Sensor, sensor controller, and position detection device

Abstract

To provide a sensor that can improve the accuracy of position detection of a pen more effectively.SOLUTION: A sensor 30 includes: a plurality of Y electrodes 30y arranged from one end to the other end in a Y direction in a touch surface; a plurality of terminals Ty that is each provided for each of the plurality of y electrodes 30y and connected to a sensor controller 31; and a plurality of routing lines RLy that connects each of the plurality of Y electrodes 30y to the corresponding terminal Ty. Each of the plurality of Y electrodes 30y is formed so that the interconnect resistance per unit length becomes lower continuously or gradually according to the interconnect distance from a portion connecting with the corresponding routing line RLy. The plurality of routing lines RLy is formed so that a difference in the interconnect resistance between any two of the plurality of Y electrodes 30y is smaller than a case in which the interconnect resistance per unit length in each of the routing lines is constant.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a sensor, a sensor controller, and a position detection device. [Background technology]

[0002] An active electrostatic coupling position detection device includes a sensor arranged on a touch surface and a sensor controller that detects the position of a pen using the sensor. The sensor includes multiple sensor electrodes, each consisting of a plurality of linear electrodes arranged in the X direction (hereinafter referred to as "X electrodes") and a plurality of linear electrodes arranged in the Y direction (hereinafter referred to as "Y electrodes"), a terminal group consisting of multiple terminals arranged along one side of the touch surface extending in the X direction, and multiple routing lines connecting each of the multiple sensor electrodes to each terminal in the terminal group. The multiple terminals that make up the terminal group are each connected to the sensor controller by wiring within a flexible printed circuit board. The sensor controller receives pen signals transmitted by the pen via each sensor electrode and derives the position of the pen on the touch surface based on the distribution of the received signal strength. Examples of position detection devices having such a configuration are disclosed in Patent Documents 1 to 3. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-149161 [Patent Document 2] International Publication No. 2019 / 235322 [Patent Document 3] International Publication No. 2019 / 069696 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the conventional position detection device described above has a problem in that the amount of attenuation of the pen signal in the reception path from the sensor electrode to the sensor controller varies depending on the position of the pen on the touch surface, which prevents the accuracy of pen position detection from improving. That is, the reception path from the sensor electrode to the sensor controller is composed of the sensor electrode, the routing line, and the wiring in the flexible printed circuit board, but the length of the reception path of the pen signal in the sensor electrode varies depending on the position of the pen in the extension direction of the sensor electrode, and the length of the routing line also varies depending on the sensor electrode. As a result, the wiring resistance of the reception path of the pen signal varies depending on the position of the pen on the touch surface, which results in the amount of attenuation of the pen signal varying depending on the position of the pen on the touch surface, as described above.

[0005] In this regard, in the configuration disclosed in Figure 3 of Patent Document 3, a portion of each of the multiple routing lines connected to the multiple Y electrodes (portions indicated by symbols A and B in Figure 3 of Patent Document 3) is formed with a line width larger than that of the other portions. Of these, the portion indicated by symbol A in particular targets only the routing lines corresponding to approximately half of the Y electrodes that are located relatively far from the terminal group, and therefore has the effect of reducing the wiring resistance of approximately half of the longest routing lines, and as a result, plays a role in reducing the difference in wiring resistance between this portion and the other routing lines (approximately half of the shortest routing lines).

[0006] However, with the configuration of Patent Document 3, it is impossible to reduce the difference in wiring resistance between approximately half of the shortest routing lines. It is also impossible to reduce the difference in wiring resistance that occurs depending on the position of the pen tip within the sensor electrode. Therefore, the effect of improving the accuracy of pen position detection obtained with the configuration of Patent Document 3 is extremely limited.

[0007] Therefore, one object of the present invention is to provide a sensor that can effectively improve the accuracy of pen position detection compared to the background art.

[0008] Furthermore, in conventional position detection devices, due to the need for a narrow bezel on a display that is arranged overlaid with the sensor, routing lines may be connected to one end in the X direction for half of the Y electrodes from one side in the Y direction, and routing lines may be connected to the other end in the X direction for the remaining half of the Y electrodes. In this case, if the position of the pen tip is near the boundary where the routing line connection position is switched and that position is shifted to one side in the X direction, the reception path length of the pen signal within the Y electrodes will differ significantly between the two Y electrodes located at the boundary, further deteriorating the accuracy of position detection.

[0009] Therefore, another object of the present invention is to provide a sensor, a sensor controller, and a position detection device that can detect the position of a pen with high accuracy even when routing lines are connected to one end in the X direction for half of the Y electrodes from one side in the Y direction, and routing lines are connected to the other end in the X direction for the remaining half of the Y electrodes. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] A sensor according to a first aspect of the present invention includes a plurality of sensor electrodes arranged in a row from one end to the other end in a first direction within a touch surface, a plurality of terminals provided for each of the plurality of sensor electrodes and each connected to a sensor controller, and a plurality of routing lines connecting each of the plurality of sensor electrodes to a corresponding one of the terminals, wherein each of the plurality of sensor electrodes is formed so that the wiring resistance per unit length decreases continuously or stepwise depending on the wiring distance from the connection with the corresponding routing line, and the plurality of routing lines are formed so that the difference in wiring resistance between any two of the plurality of sensor electrodes is smaller than when the wiring resistance per unit length of each of the plurality of sensor electrodes is constant.

[0011] A sensor according to a second aspect of the present invention includes n (n≧3) sensor electrodes each extending in a first direction and arranged along a second direction intersecting the first direction, and a plurality of routing lines connecting each of the plurality of sensor electrodes to a sensor controller, wherein m (1≦m≦n−2) of the plurality of sensor electrodes from one side in the second direction are connected to corresponding routing lines at one end in the first direction, and nm−1 of the plurality of sensor electrodes from the other side in the second direction are connected to corresponding routing lines at one end in the first direction. , and is connected to the corresponding routing line at the other end in the first direction, and the (m+1)th sensor electrode from one side of the plurality of sensor electrodes in the second direction includes first and second sub-electrodes each having the same length in the first direction as the other sensor electrodes but shorter in the second direction than the other sensor electrodes, and the first sub-electrode is connected to the corresponding routing line at one end in the first direction, and the second sub-electrode is connected to the corresponding routing line at the other end in the first direction.

