TWI453643B - Touch panel and electronic device - Google Patents

Description

Touch panel and electronic device

The present invention relates to a touch panel, and more particularly to a capacitive touch panel with high sensing sensitivity.

Touch panels have been widely used in mobile phones (smart phones), personal digital assistants (PDAs), global positioning system (GPS), handheld game consoles, tablet computers and other electronic products to replace the input interface such as mouse and keyboard. Device. The capacitive touch panel has the advantages of multi-touch, anti-fouling, fireproof, anti-static and dust, scratch resistance, fast response, etc., and is the mainstream technology of today's touch panels. At present, capacitive touch panels have been developed in large size due to application trends. However, due to the expansion of the panel size, the number of sensing electrodes in the sensing region is increased to increase the resistance-capacitance load (RC loading) of the sensing line, and the above-mentioned resistance-capacitor loading effect causes signal attenuation, so that the sensing element ( Sensor IC) is more difficult to drive and reduces the sensitivity of touch panel touch.

Therefore, there is a need in the art for a touch panel to meet the above needs and overcome the shortcomings of the prior art.

In view of the above, an embodiment of the present invention provides a touch panel, the touch panel includes a substrate having a first sensing area and a second sensing area, and a plurality of first sensing electrodes disposed on the The first sensing region and the second sensing region are disposed; a sensing component is disposed on the substrate, coupled to the first sensing electrodes, and an input signal generated by the sensing component is sequentially transmitted to The first sensing electrodes located in the first sensing region and the second sensing region; a dielectric layer covering the first sensing electrodes, wherein the medium is located in the first sensing region The thickness of the electrical layer is less than the thickness of the dielectric layer located in the second sensing region.

Another embodiment of the present invention provides an electronic device including a touch panel. The touch panel includes a substrate having a first sensing area and a second sensing area, and a plurality of first sensing electrodes. The first sensing region and the second sensing region are disposed in the first sensing region and the second sensing region; a sensing component is disposed on the substrate, coupled to the first sensing electrodes, and an input signal generated by the sensing component is sequentially Transmitting to the first sensing electrodes located in the first sensing region and the second sensing region; a dielectric layer covering the first sensing electrodes, wherein the first sensing regions are located The thickness of the dielectric layer is smaller than the thickness of the dielectric layer in the second sensing region; a display panel corresponding to the touch panel configuration; and a controller for controlling the touch panel and the display panel.

The following is a detailed description of the embodiments and examples accompanying the drawings, which are the basis of the present invention. In the drawings or the description of the specification, the same drawing numbers are used for similar or identical parts. In the drawings, the shape or thickness of the embodiment may be expanded and simplified or conveniently indicated. In addition, the components of the drawings will be described separately, and it is noted that elements not shown or described in the drawings are known to those of ordinary skill in the art.

FIG. 1a is a top view of a touch panel 500a according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1b is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A' of Figure 1a. The touch panel of the embodiment of the invention is a capacitive touch panel. Referring to FIGS. 1a and 1b, the touch panel 500a includes a substrate 200. In an embodiment of the invention, the substrate 200 may be made of glass, polycarbonate, polyvinyl chloride or methyl methacrylate, and the substrate 200 has a sensing region 300. A plurality of sensing electrodes 202 are disposed in the sensing region 300. In an embodiment of the invention, the sensing electrode 202 can include a plurality of sensing electrodes 202A arranged in an array and a plurality of sensing electrodes 202B arranged in an array. The sensing electrodes 202A and the sensing electrodes 202B are interlaced. The modes are set and electrically insulated from each other. The sensing electrodes 202A are coupled in series in a direction 310 by a bridging portion 204 to form a plurality of sensing electrode columns (X1~Xm columns), and the sensing electrodes 202B are connected to each other in series in a direction 320. Connected to form a plurality of sensing electrode rows (Y1~Yn rows). As shown in Figure 1a, direction 300 and direction 320 may be perpendicular to each other. In the present embodiment, the direction 300 is the X-axis direction, and the direction 320 is the Y-axis direction. Therefore, the sensing electrode 202A can be regarded as the X-axis direction sensing electrode 202A, and the sensing electrode 202B can be regarded as the Y-axis direction sensing electrode 202B. . In an embodiment of the invention, the material of the sensing electrode 202 may include indium tin oxide (ITO) or indium zinc oxide (IZO).

