# US 2023/0273689 A1 · Sensor for detecting pen signal transmitted from pen > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2023/0273689 A1 - Document ID: US20230273689A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/312,428 - Filed: 2023-05-04 - Published: 2023-08-31 - Earliest claimed: 2017-08-01 - Assignees: Wacom Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Wacom Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Jun KADOWAKI; Yutaka KAMIOKA - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20230273689A1 ## CPC - G06F 3/03545: {Pens or stylus} - G06F 3/0442: {using active external devices, e.g. active pens, for transmitting changes in electrical potential to be received by the digitiser} - G06F 3/0445: {using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer} - G06F 3/0446: {using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes} - G06F 3/04164: {Connections between sensors and controllers, e.g. routing lines between electrodes and connection pads} - G06F 2203/04102: Flexible digitiser, i.e. constructional details for allowing the whole digitising part of a device to be flexed or rolled like a sheet of paper - G06F 2203/04112: Electrode mesh in capacitive digitiser: electrode for touch sensing is formed of a mesh of very fine, normally metallic, interconnected lines that are almost invisible to see. This provides a quite large but transparent electrode surface, without need for ITO or similar transparent conductive material - H05K 1/189: characterised by the use of flexible or folded printed circuits - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ## Abstract A sensor is provided for detecting a pen signal transmitted from a pen. The sensor includes a touch sensor, flexible printed circuit (FPC) connector terminals, and a detection pattern. The touch sensor has linear electrodes, which form a position detection area and are configured to respectively detect the pen signal. The FPC connector terminals are connected to the linear electrodes, respectively, via routing traces arranged outside the position detection area. The detection pattern is arranged in a region outside the position detection area, near the FPC connector terminals, and is configured to detect the pen signal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A sensor for detecting a pen signal transmitted from a pen, comprising: a touch sensor having first electrodes extending in a first direction and second electrodes extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, which form a rectangular-shape position detection area and are configured to respectively receive the pen signal; first routing traces which connect some of the first electrodes to first flexible printed circuit (FPC) connector terminals that are arranged outside of the position detection area, the first routing traces extending toward one end of the first direction; and second routing traces which connect others of the first electrodes to second FPC connector terminals that are arranged outside of the position detection area, the second routing traces extending toward another end of the first direction, such that the first routing traces and the second routing traces extend in opposite directions from the first electrodes along the first direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The sensor of claim 1, wherein the first routing traces are connected to approximately one half of the first electrodes and the second routing traces are connected to approximately another half of the first electrodes. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The sensor of claim 1, wherein the first electrodes connected to the first routing traces are alternately arranged along the second direction with respect to the first electrodes connected to the second routing traces. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The sensor of claim 1, wherein the first FPC connector terminals to which the first routing traces are connected and the second FPC connector terminals to which the second routing traces are connected are both provided outside an edge of the position detection area, the edge extending in the first direction. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The sensor of claim 4, wherein the first FPC connector terminals and the second FPC connector terminals extend in the second direction. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The sensor of claim 1, wherein third FPC connector terminals connected to the second electrodes are also provided outside the edge of the position detection area. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The sensor of claim 6, wherein the third FPC connector terminals are provided between the first FPC connector terminals and the second FPC connector terminals along the first direction. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The sensor of claim 6, wherein the third FPC connector terminals are separated from both the first FPC connector terminals and the second FPC connector terminals by a distance in the first direction, the distance being greater than a width R which is a spanning distance across a reachable range of the pen signal on the touch sensor. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is for use in an electronic device provided with a display panel that has a display area and a bezel area, and the position detection area is superimposed over the display panel. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The sensor according to claim 9, wherein the first FPC connector terminals and the second FPC connector terminals are arranged at positions that overlap with the bezel area in a plan view. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The sensor according to claim 1, further comprising: an integrated circuit configured to detect a position of the pen based on the pen signal supplied from the touch sensor via the first FPC connector terminals and the second FPC connector terminals.