Touch panel and output method therefor

• US 8,319,748 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2010
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Original Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Inventors: Tseng, Hsu-Hsiang, Tun, Yun-Long
• Primary Examiner(s): Wang, Quan-Zhen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ma, Calvin C
• Application Number:
  US12/773,374
• Publication Number:
  US 20110037722A1
• Time in Patent Office: 938 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/174, 178/18.05
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• 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 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact

Abstract

A touch panel and an output method therefor are disclosed. The touch panel includes a first substrate, a second substrate, spacers, and a controller set. The first substrate is flexible and has a first electrode layer. The second substrate has a second electrode layer facing the first electrode layer. The spacers are configured between the first and the second substrates. The controller set electrically connects to the first and the second electrode layers to provide a first operation mode and a second operation mode. The controller set can apply a uniform voltage drop electrical field on the first electrode layer or the second electrode layer, so that a resistive touch panel configuration is formed during the first operation mode. The controller set can also apply a uniform electrical field on the first electrode layer, so that a capacitive touch panel configuration is formed during the second operation mode.

Claims

1. A touch panel, comprising:

a first substrate, having a first electrode layer, wherein the first substrate is a flexible substrate;

a second substrate, having a second electrode layer, facing the first electrode layer;

a plurality of spacers, disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate;

a controller set, electrically connected to the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer to provide rapidly and alternately switch between a first operation mode and a second operation mode, wherein the controller set applies a uniform voltage drop electrical field on the first electrode layer or the second electrode layer for forming a resistive touch panel configuration and generating a first input signal during the first operation mode, and the controller set applies a uniform electrical field on the first electrode layer for forming a capacitive touch panel configuration and generating a second input signal during the second operation mode; and

a data of the touch location is calculated according to a predetermined ratio of the first input signal to the second input signal.

2. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the first substrate has a plurality of strip electrodes electrically connected to the first electrode layer, and/or the second substrate has a plurality of strip electrodes electrically connected to the second electrode layer.

3. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the controller set comprises:

a first controller;

a plurality of electrodes, electrically connected to the first controller and the first electrode layer respectively, and located at a plurality of corners of the first electrode layer respectively; and

a second controller, electrically connected to the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer.

4. The touch panel of claim 3, wherein the first controller comprises a current meter.

5. An output method for the touch panel of claim 1 for detecting a touch of a user on the first substrate, the output method comprising:

forming a uniform voltage drop electrical field on the first electrode layer or the second electrode layer to generate a first input signal in response to the touch during the first operation mode;

forming a uniform electrical field on the first electrode layer to generate a second input signal in response to the touch during the second operation mode;

rapidly and alternately switch between the first operation mode and the second operation mode; and

determining a user interface according to the first input signal and the second input signal.

6. The output method of claim 5, wherein the first input signal is generated before the second input signal.

7. The output method of claim 5, wherein the second input signal is generated before the first input signal.

8. The output method of claim 5, wherein the first input signal and the second input signal comprise location data, and the user interface is a finger touch operation interface.

9. The output method of claim 5, wherein only the first input signal comprises location data, the user interface is a stylus operation interface.

10. An output method for the touch panel of claim 1 for detecting a touch of a user on the first substrate, comprising:

forming a uniform voltage drop electrical field on the first electrode layer or the second electrode layer to generate a first input signal in response to the touch during the first operation mode;

forming a uniform electrical field on the first electrode layer to generate a second input signal in response to the touch during the second operation mode;

rapidly and alternately switch between the first operation mode and the second operation mode; and

calculating a data of the touch location according to a predetermined ratio of the first input signal to the second input signal.

11. The output method of claim 10, wherein the first input signal is generated before the second input signal.

12. The output method of claim 10, wherein the second input signal is generated before the first input signal.

13. The output method of claim 10, wherein the data of the touch location is an average value of the first input signal and the second input signal.