JP2011243049A - Sensor sheet, detection circuit and touch panel device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a sensor sheet, a detection circuit and a touch panel device that can be easily manufactured.SOLUTION: A sensor sheet 2 for a touch panel device is connected to a detection circuit to detect the approach of an input object 100 and the position of the approached input object 100, and comprises: a substrate 6; three or more detection electrodes 7, which are positioned away from each other on only one face of the substrate 6 in the thickness direction, and the capacitance between which and the input object 100 varies when the input object 100 approaches; and wiring 8 electrically connected to the three or more detection electrodes 7 as well as to the detection circuit.

Description

  The present invention relates to a sensor sheet, a detection circuit, and a touch panel device.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an input device for inputting to an electronic device has a panel surface for contacting a stylus pen or a user's finger (hereinafter referred to as “input body”). 2. Description of the Related Art There is known a touch panel device that detects the position of an input body when the input body comes into contact with a surface and outputs the position to the electronic apparatus as coordinate information of the input body.
In recent years, a touch panel device including a multi-touch type sensor sheet that detects a position where an input body is in contact with a plurality of positions when the input body is in contact with each other has become widespread.

  As an example of such a touch panel device, Patent Document 1 describes a multi-touch type touch sensor and a controller that drives the touch sensor. The touch sensor described in Patent Document 1 has a two-layer detection electrode structure stacked in the thickness direction of the touch sensor, one of which is provided with a drive line, and the other layer is a sense line. Is provided. In the touch sensor described in Patent Document 1, the capacitor is formed by the drive line and the sense line at a position where the drive line and the sense line provided in different layers intersect when viewed from the thickness direction of the touch pad. Composed. The controller can recognize that the input body has touched the touch panel by detecting the change in capacitance of the capacitor between the drive line and the sensing line.

JP 2009-535742 A

  However, since the touch panel device described in Patent Document 1 has a two-layer structure in which the drive line and the sense line are formed in different layers, the layer having the drive line and the layer having the sense line are separated from each other. The process for manufacturing the touch panel device is complicated.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a sensor sheet, a detection circuit, and a touch panel device that can be easily manufactured.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention proposes the following means.
The sensor sheet of the present invention is a sensor sheet for a touch panel device connected to a detection circuit that detects that an input body is close and a position of the input body that is close to the input body, and includes a substrate and a thickness direction of the substrate Three or more detection electrodes that are spaced apart from each other on only one surface, and whose capacitance changes with the input body when the input body approaches, and the three or more detection electrodes And a wiring that is electrically connected to the detection circuit.

The three or more detection electrodes are preferably arranged in a triangular lattice shape.
Further, four or more detection electrodes may be provided and arranged in a square lattice shape.

  The detection circuit according to the present invention is connected to a sensor sheet on which three or more detection electrodes are arranged on the surface of the substrate, the coordinates of which are determined in advance, and the capacitance between the input body and the input body change. A detection circuit for a touch panel device, wherein the detection circuit is electrically connected to the three or more detection electrodes, and an amount of change in capacitance between each of the three or more detection electrodes and the input body is determined. A detection unit for detecting, electrically connected to the detection unit, and a threshold value of an amount of change in capacitance with respect to the three or more detection electrodes is set; Grouping of detection electrodes in which the amount of change exceeding a threshold value is detected and adjacent to each other as one detection electrode group, and the three or more detection electrodes are grouped into one or more detection electrode groups Parts and groups in the grouping part For each of the detected detection electrode groups, three or more detection electrodes are extracted in descending order of the change amount for each of the detection electrode groups, and the change amount and the coordinates in the extracted detection electrodes are extracted. And a position calculation unit that calculates the coordinates of the input body on the surface of the substrate.

  The touch panel device of the present invention includes the detection circuit of the present invention and the sensor sheet of the present invention connected to the detection circuit.

