TOUCH POSITION-SENSING PANEL AND METHOD

• US 20120113014A1
• Filed: 11/04/2010
• Published: 05/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neodrón Limited (Atlantic IP Services Limited)
• Original Assignee: QRG Limited
• Inventors: YILMAZ, Esat
• Granted Patent: US 8,786,572 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• 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
• 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: Y10T 29/49124 On flat or curved insulated base, e.g., printed circuit, etc.

Abstract

A touch position-sensing panel has electrodes arranged in different directions to form capacitive nodes, where at least one electrode has a corner within the perimeter of the electrode.

Claims

1. A touch position-sensing panel comprising:

a sensing area;

a first electrode formed of a conductive material arranged in a first direction;

second electrodes formed of a conductive material arranged in a second direction different from the first direction such that the first and second electrodes form areas of overlap in the sensing area;

wherein the first electrode has a perimeter and has a corner inside the perimeter formed of the conductive material;

each corner being defined by walls of one or more cut-out regions through the conductive material, the one or more cut-out regions being formed within the perimeter and outside the areas of overlap of the first electrode with second electrodes.

2. The touch position-sensing panel of claim 1, wherein the first and second directions are perpendicular to each other.

3. The touch position-sensing panel of claim 1, wherein the first electrode is a drive electrode, and the conductive material of the first electrode comprises a transparent conductive material.

4. The touch position-sensing panel of claim 3, wherein the transparent conductive material comprises ITO.

5. The touch position-sensing panel of claim 3, wherein the second electrodes are sense electrodes, and the conductive material of the second electrodes comprises mesh patterns of a conductive metal.

6. The touch position-sensing panel of claim 1, wherein the conductive material of the second electrodes comprises a transparent conductive material.

7. The touch position-sensing panel of claim 6, wherein the transparent conductive material comprises ITO.

8. The touch position-sensing panel of claim 1, wherein each of the second electrodes further comprise a branched portion extending in the first direction.

9. The touch position-sensing panel of claim 1, wherein the corner has an angle of 120 degrees or less.

10. The touch position-sensing panel of claim 1, wherein the corner has an angle of 90 degrees or less.

11. A touch position-sensing panel comprising:

at least one substrate having a first surface and a second surface separated from the first surface;

a plurality of first electrodes formed on the first surface;

a plurality of second electrodes formed on the second surface;

wherein;

the first electrodes are comprised of a conductive material arranged in a first direction,

the second electrodes are comprised of a conductive material arranged in a second direction such that the first and second electrodes form areas of overlap,

each first electrode has a perimeter, and has a corner inside the perimeter formed of the conductive material;

each corner being defined by walls of one or more cut-out regions through the conductive material, the one or more cut-out regions being formed within the perimeter and outside the areas of overlap of the first electrodes with second electrodes.

12. The touch position-sensing panel of claim 11, wherein the first and second directions are perpendicular to each other.

13. The touch position-sensing panel of claim 11, wherein the first electrodes are drive electrodes, and the conductive material of the first electrodes comprises a transparent conductive material.

14. The touch position-sensing panel of claim 13, wherein the transparent conductive material comprises ITO.

15. The touch position-sensing panel of claim 13, wherein the second electrodes are sense electrodes, and the conductive material of the second electrodes comprises mesh patterns of a conductive metal.

16. The touch position-sensing panel of claim 11, wherein the conductive material of the second electrodes comprises a transparent conductive material.

17. The touch position-sensing panel of claim 16, wherein the transparent conductive material comprises ITO.

18. The touch position-sensing panel of claim 11, wherein the second electrodes further comprise a branched portion extending in the first direction.

19. The touch position-sensing panel of claim 11, wherein the corners have an angle of 120 degrees or less.

20. The touch position-sensing panel of claim 11, wherein the corners have an angle of 90 degrees or less.

21. A method of forming a touch position-sensing panel comprising steps of:

forming a first conductive layer comprising a plurality of first electrodes formed of a transparent material, on a first surface of at least one substrate in a first direction, wherein each of the plurality of first electrodes comprises a perimeter;

forming a second conductive layer comprising a plurality of second electrodes, on a second surface of the substrate in a second direction different from the first direction, such that the first and second electrodes form an area of overlap in a sensing area of the touch position-sensing panel,

wherein the forming of the first conductive layer includes forming at least one corner inside the perimeter formed of the conductive material;

each corner being defined by walls of one or more cut-out regions through the conductive material, the one or more cut-out regions being formed within the perimeter and outside the areas of overlap of the first electrodes with second electrodes.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein each corner has an angle of 120 degrees or less.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein each corner has an angle of 90 degrees or less.