Trace shielding for input devices

• US 9,606,686 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2015
• Issued: 03/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Inventors: Reynolds, Joseph Kurth, Shepelev, Petr
• Primary Examiner(s): Haley, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US14/635,843
• Publication Number:
  US 20150193059A1
• Time in Patent Office: 757 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04107 Shielding in digitiser, i.e. guard or shielding arrangements, mostly for capacitive touchscreens, e.g. driven shields, driven grounds
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/047 using sets of wires, e.g. crossed wires
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0426 Layout of electrodes and connections
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0306 Inorganic insulating substrates, e.g. ceramic, glass
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/115 Via connections; Lands around holes or via connections H05K1/112 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10151 Sensor

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention generally provide shield electrodes for shielding one or more conductive routing traces from one or more receiver electrodes in an input device comprising a display device integrated with a sensing device to reduce the capacitive coupling between the conductive routing traces and the receiver electrodes. The shield electrode may be configured to reduce the effect of an input object on the capacitive coupling between the conductive routing traces and the receiver electrodes. In other embodiments, end portions of common electrodes shield the receiver electrodes from the conductive routing traces, thereby reducing the capacitive coupling between the receiver electrodes and the conductive routing traces.

Claims

1. A touch screen device with an integrated capacitive sensing device comprising:

a display device having a layer;

a plurality of common electrodes disposed in the display device and on a first side of the layer, the plurality of common electrodes configured for updating the display device and for transmitting transmitter signals for capacitive sensing;

a plurality of receiver electrodes disposed on a second side of the layer;

a plurality of conductive routing traces disposed on the first side of the layer and coupled to the plurality of common electrodes; and

a first shield electrode disposed on the first side of the layer of the display device and positioned to shield the plurality of conductive routing traces from the plurality of receiver electrodes, wherein the first shield electrode is above the plurality of conductive routing traces and below the plurality of receiver electrodes.

2. The touch screen device of claim 1, wherein the first shield electrode is configured to reduce the effect of an input object on the capacitive coupling between the conductive routing traces and the receiver electrodes.

3. The touch screen device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of conductive routing traces are configured for driving the plurality of common electrodes.

4. The touch screen device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of common electrodes and the plurality of conductive routing traces and disposed on a thin-film transistor (TFT) substrate layer of the display device, and

the plurality of receiver electrodes is disposed below a lens of the display device.

5. The touch screen display device of claim 1 further comprising:

a second shield electrode configured to shield the plurality of receiver electrodes from the plurality of conductive routing traces, wherein the second shield electrode is above the plurality of conductive routing traces and below the plurality of receiver electrodes.

6. The touch screen device of claim 1, wherein the first shield electrode overlaps at least a portion of the plurality of conductive routing traces and is disposed between a thin-film transistor (TFT) substrate layer and a lens.

7. The touch screen device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of common electrodes and the plurality of conductive routing traces are disposed on a thin-film transistor (TFT) substrate layer of the display device, and

the plurality of receiver electrodes and the first shield electrode are disposed on a sealing layer of the display device.

8. The touch screen device of claim 7, wherein the plurality of receiver electrodes is disposed on a first side of the sealing layer of the display device, and

the first shield electrode is disposed on a second side of the sealing layer of the display device.

9. The touch screen device of claim 7, wherein the plurality of receiver electrodes and the first shield electrode are disposed on a first side of the sealing layer of the display device.

10. The touch screen device of claim 1, wherein the first shield electrode is disposed along an outer perimeter of the display device between a thin-film transistor (TFT) substrate layer and a lens.

11. The touch screen device of claim 1, wherein the first shield electrode is disposed along an outer perimeter of the display device on at least one of a thin-film transistor (TFT) substrate layer, a sealing layer, and a lens.

12. A system for capacitive sensing in a display device comprising:

a plurality of common electrodes configured for display updating and for capacitive sensing;

a plurality of conductive routing traces coupled to the plurality of common electrodes, the plurality of conductive routing traces and the plurality of common electrodes disposed on a first side of a layer of the display device;

a driver module coupled to the plurality of conductive routing traces and configured to drive sensor signals onto the plurality of common electrodes;

a plurality of receiver electrodes disposed on a second side of the layer; and

a first shield electrode disposed on the first side of the layer of the display device and positioned to shield the plurality of conductive routing traces from the plurality of receiver electrodes in a manner that reduces influence of a presence of an input object on capacitive coupling between the plurality of receiver electrodes and conductive routing traces, wherein the first shield electrode is above the plurality of conductive routing traces and below the plurality of receiver electrodes.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the first shield electrode overlaps at least a portion of the plurality of receiver electrodes and at least a portion of the plurality of conductive routing traces and is disposed between a thin-film transistor (TFT) substrate layer and a lens.

14. The system of claim 12 further comprising:

a second shield electrode configured to shield the plurality of receiver electrodes from the plurality of conductive routing traces, wherein the second shield electrode is above the plurality of conductive routing traces and below the plurality of receiver electrodes.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the plurality of common electrodes and the plurality of conductive routing traces and disposed on a thin-film transistor (TFT) substrate layer of a display device of the system, and

the plurality of receiver electrodes is disposed below a lens of the display device.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the plurality of common electrodes and the plurality of conductive routing traces are disposed on a thin-film transistor (TFT) substrate layer of a display device of the system, and

the plurality of receiver electrodes and the first shield electrode are disposed on a sealing layer of the display device.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the plurality of receiver electrodes is disposed on a first side of the sealing layer of a display device of the system, and

the first shield electrode is disposed on a second side of the sealing layer of the display device.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the plurality of receiver electrodes and the first shield electrode are disposed on a first side of the sealing layer of the display device.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the first shield electrode is disposed along an outer perimeter of a display device of the system between a thin-film transistor (TFT) substrate layer and a lens.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the first shield electrode is disposed along an outer perimeter of a display device of the system on at least one of a thin-film transistor (TFT) substrate layer, a sealing layer, and a lens.