CAPACITIVE TOUCH SENSOR HAVING PSEUDO JUMPERS

• US 20140375903A1
• Filed: 06/24/2013
• Published: 12/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Westhues, Jonathan, Donnelly, Sean M., Wilson, Jason D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,715,314 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 349/12
• 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 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0448 Details of the electrode shape, e.g. for enhancing the detection of touches, for generating specific electric field shapes, for enhancing display quality

Abstract

Electrode matrices for capacitive touch-sensing are provided. An electrode matrix may include a plurality of electrodes separated by gaps. Each electrode may include a plurality of spaced apart conductors electrically connected at opposed ends by respective tie structures. The conductors of each electrode may be electrically bridged at intervals by a plurality of jumpers. The electrode matrix may further include a plurality of pseudo jumpers positioned within the gaps and configured to be non-conductive across their entire lengths.

Claims

1. An electrode matrix for a capacitive touch-sensing display device, comprising:

a plurality of electrodes separated by gaps, each electrode including a plurality of spaced apart conductors electrically connected at opposed ends by respective tie structures, the conductors of each electrode being electrically bridged at intervals by a plurality of jumpers; and

a plurality of pseudo jumpers positioned within the gaps and configured to be non-conductive across their entire lengths.

2. The electrode matrix of claim 1, wherein the pseudo jumpers have a substantially similar size and shape as the jumpers.

3. The electrode matrix of claim 1, wherein a spatial density of the jumpers and pseudo jumpers is the same.

4. The electrode matrix of claim 1, wherein the pseudo jumpers are positioned in-line with corresponding jumpers in adjacent electrodes.

5. The electrode matrix of claim 1, wherein the pseudo jumpers include one or more electrical discontinuities which render the pseudo jumpers electrically non-conductive.

6. The electrode matrix of claim 1, wherein a plurality of electrical discontinuities perforate the pseudo jumpers along their entire lengths.

7. The electrode matrix of claim 1, wherein the electrodes are column electrodes, the conductors are column conductors, and the jumpers are column jumpers;

wherein the electrode matrix further comprises a plurality of row electrodes including a plurality of spaced apart row conductors electrically connected at opposed ends by respective tie structures, the row conductors of each row electrode being electrically bridged at intervals by a plurality of row jumpers; and

wherein the pseudo jumpers include column pseudo jumpers and row pseudo jumpers.

8. The electrode matrix of claim 1, wherein the conductors and the jumpers are wires comprising one or more of a metal, a metallic alloy, a conductive allotrope of carbon, a conductive polymer, and a conductive ink.

9. The electrode matrix of claim 1, wherein the conductors comprise a plurality of segments arranged at one or more oblique angles relative to a horizontal pixel axis and a vertical pixel axis.

10. An electrode matrix for a capacitive touch-sensing display device, comprising:

a plurality of electrodes separated by gaps, each electrode including a plurality of spaced apart conductors electrically connected at opposed ends by respective tie structures, the conductors of each electrode being electrically bridged at intervals by a plurality of jumpers; and

a plurality of pseudo jumpers positioned within the gaps, the pseudo jumpers including one or more electrical discontinuities rendering the pseudo jumpers electrically non-conductive across their entire lengths;

wherein the conductors and the jumpers comprise one or more of a metal, a metallic alloy, a conductive allotrope of carbon, a conductive polymer, and a conductive ink.

11. The electrode matrix of claim 10, wherein the pseudo jumpers have a substantially similar size and shape as the jumpers.

12. The electrode matrix of claim 10, wherein a spatial density of the jumpers and pseudo jumpers is substantially the same.

13. The electrode matrix of claim 10, wherein the pseudo jumpers are positioned in-line with corresponding jumpers in adjacent electrodes.

14. The electrode matrix of claim 10, wherein the one or more electrical discontinuities perforate the pseudo jumpers along their entire lengths.

15. The electrode matrix of claim 10, wherein the electrodes are column electrodes, the conductors are column conductors, and the jumpers are column jumpers;

wherein the electrode matrix further comprises a plurality of row electrodes including a plurality of spaced apart row conductors electrically connected at opposed ends by respective tie structures, the row conductors of each row electrode being electrically bridged at intervals by a plurality of row jumpers; and

wherein the pseudo jumpers include column pseudo jumpers and row pseudo jumpers.

16. The electrode matrix of claim 10, wherein the conductors comprise a plurality of segments arranged at one or more oblique angles relative to a horizontal pixel axis and a vertical pixel axis.

17. The electrode matrix of claim 10, wherein the one or more electrical discontinuities are arranged at one or both of a first pseudo jumper endpoint and a second pseudo jumper endpoint.

18. The electrode matrix of claim 10, wherein the one or more electrical discontinuities are arranged at a central region of each pseudo jumper.

19. The electrode matrix of claim 10, wherein the conductors, the jumpers, and the pseudo jumpers have one or more widths substantially less than a pixel pitch.

20. An electrode matrix for a capacitive touch-sensing display device, comprising:

a plurality of electrodes separated by gaps, each electrode including a plurality of spaced apart conductors electrically connected at opposed ends by respective tie structures, the conductors of each electrode being electrically bridged at intervals by a plurality of jumpers; and

a plurality of pseudo jumpers positioned within the gaps, the pseudo jumpers having a substantially similar size and shape as the conductor jumpers, the pseudo jumpers including one or more electrical discontinuities which render the pseudo jumpers electrically non-conductive across their entire lengths;

wherein a spatial density of the jumpers and pseudo jumpers is substantially the same.