MICRO-WIRE ELECTRODES WITH EQUI-POTENTIAL DUMMY MICRO-WIRES

1 . A micro-wire multi-electrode structure having an area of substantially uniform optical density, comprising:

a plurality of spatially separated patterned electrodes located in an electrode layer in the area, each electrode including a plurality of patterned conductive electrically connected electrode micro-wires;

one or more patterned equi-potential electrically conductive dummy micro-wires in the area located substantially along equi-potential lines between adjacent electrodes and electrically isolated from the electrode micro-wires, whereby the area has a substantially uniform optical density; and

an unpatterned conductive layer in the area, the unpatterned conductive layer in electrical contact with the electrode micro-wires and the dummy micro-wires.

2 . The micro-wire multi-electrode structure of claim 1 , wherein the electrodes are drive electrodes, the electrode layer is a drive layer, the electrode micro-wires are drive micro-wires, and the area is a touch-sensitive area and further comprising:

a plurality of spatially separated patterned sense electrodes in a sense layer in the touch-sensitive area, each sense electrode including a plurality of patterned conductive electrically connected sense micro-wires; and

a dielectric layer located between the drive electrodes and the sense electrodes.

3 . The micro-wire multi-electrode structure of claim 2 , wherein the dummy micro-wires are located in the drive layer.

4 . The micro-wire multi-electrode structure of claim 2 , further including additional dummy micro-wires formed in the sense layer.

5 . The micro-wire multi-electrode structure of claim 1 , wherein multiple dummy micro-wires are located along a common equi-potential line.

6 . The micro-wire multi-electrode structure of claim 1 , wherein a first dummy micro-wire is located along a first equi-potential line and a second dummy micro-wire is located along a second equi-potential line different from the first equi-potential line.

7 . The micro-wire multi-electrode structure of claim 1 , wherein the dummy micro-wires are formed in a common layer with the electrode micro-wires.

8 . The micro-wire multi-electrode structure of claim 1 , wherein the dummy micro-wires have a common material with the electrode micro-wires.

9 . The micro-wire multi-electrode structure of claim 1 , wherein the area has an area edge and further including an edge electrode adjacent to the area edge and edge dummy micro-wires in the area located along equi-potential lines between the edge electrode and the area edge and electrically disconnected from the edge electrode.

10 . The micro-wire multi-electrode structure of claim 9 , further including an electrical wire located outside the area and adjacent to the area edge and the edge dummy micro-wires are located between the electrode and the electrical wire.

11 . The micro-wire multi-electrode structure of claim 1 , wherein first dummy micro-wires are located between first adjacent electrodes in a first pattern and second dummy micro-wires are located between second adjacent electrodes in a second pattern different from the first pattern.

12 . The micro-wire multi-electrode structure of claim 1 , wherein first dummy micro-wires are located between first adjacent electrodes in a first pattern and second dummy micro-wires are located between second adjacent electrodes in a second pattern that is the same as the first pattern.

13 . The micro-wire multi-electrode structure of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of spatially separated patterned electrodes in the area includes a first electrode having electrically connected electrode micro-wires forming a first pattern and a second electrode having electrically connected electrode micro-wires forming a second pattern different from the first pattern.

14 . The micro-wire multi-electrode structure of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of spatially separated patterned electrodes in the area includes a first electrode having electrically connected electrode micro-wires forming a first pattern and a second electrode having electrically connected electrode micro-wires forming a second pattern that is the same as the first pattern.

15 . The micro-wire multi-electrode structure of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of spatially separated patterned electrodes in the area form a regular array of electrodes.

16 . The micro-wire multi-electrode structure of claim 1 , wherein portions of the dummy micro-wires are straight line segments.

17 . The micro-wire multi-electrode structure of claim 1 , wherein portions of the dummy micro-wires are curved line segments.

18 . The micro-wire multi-electrode structure of claim 1 , wherein at least one dummy micro-wire includes a plurality of line segments connected at an angle.

19 . The micro-wire multi-electrode structure of claim 1 , wherein at least one electrode includes electrode micro-wires that are a mirror image of the electrically connected micro-wires in an adjacent electrode.

20 . A touch-screen device having a substantially uniform optical density in a touch-sensitive area, comprising:

a plurality of spatially separated patterned drive electrodes located in a drive layer in the touch-sensitive area, each drive electrode including a plurality of patterned conductive electrically connected drive micro-wires;

a plurality of spatially separated patterned sense electrodes in a sense layer in the touch-sensitive area, each sense electrode including a plurality of patterned conductive electrically connected sense micro-wires;

a dielectric layer located between the drive electrodes and the sense electrodes;

one or more patterned electrically isolated equi-potential dummy micro-wires in the touch-sensitive area located substantially along equi-potential lines between adjacent drive electrodes and electrically disconnected from the adjacent drive electrodes, whereby the touch-sensitive area has a substantially uniform optical density;

a conductive layer that is unpatterned in the touch-sensitive area, the conductive layer in electrical contact with the drive micro-wires and the dummy micro-wires; and

a controller electrically connected to the drive and sense electrodes for controlling the drive and sense electrodes.

21 . A method of making a micro-wire multi-electrode structure having an area of substantially uniform optical density, comprising:

providing a plurality of spatially separated patterned electrodes in an electrode layer in the area, each electrode including a plurality of patterned conductive electrically connected electrode micro-wires;

providing one or more patterned electrically isolated dummy micro-wires in the area located substantially along equi-potential lines between adjacent electrodes, whereby the area has a substantially uniform optical density; and

locating an unpatterned conductive layer in the area, the unpatterned conductive layer in electrical contact with the electrode micro-wires and dummy micro-wires.