CAPACITIVE SENSOR PATTERN

• US 20120327012A1
• Filed: 06/21/2011
• Published: 12/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Inventors: HOCH, David
• Granted Patent: US 9,727,176 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04111 Cross over in capacitive digitiser, i.e. details of structures for connecting electrodes of the sensing pattern where the connections cross each other, e.g. bridge structures comprising an insulating layer, or vias through substrate
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• 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

A capacitive sensor pattern comprises a first plurality of sensor electrode elements, a second plurality of sensor electrode elements, and a third plurality of sensor electrode elements. The first plurality of sensor electrode elements is disposed in a first layer above a substrate. The second plurality of sensor electrode elements is disposed above the substrate in an additional layer. At least one of the second plurality of sensor electrode elements is physically coupled with at least two of the first plurality of sensor electrode elements. The third plurality of sensor electrode elements is disposed above the substrate in the additional layer. At least one element of the third plurality is ohmically coupled to a single element of said first plurality.

Claims

1. A capacitive sensor pattern comprising:

a first plurality of sensor electrode elements disposed in a first layer above a substrate;

a second plurality of sensor electrode elements disposed above said substrate in an additional layer, at least one of said second plurality of sensor electrode elements physically coupled with at least two of said first plurality of sensor electrode elements; and

a third plurality of sensor electrode elements disposed above said substrate in said additional layer, at least one element of said third plurality ohmically coupled to a single element of said first plurality.

2. The capacitive sensor pattern of claim 1, wherein said first plurality of sensor electrode elements comprises transmitter electrode elements and receiver electrode elements.

3. The capacitive sensor pattern of claim 2, wherein said first plurality of sensor electrode elements further comprises floating electrode elements, and wherein a receiver electrode element of said receiver electrode elements is substantially surrounded by a floating electrode element.

4. The capacitive sensor pattern of claim 3, wherein said floating electrode element is further substantially surrounded by a transmitter electrode element of said transmitter electrode elements.

5. The capacitive sensor pattern of claim 2, wherein said first plurality of sensor electrode elements further comprises floating electrode elements and wherein at least a portion of said receiver electrode elements have a width that is greater than that of a portion of said floating electrode elements.

6. The capacitive sensor pattern of claim 2, wherein features of said receiver electrode elements have a width which is less than that of said transmitter electrode elements.

7. The capacitive sensor pattern of claim 2, wherein the at least one element of the third plurality of sensor electrode elements is coupled to a receiver electrode element of said receiver electrode elements.

8. The capacitive sensor pattern of claim 2, wherein at least one sensor electrode element of said second plurality of sensor electrode elements ohmically couples a first receiver electrode element associated with a first capacitive pixel with a second receiver electrode element associated with a second capacitive pixel.

9. The capacitive sensor pattern of claim 2, wherein the at least one element of the third plurality of sensor electrode elements is coupled to a transmitter electrode element said transmitter electrode elements.

10. The capacitive sensor pattern of claim 2, wherein at least one element of said third plurality of sensor electrode elements extends a first capacitive pixel associated with a single sensor electrode element of the first plurality of sensor electrode elements.

11. The capacitive sensor pattern of claim 10, wherein at said at least one element of said third plurality of sensor electrode elements comprises an ohmic extension of a first receiver electrode element associated with said first capacitive pixel into a region associated with an adjacent second capacitive pixel.

12. Method of manufacture of a capacitive sensor pattern, said method comprising:

depositing a first plurality of sensor electrode elements in a first layer above a substrate; and

depositing a second plurality and a third plurality of sensor electrode elements in a single deposition step above said substrate, at least one element from said second plurality physically coupled to at least two elements from said first plurality, and at least one element from said third plurality ohmically coupled to a single element from said first plurality.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein said depositing a first plurality of sensor electrode elements comprises:

depositing transmitter electrode elements configured to transmit a transmitter signal; and

depositing receiver electrode elements configured to receive a resulting signal corresponding to said transmitter signal.

14. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein said depositing a second plurality of sensor electrode elements comprises:

ohmically coupling a first receiver electrode element associated with a first capacitive pixel to a second receiver electrode element associated with a second capacitive pixel, wherein said second capacitive pixel is adjacent to said first capacitive pixel.

15. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein said depositing a third plurality of sensor electrode elements comprises:

ohmically coupling a first element of said third plurality of sensor electrode elements to a first element of said first plurality of sensor electrode elements.

16. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein said depositing a third plurality of sensor electrode elements comprises:

ohmically extending a portion of a feature associated with a first capacitive pixel into a region associated with an adjacent second capacitive pixel.

17. A capacitive sensor pattern comprising:

a first plurality of sensor electrode elements disposed in a first layer, said first plurality of sensor electrode elements comprising a plurality of receiver electrode elements, wherein a receiver electrode element of said plurality of receiver electrode elements comprises a central component traversed substantially orthogonally by at least two additional components;

a second plurality of sensor electrode elements disposed in a second layer selectively coupled to at least two of said first plurality of sensor electrode elements; and

a third plurality of sensor electrode elements disposed in said second layer, each element of said third plurality selectively coupled to one sensor electrode element of said first plurality of sensor electrode elements, such that said first and third plurality of elements are configured to generate overlapping pixel response functions between adjacent pixels of said capacitive sensor pattern.

18. The capacitive sensor pattern of claim 17, wherein said receiver electrode element is symmetrical along two axes.

19. The capacitive sensor pattern of claim 17, wherein said first plurality of sensor electrode elements further comprises a transmitter electrode element that extends lengthwise along a first axis and widthwise along a second axis, and wherein said central component of said receiver electrode element is substantially parallel to said first axis of said transmitter electrode element.

20. The capacitive sensor pattern of claim 17, wherein said first plurality of sensor electrode elements further comprises a floating electrode element and wherein said receiver electrode element is substantially surrounded by said floating electrode element.