Touch Sensor With Inductive Charging

• US 20130147720A1
• Filed: 12/08/2011
• Published: 06/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neodrón Limited (Atlantic IP Services Limited)
• Original Assignee: Atmel Corporation (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Yilmaz, Esat
• Granted Patent: US 9,507,447 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1635 Details related to the integration of battery packs and other power supplies such as fuel cells or integrated AC adapter
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04164 Connections between sensors and controllers, e.g. routing lines between electrodes and connection pads
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/70 involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields

Abstract

In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a substrate, a flexible printed circuit (FPC), a touch sensor, and an inductive-charging element. The FPC is coupled to the substrate. The touch sensor is disposed on the substrate. The touch sensor includes electrodes made of conductive material. The inductive-charging component is disposed on the substrate or the FPC.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a substrate;

a flexible printed circuit (FPC) comprising conductors, coupled to the substrate;

a touch sensor disposed on the substrate, the touch sensor comprising electrodes made of conductive material; and

an inductive-charging component disposed on the substrate or the FPC.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a pad and an extension, one or more portions of the inductive-charging component being disposed on the extension and the pad of the substrate.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the FPC comprises a pad and an extension, one or more portions of the inductive-charging component being disposed on the extension and the pad of the FPC.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one or more portions of the inductive-charging component are disposed on the substrate around the touch sensor.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conductive material comprises substantially fine lines of metal.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein coupled to the FPC are one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media that embody logic that is operable when executed to control the touch sensor, the FPC coupling the media to the touch sensor.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

a substantially mobile device comprises the substrate, FPC, touch sensor, and inductive-charging component; and

the substantially mobile device is one or more of a laptop computer, tablet computer, personal digital assistant (PDA), smartphone, portable media player, or portable game console.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, the inductive-charging component configured to convert electric power in an electromagnetic field into electric current to charge one or more batteries.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one or more portions of the inductive-charging component is made of the same conductive material as the electrodes.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one or more portions of the inductive-charging component is made of the same conductive material as the conductors of the FPC.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one or more portions of the inductive-charging component is made of the same material as tracks coupling the electrodes to the FPC.

12. An apparatus comprising:

a substrate;

a touch sensor disposed on the substrate, the touch sensor comprising electrodes made of conductive material; and

an inductive-charging component disposed on the substrate.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the substrate comprises a pad and an extension, one or more portions of the inductive-charging component being disposed on the extension and the pad of the substrate.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein one or more portions of the inductive-charging component are disposed on the substrate around the touch sensor.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the conductive material comprises substantially fine lines of metal.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media that embody logic that is operable when executed to control the touch sensor.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein:

a substantially mobile device comprises the substrate, touch sensor, and inductive-charging component; and

the substantially mobile device is one or more of a laptop computer, tablet computer, personal digital assistant (PDA), smartphone, portable media player, or portable game console.

18. The apparatus of claim 12, the inductive-charging component configured to convert electric power in an electromagnetic field into electric current to charge one or more batteries.

19. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein one or more portions of the inductive-charging component is made of the same conductive material as the electrodes.

20. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein one or more portions of the inductive-charging component is made of the same material as tracks coupled to the electrodes.

21. An apparatus comprising:

a substrate;

a flexible printed circuit (FPC) coupled to the substrate, the FPC comprising electrical conductors;

a touch sensor disposed on the substrate, the touch sensor comprising a plurality of electrodes made of conductive material;

conductive tracks coupling the plurality of electrodes to connection pads; and

an inductive-charging component disposed on the substrate or the FPC.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the substrate comprises a pad and an extension, one or more portions of the inductive-charging component being disposed on the extension and the pad of the substrate.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the FPC comprises a pad and an extension, one or more portions of the inductive-charging component being disposed on the extension and the pad of the FPC.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein one or more portions of the inductive-charging component are disposed on the substrate around the touch sensor.

25. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the conductive material comprises substantially fine lines of metal.

26. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein coupled to the FPC are one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media that embody logic that is operable when executed to control the touch sensor, the FPC coupling the media to the touch sensor.

27. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein:

a substantially mobile device comprises the substrate, FPC, touch sensor, and inductive-charging component; and

the substantially mobile device is one or more of a laptop computer, tablet computer, personal digital assistant (PDA), smartphone, portable media player, or portable game console.

28. The apparatus of claim 21, the inductive-charging component configured to convert electric power in an electromagnetic field into electric current to charge one or more batteries.

29. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein one or more portions of the inductive-charging component is made of the same conductive material as the electrodes.

30. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein one or more portions of the inductive-charging component is made of the same conductive material as the conductors of the FPC.

31. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein one or more portions of the inductive-charging component is made of the same material as tracks that couple the electrodes to the FPC.