Mesh electrode matrix having finite repeat length
View Patent ↗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.
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 selected such that an intersection between the metal mesh and an edge of an electrode is repeated every n electrodes.
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 selected such that an intersection between the metal mesh and an edge of an electrode is repeated every n electrodes.
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 selected such that an intersection between the metal mesh and an edge of an electrode is repeated every n electrodes.
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.