Method for constructing a capacitance sensing device

• US 8,484,838 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2012
• Issued: 07/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Parade Technologies, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Vavaroutsos, Peter G., Carey, John, Prendergast, Patrick, Badaye, Massoud
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, THIEM D
• Application Number:
  US13/528,644
• Publication Number:
  US 20120255167A1
• Time in Patent Office: 391 Days
• Field of Search: 298/46, 296/22, 298/25, 298/29, 298/31, 298/49, 345/98, 345/156, 345/173, 345/174, 345/204, 345/211, 345/418
• US Class Current: 29/846
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/047 using sets of wires, e.g. crossed wires
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0426 Layout of electrodes and connections
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3611 Control of matrices with row and column drivers
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9622 using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2017/9602 characterised by the type or shape of the sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49105 Switch making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49124 On flat or curved insulated base, e.g., printed circuit, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49155 Manufacturing circuit on or in base

Abstract

Embodiments for constructing capacitance sensing devices include, but are not limited to, forming a plurality of electrodes on a central portion of a substrate, the substrate comprising a central portion and an outer portion, forming a first plurality of conductors on the substrate, each of the first plurality of conductors being connected to and extending from at least one of the plurality of electrodes, and forming an insulating material on the outer portion of the substrate and at least partially over some of the first plurality of conductors. The constructing also includes forming a second plurality of conductors on the insulating material, wherein the second plurality of conductors and the insulating material are configured such that each of the second plurality of conductors is electrically connected to at least some of the first plurality of conductors and is insulated from the others of the first plurality of conductors.

Claims

1. A method for constructing a capacitance sensing device, the method comprising:

forming a plurality of electrodes substantially on a same plane and on a central portion of a substrate, the substrate comprising a central portion and an outer portion;

forming a first plurality of conductors on the substrate, each of the first plurality of conductors being connected to and extending from at least one of the plurality of electrodes, wherein ends of the first plurality of conductors extend into the outer portion of the substrate;

forming an insulating material on the outer portion of the substrate, wherein the insulating material covers the ends of the first plurality of conductors that extend into the outer portion of the substrate and the insulating material does not extend over the central portion of the substrate; and

forming a second plurality of conductors on the insulating material, wherein the second plurality of conductors and the insulating material are configured such that each of the second plurality of conductors is electrically connected to at least some of the first plurality of conductors and is insulated from the others of the first plurality of conductors.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the insulating material comprises a plurality of openings extending therethrough between one of the second plurality of conductors and one of the first plurality of conductors.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising forming a conductive member in each of the plurality of openings of the insulating material, the conductive member electrically interconnecting the one of the second plurality of conductors and the one of the first plurality of conductors.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the conductive members comprise carbon ink, silver ink, copper ink, indium tin oxide (ITO), or a combination thereof.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the forming the second plurality of conductors on the insulating material comprises filling the plurality of openings with a conductive material to electrically interconnect the one of the second plurality of conductors and the one of the first plurality of conductors.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the insulating material comprises a heat curing insulating material, an ultraviolet curing material, or a combination thereof.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the insulating material comprises a resist ink, an acrylic resin, or a combination thereof.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second plurality of conductors comprises silver, ITO, or a combination thereof.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrodes and the first plurality of conductors each comprise ITO, a silver nano-particle film, or a combination thereof.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises glass, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), or a combination thereof.