Touch sensing apparatus and method for detecting approach

• US 8,680,877 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2011
• Issued: 03/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Hyung Kew, Park, Joon Ah, Han, Seung Ju
• Primary Examiner(s): Hollington, Jermele M
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOQUE, FARHANA AKHTER
• Application Number:
  US13/181,876
• Publication Number:
  US 20120062248A1
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• Field of Search: 324658-690, 345/170
• US Class Current: 324/679
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04108 Touchless 2D- digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface without distance measurement in the Z direction
• 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

Abstract

A touch sensing apparatus includes an approach sensing electrode unit including a plurality of first approach sensing electrode arrays disposed on a substrate and a plurality of second approach sensing arrays disposed adjacent to the first approach sensing electrode arrays, a voltage supply unit to supply a voltage to any of the first approach sensing electrode arrays and the second approach sensing electrode arrays, a signal generation unit to generate an approach sensing signal by detecting a variation of capacitance generated between the first approach sensing electrode arrays and the second approach sensing electrode arrays, the variation of capacitance occurring in a 3-dimensional (3D) approach sensing region, and an information generation unit to generate contact information corresponding to the approach sensing signal generated by the signal generation unit.

Claims

1. A touch sensing apparatus comprising:

an approach sensing electrode unit comprising a plurality of first approach sensing electrode arrays disposed on a substrate and a plurality of second approach sensing arrays disposed adjacent to the plurality of first approach sensing electrode arrays;

a voltage supply unit to supply a voltage to at least one of the plurality of first approach sensing electrode arrays and the plurality of second approach sensing electrode arrays;

a signal generation unit to generate an approach sensing signal by detecting a variation of capacitance generated between the plurality of first approach sensing electrode arrays and the plurality of second approach sensing electrode arrays, the variation of capacitance occurring in a 3-dimensional (3D) approach sensing region; and

an information generation unit to generate contact information corresponding to the approach sensing signal generated by the signal generation unit,

wherein the plurality of second approach sensing electrode arrays intersect the plurality of first approach sensing electrode arrays, and a through hole is formed in the plurality of second approach sensing electrode arrays at intersection positions with respect to the plurality of first approach sensing electrode arrays.

2. The touch sensing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the signal generation unit generates the approach sensing signal by detecting a change of an electric field formed between the plurality of first approach sensing electrode arrays and the plurality of second approach sensing electrode arrays.

3. The touch sensing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a switch unit connected to the voltage supply unit to switch on at least one of the plurality of first approach sensing electrode arrays and the plurality of second approach sensing electrode arrays and to supply a voltage to the switched electrode arrays.

4. The touch sensing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the contact information comprises at least one of position information and motion information regarding an object approaching within the 3D approach sensing region.

5. The touch sensing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of first approach sensing electrode arrays comprise:

a plurality of first electrode pads arranged at predetermined intervals along one axis of the substrate; and

a plurality of first connection leads arranged to connect the plurality of first electrode pads to one another.

6. The touch sensing apparatus of claim 5, wherein the plurality of second approach sensing electrode arrays comprise:

a plurality of second electrode pads arranged at predetermined intervals along the other axis of the substrate; and

a plurality of second connection leads arranged to connect the plurality of second electrode pads while intersecting the plurality of first connection leads.

7. The touch sensing apparatus of claim 6, wherein the plurality of first electrode pads and the plurality of second electrode pads have a polygonal shape and vertically cross each other.

8. The touch sensing apparatus of claim 7, wherein

the plurality of first connection leads are shorter than a minimum width of the plurality of first electrode pads, and

the plurality of second connection leads are shorter than a minimum width of the plurality of second electrode pads.

9. The touch sensing apparatus of claim 6, wherein the plurality of first approach sensing electrode arrays further comprise a plurality of first sub electrode pads connected to both ends of each of the plurality of first electrode pads in parallel by a plurality of first sub connection leads.

10. The touch sensing apparatus of claim 9, wherein the plurality of second approach sensing electrode arrays further comprise a plurality of second sub electrode pads vertically connected to both ends of each of the plurality of second electrode pads and inserted in spaces formed between the plurality of first electrode pads and the plurality of first sub electrode pads.