As shown in FIG. 1a, the sensing component 214 is disposed on the substrate 200, and is coupled to the sensing electrode 202A located in the X1~Xm column of the sensing region 300A through the wires 210X1~210Xm for inputting a voltage pulse signal to the sense. The sensing electrodes 202A in the measurement area 300 receive the sensing signals output by the sensing electrodes 202A, 202B located in the sensing area 300 by the user touching the touch panel with a change in the sensing capacitance of the touch panel by the wires 210Y1 to 210Yn. . Therefore, the wires 210X1 to 210Xm can be regarded as driving lines 210X1 to 210Xm, and the wires 210Y1 to 210Yn can be regarded as sensing lines 210Y1 to 210Yn. Therefore, the input signals generated by the sensing element 214 are sequentially transmitted to the sensing electrodes 202A1, 202A2, and 202A3 located in the sensing regions 300A, 300B, and 300C by the wires 210X1 to 210Xm. It should be noted that the capacitive load of the sensing electrode 202A in the sensing regions 300A, 300B, and 300C is related to the distance between the sensing line and the end of the wire 210X1~210Xm, as shown in FIG. 1a. The distance between the sensing regions 300A, 300B, and 300C and the end of the wire 210 (the one coupled to the sensing electrode 202A) is sequentially increased. Therefore, the sensing electrodes 202A in the sensing regions 300A, 300B, and 300C sequentially increase the capacitive load of the touch sensing line, that is, the sensing electrodes 202A of the sensing region 300C farthest from the end of the wire 210 are in contact with each other. The capacitive load of the control sensing line is maximum. In this embodiment, since the sensing electrode 202B in the Y-axis direction is connected to the sensing element 214 by the sensing wires 210Y1 to 210Yn, and the sensing wires 210Y1 to 210Yn are used to receive the sensing signal, the sense is not considered. The capacitive loading effect of the measuring electrode 202B on the touch sensing line.

In order to compensate for the difference in capacitive load between the different sensing regions 300A, 300B, and 300C on the touch sensing line, a dielectric layer having a different thickness may be disposed on the sensing electrode 202 of the sensing region 300 to compensate for the difference in capacitance load. . As shown in FIG. 1b, the touch panel 500a includes a dielectric layer 212 covering the sensing electrodes 202, wherein the partial dielectric layers 212A, 212B, and 212C located in the sensing regions 300A, 300B, and 300C have different thicknesses, respectively. TA, TB and TC. In an embodiment of the invention, since the sensing electrodes 202A in the sensing regions 300A, 300B, and 300C sequentially increase the capacitive load of the touch sensing lines, the thickness TA of the dielectric layers 212A, 212B, and 212C, The TB and TC systems are designed to be TA<TB<TC. Therefore, the relationship between the capacitance values C1, C2, and C3 of the dielectric layers 212A, 212B, and 212C is C1>C2>C3. The dielectric layer 212 having different thicknesses TA, TB, and TC can be formed by a deposition process, and subsequent use of a half tone mask in conjunction with a lithography process. In an embodiment of the invention, the dielectric layer 212 may be made of an inorganic material including ruthenium oxide or nitride (SiNx) or may be an organic material including a photoresist. 1b is only used to illustrate the thickness of the dielectric layer 212 corresponding to the sensing regions 300A, 300B, and 300C at different distances from the ends of the wires 210. For convenience of explanation, the senses in the sensing regions 300A, 300B, and 300C are used. The number of electrodes 202A1, 202A2, and 202A3 is represented by one, and the bridge portion 204 is not shown in this figure.

As shown in FIG. 1b, when the user touches the dielectric layer 212A, 212B or 212C of the touch panel 500a with a finger, the sensing electrodes 202A1, 202A2 or 202A3 are different in the sensing region 300A, 300B or 300C. Sensing signal of capacitance value C1, C2 or C3. The dielectric layer 212 within the sensing region 300A, 300B or 300C can be designed to have a different thickness. Therefore, the capacitive loads of the sensing regions 300A, 300B, and 300C to the touch sensing line can be uniform, to avoid distortion caused by the sensing signal due to the capacitive load, and the driving capability of the sensing component and the touch panel can be improved. Sensitive characteristics.

