Randomizing One or More Micro-Features of a Touch Sensor

• US 20130113502A1
• Filed: 11/03/2011
• Published: 05/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Carl Carley
• Inventors: Yilmaz, Esat, Morrione, Michael Thomas, Carley, Carl
• Granted Patent: US 8,963,561 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/649
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04112 Electrode mesh in capacitive digitiser: electrode for touch sensing is formed of a mesh of very fine, normally metallic, interconnected lines that are almost invisible to see. This provides a quite large but transparent electrode surface, without need for ITO or similar transparent conductive material
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49105 Switch making

Abstract

In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a touch sensor with one or more meshes of conductive material. Each of the meshes includes multiple mesh cells defined by multiple mesh segments. Each of the mesh cells includes a centroid and multiple vertices. The mesh segments are made of the conductive material, and the centroids or vertices of the mesh cells have a substantially random distribution within an area of the touch sensor. The apparatus also includes one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media coupled to the touch sensor that embody logic that is configured when executed to control the touch sensor.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a touch sensor comprising one or more meshes of conductive material, each of the meshes comprising a plurality of mesh cells defined by a plurality of mesh segments, each of the mesh cells comprising a centroid and a plurality of vertices, the mesh segments being made of the conductive material, the centroids or vertices of the mesh cells having a substantially random distribution within an area of the touch sensor; and

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

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more meshes of conductive material comprise a first mesh and a second mesh, the first mesh being disposed on a first surface of a substrate and the second mesh being disposed on a second surface of the substrate opposite the first surface.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

in the first mesh, the centroids of the mesh cells have a substantially random distribution within the area of the touch sensor; and

in the second mesh, the vertices of the mesh cells have a substantially random distribution within the area of the touch sensor.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more meshes of conductive material comprise a first mesh and a second mesh, the first mesh being disposed on a surface of a first substrate and the second mesh being disposed on a surface of a second substrate.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein:

in the first mesh, the centroids of the mesh cells have a substantially random distribution within the area of the touch sensor; and

in the second mesh, the vertices of the mesh cells have a substantially random distribution within the area of the touch sensor.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of one or more of the mesh segments is a substantially straight line.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of one or more of the mesh segments is substantially non-linear.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein each of one or more of the mesh segments is substantially sinusoidal.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one or more of the meshes of conductive material substantially embodies a Voronoi diagram.

10. A touch sensor comprising:

one or more meshes of conductive material;

each of the meshes comprising a plurality of mesh cells defined by a plurality of mesh segments;

each of the mesh cells comprising a centroid and a plurality of vertices;

the mesh segments being made of the conductive material; and

the centroids or vertices of the mesh cells having a substantially random distribution within an area of the touch sensor.

11. The touch sensor of claim 10, wherein the one or more meshes of conductive material comprise a first mesh and a second mesh, the first mesh being disposed on a first surface of a substrate and the second mesh being disposed on a second surface of the substrate opposite the first surface.

12. The touch sensor of claim 11, wherein:

in the first mesh, the centroids of the mesh cells have a substantially random distribution within the area of the touch sensor; and

in the second mesh, the vertices of the mesh cells have a substantially random distribution within the area of the touch sensor.

13. The touch sensor of claim 10, wherein the one or more meshes of conductive material comprise a first mesh and a second mesh, the first mesh being disposed on a surface of a first substrate and the second mesh being disposed on a surface of a second substrate.

14. The touch sensor of claim 13, wherein:

in the first mesh, the centroids of the mesh cells have a substantially random distribution within the area of the touch sensor; and

in the second mesh, the vertices of the mesh cells have a substantially random distribution within the area of the touch sensor.

15. A method comprising:

placing by one or more computer systems a plurality of seeds within an area subject to one or more placement rules and one or more area-saturation rules, the seeds having a substantially random distribution within the area as a result of the placement;

generating a pattern for a mesh of conductive material of a touch sensor at least in part by determining by one or more of the computer systems a plurality of mesh cells based on the placement of the seeds, the mesh cells being defined by a plurality of mesh segments, each of the mesh cells comprising a centroid and a plurality of vertices, the centroids or vertices of the mesh cells corresponding to the seeds.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein each of one or more of the mesh segments is a substantially straight line.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein each of one or more of the mesh segments is substantially non-linear.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein each of one or more of the mesh segments is substantially sinusoidal.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the pattern for the mesh of conductive material of the touch sensor substantially embodies a Voronoi diagram.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising manufacturing the mesh of conductive material of the touch sensor.