Touchscreen routing flow for single layer pattern

• US 9,231,588 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2013
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neodrón Limited (Atlantic IP Services Limited)
• Original Assignee: Atmel Corporation (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cassidy, Patrick, Jones, Gareth, Trend, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): BALAOING, ARIEL A
• Application Number:
  US13/873,979
• Publication Number:
  US 20140320199A1
• Time in Patent Office: 980 Days
• Field of Search: 345/174
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9622 using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960775 Emitter-receiver or "fringe" type detection, i.e. one or more field emitting electrodes and corresponding one or more receiving electrodes

Abstract

A touch sensor comprising a plurality of first electrode lines along a first direction, each of the first electrode lines comprising a plurality of first electrodes; a plurality of second electrode lines along a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction, each of the second electrode lines comprising one second electrode, the one second electrode of each of the second electrode lines being interdigitated with one of the first electrodes of each of the first electrode lines, the first and second electrodes being disposed on a first side of a substrate; and a plurality of bond pads disposed on the first side of the substrate, wherein at least one bond pad of the plurality of bond pads is coupled to at least two of the first electrodes of the plurality of first electrodes.

Claims

1. A touch sensor comprising:

a plurality of first electrode lines along a first direction, each of the first electrode lines comprising a plurality of first electrodes;

a plurality of second electrode lines along a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction, each of the second electrode lines comprising one second electrode, the one second electrode of each of the second electrode lines being interdigitated with one of the first electrodes of each of the first electrode lines, the first and second electrodes being disposed on a first side of a substrate;

a plurality of bond pads disposed on the first side of the substrate, wherein at least one bond pad of the plurality of bond pads is coupled to at least two of the first electrodes of the plurality of first electrodes; and

a plurality of electrode connectors that couple the plurality of first electrodes to the plurality of bond pads;

wherein;

a first portion of the plurality of first electrodes and one second electrode create a particular column and a second portion of the plurality of first electrodes and another second electrode create another column, the other column adjacent to the particular column;

a first electrode connector of the plurality of electrode connectors couples a first electrode from the particular column to a first bond pad and a second electrode connector of the plurality of electrode connectors couples a first electrode from the other column to a second bond pad; and

the first electrode connector and the second electrode connector extend from the first electrodes in a space between the particular column and the other column.

2. The touch sensor of claim 1, wherein:

each of the first electrode lines is a drive line of the touch sensor;

each of the first electrodes is a drive electrode of the touch sensor;

each of the second electrode lines is a sense line of the touch sensor; and

each of the second electrodes is a sense electrode of the touch sensor.

3. The touch sensor of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of electrode connectors running between one first electrode and one bond pad at an angle to the second direction.

4. The touch sensor of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of first electrodes and each of the second electrodes comprises an extent along the second direction and one or more projections from its extent along the first direction.

5. The touch sensor of claim 4, wherein the extents along the second direction of at least two of the plurality of first electrodes are adjacent to each other and portions of the extents along the second direction of at least two of the second electrodes are partially adjacent to each other.

6. The touch sensor of claim 1, wherein the plurality of bond pads disposed on the first side of the substrate are located along one or more edges of the touch sensor.

7. The touch sensor of claim 1, wherein:

the at least two of the first electrodes coupled to the at least one bond pad comprise one first electrode and another first electrode; and

one first electrode is coupled by a first track to the at least one bond pad and another first electrode is coupled by a second track to the at least one bond pad.

8. The touch sensor of claim 1, further comprising tracks along one or more edges of the touch sensor.

9. The touch sensor of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the particular column is a mirror image of at least a portion of the other column.

10. The touch sensor of claim 9, wherein the portion of the particular column is adjacent to the portion of the other column.

11. The touch sensor of claim 1, wherein the one second electrode runs along a first side of the particular column in a first portion of the particular column and runs along a second side of the particular column in a second portion of the particular column.

12. A device comprising:

a touch sensor comprising;

a plurality of first electrode lines along a first direction, each of the first electrode lines comprising a plurality of first electrodes;

a plurality of second electrode lines along a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction, each of the second electrode lines comprising one second electrode, the one second electrode of each of the second electrode lines being interdigitated with one of the first electrodes of each of the first electrode lines, the first and second electrodes being disposed on a first side of a substrate;

a plurality of bond pads disposed on the first side of the substrate, wherein at least one bond pad of the plurality of bond pads is coupled to at least two of the first electrodes of the plurality of first electrodes; and

a plurality of electrode connectors that couple the plurality of first electrodes to the plurality of bond pads;

wherein;

a first portion of the plurality of first electrodes and one second electrode create a particular column and a second portion of the plurality of first electrodes and another second electrode create another column, the other column adjacent to the particular column;

a first electrode connector of the plurality of electrode connectors couples a first electrode from the particular column to a first bond pad and a second electrode connector of the plurality of electrode connectors couples a first electrode from the other column to a second bond pad; and

the first electrode connector and the second electrode connector extend from the first electrodes in a space between the particular column and the other column; and

one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying logic that is configured when executed to control the touch sensor.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein:

each of the first electrode lines is a drive line of the touch sensor;

each of the first electrodes is a drive electrode of the touch sensor;

each of the second electrode lines is a sense line of the touch sensor; and

each of the second electrodes is a sense electrode of the touch sensor.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein at least one of the plurality of electrode connectors running between one first electrode and one bond pad at an angle to the second direction.

15. The device of claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of first electrodes and each of the second electrodes comprises an extent along the second direction and one or more projections from its extent along the first direction.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the extents along the second direction of at least two of the plurality of first electrodes are adjacent to each other and portions of the extents along the second direction of at least two of the second electrodes are partially adjacent to each other.

17. The device of claim 12, wherein the plurality of bond pads disposed on the first side of the substrate are located along one or more edges of the touch sensor.

18. The device of claim 12, wherein:

the at least two of the first electrodes coupled to the at least one bond pad comprise one first electrode and another first electrode; and

one first electrode is coupled by a first track to the at least one bond pad and another first electrode is coupled by a second track to the at least one bond pad.

19. The device of claim 12, further comprising tracks along one or more edges of the touch sensor.

20. The device of claim 12, wherein at least a portion of the particular column is a mirror image of at least a portion of the other column.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the portion of the particular column is adjacent to the portion of the other column.

22. The device of claim 12, wherein the one second electrode runs along a first side of the particular column in a first portion of the particular column and runs along a second side of the particular column in a second portion of the particular column.

23. The device of claim 12, wherein the device is one or more of a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a smartphone, a satellite navigation device, a portable media player, a portable game console, a kiosk computer, or a point-of-sale device.