Sensor patterning with reduced trace visibility for capacitance sensing

1. An input device, comprising:

a first electrode layer comprising a plurality of electrodes;

a second electrode layer comprising a plurality of electrodes;

an insulating layer disposed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer; and

a plurality of capacitive sensing elements organized in rows and columns,

wherein each of the plurality of capacitive sensing elements is formed by one of the plurality of electrodes in the first electrode layer and one of the plurality of electrodes in the second electrode layer,

wherein a first subset of the plurality of capacitive sensing elements organized in adjacent rows share a common first electrode in the first electrode layer,

wherein each of the first subset of the plurality of capacitive sensing elements is associated with a distinct electrode of the plurality of electrodes in the second electrode layer,

wherein the plurality of electrodes in the second electrode layer comprises a first electrode and a second electrode, wherein the first electrode is within one of the columns and comprises a pair of rectangular patches that encloses the second electrode of the second electrode layer,

wherein the second electrode of the second electrode layer is associated with two of the plurality of capacitive sensing elements, and

wherein at least a subset of the rectangular patches each span two of the plurality of capacitive sensing elements in a corresponding column.

2. The input device of claim 1 , further comprising a second subset of the plurality of capacitive sensing elements organized in adjacent rows sharing a common second electrode in the first electrode layer.

3. The input device of claim 2 , further comprising:

a first trace electrically connecting the common first electrode for the first subset of the plurality of capacitive sensing elements with a sensor circuitry; and

a second trace electrically connecting the common second electrode for the second subset of the plurality of capacitive sensing elements with the sensor circuitry.

4. The input device of claim 1 ,

wherein the plurality of electrodes in the first electrode layer form alternating rows extending across the columns of the capacitive sensing elements.

5. The input device of claim 4 , wherein the alternating rows are formed by the common first electrode being part of two adjacent rows of capacitive sensing elements and a common second electrode being part of two adjacent rows of capacitive sensing elements.

6. The input device of claim 1 ,

wherein the plurality of electrodes in the second electrode layer are organized in columns of alternating electrodes,

wherein each of the plurality of electrodes in the second electrode layer is specific to a column, and

wherein the columns of alternating electrodes correspond to the columns of capacitive sensing elements.

7. The input device of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of capacitive sensing elements of the input device is formed by a unique combination of one electrode in the first electrode layer and one electrode in the second electrode layer.

8. The input device of claim 1 further comprising:

a display configured to provide visual output;

and an input surface configured to receive an input by an input object;

wherein the first electrode layer, the second electrode layer, and the insulating layer are disposed between the display and the input surface.

9. The input device of claim 1 ,

wherein the first electrode layer comprises transmitting electrodes,

wherein the second electrode layer comprises receiving electrodes, and

wherein the plurality of capacitive sensing elements operate in a transcapacitance sensing mode, using the transmitting electrodes of the first electrode layer and the receiving electrodes of the second electrode layer.

10. The input device of claim 9 ,

wherein the transmitting electrodes comprise elongated linear sections and crossbars traversing the elongated linear sections, and

wherein the receiving electrodes comprise planar segments with cutouts arranged to match the crossbars.

11. An electronic device comprising:

a display configured to provide visual output;

an input surface configured to receive an input by an input object; and

an input device disposed between the display and the input surface and configured to process the received input by the input object, the input device comprising:

a first electrode layer comprising a plurality of electrodes;

a second electrode layer comprising a plurality of electrodes;

an insulating layer disposed between the first and the second electrode layers; and

a plurality of capacitive sensing elements organized in rows and columns,

wherein each of the capacitive sensing elements is formed by one of the plurality of electrodes in the first electrode layer and one of the plurality of electrodes in the second electrode layer,

wherein a first subset of the plurality of capacitive sensing elements organized in adjacent rows share a common first electrode in the first electrode layer, and

wherein each of the first subset of the plurality of capacitive sensing elements is associated with a distinct electrode of the plurality of electrodes in the second electrode layer,

wherein the plurality of electrodes in the second electrode layer comprises a first electrode and a second electrode, wherein the first electrode is within one of the columns and comprises a pair of rectangular patches that encloses the second electrode of the second electrode layer,

wherein the second electrode of the second electrode layer is associated with two of the plurality of capacitive sensing elements, and

wherein at least a subset of the rectangular patches each span two of the plurality of capacitive sensing elements in a corresponding column.

12. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the input device further comprises a second subset of the plurality of capacitive sensing elements organized in adjacent rows sharing a common second electrode in the first electrode layer.

13. The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the input service further comprises:

a first trace electrically connecting the common first electrode for the first subset of the plurality of capacitive sensing elements with a sensor circuitry; and

a second trace electrically connecting the common second electrode for the second subset of the plurality of capacitive sensing elements with the sensor circuitry.

14. The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the first trace is disposed at a vertical edge of the display.

15. The electronic device of claim 14 , wherein the display is an edge-to-edge display.

16. The electronic device of claim 11 ,

wherein the plurality of electrodes in the first electrode layer form alternating rows extending across the columns of the capacitive sensing elements.

17. The electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the alternating rows are formed by the common first electrode being part of two adjacent rows of capacitive sensing elements and a common second electrode being part of two adjacent rows of capacitive sensing elements.

18. The electronic device of claim 11 ,

wherein the plurality of electrodes in the second electrode layer are organized in columns of alternating electrodes,

wherein each of the plurality of electrodes in the second electrode layer is specific to a column, and

wherein the columns of alternating electrodes correspond to the columns of capacitive sensing elements.

19. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of capacitive sensing elements of the input device is formed by a unique combination of one electrode in the first electrode layer and one electrode in the second electrode layer.

20. The electronic device of claim 11 ,

wherein the first electrode layer comprises transmitting electrodes,

wherein the second electrode layer comprises receiving electrodes, and

wherein the plurality of capacitive sensing elements operate in a transcapacitance sensing mode, using the transmitting electrodes of the first electrode layer and the receiving electrodes of the second electrode layer.