Touch screens with transparent conductive material resistors

• US 8,400,408 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2007
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Hotelling, Steve Porter, Land, Brian Richards
• Primary Examiner(s): Moon, Seokyun
• Application Number:
  US11/818,311
• Publication Number:
  US 20080309623A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,106 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 33/06 Antimalarials
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 37/04 Immunostimulants
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/86 Viral vectors
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 2710/10343 viral genome or elements thereof as genetic vector
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04164 Connections between sensors and controllers, e.g. routing lines between electrodes and connection pads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04166 Details of scanning methods, e.g. sampling time, grouping of sub areas or time sharing with display driving Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally G06F3/04184
• 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: Y02A 50/30 Against vector-borne diseases, e.g. mosquito-borne, fly-borne, tick-borne or waterborne diseases whose impact is exacerbated by climate change

Abstract

Systems and methods for touch screens with integrated transparent conductive material resistors are provided. Metal traces on the surface of a touch screen may be subject to radio-frequency interference (RFI) that can adversely affect the performance of the touch screen. Transparent conductive material resistors inserted within the metal trace paths can be used to form low-pass filters which can reduce the affect of the RFI.

Claims

1. A touch panel having integrated transparent conductive material resistors, comprising:

a pattern of transparent conductive material traces formed from a deposition of a transparent conductive material on a first surface of the touch panel, the pattern of transparent conductive material traces deposited in a display area of the touch panel and the same deposition of the transparent conductive material also forming a plurality of transparent conductive material resistors in a non-display area of the touch panel; and

a plurality of metal traces connected to the pattern set of transparent conductive material traces;

wherein the plurality of transparent conductive material resistors are connected to the metal traces and configured to form a portion of a low pass filter for blocking electromagnetic interference on the connected metal traces.

2. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the transparent conductive material resistors are connected between the metal traces and capacitive sensing circuitry.

3. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the transparent conductive material resistors have a resistance of approximately 400 Ohms.

4. The touch panel of claim 1, the low-pass filters having a cut-off frequency of approximately 10 MHz.

5. The touch panel of claim 4, wherein the low-pass filters block signals having frequencies greater than approximately 1 GHz.

6. The touch panel of claim 2, wherein the transparent conductive material resistors increase the sensitivity of the capacitive sensing circuitry.

7. The touch panel of claim 1, further comprising flex circuitry connected directly to the transparent conductive material resistors.

8. The touch panel of claim 1, further comprising connecting the transparent conductive material resistors adjacent to an end of the metal traces.

9. The touch panel of claim 1, the deposition of transparent conductive material having portions removed to form the transparent conductive material traces and resistors.

10. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the transparent conductive material comprises at least one of indium tin oxide (ITO), conductive clear polymer, and antimony tin oxide (ATO).

11. A computer system having a touch panel with integrated transparent conductive material resistors, comprising:

a processor configured to execute instructions and to carry out operations associated with the computer system;

a display device that is operatively coupled to the processor;

a touch panel that is operatively coupled to the processor, the touch panel being a substantially transparent panel that is positioned in front of the display, the touch panel including

a pattern of transparent conductive material traces formed from a deposition of a transparent conductive material on a first surface of the touch panel, the pattern of transparent conductive material traces deposited in a display area of the touch panel and the same deposition of the transparent conductive material also forming a plurality of transparent conductive material resistors in a non-display area of the touch panel; and

a plurality of metal traces connected to the pattern set of transparent conductive material traces;

wherein the plurality of transparent conductive material resistors are connected to the metal traces and configured to form a portion of a low pass filter for blocking electromagnetic interference on the connected metal traces.

12. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the transparent conductive material resistors are connected between the metal traces and capacitive sensing circuitry.

13. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the transparent conductive material resistors have a resistance of approximately 400 Ohms.

14. The computer system of claim 11, the low-pass filters having a cut-off frequency of approximately 10 MHz.

15. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the low-pass filters block signals having frequencies greater than approximately 1 GHz.

16. The computer system of claim 12, wherein the transparent conductive material resistors increase the sensitivity of the capacitive sensing circuitry.

17. The computer system of claim 11, further comprising flex circuitry connected directly to the transparent conductive material resistors.

18. The computer system of claim 11, further comprising connecting the transparent conductive material resistors adjacent to an end of the metal traces.

19. The computer system of claim 11, the deposition of transparent conductive material having portions removed to form the transparent conductive material traces and the transparent conductive material resistors.

20. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the transparent conductive material comprises at least one of indium tin oxide (ITO), conductive clear polymer, and antimony tin oxide (ATO).

21. A method for fabricating a touch panel having transparent conductive material resistors, comprising:

forming a plurality of metal traces on the touch panel, the metal traces including one or more breaks; and

forming a pattern of material traces from a deposition of a-transparent conductive material on a first surface of the touch panel, the pattern of material traces deposited in a display area of the touch panel and the same deposition of the transparent conductive material also forming a plurality of transparent conductive material resistors in a non-display area of the touch panel, the resistors formed within the breaks of the metal traces and configured to form a portion of a low pass filter for blocking electromagnetic interference on the connected metal traces.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the transparent conductive material comprises at least one of indium tin oxide (ITO), conductive clear polymer, and antimony tin oxide (ATO).