[0012] A sensor according to a third aspect of the present invention includes n (n≧3) sensor electrodes each extending in a first direction and arranged along a second direction intersecting the first direction, and a plurality of routing lines connecting each of the plurality of sensor electrodes to a sensor controller, wherein the n sensor electrodes include, in order from one side of the second direction, m (m≧1) first sensor electrodes, k (k≧1) second sensor electrodes, and nmk third sensor electrodes, and the plurality of routing lines include m+k first routing lines connecting one end of each of the m first sensor electrodes and the k second sensor electrodes in the first direction to the sensor controller, and nm second routing lines connecting the other end of each of the k second sensor electrodes and the nmk third sensor electrodes in the first direction to the sensor controller.

[0013] The sensor controller according to the present invention is a sensor controller to be used together with the sensor according to the third aspect of the present invention, which selects one of the m+k first routing lines and the nm second routing lines, and derives the position of the pen in the second direction based on the reception strength of the pen signal acquired through the selected one.

[0014] The position detection device according to the present invention includes a sensor controller according to the present invention and k switches provided corresponding to each of the k second sensor electrodes, wherein each of the k switches is configured to be able to connect either the corresponding first routing line or the corresponding second routing line to the sensor controller in accordance with the control of the sensor controller, and the sensor controller acquires the reception strength of the pen signal via either the m+k first routing lines or the nm second routing lines by controlling the k switches. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to improve the accuracy of pen position detection more effectively than in the background art.

[0016] According to the second and third aspects of the present invention, it is possible to detect the position of the pen with high accuracy even when routing lines are connected to one end in the X direction for half of the Y electrodes from one side in the Y direction, and routing lines are connected to the other end in the X direction for the remaining half of the Y electrodes. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing a system configuration of a position detection system 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing in detail the configuration of the position detection device 34 shown in FIG. [Figure 3](a) is a diagram showing the relationship between the wiring distance from the corresponding terminal Ty and the wiring resistance of the portion from the corresponding terminal Ty to the position indicated by the wiring distance for a routing line RLy and a Y electrode 30y according to a comparative example of the first embodiment of the present invention, and (b) is a diagram showing the relationship between the wiring distance from the corresponding terminal Ty and the wiring resistance of the portion from the corresponding terminal Ty to the position indicated by the wiring distance for a routing line RLy and a Y electrode 30y according to an example of the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a specific shape of the Y electrode 30y according to the first embodiment of the present invention (when the Y electrode 30y is made of a plate-shaped conductor). [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a specific shape of the Y electrode 30y according to the first embodiment of the present invention (when the Y electrode 30y is configured by a mesh-shaped conductor). [Figure 6] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a specific shape of a routing line RLy according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a specific shape of a routing line RLy according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] (a) is the same figure as Figure 3(a), and (b) is a diagram showing the relationship between the wiring distance from the corresponding terminal Ty and the wiring resistance of the portion from the corresponding terminal Ty to the position indicated by the wiring distance, for the routing line RLy and the Y electrode 30y according to a modified example of the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing in detail the configuration of a position detection device 34 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] 1(a) is a partially enlarged view of a sensor 30 according to the background art of the present invention, and FIG. 1(b) is a partially enlarged view of a sensor 30 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] (a) is a schematic circuit diagram of a sensor 30 according to the background art of the present invention when the pen 2 is located at the position shown in Figure 10(a), and (b) is a schematic circuit diagram of a sensor 30 according to this embodiment when the pen 2 is located at the position shown in Figure 10(b). [Figure 12] 10(a) is the same as FIG. 10(a), and FIG. 10(b) is a partially enlarged view of a sensor 30 according to a modified example of the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing in detail the configuration of a position detection device 34 according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating a problem that occurs when detecting the position of the pen 2 using a sensor 30 according to the background art of the third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] 10A to 10C are diagrams illustrating a method for detecting the position of the pen 2 using a sensor 30 according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] FIG. 11 is a process flow diagram showing a process executed by a sensor controller 31 according to a third embodiment of the present invention to derive the position of a pen 2. [Figure 17] FIG. 11 is a process flow diagram showing a process executed by a sensor controller 31 according to a third embodiment of the present invention to derive the position of a pen 2. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0019] Fig. 1 is a diagram showing the system configuration of a position detection system 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the position detection system 1 is configured to include a pen 2 and an electronic device 3 having a touch surface 3a. The pen 2 is an active pen that supports an active electrostatic coupling method. The electronic device 3 is, for example, a tablet computer, and as shown in the figure, is configured to include a sensor 30, a sensor controller 31, a display 32, and a host processor 33.

[0020] The pen 2 is configured to receive an uplink signal US transmitted by the sensor controller 31 via the sensor 30 and transmit a pen signal PS in response to the received uplink signal US. The uplink signal US is a signal periodically transmitted by the sensor controller 31, and serves to notify the pen 2 of the timing for transmitting the pen signal PS and the timing for receiving the next uplink signal US, as well as to transmit commands to the pen 2. Upon receiving the uplink signal US, the pen 2 determines a transmission / reception schedule for the pen signal PS and the next uplink signal US based on the timing for receiving the uplink signal US, and transmits the pen signal PS and receives the next uplink signal US in accordance with the determined transmission / reception schedule. The pen 2 also generates the pen signal PS in accordance with the commands included in the uplink signal US.

[0021] The pen signal PS is a signal that includes a position signal, which is an unmodulated carrier wave signal, and a data signal, which is a carrier wave signal modulated based on data. Of these, the position signal is used by the sensor controller 31 to derive the position of the pen 2. The data signal is used to transmit predetermined data from the pen 2 to the sensor controller 31. The data transmitted by the data signal includes a pen ID previously assigned to the pen 2, a writing pressure value indicating the magnitude of pressure applied to the pen tip of the pen 2, information indicating the on / off state of a switch provided on the surface of the pen 2, etc.

[0022] The sensor 30 and sensor controller 31 constitute a position detection device 34 that detects the position of the pen 2 on the touch surface 3a. More specifically, the sensor 30 includes a plurality of sensor electrodes arranged directly below the touch surface 3a, which is a flat surface. The sensor controller 31 is an integrated circuit connected to each of the sensor electrodes in the sensor 30 via a plurality of FPC wirings FL provided in a flexible printed circuit board. The sensor controller 31 periodically transmits an uplink signal US using some or all of the sensor electrodes in the sensor 30, and also performs processing to receive, via the sensor 30, a pen signal PS transmitted by the pen 2 in response to the uplink signal US.

[0023] When receiving a position signal from an undetected pen 2, the sensor controller 31 acquires the reception strength of the position signal from each of all sensor electrodes and derives a distribution curve of the reception strength from the results, thereby deriving the position of the pen 2 within the touch surface 3a (global scan). In a more specific example, the sensor controller 31 searches for the peak (maximum) of the acquired reception strength, derives a distribution curve of the reception strength based on the peak reception strength and two reception strengths acquired by the sensor electrodes on either side of the sensor electrode corresponding to the peak, and acquires the apex of the distribution curve as the position of the pen 2. This position derivation process is called the "three-point method" because it uses three sensor electrodes. The sensor controller 31 may also derive the position of the pen 2 using the "four-point method," which uses one more sensor electrode (the sensor electrode with the greater reception strength among the two sensor electrodes adjacent to the three sensor electrodes) in addition to the three sensor electrodes used in the three-point method.