According to the sensor sheet and the touch panel device of the present invention, since the detection electrode and the wiring are provided only on one surface of the substrate, it can be easily manufactured.
Further, according to the detection circuit of the present invention, the positions of the input bodies are calculated for each group by dividing the detection electrodes into groups, so that when a plurality of input bodies are brought close to a plurality of positions at the same time, a plurality of input bodies are calculated. Each position of the input body can be detected.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the touchscreen apparatus of one Embodiment of this invention. It is a front view which shows the structure of the panel part in the same touch panel apparatus. It is sectional drawing in the A1-A1 line | wire of FIG. It is sectional drawing in the B1-B1 line | wire of FIG. 3, and is a figure which shows the structure of the sensor sheet in the panel part. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the structure of the detection circuit in the touch panel apparatus. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of a computer system provided with the same touch panel apparatus. It is explanatory drawing for demonstrating the effect | action of the same touch panel apparatus. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the modification of the touchscreen apparatus of this embodiment.

  A sensor sheet 2, a detection circuit 3, and a touch panel device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a touch panel device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front view showing the configuration of the panel unit 4 in the touch panel device 1. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A1-A1 of FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B1-B1 of FIG. 3 and is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the sensor sheet 2 in the panel unit 4. FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining the configuration of the detection circuit 3 in the touch panel device 1. FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a computer system 20 including the touch panel device 1. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of the touch panel device 1.

  The touch panel device 1 according to the present embodiment detects the proximity of the input body 100 (see FIG. 3) and the position of the close input body 100, and accepts an input operation by the input body 100. The input body 100 in the touch panel device 1 can be a human finger, for example. The input body 100 is not limited to a human finger. As the input body 100, a stylus pen or other conductor can be appropriately employed.

As shown in FIG. 1, the touch panel device 1 of this embodiment includes a panel unit 4 and a detection circuit 3 electrically connected to the panel unit 4.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the panel unit 4 includes a sensor sheet 2 and a protective layer 5 laminated on the sensor sheet 2. In the following description, the side with the sensor sheet 2 is the bottom, and the side with the protective layer 5 is the top.
The sensor sheet 2 includes a substrate 6, detection electrodes 7, and wirings 8.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the substrate 6 is a thin insulating substrate formed of resin. In the present embodiment, the substrate 6 is made of polyethylene terephthalate and has optical transparency. On the substrate 6, a lead portion 9 for leading out the wiring 8 is formed, and the lead portion 9 can be connected to the detection circuit 3.
The lead portions 9 are provided at each of the four corners of the substrate 6. As a result, variations in the length of the wiring 8 to be described later can be reduced, and signal delay due to the different lengths of the wiring 8 and noise contamination due to the longer length of the wiring 8 can be reduced. . In the present embodiment, the leading end of the drawer portion 9 is formed so as to be connected to a ZIF socket (Zero Insertion Force socket), and can be detachably connected to the detection circuit 3.

  Three or more detection electrodes 7 are spaced apart from each other on one surface in the thickness direction of the substrate 6. In the present embodiment, the detection electrode 7 is formed only on the surface directed toward the protective layer 5 in the thickness direction of the substrate 6. Each of the plurality of detection electrodes 7 has a circular outline when viewed from the thickness direction of the substrate 6. At least three detection electrodes 7 are arranged. In this embodiment, 67 detection electrodes 7 are provided on the substrate 6. In addition, if the number of the detection electrodes 7 is three or more, it can be appropriately increased or decreased according to the size of the panel unit 4. In the present embodiment, the plurality of detection electrodes 7 are arranged in a triangular lattice pattern on the surface of the substrate 6, and the detection electrodes 7 are formed by three detection electrodes 7 that are adjacent to each other at the center O <b> 1. Arranged to form the vertices of an equilateral triangle.

  Moreover, the detection electrode 7 of this embodiment has light transmittance. For example, a transparent conductive resin material can be used as the material of the light-transmitting detection electrode 7. Specifically, SEPLEGYDA (registered trademark) manufactured by Shin-Etsu Polymer, indium tin oxide (ITO), or the like can be used as the material of the detection electrode 7.

