Sensing devices

• US 8,970,541 B2
• Filed: 11/24/2010
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InnoLux Corporation
• Original Assignee: InnoLux Corporation
• Inventors: Edwards, Martin John
• Primary Examiner(s): Hicks, Charles V
• Assistant Examiner(s): STEINBERG, JEFFREY S
• Application Number:
  US12/953,898
• Publication Number:
  US 20120127116A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,560 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/174
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04111 Cross over in capacitive digitiser, i.e. details of structures for connecting electrodes of the sensing pattern where the connections cross each other, e.g. bridge structures comprising an insulating layer, or vias through substrate
• 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 sensing device is provided. First to third receiving electrodes extend in a first direction. First and third receiving electrodes are respectively disposed on two sides of the second receiving electrode. The first to fourth transmitting electrodes are disposed on a row extending in a second direction. The first and second transmitting electrodes are respectively disposed on two sides of the first receiving electrode, the third and fourth transmitting electrodes are respectively disposed on two sides of the third receiving electrode, and the second and third transmitting electrode are respectively disposed on two sides of the second receiving electrode. The first, second third and fourth transmitting electrodes are independently controlled by a transmitter. A receiver generates a sensing signal according to a signal level is at least one of the first, second, and third receiving electrodes.

Claims

1. A sensing device for generating a sensing signal according to a touch of an object comprising:

a first receiving electrode, a second receiving electrode, and a third receiving electrode extending in a first direction, wherein the first and third receiving electrodes are respectively disposed on two sides of the second receiving electrode;

a first transmitting electrode, a second transmitting electrode, a third transmitting electrode, and a fourth transmitting electrode disposed on a row which extends in a second direction intersecting the first direction, wherein the first and second transmitting electrodes are respectively disposed on two sides of the first receiving electrode, the third and fourth transmitting electrodes are respectively disposed on two sides of the third receiving electrode, and the second and third transmitting electrodes are respectively disposed on two sides of the second receiving electrode;

a transmitter coupled to the first, second, third and fourth transmitting electrodes, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth transmitting electrodes are independently controlled by the transmitter; and

a receiver coupled to the first, second, and third receiving electrodes and generating the sensing signal according to a signal level of at least one of the first, second, and third receiving electrodes.

2. The sensing device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a fourth receiving electrode extending in the first direction, wherein the second and fourth receiving electrodes are respectively disposed on two sides of the third receiving electrode; and

a fifth transmitting electrode disposed on the row and controlled by the transmitter;

wherein the fourth and fifth transmitting electrodes are respectively disposed on two sides of the fourth receiving electrode.

3. The sensing device as claimed in claim 2 wherein the first and fifth transmitting electrodes have the same voltage level.

4. The sensing device as claimed in claim 2 further comprising:

a fifth receiving electrode extending in the first direction, wherein the third and fifth receiving electrodes are respectively disposed on two sides of the fourth receiving electrode; and

a sixth transmitting electrode disposed on the row and controlled by the transmitter;

wherein the fifth and sixth transmitting electrodes are respectively disposed on two sides of the fifth receiving electrode.

5. The sensing device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first and fifth transmitting electrodes have the same voltage level, and the second and sixth transmitting electrodes have the same voltage level.

6. The sensing device as claimed in claim 4 further comprising:

a sixth receiving electrode extending in the first direction, wherein the fourth and sixth receiving electrodes are respectively disposed on two sides of the fifth receiving electrode; and

a seventh transmitting electrode disposed on the row and controlled by the transmitter;

wherein the sixth and seventh transmitting electrodes are respectively disposed on two sides of the sixth receiving electrode.

7. The sensing device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first and fifth transmitting electrodes have the same voltage level, the second and sixth transmitting electrodes have the same voltage level, and the third and seventh transmitting electrodes have the same voltage level.

8. The sensing device as claimed in claim 6, further comprising:

a seventh receiving electrode extending in the first direction, wherein the fifth and seventh receiving electrodes are respectively disposed on two sides of the sixth receiving electrode; and

an eighth transmitting electrode disposed on the row and controlled by the transmitter, wherein the seventh and eighth transmitting electrodes are respectively disposed on two sides of the seventh receiving electrode.

9. The sensing device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first and fifth transmitting electrodes have the same voltage level, the second and sixth transmitting electrodes have the same voltage level, the third and seventh transmitting electrodes have the same voltage level, and the fourth and eighth transmitting electrodes have the same voltage level.