[0024] On the other hand, when receiving a position signal from a pen 2 that has already been detected, the sensor controller 31 acquires the reception strength of the position signal from each of a predetermined number of sensor electrodes located near the previously derived position, and derives a distribution curve of the reception strength from the results, thereby updating the position of the pen 2 on the touch surface 3a (local scan). In this case, the position can also be derived using the above-mentioned three-point method or four-point method.

[0025] When receiving a data signal from the pen 2, the sensor controller 31 receives and demodulates the data signal at one or a predetermined number of sensor electrodes located near the previously derived position, thereby acquiring the data transmitted by the pen 2. The sensor controller 31 is configured to supply the position derived and the acquired data as described above to the host processor 33 each time.

[0026] The host processor 33 is the central processing unit of the electronic device 3, and plays a role in executing the operating system and various applications of the electronic device 3 by reading and executing programs stored in a memory (not shown). The applications executed by the host processor 33 include a drawing application.

[0027] The drawing application is a program that causes the host processor 33 to execute a process of generating stroke data based on positions and data sequentially supplied from the sensor controller 31. The processes that the drawing application causes the host processor 33 to execute also include a process of storing the generated stroke data in memory, a process of generating a video signal by rendering the generated stroke data, and a process of displaying the generated stroke data on the display 32 by supplying the generated video signal to the display 32.

[0028] The display 32 is a display device having a display panel with a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix and a drive circuit that drives the display panel to produce a desired display. Specifically, the display 32 may be a liquid crystal display, an organic electroluminescence (EL) display, electronic paper, or the like. The drive circuit is configured to drive each pixel of the display panel in accordance with a video signal supplied from the host processor 33.

[0029] Fig. 2 is a diagram showing in detail the configuration of the position detection device 34. Note that this figure does not reflect the enlargement of width and the like that will be explained with reference to Figs. 4 to 7 shown later. This also applies to Figs. 9 to 15 shown later.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 2, the sensor 30 includes, as the above-mentioned multiple sensor electrodes, multiple X electrodes 30x arranged side by side from one end to the other in the X direction on the touch surface 3a, and multiple Y electrodes 30y arranged side by side from one end to the other in the Y direction (a direction perpendicular to the X direction) on the touch surface 3a. Each of the multiple X electrodes 30x is made of a linear conductor extending in the Y direction and is arranged at equal intervals in the X direction. Each of the multiple Y electrodes 30y is made of a linear conductor extending in the X direction and is arranged at equal intervals in the Y direction. Note that for ease of viewing, FIG. 2 and the following figures show only eight X electrodes 30x and eight Y electrodes 30y (X electrodes 30x1 to 30x8, Y electrodes 30y1 to 30y8), but in reality, many more X electrodes 30x and Y electrodes 30y are provided.

[0031] The X electrodes 30x and the Y electrodes 30y are configured so as not to interfere as much as possible with the visibility of the display 32, which is disposed below the sensor 30 when viewed from the touch surface 3a. As a specific example, the X electrodes 30x and the Y electrodes 30y may be plate-shaped conductors made of a transparent material such as indium tin oxide (ITO), or may be configured of a mesh-shaped conductor. In the following, unless otherwise specified, the description will be continued assuming that the X electrodes 30x and the Y electrodes 30y are plate-shaped conductors made of a transparent material.

[0032] The sensor 30 is also configured with a terminal group including a plurality of terminals Tx provided for each of the plurality of X electrodes 30x and a plurality of terminals Ty provided for each of the plurality of Y electrodes 30y, a plurality of routing lines RLx connecting each of the plurality of X electrodes 30x to the corresponding terminal Tx, and a plurality of routing lines RLy connecting each of the plurality of Y electrodes 30y to the corresponding terminal Ty. The plurality of routing lines RLx, RLy extend within the bezel area of the display 32 in a plan view. The terminals Tx, Ty constituting the terminal group are arranged side by side on one side in the Y direction (the lower side in the drawing) of the installation area (rectangular area) of the sensor 30. The terminals Tx, Ty are each connected to the sensor controller 31 by a plurality of FPC wirings FL provided in a flexible printed circuit board.

[0033] In this embodiment, each of the plurality of routing lines RLy is connected to the corresponding Y electrode 30y at the other end in the X direction (the end on the left side in the drawing) of the corresponding Y electrode 30y, and each of the plurality of routing lines RLx is connected to the corresponding X electrode 30x at one end in the Y direction (the end on the lower side in the drawing) of the corresponding X electrode 30x.

[0034] 3(a) is a diagram showing the relationship between the wiring distance from the corresponding terminal Ty and the wiring resistance of the portion from the corresponding terminal Ty to the position indicated by the wiring distance for the routing line RLy and the Y electrode 30y according to a comparative example of this embodiment, and FIG. 3(b) is a diagram showing the relationship between the wiring distance from the corresponding terminal Ty and the wiring resistance of the portion from the corresponding terminal Ty to the position indicated by the wiring distance for the routing line RLy and the Y electrode 30y according to an example of this embodiment. Below, an outline of the characteristic parts of the sensor 30 in this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b).

[0035] In the comparative example of Fig. 3(a), each routing line RLy and each Y electrode 30y is formed so that the wiring resistance per unit length is constant. For example, if each routing line RLy and each Y electrode 30y is a plate-shaped conductor, this means that the resistivity, width, and thickness of the conductor are constant. In this case, the wiring resistance of the routing line RLy and the Y electrode 30y is proportional to the respective wiring distances, so as shown in Fig. 3(a), the wiring resistance from the terminal Ty to an arbitrary position increases linearly except for the connection point between the routing line RLy and the Y electrode 30y.

[0036] 3(a), if the wiring resistance of each Y electrode 30y is Rs, then the difference in wiring resistance due to differences in the reception path length of the pen signal PS within the Y electrode 30y will be at most Rs. Furthermore, if the wiring resistance of the routing line RLy corresponding to the Y electrode 30ym (m is a natural number from 1 to 7) is Rm, and the wiring resistance of the routing line RLy corresponding to the Y electrode 30yn (n is a natural number greater than m and equal to or less than 8) is Rn, then the difference in wiring resistance between the Y electrodes 30ym and 30yn due to differences in the length of the routing line RLy will be Rm-Rn.