One end of the wiring 8 is connected to each of the detection electrodes 7 and extends toward one of the lead portions 9 along the surface of the substrate 6. Furthermore, the wirings 8 are arranged at equal intervals in the lead portion 9 of the substrate 6. In this embodiment, the material of the wiring 8 is the same as the material of the detection electrode 7, and the wiring 8 has light transmittance.
It is preferable that the wiring 8 has a narrow line width because it is less susceptible to noise. For example, when the diameter of the detection electrode 7 is 10 mm, the line width of the wiring 8 is 78 μm or less, and when the diameter of the detection electrode 7 is 5 mm, the line width of the wiring 8 may be 39 μm or less. preferable. As a result, the S / N ratio when the input body 100 is brought close to the wiring 8 only when the input body 100 is brought close to the detection electrode 7 alone becomes 100 or more, and the sensitivity is such that noise can be ignored in the detection circuit 3. Can be obtained.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the protective layer 5 is formed in a plate shape by a dielectric material such as a light transmissive resin or glass, and external force is transmitted to the sensor sheet 2 or moisture is transmitted to the sensor sheet 2. It is for protecting the sensor sheet | seat 2 from approaching. In the present embodiment, the protective layer 5 includes a coating layer 5a made of a resin that covers the upper surface of the sensor sheet 2 and is fixed to the sensor sheet 2, and a glass plate 5b that is laminated on the coating layer 5a. The protective layer 5 is laminated on the sensor sheet 2, and the upper surface of the protective layer 5 can come into contact with a finger that is the input body 100. Fixed to the protective layer 5 is a frame 10 formed with a rectangular through hole 10a that surrounds the entire detection electrode 7 when viewed in the thickness direction of the protective layer 5. The frame 10 is formed of a light-shielding resin material.

  With such a configuration, the panel unit 4 can transmit light through the substrate 6, the detection electrode 7, the wiring 8, and the protective layer 5 in the inner region of the through hole 10 a. For this reason, for example, when the panel unit 4 is overlaid and assembled to the liquid crystal panel 21a of the liquid crystal display device 21, the light emitted from the liquid crystal panel 21a is transmitted through the substrate 6, the detection electrode 7 and the wiring 8 in the sensor sheet 2 and further protected. It is visible through the layer 5 by the user.

Next, the configuration of the detection circuit 3 will be described together with the processing performed by the detection circuit 3.
As shown in FIG. 4, the detection circuit 3 is connected to the drawer portion 9 in the sensor sheet 2. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the detection circuit 3 includes a detection unit 11, a grouping unit 12, a position calculation unit 13, and an output unit 14.

  When the sensor sheet 2 and the detection circuit 3 are connected, the detection unit 11 is electrically connected to each detection electrode 7 formed on the sensor sheet 2 via the wiring 8. In the detection unit 11, a time width for performing the detection operation on each detection electrode 7 and the order in which the detection operation is performed on the plurality of detection electrodes 7 are determined. As a result, the detection unit 11 can sequentially perform detection operations on the plurality of detection electrodes 7 with a predetermined time width, and can receive a capacitance change amount signal from each of the plurality of detection electrodes 7. (Step S1 shown in FIG. 5).

  In addition, when the detection operation for all the detection electrodes 7 is completed, the detection unit 11 outputs a signal indicating the amount of change in capacitance in the plurality of detection electrodes 7 to the grouping unit 12 in the detected order. ing. The detection unit 11 repeatedly detects a change in electrostatic capacitance between each of the detection electrodes 7 and the finger (input body 100), and repeatedly outputs a signal indicating the amount of change in electrostatic capacitance to the grouping unit 12. It is designed to output.

  The grouping unit 12 is electrically connected to the detection unit 11, and the amount of change in capacitance output by the grouping unit 12 is input thereto. In addition, the grouping unit 12 is set with a threshold value for determining that the input from the detection electrode 7 is performed when the electrostatic capacitance of each of the plurality of detection electrodes 7 changes more than a certain level.

