CAPACITIVE TOUCH SENSOR PANEL, CAPACITIVE TOUCH SENSOR SYSTEM INCLUDING SAME, AND INFORMATION INPUT-OUTPUT DEVICE
A touch sensor panel disclosed herein includes: a plurality of vertical electrodes (6); and a plurality of horizontal electrodes (7), the plurality of vertical electrodes (6) and the plurality of horizontal electrodes (7) (i) being so disposed that, as viewed in the direction perpendicular to a substrate, the plurality of vertical electrodes (6) include no segment coincident with the plurality of horizontal electrodes (7) and (ii) forming a uniform grid having no gap.
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The present invention relates to a capacitive touch sensor panel including (i) a plurality of vertical electrodes provided on a vertical electrode surface and arranged at predetermined intervals in a horizontal direction, (ii) plurality of horizontal electrodes provided on a horizontal electrode surface, which is parallel to the vertical electrode surface, and arranged at predetermined intervals in a vertical direction, and (iii) an insulator provided between the vertical electrode surface and the horizontal electrode surface to insulate the vertical electrodes from the horizontal electrodes. The present invention further relates to a capacitive touch sensor system including the above capacitive touch sensor panel and to an information input-output device.
BACKGROUND ARTThe description below deals with an arrangement of vertical electrodes and horizontal electrodes in a conventional capacitive touch sensor panel.
This conventional capacitive touch sensor panel disclosed in Patent Literature 1 includes (i) a plurality of vertical electrodes 91 provided on a vertical electrode surface and arranged at predetermined intervals in a horizontal direction and (ii) a plurality of horizontal electrodes 92 provided on a horizontal electrode surface, which is parallel to the vertical electrode surface, and arranged at predetermined intervals in a vertical direction.
Each vertical electrode 91 includes a sequence of a repeat of diamond-shaped quadrangular sections 93 and 94 connected to each other in the vertical direction. Each horizontal electrode 92 includes a sequence of a repeat of diamond-shaped quadrangular sections 95 and 96 connected to each other in the horizontal direction.
The vertical electrodes 91 and the horizontal electrodes 92, each including diamond-shaped sections, are so provided that the vertical electrodes 91 cross the horizontal electrodes 92 to constitute a capacitive touch sensor panel. In the case where such a capacitive touch sensor panel is to be placed on a display device for use, the vertical electrodes 91 and the horizontal electrodes 92 are normally each formed of a transparent conductive film made of, for example, ITO (indium tin oxide). Recent years have also witnessed research on the use of graphene as a substitute for ITO.
In the case where the diamond-shaped sections as illustrated in
(a) of
(a) of
(a) of
The capacitive touch sensor panel disclosed in Patent Literature 4 is a capacitance-type touch panel switch including (i) an electrically conductive X pattern group 61 including a plurality of conductive X sequences 62 arranged at slight intervals in the X direction and (ii) an electrically conductive Y pattern group 66 including a plurality of conductive Y sequences 67 arranged at slight intervals in the Y direction.
Each conductive X sequence 62 includes (i) a plurality of conductive X pads 63 that each have a substantially rhombic outline and that are arranged in the Y-axis direction and (ii) conductive X pads 63a that each have a substantially isosceles-triangular outline and that are arranged in the Y-axis direction to sandwich the conductive X pads 63. Adjacent conductive X pads 63 and 63 are connected to each other by a conductive X line 64, while adjacent conductive X pads 63 and 63a are also connected to each other by a conductive X line 64.
The conductive X pads 63 and 63a each include a mesh of (i) fine wires extending in the X direction and (ii) fine wires extending in the Y direction. Each conductive X line 64 is thin and includes three straight lines 65 extending in the Y direction and arranged at predetermined intervals in the X direction.
Each conductive Y sequence 67 includes (i) a plurality of conductive Y pads 68 that each have a substantially rhombic outline and that are arranged in the X-axis direction and (ii) conductive Y pads 68a that each have a substantially isosceles-triangular outline and that are arranged in the X-axis direction to sandwich the conductive Y pads 68. Adjacent conductive Y pads 68 and 68 are connected to each other by a conductive Y line 69, while adjacent conductive Y pads 68 and 68a are also connected to each other by a conductive Y line 69.
The conductive Y pads 68 and 68a each include a mesh of (i) fine wires extending in the X direction and (ii) fine wires extending in the Y direction. Each conductive Y line 69 is thin and includes three straight lines 60 extending in the X direction and arranged at predetermined intervals in the Y direction.
