Apparatus comprising a conductive path and a method of forming an apparatus with a conductive path

1. An apparatus comprising:

a substrate comprising a first surface and a second surface, a first portion, and a different second portion, wherein the first portion is substantially flat and the second portion is substantially curved;

a touch detection circuit comprising a plurality of traces disposed on the first portion of the first surface of the substrate; and

at least one conductive path extending over the first surface of the substrate and within defining edges of the substrate and connected to at least part of the touch detection circuit, the at least one conductive path overlapping the first surface of the substrate and the plurality of traces of the touch detection circuit at portions of each of the plurality of traces and at portions of the substrate, and the at least one conductive path extending orthogonal to the plurality of traces, the at least one conductive path comprising a first portion of non-bendable conductor comprising a first conductive material having a direct serial connection to a second portion of a different conductor comprising a second conductive material different from the first conductive material, wherein the first portion of each conductive path extends over the first portion of the substrate and the second portion of each conductive path extends over the second portion of the substrate to form a line following the first surface of the substrate;

wherein the second portion of the different conductor is bendable and is curved so as to be under a compressive strain;

wherein a portion of the bendable second portion of the different conductor extends partially onto the first portion of the substrate;

wherein the first conductive material does not overlap the bendable and curved second portion of the different conductor; and

wherein the first conductive material is indium tin oxide.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the bendable and curved second portion of the different conductor is copper, silver, or gold.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second portion of each conductive path follows a curvature in the first surface of the substrate and is located at an interior surface of the curvature.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the substrate is a rigid and flat.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises, in addition to the first portion and the different second portion, a third portion; and the at least one conductive path extending over the substrate comprises, in addition to the first portion of each conductive path and the second portion of each conductive path, a third portion of non-bendable conductor connected in electrical series to the second portion of each conductive path, wherein the first portion of each conductive path extends over the first portion of the substrate, the second portion of each conductive path extends over the second portion of the substrate and the third portion of each conductive path extends over the third portion of the substrate and wherein the third portion of each conductive path comprises the first conductive material different from the second conductive material and wherein the third portion of the substrate is substantially flat.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one conductive path comprises multiple parallel portions forming the second portion of the conductive path.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , comprising multiple conductive paths extending in parallel over the first surface of the substrate, wherein some or all of the multiple conductive paths each comprise a first portion of non-bendable conductor connected in electrical series to a second portion of a different conductor.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , comprising a flexible film, wherein the at least one conductive path extending over the first surface of the substrate is positioned between the flexible film and the first surface of the substrate.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the flexible film is transparent.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the different conductor of the second portion of the conductive path is a flexible conductor.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the different conductor of the second portion of the conductive path is one or more of gold, copper or silver.

12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the substrate is transparent.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the substrate is a display screen.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , configured as a housing cover for a hand-portable electronic device.

15. A method comprising:

providing a substrate comprising a first surface and a second surface, a first portion, and a different second portion, wherein the first portion is substantially flat and the second portion is substantially curved;

providing a non-bendable conductor comprising a first conductive material on the first portion of the substrate as a first portion of a conductive path extending over the first portion of the substrate;

providing a touch detection circuit comprising a plurality of traces disposed on the first portion of the first surface of the substrate; and

providing a different conductor comprising a second conductive material different from the first conductive material on the second portion of the substrate as a second portion of the conductive path extending over the first portion of the substrate;

wherein the conductive path extends within defining edges of the substrate and is connected to at least part of the touch detection circuit, the conductive path overlapping the first surface of the substrate and the plurality of traces of the touch detection circuit at portions of each of the plurality of traces and at portions of the substrate, and the conductive path extending orthogonal to the plurality of traces;

wherein the first portion of the conductive path and the second portion of the conductive path are connected to have a direct serial connection to form a line following the first surface of the substrate; and

wherein the second portion of the conductive path is bendable and is curved so as to be under a compressive strain;

wherein a portion of the bendable second portion of the conductive path extends partially onto the first portion of the substrate;

wherein the first conductive material does not overlap the bendable and curved second portion of the conductive path;

wherein the first conductive material is indium tin oxide.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15 , wherein:

providing the non-bendable conductor on the first portion of the substrate as the first portion of the conductive path; and

providing the different conductor on the second portion of the substrate as the second portion of the conductive path comprises:

providing the non-bendable conductor on a film;

providing the different conductor on the film; and

laminating the film and the substrate.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the film is a flexible film.

18. A method as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the different conductor is a flexible conductor.