IP Library Granted Patent US 10,756,146
Granted Patent B2
US 10,756,146 · App. 16/440,762 · Granted Aug 25, 2020

Integrated touch screen

Inventors: David Brent Guard (Whiteley, GB); Esat Yilmaz (Santa Cruz, CA); Matthew Trend (Fareham, Hampshire, GB)
Assignee: Neodrón Limited
H01L27/323G02F1/1343G02F1/13338G06F1/1652G06F3/041G06F3/044G06F3/0412G06F3/0445G06F3/0446G06F3/04164H01L27/156H01L27/32G06F2203/04111G06F2203/04112
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,756,146
App. No.
16/440,762
Granted
Aug 25, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

In an embodiment, apparatus having a touch-sensitive screen, a touch-sensor controller and a flexible printed circuit. Conductive electrodes are substantially aligned with one or more gaps between pixels of the two-dimensional array. First conductive electrodes form vertices within the one or more gaps between pixels of the two-dimensional array such that the vertices do not obscure in plan view. 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. One or more tracks of conductive material is electrically connected to the flexible printed circuit.

Claims (69)

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 and a second electrode layer comprising a plurality of second conductive electrodes, wherein the plurality of first conductive electrodes and the second conductive electrodes are formed on the same layer; 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 substantially all 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 substantially all 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;

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; and

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

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , the plurality of layers further comprising an organic light emitting diode (OLED).

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of first conductive electrodes and the second conductive electrodes are configured to capacitively couple across a dielectric material.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , the plurality of first conductive electrodes comprising non-linear conductive lines configured to reduce the probability of causing interference or moiré patterns.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of first conductive electrodes comprises an array of diamond-shaped cells.

6. 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 and a second electrode layer comprising a plurality of second conductive electrodes forming a second mesh pattern, wherein the plurality of first conductive electrodes and the second conductive electrodes are formed on the same layer; 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 substantially all 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 substantially all 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;

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; and

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

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , the plurality of layers further comprising an organic light emitting diode (OLED).

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of first conductive electrodes and the second conductive electrodes are configured to capacitively couple across a dielectric material.

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

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of first conductive electrodes comprises an array of diamond-shaped cells.

11. An apparatus, comprising:

a touch-sensitive display screen comprising:

a plurality of organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) arranged as a two-dimensional array of pixels configured to produce an image,

a substantially transparent cover panel,

a plurality of first conductive electrodes forming a first mesh pattern,

a plurality of second conductive electrodes forming a second mesh pattern, wherein the plurality of second conductive electrodes are oriented perpendicularly from the plurality of first 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, in plan view, do not cross over at least one of the pixels of the two-dimensional array of pixels;

wherein the plurality of first conductive electrodes and the second conductive electrodes are configured to capacitively couple to form one or more touch-sensor nodes;

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;

a touch-sensor controller configured to detect and process the change in capacitance at the 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 is electrically connected to the flexible printed circuit.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of first conductive electrodes comprises a plurality of first conductive elements, wherein:

the first conductive elements are connected to one another by conductive crossover bridges,

the conductive crossover bridges are separated from the plurality of second conductive electrodes by a dielectric material.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , further comprising a layer of optically clear adhesive (OCA) in contact with the cover panel, wherein:

the plurality of first conductive electrodes and the plurality of second conductive electrodes are on two separate layers; and

the plurality of first conductive electrodes and the plurality of second conductive electrodes, in plan view, do not cross over substantially all of the pixels of the two-dimensional array of pixels.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , further comprising a layer of optically clear adhesive (OCA) in contact with the cover panel, wherein:

the plurality of first conductive electrodes and the plurality of second conductive electrodes are on a single layer; and

the plurality of first conductive electrodes and the plurality of second conductive electrodes, in plan view, do not cross over substantially all of the pixels of the two-dimensional array of pixels.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 , further comprising a layer of optically clear adhesive (OCA) in contact with the cover panel, wherein:

the plurality of second conductive electrodes comprises a plurality of second conductive elements; and

the plurality of first conductive elements and the plurality of second conductive elements are on a single layer.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of first conductive electrodes comprises a first array of diamond-shaped mesh cells and the plurality of second conductive electrodes comprises a second array of diamond-shaped mesh cells.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein:

the second conductive elements are connected to one another underneath the conductive crossover bridges; and

the plurality of first conductive electrodes and the plurality of second conductive electrodes, in plan view, do not cross over substantially all of the pixels of the two-dimensional array of pixels.

18. The apparatus of claim 12 , further comprising a layer of optically clear adhesive (OCA) in contact with the cover panel, wherein:

the plurality of second conductive electrodes comprises a plurality of second conductive elements; and

the plurality of first conductive elements and the plurality of second conductive elements are coplanar.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the plurality of first conductive electrodes comprises a first array of diamond-shaped mesh cells and the plurality of second conductive electrodes comprises a second array of diamond-shaped mesh cells.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein:

the second conductive elements are connected to one another underneath the conductive crossover bridges; and

the plurality of first conductive electrodes and the plurality of second conductive electrodes, in plan view, do not cross over substantially all of the pixels of the two-dimensional array of pixels.

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 12, 2019
From: YILMAZ, ESAT
To: ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 050355/0690 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 9, 2019
From: GUARD, DAVID BRENT
To: ATMEL TECHNOLOGIES U.K. LIMITED
Reel/Frame 050320/0085 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 27, 2019
From: ATMEL TECHNOLOGIES U.K. LIMITED
To: ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 050183/0848 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 27, 2019
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY GERMANY GMBH
To: NEODRÓN LIMITED
Reel/Frame 050189/0283 →