# US 10,120,492 B2 · Touch sensor and information processing system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,120,492 B2 - Document ID: US10120492B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/244,700 - Filed: 2016-08-23 - Published: 2017-04-27 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2015-10-23 - Assignees: Alpine Electronics, Inc. - Applicants: Alpine Electronics, Inc. - Inventors: Wataru Oikubo; Yusuke Yoshida - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10120492B2 ## CPC - H03K 17/9622: {using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard} - H10K 59/40: OLEDs integrated with touch screens - G06F 2203/04111: Cross over in capacitive digitiser, i.e. details of structures for connecting electrodes of the sensing pattern where the connections cross each other, e.g. bridge structures comprising an insulating layer, or vias through substrate - H03K 2217/960795: using organic light emitting devices, e.g. light emitting polymer [OEP] or OLED - H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M) - H10K: ORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A touch sensor module is structured by laminating an organic EL layer and a smoked glass layer on a substrate, which has a positive electrode pattern and a negative electrode pattern on the upper surface. When a driving voltage is applied to the positive electrode pattern, a current flows in a segment between the positive electrode pattern and the negative electrode pattern in the organic EL layer and the segment emits light. The emitted light causes a figure that represents a key to appear on the display surface of the touch sensor module. When the user touches a portion in which the figure representing a key is displayed on the display surface of the touch sensor module, a capacitance between the positive electrode pattern and the negative electrode pattern changes. Accordingly, the user's touch to the figure representing a key is detected. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A touch sensor used in a touch sensor device that has a display function based on emitted light and a touch detection function, the touch sensor comprising: a substrate; a positive electrode pattern and a negative electrode pattern disposed on an upper surface of the substrate; an electro-luminescence (EL) layer laminated on the substrate on which the positive electrode pattern and the negative electrode pattern are disposed; and a protective layer laminated on the EL layer, the protective layer transmitting at least part of light emitted from the EL layer; wherein the positive electrode pattern and the negative electrode pattern are configured to cause at least part of the EL layer to emit light and also to detect a touch by a user on the touch sensor; and wherein the positive electrode pattern and the negative electrode pattern are separated from each other and are shaped and disposed so as to match a shape in which a portion of the EL layer forms a character, a symbol, or a figure, the portion emitting light when a driving voltage is applied across the positive electrode pattern and the negative electrode pattern, and to match a position of the shape, where the shape is formed by combining the positive electrode pattern, the negative electrode pattern, and a portion between the positive electrode pattern and the negative electrode pattern. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The touch sensor according to claim 1, wherein the protective layer is a transparent glass layer or a transparent sheet. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The touch sensor according to claim 1, wherein the protective layer is a smoked glass layer or a smoked sheet. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A touch sensor device comprising: the touch senor according to the claim 1; and a controller; wherein the controller applies the driving voltage across the positive electrode pattern and the negative electrode pattern and also detects a touch by a user according to a change in capacitance between the positive electrode pattern and the negative electrode pattern. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The touch sensor according to claim 1, wherein: the EL is shaped and disposed so as to form a character, a symbol, or a figure; and the positive electrode pattern and the negative electrode pattern are shaped and disposed so as to match a shape in which the EL layer emits light when a driving voltage is applied across the positive electrode pattern and the negative electrode pattern and to match a position of the shape. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) An information processing system comprising; the touch sensor device according to claim 5; and a processing unit that performs data processing by using the touch sensor device as an input device that accepts a manipulation performed by a user. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A touch sensor device comprising: the touch sensor according to claim 1; and a controller; wherein the controller applies a driving voltage across the positive electrode pattern and the negative electrode pattern to cause at least part of the EL layer to emit light and also detects a touch by a user according to a change in capacitance between the positive electrode pattern use and the negative electrode pattern. ### Claim 8 A touch sensor used in a touch sensor device that has a display function based on emitted light and a touch detection function, the touch sensor comprising: a substrate; a positive electrode pattern for display use, a negative electrode pattern for display use, a positive electrode pattern for detection use, and a negative electrode pattern for detection use that are disposed on an upper surface of the substrate; an EL layer laminated on the substrate on which the positive electrode pattern for display use, the negative electrode pattern for display use, the positive electrode pattern for detection use, and the negative electrode pattern for detection use are disposed; and a protective layer laminated on the EL layer, the protective layer transmitting at least part of light emitted from the EL layer; wherein the EL layer is shaped and disposed so as to form a character, a symbol, or a figure; the positive electrode pattern for display use and the negative electrode pattern for display use are separated from each other and are shaped and disposed so as to match a shape in which the EL layer emits light when a driving voltage is applied across the positive electrode pattern for display use and the negative electrode pattern for display use and to match a position of the shape where the shape is formed by combining the positive electrode pattern for display use, the negative electrode pattern for display use, and a portion between the positive electrode pattern for display use and the negative electrode pattern for display use; and the positive electrode pattern for detection use and the negative electrode pattern for detection use are disposed around a portion of the EL layer, the portion emitting light, when viewed from a direction orthogonal to the EL layer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The touch sensor according to claim 8, wherein the protective layer is a transparent glass layer or a transparent sheet. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The touch sensor according to claim 8, wherein the protective layer is a smoked glass layer or a smoked sheet. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) A touch sensor device comprising: the touch sensor according to claim 8; and a controller; wherein the controller applies a driving voltage across the positive electrode pattern for display use and the negative electrode pattern for display use and also detects a touch by a user according to a change in capacitance between the positive electrode pattern for detection use and the negative electrode pattern for detection use. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) A touch sensor device comprising: the touch sensor according to claim 8; and a controller; wherein the controller applies a driving voltage across the positive electrode pattern for display use and the negative electrode pattern for display use to cause at least part of the EL layer to emit light and also detects a touch by the user according to a change in capacitance between the positive electrode pattern for detection use and the negative electrode pattern for detection use.