Moire-Free Touch Screen with Tilted or Curved ITO Pattern

• US 20090273577A1
• Filed: 04/30/2008
• Published: 11/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Chen, Cheng, Zhong, John Z., Qi, Jun
• Application Number:
  US12/112,950
• Publication Number:
  US 20090273577A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• 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: G06F 3/0448 Details of the electrode shape, e.g. for enhancing the detection of touches, for generating specific electric field shapes, for enhancing display quality

Abstract

Touch screens that generate reduced Moiré effects are disclosed. To reduce Moiré effects, the columns (drive or sense lines) of a touch sensor panel can be oriented at an angle with respect to a display device so that the columns are not parallel with the sub-pixel and pixel arrangements of the display device. In some embodiments, the entire touch sensor panel can be oriented at an angle with respect to the display device. In other embodiments, certain lines in the touch sensor panel can be tilted, curved or formed in a zig-zag shape.

Claims

1. A touch screen having reduced Moiré

effects, comprising;

a display device, the display device having an array of subpixels of different colors, the subpixels of each color linearly aligned in a first orientation; and

a touch sensor panel at least partially superimposed over the display device, the touch sensor panel having a plurality of substantially transparent first lines and a plurality of substantially transparent second lines forming a capacitive sensor array on a substantially transparent substrate;

wherein the plurality of first lines are non-parallel with respect to the first orientation.

2. The touch screen of claim 1, wherein the plurality of first lines are oriented at an angle between zero and 90 degrees with respect to the first orientation.

3. The touch screen of claim 1, wherein the touch sensor panel is oriented at an angle between zero and 90 degrees with respect to the first orientation.

4. The touch screen of claim 1, wherein the plurality of first lines are locally oriented at an angle between zero and 90 degrees with respect to the first orientation.

5. The touch screen of claim 1, wherein the plurality of first lines are locally curved with respect to the first orientation.

6. The touch screen of claim 1, wherein the array of subpixels are oriented diagonally and the plurality of first and second lines are oriented horizontally and vertically.

7. The touch screen of claim 1, wherein the touch screen is incorporated within a computing system.

8. The touch screen of claim 1, wherein the computing system is incorporated into a mobile telephone.

9. The touch screen of claim 1, wherein the computing system is incorporated into a digital media player.

10. A method for reducing Moiré

effects in a touch screen, comprising;

orienting a plurality of substantially transparent first lines in a touch sensor panel in relation to a display device such that the plurality of substantially transparent first lines are non-parallel with respect to a plurality of aligned subpixels of a like color in the display device.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising orienting the plurality of first lines at an angle between zero and 90 degrees with respect to the plurality of aligned subpixels.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising orienting the touch sensor panel at an angle between zero and 90 degrees with respect to the plurality of aligned subpixels.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising locally orienting the plurality of first lines at an angle between zero and 90 degrees with respect to the plurality of aligned subpixels.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising locally curving the plurality of first lines with respect to the plurality of aligned subpixels.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising orienting the array of subpixels diagonally and orienting the plurality of first lines vertically.

16. A mobile telephone including a touch screen having reduced Moiré

effects, the touch screen comprising;

a display device, the display device having an array of subpixels of different colors, the subpixels of each color linearly aligned in a first orientation; and

a touch sensor panel at least partially superimposed over the display device, the touch sensor panel having a plurality of substantially transparent first lines and a plurality of substantially transparent second lines forming a capacitive sensor array on a substantially transparent substrate;

wherein the plurality of first lines are non-parallel with respect to the first orientation.

17. A digital media player including a touch screen having reduced Moiré

effects, the touch sensor panel comprising;

a display device, the display device having an array of subpixels of different colors, the subpixels of each color linearly aligned in a first orientation; and

a touch sensor panel at least partially superimposed over the display device, the touch sensor panel having a plurality of substantially transparent first lines and a plurality of substantially transparent second lines forming a capacitive sensor array on a substantially transparent substrate;

wherein the plurality of first lines are non-parallel with respect to the first orientation.