TOUCH PANEL DEVICE AND PORTABLE INFORMATION TERMINAL INCLUDING TOUCH PANEL DEVICE

• US 20130181938A1
• Filed: 07/17/2012
• Published: 07/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Mobile Communications Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Mobile Communications Japan Inc (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: TAKASHIMA, Kouichiro, TANIHATA, Mitsuhiro, ITO, Fumiyuki
• Granted Patent: US 9,519,382 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/174
• 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

Abstract

A touch panel device including an electrostatic capacitance type touch sensor in which a plurality of transparent electrode units are arranged in X and Y directions; a conductive layer that is connected to predetermined transparent electrode units among the plurality of transparent electrode units forming the electrostatic capacitance type touch sensor unit and that extends outward from an arrangement area of the plurality of transparent electrode units; a position detection unit that detects a position at which an external object contacts a surface near the electronic capacitance type touch sensor or the conductive layer; and a processor that executes a predetermined application program based on the position detected by the IC unit.

Claims

1. A touch panel device comprising:

an electrostatic capacitance type touch sensor in which a plurality of transparent electrode units are arranged in X and Y directions;

a conductive layer that is connected to predetermined transparent electrode units among the plurality of transparent electrode units forming the electrostatic capacitance type touch sensor unit and that extends outward from an arrangement area of the plurality of transparent electrode units;

a position detection unit that detects a position at which an external object contacts a surface near the electronic capacitance type touch sensor or the conductive layer; and

a processor that executes a predetermined application program based on the position detected by the position detection unit.

2. The touch panel device of claim 1, wherein the position detection unit detects the position based on an electrode capacitance change of the transparent electrode units.

3. The touch panel device of claim 1, wherein the conductive layer includes a bent portion that is bent at a right angle with respect to the arrangement area of the plurality of transparent electrode units.

4. The touch panel device of claim 3, wherein the position detection unit detects a position at which the external object contacts a surface near the bent portion, wherein the surface near the bent portion is bent at a right angle with respect to the arrangement area of the plurality of transparent electrode units.

5. The touch panel device of claim 3, wherein the arrangement area has four sides, and at each of the four sides there is a conductive layer connected to predetermined transparent electrode units among the plurality of transparent electrode units forming the electrostatic capacitance type touch sensor unit and that extends outward from the arrangement area.

6. The touch panel device of claim 5, wherein at each of the four sides of the arrangement area there are a plurality of conductive layers, each connected to predetermined transparent electrode units among the plurality of transparent electrode units forming the electrostatic capacitance type touch sensor unit and extending outward from the arrangement area.

7. The touch panel device of claim 6, wherein the plurality of conductive layers at each side of the arrangement area is an extended detection area that corresponds to a different application of a plurality of applications.

8. The touch panel device of claim 7, wherein at least one of the extended detection areas at one side of the arrangement area provides a slider function or a scrolling function.

9. The touch panel device of claim 7, wherein the plurality of applications includes at least one of a camera image reproduction mode, a camera image capturing mode, a moving image reproduction mode, a mail application, and a character input mode.

10. The touch panel device of claim 1, further comprising an illumination sheet disposed behind the conductive layer that is configured to emit light, and the conductive layer includes a cut out part where the illumination sheet is disposed.

11. The touch panel device of claim 1, wherein the position detection unit includes an integrated circuit (IC).

12. A portable information terminal comprising:

a housing;

an electrostatic capacitance type touch sensor unit in which a plurality of transparent electrode units are arranged in X and Y directions; and

a conductive layer that is connected to predetermined transparent electrode units among the plurality of transparent electrode units forming the electrostatic capacitance type touch sensor unit and that extends outward from an arrangement area of the plurality of transparent electrode units;

a position detection unit that detects a position at which an external conductor approaches the electronic capacitance type touch sensor or the conductive layer; and

a processor that executes a predetermined application program based on the position detected by the position detection unit.

13. The portable information terminal of claim 12, wherein the conductive layer includes a bent portion that is disposed within the housing and is bent at a right angle with respect to the arrangement area of the plurality of transparent electrode units.

14. The portable information terminal of claim 13, wherein the position detection unit detects a position at which the external object contacts a surface of the housing near the bent portion, wherein the surface of the housing near the bent portion is bent at a right angle with respect to the arrangement area of the plurality of transparent electrode units.

15. The touch panel device of claim 12, further comprising an illumination sheet disposed behind the conductive layer that is configured to emit light, the conductive layer includes a cut out part where the illumination sheet is disposed, and the housing includes an icon area disposed above the conductive layer and that is configured to be illuminated by the light that is emitted from the illumination sheet.