[0037] In one example of this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 3(b), each Y electrode 30y is formed so that the wiring resistance per unit length continuously decreases according to the wiring distance from the connection portion with the corresponding routing line RLy. This reduces the wiring resistance Rs compared to the comparative example of Fig. 3(a), making it possible to reduce the difference in wiring resistance due to differences in the reception path length of the pen signal PS within the Y electrode 30y compared to the comparative example of Fig. 3(a). While Fig. 3(b) shows an example in which each Y electrode 30y is formed so that the wiring resistance per unit length continuously decreases, each Y electrode 30y may also be formed so that the wiring resistance per unit length decreases in stages.

[0038] In one example of this embodiment, each routing line RLy is formed so that the difference in wiring resistance Rm-Rn between any two Y electrodes 30y is smaller than when the wiring resistance per unit length is constant. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3(b), each routing line RLy is formed so that the wiring resistance per unit length continuously decreases according to the wiring distance from the connection portion with the corresponding terminal Ty. By doing so, the wiring resistance difference Rm-Rn is smaller for any m and n than in the comparative example of FIG. 3(a). Therefore, it is possible to reduce the difference in wiring resistance due to differences in the length of the routing line RLy compared to the comparative example of FIG. 3(a). Note that FIG. 3(b) shows an example in which each routing line RLy is formed so that the wiring resistance per unit length continuously decreases. However, each routing line RLy may be formed so that the wiring resistance per unit length decreases stepwise.

[0039] 4 and 5 are diagrams showing examples of specific shapes of the Y electrode 30y according to the present embodiment. Fig. 4 shows a case where the Y electrode 30y is configured with a plate-shaped conductor, and Fig. 5 shows a case where the Y electrode 30y is configured with a mesh-shaped conductor.

[0040] The example shown in FIG. 4(a) is an example of a Y electrode 30y formed so that its width increases continuously according to the wiring distance from the connection portion with the corresponding routing line RLy. Although the figure shows an example in which the width increases continuously, the Y electrode 30y may be formed so that its width increases stepwise. Furthermore, the example shown in FIG. 4(b) is an example of a Y electrode 30y formed so that its thickness increases continuously according to the wiring distance from the connection portion with the corresponding routing line RLy. The illustrated Z direction is the direction perpendicular to the touch surface 3a. Although the figure shows an example in which the thickness increases continuously, the Y electrode 30y may be formed so that its thickness increases stepwise. In either example, the Y electrode 30y, which is a plate-shaped conductor, is formed so that its wiring resistance per unit length decreases continuously or stepwise according to the wiring distance from the connection portion with the corresponding routing line RLy.

[0041] The example shown in FIG. 5(a), like the example in FIG. 4(a), is an example of a Y electrode 30y formed so that its width increases continuously according to the wiring distance from the connection portion with the corresponding routing line RLy. Similarly to the example in FIG. 4(a), the Y electrode 30y may be formed so that its width increases stepwise. Similarly to the example in FIG. 4(a), the example shown in FIG. 5(b) is an example of a Y electrode 30y formed so that its thickness increases continuously according to the wiring distance from the connection portion with the corresponding routing line RLy. Similarly to the example in FIG. 4(a), the Y electrode 30y may be formed so that its thickness increases stepwise. In either example, the Y electrode 30y, which is a mesh-shaped conductor, is formed so that its wiring resistance per unit length decreases continuously or stepwise according to the wiring distance from the connection portion with the corresponding routing line RLy.

[0042] The example shown in FIG. 5(c) is an example of a Y electrode 30y formed so that the number of intersections per unit length of the mesh-shaped conductor increases according to the wiring distance from the connection portion with the corresponding routing line RLy. In the example shown in the same figure, the number of intersections per unit length increases by one in the order of the illustrated regions A1 to A5. Also, the example shown in FIG. 5(d) is an example of a Y electrode 30y formed so that the mesh density (wiring density of the mesh-shaped conductor) increases according to the wiring distance from the connection portion with the corresponding routing line RLy. The conductors shown by dashed lines in the same figure are conductors that do not actually exist, and in the example shown in the same figure, the mesh density increases stepwise in the order of the illustrated regions A1 to A4. These examples also realize the formation of the mesh-shaped conductor Y electrode 30y so that the wiring resistance per unit length decreases stepwise according to the wiring distance from the connection portion with the corresponding routing line RLy.

[0043] 4(b) and 5(d), the thickness of the Y electrode 30y increases downward in accordance with the wiring distance from the connection portion with the corresponding routing line RLy. This is because the Y electrode 30y is formed by imprint technology. That is, the Y electrode 30y is formed by forming a groove having the shape of the Y electrode 30y and filling the interior with a conductor. The increase in the thickness of the Y electrode 30y is achieved by adjusting the depth of this groove. This also applies to the routing line RLy, the X electrode 30x, and the routing line RLx, which will be described later with reference to FIG. 7.

[0044] 6 and 7 are diagrams showing examples of specific shapes of the routing line RLy according to this embodiment. Note that, although the actual routing line RLy has a bent portion along the way as shown in Fig. 2, the bend is not shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

[0045] The example shown in Figure 6(a) is an example of a routing line RLy formed so that its width increases continuously according to the wiring distance from the connection portion with the corresponding terminal Ty. Also, the examples shown in Figures 6(b) and 6(c) are examples of a routing line RLy formed so that its width increases stepwise according to the wiring distance from the connection portion with the corresponding terminal Ty. Figure 6(b) shows an example in which the width of the routing line RLy increases on both sides in the length direction, and Figure 6(d) shows an example in which the width of the routing line RLy increases only on one side in the length direction. According to these examples, the routing line RLy can be formed so that the wiring resistance per unit length decreases continuously or stepwise according to the wiring distance from the connection portion with the corresponding terminal Ty.

[0046] The example shown in Fig. 7(a) is an example of a routing line RLy formed so that the pressure increases continuously according to the wiring distance from the connection portion with the corresponding terminal Ty. The example shown in Fig. 7(b) is an example of a routing line RLy formed so that the thickness increases stepwise according to the wiring distance from the connection portion with the corresponding terminal Ty. These examples also realize the routing line RLy being formed so that the wiring resistance per unit length decreases continuously or stepwise according to the wiring distance from the connection portion with the corresponding terminal Ty.

[0047] As described above, according to the sensor 30 of this embodiment, each Y electrode 30y is formed so that the wiring resistance per unit length continuously decreases according to the wiring distance from the connection portion with the corresponding routing line RLy, and each routing line RLy is formed so that the difference in wiring resistance between any two Y electrodes 30y is smaller than when the wiring resistance per unit length is constant. This makes it possible to reduce the difference in wiring resistance of the reception path of the pen signal PS that occurs due to differences in the position of the pen on the touch surface. Therefore, it is possible to more effectively improve the accuracy of pen position detection than the configuration of Patent Document 3 described above.

