Touch sensor panel using regional and local electrodes to increase number of sense locations

An electronic device, comprising:

• a touch sensor panel, comprising:
• a plurality of regional electrodes distributed across said touch sensor panel for distinguishing a touch within or between each of a plurality of regions of said touch sensor panel;
• and
• a plurality of local electrodes distributed across said touch sensor panel, each comprising a plurality of pads distributed within said plurality of regional electrodes so that each said regional electrode includes at least one pad of each of said plurality of local electrodes, wherein a touch anywhere across said touch sensor panel is detected by at least one of said plurality of local electrodes;
• and
• a sensor circuit which senses changes of any of said plurality of electrodes, and which compares relative changes of said plurality of electrodes to identify a corresponding touch location of said touch sensor panel.

A method of determining a touch location along a touch area of a touch sensor panel, comprising:

• providing a plurality of electrodes comprising a plurality of regional electrodes and a plurality of local electrodes;
• locating each of the plurality of regional electrodes within a corresponding one of a plurality of regions of the touch area wherein each region includes one regional electrode and wherein a touch anywhere along the touch area is detected by at least one of the plurality of regional electrodes;
• dividing each of the plurality of local electrodes into a plurality of electrically-coupled touch pads;
• distributing the plurality of touch pads of each of the plurality of local electrodes within the plurality of regional electrodes so that each regional electrode includes a touch pad of each local electrode, and so that a touch anywhere along the touch area is detected by at least one of the plurality of local electrodes;
• and
• determining the touch location by determining which of the regional electrodes are changed above a minimum activity threshold and by determining relative weight of changes of the plurality of electrodes.