Touch screen having reduced susceptibility to radio frequency interference

• US 20070034423A1
• Filed: 08/12/2005
• Published: 02/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Peterson, Richard, Lessard, Bruce, Rebeschi, Thomas, Taylor, Gordon
• Application Number:
  US11/202,983
• Publication Number:
  US 20070034423A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 178/18.60
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04164 Connections between sensors and controllers, e.g. routing lines between electrodes and connection pads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0444 using a single conductive element covering the whole sensing surface, e.g. by sensing the electrical current flowing at the corners

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for reducing susceptibility of touch screens to RF interference, thereby reducing susceptibility to touch position errors due to RF interference. In touch screen systems having touch sensors that lack a rear shield, the rear shield drive of the controller electronics can be capacitively connected individually to the touch signal drives, thereby placing a capacitive load on the touch signal drives that simulates the capacitive load that would otherwise be provided by a rear shield. This capacitive load compensates for the RF interference, which would otherwise tend to erroneously offset touch position determinations toward the center of the touch screen.

Claims

1. A touch screen system comprising:

a touch sensor comprising a touch sensitive layer;

controller electronics configured to apply substantially equivalent signals to a plurality of touch signal drives and an auxiliary drive, each touch signal drive being coupled to the auxiliary drive through associated capacitors, the controller electronics further configured to determine touch input position based on signals received in response to a touch coupled to the touch sensitive layer; and

a plurality of touch signal lines coupling the touch signal drives to the touch sensitive layer.

2. The touch screen system of claim 1, wherein the associated capacitors are selected to reduce susceptibility to errors in touch position determination due to RF interference.

3. The touch screen system of claim 1, wherein the associated capacitors are located on the touch sensor.

4. The touch screen system of claim 1, wherein the associated capacitors are located on an electrical tail connecting the controller electronics to the touch sensitive layer.

5. The touch screen system of claim 1, wherein the associated capacitors are located on a circuit board separate from the controller electronics.

6. The touch screen system of claim 1, wherein the associated capacitors are located on a circuit board associated with the controller electronics.

7. The touch screen system of claim 1, wherein the associated capacitors have capacitances in a range of about 1000 nF to 3000 nF.

8. The touch screen system of claim 1, wherein the touch sensor is a capacitive touch sensor.

9. The touch screen system of claim 1, wherein the touch sensor lacks a rear shield.

10. The touch screen system of claim 1, wherein the touch sensor further includes a substrate on which the touch sensitive layer is disposed, and wherein a rear shield is disposed on a surface of the substrate opposing the touch sensitive layer.

11. A method for reducing susceptibility to errors in touch position determinations due to RF interference in a touch screen system comprising:

providing a touch sensor of the touch screen system, the touch sensor including a touch sensitive layer disposed on a substrate and lacking a rear shield;

providing controller electronics coupled to the touch sensor, the controller electronics configured to apply substantially equivalent signals to a plurality of touch signal drives and an auxiliary drive, and further configured to determine touch input position based on signals received in response to a touch coupled to the touch sensitive layer; and

individually connecting each touch signal drive to the auxiliary drive through associated capacitors.

12. A method for simulating effects of a rear shield in a capacitive touch sensor lacking a rear shield comprising:

connecting each of a plurality of touch signal drive lines to an auxiliary drive line, each connection made through a capacitor; and

applying substantially equivalent signals to the touch signal drives lines and auxiliary drive line.