Touch position-sensing panel and method

• US 8,786,572 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2010
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neodrón Limited (Atlantic IP Services Limited)
• Original Assignee: Atmel Corporation (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Yilmaz, Esat
• Primary Examiner(s): Lefkowitz, Sumati
• Assistant Examiner(s): FOX, JOSEPH PATRICK
• Application Number:
  US12/939,794
• Publication Number:
  US 20120113014A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,356 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-178, 178/18.06
• US Class Current: 345/174
• 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: Y10T 29/49124 On flat or curved insulated base, e.g., printed circuit, etc.

Abstract

A touch position-sensing panel has electrodes arranged in different directions to form capacitive nodes, where at least one electrode has a corner within the perimeter of the electrode.

Claims

1. A touch position-sensing panel comprising:

a sensing area;

a first electrode formed of a conductive material arranged in a first direction, the first electrode comprising a perimeter and one or more cut-out regions, the cut-out regions being defined by one or more corners; and

second electrodes formed of a conductive material arranged in a second direction different from the first direction such that the first and second electrodes form areas of overlap in the sensing area, at least one of the second electrodes comprising a branched portion extending in the first direction such that the branched portion forms an area of overlap with the first electrode;

wherein areas of overlap between the first electrode and the second electrodes define a first region of the panel and areas inside the perimeter of the first electrode but outside the areas of overlap between the first electrode and the second electrodes define a second region of the panel, and the one or more cut-out regions of the first electrode are formed only within the second region of the panel.

2. The touch position-sensing panel of claim 1, wherein the first and second directions are perpendicular to each other.

3. The touch position-sensing panel of claim 1, wherein the first electrode is a drive electrode, and the conductive material of the first electrode comprises a transparent conductive material.

4. The touch position-sensing panel of claim 3, wherein the transparent conductive material comprises ITO.

5. The touch position-sensing panel of claim 3, wherein the second electrodes are sense electrodes, and the conductive material of the second electrodes comprises mesh patterns of a conductive metal.

6. The touch position-sensing panel of claim 1, wherein the conductive material of the second electrodes comprises a transparent conductive material.

7. The touch position-sensing panel of claim 6, wherein the transparent conductive material comprises ITO.

8. The touch position-sensing panel of claim 1, wherein the branched portion of the at least one second electrode extending in the first direction is substantially perpendicular to the second electrode.

9. The touch position-sensing panel of claim 1, wherein a corner of the cut-out regions has an angle of 120 degrees or less.

10. The touch position-sensing panel of claim 1, wherein a corner of the cut-out regions has an angle of 90 degrees or less.

11. The touch position-sensing panel of claim 1, wherein the cut-out regions are arranged along the first direction in lateral areas surrounding the branched portion.

12. The touch position-sensing panel of claim 1, wherein the first electrode is formed of a mesh of lines of an opaque conductive material.

13. A touch position-sensing panel comprising:

at least one substrate having a first surface and a second surface separated from the first surface;

a plurality of first electrodes formed on the first surface, each first electrode comprising a perimeter and one or more cut-out regions, the cut-out regions being defined by one or more corners;

a plurality of second electrodes formed on the second surface;

wherein;

the first electrodes are comprised of a conductive material arranged in a first direction,

the second electrodes are comprised of a conductive material arranged in a second direction such that the first and second electrodes form areas of overlap,

at least one of the second electrodes comprises one or more branched portions extending in the first direction such that each branched portion forms an area of overlap with a first electrode, and

areas of overlap between the first electrodes and the second electrodes define a first region of the panel and areas inside the perimeters of the first electrodes but outside the areas of overlap between the first electrodes and the second electrodes define a second region of the panel and the one or more cut-out regions of the first electrode are formed only within the second region of the panel.

14. The touch position-sensing panel of claim 13, wherein the first and second directions are perpendicular to each other.

15. The touch position-sensing panel of claim 13, wherein the first electrodes are drive electrodes, and the conductive material of the first electrodes comprises a transparent conductive material.

16. The touch position-sensing panel of claim 15, wherein the transparent conductive material comprises ITO.

17. The touch position-sensing panel of claim 15, wherein the second electrodes are sense electrodes, and the conductive material of the second electrodes comprises mesh patterns of a conductive metal.

18. The touch position-sensing panel of claim 13, wherein the conductive material of the second electrodes comprises a transparent conductive material.

19. The touch position-sensing panel of claim 18, wherein the transparent conductive material comprises ITO.

20. The touch position-sensing panel of claim 13, wherein the branched portion of the at least one second electrode extending in the first direction is substantially perpendicular to the second electrode.

21. The touch position-sensing panel of claim 13, wherein a corner of the cut-out regions has an angle of 120 degrees or less.

22. The touch position-sensing panel of claim 13, wherein a corner of the cut-out regions has an angle of 90 degrees or less.

23. A method of forming a touch position-sensing panel comprising steps of:

forming a first conductive layer comprising a plurality of first electrodes formed of a transparent material, on a first surface of at least one substrate in a first direction, wherein each of the plurality of first electrodes comprises a perimeter and one or more cut-out regions, the cut-out regions being defined by one or more corners; and

forming a second conductive layer comprising a plurality of second electrodes, on a second surface of the substrate in a second direction different from the first direction, such that the first and second electrodes form an area of overlap in a sensing area of the touch position-sensing panel, at least one of the second electrodes comprising one or more branched portions extending in the first direction such that each branched portion forms an area of overlap with a first electrode;

wherein areas of overlap between the first electrodes and the second electrodes define a first region of the panel and areas inside the perimeters of the first electrodes but outside the areas of overlap between the first electrodes and the second electrodes define a second region of the panel and the one or more cut-out regions are formed only within the second region of the panel.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein a corner of the cut-out regions has an angle of 120 degrees or less.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein a corner of the cut-out regions has an angle of 90 degrees or less.