Touch-Sensitive Sensor Arrangement

• US 20110273195A1
• Filed: 05/04/2011
• Published: 11/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Wolf, Horst, STREICHERT, Gerhard
• Granted Patent: US 8,629,683 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/691
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0444 using a single conductive element covering the whole sensing surface, e.g. by sensing the electrical current flowing at the corners
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact

Abstract

A touch-sensitive sensor arrangement comprising a planar-shaped element having a surface provided with a conductive layer, and a plurality of connecting points that are each arranged in an edge area of the element and contacting the conductive layer, wherein a respective decoupling device is arranged for decoupling a current, which is applied to at least two connecting points, from an evaluating signal, between each of the respective connecting points and associated connecting lines for the evaluation of a position of a contact of the element with a contacting object, where the element is heatable by the current.

Claims

1. A touch-sensitive sensor arrangement comprising:

a planar-shaped element having a surface provided with a conductive layer;

a plurality of connecting points, each of the plurality of connecting points being arranged in an edge area of the planar-shaped element and contacting the conductive layer;

contacting lines connected respectively to the connecting points for evaluation of a position of a contact of the planar-shaped element, and

between each of the connecting points and a respective one of the contacting lines, a decoupling device for decoupling a current, applied to at least two connecting points, from an evaluating signal,

wherein the planar-shaped element is heatable by the current.

2. The touch-sensitive sensor arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of connecting points comprises a first connecting point, a second connecting point, a third connecting point and a fourth connecting point;

and

wherein a first connecting line, a second connecting line, a third connecting line and a fourth connecting line, are respectively connected to the first, second, third and fourth connecting points of the plurality of connecting points through the respective decoupling device;

wherein a first heating line is connected to the second connecting point and a second heating line is connected to the third connecting point such that the current is not conducted through the decoupling device.

3. The touch-sensitive sensor arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the decoupling device is configured to provide galvanic isolation.

4. The touch-sensitive sensor arrangement as claimed in claim 2, wherein the decoupling device is configured to provide galvanic isolation.

5. The touch-sensitive sensor arrangement as claimed in claim 3, wherein the decoupling device is configured to provide capacitive isolation.

6. The touch-sensitive sensor arrangement as claimed in claim 3, wherein the decoupling device is configured to provide inductive isolation.

7. The touch-sensitive sensor arrangement as claimed in claim 2, wherein each respective decoupling device comprises a switching element which isolates each of the plurality of connecting points from the first, second, third and forth connecting lines for the evaluating signal.

8. The touch-sensitive sensor arrangement as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a control circuit configured to control the switching element of said each respective decoupling device.

9. The touch-sensitive sensor arrangement as claimed in claim 8, wherein the control circuit controls the switching element such that one of the first, second, third and fourth connecting lines and the first and second heating lines are connected to the first, second, third and fourth connecting points in a predeterminable cycle.

10. The touch-sensitive sensor arrangement as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an evaluating unit connected to the plurality of connecting lines.