Capacitive touch sensor

• US 9,958,996 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2016
• Issued: 05/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Displax S.A.
• Original Assignee: Displax S.A.
• Inventors: Marques, Pedro Luis Fernandes, Fonseca, Miguel Angelo Magalhaes, Peixoto de Oliveira, Jos Miguel Fernandes, Babo de Carvalho, Antnio Augusto
• Primary Examiner(s): Khoo, Stacy
• Application Number:
  US15/010,086
• Publication Number:
  US 20170220146A1
• Time in Patent Office: 823 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-179, 178 1801- 1809
• 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 3/0445 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

Abstract

A capacitive touch sensor is described. The touch sensor includes a sensor grid that includes a trace that has a trace start point and end point, is electrically conductive between the trace start point and the trace end point, is formed in one or more pairs of trace cells that each include a first trace cell and a second trace cell that is rotationally symmetrical to the first trace cell. The trace start point and the trace end point define a trace axis. A trace direction is defined from the trace start point to the trace end point. A trace-perpendicular direction is defined as being perpendicular to the trace direction. A segment of the trace that is formed in the first trace cell includes a first portion, a second portion, a third portion, a fourth portion, a fifth portion, a sixth portion, a seventh portion, and an eighth portion.

Claims

1. A projected capacitive touch sensor, comprising:

a sensor grid (a) that includes a trace that (i) has a trace start point and a trace end point, (ii) is electrically conductive between the trace start point and the trace end point, and (iii) is formed in one or more pairs of trace cells that each include a first trace cell and a second trace cell that is rotationally symmetrical to the first trace cell and (b) that includes additional traces that each (i) have trace axes that are approximately perpendicular to a trace axis of the trace and (ii) are radially symmetrical to the trace,

wherein the trace start point and the trace end point define the trace axis,

wherein a trace direction is defined from the trace start point to the trace end point,

wherein a trace-perpendicular direction is defined as being perpendicular to the trace direction,

wherein a segment of the trace that is formed in the first trace cell comprises;

a first portion of the trace that starts at a first point on the trace axis and that is formed in the trace direction and in the trace-perpendicular direction;

a second portion of the trace that starts at an end point of the first portion and that is formed in a direction opposite the trace direction and in the trace-perpendicular direction;

a third portion of the trace that starts at an end point of the second portion and that is formed in the trace direction and in the trace-perpendicular direction;

a fourth portion of the trace that starts at an end point of the third portion and that is formed in the trace direction and in a direction opposite the trace-perpendicular direction;

a fifth portion of the trace that starts at an end point of the fourth portion and that is formed in the trace direction and the trace-perpendicular direction;

a sixth portion of the trace that starts at an end point of the fifth portion and that is formed in the trace direction and the direction opposite trace-perpendicular direction;

a seventh portion of the trace that starts at an end point of the sixth portion and that is formed in the direction opposite the trace direction and the direction opposite trace-perpendicular direction; and

an eighth portion of the trace that starts at an end point of the seventh portion, that ends at a second point on the trace axis, and that is formed in the trace direction and the direction opposite trace-perpendicular direction.

2. The sensor of claim 1, wherein a width of the trace is between one micrometer and twenty micrometers.

3. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the sensor grid includes:

additional traces that each have trace axes that are approximately parallel to the trace axis of the trace.

4. A projected capacitive touch sensor, comprising:

a sensor grid (a) that includes a trace that (i) has a trace start point and a trace end point, (ii) is electrically conductive between the trace start point and the trace end point, and (iii) is formed in one or more pairs of trace cells that each include a first trace cell and a second trace cell that is rotationally symmetrical to the first trace cell and (b) that includes additional traces that each (i) have trace axes that are approximately perpendicular to a trace axis of the trace and (ii) are radially symmetrical to the trace,

wherein the trace start point and the trace end point define the trace axis,

wherein a trace direction is defined from the trace start point to the trace end point,

wherein a trace-perpendicular direction is defined as being perpendicular to the trace direction,

wherein a segment of the trace that is formed in the first trace cell comprises;

a first portion of the trace that starts at a first point on the trace axis and that is formed in the trace direction and in the trace-perpendicular direction;

a second portion of the trace that starts at an end point of the first portion and that is formed in a direction opposite the trace direction and in the trace-perpendicular direction;

a third portion of the trace that starts at an end point of the second portion and that is formed in the trace direction and in the trace-perpendicular direction;

a fourth portion of the trace that starts at an end point of the third portion, that ends at a second point on the trace axis, and that is formed in the trace direction and in a direction opposite the trace-perpendicular direction.

