Multiple bridges single sided touch sensor

• US 9,304,641 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2014
• Issued: 04/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Kang, Sunggu, Zhang, Hao, Zhong, John Z.
• Primary Examiner(s): Haley, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US14/218,752
• Publication Number:
  US 20150077383A1
• Time in Patent Office: 749 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04111 Cross over in capacitive digitiser, i.e. details of structures for connecting electrodes of the sensing pattern where the connections cross each other, e.g. bridge structures comprising an insulating layer, or vias through substrate
• 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: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

A touch sensor panel can include a plurality of drive lines crossing a plurality of sense lines, forming an array. The plurality of drives lines and the plurality of sense lines can be formed by interconnecting sections of at least one conductive material with a plurality of bridges. The geometry and size of one or more of the plurality of bridges and the arrangement of the sections can be altered to reduce the overall resistance of a section, improve optical uniformity, and/or increase conductance. Additionally, the sensitivity to and differentiation between touch, hover, or proximity can be enhanced based on the number of bridges and the number of hot spots.

Claims

1. A touch sensor panel, comprising:

at least one first line formed from a plurality of first sections and a plurality of second sections of a first conductive material on a first layer, each of the plurality of first sections having a width less than each of the plurality of second sections;

at least one second line formed from a plurality of third sections and a plurality of fourth sections of the first conductive material on the first layer, each of the plurality of third sections having a width less than each of the plurality of fourth sections; and

a plurality first bridges of a second conductive material, each of the plurality of first bridges configured to electrically couple fourth sections,

wherein an intersection of one of the at least one first line and one of the at least one second line includes first bridges crossing over at least two first sections.

2. The touch sensor panel of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of second bridges, each of the plurality of second bridges configured to electrically couple the plurality of second sections.

3. The touch sensor panel of claim 1, wherein a pattern of the first conductive material continuously formed with the plurality of first sections electrically couples the plurality of second sections in a single first line together.

4. The touch sensor panel of claim 1, wherein the plurality of first bridges are formed on a second layer different from the first layer.

5. The touch sensor panel of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of first bridges comprises an insulating layer and an interconnect layer.

6. The touch sensor panel of claim 1, wherein the plurality of fourth sections are serially coupled using the plurality of first bridges.

7. The touch sensor panel of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality third sections is connected to another third section through multiple first bridges.

8. The touch sensor panel of claim 1, further comprising a display device at least partially overlaying the touch sensor panel to form a touch screen.

9. The touch sensor panel of claim 1, further comprising:

a cover material, wherein the touch sensor panel is disposed on a back of the cover material.

10. The touch sensor panel of claim 1, wherein the first conductive material is Indium Tin Oxide (ITO).

11. The touch sensor panel of claim 1, wherein the second conductive material is an opaque metal.

12. The touch sensor panel of claim 1, wherein the first conductive material is same as the second conductive material.

13. The touch sensor panel of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one conductive dummy region disposed between at least some of the plurality of second sections.

14. The touch sensor panel of claim 1, wherein the touch sensor panel is incorporated within a computing system.

26. The touch sensor panel of claim 1, wherein a number of the plurality of first bridges is selected based on a number of hot spots of the touch sensor panel.

27. The touch sensor panel of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of fifth sections of the first conductive material on the first layer, wherein the plurality of first bridges are configured to electrically couple the plurality of second sections through the plurality fifth sections.

28. The touch sensor panel of claim 1, wherein a number of first bridges in each intersection is greater than two.

29. The touch sensor panel of claim 5, wherein at least one of the plurality of first bridges further comprises a black mask disposed on the interconnect layer.

15. A method of forming a touch sensor panel, comprising:

forming at least one first line from a plurality of first sections and a plurality of second sections of a first conductive material on a first layer, each of the plurality of first sections having a width less than each of the plurality of second sections;

forming at least one second line from a plurality of third sections and a plurality of fourth sections of the first conductive material on the first layer, each of the plurality of third sections having a width less than each of the plurality of fourth sections; and

forming a plurality of first bridges of a second conductive material, each of the plurality of first bridges configured to electrically couple fourth sections,

wherein an intersection of one of the at least one first line and one of the at least one second line includes first bridges crossing over at least two first sections.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising forming a plurality of second bridges, each of the plurality of second bridges configured to electrically couple the plurality of second sections.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein forming the at least one first line includes patterning the first conductive material to continuously electrically couple the plurality of second sections in a single second line together.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the plurality of first bridges are formed on a second layer different from the first layer.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein forming the plurality of first bridges includes forming an insulating layer and forming an interconnect layer.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the insulating layer is an index matching layer.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

disposing the at least one of the first line or second line on a back of a cover material.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the plurality of first bridges is formed before the at least one first line and at least one second line are formed.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein the plurality of first bridges is formed after the at least one first line is formed and before the at least one second line is formed.

24. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

disposing at least one conductive dummy region in an area of the touch sensor panel around at least one of the plurality of second sections.

25. The method of claim 15, further comprising determining at least one of a number and a size of the plurality of first bridges based on a resistance value of the touch sensor panel.