  In the present embodiment, the threshold value set in the grouping unit 12 is such a value that it is determined that at least three detection electrodes 7 are input when the input body 100 is brought into contact with one place on the upper surface of the panel unit 4. Is stipulated. When the signal output from the detection unit 11 to the grouping unit 12 exceeds the threshold value, the grouping unit 12 determines that there is an input to the detection electrode 7. When the amount of change in capacitance at the detection electrode 7 is below the threshold value, the grouping unit 12 determines that there has been no input.

  Furthermore, the grouping unit 12 stores the positional relationship between the plurality of detection electrodes 7. That is, the grouping unit 12 stores the coordinates of the plurality of detection electrodes 7 on the surface of the substrate 6. In the present embodiment, the coordinates corresponding to the plurality of detection electrodes 7 are orthogonal to each other extending along the long side and the short side in the rectangular region overlapping the inner region of the through hole 10a when viewed from the thickness direction of the panel portion 4. It is determined based on an orthogonal coordinate system by two axes. The origin in this orthogonal coordinate system can be determined at an appropriate position in the surface direction of the panel unit 4. For example, in the present embodiment, the origin is set at one corner in a rectangular region surrounding all the detection electrodes 7. Further, as the coordinates of the plurality of detection electrodes 7, the coordinates of the respective center positions of the plurality of detection electrodes 7 having a circular contour shape when viewed from the thickness direction of the substrate 6 are employed. Hereinafter, the long side direction in the rectangular area will be described as the X-axis direction, and the short side direction will be described as the Y-axis direction.

  Further, the grouping unit 12 has a change amount greater than or equal to a threshold value among the plurality of detection electrodes 7 based on the coordinates of the detection electrodes 7 stored in the grouping unit 12 and the signal input from the detection unit 11. The detected detection electrodes 7 that are adjacent to each other are extracted. Furthermore, the grouping unit 12 sets one or more detection groups G (see FIG. 7) by the detection electrodes 7 in which the amount of change equal to or greater than the threshold is detected (step S2 shown in FIG. 5), and each of the detection groups G The coordinates of the detection electrodes 7 included in the data and the amount of change in the capacitance of the detection electrodes 7 are stored as electromagnetic information.

  As shown in FIG. 7, in this embodiment, when one detection group G is set, the number of detection electrodes 7 included in this detection group G is three or more. Further, even when the detection amount of the capacitance change amount exceeds the threshold value, if there is no detection electrode 7 whose capacitance change amount exceeds the threshold value in the adjacent detection electrode 7, one detection is performed. The detection group G by only the electrode 7 is not set. As a result, since a change in capacitance in a narrow range where a change in capacitance occurs only in one detection electrode 7 is not determined as an input, the occurrence of erroneous detection due to noise transmitted to the detection electrode 7 is reduced. be able to. Further, the detection group G is not set only by the two detection electrodes 7 adjacent to each other.

  The information of the detection group G stored in the grouping unit 12 may be all of the detection groups G grouped in the grouping unit 12, and is limited to, for example, 10 groups or less, or 5 groups or less. It may be. This is increased or decreased as appropriate according to the number of simultaneous inputs assumed in the touch panel device 1 (for example, touching the upper surface of the panel unit 4 simultaneously with 10 fingers of either hand or any two or three fingers). Can be determined.

  If the number of detection groups G stored in the grouping unit 12 is small, the number of input bodies 100 that can receive simultaneous inputs performed close to the detection electrodes 7 is small, but the entire detection circuit 3 and the detection circuit 3 are small. The processing in the electronic circuit that processes the coordinate information M, which will be described later, output from is reduced. Conversely, if there are many detection groups G stored in the grouping unit 12, the processing in the detection circuit 3 becomes heavy, but the quantity that can accept simultaneous input increases. Note that the number of detection groups G that can be stored in the grouping unit 12 may be set and changed separately after the detection circuit 3 is manufactured.

