ELECTRODE LAYOUT FOR TOUCH SCREENS

• US 20110025639A1
• Filed: 08/03/2009
• Published: 02/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neodrón Limited (Atlantic IP Services Limited)
• Original Assignee: Atmel Corporation (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Trend, Matthew, Brunet, Samuel, Yilmaz, Esat
• Granted Patent: US 9,836,167 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/174
• 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

Abstract

A device includes a plurality of drive electrodes and a plurality of sense electrodes. The drive electrodes run generally in a first direction and have multiple projections along their length. The sense electrodes run generally in a second direction transverse to the drive electrodes. The sense electrodes have multiple projections interleaved with the multiple projections of the drive electrodes.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a plurality of drive electrodes, the drive electrodes running generally in a first direction, the drive electrodes having multiple projections along its length;

a plurality of sense electrodes running generally in a second direction transverse to the drive electrodes, the sense electrodes having multiple projections interleaved with the multiple projections of the drive electrodes.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the drive electrodes and sense electrodes are substantially non-overlapping.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the drive electrodes include multiple connected diamond shaped portions, each edge of the diamond shaped portions having a projection adjacent to at least one projection from the sense electrode.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein the sense electrodes include cross bars having at least one projection adjacent to at least one projection from the diamond shaped portions of the drive electrode.

5. The device of claim 4 and further comprising a plurality of fill areas disposed between the drive electrode projections and the sense electrode projections.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein the fill areas are electrically isolated from each other and from the drive electrodes and sense electrodes.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein the fill areas, drive electrodes and sense electrodes are formed of the same material.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the projections provide an increased adjacent perimeter between the drive electrode and sense electrodes.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the drive electrodes and sense electrodes are formed of indium tin oxide.

10. The device of claim 1 and further comprising resistively interpolated drive electrodes.

11. A device comprising:

a plurality of drive electrodes in a drive electrode layer, the drive electrodes running generally in a first direction, the drive electrodes having multiple projections along its length;

a plurality of sense electrodes in a receive electrode layer, the receive electrodes running generally in a second direction transverse to the drive electrodes, the sense electrodes having multiple projections interleaved with the multiple projections of the drive electrodes; and

an intermediate dielectric layer disposed between the drive electrode layer and the sense electrode layer.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein the drive electrodes and sense electrodes are substantially non-overlapping.

13. The device of claim 11 wherein the drive electrodes include multiple connected diamond shaped portions, each edge of the diamond shaped portions having a projection adjacent to at least one projection from the sense electrode, and wherein the sense electrodes include cross bars having at least one projection adjacent to at least one projection from the diamond shaped portions of the drive electrode.

14. The device of claim 13 and further comprising a plurality of fill areas disposed between the drive electrode projections and the sense electrode projections, wherein the fill electrodes are electrically isolated from each other and from the drive electrodes and sense electrodes, and wherein the fill areas, drive electrodes and sense electrodes are formed of the same material.

15. The device of claim 11 wherein the projections provide an increased adjacent perimeter between the drive electrode and sense electrodes.

16. The device of claim 11 and further comprising resistively interpolated drive electrodes.

17. A device comprising:

a plurality of drive electrodes in a drive electrode layer, the drive electrodes running generally in a first direction, the drive electrodes having multiple projections along its length;

a plurality of drive lines coupled to selected drive electrodes;

a plurality of sense electrodes in a receive electrode layer, the receive electrodes running generally in a second direction transverse to the drive electrodes, the sense electrodes having multiple projections interleaved with the multiple projections of the drive electrodes;

a plurality of sense lines coupled to the receive electrodes;

an intermediate dielectric layer disposed between the drive electrode layer and the sense electrode layer; and

a controller coupled to the drive lines and to the sense lines.

18. The device of claim 17 wherein the drive electrodes include multiple connected diamond shaped portions, each edge of the diamond shaped portions having a projection adjacent to at least one projection from the sense electrode, and wherein the sense electrodes include cross bars having at least one projection adjacent to at least one projection from the diamond shaped portions of the drive electrode.

19. The device of claim 18 and further comprising a plurality of fill areas disposed between the drive electrode projections and the sense electrode projections, wherein the fill areas are electrically isolated from each other and from the drive electrodes and sense electrodes, and wherein the fill electrodes, drive electrodes and sense electrodes are formed of the same material.

20. The device of claim 17 wherein the projections provide an increased adjacent perimeter between the drive electrode and sense electrodes.

21. The device of claim 17 and further comprising interpolated drive electrodes.