[0048] In the present embodiment, an example has been described in which the wiring resistance is adjusted by adjusting either the width or the thickness of each of the Y electrodes 30y and the routing line RLy, but the wiring resistance may be adjusted by adjusting both the width and the thickness. Also, the wiring resistance may be adjusted by adjusting the width or the thickness of only either the Y electrodes 30y or the routing line RLy.

[0049] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the description has been given focusing on the Y electrodes 30y and the routing lines RLy, but the present invention is also applicable to the X electrodes 30x and the routing lines RLx in the same manner.

[0050] In addition, in the present embodiment, an example has been described in which each Y electrode 30y and each routing line RLy is formed so that the wiring resistance per unit length decreases continuously or stepwise, but if it is possible to reduce the wiring resistance per unit length over the entire length of each Y electrode 30y or each routing line RLy, this may also be done. The specific method for reducing the wiring resistance per unit length over the entire length is not particularly limited, and for example, the width may be increased over the entire length, the thickness may be increased over the entire length, or a material with a low resistivity may be substituted.

[0051] 8(b) is a diagram showing the relationship between the wiring distance from the corresponding terminal Ty and the wiring resistance of the portion from the corresponding terminal Ty to the position indicated by the wiring distance for the routing line RLy and the Y electrode 30y according to a modified example of this embodiment. FIG. 8(a) is the same as FIG. 3(a). FIG. 8(b) shows an example in which the wiring resistance per unit length is reduced over the entire length of each Y electrode 30y and each routing line RLy compared to the comparative example shown in FIG. 8(a). This also reduces the difference in wiring resistance of the reception path of the pen signal caused by differences in the position of the pen on the touch surface, so similar to this embodiment, it is possible to more effectively improve the accuracy of pen position detection than the configuration of Patent Document 3 mentioned above.

[0052] Next, a position detection system 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The position detection system 1 according to this embodiment differs from the position detection system 1 according to the first embodiment in that the sensor 30 is configured such that half of the Y electrodes 30y from one side in the Y direction have routing lines RLy connected to one end in the X direction, and the remaining half of the Y electrodes 30y have routing lines RLy connected to the other end in the X direction. This configuration also differs from the position detection system 1 according to the first embodiment in that one of the two Y electrodes RLy located at the boundary where the connection position of the routing lines RLy is switched is divided into two sub-electrodes, so that high position detection accuracy can be achieved even with this configuration. In other respects, the position detection system 1 according to this embodiment is similar to the position detection system 1 according to the first embodiment, and the following description will focus on the differences from the position detection system 1 according to the first embodiment.

[0053] 9 is a diagram showing in detail the configuration of the position detection device 34 according to this embodiment. As shown in the diagram, in this embodiment, of n (n is a natural number equal to or greater than 3; n=8 in this embodiment) Y electrodes 30y, m (1≦m≦n-2; m=3 in this embodiment) Y electrodes 30y from one side in the Y direction are connected to corresponding routing lines RLy at one end in the X direction (the end on the right side of the drawing), and of the n Y electrodes 30y, nm-1 (four in this embodiment) Y electrodes 30y from the other side in the Y direction are connected to corresponding routing lines RLy at the other end in the X direction (the end on the left side of the drawing).

[0054] Furthermore, the (m+1)th Y electrode 30y (the fourth Y electrode 30y4 in this embodiment) from one side in the Y direction among the n Y electrodes 30y is composed of a first sub-electrode 30y4a and a second sub-electrode 30y4b, each of which has the same length in the X direction as the other Y electrodes 30y but is shorter in the Y direction than the other Y electrodes 30y. The specific lengths of the first sub-electrode 30y4a and the second sub-electrode 30y4b in the Y direction may be, for example, half of those of the other Y electrodes 30y. The first sub-electrode 30y4a extends to one side in the Y direction of the second sub-electrode 30y4b and is physically and electrically separated from the second sub-electrode 30y4b. The first sub-electrode 30y4a is connected to the corresponding routing line RLy at one end in the X direction, and the second sub-electrode 30y4b is connected to the corresponding routing line RLy at the other end in the X direction. The routing line RLy connected to the first sub-electrode 30y4a and the routing line RLy connected to the second sub-electrode 30y4b are connected within the bezel region and are connected to the same terminal Ty.

[0055] Fig. 10(a) is a partially enlarged view of a sensor 30 according to the background art of the present invention, and Fig. 10(b) is a partially enlarged view of a sensor 30 according to this embodiment. In these figures, each Y electrode 30y is depicted as a mesh-like conductor, but each Y electrode 30y may also be a plate-like conductor. This also applies to Fig. 12 shown later.

[0056] First, focusing on Fig. 10(a), in the sensor 30 according to the background art of the present invention, the Y electrode 30y4 is composed of a single electrode similar to the Y electrodes 30y3, 30y5, etc., and is connected to the routing line RLy at one end in the X direction. In such a sensor 30 according to the background art, as shown in the figure, consider the case where the tip of the pen 2 is at a position near the other end in the X direction of the Y electrode 30y4 (specifically, at a position at a distance L1 (<L) from the other end in the X direction of the total length L in the X direction of the Y electrode 30y4. The same applies to Fig. 10(b) described later). In this case, according to the above-described three-point method, the sensor controller 31 derives the position of the pen 2 based on the reception intensity of the pen signal PS in each of the three Y electrodes 30y3 to 30y5. However, since the tip of the pen 2 is near the other end in the X direction of the Y electrode 30y4, and the reception path lengths of the pen signal PS in the Y electrode 30y are significantly different between the Y electrodes 30y3, 30y4 and the Y electrode 30y5, it is impossible to accurately derive the position of the pen 2.

[0057] Fig. 11(a) is a schematic circuit diagram of the sensor 30 according to the background art of the present invention when the pen 2 is at the position shown in Fig. 10(a). As shown in the figure, in this case, the wiring resistance of the reception path of the pen signal PS formed in each Y electrode 30y becomes Rs·(L - L1) / L in the Y electrodes 30y3, 30y4, and Rs·L1 / L in the Y electrode 30y5. Therefore, the wiring resistance difference between the Y electrodes 30y3, 30y4 and the Y electrode 30y5 is Rs·(L - L1) / L - Rs·L1 / L = Rs·(L - 2L1) / L, and due to this difference, there is a difference in the reception intensity of the pen signal PS received via the Y electrodes 30y3, 30y4 and the reception intensity of the pen signal PS received via the Y electrode 30y5.