2 is a cross-sectional view of a touch panel 500b according to another embodiment of the present invention. If the components in the above drawings have the same or similar parts as those shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b, reference may be made to the related description. Do not repeat the description here. As shown in FIG. 2, the touch panel 500b may further include a flat layer 222 covering the dielectric layer 212 and making a top surface 223 of the flat layer 222 substantially a plane. In an embodiment of the present invention, the material of the flat layer 222 may be an organic material including epoxy resin, polyamidomethacrylate or methyl methacrylate or photoresist or may be inorganic including cerium oxide or nitride (SiNx). Materials, etc. A cover plate 224 is disposed on the flat layer 222. In an embodiment of the invention, the cover 224 may be made of glass.

FIG. 3a is a top view of the touch panel 500c according to still another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3b is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A' of Figure 3a. For convenience of explanation, the number of sensing electrodes 202A1, 202A2, and 202A3 in the sensing regions 300A, 300B, and 300C is represented by one, and is bridged. Section 204 is not shown in this figure. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3a and 3b, the sensing component 214 is coupled to the sensing electrodes 202A located in different columns of the sensing region 300C through the wires 210 for inputting a voltage pulse signal into the sensing region 300. The sensing electrode 202A or the sensing electrode 202A received in the sensing region 300 is outputted by the user with a finger head contacting the touch panel sensing capacitance change. Accordingly, the input signals generated by the sensing elements 214 are sequentially transferred to the sensing electrodes 202A3, 202A2, and 202A1 located within the sensing regions 300C, 300B, and 300A. Therefore, the sensing electrodes 202A in the sensing regions 300C, 300B, and 300A sequentially increase the capacitive load of the touch sensing lines, so the thicknesses TA, TB, and TC of the dielectric layers 212A, 212B, and 212C are designed as TAs. >TB>TC. Therefore, the relationship between the capacitance values C1, C2, and C3 of the dielectric layers 212A, 212B, and 212C is C1 < C2 < C3.

4a is a top view of a touch panel 500d according to still another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4b is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A' of Figure 4a. For convenience of explanation, the number of sensing electrodes 202A1, 202A2, and 202A3 in the sensing regions 300A, 300B, and 300C is represented by one, and is bridged. Section 204 is not shown in this figure. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4a and 4b, the sensing elements 214 are respectively coupled to the sensing electrodes 202A located in different columns of the sensing regions 300A and 300C by wires 210 for inputting a voltage pulse signal to the sensing. The sensing electrode 202A in the area 300 or the sensing signal 202A located in the sensing area 300 is outputted by the user with a finger head contacting the touch panel sensing capacitance change. Accordingly, the input signals generated by the sensing elements 214 are transferred from the sensing electrodes 202A3 and 202A1 within the sensing regions 300A and 300C to the sensing electrodes 202A2 located within the sensing region 300B, respectively. Therefore, the capacitive loads of the sensing electrodes 202A of the sensing regions 300C and 300A are substantially the same for the touch sensing lines, and are smaller than the capacitive loading of the sensing electrodes 202A of the sensing regions 300B for the touch sensing lines. The thicknesses TA, TB, and TC of the dielectric layers 212A, 212B, and 212C are designed to be TA = TC < TB. Therefore, the relationship between the capacitance values C1, C2, and C3 of the dielectric layers 212A, 212B, and 212C is C1=C3>C2.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a touch panel. The touch panel is provided with dielectric layers having different thicknesses on the sensing electrodes in different sensing regions, so as to generate different capacitance values to compensate the capacitive load of the different sensing regions on the touch sensing lines, and avoid sensing. The signal is distorted due to the capacitive load, and the resistance-capacitance load (RC loading) on the touch sensing line can be reduced without reducing the number of sensing electrodes in the touch panel, thereby improving the driving capability and touch of the sensing element. The sensitive characteristics of the control panel do not affect the overall module thickness. Therefore, the sensing elements of the small-sized touch panel can be disposed on the medium/large size touch panel to sense signals, and the manufacturing cost can be greatly reduced. In addition, the touch panel of the embodiment of the invention can be applied to the touch panels respectively formed on the two sides of the substrate, such as a double-layer indium tin oxide (D-ITO) touch panel, or can be applied to sensing. The electrodes are formed on the touch panel on the same side of the substrate, for example, a single-layer indium tin oxide (S-ITO) touch panel or a single-chip external structure WIS (Window Integrated Sensor).

