SINGLE SUBSTRATE TOUCH SENSOR

• US 20130113752A1
• Filed: 06/19/2012
• Published: 05/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Inventors: Tan, Yeh-Cheng, Chang, Yi-Yun
• Granted Patent: US 9,024,891 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04111 Cross over in capacitive digitiser, i.e. details of structures for connecting electrodes of the sensing pattern where the connections cross each other, e.g. bridge structures comprising an insulating layer, or vias through substrate
• 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 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/20 for assembling or disassembling contact members with insulating base, case or sleeve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

The embodiments described herein are related to capacitive input device, including a substrate, a plurality of first sensor electrodes deposited on the substrate and arranged in a first direction, an insulating layer, a plurality of connecting elements deposited on the insulating layer, a plurality of second sensor electrodes. The plurality of second sensor electrodes includes a plurality of sensor electrode elements deposited on the substrate ohmically isolated from the plurality of first sensor electrodes. Each of the plurality of sensor electrode elements are connected to at least one other sensor electrode element arranged in a second direction by one of the plurality of connecting elements. The capacitive input device may further include a plurality of routing elements deposited on the insulating layer, wherein each of the plurality of routing elements coupled to one of the plurality of second sensor electrodes and is substantially disposed in the first direction.

Claims

1. A capacitive input device, comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of first sensor electrodes deposited on the substrate and arranged in a first direction;

an insulating layer;

a plurality of connecting elements deposited on the insulating layer;

a plurality of second sensor electrodes comprising;

a plurality of sensor electrode elements deposited on the substrate ohmically isolated from the plurality of first sensor electrodes,

wherein each of the plurality of sensor electrode elements are connected to at least one other sensor electrode element arranged in a second direction by one of the plurality of connecting elements;

a plurality of routing elements deposited on the insulating layer, wherein each of the plurality of routing elements coupled to one of the plurality of second sensor electrodes and is substantially disposed in the first direction.

2. The capacitive input device of claim 1, wherein a portion of at least one sensor electrode element is disposed between each adjacent first sensor electrode.

3. The capacitive input device of claim 2, wherein the plurality of routing elements are arranged on the insulating layer over the portion of the sensor electrode elements disposed between each adjacent first sensor electrode.

4. The capacitive input device of claim 1, further comprising a processing system communicatively coupled to the first and second plurality of sensor electrodes, wherein the processing system is connected to the first and second plurality of sensor electrodes along only one edge of the substrate.

5. The capacitive input device of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of sensor electrodes are receiver sensor electrodes and the second plurality of sensor electrodes are transmitter sensor electrodes.

6. The capacitive input device of claim 1, further comprising at least one sensor coupled to the substrate, the at least one sensor configured to provide an indication of a pressure applied to the substrate.

7. The capacitive input device of claim 1, wherein the substrate is transparent.

8. The capacitive input device of claim 7, further comprising indicia deposited on a first side of the substrate visible from a second side of the substrate.

9. A method for constructing a capacitive input device, the method comprising:

providing a substrate;

depositing a first array of sensor electrodes on the substrate, the first array of sensor electrodes arranged in a first direction;

depositing a plurality of sensor electrode elements on the substrate, the plurality of sensor electrode elements ohmically isolated from the first array of sensor electrodes;

depositing an insulating layer over the first array of sensor electrodes and plurality of sensor electrode elements;

depositing a plurality of connecting elements onto the insulating layer, wherein each of the plurality of connecting elements ohmically couple two of the plurality of sensor electrode elements arranged in a second direction to form a second array of sensor electrodes arranged in the second direction; and

depositing a plurality of routing traces onto the insulating layer, wherein each routing trace is ohmically coupled to one of the sensor electrodes of the second array and each routing trace extends substantially along the first direction.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein a portion of at least one sensor electrode element is disposed between each sensor electrode of the first array of sensor electrodes.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of routing elements are deposited on the insulating layer over the portion of the sensor electrode elements disposed between each row of the first array of sensor electrodes.

12. A transcapacitive input device, comprising:

a substrate;

an insulating layer;

a first array of sensor electrodes deposited in rows on the substrate, each of the first array of first sensor electrodes having a first major axis aligned in a first direction;

a plurality of connecting elements deposited on the insulating layer;

a second array of sensor electrodes having a second major axis aligned in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, the second array of sensor electrodes comprising;

a plurality of sensor electrode elements deposited on the substrate ohmically isolated from the first array of sensor electrodes,

wherein each of the plurality of sensor electrode elements are connected to at least one other sensor electrode element arranged in the second direction by one of the plurality of connecting elements;

a plurality of routing elements deposited on the insulating layer, wherein each of the plurality of routing elements coupled to one of the electrodes of the second array and is substantially disposed in the first direction.

13. The transcapacitive input device of claim 12, wherein a portion of at least one sensor electrode element is disposed between adjacent rows of the sensor electrodes of the first array.

14. The transcapacitive input device of claim 13, wherein the plurality of routing elements are arranged on the insulating layer over the portion of the sensor electrode elements disposed between adjacent rows of the sensor electrodes of the first array.

15. The transcapacitive input device of claim 12, further comprising a processing system communicatively coupled to the first and second arrays of sensor electrodes, wherein the processing system is connected to the first and second arrays of sensor electrodes along only one edge of the substrate.

16. The transcapacitive input device of claim 15, wherein the substrate is configured to rotate about an axis.

17. The transcapacitive input device of claim 16, further comprising at least one sensor coupled to the substrate, the at least one sensor configured to provide an indication of a pressure applied to the substrate.

18. The transcapacitive input device of claim 16, wherein the at least one sensor is a tact switch.

19. The transcapacitive input device of claim 16, wherein the at least one sensor is a force sensor.

20. The transcapacitive input device of claim 12, wherein the first substrate is opaque.