Line spacing in mesh designs for touch sensors

• US 9,280,246 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2014
• Issued: 03/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Atmel Corporation (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Guard, David Brent
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu, Amare
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rodriguez, Joseph G
• Application Number:
  US14/248,096
• Publication Number:
  US 20150286308A1
• Time in Patent Office: 700 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04112 Electrode mesh in capacitive digitiser: electrode for touch sensing is formed of a mesh of very fine, normally metallic, interconnected lines that are almost invisible to see. This provides a quite large but transparent electrode surface, without need for ITO or similar transparent conductive material
• 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 3/04166 Details of scanning methods, e.g. sampling time, grouping of sub areas or time sharing with display driving Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally G06F3/04184
• 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

In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a touch sensor that includes a mesh of conductive material configured to extend across a display that includes multiple pixels that each include sub-pixels. The mesh includes multiple first and second lines of conductive material. The first lines are substantially parallel to each other, and the second lines are substantially parallel to each other. Each of the pixels has a first pixel pitch (PP_x) along a first axis and a second pixel pitch (PP_y) along a second axis that is substantially perpendicular to the first axis. The first pixel pitch is a distance between corresponding features of two adjacent pixels along the first axis, and the second pixel pitch is a distance between corresponding features of two adjacent pixels along the second axis. The first lines extend across the display at a first angle relative to the first axis.

Claims

1. An apparatus that comprises:

a touch sensor that comprises a mesh of conductive material configured to extend across a display that comprises a plurality of pixels that each comprise sub-pixels, wherein;

the mesh comprises a plurality of first lines and a plurality of second lines of conductive material, wherein;

the first lines are substantially parallel to each other;

the second lines are substantially parallel to each other;

each of the pixels has a first pixel pitch (PP_x) along a first axis and a second pixel pitch (PP_y) along a second axis that is substantially perpendicular to the first axis;

the first pixel pitch is a distance between corresponding features of two adjacent pixels along the first axis; and

the second pixel pitch is a distance between corresponding features of two adjacent pixels along the second axis;

the first lines are configured to extend across the display at a first angle relative to the first axis, wherein the first angle is within 1°

of the arctangent of

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

k is equal to 1;

the first-line horizontal separation distance is within 1% of PP_x; and

the second-line horizontal separation distance is within 1% of

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

k is equal to 2;

the first-line horizontal separation distance is within 1% of 2×

PP_x; and

the second-line horizontal separation distance is within 1% of

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

k is equal to 3;

the first-line horizontal separation distance is within 1% of 3×

PP_x; and

the second-line horizontal separation distance is within 1% of

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

k is equal to 4;

the first-line horizontal separation distance is within 1% of 4×

PP_x; and

the second-line horizontal separation distance is within 1% of

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second lines of conductive material form a plurality of mesh cells, each mesh cell having a diagonal length of approximately 265 μ

m to 340 μ

m.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the first pixel pitch is approximately equal to the second pixel pitch;

the first angle is within 1°

of 30.96°

, 36.87°

, 56.31°

, or 71.57°

; and

the second angle is within 1°

of 30.96°

, 36.87°

, 56.31°

, or 71.57°

.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the first angle is oriented counterclockwise relative to the first axis; and

the second angle is oriented clockwise relative to the first axis.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the first axis is horizontal;

the second axis is vertical;

the first pixel pitch along the first axis is a pixel width; and

the second pixel pitch along the second axis is a pixel height.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one or more segments of one or more of the first or second lines are substantially sinusoidal.

11. A touch sensor that comprises:

a mesh of conductive material configured to extend across a display that comprises a plurality of pixels that each comprise sub-pixels, wherein;

the mesh comprises a plurality of first lines and a plurality of second lines of conductive material, wherein;

the first lines are substantially parallel to each other;

the second lines are substantially parallel to each other;

each of the pixels has a first pixel pitch (PP_x) along a first axis and a second pixel pitch (PP_y) along a second axis that is substantially perpendicular to the first axis;

the first pixel pitch is a distance between corresponding features of two adjacent pixels along the first axis; and

the second pixel pitch is a distance between corresponding features of two adjacent pixels along the second axis;

the first lines are configured to extend across the display at a first angle relative to the first axis, wherein the first angle is approximately equal to the arctangent of

12. The touch sensor of claim 11, wherein:

m is equal to 1, 2, 4, or 5; and

n is equal to 1, 2, 4, or 5.

13. The touch sensor of claim 11, wherein:

k is equal to 1;

the first-line horizontal separation distance is approximately equal to PP_x; and

the second-line horizontal separation distance is approximately equal to

14. The touch sensor of claim 11, wherein:

k is equal to 2;

the first-line horizontal separation distance is approximately equal to 2×

PP_x; and

the second-line horizontal separation distance is approximately equal to

15. The touch sensor of claim 11, wherein:

k is equal to 3;

the first-line horizontal separation distance is approximately equal to 3×

PP_x; and

the second-line horizontal separation distance is approximately equal to

16. The touch sensor of claim 11, wherein:

k is equal to 4;

the first-line horizontal separation distance is approximately equal to 4×

PP_x; and

the second-line horizontal separation distance is approximately equal to

17. The touch sensor of claim 11, wherein the first and second lines of conductive material form a plurality of mesh cells, each mesh cell having a diagonal length of approximately 265 μ

m to 340 μ

m.

18. The touch sensor of claim 11, wherein:

the first pixel pitch is approximately equal to the second pixel pitch;

m is equal to 1, 2, 4, or 5;

n is equal to 1, 2, 4, or 5;

the first angle is approximately equal to 30.96°

, 36.87°

, 56.31°

, or 71.57°

; and

the second angle is approximately equal to 30.96°

, 36.87°

, 56.31°

, or 71.57°

.

19. The touch sensor of claim 11, wherein:

the first angle is oriented counterclockwise relative to the first axis; and

the second angle is oriented clockwise relative to the first axis.

20. A method comprising:

depositing on a substrate a mesh of conductive material that comprises a plurality of first lines and a plurality of second lines of conductive material configured to extend across a display that comprises a plurality of pixels that each comprise sub-pixels, wherein;

the first lines are substantially parallel to each other;

the second lines are substantially parallel to each other;

each of the pixels has a first pixel pitch (PP_x) along a first axis and a second pixel pitch (PP_y) along a second axis that is substantially perpendicular to the first axis;

the first pixel pitch is a distance between corresponding features of two adjacent pixels along the first axis; and

the second pixel pitch is a distance between corresponding features of two adjacent pixels along the second axis;

the first lines are configured to extend across the display at a first angle relative to the first axis, wherein the first angle is within 1°

of the arctangent of