Touch Sensor Matrix Layout Reducing Control Lines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional touch sensing devices require a large number of control lines, leading to manufacturing challenges and reduced sensitivity due to increased impedance, and have differing sensing resolutions in the X and Y directions.
Innovation Solution
A touch sensing device with a sensor matrix layout that alternately arranges X and Y touch sensors in rows and columns, using fewer control lines to connect sensors, ensuring equal resolution in both directions and reducing impedance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a large number of touch sensors are arranged in a matrix layout, then the sensing coverage and resolution are improved, but the number of control lines increases significantly, making manufacturing difficult and increasing impedance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple control lines by having them share common paths. Specifically, row control lines are shared across multiple column groups, and column control lines are shared across multiple row groups. This merging approach reduces the total number of control lines from what would be required for a fully dedicated connection to each sensor, while still enabling individual sensor addressing through sequential activation of row and column groups.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the touch sensor matrix into multiple row groups and column groups. Instead of treating the entire matrix as a single connected structure, it divides it into manageable segments that can be controlled independently. This segmentation allows the control lines to serve multiple purposes by activating different segments in sequence, thereby reducing the overall number of control lines needed.
2Area of stationary object
If more control lines are used to connect touch sensors, then the sensing coverage is improved, but the impedance increases, reducing sensitivity and response time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges control line paths so that a single control line can serve multiple sensors by activating them in sequence through row and column group combinations. This reduces the total length and number of control lines, thereby reducing overall impedance and improving sensitivity and response time while still maintaining comprehensive sensing coverage.
3Measurement precision
If control lines are increased to achieve uniform resolution in both directions, then the sensing resolution is improved, but the manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the matrix into row groups and column groups with balanced dimensions, allowing uniform resolution to be achieved with fewer control lines. By carefully designing the segmentation to create square or near-square groups, the patent achieves isotropic resolution characteristics without requiring a proportional increase in control lines in both directions, thereby simplifying manufacturing.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a touch sensing device. In one embodiment, the touch sensing device includes a plurality of sensor units arranged in the form of an M×N matrix having M rows and N columns. Each sensor unit has a first touch sensor, S1,1, a second touch sensor, S1,2, a third touch sensor, S2,2, and a fourth touch sensor, S2,1, arranged in the form of a 2×2 matrix, where the first touch sensor S1,1 is connected to the third touch sensor S2,2, and the second touch sensor S1,2 is connected to the fourth touch sensor S2,1, respectively. The touch sensing device further includes a number of control lines having M row control lines and N column control lines. Each row control line is adapted for connecting sequentially the sensor units of a corresponding row, and each column control line is adapted for connecting sequentially the sensor units of a corresponding column.