Deformed Electrode Structure for Capacitive Touch Resolution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Projected capacitive touch technologies face challenges in maintaining spatial resolution and user-friendliness due to geometric deviations from a strictly regular electrode pattern, particularly with through-holes that disrupt the capacitive touch detection in touchpads, limiting multi-touch capabilities and increasing construction space.
Innovation Solution
The use of an electrically insulating substrate with alternating conductive surfaces of different profiles and through-holes, where at least one surface adjacent to the through-hole is configured non-rule-compliantly to maintain the minimum distance and deformations, allowing the electrode structure to route around the through-hole and maintain sensitivity, combined with software-based compensation to enhance resolving power.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If through-holes are introduced into the electrode structure for fastening or orientation, then ease of manufacture and device assembly are improved, but the resolving power and spatial resolution of touch detection deteriorate due to geometric deviations from the regular pattern
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating between regular electrode surfaces and deformed electrode surfaces adjacent to through-holes. The deformed surfaces are specifically designed to compensate for the geometric disruption caused by through-holes, maintaining capacitance values and touch detection accuracy in the affected local regions while allowing through-holes to exist for manufacturing purposes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of electrode surfaces adjacent to through-holes by applying stretching or contracting transformations. This parameter modification compensates for the displacement effects of through-holes, ensuring that the transformed electrode surfaces maintain appropriate spacing and capacitance characteristics despite the presence of through-holes in the substrate.
2Measurement precision
If the electrode structure is made strictly regular to maintain resolving power, then measurement precision is improved, but adaptability for incorporating through-holes and construction flexibility deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains the regular pattern for most electrode surfaces while introducing localized deformations only where through-holes are present. This allows the majority of the electrode structure to maintain optimal regular spacing for high resolving power, while specific local areas are adapted to accommodate through-holes through controlled geometric transformations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the electrode structure into regular regions and deformed regions. The deformed regions are specifically transformed to compensate for through-hole disruptions, while regular regions maintain the optimal pattern for touch detection. This segmentation allows simultaneous achievement of adaptability and measurement precision.
3Area of stationary object
If through-holes are placed within the touch surface area, then construction space is reduced and design variety is improved, but touch detection accuracy deteriorates due to disruption of the capacitive field
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the geometry of electrode surfaces adjacent to through-holes by stretching or contracting them to compensate for the field disruption caused by through-holes within the touch surface. This parameter change ensures that capacitive field lines are properly redirected around through-holes, maintaining touch detection accuracy despite the reduced construction space.
4Measurement precision
If a strictly regular electrode pattern is used, then resolving power is maximized, but device complexity increases when attempting to incorporate through-holes and orientation aids
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces complexity only where necessary - specifically in the local geometry of electrode surfaces adjacent to through-holes. The majority of the electrode structure maintains a simple regular pattern, while localized deformations are applied only in the immediate vicinity of through-holes to compensate for their disruptive effect, minimizing overall device complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach maintains or approximates the resolving power of a strictly regular pattern, enabling a user-friendly, space-saving, and clearly structured operating surface for multi-touch capabilities, particularly beneficial in motor vehicle applications.
Implementation Method 1
Projected capacitive technology (pcap touch) recognizes touches by measuring the electrical capacitance on each addressable electrode. If a finger or conductive pen approaches an electrode, its electromagnetic field is disturbed and its electrical capacitance changed.
Implementation Method 2
If a finger or conductive pen approaches an electrode, its electromagnetic field is disturbed and its electrical capacitance changed.
Data Source
AI summary
A device for spatially resolving a projected capacitive touch detection. The device includes an electrically insulating substrate with a first and a second type of electrically conductive surfaces, and a through-hole. The first type of electrically conductive surfaces are connected in rows to form transmitting electrodes. The second type of electrically conductive surfaces are connected in columns to form receiving electrodes. The first type of electrically conductive surfaces includes non-deformed first type of electrically conductive surfaces and deformed first type of electrically conductive surface(s). The second type of electrically conductive surfaces includes non-deformed second type of electrically conductive surfaces and deformed second type of electrically conductive surface(s). The first type of electrically conductive surfaces and the second type of electrically conductive surfaces are arranged in an alternating manner. The deformed first and/or second type of electrically conductive surface(s) abut the through-hole.