Touch location detecting panel having a simple layer structure

• US 8,274,488 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2007
• Issued: 09/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Melfas Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Melfas Incorporated
• Inventors: Bae, Sang-ho
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisen, Alexander
• Assistant Examiner(s): MARINELLI, PATRICK
• Application Number:
  US12/449,923
• Publication Number:
  US 20100090979A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,950 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-184, 345/104, 178 1801- 2004
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04164 Connections between sensors and controllers, e.g. routing lines between electrodes and connection pads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• 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: 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

The present invention relates to a touch location detecting panel and, more particularly, to a touch location detecting panel having a plurality of sensing areas arranged two-dimensionally. The touch location detecting panel of the invention has on a surface at one side of a single film a plurality of sensing areas arranged two-dimensionally. Each of the sensing areas includes a plurality of partitioned areas electrically isolated from each other, and the partitioned areas are respectively connected to separate channels of a circuit for detecting a user'"'"'s touch on each of the partitioned areas. Accordingly, durability and productivity of the touch location detecting panel can be improved by simplifying the panel structure.

Claims

1. A touch location detecting panel comprising:

a touch detecting area including a plurality of sensing areas arranged two-dimensionally in a matrix greater than or equal to 3×

3 on a single substrate; and

a wiring area outside the touch detecting area; and

a plurality of wirings having a first portion within the touch detecting area and a second portion in the wiring area, wherein each of the plurality of sensing areas includes;

a first partitioned electrode for detecting a first axis location of a touch, the touch being applied to the touch detecting area; and

a second partitioned electrode for detecting a second axis location of the touch, the second partitioned electrode being electrically separated from the first partitioned electrode;

wherein first partitioned electrodes arrayed at the same position on the first axis are electrically connected to one another through the first portion and the second portion of the plurality of wirings;

wherein second partitioned electrodes arrayed at the same position on the second axis are contiguously connected to one another in the touch detecting area to form a sensing bar extended along the first axis direction; and

wherein each sensing area in the matrix includes its own separate and distinct first partitioned electrode.

2. The touch location detecting panel according to claim 1, wherein the first and the second partitioned electrodes and the first portion of the plurality of wirings are on one surface on one side of the single substrate.

3. The touch location detecting panel according to claim 2, wherein the single substrate includes a transparent window of a display device.

4. The touch location detecting panel according to claim 2, wherein the single substrate is formed of a transparent material.

5. The touch location detecting panel according to claim 2, wherein the first partitioned electrode and the second partitioned electrode independently detect the touch by using a touch detecting circuit.

6. The touch location detecting panel according to claim 2, wherein the first partitioned electrode and the second partitioned electrode are substantially identical in area.

7. The touch location detecting panel according to claim 2, wherein the first axis and the second axis intersect perpendicularly to each other.

8. The touch location detecting panel according to claim 2, wherein an area of each of the first and the second partitioned electrodes is smaller than a minimum touch area of a touching object.

9. The touch location detecting panel according to claim 2, wherein the sensing areas are connected to a touch detecting circuit which detects the touch based on change in electric capacitance caused by the touch.

10. The touch location detecting panel according to claim 2, wherein the second partitioned electrodes arrayed at the same position on the second axis extend substantially an entire length of the touch detecting area.

11. The touch location detecting panel according to claim 2, wherein the touch detecting area is arrayed with M×

N (M rows and N columns) sensing areas, with each of M and N being an integer greater than 4, and wherein the wiring area borders the touch detecting area.

12. The touch location detecting panel according to claim 2, wherein the first partitioned electrodes and the second partitioned electrodes are formed of a transparent conductive material.

13. The touch location detecting panel according to claim 12, further comprising a conductive shielding layer formed on another surface of the single substrate for electrical shielding.

14. The touch location detecting panel according to claim 2, further comprising a protective layer formed on a surface of the single substrate.

15. The touch location detecting panel according to claim 2, wherein the first partitioned electrodes and the second partitioned electrodes are connected to separate sensing channels of a touch detecting circuit.

16. A touch location detecting panel comprising:

a touch detecting area that is arrayed with M×

N (M rows and N columns) sensing areas on a surface of a substrate, wherein each of M and N is an integer greater than or equal to 3, each sensing area including;

a first partitioned electrode to detect a row-axis location of a touch, the touch being applied to the touch detecting area,

a second partitioned electrode to detect a column-axis location of the touch, the second partitioned electrode being electrically isolated from the first partitioned electrode;

wherein the M first partitioned electrodes in each column are electrically connected to one another;

wherein the N second partitioned electrodes in each row are contiguously connected to one another;

a wiring area bordering the touch detecting area that includes a plurality of connection lines;

a touch detecting circuit electrically connected to the touch detecting area through the connection lines; and

wherein each sensing area in the M×

N array includes its own separate and distinct first partitioned electrode.

17. The touch location detecting panel according to claim 16, wherein the connection lines are electrically connected to at least one of the M first partitioned electrodes inside the touch detecting area, and wherein the connection lines inside the touch detecting area and the first and the second partitioned electrodes are on one surface on one side of the substrate.

