IP Library Granted Patent US 10,146,382
Granted Patent B2
US 10,146,382 · App. 15/185,659 · Granted Dec 4, 2018

Touchscreen electrode arrangement

Inventor: Harald Philipp (Zug, CH)
Assignee: Atmel Corporation
G06F3/044G06F3/0416G06F2203/04103
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,146,382
App. No.
15/185,659
Granted
Dec 4, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

An assembly has an array of first electrodes distributed across an active area of the touchscreen assembly such that the density of first electrodes increases in a first direction across the touchscreen. An array of second electrodes is distributed across an active area of the touchscreen assembly such that the density of second electrodes decreases in the first direction across the touchscreen.

Claims (58)

1. An assembly comprising:

an array of first electrodes distributed across an active area of a touchscreen assembly such that the density of first electrodes increases in a first direction along an x-axis of the touchscreen, wherein the first electrodes are coupled together in a first sensing channel;

an array of second electrodes distributed across an active area of the touchscreen assembly such that the density of second electrodes decreases in the first direction along the x-axis of the touchscreen, wherein the second electrodes are coupled together to in a second sensing channel;

an array of third electrodes distributed across an active area of a touchscreen assembly such that the density of third electrodes increases in a second direction along a y-axis of the touchscreen; and

an array of fourth electrodes distributed across an active area of the touchscreen assembly such that the density of fourth electrodes decreases in the second direction along the y-axis of the touchscreen.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein:

the first electrodes are directly coupled to one another and to a first external electrical connection; and

the second electrodes are directly coupled to one another and to a second external electrical connection.

3. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the density of first and second electrodes changes by varying the proportion of first and second electrodes present across the first direction.

4. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an array of fifth electrodes distributed approximately evenly across the touchscreen, wherein:

the first and second electrodes are drive electrodes, and

the fifth electrodes are receive electrodes such that the first and second electrodes interact with the fifth electrodes via mutual capacitance to form a mutual capacitance touchscreen.

5. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second electrodes comprise at least one of metal wire, fine line metal, indium tin oxide, and a conductive polymer.

6. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first and second electrodes are nonintersecting in the active area of the touchscreen.

7. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the touchscreen assembly comprises at least one of a self-capacitance touchscreen, a mutual capacitance touchscreen, and a resistive touchscreen.

8. A method comprising:

driving an array of first electrodes with a first drive signal, the first electrodes distributed across an active area of a touchscreen assembly such that the density of first electrodes increases in a first direction along the x-axis of the touchscreen, wherein the first electrodes are coupled together in a first sensing channel;

driving an array of second electrodes with a second drive signal, the second electrodes distributed across an active area of the touchscreen assembly such that the density of second electrodes decreases in the first direction along the x-axis of the touchscreen, wherein the second electrodes are coupled together in a second sensing channel;

driving an array of third electrodes with a third drive signal, the third electrodes distributed across an active area of a touchscreen assembly such that the density of third electrodes increases in a second direction along a y-axis of the touchscreen; and

driving an array of fourth electrodes with a fourth drive signal, the fourth electrodes distributed across an active area of the touchscreen assembly such that the density of fourth electrodes decreases in the second direction along the y-axis of the touchscreen.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein:

the first electrodes are directly coupled to one another and to the first drive signal, and

the second electrodes are directly coupled to one another and to the second drive signal.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the density of first and second electrodes changes by varying the proportion of first and second electrodes present in the first direction.

11. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

receiving a mutual capacitive coupled signal from at least one of the first and second electrodes in an array of fifth electrodes distributed approximately evenly across the touchscreen, such that the first and second electrodes interact with the fifth electrodes via mutual capacitance to form a mutual capacitance touchscreen.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first, second, and fifth electrodes are nonintersecting in the active area of the touchscreen.

13. A method comprising:

forming an array of first electrodes distributed across an active area of a touchscreen assembly such that the density of first electrodes increases in a first direction along an x-axis of the touchscreen;

coupling the first electrodes together in a first sensing channel;

forming an array of second electrodes distributed across an active area of the touchscreen assembly such that the density of second electrodes decreases in the first direction along the x-axis of the touchscreen;

coupling the second electrodes together to in a second sensing channel;

forming an array of third electrodes distributed across an active area of a touchscreen assembly such that the density of third electrodes increases in a second direction along a y-axis of the touchscreen; and

forming an array of fourth electrodes distributed across an active area of the touchscreen assembly such that the density of fourth electrodes decreases in the second direction along the y-axis of the touchscreen.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

directly coupling the first electrodes to one another and to a first external electrical connection; and

directly coupling the second electrodes to one another and to a second external electrical connection.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the density of first and second electrodes is changed by varying the proportion of first and second electrodes formed across the first direction.

16. The method of claim 13 , further comprising forming an array of fifth electrodes distributed approximately evenly across the touchscreen, such that the first and second electrodes interact with the fifth electrodes via mutual capacitance to form a mutual capacitance touchscreen display.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein at least one of the first, second, and fifth electrodes comprise at least one of fine line metal, indium tin oxide, and a conductive polymer.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first, second, and fifth electrodes are nonintersecting in the active area of the touchscreen.

19. An assembly comprising:

an array of first electrodes distributed across a plurality of zones of an active area of a touchscreen assembly; and

an array of second electrodes distributed across the plurality of zones of the active area of the touchscreen assembly; and

an array of third electrodes distributed across the plurality of zones of the active area of the touchscreen assembly; and

an array of fourth electrodes distributed across the plurality of zones of the active area of the touchscreen assembly, and

wherein:

the first electrodes are coupled together in a first sensing channel;

the second electrodes are coupled together in a second sensing channel;

in a first zone disposed along an x-axis of the touchscreen assembly, there are a greater number of first electrodes than second electrodes, and

in a second zone disposed along the x-axis of the touchscreen assembly, there are a fewer number of first electrodes than second electrodes;

in a first zone disposed along a y-axis of the touchscreen assembly, there are a greater number of third electrodes than fourth electrodes, and

in a second zone disposed along the y-axis of the touchscreen assembly, there are a fewer number of third electrodes than fourth electrodes.

20. The assembly of claim 19 , wherein a position of an input on the touchscreen assembly can be determined by the proportion of first and second electrodes in the area of input.

21. The assembly of claim 19 , wherein:

a third zone is disposed between the first zone and the second zone along the x-axis of the touchscreen assembly,

there are a fewer number of first electrodes in the third zone than a number of first electrodes in the first zone, and

there are a greater number of second electrodes in the third zone than a number of second electrodes in the second zone.

Assignments (11)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 9, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059358/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 28, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 059262/0105 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 25, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059333/0222 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 12, 2019
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 050987/0430 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 12, 2019
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 050986/0798 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 7, 2019
From: ATMEL CORPORATION
To: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 050950/0594 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 18, 2018
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 047103/0206 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 25, 2018
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 046426/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 10, 2017
From: ATMEL CORPORATION
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 041715/0747 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 20, 2016
From: QRG LIMITED
To: ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 038959/0952 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 17, 2016
From: PHILIPP, HARALD
To: QRG LIMITED
Reel/Frame 038944/0909 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 12606934 · Oct 27, 2009
Related Publication 20160299605A1 · Oct 13, 2016