Capacitive touch panel having improved response characteristics

• US 9,128,571 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2012
• Issued: 09/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Moyal, Nathan Y., Peng, Tao, Doorenbos, Jerry L., Cormier, Ronald F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wang-Hurst, Kathy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tung, David
• Application Number:
  US13/555,556
• Publication Number:
  US 20140022200A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,142 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-174
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• 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 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• 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

An apparatus is provided. The apparatus comprises a second layer disposed over a first layer. Each of the first and second layers have a set of detection electrodes that are spaced apart and electrically isolated from one another and an associated set of interleavers. Each interleaver is located between adjacent detection electrodes from its associated the set of detection electrodes, and each set of interleavers also includes a pair of complementary interleaving electrodes coupled to those that are electrically coupled to the adjacent detection electrodes from its associated set of detection electrodes. The detection electrodes and interleaving electrodes are also substantially transparent to visible spectrum light.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first layer having;

a first set of detection electrodes that are spaced apart and electrically isolated from one another, each of the first set of detection electrodes substantially transparent to visible spectrum light; and

a first set of interleavers, each of the first set of interleavers located between adjacent detection electrodes of the first set of detection electrodes, and each interleaver including;

a first set of interleaving electrodes electrically coupled to a first detection electrode of the first set of detection electrodes, each interleaving electrode of the first set of interleaving electrodes protruded from and perpendicular to the first detection electrode, and each interleaving electrode of the first set of interleaving electrodes substantially transparent to visible spectrum light; and

a second set of interleaving electrodes interleaving with the first set of interleaving electrodes, the second set of interleaving electrodes electrically coupled to a second detection electrode from the first set of detection electrodes, the second detection electrode spaced apart and electrically isolated from the first detection electrode, each interleaving electrode of the second set of interleaving electrodes protruded from and perpendicular to the second detection electrode, and each interleaving electrode of the first set of interleaving electrodes substantially transparent to visible spectrum light; and

a second layer that is disposed over the first layer, the second layer having;

a second set of detection electrodes spaced apart and electrically isolated from one another, each detection electrode of the second set of detection electrodes substantially transparent to visible spectrum light; and

a second set of interleavers, each interleaver of the second set of interleavers located between adjacent detection electrodes of the second set of detection electrodes, and each interleaver of the second set of interleavers including;

a third set of interleaving electrodes electrically coupled to a third detection electrode of the second set of detection electrodes, each interleaving electrode of the third set of interleaving electrodes substantially transparent to visible spectrum light; and

a fourth set of interleaving electrodes electrically coupled to a fourth detection electrodes of the second set of detection electrodes, each interleaving electrode of the fourth set of interleaving electrodes substantially transparent to visible spectrum light.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first layer further comprises:

a substrate that is substantially transparent to visible spectrum light;

a conductive layer disposed over the substrate, wherein the conductive layer is patterned to form the first sets of detection electrodes and interleavers; and

an insulating layer disposed over the conductive layer.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the conductive layer further comprises a first conductive layer, and wherein the insulating layer further comprises a first insulating layer, and wherein the second layer further comprises:

a second conductive layer disposed over the first layer, wherein the second conductive layer is patterned to form the second sets of detection electrodes and interleavers; and

a second insulating layer disposed over the conductive layer.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first set of detection electrodes further comprises a first set of strip electrodes that are substantially parallel with one another and are oriented in a first direction, and wherein the second set of detection electrodes further comprises a second set of strip electrodes that are substantially parallel to one another and oriented in a second direction, and wherein the orientation of the first and second sets of strip electrodes with respect to one another forms a plurality of non-overlapping zones.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first direction is substantially perpendicular to the second direction.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein complementary pairs of interleaving electrodes from at least one of the first and second sets of interleaving electrodes and the third and fourth sets of interleaving electrodes are located in each non-overlapping zone.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein each interleaving electrode is substantially rectangular in shape.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein each interleaving electrode is substantially triangular in shape.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first and second sets of strip electrodes further comprise first and second sets of linear strip electrodes.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first and second sets of strip electrodes further comprise first and second sets of diamond strip electrodes.

11. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the complementary pairs of interleaving electrodes from the first and second sets of interleaving electrodes and from the third and fourth sets of interleaving electrodes are located in each non-overlapping zone.

12. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first set of interleaving electrodes form a first set of first serpentines with its detection electrodes, and wherein the second set of interleaving electrodes form a second set of serpentines with its detection electrodes, and wherein each first serpentine is interleaved with at least one second serpentine.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the third and fourth interleaving electrodes form a zig-zag pattern that overlaps the interleaved first and second serpentines.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a touch panel screen having a touch sensor disposed over a display, wherein the touch sensor has;

a first layer having;

a first set of detection electrodes that are spaced apart and electrically isolated from one another, each of the first set of detection electrodes substantially transparent to visible spectrum light; and

a first set of interleavers, each of the first set of interleavers located between adjacent detection electrodes of the first set of detection electrodes, and each interleaver including;

a first set of interleaving electrodes electrically coupled to a first detection electrode of the first set of detection electrodes, each interleaving electrode of the first set of interleaving electrodes protruded from and perpendicular to the first detection electrode, and each interleaving electrode of the first set of interleaving electrodes substantially transparent to visible spectrum light; and

a second set of interleaving electrodes interleaving with the first set of interleaving electrodes, the second set of interleaving electrodes electrically coupled to a second detection electrode from the first set of detection electrodes, the second detection electrode spaced apart and electrically isolated from the first detection electrode, each interleaving electrode of the second set of interleaving electrodes protruded from and perpendicular to the second detection electrode, and each interleaving electrode of the first set of interleaving electrodes substantially transparent to visible spectrum light; and

a second layer that is disposed over the first layer, the second layer having;

a second set of detection electrodes spaced apart and electrically isolated from one another, each detection electrode of the second set of detection electrodes substantially transparent to visible spectrum light; and

a second set of interleavers, each interleaver of the second set of interleavers located between adjacent detection electrodes of the second set of detection electrodes, and each interleaver of the second set of interleavers including;

a third set of interleaving electrodes electrically coupled to a third detection electrode of the second set of detection electrodes, each interleaving electrode of the third set of interleaving electrodes substantially transparent to visible spectrum light; and

a fourth set of interleaving electrodes electrically coupled to a fourth detection electrodes of the second set of detection electrodes, each interleaving electrode of the fourth set of interleaving electrodes substantially transparent to visible spectrum light; and

a touch panel controller that is electrically coupled to the first and second sets of detection electrodes.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first layer further comprises:

a substrate that is substantially transparent to visible spectrum light;

a conductive layer disposed over the substrate, wherein the conductive layer is patterned to form the first sets of detection electrodes and interleavers; and

an insulating layer disposed over the conductive layer.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the conductive layer further comprises a first conductive layer, and wherein the insulating layer further comprises a first insulating layer, and wherein the second layer further comprises:

a second conductive layer disposed over the first layer, wherein the second conductive layer is patterned to form the second sets of detection electrodes and interleavers; and

a second insulating layer disposed over the conductive layer.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first set of detection electrodes further comprises a first set of strip electrodes that are substantially parallel with one another and are oriented in a first direction, and wherein the second set of detection electrodes further comprises a second set of strip electrodes that are substantially parallel to one another and oriented in a second direction, and wherein the orientation of the first and second sets of strip electrodes with respect to one another forms a plurality of non-overlapping zones.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first direction is substantially perpendicular to the second direction.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein complementary pairs of interleaving electrodes from at least one of the first and second sets of interleaving electrodes and the third and fourth sets of interleaving electrodes are located in each non-overlapping zone.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein each interleaving electrode is substantially rectangular in shape.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein each interleaving electrode is substantially triangular in shape.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the first and second sets of strip electrodes further comprise first and second sets of linear strip electrodes.

23. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the first and second sets of strip electrodes further comprise first and second sets of diamond strip electrodes.

24. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the complementary pairs of interleaving electrodes from the first and second sets of interleaving electrodes and from the third and fourth sets of interleaving electrodes are located in each non-overlapping zone.

25. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first set of interleaving electrodes form a first set of first serpentines with its detection electrodes, and wherein the second set of interleaving electrodes form a second set of serpentines with its detection electrodes, and wherein each first serpentine is interleaved with at least one second serpentine.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the third and fourth interleaving electrodes form a zig-zag pattern that overlaps the interleaved first and second serpentines.