Modular Connector For Touch Sensitive Device

• US 20140192490A1
• Filed: 03/12/2014
• Published: 07/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Taylor, Gordon F., Rebeschi, Thomas J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,658,707 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/749
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• 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: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• 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: H01R 13/6658 on printed circuit board H01R13/6666 - H01R13/6691 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/005 Intermediate parts for distributing signals
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/18 Printed circuits structurally associated with non-printed electric components H05K1/0201, H05K1/023, H05K1/0243, and H05K1/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/189 characterised by the use of a flexible or folded printed circuit H05K3/326 takes precedence

Abstract

Apparatus for providing modular connection means to electrodes in a touch-sensitive device. The modular connections may include electronics allowing controlling electronics to individually address electrodes associated with driving electrodes and sensing signals occurring on electrodes.

Claims

1. A modular connector for use with a touch sensor, comprising:

a substrate;

a integrated circuit disposed on the substrate;

a plurality of first terminal areas disposed on the substrate and individually addressable by the integrated circuit; and

a second terminal area disposed on the substrate and communicatively coupled to the integrated circuit, such that when the modular connector is used with a touch sensor, the plurality of first terminal areas make electrical connection with a plurality of electrodes of the touch sensor, and the second terminal area makes electrical connection with a terminal area of another modular connector used with the touch sensor.

2. The modular connector of claim 1, wherein the plurality of first terminal areas are individually addressable by communications signals provided to the integrated circuit via the second terminal areas.

3. The modular connector of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a printed circuit board.

4. The modular connector of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a flexible printed circuit board.

5. The modular connector of claim 1 further comprising a drive signal generator disposed on the substrate and communicatively coupled to the integrated circuit and the plurality of first terminal areas, such that when the modular connector is used with a touch sensor, the drive signal generator applies drive signals to the plurality of electrodes of the touch sensor.

6. The modular connector of claim 1 further comprising sense electronics disposed on the substrate and communicatively coupled to the integrated circuit and the plurality of first terminal areas, such that when the modular connector is used with a touch sensor, the sense electronics senses signals occurring on the plurality of electrodes of the touch sensor.

7. A touch sensor comprising:

an array of electrodes;

a plurality modular connectors interconnected together, each modular connector electrically coupled to a different subset of the array of electrodes, each modular connector comprising;

an integrated circuit disposed on a substrate; and

a terminal area for making electrical connection to another modular connector, wherein the subset of the array of electrodes electrically coupled to the modular connector are individually addressable by the integrated circuit.

8. A plurality of modular connectors for use with a touch sensor, each modular connector comprising:

a plurality of first terminal areas; and

second and third terminal areas, such that when the plurality of modular connectors is used with a touch sensor having an array of electrodes, the plurality of first terminal areas of each modular connector makes electrical connection with a different subset of the array of electrodes, and the second and third terminal areas of each modular connector electrically connect with different modular connectors in the plurality of modular connectors.