[0058] 10(b), in the sensor 30 according to this embodiment, the Y electrode 30y4 is composed of the first sub-electrode 30y4a and the second sub-electrode 30y4b, as described above. In the sensor 30 according to this embodiment, when the pen tip of the pen 2 is located closer to the other end of the Y electrode 30y4 in the X direction, as in FIG. 10(a), the wiring resistance of the reception path of the pen signal PS in the Y electrode 30y4 is the combined resistance of the wiring resistance of the reception path of the pen signal PS formed in the first sub-electrode 30y4a and the wiring resistance of the reception path of the pen signal PS formed in the second sub-electrode 30y4b.

[0059] 11(b) is a schematic circuit diagram of the sensor 30 according to this embodiment when the pen 2 is located at the position shown in FIG. 10(b). As can be seen from the figure, the wiring resistance of the reception path of the pen signal PS in the Y electrode 30y4 in this case is the combined resistance 2Rs·L1(L-L1) / L of the wiring resistance 2Rs·(L-L1) / L of the reception path via the first sub-electrode 30y4a and the wiring resistance 2Rs·L1 / L of the reception path via the second sub-electrode 30y4b. 2 The wiring resistance of the receiving path of the pen signal PS formed in the Y electrodes 30y3 and 30y5 is the same as that in FIG. 11(a). Therefore, the wiring resistance difference between the Y electrodes 30y3 and 30y4 is Rs·(L−L1) / L−2Rs·L1(L−L1) / L 2 =Rs·(L-2L1)·(L-L1) / L 2 The difference in wiring resistance between the Y electrode 30y4 and the Y electrode 30y5 is 2Rs L1(L-L1) / L 2 -Rs L1 / L=Rs (L-2L1) L1 / L 2 11(a) 。 As both are smaller than the wiring resistance difference Rs·(L-2L1) / L in the example of FIG. 11(a), it can be said that this embodiment can reduce the difference between the reception strength of the pen signal PS received via the Y electrodes 30y3 and 30y4 and the reception strength of the pen signal PS received via the Y electrode 30y5. Therefore, it can be said that the sensor controller 31 can derive the position of the pen 2 with high accuracy.

[0060] As described above, according to the sensor 30 of this embodiment, one of the two Y electrodes 30y located at the boundary where the connection position of the routing line RLy is switched is divided into two sub-electrodes. Therefore, even though half of the Y electrodes 30y from one side in the Y direction have the routing line RLy connected to one end in the X direction, and the remaining half of the Y electrodes 30y have the routing line RLy connected to the other end in the X direction, it is possible to detect the position of the pen 2 with high accuracy.

[0061] Fig. 12(b) is a partial enlarged view of a sensor 30 according to a modification of the present embodiment. Fig. 12(a) is the same as Fig. 10(a). The sensor 30 according to this modification differs from the sensor 30 according to the present embodiment in that the mesh density of each of the first sub-electrode 30y4a and the second sub-electrode 30y4b constituting the Y electrode 30y4 is higher than that of the other Y electrodes 30y. This reduces the wiring resistance per unit length of the first sub-electrode 30y4a and the second sub-electrode 30y4b compared to the present embodiment, and therefore it is possible to make the wiring resistance of each of the first sub-electrode 30y4a and the second sub-electrode 30y4b, which are narrower than the other Y electrodes 30y, closer to the wiring resistance of the other Y electrodes 30y.

[0062] Next, a position detection system 1 according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. The position detection system 1 according to this embodiment differs from the position detection system 1 according to the second embodiment in that some Y electrodes RLy located at the boundary of the switching of the connection positions of the routing lines RLy are connected to the routing lines RLy at both one end and the other end in the X direction, that a switch is provided for selectively connecting only one of the routing lines RLy connected to one end of the Y electrodes RLy in the X direction and the routing line RLy connected to the other end to the sensor controller 31, and that the Y electrodes RLy located at the boundary of the switching of the connection positions of the routing lines RLy are not divided into two sub-electrodes. The position detection system 1 according to this embodiment also differs from the position detection system 1 according to the second embodiment in the position derivation processing performed by the sensor controller 31. In other respects, the position detection system 1 according to this embodiment is similar to the position detection system 1 according to the second embodiment, and therefore, the following description will focus on the differences from the position detection system 1 according to the second embodiment.

[0063] 13 is a diagram showing in detail the configuration of the position detection device 34 according to this embodiment. As shown in the figure, in this embodiment, n (n is a natural number equal to or greater than 3; n=8 in this embodiment) Y electrodes 30y are classified, starting from one side in the Y direction, into m (m≧1; m=3 in this embodiment) first sensor electrodes SE1, k (k≧1; k=2 in this embodiment) second sensor electrodes SE2, and nmk (3 in this embodiment) third sensor electrodes SE3. The sensor 30 is configured to include m+k routing lines RLy1 connecting one end in the X direction of each of the m first sensor electrodes SE1 and the k second sensor electrodes SE2 to the sensor controller 31, and nmk routing lines RLy2 connecting the other end in the X direction of each of the k second sensor electrodes SE2 and the nmk third sensor electrodes SE3 to the sensor controller 31.

[0064] The position detection device 34 includes a k-pole double-throw switch 40 having controlled circuits (poles) corresponding to the k second sensor electrodes SE2, respectively. The switch 40 is configured to be able to connect one of the routing lines RLy1 and RLy2 to the sensor controller 31 for each controlled circuit (i.e., each second sensor electrode SE2) in response to control by the sensor controller 31.

[0065] 14A and 14B are diagrams illustrating a problem that occurs when detecting the position of the pen 2 using a sensor 30 according to the background art of this embodiment. The configuration of the sensor 30 according to the background art of this embodiment is shown in (a) and (c) of the same figure. As shown in these figures, the sensor 30 according to the background art of this embodiment has a configuration in which a routing line RLy is connected to one end in the X direction of half of the Y electrodes 30y1 to 30y4 from one side in the Y direction, and a routing line RLy is connected to the other end in the X direction of the remaining half of the Y electrodes 30y5 to 30y8.

[0066] Fig. 14(b) is a diagram showing the reception intensity (acquired by the sensor controller 31) at each Y electrode 30y of the pen signal PS from the pen 2 located at the position shown in Fig. 14(a). The position of the pen tip of the pen 2 shown in Fig. 14(a) is near the other end of the Y electrode 30y3 and near the Y electrode 30y2.

[0067] Fig. 14(d) is a diagram showing the reception intensity (acquired by the sensor controller 31) of the pen signal PS from the pen 2 located in the position shown in Fig. 14(c) at each Y electrode 30y. The position of the pen tip of the pen 2 shown in Fig. 14(c) is near the other end of the Y electrode 30y5 and near the Y electrode 30y6.

