Single layer capacitive sensor and capacitive sensing input device

• US 9,268,435 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2013
• Issued: 02/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Inventors: Solven, Derek, Dattalo, Tracy Scott, Moore, Tyler
• Primary Examiner(s): Edwards, Carolyn R
• Application Number:
  US13/797,493
• Publication Number:
  US 20140267127A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,078 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-184
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04164 Connections between sensors and controllers, e.g. routing lines between electrodes and connection pads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes

Abstract

A single-layer capacitive sensor comprises a user input region and a border region proximate to and outside of the user input region. The user input region includes a plurality of transmitter electrodes that are disposed within the user input region. The user input region also comprises a plurality of receiver electrodes disposed in a common stackup layer with the plurality of transmitter electrodes within the user input region such that the transmitter electrodes and the receiver electrodes make no crossings of one another in the common stackup layer or in any other layer within the user input region. The border region comprises a plurality of routing traces extending from the border region into the user input region to couple with the transmitter electrodes and the receiver electrodes. The border region also comprises a plurality of transmission traces disposed entirely within the border region.

Claims

1. A single-layer capacitive sensor comprising:

a user input region comprising;

a plurality of transmitter electrodes within said user input region; and

a plurality of receiver electrodes disposed in a common stackup layer with said transmitter electrodes within said user input region such that said transmitter electrodes and said receiver electrodes make no crossings of one another in said common stackup layer or in any other layer within said user input region; and

a border region proximate to and outside of said user input region and located along one side edge of said user input region, said border region comprising;

a plurality of routing traces extending from said border region into said user input region from said one side edge to couple with said transmitter electrodes and said receiver electrodes; and

a plurality of transmission traces disposed entirely within said border region, wherein said transmission traces are configured for transmitting a signal for receipt by one or more routing traces of said plurality of routing traces.

2. The single-layer capacitive sensor of claim 1, wherein said border region comprises an anisotropic conductive film (ACF) bonding region.

3. The single-layer capacitive sensor of claim 1, wherein said plurality of transmission traces are ohmically separated from said plurality of transmitter electrodes and said plurality of receiver electrodes.

4. The single-layer capacitive sensor of claim 1, wherein said plurality transmission traces and said plurality of routing traces are disposed such that at least a portion of each transmission trace and at least a portion of each routing trace are in parallel.

5. The single-layer capacitive sensor of claim 1, wherein gaps between routing traces coupled with receiver electrodes and routing traces coupled with transmitter electrodes are set such that some routing traces coupled with transmitter electrodes are further from any routing traces coupled with receiver electrodes than a distance between a user input surface of said stackup and said common stackup layer.

6. The single-layer capacitive sensor of claim 1, wherein a first routing trace of said plurality of routing traces is coupled with a receiver electrode and a second routing trace of said plurality of routing traces is coupled with a transmitter electrode, and wherein a first transmission trace of said plurality of transmission traces is disposed between said first routing trace and said second routing trace.

7. The single-layer capacitive sensor of claim 6, wherein said second routing trace and a plurality of additional routing traces coupled to transmitter electrodes of said plurality of transmitter electrodes are disposed between said first transmission trace and a second transmission trace, and wherein no routing traces that are coupled with said receiver electrodes are disposed between said first transmission trace and said second transmission trace.

8. The single-layer capacitive sensor of claim 6, wherein a third routing trace of said plurality of routing traces forms a ground trace extending into said user input region, and wherein said third routing trace is disposed between said first routing trace and said transmission trace.

9. A capacitive sensing input device comprising:

a user input region comprising;

a plurality of transmitter electrodes disposed within said user input region; and

a plurality of receiver electrodes disposed in a common stackup layer within said user input region such that said transmitter electrodes and said receiver electrodes make no crossings of one another in said common stackup layer or in any other layer within said user input region;

a border region proximate to and outside of said user input region and located along one side edge of said user input region, said border region comprising;

a plurality of routing traces extending from said border region into said user input region from said one side edge to couple with said transmitter electrodes and said receiver electrodes; and

a plurality of transmission traces disposed entirely within said border region, wherein said transmission traces are configured for transmitting a signal for receipt by one or more routing traces of said plurality of routing traces; and

a processing system configured for;

driving signals on said transmitter electrodes;

driving signals on said transmission traces; and

receiving signals from said receiver electrodes.

10. The capacitive sensing input device of claim 9, further comprising:

an anisotropic conductive film (ACF) comprising;

a first distal end comprising a plurality of conductors ohmically coupled with input/outputs of a processing system; and

a second distal end comprising opposing ends of said conductors bonded within said border region to at least one of said plurality of transmission traces and to at least some of said plurality of routing traces.

11. The capacitive sensing input device of claim 10, wherein said processing system is configured to drive a first transmitter signal on at least one of said transmitter electrodes while receiving a first resulting signal from at least one of said receiver electrodes.

12. The capacitive sensing input device of claim 11, wherein said processing system is configured to drive an opposite polarity version of said first transmitter signal on at least one of said transmission traces while driving said transmitter signal on said at least one of said transmitter electrodes.

13. The capacitive sensing input device of claim 11, wherein said processing system is configured to drive a second transmitter signal on at least one of said transmission traces while receiving a second resulting signal from at least one of said receiver electrodes and while not transmitting on said transmitter electrodes.

14. The capacitive sensing input device of claim 9, wherein said border region comprises an anisotropic conductive film (ACF) bonding region.

15. The capacitive sensing input device of claim 9, wherein said plurality of transmission traces are ohmically separated from said plurality of transmitter electrodes and said plurality of receiver electrodes.

16. The capacitive sensing input device of claim 9, wherein said plurality of transmission traces and said plurality of routing traces are disposed such that at least a portion of each transmission trace and at least a portion of each routing trace are in parallel.

17. The capacitive sensing input device of claim 9, wherein gaps between routing traces coupled with receiver electrodes and routing traces coupled with transmitter electrodes are set such that some routing traces coupled with transmitter electrodes are further from any routing traces coupled with receiver electrodes than a distance between a user input surface of said stackup and said common stackup layer.

18. The capacitive sensing input device of claim 9, wherein a first routing trace of said plurality of routing traces is coupled with a receiver electrode and a second routing trace of said plurality of routing traces is coupled with a transmitter electrode, and wherein a first transmission trace of said plurality of transmission traces is disposed between said first routing trace and said second routing trace.

19. The capacitive sensing input device of claim 18, wherein said second routing trace and a plurality of additional routing traces coupled to transmitter electrodes of said plurality of transmitter electrodes are disposed between said first transmission trace and a second transmission trace, and wherein no routing traces that are coupled with said receiver electrodes are disposed between said first transmission trace and said second transmission trace.

20. The capacitive sensing input device of claim 18, wherein a third routing trace of said plurality of routing traces forms a ground trace extending into said user input region, and wherein said third routing trace is disposed between said first routing trace and said transmission trace.