Touch apparatus

• US 10,318,073 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2017
• Issued: 06/11/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acer, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Acer, Inc.
• Inventors: Ko, Chueh-Pin, Chen, Chih-Chiang
• Primary Examiner(s): Eurice, Michael J
• Application Number:
  US15/587,203
• Publication Number:
  US 20180232102A1
• Time in Patent Office: 768 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04106 Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0418 for error correction or compensation, e.g. based on parallax, calibration or alignment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0442 using active external devices, e.g. active pens, for transmitting changes in electrical potential to be received by the digitiser
• 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 touch apparatus includes a plurality of first sensing electrodes, a plurality of second sensing electrodes, and a plurality of third sensing electrodes. The first sensing electrodes extend along a first direction. The second sensing electrodes are electrically isolated from the first sensing electrodes, and extend along a second direction. The plurality of third sensing electrodes are electrically isolated from the second sensing electrodes, and extend along the first direction. At least some of the first sensing electrodes, at least some of the second sensing electrodes, and at least some of the third sensing electrodes are formed at different film layers respectively.

Claims

1. A touch apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of first sensing electrodes, extending along a first direction;

a plurality of second sensing electrodes, electrically isolated from the first sensing electrodes, and extending along a second direction different from the first direction;

a plurality of third sensing electrodes, electrically isolated from the second sensing electrodes, and extending along the first direction, wherein the first sensing electrodes, the second sensing electrodes, and the third sensing electrodes are formed at different plurality of film layers respectively, wherein the third sensing electrodes, the second sensing electrodes and the first sensing electrodes are sequentially arranged along a line-of-sight direction vertical to the first direction and the second direction; and

a control unit, electrically connected to the first sensing electrodes, the second sensing electrodes, and the third sensing electrodes, wherein the control unit determines a touch position of a finger according to signals on the first sensing electrodes and the second sensing electrodes, and determines a touch position of a stylus according to signals on the second sensing electrodes and the third sensing electrodes,

wherein the control unit reads the signals on the first sensing electrodes and signals on the third sensing electrodes at the same time, so as to obtain a first signal difference;

the control unit reads the signals on the first sensing electrodes and the signals on the third sensing electrodes at the same time, so as to obtain a second signal difference; and

the control unit compares the first signal difference and the second signal difference, so as to determine an orientation of a stylus.

2. The touch apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein within a first subframe time, the control unit reads the signals on the second sensing electrodes and the third sensing electrodes at the same time, so as to determine the touch position of the stylus;

and

within a second subframe time successive to the first subframe time, the control unit drives the first sensing electrodes and reads signals on the second sensing electrodes, so as to determine the touch position of the finger.

3. The touch apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein within a first subframe time, the control unit respectively reads signals on the second sensing electrodes and signals on the third sensing electrodes, and determines the touch position of the stylus according to the signals on the second sensing electrodes and the signals on the third sensing electrodes which are read within the first subframe time;

and

within the first subframe time and a second subframe time successive to the first subframe time, the control unit drives the first sensing electrodes and reads the signals on the second sensing electrodes, so as to determine the touch position of the finger.

4. The touch apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a protection element;

an adhesive layer; and

a first substrate, wherein the protection element, the third sensing electrodes, the adhesive layer, the second sensing electrodes, the first substrate and the first sensing electrodes are sequentially arranged along a line-of-sight direction.

5. The touch apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a protection element;

an adhesive layer;

an insulation layer; and

a first substrate, wherein the protection element, the adhesive layer, the third sensing electrodes, the insulation layer, the second sensing electrodes, the first substrate and the first sensing electrodes are sequentially stacked along a line-of-sight direction.

6. The touch apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a protection element; and

an insulation layer, wherein the protection element, the third sensing electrodes, the insulation layer, the second sensing electrodes and the first sensing electrodes are sequentially stacked along a line-of-sight direction.

7. The touch apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a protection element;

an insulation layer;

an adhesive layer; and

a film, wherein the protection element, the third sensing electrodes, the insulation layer, the second sensing electrodes, the adhesive layer, the first sensing electrodes and the film are sequentially stacked along a line-of-sight direction.

8. The touch apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a protection element;

a first adhesive layer;

a first film;

a second adhesive layer; and

a second film, wherein the protection element, the first adhesive layer, the third sensing electrodes, the first film, the second sensing electrodes, the second adhesive layer, the first sensing electrodes and the second film are sequentially stacked along a line-of-sight direction.

9. The touch apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a protection element;

an adhesive layer;

an insulation layer; and

a film, wherein the protection element, the adhesive layer, the third sensing electrodes, the insulation layer, the second sensing electrodes, the film and the first sensing electrodes are sequentially stacked along a line-of-sight direction.

10. The touch apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a protection element;

an adhesive layer; and

a film, wherein the protection element, the adhesive layer, the third sensing electrodes, the second sensing electrodes, the first sensing electrodes and the film are sequentially stacked along a line-of-sight direction.

11. The touch apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first substrate;

a second substrate, opposite to the first substrate; and

a display medium, configured between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the third sensing electrodes, the second sensing electrodes, the first sensing electrodes, the second substrate, the display medium and the first substrate are sequentially stacked along a line-of-sight direction.

12. The touch apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first substrate;

a second substrate, opposite to the first substrate; and

a display medium, configured between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the third sensing electrodes, the second sensing electrodes, the second substrate, the display medium and the first substrate are sequentially stacked along a line-of-sight direction, and the first sensing electrodes are located between the first substrate and the second substrate.

13. The touch apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first substrate;

a second substrate, opposite to the first substrate; and

a display medium, configured between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the third sensing electrodes, the second substrate, the second sensing electrodes, the first sensing electrodes and the first substrate are sequentially stacked along a line-of-sight direction.

14. The touch apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first substrate;

a second substrate, opposite to the first substrate; and

a display medium, configured between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the second substrate, the display medium and the first substrate are sequentially stacked along a line-of-sight direction, and the first sensing electrodes, the second sensing electrodes, and the third sensing electrodes are located between the first substrate and the second substrate.

15. The touch apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the third sensing electrodes partially overlaps a corresponding first sensing electrode.

16. The touch apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the third sensing electrodes is staggered from a corresponding first sensing electrode and does not overlap the corresponding first sensing electrode.