  Information of the detection group G stored in the grouping unit 12 is updated at regular intervals. For example, the grouping unit 12 updates the information of the detection group G based on the input new change amount each time the change amount of the electrostatic capacitance for all the detection electrodes 7 is input by the detection unit 11. It is like that.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the position calculation unit 13 is electrically connected to the grouping unit 12 and can refer to the information of the detection group G stored in the grouping unit 12. Further, the position calculation unit 13 ranks the three detection electrodes 7 in the descending order of change amount for each detection group G with respect to each of the detection groups G grouped by the grouping unit 12 (FIG. 5). Step S3) shown in FIG. Further, the position calculation unit 13 stores the coordinates and the amount of change in capacitance of the ranked upper three detection electrodes 7. Thereby, three detection electrodes 7 per detection group G extracted and stored in the position calculation unit 13 are set as calculation target detection electrodes T (see FIG. 7) (step S4 shown in FIG. 5). ).

Furthermore, the position calculation unit 13 calculates the coordinates of the input body 100 on the substrate 6 based on the amount of change in capacitance at the calculation target detection electrode T and the coordinates of the calculation target detection electrode T. (Step S5 shown in FIG. 5). In the present embodiment, the position calculation unit 13 is also configured to calculate the magnitude of input from the input body 100.
After calculating the coordinates of the input body 100 and the size of the input by the input body 100, the position calculation unit 13 outputs the coordinates and the size of the input to the output unit 14, respectively.

  The calculation of coordinates in the position calculation unit 13 is performed as follows. Hereinafter, calculation of the coordinates of the input body 100 in one detection group G will be described. Calculations for a plurality of detection groups G are performed by sequentially applying a calculation method similar to that for one detection group G.

  First, for the calculation target detection electrode T in one detection group G, the coordinates of the three detection electrodes 7 included in the calculation target detection electrode T are referred to. Hereinafter, the coordinates of the three detection electrodes 7 included in the calculation target detection electrode T are (x1, y1), (x2, y2), and (x3, y3), respectively. Assume that the detected values in the input capacitance change signal are S1, S2, and S3, respectively. At this time, the position calculation unit 13 calculates the coordinates of the input body 100 by substituting the detected values into the arithmetic expressions consisting of the following formulas 1 and 2 in which the respective coordinates in the calculation target detection electrode T are substituted. To do.

X _i in the above equation 1 represents the X coordinate of the input body 100 in the orthogonal coordinate system, and Y _i in the above equation 2 represents the Y coordinate of the input body 100 in the orthogonal coordinate system. Further, Z _i in the above expression 3 indicates a value that the magnitude of the input by the input body 100 is calculated by the position calculation unit 13. Further, _i in X _i , Y _i , and Z _i is a positive integer, and when a plurality of detection groups G are set, a different value is assigned to each detection group G.
According to the above formulas 1 and 2, the weighted average value obtained by weighting the X coordinate and the Y coordinate of the three detection electrodes 7 included in the calculation target detection electrode T with the amount of change in capacitance is the X coordinate of the input body and Y coordinate.
Further, according to the above expression 3, the sum of the detection values S1, S2, and S3 at the calculation target detection electrode T becomes the magnitude of the input by the input body 100.

When the position calculation unit 13 calculates the X coordinate and the Y coordinate of the input body 100, the position calculation unit 13 determines the X coordinate and the Y coordinate and the magnitude of the input by the input body 100 as the coordinates of the input body 100. And it outputs to the output part 14 as a magnitude | size of an input.
In the present embodiment, the position calculation unit 13 repeatedly calculates the coordinates of the input body 100 and the input size at regular time intervals, and outputs the calculated coordinates and the input size to the output unit 14, respectively. It has become.

