Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
  • G06F3/01—Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer
  • G06F3/03—Arrangements for converting the position or the displacement of a member into a coded form
  • G06F3/041—Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
  • G06F3/047—Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means using sets of wires, e.g. crossed wires
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
  • G06F3/01—Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer
  • G06F3/03—Arrangements for converting the position or the displacement of a member into a coded form
  • G06F3/041—Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F2203/00—Indexing scheme relating to G06F3/00 - G06F3/048
  • G06F2203/041—Indexing scheme relating to G06F3/041 - G06F3/045
  • G06F2203/04103—Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices

Definitions

• the invention relates to a multi-point sensor.
• spacing spacers positioned between the upper layer and the lower layer so as to isolate the upper layer from the lower layer.
• Such a sensor can in particular allow the detection of several activation zones at a time by means of a sequential scanning of the rows and conductive columns as described in the above-mentioned application EP 1719047.
• the upper layer contacts the lower layer in the parts between the spacers. Since the upper layer and the lower layer are conductive, this contact makes it possible to locate the position of the contact points.
• the upper layer consists for example of ITO (indium tin oxide) lines, which is a translucent conductive material. This layer is positioned for example under a layer of PET (polyethylene terephthalate).
• ITO indium tin oxide
• PET polyethylene terephthalate
• the lower layer consists for example of ITO (indium tin oxide) columns, positioned for example above a glass layer.
• ITO indium tin oxide
• Gold 1 ITO having a significant linear resistance along the lines and columns, but however a much lower vertical resistance to the contact areas between the two layers; when several contact points are activated, and notably orthogonally on the rows and columns, the electrical characteristics appearing at the intersection of a line and a column are disturbed by the other contact points situated on these same lines and columns.
• An object of the invention is to reduce the problems of masking and orthogonality between the contact points on the sensor without necessarily using an electronic processing.
• This problem is solved according to the invention by a multipoint sensor as described above, further comprising at least one resistive intermediate layer positioned between the spacer spacers on the one hand and at least one of the conductive upper layer and the layer lower conductive secondly.
• At least one of the upper or lower layers is preferably transparent and, in a preferred embodiment, the multipoint sensor is formed of transparent layers, so as to be transparent.
• the layer of resistive material is arranged so as to obtain a fairly high vertical resistance between the lower and upper conductive layers, while keeping a satisfactory amount of signal.
• the lower layer has a linear resistance
• the upper layer has a linear resistance
• the vertical resistance of the intermediate layer is greater than the linear resistance of the intermediate layer. the lower layer and the linear resistance of the upper layer.
• the vertical strength of the intermediate layer is at least one hundred times greater than the linear resistance of the lower layer and the upper layer.
• the vertical resistance i.e., in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the top and bottom layers, and the section corresponding to the intersection of a line and a column, has a value ranging from 50 kiloOhms to 200 kiloOhms.
• the intermediate layer advantageously has an impedance much greater than the impedance of the conductive material of the upper and lower layers.
• the intermediate layer is preferably transparent and is for example silicone.
• FIG. 1 shows a sectional view of a multipoint sensor according to a first embodiment of the invention
• FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of a multipoint sensor according to a second embodiment of the invention
• FIG. 3 is an exploded representation of a multipoint sensor according to the invention.
• identical reference numerals refer to similar technical elements.
• FIG. 1 It is shown in FIG. 1, a multipoint sensor 1 according to the invention.
• this multi-point sensor 1 is a transparent multi-point sensor so that the different layers constituting this sensor are transparent.
• the senor 1 comprises, in its upper part, a layer of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) 2. Under this layer of PET 2, there is an upper layer 3 of ITO (indium tin oxide), which is a translucent conductive material .
• the ITO layer 3 forms a structuring of the PET layer 2 and corresponds to lines of the sensor 1.
• the sensor 1 further comprises in its lower part, a glass layer 7. Above this layer, there is a lower layer 6 of ITO.
