POSITION DETECTING DEVICE

• US 20150317009A1
• Filed: 02/20/2015
• Published: 11/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wacom Co Limited (Wacom)
• Original Assignee: Wacom Co Limited (Wacom)
• Inventors: Hara, Hideyuki
• Granted Patent: US 9,910,546 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/24 by varying capacitance
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 9/10 the recording element, e.g. stylus, being controlled in accordance with the variable, and the recording medium, e.g. paper roll, being controlled in accordance with time
• 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 3/04164 Connections between sensors and controllers, e.g. routing lines between electrodes and connection pads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04166 Details of scanning methods, e.g. sampling time, grouping of sub areas or time sharing with display driving Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally G06F3/04184
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04182 Filtering of noise external to the device and not generated by digitiser components
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0442 using active external devices, e.g. active pens, for transmitting changes in electrical potential to be received by the digitiser
• 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: 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

The invention allows size reduction of a sensor of a position detecting device of a capacitive system, which detects a position indicated by an indicator. The sensor has plural electrode conductors that are disposed adjacent to each other and are configured to receive a signal from the indicator on a first surface of a substrate having the first surface and a second surface opposed to each other. The position detecting device includes a signal processing circuit including a differential amplifier circuit that calculates a difference between signals from at least two of the plural electrode conductors. Plural connecting lines are formed on the second surface of the substrate. The plural connecting lines each have one end connected to one of the plural electrode conductors disposed on the first surface by a through-hole or a via formed through the substrate, and the other end connected to a line-concentrated part.

Claims

1. A position detecting device of a capacitive system that detects a position indicated by an indicator based on a signal transmitted from the indicator, the position detecting device comprising:

a substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposed to the first surface;

a plurality of electrode conductors that are disposed adjacent to each other on the first surface of the substrate and are configured to receive the signal transmitted from the indicator, the plurality of electrode conductors including conductor patterns that are electrically coupled to each other by vias formed in the substrate and connecting parts;

a signal processing circuit including a differential amplifier circuit, the differential amplifier circuit being configured to calculate and output a difference between signals received by at least two electrode conductors selected from the plurality of electrode conductors, the signal processing circuit being configured to detect the position indicated by the indicator based on the difference output by the differential amplifier circuit; and

a plurality of connecting lines that are disposed close to each other on the second surface of the substrate, each of the plurality of connecting lines having an end that is electrically coupled to a respective electrode conductor of the plurality of electrode conductors by a via formed in the substrate, the connecting parts of the plurality of the plurality of electrode conductors extending along a direction that is not orthogonal to the plurality of connecting lines.

2. The position detecting device according to claim 1,

wherein the plurality of electrode conductors extend along a first direction and are arranged close to each other in a second direction that intersects the first direction, and

the plurality of connecting lines extend along the second direction.

3. The position detecting device according to claim 2,

wherein the substrate includes a first substrate and a second substrate that are insulated from each other,

the first and second substrates include the plurality of electrode conductors, the plurality of connecting lines, and a plurality of line-concentrated parts, and

each of the plurality of line-concentrated parts is electrically coupled to a respective one of a plurality of differential amplifier circuits.

4. The position detecting device according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of electrode conductors do not overlap with each other in a direction orthogonal to the first surface and are disposed close to each other.

5. A position detecting device of a capacitive system that detects a position indicated by an indicator based on a signal transmitted from the indicator, the position detecting device comprising:

a substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposed to the first surface;

a first plurality of electrode conductors formed on the first surface, the first plurality of electrode conductors extending along a first direction and being disposed on the first surface in a second direction that intersects the first direction, the first plurality of electrode conductors including a first plurality of conductor patterns that extend in the first direction and are electrically coupled to each other by a first plurality of connecting parts;

a second plurality of electrode conductors formed on the first surface, the second plurality of electrode conductors extending along the second direction and being disposed on the first surface in the first direction, the second plurality of electrode conductors being electrically isolated from the first plurality of electrode conductors, the second plurality of electrode conductors including a second plurality of conductor patterns that extend in the second direction and are electrically coupled to each other by a second plurality of connecting parts, the first and second plurality of conductor patterns each having a predetermined shape, the first and second plurality of conductor patterns being formed adjacent to each other on the first surface of the substrate such that the first and second plurality of conductor patterns are closely arranged in the first direction and the second direction;

a signal processing circuit including first and second differential amplifier circuits that are provided for the first plurality of electrode conductors and the second plurality of electrode conductors, respectively, the first and second differential amplifier circuits being configured to calculate a difference between signals from at least two electrode conductors selected from the first plurality of electrode conductors and the second plurality of electrode conductors, respectively, the signal processing circuit being configured to detect the position indicated by the indicator based on the differences calculated by the first and second differential amplifier circuits; and

a plurality of connecting lines that are disposed close to each other on the second surface of the substrate, each of the plurality of connecting lines having a first end and a second end, the first end being electrically coupled to a respective electrode conductor of at least one of the first plurality of electrode conductors and the second plurality of electrode conductors by a via formed in the substrate, the second end being electrically coupled to a line-concentrated part that serves as a connection terminal with the signal processing circuit.

