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US 2006/0132462 A1Published application
Touch sensors incorporating capacitively coupled electrodes
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorBernard Geaghan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention provides touch sensors that incorporate electrodes that are capacitively coupled through a dielectric layer to one or more resistive touch sensing layers, for example for linearizing the electric field across the resistive layer of an analog capacitive touch screen or for addressing the conductive elements of a matrix type capacitive touch screen. Such a construction allows for new manufacturing methods and new ways of constructing touch sensors.
Claims3
A touch sensor comprising:
- a resistive layer configured for sensing a touch to the touch sensor;
- a resistor and electrode strip comprising a plurality of electrodes mutually electrically connected by a resistor material, the resistor and electrode strip disposed so that the electrodes are capacitively coupled to the resistive layer through a dielectric layer, the electrodes positioned to provide a uniformly distributed driving signal to the resistive layer.
A method for making a touch sensor comprising:
- providing an article including a resistive layer suitable for sensing a touch;
- providing a resistor and electrode strip comprising a plurality of electrodes mutually electrically connected by a resistor material;
- capacitively coupling the electrodes of the resistor and electrode strip to the resistive layer through a dielectric layer, the electrodes being positioned to provide a uniformly distributed driving signal to the resistive layer;
- and
- electrically coupling the resistor and electrode strip to controller electronics configured to communicate signals to and from the resistive layer through the resistor and electrode strip.
2 more elements
A touch sensor comprising:
- a plurality of electrically isolated resistive elements configured for sensing a touch to the touch sensor;
- an electrode strip comprising a plurality of electrodes individually electrically connected to controller electronics, the electrode strip disposed so that each of the electrodes is capacitively coupled to one of the resistive elements through a dielectric layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.