Touch Sensor Panel with In-Plane Backup Bypass Connections
AssigneeMotorola Mobility LLC
InventorsJohn J. Gorsica, Dale F. Bengtson, Michael F. Olley
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Touch sensor panels (104) have 2-D periodic arrangements of electrodes (304) connected together forming a plurality of horizontal and vertical logical lines (506, 514) for measuring X-Y coordinates of a user's touch. Electrodes forming the horizontal logical lines are interleaved with electrodes forming the vertical logical lines. Each of the vertical and horizontal logical lines includes multiple tracks (502, 504, 510, 512). The tracks of each logical line are cross connected by in-plane cross connects (314, 318) formed in the same layer by the same process that is used to form the electrodes. Diamond and square electrode embodiments are described.
Claims25
A touch sensor panel for sensing coordinates of a user's touch, the touch sensor panel comprising:
- a first plurality of logical lines for sensing a first coordinate, wherein each of the first plurality of logical lines includes:
- a first plurality of parallel adjacent tracks, and
- a first plurality of in-plane cross connects connecting the first plurality of parallel adjacent tracks,
- wherein the first plurality of parallel adjacent tracks and the first plurality of in-plane cross connects are disposed in a common plane;
- a second plurality of logical lines for sensing a second coordinate, wherein each of the second plurality of logical lines includes:
- a second plurality of parallel adjacent tracks, and
- a second plurality of in-plane cross connects connecting the second plurality of parallel adjacent tracks,
- wherein the second plurality of in-plane cross connects are disposed in the common plane.
A method of making a touch sensor panel comprising:
- A. forming a patterned transparent conductor layer including:
- a first plurality of logical lines each of which includes a first plurality of parallel tracks,
- a first plurality of in-plane cross connects connecting the first plurality of parallel tracks at multiple points, and
- additional areas that are interleaved among the first plurality of parallel tracks,
- wherein the additional areas comprise disjoint segments for a second plurality of logical lines each of which includes a second plurality of tracks;
- a second plurality of in-plane cross connects connecting the additional areas in the second plurality of tracks within each of the second plurality of logical lines;
- and
- B. forming a plurality of bridges that bridge the disjoint segments of the second plurality of tracks wherein the plurality of bridges cross over the first plurality of parallel tracks, and wherein forming the plurality of bridges comprises:
- B1. forming areas of insulator disposed between the disjoint segments and aligned with portions of the first plurality of parallel tracks that pass between the disjoint segments, and
- B2. forming conductive connections aligned with the areas of insulator, wherein the conductive connections connect the disjoint segments and are insulated from portions of the first plurality of tracks that pass between the disjoint segments.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.