Capacitive touch sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11243642-B2
Application number	US-201916580358-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 24, 2019
Priority date	Sep 25, 2018
Publication date	Feb 8, 2022
Grant date	Feb 8, 2022

Abstract

It is disclosed a capacitive touch sensor (10) comprising a support layer (1) and a plurality of sensing elongated elements (2) coupled to said support layer (1), said plurality of sensing elongated elements (2) comprising a plurality of electrically resistive elongated elements (2r), wherein said plurality of electrically resistive elongated elements (2r) comprises a first set (2rx) of electrically resistive elongated elements (2r) electrically connected to a first common node (Nx) configured to be electrically connected to a first input (INx) of a detection device (5), said detection device (5) being configured to provide an output signal (S_OUT) comprising a first output value (OUTx) that is a function of the capacitance value (CRx) of said first set (2rx) of electrically resistive elongated elements (2r). An article comprising the capacitive touch sensor (10) and a method for detecting a touch event on a support layer (1) are also disclosed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A capacitive touch sensor ( 10 ) comprising a support layer ( 1 ) and a plurality of sensing elongated elements ( 2 ) coupled to said support layer ( 1 ), said plurality of sensing elongated elements ( 2 ) comprising a plurality of electrically resistive elongated elements ( 2 r ), wherein said plurality of electrically resistive elongated elements ( 2 r ) comprises a first set ( 2 rx ) of electrically resistive elongated elements ( 2 r ) electrically connected to a first common node (Nx) configured to be electrically connected to a first input (INx) of a detection device ( 5 ), said detection device ( 5 ) being configured to provide an output signal (S_OUT) comprising a first output value (OUTx) that is a function of the capacitance value (CRx) of said first set ( 2 rx ) of electrically resistive elongated elements ( 2 r ), wherein said plurality of electrically resistive elongated elements ( 2 r ) define a sensing area ( 3 ), said plurality of sensing elongated elements ( 2 ) comprising at least one electrically conductive elongated element ( 2 c ) arranged at least partially within said sensing area ( 3 ) and electrically insulated from said electrically resistive elongated elements ( 2 r ), said at least one electrically conductive elongated element ( 2 c ) being electrically connected to a reference common node (Nc) configured to be electrically connected to a reference input (INc) of said detection device ( 5 ) for evaluating the capacitance (Cc) of said at least one electrically conductive elongated element ( 2 c ) and wherein the electrical resistance per unit of length (Rc) of said at least one electrically conductive elongated element ( 2 c ) is at least two order of magnitude less than the electrical resistance per unit of length (Rr) of said electrically resistive elongated elements ( 2 r ).

2. The capacitive touch sensor ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein said first output value (OUTx) is the direct or indirect measurement of the capacitance (CRx) of said first set ( 2 rx ) of electrically resistive elongated elements ( 2 r ).

3. The capacitive touch sensor ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one electrically conductive elongated element ( 2 c ) is arranged to define an area overlapping said sensing area ( 3 ).

4. The capacitive touch sensor according to claim 1 , wherein said plurality of sensing elongated elements ( 2 ) comprises a plurality of said electrically conductive elongated elements ( 2 c ) electrically connected to said reference common node (Nc), each electrically conductive elongated element ( 2 c ) is associated to a correspondent electrically resistive elongated element ( 2 r ) of said plurality of sensing elongated elements ( 2 ) and vice versa each electrically resistive elongated element ( 2 r ) is associated to a correspondent electrically conductive elongated element ( 2 c ).

5. The capacitive touch sensor ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein said output signal (S_OUT) comprises a reference output value (OUTc) that is the direct or indirect measurement of the capacitance (Cc) of said at least one electrically conductive elongated element ( 2 c ).

6. The capacitive touch sensor ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein said first output value (OUTx) is the ratio (CRx/Cc) between the direct or indirect measurement of the capacitance (CRx) of said first set ( 2 rx ) of electrically resistive elongated elements ( 2 r ) and the direct or indirect measurement of the capacitance (Cc) of said at least one electrically conductive elongated element ( 2 c ).

7. The capacitive touch sensor ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein said plurality of electrically resistive elongated elements ( 2 r ) comprises a second set ( 2 ry ) of electrically resistive elongated elements ( 2 r ), electrically insulated from said first set ( 2 rx ) of electrically resistive elongated elements ( 2 r ), and electrically connected to a second common node (Ny) configured to be electrically connected to a second input (INy) of said detection device ( 5 ), wherein said first set ( 2 rx ) and said second set ( 2 ry ) of electrically resistive elongated elements ( 2 r ) overlap to form a grid of electrically resistive elongated elements ( 2 r ), said output signal (S_OUT) comprising a second output value (OUTy) that is a function of the capacitance value (CRy) of said second set ( 2 ry ) of electrically resistive elongated elements ( 2 r ).

8. The capacitive touch sensor ( 10 ) according to claim 7 , wherein said second output value (OUTy) is the direct or indirect measurement of the capacitance (CRy) of said second set ( 2 ry ) of electrically resistive elongated elements ( 2 r ).

9. The capacitive touch sensor ( 10 ) according to claim 7 , wherein said second output value (OUTy) is the ratio (CRy/Cc) between the direct or indirect measurement of the capacitance (CRy) of said second set ( 2 ry ) of electrically resistive elongated elements ( 2 r ) and the direct or indirect measurement of the capacitance (Cc) of said at least one electrically conductive elongated element ( 2 c ).

10. The capacitive touch sensor ( 10 ) according to claim 7 , wherein the electrically resistive elongated elements of said first set ( 2 rx ) are arranged parallel to each other along a first direction (X).

11. The capacitive touch sensor ( 10 ) according to claim 10 , wherein the electrically resistive elongated elements of said second set ( 2 ry ) are arranged parallel to each other along a second direction (Y) orthogonal to said first direction (X).

12. The capacitive touch sensor ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein said detection device ( 5 ) is connected to a communication module ( 4 ) configured to transmit said output signal (S_OUT) to an external device ( 6 ).

13. The capacitive touch sensor ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein said support layer ( 1 ) is a fabric.

14. The capacitive touch sensor ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein said electrically resistive elongated elements ( 2 r ) are electrically resistive yarns.

15. The capacitive touch sensor ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein said electrically conductive elongated elements ( 2 c ) are electrically conductive yarns.

16. The capacitive touch sensor ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein said support layer ( 1 ) is a woven fabric, and wherein said plurality of sensing elongated elements ( 2 ) form at least a part of the weft ( 7 ) and/or of the warp ( 8 ) of said woven fabric ( 1 ).

17. An article comprising a capacitive touch sensor ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , said article optionally comprising a detection device ( 5 ).

18. The capacity sensor according to claim 1 , wherein said Rr/Rc is in range of 100 to 100000.

Assignees

• Sanko Tekstil Isletmeleri San Ve Tic As

Inventors

• Cobanoglu Ozgur
• Erkus Ertug
• Agzikara Seref
• Caglar Fehim
• Iyidogan Deniz
• Kazanc Semih

Classifications

• G06F3/044 Primary

  by capacitive means · CPC title

• G06F2203/04103

  Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices · CPC title

• A41D1/005

  with embedded cable or connector · CPC title

• D03D1/0088

  Fabrics having an electronic function · CPC title

• D02G3/441 Primary

  Yarns or threads with antistatic, conductive or radiation-shielding properties (electroconductive, anti-static or radiation-shielding filaments D01F1/09, D01F1/106; anti-static fabrics D03D15/533; conducting, insulating or anti-static layers for floor coverings D06N7/0042) · CPC title