Reduction of touch sensor pattern visibility using beamsplitters
In one embodiment, a touch sensor comprises a beamsplitter operable to reflect a first portion of light incident on the beamsplitter and transmit a second portion of light incident on the beamsplitter, a substrate, and one or more lines of conductive material disposed on the substrate, the lines of conductive material disposed between the first substrate and the beamsplitter.
1. An apparatus, comprising:
a display;
a first touch-sensor layer comprising a first plurality of conductive electrodes, wherein the first plurality of conductive electrodes comprises a metal mesh and is disposed on a first substrate;
a second touch-sensor layer comprising a second plurality of conductive electrodes, wherein the first plurality of conductive electrodes and the second plurality of conductive electrodes are electrically connected to one or more tracks of conductive material;
a beamsplitter operable to reflect a first portion of light incident on the coating and transmit a second portion of light incident on the coating, wherein the first portion of light is in the range of 30% to 95%, and the second portion of light is in the range of 5% to 70%;
wherein the beamsplitter is disposed above the first touch sensor layer;
wherein the beamsplitter is on a side of the first touch sensor layer opposite the display;
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 on the substrate is electrically connected to the flexible printed circuit.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of conductive electrodes and the second plurality of conductive electrodes are configured to capacitively couple across a dielectric material.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein a layer of anti-reflective coating is disposed above the first touch-sensor layer.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein refractive indices of the beamsplitter, the first substrate, and the anti-reflective coating are substantially similar to each other.
5. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the second plurality of conductive electrodes is disposed on a second substrate.
6. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the second plurality of conductive electrodes is disposed on the opposite side of the first substrate.
7. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the display comprises a liquid crystal display.
8. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the beamsplitter is adjacently disposed on the first touch sensor layer.
9. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein a third substrate is disposed between the beamsplitter and the first touch sensor layer.
10. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein refractive indices of the beamsplitter and the first substrate are substantially similar to each other.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the beamsplitter is operative to reduce display issues caused by light reflecting off the first plurality of conductive electrodes.
12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the beamsplitter comprises a half-mirror coating disposed above the first plurality of conductive electrodes to reduce display issues caused by light reflecting off the first plurality of conductive electrodes.
13. An apparatus, comprising:
a display;
a first touch-sensor layer comprising a first plurality of conductive electrodes, wherein the first plurality of conductive electrodes is disposed on a first substrate, the first plurality of conductive electrodes comprising sense electrodes;
a second touch-sensor layer comprising a second plurality of conductive electrodes, wherein the first plurality of conductive electrodes and the second plurality of conductive electrodes are electrically connected to one or more tracks of conductive material;
wherein the first plurality of conductive electrodes and the second plurality of conductive electrodes are configured to capacitively couple across a dielectric material;
a beamsplitter operable to divide a light beam into two or more separate light beams, wherein the beamsplitter is disposed above the first touch sensor layer on a side of the first touch sensor layer opposite the display, wherein the beamsplitter is operable to reflect a first portion of light incident on the beamsplitter and transmit a second portion of light incident on the beamsplitter, wherein the first portion of light is in the range of 30% to 95%, and the second portion of light is in the range of 5% to 70%;
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 on the substrate is electrically connected to the flexible printed circuit.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the first portion of light is in the range of 50% to 75%, and the second portion of light is in the range of 25% to 50%.
15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the beamsplitter comprises a half-mirror coating to reduce the display issues caused by light reflecting off the first plurality of conductive electrodes.
16. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the first plurality of conductive electrodes comprises a metal mesh.
17. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the first plurality of conductive electrodes comprises indium tin oxide.
18. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the second plurality of conductive electrodes is disposed on a second substrate.
19. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the second plurality of conductive electrodes is disposed on the opposite side of the first substrate.