Variable-pitch tracking for touch sensors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9785292-B2
Application number	US-201414201599-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 7, 2014
Priority date	Mar 7, 2014
Publication date	Oct 10, 2017
Grant date	Oct 10, 2017

Abstract

In one embodiment, a touch sensor includes a first set of tracks configured to electrically couple a first set of connection pads of the touch sensor to a first set of electrodes of the touch sensor. At least a portion of the first set of tracks extends in a direction, and at least one of the tracks in the first set of tracks has two or more different pitches at two or more different points along the extent of the first set of tracks. The touch sensor also includes a second set of tracks configured to electrically couple a second set of connection pads of the touch sensor to a second set of electrodes of the touch sensor. At least a portion of the second set of tracks extends in the direction and adjacent to the extent of the first set of tracks.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A touch sensor comprising:
a first set of tracks configured to electrically couple a first set of connection pads of the touch sensor to a first set of electrodes of the touch sensor, the tracks of the first set of tracks comprising respective first portions and second portions, the respective first portions and the respective second portions of the tracks of the first set of tracks extending in a first direction, the respective first portions of the tracks of the first set of tracks being substantially parallel and the respective second portions of the tracks of the first set of tracks being substantially parallel; and
a second set of tracks configured to electrically couple a second set of connection pads of the touch sensor to a second set of electrodes of the touch sensor, a first track of the second set of tracks terminating at a location along the first track of the second set of tracks, a second track of the second set of tracks being substantially parallel to the respective second portions of the tracks of the first set of tracks;
the first set of tracks having a first pitch between the respective first portions of the tracks of the first set of tracks and a second pitch between the respective second portions of the tracks of the first set of tracks, the first and second pitches measured perpendicularly to the first direction, the first pitch being less than the second pitch, the respective second portions of the tracks of the first set of tracks positioned after, along the first direction, the location at which the first track of the second set of tracks terminates;
the respective first and second portions of the tracks of the first set of tracks extending in the first direction along at least a portion of a length of an edge of a touch-sensitive area of the touch sensor that also extends in the first direction for the portion of the length.

2. The touch sensor of claim 1 , wherein the respective first portions and the respective second portions of the tracks of the first set of tracks are parallel to the portion of the length of the edge of the touch sensitive area of the touch sensor.

3. The touch sensor of claim 1 , wherein:
the first set of electrodes are drive electrodes; and
the second set of electrodes are sense electrodes.

4. The touch sensor of claim 1 , wherein the second set of tracks are located along the edge of the touch-sensitive area of the touch sensor.

5. The touch sensor of claim 1 , wherein the first set of tracks are arranged in a cascading pattern.

6. The touch sensor of claim 1 , wherein the second set of tracks are arranged in a cascading pattern.

7. The touch sensor of claim 1 , wherein a difference between the first pitch and the second pitch is caused at least in part by different separation distances between the tracks of the first set of tracks.

8. The touch sensor of claim 1 , wherein a difference between the first pitch and the second pitch is caused at least in part by different widths of the tracks of the first set of tracks.

9. The touch sensor of claim 1 , wherein a difference between the first pitch and the second pitch is caused at least in part by the termination of the first track of the second set of tracks.

10. The touch sensor of claim 1 , wherein the first and second set of electrodes are made of a mesh of fine lines of conductive material.

11. A device comprising:
a touch sensor comprising:
a first set of tracks configured to electrically couple a first set of connection pads of the touch sensor to a first set of electrodes of the touch sensor, the tracks of the first set of tracks comprising respective first portions and second portions, the respective first portions and the respective second portions of the tracks of the first set of tracks extending in a first direction, the respective first portions of the tracks of the first set of tracks being substantially parallel and the respective second portions of the tracks of the first set of tracks being substantially parallel; and
a second set of tracks configured to electrically couple a second set of connection pads of the touch sensor to a second set of electrodes of the touch sensor, a first track of the second set of tracks terminating at a location along the first track of the second set of tracks, a second track of the second set of tracks being substantially parallel to the respective second portions of the tracks of the first set of tracks; and
a computer-readable non-transitory storage medium embodying logic that is configured when executed to control the touch sensor;
the first set of tracks having a first pitch between the respective first portions of the tracks of the first set of tracks and a second pitch between the respective second portions of the tracks of the first set of tracks, the first and second pitches measured perpendicularly to the first direction, the first pitch being less than the second pitch, the respective second portions of the tracks of the first set of tracks positioned after, along the first direction, the location at which the first track of the second set of tracks terminates;
the respective first and second portions of the tracks of the first set of tracks extending in the first direction along at least a portion of a length of an edge of a touch-sensitive area of the touch sensor that also extends in the first direction for the portion of the length.

12. The device of claim 11 , wherein the first set of tracks extend diagonally in a second direction between the respective first portions and the respective second portions of the tracks of the first set of tracks.

13. The device of claim 11 , wherein:
the first set of electrodes are drive electrodes; and
the second set of electrodes are sense electrodes.

14. The device of claim 11 , wherein the second set of tracks are located along the edge of the touch-sensitive area of the touch sensor.

15. The device of claim 11 , wherein the first set of tracks are arranged in a cascading pattern.

16. The device of claim 11 , wherein the second set of tracks are arranged in a cascading pattern.

17. The device of claim 11 , wherein a difference between the first pitch and the second pitch is caused at least in part by different separation distances between the tracks of the first set of tracks.

18. The device of claim 11 , wherein a difference between the first pitch and the second pitch is caused at least in part by different widths of the tracks of the first set of tracks.

19. The device of claim 11 , wherein a difference between the first pitch and the second pitch is caused at least in part by the termination of the first track of the second set of tracks.

20. The device of claim 11 , wherein the first and second set of electrodes are made of a mesh of fine lines of conductive material.

Assignees

• Yilmaz Esat
• Shaikh Jalil
• Atmel Corp

Inventors

• Yilmaz Esat
• Shaikh Jalil

Classifications

• G06F3/044 Primary

  by capacitive means · CPC title

• G06F3/04164

  Connections between sensors and controllers, e.g. routing lines between electrodes and connection pads · CPC title

• G06F3/0445 Primary

  using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer · CPC title