Routing for touch sensor electrodes

• US 9,280,233 B1
• Filed: 12/23/2014
• Issued: 03/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Inventors: Tong, Tony
• Primary Examiner(s): Ha, Nathan
• Application Number:
  US14/581,658
• Time in Patent Office: 441 Days
• Field of Search: 257/216, 349/12, 349/96
• 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 3/04164 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
• 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 input device for capacitive sensing. The input device includes a plurality of sensor electrodes for capacitive sensing disposed in a first layer and within a sensor electrode region comprising an areal extent of the plurality of sensor electrodes. The input device also includes a plurality of routings disposed in a second layer and within a border region of the sensor electrode region, the plurality of routings layered with a first set of two or more of the plurality of sensor electrodes in the border region and electrically coupled to a second set of two or more of the plurality of sensor electrodes, wherein the second set of two or more of the plurality of sensor electrodes includes zero, one, or two of the sensor electrodes included in the first set of two or more of the plurality of sensor electrodes.

Claims

1. An input device, comprising:

a plurality of sensor electrodes disposed in a first layer and within a sensor electrode region;

a plurality of routings disposed in a second layer and within an overhang region, the plurality of routings layered with a first set of two or more of the plurality of sensor electrodes in the overhang region and electrically coupled to a second set of two or more of the plurality of sensor electrodes, wherein the second set of two or more of the plurality of sensor electrodes includes zero, one, or two of the sensor electrodes included in the first set of two or more of the plurality of sensor electrodes; and

a plurality of display elements disposed in a viewable region, the viewable region being located within and being smaller than the sensor electrode region,

wherein the overhang region comprises an area that includes a portion of the sensor electrode region but does not include the viewable region.

2. The input device of claim 1, further comprising:

a dielectric layer disposed in a third layer disposed between the first layer and the second layer, the dielectric layer electrically isolating at least one sensor electrode from at least one routing.

3. The input device of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of jumpers, wherein each jumper electrically couples sensor electrode elements of a sensor electrode in the plurality of sensor electrodes together.

4. The input device of claim 3, wherein the plurality of jumpers are disposed within at least a third layer disposed between the first layer and the second layer.

5. The input device of claim 1, wherein the sensor electrodes are comprised of a material that has a higher resistance than a resistance of the material of the plurality of routings.

6. The input device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of routings includes a first routing coupled to a first end of a first sensor electrode of the plurality of sensor electrodes and coupled to a second end of the first sensor electrode.

7. The input device of claim 6, wherein the first sensor electrode comprises a transmitter electrode.

8. The input device of claim 6, wherein the first sensor electrode comprises a receiver electrode.

9. The input device of claim 1, further comprising a shield layer disposed between a sensor electrode of the plurality of sensor electrodes and a routing of the plurality of routings within the overhang region.

10. The input device of claim 1, further comprising a shield layer disposed between a sensor electrode of the plurality of sensor electrodes and a routing of the plurality of routings within the overhang region.

11. An input device, comprising:

a plurality of sensor electrodes for capacitive sensing disposed in a first layer and within a sensor electrode region comprising an areal extent of the plurality of sensor electrodes; and

a plurality of routings disposed in a second layer and within a border region of the sensor electrode region, the plurality of routings layered with a first set of two or more of the plurality of sensor electrodes in the border region and electrically coupled to a second set of two or more of the plurality of sensor electrodes, wherein the second set of two or more of the plurality of sensor electrodes includes zero, one, or two of the sensor electrodes included in the first set of two or more of the plurality of sensor electrodes.

12. The input device of claim 11, further comprising:

a dielectric layer disposed in a third layer disposed between the first layer and the second layer, the dielectric layer electrically isolating at least one sensor electrode from at least one routing.

13. The input device of claim 11, further comprising:

a plurality of jumpers, wherein each jumper electrically couples sensor electrode elements of a sensor electrode in the plurality of sensor electrodes together.

14. The input device of claim 13, wherein the plurality of jumpers are disposed within at least a third layer disposed between the first layer and the second layer.

15. The input device of claim 11, wherein the sensor electrodes are comprised of a material that has a higher resistance than a resistance of the material of the plurality of routings.

16. The input device of claim 11, wherein the plurality of routings includes a first routing coupled to a first end of a first sensor electrode of the plurality of sensor electrodes and to a second end of the first sensor electrode.

17. The input device of claim 16, wherein the first sensor electrode comprises a transmitter electrode.

18. The input device of claim 16, wherein the first sensor electrode comprises a receiver electrode.

19. A method for performing capacitive sensing in an input device, the method comprising:

identifying a sensor electrode for capacitive sensing, the sensing electrode being included in a plurality of sensor electrodes of the input device; and

driving the sensor electrode with a sensing signal for capacitive sensing, the sensing electrode being included in a plurality of sensor electrodes of the input device,

wherein;

the plurality of sensor electrodes are disposed in a first layer and within a sensor electrode region,

a plurality of routings are disposed in a second layer and within an overhang region, the plurality of routings layered with a first set of two or more of the plurality of sensor electrodes in the overhang region and electrically coupled to a second set of two or more of the plurality of sensor electrodes, wherein the second set of two or more of the plurality of sensor electrodes includes zero, one, or two of the sensor electrodes included in the first set of two or more of the plurality of sensor electrodes,

a plurality of display elements are disposed in a viewable region, the viewable region being located within and being smaller than the sensor electrode region, and

the overhang region comprises an area that includes a portion of the sensor electrode region but does not include the viewable region.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving a resulting signal with the plurality of sensor electrodes; and

determining a position of an input object based on the resulting signal.