Touchscreen system with simplified mechanical touchscreen design using capacitance and acoustic sensing technologies, and method therefor

A method of analyzing a contact from an object upon a touch screen system, comprising:

• providing a transparent substrate having external and internal surfaces;
• depositing layers, other than shielding layers, on the internal surface of the transparent substrate, the depositing comprising:
• depositing a layer of conductive material to form an annular pattern of conductive traces about a perimeter of the internal surface of the transparent substrate, wherein the conductive traces form a plurality of first electrodes;
• and
• depositing a layer of insulating material upon the layer of conductive material;
• connecting a plurality of second electrodes to the conductive traces, wherein the insulating material spaces each of the second electrodes a distance from one of the first electrodes such that each pair of the first and the second electrodes forms a capacitive sensor, and wherein the contact of the object causes a capacitive change in the capacitive sensors;
• and
• connecting one or more acoustic sensors to the conductive traces, wherein the acoustic sensors receive an acoustic wave generated by the contact from the object and convert the acoustic wave to an electronic signal.

A touch screen system for an electronic device having a power source and a touch screen control board, comprising:

• a transparent substrate having an external surface and an internal surface, the transparent substrate for receiving a contact from an object upon the external surface;
• a pattern of conductive traces arranged about a perimeter of the internal surface of the transparent substrate, wherein the conductive traces are deposited directly upon the internal surface of the transparent substrate;
• an isolation layer deposited upon the conductive traces;
• one or more acoustic sensors associated with the transparent substrate, wherein the acoustic sensors receive an acoustic wave generated by the contact and convert the acoustic wave to an electronic signal, and wherein the acoustic sensors are electrically connected through a first one of the conductive traces;
• and
• a plurality of capacitive sensors associated with the transparent substrate, each of the capacitive sensors comprising a first electrode that is spaced a distance from a second electrode, wherein each of the first electrodes is both formed by and electrically connected through a second one of the conductive traces and each of the second electrodes is electrically connected through a third one of the conductive traces, wherein the isolation layer is disposed between the first and second electrodes of each of the capacitive sensors, and wherein the contact of the object causes a capacitive change in the capacitive sensors.