a layer of conductive material to form an annular pattern of conductive traces about a perimeter of the internal surface of the transparent substrate, wherein the conductive traces form a plurality of first electrodes; and depositing a layer of insulating material upon the layer of conductive material; connecting a plurality of second electrodes to the conductive traces, wherein each of the second electrodes is spaced a distance from one of the first electrodes such that each pair of the first and the second electrodes forms a capacitive sensor, and wherein the contact of the object causes a capacitive change in the capacitive sensors; and connecting one or more acoustic sensors to the conductive traces, wherein the acoustic sensors receive an acoustic wave generated by the contact from the object and convert the acoustic wave to an electronic signal. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A touch screen system for an electronic device having a power source and a touch screen control board, comprising:
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a transparent substrate having an external surface and an internal surface, the transparent substrate for receiving a contact from an object upon the external surface; a pattern of conductive traces arranged about a perimeter of the internal surface of the transparent substrate, wherein the conductive traces are deposited directly upon the internal surface of the transparent substrate; one or more acoustic sensors associated with the transparent substrate, wherein the acoustic sensors receive an acoustic wave generated by the contact and convert the acoustic wave to an electronic signal, and wherein the acoustic sensors are electrically connected through a first one of the conductive traces; and a plurality of capacitive sensors associated with the transparent substrate, each of the capacitive sensors comprising a first electrode that is spaced a distance from a second electrode, wherein each of the first electrodes is both formed by and electrically connected through a second one of the conductive traces and each of the second electrodes is electrically connected through a third one of the conductive traces, and wherein the contact of the object causes a capacitive change in the capacitive sensors. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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Specification