Single-Layer Touch Sensor

• US 20130100038A1
• Filed: 10/20/2011
• Published: 04/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Atmel Corporation (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Atmel Technologies U.K. Limited (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: YILMAZ, Esat, TREND, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US13/278,046
• Publication Number:
  US 20130100038A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• 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

Abstract

In one embodiment, a touch sensor includes multiple first electrode lines along a first direction. Each of the first electrode lines includes multiple first electrodes. The touch sensor also includes multiple second electrode lines along a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction. Each of the second electrode lines includes one second electrode. The second electrode of each of the second electrode lines is interdigitated with one of the first electrodes of each of the first electrode lines. The first and second electrodes are disposed on one side of a substrate.

Claims

1. A touch sensor comprising:

a plurality of first electrode lines along a first direction, each of the first electrode lines comprising a plurality of first electrodes; and

a plurality of second electrode lines along a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction, each of the second electrode lines comprising one second electrode, the one second electrode of each of the second electrode lines being interdigitated with one of the first electrodes of each of the first electrode lines, the first and second electrodes being disposed on one side of a substrate.

2. The touch sensor of claim 1, wherein:

each of the first electrode lines is a sense line of the touch sensor;

each of the first electrodes is a sense electrode of the touch sensor;

each of the second electrode lines is a drive line of the touch sensor; and

each of the second electrodes is a drive electrode of the touch sensor.

3. The touch sensor of claim 1, wherein:

each of the first electrode lines is a drive line of the touch sensor;

each of the first electrodes is a drive electrode of the touch sensor;

each of the second electrode lines is a sense line of the touch sensor; and

each of the second electrodes is a sense electrode of the touch sensor.

4. The touch sensor of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second electrodes comprises an extent along the second direction and one or more projections from its extent along the first direction.

5. The touch sensor of claim 4, wherein the one or more projections of the first electrodes capacitively couple to the one or more projections of the second electrodes.

6. The touch sensor of claim 1, further comprising one or more conductive spines having an extent along the first direction, each of the one or more conductive spines being coupled to the first electrodes of one of the first electrode lines.

7. The touch sensor of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of electrode connectors having an extent along the second direction, each of the electrode connectors coupling one of the first electrodes lines to tracking along one or more edges of the touch sensor.

8. The touch sensor of claim 7, wherein the electrode connectors couple the first electrodes to tracking along an edge of the touch sensor.

9. The touch sensor of claim 1, wherein a first pattern of the first and second electrodes within a first portion of the touch sensor is a mirror image of a second pattern of first and second electrodes within a second portion of the touch sensor.

10. The touch sensor of claim 9, wherein the first portion of the touch sensor is adjacent to the second portion of the touch sensor.

11. A device comprising:

a touch sensor comprising;

a plurality of first electrode lines along a first direction, each of the first electrode lines comprising a plurality of first electrodes; and

a plurality of second electrode lines along a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction, each of the second electrode lines comprising one second electrode, the one second electrode of each of the second electrode lines being interdigitated with one of the first electrodes of each of the first electrode lines, the first and second electrodes being disposed on one side of a substrate; and

one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying logic that is configured when executed to control the touch sensor.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein:

each of the first electrode lines is a sense line of the touch sensor;

each of the first electrodes is a sense electrode of the touch sensor;

each of the second electrode lines is a drive line of the touch sensor; and

each of the second electrodes is a drive electrode of the touch sensor.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein:

each of the first electrode lines is a drive line of the touch sensor;

each of the first electrodes is a drive electrode of the touch sensor;

each of the second electrode lines is a sense line of the touch sensor; and

each of the second electrodes is a sense electrode of the touch sensor.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein each of the first and second electrodes comprises an extent along the second direction and one or more projections from its extent along the first direction.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the one or more projections of the first electrodes capacitively couple to the one or more projections of the second electrodes.

16. The device of claim 11, wherein the touch sensor further comprising one or more conductive spines having an extent along the first direction, each of the one or more conductive spines being coupled to the first electrodes of one of the first electrode lines.

17. The device of claim 11, further comprising a plurality of electrode connectors having an extent along the second direction, each of the electrode connectors coupling one of the first electrodes lines to tracking along one or more edges of the touch sensor.

18. The device of claim 11, wherein a first pattern of the first and second electrodes within a first portion of the touch sensor is a mirror image of a second pattern of the first and second electrodes within a second portion of the touch sensor.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the first portion of the touch sensor is adjacent to the second portion of the touch sensor.

20. The device of claim 11, wherein the device is one or more of a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a smartphone, a satellite navigation device, a portable media player, a portable game console, a kiosk computer, or a point-of-sale device.