5. The sensor of claim 4, wherein a width of the trace is between one micrometer and twenty micrometers.

6. The sensor of claim 4, wherein the sensor grid includes:

additional traces that each have trace axes that are approximately parallel to the trace axis of the trace.

7. The sensor of claim 4, wherein a length of the fourth portion is at least twice a length of the first portion, the second portion, or the third portion.

8. A projected capacitive touch sensor, comprising:

a sensor grid (a) that includes a trace that (i) has a trace start point and a trace end point, (ii) is electrically conductive between the trace start point and the trace end point, and (iii) is formed in one or more pairs of trace cells that each include a first trace cell and a second trace cell that is rotationally symmetrical to the first trace cell and (b) that includes additional traces that each (i) have trace axes that are approximately perpendicular to a trace axis of the trace and (ii) are radially symmetrical to the trace,

wherein the trace start point and the trace end point define the trace axis,

wherein a trace direction is defined from the trace start point to the trace end point,

wherein a trace-perpendicular direction is defined as being perpendicular to the trace direction,

wherein a segment of the trace that is formed in the first trace cell comprises;

a first portion of the trace that starts at a first point on the trace axis and that is formed in the trace direction and in the trace-perpendicular direction;

a second portion of the trace that starts at an end point of the first portion and that is formed in the trace direction and in a direction that is opposite the trace-perpendicular direction;

a third portion of the trace that starts at an end point of the second portion and that is formed in the trace direction and in the trace-perpendicular direction;

a fourth portion of the trace that starts at an end point of the third portion, that ends at a second point on the trace axis, and that is formed in the trace direction and in the direction opposite the trace-perpendicular direction.

9. The sensor of claim 8, wherein a width of the trace is between one micrometer and twenty micrometers.

10. The sensor of claim 8, wherein sensor grid includes:

additional traces that each have trace axes that are approximately parallel to the trace axis of the trace.

11. A projected capacitive touch sensor, comprising:

a sensor grid that includes a trace that (i) has a trace start point and a trace end point, (ii) is electrically conductive between the trace start point and the trace end point, and (iii) is formed in one or more pairs of trace cells that each include a first trace cell and a second trace cell that is rotationally symmetrical to the first trace cell,

wherein the trace start point and the trace end point define a trace axis,

wherein a trace direction is defined from the trace start point to the trace end point,

wherein a trace-perpendicular direction is defined as being perpendicular to the trace direction,

wherein a segment of the trace that is formed in the first trace cell comprises;

a first curved portion of the trace that starts at a first point on the trace axis and that is concave in a direction opposite the trace direction;

a second curved portion of the trace that starts at an end point of the first curved portion and that is convex in a direction opposite the trace direction and in the trace-perpendicular direction;

a third curved portion of the trace that starts at an end point of the second curved portion and that is concave in the trace-perpendicular direction;

a fourth curved portion of the trace that starts at an end point of the third curved portion and that is convex in the trace direction and in the trace-perpendicular direction;

a fifth curved portion of the trace that starts at an end point of the fourth curved portion, that ends at a second point on the trace axis and that is concave in the trace direction.

12. The sensor of claim 11, wherein a width of the trace is between one micrometer and twenty micrometers.

13. The sensor of claim 11, wherein the sensor grid includes:

additional traces that each have trace axes that are approximately parallel to the trace axis of the trace.

14. The sensor of claim 11, wherein the sensor grid includes:

additional traces that each (i) have trace axes that are approximately perpendicular to the trace axis of the trace and (ii) are radially symmetrical to the trace.

15. The sensor of claim 11, wherein the first curved portion, the second curved portion, the third curved portion, the fourth curved portion, and the fifth curved portion are arcs with a same radius.

16. The sensor of claim 11, wherein:

the first curved portion, the third curved portion, and the fifth curved portion are arcs with a first radius, and

the second curved portion and the fourth curved portion are arcs with a second radius that is greater than the first radius.

17. The sensor of claim 11, wherein:

the first curved portion, the third curved portion, and the fifth curved portion are arcs with a first radius.