TOUCH SENSOR PANEL DESIGN

• US 20150227240A1
• Filed: 03/11/2015
• Published: 08/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: HONG, Seung Jae, GRUNTHANER, Martin Paul, HOTELLING, Steven Porter, YOUNGS, Lynn
• Granted Patent: US 10,001,888 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• 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 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• 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: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

A touch sensor panel including a plurality of drive lines crossing a plurality of sense lines, forming an array. The plurality of drive lines and the plurality of sense lines are formed by interconnecting sections of at least one conductive material having a truncated diamond shape or formed of interconnected conductive lines. At least one conductive dummy region may be disposed in an area of the touch sensor panel around the truncated diamond shape sections or interconnected conductive lines of the plurality of drive lines and the plurality of sense lines. One or more lines may be formed overlapping the interconnected sections of each of the plurality of drive lines and the plurality of sense lines.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a substantially transparent substrate;

a single conductive layer formed on a first side of the substantially transparent substrate, wherein the single conductive layer forms a pattern that substantially occupies a full area of a viewable area of the device;

one or more layers formed on a second side of the substrate, wherein the second side is opposite the first side;

a second substantially transparent substrate; and

an adhesive that adheres at least one of the substantially transparent substrate and the second substantially transparent substrate.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the pattern is a grid comprising a plurality of regions.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the grid is an orthogonal grid formed by a plurality of first and second conductive lines oriented perpendicular to each other.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the plurality of first and second conductive lines cross over at intersections, each intersection formed at least in part from the single conductive layer.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the first conductive lines include a plurality of first sections and a conductive jumper connecting the plurality of first sections, wherein the conductive jumper is located at least in part on a layer different from the single conductive layer.

6. The device of claim 2, further comprising a plurality of sensing nodes, wherein each sensing node is associated with one of the plurality of regions.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein each sensing node is associated with one pixel of a touch image.

8. The device of claim 2 wherein each of the plurality of regions includes one or more dummy regions.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the one or more dummy regions forms a repeated pattern within each of the plurality of regions.

10. The device of claim 3, wherein each of the plurality of regions includes one or more dummy regions oriented diagonally with respect to the plurality of first conductive lines.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the substantially transparent substrate is oriented such that the single conductive layer is located closer to the second substantially transparent substrate than the one or more layers.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more layers includes an unpatterned conductive layer and an anti-reflection film.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the unpatterned conductive layer is located between the substantially transparent substrate and the anti-reflection film.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the single conductive layer substantially occupies a full area of the substantially transparent substrate.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the substantially transparent substrate is a cover material.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the second substantially transparent substrate is cover material.