Touch screen poly layer electrode distribution

• US 8,723,818 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2010
• Issued: 05/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neodrón Limited (Atlantic IP Services Limited)
• Original Assignee: Atmel Corporation (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: GUARD, David Brent
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): KOHLMAN, CHRISTOPHER J
• Application Number:
  US12/879,693
• Publication Number:
  US 20120062469A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,341 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-178
• US Class Current: 345/173
• 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

Abstract

A touch screen position sensor has two sets of electrodes, where at least one of the electrodes is divided into segments that are arranged on opposing faces of a substrate. The electrode segments on one face of a substrate do not overlap with the electrode segments on the opposing face of the substrate.

Claims

1. A touch sensitive screen comprising:

a first electrode having a plurality of first electrode segments provided on a first substrate, the plurality of first electrode segments being of a first type, the first type comprising either drive electrode segments or sense electrode segments, the first type being the same for the plurality of first electrode segments;

a second electrode having a plurality of second electrode segments provided on a second substrate, wherein a plurality of nodes are formed where the first and second electrode segments overlap, the plurality second electrode segments each being of a second type, the second type being the same for the plurality of second electrode segments and comprising;

sense electrodes segments if the first type comprises drive electrode segments;

or

drive electrodes segments if the first type comprises sense electrode segments; and

a dielectric layer provided between the first and second substrates,

wherein some of the plurality of the first electrode segments are provided on a first face of the first substrate, and the remainder of the plurality of the first electrode segments are provided on a second face of the first substrate opposite the first face, said second face of the first substrate facing the second substrate, and

the portion of the first electrode segments provided on the first face of the first substrate are not in alignment with the remainder of first electrode segments provided on the second face of the first substrate.

2. The touch sensitive screen of claim 1, wherein some of the plurality of second electrode segments are provided on a first face of the second substrate, and the remainder of second electrode segments are provided on a second face of the second substrate opposite the first face, said first face of the second electrode facing the first substrate.

3. The touch sensitive screen of claim 2, wherein the first electrode is a drive electrode, and the second electrode is a sense electrode.

4. The touch sensitive screen of claim 2, wherein the first electrode is a sense electrode, and the second electrode is a drive electrode.

5. The touch sensitive screen of claim 1, wherein a density of the first electrode segments provided on the first face of the first substrate increases in a first direction across the substrate, and a density of the first electrode segments provided on the second face of the first substrate decreases in the first direction across the substrate.

6. The touch sensitive screen of claim 5, wherein the density of first electrode segments changes by varying the number of first electrode segments.

7. The touch sensitive screen of claim 5, wherein a density of the first electrode segments provided on the first face of the first substrate increases in a second direction across the substrate, and a density of the first electrode segments provided on the second face of the first substrate decreases in the second direction across the substrate.

8. The touch sensitive screen of claim 1, wherein the first face of the first substrate is divided into a plurality of regions, wherein a density of first electrode segments in one of the plurality of regions is different than a density of first electrode segments in an adjacent region.

9. The touch sensitive screen of claim 8, wherein the number of regions is greater than 2.

10. The touch sensitive screen of claim 8, wherein the number of regions is greater than 4.

11. A touch sensitive screen comprising:

a first electrode having a plurality of first electrode segments provided on a first substrate, the plurality of first electrode segments being of a first type, the first type comprising either drive electrode segments or sense electrode segments, the first type being the same for the plurality of first electrode segments;

a second electrode having a plurality of second electrode segments provided on a second substrate, wherein a plurality of nodes are formed where the first and second electrode segments overlap, the plurality second electrode segments each being of a second type, the second type being the same for the plurality of second electrode segments and comprising;

sense electrodes segments if the first type comprises drive electrode segments;

or

drive electrodes segments if the first type comprises sense electrode segments; and

a dielectric layer provided between the first and second substrates,

wherein some of the plurality of the first electrode segments are provided on a first face of the first substrate, and the remainder of the plurality of the first electrode segments are provided on a second face of the first substrate opposite the first face,

the portion of the first electrode segments provided on the first face of the first substrate are not in alignment with the remainder of first electrode segments provided on the second face of the first substrate, and

each of the second electrode segments comprises a high pattern density or a low pattern density.

12. The touch sensitive screen of claim 11, wherein the second substrate is comprised of a first face which faces the first substrate, and a second face opposite the first face,

wherein each of the second electrode segments comprised of high pattern density which are provided on the first face of the second substrate is aligned with a corresponding first electrode segment provided on the first face of the first substrate, and each of the second electrode segments comprised of high pattern density which are provided on the second face of the second substrate is aligned with a corresponding first electrode segment provided on the second face of the first substrate.

13. The touch sensitive screen of claim 11, wherein the first electrode is a drive electrode, and the second electrode is a sense electrode.

14. The touch sensitive screen of claim 11, wherein the first electrode is a sense electrode, and the second electrode is a drive electrode.

15. The touch sensitive screen of claim 11, wherein a density of the first electrode segments provided on the first face of the first substrate increases in a first direction across the substrate, and a density of the first electrode segments provided on the second face of the first substrate decreases in the first direction across the substrate.

16. The touch sensitive screen of claim 15, wherein the density of first electrode segments changes by varying the number of first electrode segments.

17. The touch sensitive screen of claim 15, wherein a density of the first electrode segments provided on the first face of the first substrate increases in a second direction across the substrate, and a density of the first electrode segments provided on the second face of the first substrate decreases in the second direction across the substrate.

18. The touch sensitive screen of claim 11, wherein the first face of the first substrate is divided into a plurality of regions, wherein a density of first electrode segments in one of the plurality of regions is different than a density of first electrode segments in an adjacent region.

19. The touch sensitive screen of claim 18, wherein the number of regions is greater than 2.

20. The touch sensitive screen of claim 18, wherein the number of regions is greater than 4.