  The output unit 14 is electrically connected to the position calculation unit 13 so that the coordinates of the input body 100 and the input size output from the position calculation unit 13 are input. The output unit 14 can be electrically connected to, for example, another electronic circuit (not shown) connected to the detection circuit 3, and the coordinates calculated by the position calculation unit 13 and the input size are expressed as coordinates. Information M (see FIG. 6) is output to another electronic circuit (step S6 shown in FIG. 5).

The operation of the touch panel device 1 having the configuration described above will be described focusing on the operation of the sensor sheet 2 and the detection circuit 3.
In the present embodiment, as one configuration example for explaining the operation of the touch panel device 1, as shown in FIG. 6, a liquid crystal display device 21 to which the touch panel device 1 is attached and a liquid crystal display device 21 connected to the liquid crystal display device 21 are provided. An operation of a computer system 20 having a computer main body 22 having a function of displaying an image on the device 21 will be described.

  When using the touch panel device 1, the user can visually recognize the video displayed on the liquid crystal panel 21 a through the panel unit 4 of the touch panel device 1. Here, for example, when performing an operation indicating a part of the display surface of the liquid crystal panel 21a based on the image displayed on the liquid crystal panel 21a, the user overlaps the image indicated on the liquid crystal panel 21a on the upper surface 4a of the panel unit 4. The input body 100 is brought into contact with the position. In the process in which the user brings the input body 100 into contact with the display surface of the liquid crystal panel 21a, the input body 100 approaches the sensor sheet 2 of the touch panel device 1. For example, as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 7, the user brings the input body 100 into contact with the position A and the position B on the upper surface of the panel unit 4.

  Accordingly, a capacitor is formed between the detection electrode 7 and the input body 100 at the position where the input body 100 is close to the sensor sheet 2. Then, the capacitance increases in the detection electrode 7 in which the input body 100 is close as compared to before the input body 100 is close. Further, according to the distance between the input body 100 and the detection electrode 7, the detection electrode 7 located closest to the input body 100 has the largest capacitance, and the detection electrode as the distance from the input body 100 increases. The capacitance at 7 is reduced. For this reason, the electrostatic capacitance of the detection electrode 7 differs for each detection electrode 7 at each of the positions A and B where the input body 100 is in contact.

  When the capacitance changes in the detection electrode 7 of the sensor sheet 2, the change amount is detected by the detection unit 11 (see FIG. 1) of the detection circuit 3. Furthermore, the detection electrodes 7 (detection electrodes 7A-1 to 7A-5 and detection electrodes 7B-1 to 7B-6 shown in FIG. 7) whose capacitance has changed more than a threshold value among the detection electrodes 7 close to the input body 100 are provided. The detection group G is stored in the grouping unit 12.

  For example, when the input body 100 is brought close to two positions A and B separated in the sensor sheet 2, two detection groups G are extracted by the grouping unit 12 as shown in FIG. It is stored in the grouping unit 12 as another detection group G. For example, when the input body 100 is brought close to two adjacent positions with the input body 100 aligned, one detection group G is extracted by the grouping unit 12 and stored. As described above, in this embodiment, the group of the detection electrodes 7 whose capacitance variation is equal to or greater than the threshold is in a state where the detection electrodes 7 whose capacitance variation is less than the threshold are sandwiched therebetween. Are extracted as a plurality of detection groups G.

  When the detection group G is stored by the grouping unit 12, the position calculation unit 13 calculates the position of the input body 100 in each of the detection groups G based on the above-described Expression 1 and Expression 2, and also by the input body 100. The size of the input is calculated based on Equation 3 above and output to the output unit 14.

  The output unit 14 outputs coordinate information M to the computer main body 22 connected to the liquid crystal display device 21 as shown in FIG. The coordinate information M output from the output unit 14 is input to an electronic circuit (not shown) that is electrically connected to the output unit 14 in the computer main body 22. In the computer main body 22, for example, the liquid crystal panel 21 a on which the panel unit 4 is overlaid. Click operation, an operation for moving the cursor along the surface of the liquid crystal panel 21a, or a command operation for various applications.