18. The touch location detecting panel according to claim 17, wherein the row-axis crosses the column axis with an angle of 90 degrees.

19. The touch location detecting panel according to claim 17, wherein the N second partitioned electrodes in each row form a sensing bar.

20. The touch location detecting panel according to claim 17, wherein an area of each of the first and the second partitioned electrodes is smaller than a minimum touch area of a touching object.

21. The touch location detecting panel according to claim 17, wherein the touch detecting circuit which detects the touch based on change in electric capacitance caused by the touch.

22. The touch location detecting panel according to claim 17, wherein the substrate includes a transparent window of a display device.

23. The touch location detecting panel according to claim 17, wherein the first partitioned electrode and the second partitioned electrode are substantially identical in area.

24. The touch location detecting panel according to claim 17, further comprising a protective layer formed over the M×

N sensing areas.

25. The touch location detecting panel according to claim 17, further comprising a conductive shielding layer formed on another surface of the substrate for electrical shielding.

26. A touch location detecting panel comprising:

a touch detecting area including an array of sensing areas arranged two-dimensionally on a surface of a substrate;

a wiring area outside the touch detecting area that includes a plurality of connection lines, wherein each of the array of sensing areas includes;

a first partitioned electrode detecting a first axis location of a touch, the touch being applied to the touch detecting area; and

a second partitioned electrode detecting a second axis location of the touch, the second partitioned electrode being electrically separated from the first partitioned electrode;

wherein first partitioned electrodes arrayed at the same position on the first axis are electrically connected to one another;

wherein second partitioned electrodes arrayed at the same position on the second axis are contiguously connected to one another in the touch detecting area to form a sensing bar extended along the first axis direction;

a touch detecting circuit electrically connected to the touch detecting area through the connection lines;

wherein when the first axis location detected from one of the first partitioned electrodes and the second axis location detected from one of the second partitioned electrodes are in two different sensing areas, when no second axis location is detected from the second partitioned electrode in the sensing area that detects the first axis location, and when no first axis location is detected from the first partitioned electrode in the sensing area that detects the second axis location, the touch detecting circuit determines the second axis location of the touch to be a location in between the two second partitioned electrodes of the two different sensing areas; and

wherein each sensing area in the array includes its own separate and distinct first partitioned electrode.

27. The touch location detecting panel according to claim 26, wherein the first partitioned electrodes at the same position on the first axis and the second partitioned electrodes arrayed at the same position on the second axis are alternately arranged with respect to the second axis direction.

28. The touch location detecting panel according to claim 26, wherein an area of each of the first and the second partitioned electrodes is smaller than a minimum touch area of a touching object.

29. The touch location detecting panel according to claim 26, wherein the touch detecting circuit which detects the touch based on change in electric capacitance caused by the touch.

30. The touch location detecting panel according to claim 26, wherein the substrate includes a transparent window of a display device.

31. The touch location detecting panel according to claim 26, wherein the first partitioned electrode and the second partitioned electrode are substantially identical in area.

32. The touch location detecting panel according to claim 26, further comprising a protective layer formed over the plurality of sensing areas.

33. The touch location detecting panel according to claim 26, further comprising a conductive shielding layer formed on another surface of the substrate for electrical shielding.

34. A touch location detecting panel comprising:

a touch detecting area including a plurality of sensing areas arranged two-dimensionally in a matrix greater than or equal to 3×

3 on a substrate; and

a wiring area outside the touch detecting area; and

a plurality of wirings having a first portion within the touch detecting area and a second portion in the wiring area, wherein each of the plurality of sensing areas includes;

a first partitioned electrode for detecting a first axis location of a touch, the touch being applied to the touch detecting area; and

a second partitioned electrode for detecting a second axis location of the touch, the second partitioned electrode being electrically separated from the first partitioned electrode;

wherein first partitioned electrodes arrayed at the same position on the first axis are electrically connected to one another through the first portion and the second portion of the plurality of wirings;

wherein second partitioned electrodes arrayed at the same position on the second axis are contiguously connected to one another in the touch detecting area to form a sensing bar extended along the first axis direction;

wherein the first and the second partitioned electrodes and the first portion of the plurality of wirings are on one surface on one side of the substrate; and

wherein each sensing area in the matrix includes its own separate and distinct first partitioned electrode.

35. The touch location detecting panel according to claim 34, wherein the substrate includes a transparent window of a display device.

36. The touch location detecting panel according to claim 34, wherein the first partitioned electrode and the second partitioned electrode are substantially identical in area.

37. The touch location detecting panel according to claim 34, wherein the first axis and the second axis intersect perpendicularly to each other.

38. The touch location detecting panel according to claim 34, wherein an area of each of the first and the second partitioned electrodes is smaller than a minimum touch area of a touching object.

39. The touch location detecting panel according to claim 34, wherein the second partitioned electrodes arrayed at the same position on the second axis extend substantially an entire length of the touch detecting area.

40. The touch location detecting panel according to claim 34, wherein the touch detecting area is arrayed with M×

N (M rows and N columns) sensing areas, with each of M and N being an integer greater than 4, and wherein the wiring area borders the touch detecting area.