IP Library Granted Patent US 10,644,080
Granted Patent B2
US 10,644,080 · App. 16/266,656 · Granted May 5, 2020

Integrated touch screen

Inventors: David Brent Guard (Fareham, GB); Esat Yilmaz (Santa Cruz, CA); Matthew Trend (Fareham, GB)
Assignee: Neodrón Limited
H01L27/323G02F1/13338G06F1/1652G06F3/044G06F3/0412
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,644,080
App. No.
16/266,656
Granted
May 5, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

An apparatus having a touch-sensitive screen, a touch-sensor controller and a flexible printed circuit. A plurality of first conductive electrodes and a plurality of second conductive electrodes are substantially aligned with one or more gaps between two or more pixels of a two-dimensional array of pixels such that the electrodes do not cross over at least one of the pixels of the two-dimensional array of pixels. The plurality of first conductive electrodes form vertices within the one or more gaps between two or more pixels of the two-dimensional array of pixels such that the vertices do not obscure in plan view at least one of the pixels of the two-dimensional array of pixels. The touch-sensor controller is configured to detect and process the change in capacitance at one or more touch-sensor nodes to determine the presence and location of a touch-sensor input.

Claims (47)

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a touch-sensitive screen comprising a plurality of layers, the plurality of layers comprising:

a light emissive layer,

a two-dimensional array of pixels configured to produce an image,

a cathode layer, the cathode layer being configured to energize the light emissive layer,

a substantially transparent cover layer,

a first electrode layer comprising a plurality of first conductive electrodes,

a second electrode layer comprising a plurality of second conductive electrodes; and

a substrate;

wherein the plurality of first conductive electrodes and the plurality of second conductive electrodes are substantially aligned with one or more gaps between two or more pixels of the two-dimensional array of pixels such that the plurality of first conductive electrodes and the plurality of second conductive electrodes do not cross over at least one of the pixels of the two-dimensional array of pixels;

wherein the plurality of first conductive electrodes form vertices within the one or more gaps between two or more pixels of the two-dimensional array of pixels such that the vertices do not obscure in plan view at least one of the pixels of the two-dimensional array of pixels;

wherein the plurality of first conductive electrodes and the plurality of second conductive electrodes are electrically connected to one or more tracks of conductive material on the substrate;

a touch-sensor controller configured to detect and process the change in capacitance at one or more touch-sensor nodes to determine the presence and location of a touch-sensor input, and further configured to communicate information about the touch-sensor input to one or more components of the apparatus;

a flexible printed circuit electrically connected to the touch-sensor controller; wherein the one or more tracks of conductive material on the substrate is electrically connected to the flexible printed circuit.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , the light emissive layer comprising an organic light emitting diode (OLED).

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first electrode layer comprising a plurality of first conductive electrodes and the second electrode layer comprising a plurality of second conductive electrodes are in contact with a same layer.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of first conductive electrodes and the second conductive electrodes are formed on the same layer.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 , the two-dimensional array of pixels comprising one or more layers.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first conductive electrodes and the second conductive electrodes are configured to capacitively couple across a dielectric material.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , the dielectric material comprising a non-birefringent material.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , the plurality of first conductive electrodes comprising non-linear conductive lines configured to reduce the probability of causing interference or moirépatterns.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , the non-linear conductive lines comprising substantially sinusoidal shapes.

10. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of first conductive electrodes form an array of diamond-shaped cells.

11. An apparatus, comprising:

a touch-sensitive screen comprising a plurality of layers, the plurality of layers comprising:

a light emissive layer,

a two-dimensional array of pixels configured to produce an image,

a cathode layer, the cathode layer being configured to energize the light emissive layer,

a substantially transparent cover layer,

a first electrode layer comprising a plurality of first conductive electrodes forming a first mesh pattern,

a second electrode layer comprising a plurality of second conductive electrodes forming a second mesh pattern; and

a substrate;

wherein the plurality of first conductive electrodes is substantially aligned with one or more gaps between two or more pixels of the two-dimensional array of pixels such that the plurality of first conductive electrodes does not cross over at least one of the pixels of the two-dimensional array of pixels;

wherein the plurality of first conductive electrodes form vertices within the one or more gaps between two or more pixels of the two-dimensional array of pixels such that the vertices do not obscure in plan view at least one of the pixels of the two-dimensional array of pixels;

wherein the plurality of first conductive electrodes and the plurality of second conductive electrodes are electrically connected to one or more tracks of conductive material on the substrate;

a touch-sensor controller configured to detect and process the change in capacitance at one or more touch-sensor nodes to determine the presence and location of a touch-sensor input, and further configured to communicate information about the touch-sensor input to one or more components of the apparatus;

a flexible printed circuit electrically connected to the touch-sensor controller;

wherein the one or more tracks of conductive material on the substrate is electrically connected to the flexible printed circuit.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , the light emissive layer comprising an organic light emitting diode (OLED).

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the first electrode layer comprising a plurality of first conductive electrodes forming a mesh pattern and the second electrode layer comprising a plurality of second conductive electrodes forming a mesh pattern are in contact with a same layer.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of first conductive electrodes and the second conductive electrodes are formed on a same layer.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 , the two-dimensional array of pixels comprising one or more layers.

16. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of first conductive electrodes and the second conductive electrodes are configured to capacitively couple across a dielectric material.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , the dielectric material comprising a non-birefringent material.

18. The apparatus of claim 11 , the plurality of first conductive electrodes comprising non-linear conductive lines configured to reduce the probability of causing interference or moirépatterns.

19. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the first mesh pattern and the second mesh pattern are not identical.

20. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of first conductive electrodes form an array of diamond-shaped mesh cells.

Assignments (5)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 10, 2019
From: TREND, MATTHEW
To: ATMEL TECHNOLOGIES U.K. LIMITED
Reel/Frame 051183/0604 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 9, 2019
From: GUARD, DAVID BRENT
To: ATMEL TECHNOLOGIES UK LIMITED
Reel/Frame 050318/0414 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 29, 2019
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY GERMANY GMBH
To: NEODRÓN LIMITED
Reel/Frame 050209/0420 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 27, 2019
From: ATMEL TECHNOLOGIES U.K. LIMITED
To: ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 050183/0852 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 27, 2019
From: YILMAZ, ESAT
To: ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 050185/0128 →
Continuity (5)
Continuation 14509525 · Oct 8, 2014
Continuation 14254979 · Apr 17, 2014
Continuation 13422410 · Mar 16, 2012
Provisional Application 61563007 · Nov 22, 2011
Related Publication 20190181185A1 · Jun 13, 2019