  As described above, according to the sensor sheet 2 of the present embodiment, since the detection electrode 7 is disposed only on one side in the thickness direction of the substrate 6, the detection electrode 7 is formed on both surfaces of the substrate 6. In addition, the structure can be simplified, and the sensor sheet 2 can be easily manufactured.

  Moreover, since the detection electrodes 7 are arranged in a triangular lattice shape, the density of the detection electrodes 7 on the surface of the substrate 6 can be increased, and the accuracy of detecting the position of the input body 100 can be increased.

  Further, according to the detection circuit 3 of the present invention, the grouping unit 12 groups the detection electrodes 7 into the detection group G, and the position of the finger coordinates as the input body 100 is calculated with respect to each detection group G. Therefore, the respective positions of the plurality of input bodies 100 can be detected in simultaneous input by simultaneously bringing the plurality of input bodies 100 close to the plurality of positions.

  Thus, by providing the sensor sheet 2 and the detection circuit 3 of the present embodiment, the touch panel device 1 can be manufactured more easily.

(Modification)
Next, a configuration of a sensor sheet 15 that is a modification of the sensor sheet 2 of the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram for explaining the configuration of the sensor sheet 15 of the present modification.
The sensor sheet 15 in this modification is different from the above-described embodiment in the arrangement of the detection electrodes 7. The detection electrodes 7 in this modification are arranged in a square lattice pattern on one surface of the substrate 6. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 8, the detection electrodes 7 are arranged in a square lattice shape whose diagonal lines are parallel to the X axis and the Y axis.

  The detection circuit 16 (see FIG. 1) connected to the sensor sheet 15 having such a configuration includes a grouping unit 17 instead of the grouping unit 12. The detection group G set in the grouping unit 17 includes four or more detection electrodes 7, and the grouping unit 17 has the highest detection value of the signal indicating the amount of change in capacitance in each of the detection groups G. Four detection electrodes 7 are selected in order from the one. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, when the input body 100 is brought close to the position C, the four detection electrodes 7C-1, 7C-2, 7C-3, and 7C-4 are arranged in order of increasing distance to the position C. Selected.

  Further, in the position calculation unit 13, the processing content is different from that in the above-described embodiment, and the coordinates of the four detection electrodes 7 selected by the grouping unit 17 are weighted averages according to the detected capacitance value as in the above-described embodiment. Thus, the coordinates of the input body 100 are calculated.

Even the configuration of the present modification has the same effects as those of the above-described embodiment.
Furthermore, compared to the case where the coordinates of the input body 100 are calculated from the three detection electrodes 7 in the above-described embodiment, the number of detection electrodes 7 serving as the calculation target detection electrodes T is one in this modification, so that the detection is performed. The influence of noise transmitted from the outside to the electrode 7 can be reduced, and the accuracy of detecting the position of the input body 100 can be further increased.

As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was explained in full detail with reference to drawings, the concrete structure is not restricted to this embodiment, The design change etc. of the range which does not deviate from the summary of this invention are included.
For example, the contour shape when the detection electrode 7 is viewed from the thickness direction is not limited to a circle. For example, the contour shape of the detection electrode 7 may be a triangle, a tetragon, a hexagon, or the like.

  In the above-described embodiment and modification, the example in which the detection electrode 7 is disposed on the surface of the substrate 6 on the side close to the protective layer 5 has been shown. However, the detection electrode is disposed on the surface far from the protective layer 5. 7 may be arranged.

  Further, in this embodiment, when the amount of change in capacitance at the detection electrode 7 is equal to the threshold value, the detection electrode 7 is set to be included in the detection group G, but the change in capacitance at the detection electrode 7 is set. When the amount is equal to the threshold value, the detection electrode 7 may be set not to be included in the detection group G.

