Capacitive sensing pattern

• US 9,141,237 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2012
• Issued: 09/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Inventors: Badaye, Massoud, Hoch, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Vincent Q
• Application Number:
  US13/540,508
• Publication Number:
  US 20120268143A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,177 Days
• Field of Search: 324/658, 324/667, 324/674
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 capacitive input device includes a plurality of receiver sensor electrodes oriented substantially parallel to a first axis proximate to a sensing region of the capacitive input device. The capacitive sensing device also includes a plurality of transmitter sensor electrodes oriented substantially parallel to a second axis proximate to the sensing region and configured to be capacitively coupled with the plurality of receiver sensor electrodes. The at least one receiver sensor electrode of the plurality of receiver sensor electrodes is disposed in a configuration forming multiple crossings with a line that is parallel to the second axis, the multiple crossings occurring proximate to the sensing region.

Claims

1. A capacitive input device comprising:

a plurality of receiver sensor electrodes oriented substantially parallel to a first axis proximate to a sensing region of said capacitive input device; and

a plurality of transmitter sensor electrodes oriented substantially parallel to a second axis proximate to said sensing region and configured to be capacitively coupled with said plurality of receiver sensor electrodes;

wherein at least one receiver sensor electrode of said plurality of receiver sensor electrodes is disposed in a configuration forming multiple crossings with a line that is parallel to said second axis, said multiple crossings occurring proximate to said sensing region.

2. The capacitive input device of claim 1, wherein the at least one receiver sensor electrode is u-shaped.

3. The capacitive input device of claim 1, wherein the at least one receiver sensor electrode is configured with a fillable two dimensional area.

4. The capacitive input device of claim 1, wherein the at least one receiver sensor electrode is configured with a bounded two dimensional area.

5. The capacitive input device of claim 4, wherein the bounded two dimensional area is formed by the receiver sensor electrode and an extension and an extension coupler.

6. The capacitive input device of claim 1, wherein the at least one receiver sensor electrode comprises portions of different widths.

7. The capacitive input device of claim 6, wherein the at least one receiver sensor electrode comprises substantially the same width at locations forming said multiple crossings with a line that is parallel to said second axis.

8. A capacitive input device configured to detect multiple input objects in a sensing region, said capacitive input device comprising:

a plurality of first sensor electrodes oriented substantially parallel to a first axis;

a plurality of second sensor electrodes oriented substantially parallel to a second axis; and

mutual capacitance sensing circuitry communicatively coupled to said pluralities of first and second sensor electrodes and configured to transmit and receive sensing signals on said pluralities of first and second sensor electrodes;

wherein at least one sensor electrode of said plurality of first sensor electrodes is disposed in a configuration forming multiple crossings with a line parallel to second axis, said multiple crossings occurring proximate to a sensing region of said capacitive input device.

9. The capacitive input device of claim 8, wherein said capacitive input device further comprises:

a display.

10. The capacitive input device of claim 9, wherein at least one of said first and second axis is angled with respect to the display.

11. The capacitive input device of claim 8, wherein at least one said sensor electrode of said plurality of first sensor electrodes is configured with a fillable two dimensional area defined by said at least one sensor electrode.

12. The capacitive input device of claim 11, wherein said fillable two dimensional area is defined by said at least one sensor electrode and an extension.

13. The capacitive input device of claim 8, wherein said at least one sensor electrode of said plurality of first sensor electrodes comprises a bounded two dimensional area defined by said at least one sensor electrode.

14. The capacitive input device of claim 13, wherein said bounded two dimensional area is further defined by said at least one sensor electrode, an extension and an extension coupler.

15. The capacitive input device of claim 8, wherein one plurality of said pluralities of first and second sensor electrodes comprises transmitter sensor electrodes and the other plurality of said pluralities of first and second sensor electrodes comprises receiver sensor electrodes.

16. The capacitive input device of claim 15, wherein said mutual capacitance sensing circuitry is further configured to simultaneously transmit sensor signals on multiple transmitter sensor electrodes of said plurality of transmitter sensor electrodes.

17. The capacitive input device of claim 8, wherein at least one sensor electrode of said pluralities of first and second sensor electrode comprises portions of different widths.

18. The capacitive input device of claim 8, wherein said at least one sensor electrode comprises substantially the same width at locations forming said multiple crossings with a line that is parallel to said second axis.