Touch Panel Electrode Segmentation for Sensitivity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional capacitive touch panels suffer from reduced touch sensitivity, especially near the center of electrodes, and are prone to ghost errors during multi-touch due to variations in fringe field and electric charge, leading to incomplete detection of touched regions.
Innovation Solution
The touch panel is designed with a configuration where multiple electrodes are serially connected by connection patterns and routing lines, partitioning each unit cell into smaller areas to enhance fringe field variations and capacitance, thereby improving sensitivity and preventing ghost errors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple routing lines are connected to each electrode to improve touch sensitivity, then the routing line complexity increases and bezel width increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensing area is divided into multiple unit cells, with each unit cell containing multiple electrodes (e.g., four electrodes per unit cell). This segmentation allows the touch panel to maintain high touch sensitivity through increased electrode density while managing routing complexity by organizing electrodes into manageable groups that can be connected through shared routing lines.
2Measurement precision
If multiple routing lines are connected to each electrode to improve touch sensitivity, then the bezel width increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple electrodes within each unit cell are connected through shared routing lines rather than requiring separate routing lines for each electrode. This merging approach reduces the total number of routing lines needed, thereby minimizing the bezel width while maintaining high touch sensitivity through the increased electrode density in each unit cell.
3Power
If electrode size is increased to improve signal strength, then touch sensitivity at the center of electrodes deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using large electrodes that deteriorate center sensitivity, the patent segments each sensing area into multiple smaller electrodes (e.g., four electrodes per unit cell). This segmentation maintains strong fringe fields at the centers of each small electrode while providing sufficient electrode density to cover the entire sensing area, thereby maintaining high touch sensitivity across all regions including electrode centers.
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 configuration significantly enhances touch sensitivity across the panel, ensuring accurate detection of touched regions even during multi-touch and reducing the need for additional routing lines, which allows for a narrower bezel and cost-effective production.
Implementation Method 1
a fringe field is generated between the first and second electrodes 11 and 12 spaced from each other and the finger varies the fringe field present therebetween
Implementation Method 2
small variations in capacitance before and after touch
Data Source
AI summary
A touch panel includes a plurality of first electrode patterns being serially connected by a plurality of first connection patterns; a plurality of second electode patterns being serially connected by a plurality of second connection patterns; and a plurality of routing lines; wherein at least two of the plurality of first electrode patterns are connected to at least one of the plurality of routing lines.