10. The sensing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein when the transmitter provides a transmitting signal to the first and second transmitting electrodes, and the transmitter provides a voltage level to the third and fourth transmitting electrodes.

11. The sensing device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the voltage level is a level of a ground.

12. The sensing device as claimed in claim 10, wherein a polarity of the voltage level provided to the third and fourth transmitting electrodes is inverse to a polarity of a voltage level of the transmitting signal.

27. A display apparatus comprising:

a sensing device as claimed in claim 1; and

a controller, wherein the controller is operatively coupled to the sensing device.

28. An electronic device comprising:

a display apparatus as claimed in claim 27; and

an input unit, wherein the input unit is operatively coupled to the display device.

29. The electronic device as claimed in claim 28, wherein the electronic device is a PDA, a digital camera, a display monitor, a notebook computer, a tablet computer, or a cellular phone.

13. A sensing device for generating a sensing signal according to a touch of an object comprising:

a first receiving electrode and a second receiving electrode extending in a first direction, wherein the first receiving electrode is disposed on one side of the second receiving electrode;

a first transmitting electrode, a second transmitting electrode, a third transmitting electrode, and a fourth transmitting electrode disposed on a row which extends in a second direction intersecting the first direction, wherein the first and second transmitting electrodes are respectively disposed on two sides of the first receiving electrode, the third and fourth transmitting electrodes are respectively disposed on two sides of the second receiving electrode, and the second and third transmitting electrodes are disposed between the first and second receiving electrodes;

a transmitter coupled to the first, second, third and fourth transmitting electrodes, wherein the first, second, third and fourth transmitting electrodes are independently controlled by the transmitter; and

a receiver coupled to the first and second receiving electrodes and generating the sensing signal according to a signal level of at least one of the first and second receiving electrodes.

14. The sensing device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the second transmitting electrode is disposed close to the first receiving electrode, and the third transmitting electrode is disposed close to the second receiving electrode.

15. The sensing device as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:

a third receiving electrode extending in the first direction, wherein the third receiving electrode is disposed on the other side of the second receiving electrode; and

a fifth transmitting electrode and a sixth transmitting electrode disposed on the row;

wherein the fifth and sixth transmitting electrodes are respectively disposed on two sides of the third receiving electrode, and the fourth and fifth transmitting electrodes are disposed between the second and third receiving electrodes.

16. The sensing device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the fourth transmitting electrode is disposed close to the second receiving electrode, and the fifth transmitting electrode is disposed close to the third receiving electrode.

17. The sensing device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first, second, the fifth, and the sixth transmitting electrode have the same voltage level, and the third and fourth transmitting electrode have the same voltage level.

18. The sensing device as claimed in claim 15, further comprising:

a fourth receiving electrode extending in the first direction, wherein the second and fourth receiving electrodes are respectively disposed on two sides of the third receiving electrode; and

a seventh transmitting electrode and a eighth transmitting electrode disposed on the row;

wherein the seventh and eighth transmitting electrodes are respectively disposed on two sides of the fourth receiving electrode, and the sixth and seventh transmitting electrodes are disposed between the third and fourth receiving electrodes.

19. The sensing device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the sixth transmitting electrode is disposed close to the third receiving electrode, and the seventh transmitting electrode is disposed close to the fourth receiving electrode.

20. The sensing device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the first, second, the fifth, and the sixth transmitting electrode have the same voltage level, and the third, fourth, seventh, and eighth transmitting electrode have the same voltage level.

21. The sensing device as claimed in claim 13, wherein when the transmitter provides a transmitting signal to the first and second transmitting electrodes, the transmitter provides voltage level to the third and fourth transmitting electrodes.

22. The sensing device as claimed in claim 21, wherein the voltage level is a level of a ground.

23. The sensing device as claimed in claim 21, wherein a polarity of the voltage level provided to the third and fourth transmitting electrodes is inverse to a polarity of a voltage level of the transmitting signal.

24. A display apparatus comprising:

a sensing device as claimed in claim 13; and

a controller, wherein the controller is operatively coupled to the sensing device.

25. An electronic device comprising:

a display apparatus as claimed in claim 24; and

an input unit, wherein the input unit is operatively coupled to the display device.

26. The electronic device as claimed in claim 25, wherein the electronic device is a PDA, a digital camera, a display monitor, a notebook computer, a tablet computer, or a cellular phone.