6. The position detecting device according to claim 5,

wherein the first plurality of connecting parts are formed on the first surface of the substrate,

the first plurality of electrode conductors are formed by the first plurality of connecting parts being formed as patterns that are continuous with the first plurality of conductor patterns,

the second plurality of connecting parts are formed on the second surface of the substrate,

the second plurality of electrode conductors are formed by the second plurality of connecting parts being connected to the second plurality of conductor patterns by vias formed in the substrate,

the first end of each of the plurality of connecting lines is electrically coupled to a respective one of the first plurality of electrode conductors by a via formed in the substrate, and

the plurality of connecting lines extend along the second direction.

7. The position detecting device according to claim 6,

wherein each of the second plurality of connecting parts are formed parallel to the plurality of connecting lines and connect two conductor patterns of the second plurality of conductor pattern that are disposed adjacent to each other in the second direction, and

the plurality of connecting lines extend in parallel to the second plurality of connecting parts.

8. The position detecting device according to claim 6, wherein the line-concentrated part protrudes in the second direction.

9. The position detecting device according to claim 5,

wherein the first plurality of connecting parts are formed on the first surface of the substrate,

the first plurality of electrode conductors are formed by the first plurality of connecting parts being formed as patterns that are continuous with the first plurality of conductor patterns,

the second plurality of connecting parts are formed on the second surface of the substrate,

the second plurality of electrode conductors are formed by the second plurality of connecting parts being connected to the second plurality conductor patterns by vias formed in the substrate,

the first end of each of the plurality of connecting lines is electrically coupled to a respective one of the second plurality of electrode conductors by a via formed in the substrate, and

the plurality of connecting lines extend along the first direction.

10. The position detecting device according to claim 9, wherein the line-concentrated part protrudes in the first direction.

11. The position detecting device according to claim 5, wherein each of the first and second plurality of conductor patterns has a diamond shape.

12. The position detecting device according to claim 5, wherein adjacent conductor patterns of the first and second plurality of conductor patterns partially enter each other'"'"'s conductor pattern areas and are interlaced with each other.

13. A position detecting sensor for a position detecting device of a capacitive system that detects a position indicated by an indicator, the position detecting sensor comprising:

a substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposed to the first surface;

a plurality of electrode conductors that are disposed adjacent to each other on the first surface of the substrate, the plurality of electrode conductors being configured to receive a signal transmitted from the indicator;

a signal processing circuit that includes a differential amplifier circuit, the signal processing circuit being configured to process the signal received by the plurality of electrode conductors;

a plurality of connecting lines that are disposed close to each other on the second surface of the substrate, each of the plurality of connecting lines having a first end and a second end, the first end being electrically coupled to a respective electrode conductor of the plurality of electrode conductors by a via formed in the substrate; and

a line-concentrated part that is electrically coupled to the second ends of the plurality of connecting lines, the line-concentrated part serving as a connection terminal with the signal processing circuit.

14. A position detecting sensor for a position detecting device of a capacitive system that detects a position indicated by an indicator, the position detecting sensor comprising:

a substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposed to the first surface;

a first plurality of electrode conductors formed on the first surface, the first plurality of electrode conductors extending along a first direction and being disposed on the first surface in a second direction that intersects the first direction, the first plurality of electrode conductors including a first plurality of conductor patterns that extend in the first direction and are electrically coupled to each other by a first plurality of connecting parts; and

a second plurality of electrode conductors formed on the first surface, the second plurality of electrode conductors extending along the second direction and being disposed on the first surface in the first direction, the second plurality of electrode conductors being electrically isolated from the first plurality of electrode conductors, the second plurality of electrode conductors including a second plurality of conductor patterns that extend in the second direction and are electrically coupled to each other by a second plurality of connecting parts, the first and second plurality of conductor patterns each having a predetermined shape, the first and second plurality of conductor patterns being formed adjacent to each other on the first surface of the substrate such that the first and second plurality of conductor patterns are closely arranged in the first direction and the second direction, the first and second plurality of electrode conductors being configured to receive a signal transmitted from the indicator;

a signal processing circuit that includes a differential amplifier circuit, the signal processing circuit being configured to process the signal received by the first and second plurality of electrode conductors; and

a plurality of connecting lines that are disposed close to each other on the second surface of the substrate, each of the plurality of connecting lines having a first end and a second end, the first end being electrically coupled to a respective electrode conductor of at least one of the first plurality of electrode conductors and the second plurality of electrode conductors by a via formed in the substrate, the second end being electrically coupled to a line-concentrated part that serves as a connection terminal with the signal processing circuit.