Modular connector for touch sensitive device

• US 9,658,707 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2014
• Issued: 05/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Rebeschi, Thomas J., Taylor, Gordon F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bolotin, Dmitriy
• Application Number:
  US14/205,781
• Publication Number:
  US 20140192490A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,168 Days
• Field of Search: 178 1801, 178 1803, 178 1805, 178 1806, 178 1807, 345 13, 345173-178
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04164 Connections between sensors and controllers, e.g. routing lines between electrodes and connection pads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 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: H01R 13/6658 on printed circuit board H01R13/6666 - H01R13/6691 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/005 Intermediate parts for distributing signals
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/18 Printed circuits structurally associated with non-printed electric components H05K1/0201, H05K1/023, H05K1/0243, and H05K1/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/189 characterised by the use of a flexible or folded printed circuit H05K3/326 takes precedence

Abstract

Apparatus for providing modular connection means to electrodes in a touch-sensitive device. The modular connections may include electronics allowing controlling electronics to individually address electrodes associated with driving electrodes and sensing signals occurring on electrodes.

Claims

1. A modular connector for use with a touch sensor, comprising:

a substrate;

a integrated circuit disposed on the substrate;

a plurality of first terminal areas disposed on the substrate and individually addressable by the integrated circuit; and

a second terminal area disposed on the substrate and communicatively coupled to the integrated circuit, the modular connector being a self-contained assembly of the substrate, and the integrated circuit, the plurality of first terminal areas and the second terminal area disposed thereon and configured to be installed as a unit, such that when the modular connector is installed as a unit in a touch sensor, the plurality of first terminal areas make electrical connection with a plurality of electrodes of the touch sensor, and the second terminal area makes electrical connection with a terminal area of another modular connector installed as a unit in the touch sensor.

2. The modular connector of claim 1, wherein the plurality of first terminal areas are individually addressable by communications signals provided to the integrated circuit via the second terminal areas.

3. The modular connector of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a printed circuit board.

4. The modular connector of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a flexible printed circuit board.

5. The modular connector of claim 1 further comprising a drive signal generator disposed on the substrate and communicatively coupled to the integrated circuit and the plurality of first terminal areas, such that when the modular connector is installed as a unit in a touch sensor, the drive signal generator applies drive signals to the plurality of electrodes of the touch sensor.

6. The modular connector of claim 1 further comprising sense electronics disposed on the substrate and communicatively coupled to the integrated circuit and the plurality of first terminal areas, such that when the modular connector is installed as a unit in a touch sensor, the sense electronics senses signals occurring on the plurality of electrodes of the touch sensor.

7. A touch sensor comprising:

an array of electrodes;

a plurality modular connectors interconnected together, each modular connector electrically coupled to a different subset of the array of electrodes, each modular connector comprising;

an integrated circuit disposed on a substrate; and

a terminal area for making electrical connection to another modular connector, wherein the subset of the array of electrodes electrically coupled to the modular connector are individually addressable by the integrated circuit, wherein each modular connector is a self-contained assembly of the substrate, the integrated circuit, and the terminal area of the modulator connector and is configured to be installed as a unit.

8. A plurality of modular connectors for use with a touch sensor, each modular connector comprising:

a plurality of first terminal areas; and

second and third terminal areas, the modular connector being a self-contained assembly of the plurality of first terminal areas and the second and third terminal areas and configured to be installed as a unit, such that when the plurality of modular connectors is used with a touch sensor having an array of electrodes, the plurality of first terminal areas of each modular connector makes electrical connection with a different subset of the array of electrodes, and the second and third terminal areas of each modular connector electrically connect with different modular connectors in the plurality of modular connectors.