Method for forming a capacitive touch sensor for identifying a fingerprint

• US 9,465,491 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2013
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neodrón Limited (Atlantic IP Services Limited)
• Original Assignee: Atmel Corporation (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Yilmaz, Esat, SHAIKH, Jalil
• Primary Examiner(s): TRINH, MINH N
• Application Number:
  US14/057,107
• Publication Number:
  US 20140047706A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,089 Days
• Field of Search: 295/921, 29 2535- 2542, 324686-687, 324/658, 382124-126
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0338 Fingerprint track pad, i.e. fingerprint sensor used as pointing device tracking the fingertip image
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• 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: G06V 40/1306 non-optical, e.g. ultrasonic or capacitive sensing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49105 Switch making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49124 On flat or curved insulated base, e.g., printed circuit, etc.

Abstract

A method of forming a capacitive sensor includes forming a capacitive touch position sensor including a first plurality electrodes sense electrodes and drive electrodes in a touch sensing area of a capacitive sensor. The first plurality of sense electrodes and drive electrodes are configured to enable detection of the presence and position of a touch in the touch sensing area. The method also includes forming a capacitive finger print sensor including a second plurality of sense electrodes and drive in a fingerprint sensing area of the capacitive sensor. The second plurality of sense electrodes and drive are configured to enable identification of the fingerprint of a finger placed in the fingerprint sensing area.

Claims

1. A method of forming a capacitive sensor, the method comprising:

forming, on a surface of a substrate a first plurality of sense electrodes and drive electrodes in a touch sensing area, the first plurality of sense electrodes and drive electrodes forming a capacitive touch position sensor configured to enable detection of the presence and position of a touch in the touch sensing area; and

forming, on the surface of the substrate, a second plurality of sense electrodes and drive electrodes in a fingerprint sensing area, the second plurality of sense electrodes and drive electrodes forming a capacitive finger print sensor configured to enable identification of the fingerprint of a finger placed in the fingerprint sensing area.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming the fingerprint sensing area outside the touch sensing area.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming the fingerprint sensing area within the touch sensing area.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising coupling the second plurality of sense electrodes and drive electrodes of the capacitive fingerprint sensor to a switching element for switching the second plurality of sense electrodes and drive electrodes between a fingerprint recognition mode and a touch sensing mode.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the capacitive fingerprint sensor comprises at least two channels, the capacitive fingerprint sensor configured to combine the at least two channels while operating in the touch sensing mode.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a first density of the second plurality of sense electrodes and drive electrodes of the capacitive fingerprint sensor is greater than a second density of the first plurality of sense electrodes and drive electrodes of the capacitive touch position sensor.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming the first plurality of sense electrodes and drive electrodes of the capacitive touch position sensor and the second plurality of sense electrodes and drive electrodes of the capacitive finger print sensor from a common conductive material.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the common conductive material comprises an opaque conductive material.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the common conductive material comprises a transparent conductive material.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the transparent conductive material is selected from the group consisting of transparent indium tin oxide, antimony tin oxide, tin oxide, PEDOT, conductive polymers, carbon nanotube, and metal nanowire impregnated material.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of sense electrodes and drive electrodes forming the capacitive touch position sensor are formed from a mesh or other pattern of fine lines configured to allow transmission of light through the mesh electrodes.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of sense electrodes and drive electrodes forming the capacitive touch position sensor and the first plurality of sense electrodes and drive electrodes forming the capacitive finger print sensor are formed during a same processing step.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of sense electrodes and drive electrodes forming the capacitive touch position sensor and the first plurality of sense electrodes and drive electrodes forming the capacitive finger print sensor are formed from a common material.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the capacitive touch position sensor and the capacitive finger print sensor comprise a self-capacitance sensor.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the touch position sensor and the capacitive finger print sensor comprise a mutual capacitance sensor.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising coupling the plurality of sense electrodes and drive electrodes of the capacitive touch position sensor and the plurality of sense and drive electrodes of the capacitive finger print sensor to a common printed circuit board.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

coupling the plurality of sense electrodes and drive electrodes of the capacitive touch position sensor to a first printed circuit board; and

coupling the plurality of sense and drive electrodes of the capacitive finger print sensor to a second printed circuit board.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising positioning a display under the capacitive touch position sensor for viewing through the touch sensing area.