Touch sensor with integrated antenna

• US 9,442,535 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2012
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Atmel Corporation (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Yilmaz, Esat
• Primary Examiner(s): DUONG, THOI V
• Application Number:
  US13/725,397
• Publication Number:
  US 20140176819A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,362 Days
• Field of Search: 349/12, 345173-178, 178 1801- 1811
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1692 the I/O peripheral being a secondary touch screen used as control interface, e.g. virtual buttons or sliders
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• 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

In one embodiment, an apparatus includes one or more flexible substrates having flexible conductive material disposed thereon and a radiating element disposed on a first region of the flexible substrates. The radiating element includes a first portion of the flexible conductive material. The apparatus includes a touch-sensing area disposed on a second region of the flexible substrates. The touch-sensing area includes multiple electrodes that each include a respective second portion of the flexible conductive material disposed on the flexible substrates. The electrodes are configured to sense touch of an object at the touch-sensing area.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a flexible substrate having flexible conductive material disposed thereon;

a radiating element disposed on a first region of the flexible substrate, the radiating element comprising a first portion of the flexible conductive material;

a touch-sensing area disposed on a second region of the flexible substrate, the touch-sensing area comprising a plurality of electrodes each comprising a respective second portion of the flexible conductive material disposed on the flexible substrate, the plurality of electrodes configured to sense touch of an object at the touch-sensing area;

a plurality of connecting lines disposed on the second region of the flexible substrate such that the entirety of the plurality of connecting lines is laterally offset from the radiating element, the plurality of connecting lines operable to connect the touch-sensing area to control circuitry; and

wherein the flexible substrate is folded upon itself such that the radiating element disposed on the first region of the flexible substrate is disposed inwardly from the touch-sensing area disposed on the second region of the flexible substrate.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the radiating element is selected from the group consisting of:

a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag;

a near field communication (NFC) enabled antenna;

a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) enabled antenna;

a loop antenna; and

an inductive charge receiver.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrodes comprise:

a drive electrode disposed on a first surface of the flexible substrate; and

a sense electrode disposed on a second surface of the flexible substrate different from the first surface of the flexible substrate.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrodes are all disposed on a same surface of the flexible substrate with respect to each other.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the radiating element and at least a subset of the plurality of electrodes are each disposed on a same surface of the flexible substrate.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising control circuitry coupled to the touch-sensing area, the control circuitry being configured to sense the presence of an object in proximity to the touch-sensing area.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first region of the flexible substrate is a flexible printed circuit (FPC) bonded to the second region of the flexible substrate.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a flexible substrate having flexible conductive material disposed thereon;

a radiating element disposed on a first region of the flexible substrate, the radiating element comprising a first portion of the flexible conductive material;

a touch-sensing area disposed on a second region of the flexible substrate, the touch-sensing area comprising a plurality of electrodes each comprising a respective second portion of the flexible conductive material disposed on the flexible substrate, the plurality of electrodes configured to sense touch of an object at the touch-sensing area;

a plurality of connecting lines disposed on the second region of the flexible substrate, the plurality of connecting lines operable to connect the touch-sensing area to control circuitry; and

wherein the first region of the flexible substrate is a peninsula-shaped portion extending outwardly from the remainder of the flexible substrate.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a flexible substrate having flexible conductive material disposed thereon;

a conductive coil disposed on a first region of the flexible substrate, the conductive coil comprising a first portion of the flexible conductive material;

a touch-sensing area disposed on a second region of the flexible substrate, the touch-sensing area comprising a plurality of electrodes each comprising a respective second portion of the flexible conductive material disposed on the flexible substrate, the plurality of electrodes configured to sense touch of an object at the touch-sensing area;

a plurality of connecting lines disposed on the second region of the flexible substrate such that the entirety of the plurality of connecting lines is laterally offset from the conductive coil, the plurality of connecting lines operable to connect the touch-sensing area to control circuitry; and

wherein the flexible substrate is folded upon itself such that the conductive coil disposed on the first region of the flexible substrate is disposed inwardly from the touch-sensing area disposed on the second region of the flexible substrate.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the conductive coil is selected from the group consisting of:

a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag;

a near field communication (NFC) enabled antenna;

a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) enabled antenna;

a loop antenna; and

an inductive charge receiver.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the plurality of electrodes comprise:

a drive electrode disposed on a first surface of the flexible substrate; and

a sense electrode disposed on a second surface of the flexible substrate different from the first surface of the flexible substrate.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the plurality of electrodes are all disposed on a same surface of the flexible substrate with respect to each other.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the conductive coil and at least a subset of the plurality of electrodes are each disposed on a same surface of the flexible substrate.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising coupling the touch-sensing area to control circuitry, the control circuitry being configured to sense the presence of an object in proximity to the touch-sensing area.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first region of the flexible substrate is a flexible printed circuit (FPC) bonded to the second region of the flexible substrate.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein a same flexible substrate comprises both the first and second regions.

17. An apparatus comprising:

one or more flexible substrates having flexible conductive material disposed thereon;

an antenna disposed on a first region of the flexible substrates, the antenna comprising a first portion of the flexible conductive material;

a touch-sensing area disposed on a second region of the flexible substrates, the touch-sensing area comprising a plurality of electrodes each comprising a respective second portion of the flexible conductive material disposed on the flexible substrates, the plurality of electrodes configured to sense touch of an object at the touch-sensing area;

a plurality of connecting lines disposed on the second region of the flexible substrates such that the entirety of the plurality of connecting lines is laterally offset from the antenna, the plurality of connecting lines operable to connect the touch-sensing area to control circuitry; and

wherein the one or more flexible substrates is folded upon itself such that the antenna disposed on the first region of the flexible substrates is disposed inwardly from the touch-sensing area disposed on the second region of the flexible substrates.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the antenna is selected from the group consisting of:

a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag;

a near field communication (NFC) enabled antenna;

a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) enabled antenna; and

a loop antenna.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the plurality of electrodes comprise:

a drive electrode disposed on a first surface of the flexible substrates; and

a sense electrode disposed on a second surface of the flexible substrate different from the first surface of the flexible substrates.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the plurality of electrodes are all disposed on a same surface of the flexible substrates with respect to each other.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the antenna and at least a subset of the plurality of electrodes are each disposed on a same surface of the flexible substrates.

22. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising control circuitry coupled to the touch-sensing area, the control circuitry being configured to sense the presence of an object in proximity to the touch-sensing area.

23. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first region of the flexible substrates is a peninsula-shaped portion extending outwardly from the remainder of the flexible substrates.

24. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first region of the flexible substrates is a flexible printed circuit (FPC) bonded to the second region of the flexible substrates.

25. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein a same flexible substrate comprises both the first and second regions.