Mesh electrode matrix having finite repeat length

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016170518-A1
Application number	US-201414569502-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 12, 2014
Priority date	Dec 12, 2014
Publication date	Jun 16, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An array of electrodes is comprised of a plurality of electrodes. Each electrode extends along a first direction X, and is periodically arrayed along a second direction Y perpendicular to X at a pitch p e . Each electrode further comprises a continuous periodic metal mesh having a square unit cell of edge length p m , the square unit cell having axes displaced by an oblique angle θ from X and Y The array is configured such that θ=arctan (a/b) and p m =n*p e /(m*sqrt(a 2 +b 2 )), where a, b, m, and n are positive integers. In this way, the electrodes repeat with a finite repeat length, while rendering the common edges of the repeating units visually imperceptible by a user.

First claim

1 . An array of electrodes, comprising:
a plurality of electrodes, each electrode extending along a first direction X and periodically arrayed along a second direction Y perpendicular to X at a pitch p e ; wherein each electrode comprises a continuous periodic metal mesh having a square unit cell of edge length p m , the square unit cell having axes displaced by an oblique angle θ from X and Y; wherein θ=arctan (a/b) and p m =n*p e /(m*sqrt(a 2 +b 2 )); and a, b, m, and n are positive integers.

2 . The array of electrodes of claim 1 , wherein inter-electrode alleys between the electrodes are filled with an electrically discontinuous opaque mesh having a unit cell of edge length p m aligned with meshes of the electrodes.

3 . The array of electrodes of claim 1 , wherein the electrodes are concave polygonal in shape.

4 . The array of electrodes of claim 3 , wherein the electrodes are linked-diamond type electrodes.

5 . The array of electrodes of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of repeating electrode units comprising one or more electrode segments extending along the direction X and repeating along the direction X and the direction Y at a period of n *p e .

6 . The array of electrodes of claim 1 , wherein:
1≦a≦20; 1≦b≦20; 1≦m≦16; and 1≦n≦16.

7 . A capacitive touch sensor, comprising:
one or more arrays of electrodes, each array of electrodes comprising: a plurality of electrodes, each electrode extending along a first direction X and periodically arrayed along a second direction Y perpendicular to the first direction X at a pitch p e ; wherein each electrode comprises a continuous periodic metal mesh having a square unit cell of edge length p m , the square unit cell having axes displaced by an oblique angle θ from X and Y; wherein θ=arctan (a/b) and p m =n*p e /(m*sqrt(a 2 +b 2 )); and a, b, m, and n are positive integers.

8 . The capacitive touch sensor of claim 7 , wherein inter-electrode alleys between the electrodes are filled with an electrically discontinuous opaque mesh having a unit cell of edge length p m aligned with meshes of the electrodes.

9 . The capacitive touch sensor of claim 7 , wherein the electrodes are concave polygonal in shape.

10 . The capacitive touch sensor of claim 9 , wherein the electrodes are linked-diamond type electrodes.

11 . The capacitive touch sensor of claim 7 , further comprising:
a plurality of repeating electrode units comprising one or more electrode segments extending along the direction X, and repeating along the direction X and the direction Y at a period of n *p e .

12 . The capacitive touch sensor of claim 7 , wherein:
1≦a≦20; 1≦b≦20; 1≦m≦16; and 1≦n≦16.

13 . A touch sensing display device, comprising:
a display device including periodically arrayed pixels; and a capacitive touch sensor, comprising: one or more arrays of electrodes, each array of electrodes comprising:
a plurality of electrodes, each electrode extending along a first direction X, and periodically arrayed along a second direction Y perpendicular to the first direction X at a pitch p e ;
wherein each electrode comprises a continuous periodic metal mesh having a square unit cell of edge length p m , the square unit cell having axes displaced by an oblique angle θ from X and Y;
wherein θ=arctan (a/b) and p m =n*p e /(m*sqrt(a 2 +b 2 )); and
a, b, m, and n are positive integers.

14 . The touch sensing display device of claim 13 , wherein inter-electrode alleys between the electrodes are filled with an electrically discontinuous opaque mesh having a unit cell of edge length p m aligned with meshes of the electrodes.

15 . The touch sensing display device of claim 13 , wherein the electrodes are concave polygonal in shape.

16 . The touch sensing display device of claim 15 , wherein the electrodes are linked-diamond type electrodes.

17 . The touch sensing display device of claim 13 , further comprising:
a plurality of repeating electrode units comprising one or more electrode segments extending along the direction X, and repeating along the direction X and the direction Y at a period of n *p e .

18 . The touch sensing display device of claim 13 , wherein:
1≦a≦20; 1≦b≦20; 1≦m≦16; and 1≦n≦16.

19 . The touch sensing display device of claim 13 , wherein the display device has a diagonal display dimension of at least 0.5 meters.

20 . The touch sensing display device of claim 13 , wherein the one or more arrays of electrodes comprise a receive electrode array and a transmit electrode array.

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Donnelly Sean M

Classifications

• G06F2203/04108

  Touchless 2D- digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface without distance measurement in the Z direction · CPC title

• G06F3/047

  using sets of wires, e.g. crossed wires · CPC title

• G06F2203/04112

  Electrode mesh in capacitive digitiser: electrode for touch sensing is formed of a mesh of very fine, normally metallic, interconnected lines that are almost invisible to see. This provides a quite large but transparent electrode surface, without need for ITO or similar transparent conductive material · CPC title

• G06F3/044 Primary

  by capacitive means · CPC title

• G06F3/0412

  Digitisers structurally integrated in a display · CPC title