[0068] As shown in Figures 14(b) and 14(d), according to the background art shown in Figure 14, when the pen tip of the pen 2 is located closer to the other end of one of the Y electrodes 30y, the attenuation of the pen signal PS received by the Y electrodes 30y1 to 30y4 is greater than the attenuation of the pen signal PS received by the Y electrodes 30y5 to 30y8. This is due to the difference in the end connected to the routing line RLy. As a result, when comparing the reception strength of the Y electrode 30y3 in Figure 14(b) with the reception strength of the Y electrode 30y5 in Figure 14(d), which are both peaks, the latter is greater.

[0069] A problem occurs when the pen tip of the pen 2 is near the boundary of the routing line RLy's connection position change, as in the example of Figure 14(c). In this case, the path lengths of the reception paths of the pen signal PS within the Y electrode 30y are significantly different between the Y electrode 30y5 corresponding to the peak, the Y electrode 30y6 adjacent to it on one side, and the Y electrode 30y4 adjacent to it on the other side. As a result, the pen signal PS received via the Y electrodes 30y5 and 30y6 and the pen signal PS received via the Y electrode 30y4 have significantly different attenuation amounts within the Y electrode 30y, making it impossible for the sensor controller 31 to correctly derive the position of the pen 2 even using the above-mentioned three-point method.

[0070] 15 is a diagram illustrating a method for detecting the position of the pen 2 using the sensor 30 according to this embodiment. Hereinafter, the position derivation process performed by the sensor controller 31 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to this FIG.

[0071] The sensor controller 31 according to this embodiment switches the routing lines connected to the sensor controller 31 under the control of the switch 40, thereby performing a process of receiving the pen signal PS using the routing line RLy1 and a process of receiving the pen signal PS using the routing line RLy2 in a time-division manner. In the former process, the reception strength is acquired for the Y electrodes 30y1 to 30y5, but not for the Y electrodes 30y6 to 30y8. In the latter process, the reception strength is acquired for the Y electrodes 30y4 to 30y8, but not for the Y electrodes 30y1 to 30y3.

[0072] Figure 15(b) is a diagram showing the reception strength (acquired by the sensor controller 31) of the pen signal PS from the pen 2 located at the position shown in Figure 15(a) (the same position as shown in Figure 14(a)) at each Y electrode 30y, when the pen signal PS is received using the routing line RLy1 and when the pen signal PS is received using the routing line RLy2.

[0073] Figure 15(d) is a diagram showing the reception strength (acquired by the sensor controller 31) of the pen signal PS from the pen 2 located at the position shown in Figure 15(c) (the same position as shown in Figure 14(c)) at each Y electrode 30y, when the pen signal PS is received using the routing line RLy1 and when the pen signal PS is received using the routing line RLy2.

[0074] 15(d) and 14(d), in this embodiment, even when a peak is detected at the Y electrode 30y5, the pen signal PS received using the routing line RLy2 is received at the adjacent Y electrodes 30y4 and 30y6 on both sides with the same amount of attenuation as the Y electrode 30y5. Therefore, the sensor controller 31 can derive the position of the pen 2 more accurately than in the background art.

[0075] Here, in order to correctly derive the position of the pen 2, the sensor controller 31 must select either the series of reception intensities received using the routing line RLy1 or the series of reception intensities received using the routing line RLy2, and derive the position using the selected one. Below, the processing performed by the sensor controller 31 for this purpose will be described in detail with reference to a processing flow diagram.

[0076] 16 and 17 are processing flow diagrams showing the processing executed by the sensor controller 31 according to this embodiment to derive the position of the pen 2. Note that this processing can be applied to both the global scan and the local scan described above, but the following description will be given taking as an example the case where it is applied to the global scan.

[0077] 16, the sensor controller 31 according to this embodiment first acquires the reception intensity of the pen signal PS at each of the Y electrodes 30y1 to 30y5 through the routing line RLy1 by switching the switch 40 to the routing line RLy1 side (step S1).The sensor controller 31 then searches for a peak in the acquired reception intensity (step S2) and determines whether a peak is detected (step S3).

[0078] If it is determined in step S3 that a peak has not been detected, the sensor controller 31 proceeds to step S10 in Fig. 17. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S3 that a peak has been detected, the sensor controller 31 determines whether the Y electrode 30y corresponding to the peak is the Y electrode 30y5 (i.e., the second sensor electrode SE2 adjacent to the third sensor electrode SE3) (steps S4 and S5).

[0079] If it is determined in steps S4 and S5 that the electrode is the Y electrode 30y5, the sensor controller 31 proceeds to step S10 in Fig. 17. On the other hand, if it is determined in steps S4 and S5 that the electrode is not the Y electrode 30y5, the sensor controller 31 derives the pen position by performing the above-mentioned three-point method using the reception intensity of the pen signal acquired in step S1 (step S6), and ends the process. In this case, the sensor controller 31 has selected a series of reception intensities received using the routing line RLy1.

[0080] 17, the sensor controller 31 advances the process to step S10, switches the switch 40 to the routing line RLy2 side, and thereby acquires the reception intensity of the pen signal PS at each of the Y electrodes 30y4 to 30y8 through the routing line RLy2 (step S10).The sensor controller 31 then searches for a peak in the acquired reception intensity (step S11), and determines whether or not a peak is detected (step S12).

[0081] If it is determined in step S12 that a peak has not been detected, the sensor controller 31 decides not to derive the position of the pen 2 (step S20) and ends the process. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S12 that a peak has been detected, the sensor controller 31 determines whether the Y electrode 30y corresponding to the peak is the Y electrode 30y4 (i.e., the second sensor electrode SE2 adjacent to the first sensor electrode SE1) (steps S13 and S14).

[0082] If it is determined in steps S13 and S14 that the electrode is the Y electrode 30y4, the sensor controller 31 decides not to derive the position of the pen 2 (step S20) and ends the process. On the other hand, if it is determined in steps S13 and S14 that the electrode is not the Y electrode 30y4, the sensor controller 31 derives the position of the pen by performing the above-mentioned three-point method using the reception strength of the pen signal acquired in step S10 (step S15) and ends the process. In this case, the sensor controller 31 has selected a series of reception strengths received using the routing line RLy2.

[0083] The above has described the process performed by the sensor controller 31 to select either the series of reception intensities received using the routing line RLy1 or the series of reception intensities received using the routing line RLy2. By performing this process, the sensor controller 31 can derive the position of the pen 2 in a state in which the pen signal PS is received with the same amount of attenuation from each of the two Y electrodes 30y adjacent to the Y electrode 30y corresponding to the peak. This makes it possible to correctly derive the position of the pen 2.

