Electronic device and touch-sensitive input device

• US 8,638,307 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2010
• Issued: 01/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Golovchenko, Mykola, Pereverzev, Stanislav, Stacy, William Turlay
• Primary Examiner(s): Shalwala, Bipin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Xie, Kwin
• Application Number:
  US12/891,114
• Publication Number:
  US 20120075201A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,219 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• 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

A touch-sensitive input device includes a cover, a set of first conductors disposed between the cover and a substrate, the first conductors including at least two fingers connected at an end of the fingers, dummy conductors disposed between the first conductors and between the fingers of the first conductors, and a second set of conductors disposed on an opposite side of the substrate.

Claims

1. A touch-sensitive input device comprising:

a set of first conductors, wherein at least one of the first conductors includes a first conductor having a first finger having a first end connected to a second end of a second finger;

a first dummy conductor disposed between two of the first conductors and a second dummy conductor disposed between the first and second fingers of the first conductor, wherein the first dummy conductor and the second dummy conductor are electrically isolated from the first conductors;

a set of second conductors disposed on an opposite side of a substrate from the set of first conductors,

wherein a third end of the first finger is connected to a fourth end of the second finger, wherein the third end is opposite the first end, and the fourth end is opposite the second end.

2. The touch-sensitive input device according to claim 1, wherein the width of the first conductors including the width of the fingers and the space between the fingers is equal to or less than the width of the second conductors.

3. The touch-sensitive input device according to claim 1, wherein the width of the first and second fingers of the first conductors is less than the spacing between the first conductors.

4. The touch-sensitive input device according to claim 1, comprising a cover, wherein a thickness of the cover is greater than the distance that an electric field extends from the first conductors.

5. The touch-sensitive input device according to claim 1, wherein the width of the first and second fingers of the first conductors is less than the spacing between the first and second fingers.

6. The touch-sensitive input device according to claim 1, comprising a display, wherein the set of second conductors is disposed between the substrate and the display.

7. An electronic device comprising:

a first conductor including a first finger having a first end and a second finger having a second end, wherein the first end is connected to the second end;

a second conductor including a third finger having a third end and a fourth finger having a fourth end, wherein the third end is connected to the fourth end;

a first dummy conductor disposed between the first conductor and the second conductor, a second dummy conductor disposed between the first finger and the second finger, and a third dummy conductor disposed between the third finger and the fourth finger, wherein the first dummy conductor, the second dummy conductor, and the third dummy conductor are electrically isolated from the first conductor and the second conductor,

wherein a third end of the first finger is connected to a fourth end of the second finger, wherein the third end is opposite the first end, and the fourth end is opposite the second end.

8. The electronic device according to claim 7, wherein the width of the first conductor includes the width of the first and second fingers and the space between the first and second fingers, and the width of the first conductor is equal to or less than the width of one of the second conductors.

9. The electronic device according to claim 7, wherein the width of the first and second fingers of the first conductor is less than the spacing between the first conductor and the second conductor.

10. The electronic device according to claim 7, comprising a cover, wherein a thickness of the cover is greater than the distance that an electric field extends from the first conductor.

11. The electronic device according to claim 7, wherein the width of the first and second fingers of the first conductor is less than the spacing between the first and second fingers.

18. The electronic device according to claim 7, comprising a fourth dummy conductor disposed between the second conductor and a third conductor and a fifth dummy conductor disposed between two members of the third conductor, wherein the third conductor is one of the first plurality of conductors.

12. A touch-sensitive display comprising:

a cover disposed in a plane and having a thickness;

a first plurality of conductors, including a first conductor and a second conductor, disposed between the cover and a first side of a substrate;

wherein the first conductor comprises a first member having a first end opposite a second end and comprises a second member having a third end opposite a fourth end, wherein the first member and the second member are connected together at the first end and the third end and at the second end and the fourth end;

a first dummy conductor disposed between the first conductor and the second conductor;

a second dummy conductor disposed between the first member and the second member;

a third dummy conductor disposed between a third member and a fourth member of the second conductor;

wherein the first dummy conductor, the second dummy conductor, and the third dummy conductor are electrically isolated from the first conductor and the second conductor;

wherein the first member and the second member have a width and a length parallel to the plane, wherein the width is less or equal to the thickness, and the thickness is greater than a distance that an electric field extends from the first plurality of conductors in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane;

a second plurality of conductors disposed between the substrate and a display.

13. The touch-sensitive display according to claim 12, wherein the second conductors have a width and a length parallel to the plane, and wherein the width of one of the second conductors is greater than the combined width of the first member and the second member.

14. The touch-sensitive display according to claim 12, comprising a fourth dummy conductor disposed between the second conductor and a third conductor and a fifth dummy conductor disposed between two members of the third conductor, wherein the third conductor is one of the first plurality of conductors.

15. The touch-sensitive display according to claim 12, wherein the first plurality of conductors, the first dummy conductor, the second dummy conductor, and the third dummy conductor are disposed in a single plane.

16. The touch-sensitive display according to claim 12, wherein the width is about half the thickness.

17. The touch-sensitive display of claim 12, wherein the width and spacing of the at least two members reduces detection of a false touch due to moisture on the cover.