TOUCH SENSOR

• US 20140104204A1
• Filed: 07/08/2013
• Published: 04/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: E Ink Holdings Incorporated
• Original Assignee: E Ink Holdings Incorporated
• Inventors: HSIEH, Yun-Nan, CHEN, Lin-An
• Granted Patent: US 9,513,728 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04164 Connections between sensors and controllers, e.g. routing lines between electrodes and connection pads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes

Abstract

A touch sensor includes a substrate, a touch sensing layer, a first processor and a second processor. The substrate includes a first area and a second area. The first area and the second area are on the same surface of the substrate. The touch sensing layer is disposed on the substrate, and includes a first group of conductive patterns and a second group of conductive patterns. The first group of conductive patterns is disposed on the first area, and includes a plurality of first conductive patterns. The second group of conductive patterns is disposed on the second area, and includes a plurality of second conductive patterns. The first processor is electrically connected to the first conductive patterns. The second processor is electrically connected to the second conductive patterns.

Claims

1. A touch sensor, comprising:

a substrate comprising a first area and a second area on the same surface of the substrate;

a touch sensing layer disposed on the substrate, comprising;

a first group of conductive patterns disposed on the first area of the substrate, and the first group of conductive patterns having a plurality of first conductive patterns; and

a second group of conductive patterns disposed on the second area of the substrate, and the second group of conductive patterns having a plurality of second conductive patterns;

a first processor electrically connected to the first conductive patterns; and

a second processor electrically connected to the second conductive patterns.

2. The touch sensor of claim 1, wherein the number of pins of the first processor and the number of pins of the second processor are both less than the total number of the first conductive patterns plus the second conductive patterns.

3. The touch sensor of claim 2, wherein the number of the pins of the first processor and the number of the pins of the second processor are a natural number less than 40.

4. The touch sensor of claim 2, wherein the total number of the first conductive patterns plus the second conductive patterns is a natural number greater than 45.

5. The touch sensor of claim 1, wherein the first processor comprises a first circuit board and a first integrated circuit, and the first integrated circuit is disposed on the first circuit board;

and

the second processor comprises a second circuit board and a second integrated circuit, and the second integrated circuit is disposed on the second circuit board, wherein the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit are spatially separated.

6. The touch sensor of claim 1, wherein the first processor and the second processor are disposed on the same side, adjacent sides, or opposite sides of the substrate.

7. The touch sensor of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of first conductive lines, wherein each of the first conductive patterns comprises a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, and the second end is closer to the first processor than the first end is, and the first conductive lines are respectively connected between the first ends of some of the first conductive patterns and the first processor; and

a plurality of second conductive lines respectively connected between the second ends of another of the first conductive patterns and the first processor.

8. The touch sensor of claim 7, wherein two of the adjacent first conductive patterns are respectively connected to one of the first conductive lines and one of the second conductive lines.

9. The touch sensor of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of third conductive lines, wherein each of the second conductive patterns comprises a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, and the second end is closer to the second processor than the first end is, and the third conductive lines are respectively connected between the first ends of some of the second conductive patterns and the second processor; and

a plurality of fourth conductive lines respectively connected between the second ends of another of the second conductive patterns and the second processor.

10. The touch sensor of claim 9, wherein two of the adjacent second conductive patterns are respectively connected to one of the third conductive lines and one of the fourth conductive lines.

11. The touch sensor of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one third processor;

wherein the substrate further comprises at least one third area between the first area and the second area and the touch sensing layer further comprises at least one third group of conductive patterns disposed on the third area, wherein the third group of conductive patterns comprises a plurality of third conductive patterns electrically connected to the third processor.

12. The touch sensor of claim 11, wherein the third processor comprises a third circuit board and a third integrated circuit, and the third integrated circuit is disposed on the third circuit board.

13. The touch sensor of claim 1, further comprising:

a protective layer covering the touch sensing layer.