[0084] As described above, according to the position detection device 34 of this embodiment, the sensor 30 is configured to have Y electrodes connected to the routing lines at both ends at the boundary where the routing line connection positions are switched, and the sensor controller 31 is configured to select the routing line on either side to derive the position of the pen 2.Therefore, as in the second embodiment, even though half of the Y electrodes 30y from one side in the Y direction have a routing line RLy connected to one end in the X direction, and the remaining half of the Y electrodes 30y have a routing line RLy connected to the other end in the X direction, it is possible to detect the position of the pen 2 with high accuracy.

[0085] 16 and 17, the series of reception intensities is acquired using the routing line RLy2 only when position derivation is not performed using the series of reception intensities received using the routing line RLy1, but the sensor controller 31 may acquire the series of reception intensities using the routing line RLy2 regardless of whether position derivation is performed using the series of reception intensities received using the routing line RLy1. In this way, the sensor controller 31 can confirm the reception results of the pen signal from both the routing lines RLy1 and RLy2, and then derive the position of the pen 2 using the more appropriate one.

[0086] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and it goes without saying that the present invention can be embodied in various forms without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0087] 1. Position detection system 2 pens 3 Electronic equipment 3a Touch Surface 30 sensors 30x,30x1~30x8 X electrode 30y,30y1~30y8 Y electrode 30y4a First sub-electrode 30y4b Second sub-electrode 31 Sensor Controller 32 Display 33 Host Processor 34 Position detection device 40 Switch FL FPC wiring PS Pen Signal RLx,RLy,RLy1,RLy2 routing lines SE1 First sensor electrode SE2 Second sensor electrode SE3 Third sensor electrode Tx,Ty terminal US uplink signal

Claims

1. a plurality of sensor electrodes arranged side by side from one end to the other end in a first direction within the touch surface; a plurality of terminals provided for the plurality of sensor electrodes, each terminal being connected to a sensor controller; a plurality of routing lines connecting each of the plurality of sensor electrodes to a corresponding one of the terminals; each of the plurality of sensor electrodes is formed so that the wiring resistance per unit length decreases continuously or stepwise in accordance with the wiring distance from a connection portion with the corresponding routing line; the plurality of routing lines are formed so that a difference in wiring resistance between any two of the plurality of sensor electrodes is smaller than when the wiring resistance per unit length of each of the routing lines is constant; Sensor.

2. the plurality of routing lines are formed so that the wiring resistance per unit length decreases continuously or stepwise in accordance with the wiring distance from the connection portion with the corresponding terminal; The sensor of claim 1 .

3. Each of the plurality of routing lines is formed so that its width increases continuously or stepwise depending on the wiring distance from a connection portion with the corresponding terminal. The sensor of claim 2 .

4. each of the plurality of routing lines is formed so that its thickness increases continuously or stepwise depending on the wiring distance from a connection portion with the corresponding terminal; The sensor of claim 2 .

5. each of the plurality of sensor electrodes is formed so as to have a width that increases continuously or stepwise in accordance with a wiring distance from a connection portion with the corresponding routing line; A sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. each of the plurality of sensor electrodes is formed so that its thickness increases continuously or stepwise depending on a wiring distance from a connection portion with the corresponding routing line; A sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

7. each of the plurality of sensor electrodes is formed of a mesh-shaped conductor; each of the plurality of sensor electrodes is formed such that the number of intersections per unit length of the mesh-shaped conductor increases according to a wiring distance from a connection portion with the corresponding routing line; A sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

8. each of the plurality of sensor electrodes is formed of a mesh-shaped conductor; each of the plurality of sensor electrodes is formed such that the wiring density of the mesh-shaped conductor increases according to the wiring distance from a connection portion with the corresponding routing line; A sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

9. n (n≧3) sensor electrodes each extending in a first direction and arranged along a second direction intersecting the first direction; a plurality of routing lines connecting each of the plurality of sensor electrodes to a sensor controller; m (1≦m≦n−2) sensor electrodes from one side in the second direction among the plurality of sensor electrodes are connected to corresponding routing lines at one end in the first direction; Among the plurality of sensor electrodes, n-m-1 sensor electrodes from the other side in the second direction are connected to the corresponding routing lines at the other ends in the first direction; the (m+1)-th sensor electrode from one side in the second direction among the plurality of sensor electrodes includes first and second sub-electrodes each having the same length in the first direction as the other sensor electrodes but shorter in the second direction than the other sensor electrodes; the first sub-electrode is connected to the corresponding routing line at one end in the first direction; the second sub-electrode is connected to the corresponding routing line at the other end in the first direction; Sensor.

10. the first sub-electrode extends further to one side in the second direction than the second sub-electrode; The sensor of claim 9.

11. Each of the n sensor electrodes is made of a mesh-shaped conductor, a wiring density of the mesh-shaped conductor constituting the first sub-electrode and the second sub-electrode is higher than a wiring density of the mesh-shaped conductor constituting the other sensor electrodes; 11. The sensor according to claim 9 or 10.

12. n (n≧3) sensor electrodes each extending in a first direction and arranged along a second direction intersecting the first direction; a plurality of routing lines connecting each of the plurality of sensor electrodes to a sensor controller; the n sensor electrodes include, in order from one side in the second direction, m (m≧1) first sensor electrodes, k (k≧1) second sensor electrodes, and nm−k third sensor electrodes; the plurality of routing lines include m+k first routing lines connecting one ends in the first direction of each of the m first sensor electrodes and the k second sensor electrodes to the sensor controller, and nm second routing lines connecting the other ends in the first direction of each of the k second sensor electrodes and the nm-k third sensor electrodes to the sensor controller; Sensor.

13. A sensor controller for use with the sensor of claim 12, comprising: selecting one of the m+k first routing lines and the nm second routing lines, and deriving a position of the pen in the second direction based on a reception strength of a pen signal acquired through the selected one; Sensor controller.

14. determining whether the sensor electrode corresponding to a peak of the reception strength of the pen signal acquired through the m+k first routing lines is the second sensor electrode adjacent to the third sensor electrode, and selecting the m+k first routing lines when a negative result is obtained; The sensor controller of claim 13.

15. A sensor according to claim 12; The sensor controller according to claim 13 or 14; switches provided corresponding to the k second sensor electrodes; the switch is configured to be able to connect either the first routing line or the second routing line to the sensor controller for each of the k second sensor electrodes in response to control by the sensor controller; the sensor controller controls the switch to acquire the reception intensity of the pen signal via one of the m+k first routing lines and the n-m second routing lines; Position detection device.

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