11. A method of sensing an approach by a touch sensing apparatus, comprising:

supplying a voltage to at least one of a plurality of first approach sensing electrode arrays disposed on a substrate and a plurality of second approach sensing arrays disposed adjacent to the plurality of first approach sensing electrode arrays;

detecting a variation of capacitance generated between the plurality of first approach sensing electrode arrays and the plurality of second approach sensing electrode arrays, the variation of capacitance occurring in a 3-dimensional (3D) approach sensing region;

generating an approach sensing signal denoting detection of approach within the 3D approach sensing region using the detected capacitance; and

generating contact information corresponding to the generated approach sensing signal,

wherein the plurality of second approach sensing electrode arrays intersect the plurality of first approach sensing electrode arrays, and a through hole is formed in the plurality of second approach sensing electrode arrays at intersection positions with respect to the plurality of first approach sensing electrode arrays.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the detecting of the variation of capacitance comprises detecting the capacitance variation according to a change of an electric field generated between the plurality of first approach sensing electrode arrays and the plurality of second approach sensing electrode arrays.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the supplying of the voltage comprises:

switching on at least one of the plurality of first approach sensing electrode arrays and the plurality of second approach sensing electrode arrays; and

supplying the voltage to the switched electrode arrays.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the contact information comprises at least one of position information and motion information regarding an object approaching within the 3D approach sensing region.

15. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium storing a program to cause a computer to implement the method of claim 11.

16. A touch sensing apparatus comprising:

approach sensing electrode arrays disposed on a substrate;

a signal generation unit to generate an approach sensing signal by detecting a variation of capacitance generated between the approach sensing electrode arrays when an object approaches the approach sensing electrode arrays, the variation of capacitance occurring in a 3-dimensional (3D) approach sensing region; and

an information generation unit to generate contact information corresponding to the approach sensing signal generated by the signal generation unit,

wherein the approach sensing electrode arrays comprise;

a plurality of first electrode pads arranged at predetermined intervals along a first axis of the substrate;

a plurality of second electrode pads arranged at predetermined intervals along a second axis of the substrate; and

a plurality of first sub electrode pads connected to opposite sides of each of the plurality of first electrode pads via a plurality of first sub connection leads, the plurality of first sub electrode pads being disposed parallel to the plurality of first electrode pads.

17. The touch sensing apparatus of claim 16, wherein the signal generation unit generates the approach sensing signal by detecting a change of an electric field formed between the approach sensing electrode arrays.

18. The touch sensing apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a plurality of second sub electrode pads connected to opposite sides of each of the plurality of second electrode pads via a plurality of second sub connection leads, the plurality of second sub electrode pads being disposed perpendicular to the plurality of second electrode pads.

19. The touch sensing apparatus of claim 18, wherein the plurality of first electrode pads and the plurality of first sub electrode pads form a first comb structure, and the plurality of second electrode pads and the plurality of second sub electrode pads form a second comb structure, wherein the first comb structure is inserted between the second comb structure.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the detecting of the variation of capacitance comprises detecting the capacitance variation according to a change of an electric field generated between the approach sensing electrode arrays.

20. A method of sensing an approach by a touch sensing apparatus, comprising:

detecting a variation of capacitance generated between approach sensing electrode arrays disposed on a substrate when an object approaches the approach sensing electrode arrays, the variation of capacitance occurring in a 3-dimensional (3D) approach sensing region;

generating an approach sensing signal denoting detection of approach within the 3D approach sensing region using the detected capacitance; and

generating contact information corresponding to the generated approach sensing signal,

wherein the approach sensing electrode arrays comprise;

a plurality of first electrode pads arranged at predetermined intervals along a first axis of the substrate;

a plurality of second electrode pads arranged at predetermined intervals along a second axis of the substrate; and

a plurality of first sub electrode pads connected to opposite sides of each of the plurality of first electrode pads via a plurality of first sub connection leads, the plurality of first sub electrode pads being disposed parallel to the plurality of first electrode pads.