IP Library Granted Patent US 9,436,339
Granted Patent B1
US 9,436,339 · App. 14/677,769 · Granted Sep 6, 2016

Touch sensor pattern

Inventors: Cole D. Wilson (Everett, WA); Patrick N Prendergast (Clinton, WA); Jonathan R Peterson (Everett, WA)
Assignee: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
G06F3/044G06F3/0418G06F2203/04103G06F2203/04111
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,436,339
App. No.
14/677,769
Granted
Sep 6, 2016
Kind
B1
Abstract

A capacitive sensor array includes a second sensor element intersecting a first sensor element to form an intersection associated with a unit cell. The second sensor element includes, within the unit cell: a first primary trace crossing the unit cell and a second primary trace crossing the unit cell, a first secondary trace connecting the first primary trace and the second primary trace, and a first tertiary trace branching away from the first secondary trace between the first primary trace and the second primary trace. An area of the first sensor element is greater than an area of the second sensor element within the unit cell.

Claims (26)

1. A capacitive sensor array comprising:

a first sensor element; and

a second sensor element intersecting the first sensor element to form an intersection associated with a unit cell, the second sensor element comprising, within the unit cell, a first primary trace crossing the unit cell and second primary trace crossing the unit cell, a first secondary trace connecting the first primary trace and the second primary trace, and a first tertiary trace branching away from the first secondary trace between the first primary trace and the second primary trace, wherein an area of the first sensor element is greater than an area of the second sensor element within the unit cell.

2. The capacitive sensor array of claim 1 , wherein the first sensor element comprises a transmit (TX) sensor element and the second sensor element comprises a receive (RX) sensor element.

3. The capacitive sensor array of claim 1 , wherein the second sensor element further comprises, within the unit cell, a second secondary trace connecting the first primary trace and the second primary trace and a second tertiary trace branching away from the second secondary trace between the first primary trace and the second primary trace.

4. The capacitive sensor array of claim 3 , wherein a longitudinal axis of each of the first and second secondary traces is perpendicular to the first and second primary traces at a junction between the secondary trace and the primary trace.

5. The capacitive sensor array of claim 3 , wherein the first tertiary trace is aligned along a same axis as the second tertiary trace.

6. The capacitive sensor array of claim 3 , wherein at least a portion of at least one of the first primary trace, the second primary trace, the first secondary trace, the second secondary trace, the first tertiary trace or the second tertiary trace falls within a second unit cell.

7. The capacitive sensor array of claim 1 , wherein the unit cell further comprises a single bridge coupled to the first sensor element.

8. A capacitive touch-sensing system comprising:

a capacitive sensor array comprising a plurality of intersections between a plurality of first sensor elements and a second sensor element, wherein each of the plurality of intersections is associated with a unit cell, the second sensor element comprising, within each unit cell, a first primary trace crossing the unit cell and second primary trace crossing the unit cell, a first secondary trace connecting the first primary trace and the second primary trace, and a first tertiary trace branching away from the first secondary trace between the first primary trace and the second primary trace, wherein an area of the first sensor element is greater than an area of the second sensor element within the unit cell; and

a capacitance sensor coupled to the capacitive sensor array, wherein the capacitance sensor is configured to measure a mutual capacitance for each of the plurality of intersections between the plurality of first sensor elements and the second sensor element.

9. The capacitive touch-sensing system of claim 8 , wherein the first sensor element comprises a transmit (TX) sensor element and the second sensor element comprises a receive (RX) sensor element.

10. The capacitive touch-sensing system of claim 8 , wherein the second sensor element further comprises, within the unit cell, a second secondary trace connecting the first primary trace and the second primary trace and a second tertiary trace branching away from the second secondary trace between the first primary trace and the second primary trace.

11. The capacitive touch-sensing system of claim 10 , wherein a longitudinal axis of each of the first and second secondary traces is perpendicular to the first and second primary traces at a junction between the secondary trace and the primary trace.

12. The capacitive touch-sensing system of claim 10 , wherein the first tertiary trace is aligned along a same axis as the second tertiary trace.

13. The capacitive touch-sensing system of claim 10 , wherein at least a portion of at least one of the first primary trace, the second primary trace, the first secondary trace, the second secondary trace, the first tertiary trace or the second tertiary trace falls within a second unit cell.

14. The capacitive touch-sensing system of claim 8 , wherein the unit cell further comprises a single bridge coupled to the first sensor element.

15. A capacitive sensor array comprising:

a first plurality of sensor elements; and

a second sensor element intersecting each of the first plurality of sensor elements to form a plurality of intersections, wherein each of the plurality of intersections is associated with a unit cell, wherein the unit cell designates a set of locations nearest a corresponding intersection, the second sensor element comprising, within the unit cell, a first primary trace crossing the unit cell and second primary trace crossing the unit cell, a first secondary trace and a second secondary trace each connecting the first primary trace and the second primary trace, a first tertiary trace branching away from the first secondary trace between the first primary trace and the second primary trace, and a second tertiary trace branching away from the second secondary trace between the first primary trace and the second primary trace, wherein an area of one of the first plurality of sensor elements is greater than an area of the second sensor element within the unit cell.

16. The capacitive sensor array of claim 15 , wherein the first plurality of sensor elements comprises transmit (TX) sensor elements and the second sensor element comprises a receive (RX) sensor element.

17. The capacitive sensor array of claim 15 , wherein a longitudinal axis of each of the first and second secondary traces is perpendicular to the first and second primary traces at a junction between the secondary trace and the primary trace.

18. The capacitive sensor array of claim 15 , wherein the first tertiary trace is aligned along a same axis as the second tertiary trace.

19. The capacitive sensor array of claim 15 , wherein at least a portion of at least one of the first primary trace, the second primary trace, the first secondary trace, the second secondary trace, the first tertiary trace or the second tertiary trace falls within a second unit cell.

20. The capacitive sensor array of claim 15 , wherein the unit cell further comprises a single bridge coupled to the one of the first plurality of sensor elements.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 14, 2016
From: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
To: MONTEREY RESEARCH, LLC
Reel/Frame 040028/0054 →
PARTIAL RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Aug 11, 2016
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION; SPANSION LLC
Reel/Frame 039708/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 9, 2015
From: WILSON, COLE; PRENDERGAST, PATRICK; PETERSON, JON
To: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 036992/0992 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 13424361 · Mar 19, 2012
Provisional Application 61602534 · Feb 23, 2012