Touch sensitive screen

• US 9,250,751 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2011
• Issued: 02/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neodrón Limited (Atlantic IP Services Limited)
• Original Assignee: Atmel Corporation (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Brunet, Samuel, Philipp, Harald
• Primary Examiner(s): Liang, Regina
• Application Number:
  US13/093,685
• Publication Number:
  US 20110199333A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,744 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-179, 178/18.01, 178/18.03, 178/18.05, 178/18.06
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes

Abstract

One embodiment provides a capacitive sensor for determining the presence of an object, such as a user'"'"'s finger or a stylus. The sensor includes a substrate on which electrodes are deposited. A resistive drive electrode is arranged on one side of the substrate and a resistive sense electrode is arranged on the other side of the substrate. A shorting connection connects between two locations on one of the electrodes. The electrodes are connected to respective drive and sense channels.

Claims

1. A capacitive sensor comprising:

a substrate;

a first electrode on a first surface of the substrate, the first electrode comprising;

a first continuous portion of electrode material substantially extending across a sense area of the capacitive sensor, and

a first opening; and

a second electrode on a second surface of the substrate, the second surface opposite the first surface, the second electrode being electrically insulated from the first electrode by the substrate, the first and second electrodes configured to capacitively couple a charge between the first and second electrodes, the second electrode comprising;

a second continuous portion of electrode material substantially extending across the sense area of the capacitive sensor; and

a filled region configured to align with the first opening of the first electrode.

2. The capacitive sensor of claim 1, comprising a first shorting connection configured to connect between at least two locations on the first electrode.

3. The capacitive sensor of claim 2, comprising a second shorting connection configured to connect between at least two locations on the second electrode.

4. The capacitive sensor of claim 1, wherein the first opening includes a third portion of electrode material within the first opening, the third portion of electrode material electrically isolated from the first and second electrodes.

5. The capacitive sensor of claim 1, comprising a third electrode on the first surface of the substrate.

6. The capacitive sensor of claim 5, comprising a ground electrode disposed between the first electrode and the third electrode.

7. The capacitive sensor of claim 1, comprising a third electrode on the second surface of the substrate.

8. The capacitive sensor of claim 7, comprising a ground electrode disposed between the second electrode and the third electrode.

9. The sensor of claim 1, comprising:

a third electrode on the first surface of the substrate; and

a fourth electrode on the second surface of the substrate.

10. The capacitive sensor of claim 1, comprising a drive channel operable to apply electrical drive signals to one of the first or second electrodes and a sense channel operable to detect, in response to the drive signal, electrical sense signals induced in the other of the first or second electrodes.

11. The capacitive sensor of claim 10, wherein the drive channel comprises a switch element operable to selectively connect and disconnect, to a voltage source, the electrode to which the drive channel is operable to apply electrical drive signals.

12. The capacitive sensor of claim 11, wherein the sense channel is associated with the electrode on the surface of the substrate that faces an object to be sensed during normal use.

13. The capacitive sensor of claim 10, wherein the sense channel comprises a charge transfer circuit.

14. A control panel comprising:

a capacitive sensor comprising;

a substrate;

a first electrode on a first surface of the substrate, the first electrode comprising;

a first continuous portion of electrode material substantially extending across a sense area of the capacitive sensor, and

a first opening, the substrate being solid in a region configured to align with the first opening of the first electrode; and

a second electrode on a second surface of the substrate, the second surface opposite the first surface, the second electrode comprising;

a second continuous portion of electrode material substantially extending across the sense area of the capacitive sensor; and

a filled region configured to align with the first opening of the first electrode.

15. The control panel of claim 14, comprising a first a shorting connection configured to connect between at least two locations on the first electrode.

16. The control panel of claim 15, comprising a second shorting connection configured to connect between at least two locations of the second electrode.

17. The control panel of claim 14, wherein the first opening includes a third portion of electrode material within the first opening, the third portion of electrode material electrically isolated from the first and second electrodes.

18. The control panel of claim 14, wherein the cover panel and the capacitive sensor are attached to one another by a refractive index matching adhesive.

19. The control panel of claim 14, further comprising a display screen underlying the capacitive sensor.

20. The control panel of claim 19, wherein the display screen and the capacitive sensor are attached to one another by a refractive index matching adhesive.

21. An apparatus comprising:

a capacitive sensor comprising;

a substrate;

a first electrode on a first surface of the substrate, the first electrode comprising;

a first continuous portion of electrode material substantially extending across a sense area of the capacitive sensor, and

a first opening, the substrate being solid in a region configured to align with the first opening of the first electrode; and

a second electrode on a second surface of the substrate, the second surface opposite the first surface, the second electrode comprising;

a second continuous portion of electrode material substantially extending across the sense area of the capacitive sensor; and

a filled region configured to align with the first opening of the first electrode;

a cover panel overlying the capacitive sensor; and

a processing unit.