TOUCH SENSOR WITH REDUCED ANTI-TOUCH EFFECTS

• US 20130155000A1
• Filed: 12/20/2011
• Published: 06/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neodrón Limited (Atlantic IP Services Limited)
• Original Assignee: Atmel Corporation (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Trend, Matthew, Brunet, Samuel, Guard, David B., Hristov, Luben H.
• Granted Patent: US 9,634,660 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/174
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9622 using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2017/9602 characterised by the type or shape of the sensing electrodes

Abstract

In an embodiment, a system comprises a touch sensor. The touch sensor comprises an insulating substrate and a plurality of electrodes disposed on the insulating substrate. The plurality of electrodes comprises a drive line having a plurality of drive electrodes and a sense line having a plurality of sense electrodes. At least one of the electrodes comprises a first conductive material having a hole portion substantially free of the first conductive material.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a touch sensor, wherein the touch sensor comprises;

an insulating substrate;

a plurality of electrodes disposed on the insulating substrate, the plurality of electrodes comprising a drive line having a plurality of drive electrodes and a sense line having a plurality of sense electrodes; and

wherein at least one of the electrodes comprises a first conductive material having a hole portion substantially free of the first conductive material.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the hole portion comprises a second conductive material electrically coupled to a ground node.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the hole portion comprises a ground area formed of the first conductive material and separated from the boundary of the at least one of the electrodes by a gap.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the hole portion comprises floating material, wherein the floating material is not electrically coupled directly to the at least one electrode comprising the first conductive material.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the hole portion comprises a second material and wherein the first conductive material and the second material are separated by a gap.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the electrodes comprising the first conductive material is a drive electrode.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the electrodes comprising the first conductive material is a sense electrode.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the electrodes comprising the first conductive material has a snowflake pattern.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the electrodes comprising the first conductive material has a diamond pattern.

10. A system comprising:

a touch sensor, wherein the touch sensor comprises;

an insulating substrate;

a first sense line disposed on the insulating substrate, the sense line comprising a plurality of sense electrodes;

a first drive line disposed on the insulating substrate and arranged in a first plurality of segments, the first drive line comprising a first set of drive electrodes;

a second drive line disposed on the substrate and arranged in a second plurality of segments, the second drive line comprising a second set of drive electrodes; and

wherein a first segment of the first plurality of segments is disposed between a first and second segment of the second plurality of segments.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the first segment of the first plurality of segments is substantially parallel to a second segment of the first plurality of segments.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the first plurality of segments is less than the second plurality of segments.

13. The system of claim 10, further comprising a third drive line disposed on the insulating substrate and arranged in a third plurality of segments, the third drive line comprising a third set of drive electrodes, wherein a second segment of the first plurality of segments is disposed between the first segment of the second plurality of segments and a first segment of the third plurality of segments.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the first sense line is arranged in a plurality of substantially parallel sense line segments.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein at least one the drive electrodes in the first set of drive electrodes comprises conductive material formed in a diamond pattern.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein at least one of the drive electrodes in the first set of drive electrodes comprises conductive material formed in a snowflake pattern.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein at least one the sense electrodes in the plurality of sense electrodes comprises conductive material formed in a diamond pattern.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein at least one the sense electrodes in the plurality of sense electrodes comprises conductive material formed in a snowflake pattern.

19. The system of claim 10, wherein:

at least one of the drive electrodes in the first set of drive electrodes comprises a conductive material,

the conductive material comprises a hole portion substantially free of the conductive material; and

the hole portion comprises floating material, wherein the floating material is not electrically coupled directly to the at least one of the drive electrodes.

20. A system comprising:

a touch sensor, wherein the touch sensor comprises;

an insulating substrate;

a plurality of electrodes disposed on the insulating substrate, the plurality of electrodes comprising a drive line having a plurality of drive electrodes and a sense line having a plurality of sense electrodes;

wherein a first conductive material is disposed between at least one of the drive electrodes and at least one of the sense electrodes, wherein the first conductive material is electrically coupled to a ground node.