• the ITO layer 6 forms a structuring of the glass layer 7 and corresponds to columns of the sensor 1.
• an intermediate layer 5 is positioned above the lower layer 6 of ITO.
• the ITO upper layer 3 is thus isolated from the lower ITO layer 6 by virtue of the spacers 4.
• the layers of ITO, PET and glass are transparent, so that the sensor is transparent in this case.
• FIG. 2 represents another embodiment of the invention in which, instead of being positioned between the lower layer of ITO 6 and the spacers 4, the intermediate layer 5 is positioned between the top layer of ITO 3 and spacers 4.
• Embodiments of FIGs. 1 and 2 may optionally be combined according to the invention.
• two intermediate layers such as the discrete interlayer 5 can be used.
• the first intermediate layer can then be positioned between the ITO top layer 3 and the spacers 4 as in FIG. 2, and the second intermediate layer can be positioned between the lower layer of ITO 6 and the spacers 4.
• FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 in an exploded representation.
• the PET top layer 2 we have thus, the PET top layer 2, the ITO top lines 3, the spacer 4, the intermediate layer 5, the lower ITO columns 6, and the lower glass layer 7 are shown.
• the upper lines of ITO 3 may have a width of 1.5 millimeters.
• the lower columns of ITO may have a width of 1.5 millimeters.
• the ITO 3 lines and the ITO 6 columns then form a matrix of square cells with a side 1, 5 millimeters.
• the multipoint sensor 1 described above is intended to be positioned above a screen for displaying different objects, so that the various aforementioned layers are preferably transparent.
• ITO has the advantage of being a conductive and transparent material.
• the intermediate layer 5 is now described in more detail as used in the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 3 described above.
• the intermediate layer 5 is transparent with low electrical conductivity. It forms an unstructured continuous layer. A maximum coefficient of transparency is sought in order not to affect the optical performance of the sensor.
• the intermediate layer 5 has a very low conductivity.
• it has a vertical resistance, that is to say in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the top layer of ITO 3 and the lower layer of ITO 6, between 50 kiloOhms to 200 kiloOhms in the 1.5 mm square cell described above.
• the vertical resistance value is chosen to be at least one hundred times greater than the linear resistance of the ITO layers, which makes it possible to avoid point masking problems when using the sensor satisfactorily.
• the vertical resistance value is further selected to maintain a satisfactory signal level in use, i.e., when the ITO top layer 3 is in contact with the resistive intermediate layer 5, which is itself even in contact with the lower layer of ITO 6.
• the Applicant has determined, from tests, that the range of 50 kiloOhms to 200 kiloOhms in the 1.5 millimeter square cell described above allows a good compromise between the signal level and the improvement of masking problems. .
• the intermediate layer 5 is for example made of a semiconductor material, in particular silicone.
• the thickness of the layer is then for example of the order of 300 micrometers, for a resistivity 640 Ohm. m.
• the vertical resistance of the silicone layer is 85.4 kiloOhm. This value is then well understood in the abovementioned range.
• a user presses on the top layer of PET 2, if necessary with several fingers at the same time, which has the effect that, in the two embodiments described above, the ITO 3 top layer is in contact with the intermediate layer 5, which is itself in contact with the layer lower ITO 6. A detection of the contact of the finger or fingers of the user is then possible.
• a sequential scan of the matrix formed by the rows and columns of ITO can be performed. This scanning is for example as described in EP 1719047.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
• Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Measurement Of Length, Angles, Or The Like Using Electric Or Magnetic Means (AREA)
• Position Input By Displaying (AREA)

Priority Applications (4)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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ID=41060008

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (7)

Families Citing this family (4)

Citations (4)

Family Cites Families (2)

• 2009
  • 2009-02-17 FR FR0900715A patent/FR2942329B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2010
  • 2010-02-17 US US13/201,548 patent/US20110298445A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2010-02-17 EP EP10707103A patent/EP2399185B1/fr active Active
  • 2010-02-17 CN CN2010800078627A patent/CN102317894A/zh active Pending
  • 2010-02-17 WO PCT/FR2010/000135 patent/WO2010094858A1/fr not_active Ceased
  • 2010-02-17 JP JP2011549632A patent/JP2012518217A/ja active Pending
  • 2010-02-17 KR KR1020117021715A patent/KR20110123265A/ko not_active Withdrawn

Patent Citations (4)

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