  Further, in the calculation formula in the position calculation unit 13 of the detection circuit 3, for each X coordinate and Y coordinate of the calculation target detection electrode T, a coefficient separately determined according to the configuration of the sensor sheet and the processing content in the detection circuit Alternatively, the X coordinate and Y coordinate of the calculation target detection electrode T may be converted by separately determining a multiplier according to the configuration of the sensor sheet and the processing content of the detection circuit. Thereby, tuning of the detection sensitivity in a touch panel device can be facilitated.

  The substrate 6 is made of polyester resin, polypropylene resin, vinyl chloride resin, polyethylene resin, polyethylene terephthalate resin, polycarbonate resin, nylon resin, vinylon resin, acetate resin, polyethylene resin, polyamide resin, polyacrylic. Plastic sheets such as resin and polyvinyl chloride resin can be used. Further, a decoration with a pattern or shape may be added to the front surface or the back surface of the substrate 6. Moreover, as a material of the substrate 6, a colored material or a material having polarization characteristics may be employed as necessary.

  Further, the connection between the substrate 6 and the detection circuit 3 is not limited to the ZIF socket in the drawer portion 9. For example, in the detection circuit 3, a land for contacting a terminal for inputting a signal to the detection unit 11 is formed on the substrate 6, or the detection circuit 3 and the substrate 6 are connected via a rubber connector made of conductive rubber. A land for this purpose may be formed on the substrate 6.

  The detection electrode 7 and the wiring 8 are made of conductive ink such as ink containing metal foil or metal particles, ink containing metal fine wires, ink containing carbon, or ink containing conductive polymer. be able to. The conductive ink can be selected as appropriate based on the resistance value, light transmittance, and elongation during molding.

  Further, the constituent elements shown in the above-described embodiments and modifications can be combined as appropriate.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Touch panel apparatus 2,15 Sensor sheet 3 Detection circuit 4 Panel part 5 Protective layer 6 Board | substrate 7 Detection electrode 8 Wiring 9 Draw-out part G Detection group T Calculation object detection electrode 10 Frame 10a Through-hole 11 Detection part 12 Grouping part 13 Position Calculation unit 14 Output unit 20 Computer system 21 Liquid crystal display device 22 Computer main body

Claims (5)

A sensor sheet for a touch panel device connected to a detection circuit for detecting that the input body is close and the position of the input body close to the input body,
A substrate,
Three or more detection electrodes that are spaced apart from each other on only one surface in the thickness direction of the substrate, and whose capacitance changes with the input body when the input body approaches,
A wiring electrically connected to the three or more detection electrodes and electrically connected to the detection circuit;
A sensor sheet comprising:   The sensor sheet according to claim 1, wherein the three or more detection electrodes are arranged in a triangular lattice shape.   The sensor sheet according to claim 1, wherein four or more detection electrodes are provided and arranged in a square lattice pattern. A detection circuit for a touch panel device, which is connected to a sensor sheet on which a plurality of detection electrodes whose coordinates are determined and arranged in advance on a surface of a substrate and whose capacitance changes with an input body is formed. ,
A detection unit that is electrically connected to the plurality of detection electrodes and detects a change in capacitance between each of the plurality of detection electrodes and the input body;
A threshold value of capacitance change amount for the plurality of detection electrodes is set electrically connected to the detection unit, and the change amount exceeding the threshold value is detected among the plurality of detection electrodes. A detection electrode that is adjacent to each other as one detection electrode group, and a grouping unit that groups the plurality of detection electrodes into one or more detection electrode groups;
For each of the detection electrode groups grouped in the grouping unit, three or more detection electrodes are extracted in descending order of the amount of change for each of the detection electrode groups, and the detection electrodes in the extracted detection electrodes A position calculating unit that calculates the coordinates of the input body on the surface of the substrate based on the amount of change and the coordinates;
A detection circuit comprising: A detection circuit according to claim 4;
The sensor sheet according to any one of claims 1 to 3 connected to the detection circuit;
A touch panel device comprising:

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