Electronic device and touch-sensitive input device

• US 9,367,092 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2013
• Issued: 06/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Golovchenko, Mykola, Pereverzev, Stanislav, Stacy, William Turlay
• Primary Examiner(s): Ghebretinsae, Temesgh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Xie, Kwin
• Application Number:
  US14/132,623
• Publication Number:
  US 20140104515A1
• Time in Patent Office: 909 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-174
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• 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: 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 touch-sensitive input device includes a cover, a set of first conductors disposed between the cover and a substrate, the first conductors including at least two fingers connected at an end of the fingers, dummy conductors disposed between the first conductors and between the fingers of the first conductors, and a second set of conductors disposed on an opposite side of the substrate.

Claims

1. A touch-sensitive input device comprising:

a substrate;

a set of first conductors disposed on the substrate and including a first conductor and a second conductor, the first conductor comprising a first member having a first end and a second member having a second end joined to the first end of the first member by a first connecting element that extends along the substrate, between the first end and the second end, to provide connected first and second members, the second conductor comprising a third member having a third end and fourth member having a fourth end joined to the third end of the third member by a second connecting element that extends along the substrate, between the third end and the fourth end, to provide connected third and fourth members;

dummy conductors including a first dummy conductor disposed between the first conductor and the second conductor, a second dummy conductor disposed between the first member and the second member of the first conductor, such that the second dummy conductor extends between the connected first and second members, and a third dummy conductor disposed between a third member and a fourth member of the second conductor, such that the third dummy conductor extends between the connected third and fourth members, wherein the first dummy conductor and the second dummy conductor and the third dummy conductor are electrically isolated from the first conductor and the second conductor; and

a set of second conductors disposed on an opposite side of the substrate from the first set of conductors.

2. The touch-sensitive input device according to claim 1, wherein the width of the first conductor including the width of the first and second members and the space between the first and second members is equal to or less than the width of the second conductors.

3. The touch-sensitive input device according to claim 1, wherein the width of the first and second members of the first conductor is less than the spacing between the first conductor and the second conductor.

4. The touch-sensitive input device according to claim 1, comprising a cover, wherein a thickness of the cover is greater than the distance that an electric field extends from the first conductor and the second conductor.

5. The touch-sensitive input device according to claim 1, wherein the width of the first and second members of the first conductor is less than the spacing between the first and second members.

6. The touch-sensitive input device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second members are joined at both ends.

7. The touch-sensitive input device according to claim 1, comprising a display, wherein the set of second conductors is disposed between the substrate and the display.

8. An electronic device comprising:

a substrate;

a set of first conductors disposed on the substrate and including a first conductor and a second conductor, the first conductor comprising a first member having a first end and a second member having a second end joined to the first end of the first member by a first connecting element that extends along the substrate, between the first end and the second end, to provide connected first and second members, the second conductor comprising a third member having a third end and fourth member having a fourth end joined to the third end of the third member by a second connecting element that extends along the substrate, between the third end and the fourth end, to provide connected third and fourth members;

dummy conductors including a first dummy conductor disposed between the first conductor and the second conductor, a second dummy conductor disposed between the first member and the second member of the first conductor, such that the second dummy conductor extends between the connected first and second members, and a third dummy conductor disposed between a third member and a fourth member of the second conductor, such that the third dummy conductor extends between the connected third and fourth members, wherein the first dummy conductor and the second dummy conductor and the third dummy conductor are electrically isolated from the first conductor and the second conductor; and

a set of second conductors disposed on an opposite side of the substrate from the first set of conductors.

9. The electronic device according to claim 8, wherein the width of the first conductor including the width of the first and second members and the space between the first and second members is equal to or less than the width of the second conductors.

10. The electronic device according to claim 8, wherein the width of the first and second members of the first conductor is less than the spacing between the first conductor and the second conductor.

11. The electronic device according to claim 8, comprising a cover, wherein a thickness of the cover is greater than the distance that an electric field extends from the first conductor and the second conductor.

12. The electronic device according to claim 8, wherein the width of the first and second members of the first conductor is less than the spacing between the first and second members.

13. The electronic device according to claim 8, wherein the first and second members are joined at both ends.

14. A touch-sensitive display comprising:

a cover;

a substrate;

a set of first conductors disposed between the cover and the substrate and including a first conductor and a second conductor, the first conductor comprising a first member having a first end and a second member having a second end joined to the first end of the first member by a first connecting element that extends along the substrate, between the first end and the second end, to provide connected first and second members, the second conductor comprising a third member having a third end and fourth member having a fourth end joined to the third end of the third member by a second connecting element that extends along the substrate, between the third end and the fourth end, to provide connected third and fourth members;

a first dummy conductor disposed between the first conductor and the second conductor;

a second dummy conductor disposed between the first member and the second member, such that the second dummy conductor extends between the connected first and second members;

a third dummy conductor disposed between a third member and a fourth member of the second conductor, such that the third dummy conductor extends between the connected third and fourth members;

wherein the first dummy conductor, the second dummy conductor, and the third dummy conductor are electrically isolated from the first conductor and the second conductor;

a set of second conductors disposed on an opposite side of the substrate from the first set of conductors.

15. The touch-sensitive display according to claim 14, wherein the second conductors have a width and a length parallel to the plane, and wherein the width of the second conductor is greater than the combined width of the two members.

16. The touch-sensitive display according to claim 14, comprising dummy conductors disposed between the conductors of the first plurality of conductors.

17. The touch-sensitive display according to claim 14, comprising dummy conductors disposed between the conductors of the first plurality of conductors and between the members of the first conductor.

18. The touch-sensitive display according to claim 14, wherein the width is about half the thickness.

19. The touch-sensitive display of claim 14, wherein the width and spacing of the at least two lines reduces detection of a false touch due to moisture on the cover.