Position-sensing panel and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9626045-B1
Application number	US-89132910-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Sep 27, 2010
Priority date	Sep 27, 2010
Publication date	Apr 18, 2017
Grant date	Apr 18, 2017

Abstract

An exemplary touch position-sensing panel has first and second electrodes that cross over each other to form touch sensing nodes at their intersections. Cut-outs are formed in the first electrodes at touch sensing nodes. The cut-outs extend at least partially across the region where second electrodes cross over the first electrode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A touch panel comprising:
a plurality of first electrodes formed of a first conductive material and arranged in a first direction in a sensing area of the panel; and
a plurality of second electrodes formed of a second conductive material and arranged in a second direction different from the first direction such that the first and second electrodes cross over each other to form touch sensing nodes in the sensing area,
wherein:
the plurality of first electrodes and the plurality of second electrodes are separated by at least one substrate; and
each respective first electrode includes a plurality of shaped cut-out portions, each shaped cut-out portion extending at least partially across the respective first electrode and located where a second electrode intersects and crosses over in plan view the respective first electrode such that the second electrode overlaps in plan view the shaped cut-out portion, the shaped cut-out portion having a width that is less than a width of the second electrode such that the shaped cut-out portion is subsumed, in plan view, by a perimeter of the second electrode.

2. The touch panel of claim 1 wherein the first conductive material and the second conductive material are the same.

3. The touch panel of claim 2 wherein one of the first conductive material and the second conductive material comprises ITO.

4. The touch panel of claim 1 wherein the plurality of cut-out portions are rectangular in shape.

5. The touch panel of claim 1 wherein the plurality of cut-out portions includes a plurality of shapes.

6. The touch panel of claim 1 wherein each first electrode is a drive electrode and each second electrode is a sense electrode.

7. The touch panel of claim 1 wherein each first electrode is a sense electrode and each second electrode is a drive electrode.

8. The touch panel of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of cut-out portions extends substantially the full width of the second electrode.

9. The touch panel of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of second electrodes overlay the plurality of first electrodes.

10. A position sensor comprising:
a controller; and
a touch panel in communication with the controller; the touch panel comprising:
a plurality of first electrodes formed of a first conductive material and arranged in a first direction in a sensing area of the panel; and
a plurality of second electrodes formed of a second conductive material and arranged in a second direction different from the first direction such that the first and second electrodes cross over each other to form touch sensing nodes in the sensing area,

wherein:
the plurality of first electrodes and the plurality of second electrodes are separated by at least one substrate; and
each respective first electrode includes a plurality of shaped cut-out portions, each shaped cut-out portion extending at least partially across the respective first electrode and located where a second electrode intersects and crosses over in plan view the respective first electrode such that the second electrode overlaps in plan view the shaped cut-out portion, the shaped cut-out portion having a width that is less than a width of the second electrode such that the shaped cut-out portion is subsumed, in plan view, by a perimeter of the second electrode.

11. The position sensor of claim 10 wherein the first conductive material and the second conductive material are the same.

12. The position sensor of claim 10 wherein the plurality of cut-out portions are rectangular in shape.

13. The position sensor of claim 10 wherein the plurality of cut-out portions includes a plurality of shapes.

14. The position sensor of claim 10 wherein each first electrode is a drive electrode and each second electrode is a sense electrode.

15. The position sensor of claim 10 wherein each first electrode is a sense electrode and each second electrode is a drive electrode.

16. The position sensor of claim 10 wherein at least one of the plurality of cut-out portions extends substantially the full width of the second electrode.

17. A method of forming a touch panel comprising:
forming a first conductive layer comprising a plurality of first electrodes, on a first side of a substrate in a first direction; and
forming a second conductive layer comprising a plurality of second electrodes, on a second side of the substrate in a second direction different from the first direction, such that the first and second electrodes cross over each other to form touch sensing nodes in a sensing area of the touch panel,
wherein the forming of the second conductive layer includes forming a plurality of cut-out portions in at least one the first electrodes, each cut-out portion extending at least partially across the at least one of the first electrodes and located where at least one the second electrodes intersects and crosses over in plan view the at least one of the first electrodes such that the second electrode overlaps in plan view the shaped cut-out portion, the shaped cut-out portion having a width that is less than a width of the second electrode such that the shaped cut-out portion is subsumed, in plan view, by a perimeter of the second electrode.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the forming of the second conductive layer comprises:
depositing ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) on the first side of the substrate;
depositing a photoresist over the ITO;
exposing the photoresist to light through a mask of a pattern for the first electrodes including the cut-out;
developing the photoresist;
etching away the exposed ITO; and
removing the exposed photoresist.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the forming of the second conductive layer comprises depositing ITO on the first side of the substrate by sputtering in a pattern for the first electrodes including the cut-out.

20. A method of forming a touch panel comprising:
forming a first conductive layer comprising a plurality of first electrodes, on a side of a first substrate in a first direction; and
forming a second conductive layer comprising a plurality of second electrodes, on a side of a second substrate in a second direction different from the first direction, such that the first and second electrodes cross over each other to form touch sensing nodes in a sensing area of the touch panel,
wherein the forming of the second conductive layer includes forming a plurality of cut-out portions in at least one the first electrodes, each cut-out portion extending at least partially across the at least one of the first electrodes and located where at least one the second electrodes intersects and crosses over in plan view the at least one of the first electrodes such that the second electrode overlaps in plan view the shaped cut-out portion, the shaped cut-out portion having a width that is less than a width of the second electrode such that the shaped cut-out portion is subsumed, in plan view, by a perimeter of the second electrode.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the forming of the second conductive layer comprises depositing ITO on the side of the second substrate by sputtering.

Assignees

• Yilmaz Esat
• Atmel Corp

Inventors

• Yilmaz Esat

Classifications

• G06F3/041

  Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means · CPC title

• G06F3/0416

  Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers · CPC title

• G06F3/044 Primary

  by capacitive means · CPC title

• G06F3/045

  using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact · CPC title

• G06F3/0412

  Digitisers structurally integrated in a display · CPC title