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an electronic device 600 having a touch panel according to an embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the electronic device 600 can be implemented as: a mobile phone, a digital camera, a notebook computer, a number of position assistants, a desktop computer, or a television set. The electronic device 600 includes a touch panel 500 (as shown in FIGS. 1a, 3a, and 4a), a display panel 400, a touch panel 500, and a controller 450 for controlling the touch panel 500 and the display panel 400. . In this embodiment, the display panel 400 can include a liquid crystal display (LCD) or a light-emitting display (LED), such as an in-plane switching liquid crystal display or an organic light emitting display. (organic light-emitting display, OLED).

Although the present invention has been disclosed in the above embodiments, it is not intended to limit the present invention, and the present invention may be modified and modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The scope is defined as defined in the scope of the patent application.

200. . . Substrate

202, 202A, 202B, 202A1, 202A2, 202A3. . . Sense electrode

204. . . Bridge part

210X1~210Xm, 210Y1~210Yn. . . wire

212, 212A, 212B, 212C. . . Dielectric layer

222. . . Flat layer

223. . . Top surface

224. . . Cover

214. . . Sensing element

300, 300A, 300B, 300C. . . Sensing area

310, 320. . . direction

500a, 500b, 500c, 500d. . . Touch panel

TA, TB, TC. . . thickness

600. . . Electronic device

400. . . Display panel

450. . . Controller

FIG. 1a is a top view of a touch panel according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 1b is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A' of Figure 1a.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a touch panel according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3a is a top view of a touch panel according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 3b is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A' of Figure 3a.

4a is a top view of a touch panel according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 4b is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A' of Figure 4a.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an electronic device with a touch panel according to an embodiment of the invention.

200. . . Substrate

202A, 202A1, 202A2, 202A3. . . Sense electrode

212, 212A, 212B, 212C. . . Dielectric layer

300A, 300B, 300C. . . Sensing area

500a. . . Touch panel

TA, TB, TC. . . thickness

Claims (11)

A touch panel includes a substrate having a first sensing area and a second sensing area, the first sensing area being located on opposite sides of the second sensing area; and a plurality of first sensing electrodes The sensing element is disposed on the substrate, and the sensing component is coupled to the first sensing electrodes by a plurality of sensing wires. The input signal generated by the sensing component is sequentially transmitted to the first sensing electrodes located in the first sensing area and the second sensing area, and the first sensing area is compared to the second sensing The region is adjacent to the ends of the sensing wires; and a dielectric layer covering the first sensing electrodes, wherein a thickness of the dielectric layer located in the first sensing region is smaller than that in the second sensing region The thickness of the dielectric layer. The touch panel of claim 1, further comprising: a flat layer covering the dielectric layer, wherein a top surface of the flat layer is substantially a plane; and a cover plate disposed on the flat On the floor. The touch panel of claim 2, wherein the material of the flat layer comprises ruthenium oxide, nitride, epoxy resin, polyamidamine, methyl methacrylate or photoresist. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the dielectric layer in the first region has a capacitance per unit area greater than a capacitance per unit area of the dielectric layer in the second region. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the sensing electrode comprises indium tin oxide or indium zinc oxide. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the first sensing electrodes are coupled in series. The touch panel of claim 6, wherein the first sensing electrodes are coupled in series along a first direction. The touch panel of claim 7, further comprising a plurality of second sensing electrodes disposed on the substrate, the first sensing electrodes and the second sensing electrodes being electrically insulated from each other. The touch panel of claim 8, wherein the second sensing electrodes are coupled in series in a second direction. The touch panel of claim 9, wherein the first direction and the second direction are perpendicular to each other. An electronic device comprising: a touch panel as described in claim 1; a display panel corresponding to the touch panel configuration; and a controller for controlling the touch panel and the display panel.