Touch sensor panels with reduced static capacitance
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsSteven Porter Hotelling, Marduke Yousefpor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Capacitive touch panels may include a plurality of positive voltage lines that are driven at a first phase. These positive voltage lines may be used to provide the drive capacitance signal sensed by one or more sense regions. The touch panels may also include a plurality of negative phase voltage lines that are driven at a phase that is different than the first phase. Both the positive and negative voltage lines may cross-under one or more sense regions. The negative phase voltage lines are able to counter act and reduce the static capacitance in the sense regions.
Claims28
A touch sensitive panel comprising:
- a plurality of first voltage lines that are driven at a first phase;
- a plurality of second voltage lines that are driven at a second phase that is different than the first phase;
- a drive region coupled to the first voltage lines;
- and
- a sense region, wherein the first voltage lines and the second voltage lines cross-under the sense region,
- wherein the first and second phases of the first and second voltage lines respectively reduce static capacitance in the sense region.
A method of reducing static capacitance in a touch panel comprising:
- driving a plurality of first voltage lines at a first phase;
- driving a plurality of second voltage lines at a second phase that is different than the first phase, wherein the first voltage lines and the second voltage lines cross-under a sense region;
- and
- wherein the first and second phases of the first and second voltage lines respectively reduce static capacitance in the sense region.
A method of reducing the static capacitance in a sense region of a touch panel comprising:
- providing a sense region comprising a plurality of capacitive elements of pixels,
- providing a plurality of first voltage lines that are driven at a first phase and cross-under the sense region;
- providing a drive region comprising a plurality of capacitive elements of pixels connected to the first voltage lines;
- selecting a number of second voltage lines to be driven at a second phase that is different than the first phase;
- and
- providing the selected number of second voltage lines that cross-under the sense region;
- wherein the first and second phases of the first and selected number of second voltage lines respectively reduce static capacitance in the sense region.
A touch screen including display pixels with capacitive elements, the touch screen comprising:
- a plurality of first voltage lines that are driven at a first phase;
- a plurality of second voltage lines that are driven at a second phase that is different than the first phase;
- a drive region comprising a plurality of capacitive elements of pixels connected to the first voltage lines;
- a sense region, wherein the first voltage lines and the second voltage lines cross-under the sense region;
- and
- wherein the first and second phases of the first and second voltage lines respectively reduce static capacitance in the sense region.
A digital media player comprising a touch screen comprising:
- a plurality of first voltage lines that are driven at a first phase;
- a plurality of second voltage lines that are driven at a second phase that is different than the first phase;
- a drive region comprising a plurality of capacitive elements of pixels connected to the first voltage lines;
- and
- a sense region, wherein the first voltage lines and the second voltage lines cross-under the sense region;
- and
- wherein the first and second phases of the first and second voltage lines respectively reduce static capacitance in the sense region.
A mobile telephone comprising a touch screen comprising:
- a plurality of first voltage lines that are driven at a first phase;
- a plurality of second voltage lines that are driven at a second phase that is different than the first phase;
- a drive region comprising a plurality of capacitive elements of pixels connected to the first voltage lines;
- and a sense region comprising a plurality of capacitive elements of pixels, wherein the first voltage lines and the second voltage lines cross-under the sense region;
- and
- wherein the first and second phases of the first and second voltage lines respectively reduce static capacitance in the sense region.
A personal computer comprising a touch screen comprising:
- a plurality of first voltage lines that are driven at a first phase;
- a plurality of second voltage lines that are driven at a second phase that is different than the first phase;
- a drive region comprising a plurality of capacitive elements of pixels connected to the first voltage lines;
- a sense region, wherein the first voltage lines and the second voltage lines cross-under the sense region;
- and
- wherein the first and second phases of the first and second voltage lines respectively reduce static capacitance in the sense region.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.