The X pattern group 61 and Y pattern group 66 arranged as above are so placed on top of each other as to extend orthogonally to each other in a planer view. The conductive X lines 64 of the conductive X sequences 62 and the conductive Y lines 69 of the conductive Y sequences 67 are stacked on top of each other to form a light-transmitting region having a light-transmitting property substantially identical to that of the conductive X pads 63 and the conductive Y pads 68.
CITATION LIST Patent Literature 1
- U.S. Pat. No. 4,639,720, specification (Jan. 27, 1987)
- Japanese Patent Application Publication, Tokukai, No. 2011-113149 A (Publication Date: Jun. 9, 2011)
- Japanese Patent Application Publication, Tokukai, No. 2010-39537 A (Publication Date: Feb. 18, 2010)
- Japanese Patent Application Publication, Tokukai, No. 2011-175412 A (Publication Date: Sep. 8, 2011)
The arrangement illustrated in
The arrangement illustrated in
The arrangement illustrated in
It is an object of the present invention to provide (i) a capacitive touch sensor panel that includes a uniform grid with no visible gap and that can prevent moire or the like when placed on a display device, (ii) a capacitive touch sensor system including the above capacitive touch sensor panel, and (iii) an information input-output device.
Solution to ProblemA capacitive touch sensor panel of the present invention includes: a plurality of vertical electrodes (i) each including a repeat of first basic shapes connected to one another in a vertical direction, the first basic shapes each including a fine wire, (ii) provided on a vertical electrode surface, and (iii) arranged at a predetermined interval in a horizontal direction; a plurality of horizontal electrodes (i) each including a repeat of second basic shapes connected to one another in the horizontal direction, the second basic shapes each including a fine wire, (ii) provided on a horizontal electrode surface parallel to the vertical electrode surface, and (iii) arranged at a predetermined interval in the vertical direction; and an insulator provided between the vertical electrode surface and the horizontal electrode surface so as to insulate the plurality of vertical electrodes and the plurality of horizontal electrodes from each other, the plurality of vertical electrodes and the plurality of horizontal electrodes (i) being disposed so that, as viewed in a direction perpendicular to the vertical electrode surface, the plurality of vertical electrodes include no segment coincident with the plurality of horizontal electrodes and (ii) forming a uniform grid having no gap.
The above arrangement disposes (I) a plurality of vertical electrodes (i) each including a repeat of first basic shapes connected to one another in a vertical direction, the first basic shapes each including a fine wire, (ii) provided on a vertical electrode surface, and (iii) arranged at a predetermined interval in a horizontal direction and (II) a plurality of horizontal electrodes (i) each including a repeat of second basic shapes connected to one another in the horizontal direction, the second basic shapes each including a fine wire, (ii) provided on a horizontal electrode surface parallel to the vertical electrode surface, and (iii) arranged at a predetermined interval in the vertical direction so that (i) as viewed in a direction perpendicular to the vertical electrode surface, the plurality of vertical electrodes include no segment coincident with the plurality of horizontal electrodes and that (ii) the plurality of vertical electrodes and the plurality of horizontal electrodes form a uniform grid having no gap. Thus, preparing an electrode distribution with (i) the vertical electrodes, (ii) the horizontal electrodes, and (iii) an insulating film sandwiched therebetween forms a uniform grid having no visible gap. Such an electrode distribution, as placed on a display device, can prevent moire and the like from occurring.
A capacitive touch sensor system of the present invention includes: a touch sensor panel of the present invention.
An information input-output device of the present invention includes: the touch sensor system of the present invention.
Advantageous Effects of InventionA capacitive touch sensor panel of the present invention is arranged such that a plurality of vertical electrodes and a plurality of horizontal electrodes are so disposed that (i) as viewed in the direction perpendicular to the vertical electrode surface, the plurality of vertical electrodes include no segment coincident with the plurality of horizontal electrodes and that (ii) the plurality of vertical electrodes and the plurality of horizontal electrodes form a uniform grid having no gap. Thus, the capacitive touch sensor panel, as placed on a display device, can prevent moire and the like from occurring.
(a) is a diagram illustrating a first basic shape of a vertical electrode included in the touch panel, and (b) is a diagram illustrating an arrangement of vertical electrodes.
(a) is a diagram illustrating a second basic shape of a horizontal electrode included in the touch panel, and (b) is a diagram illustrating an arrangement of horizontal electrodes.
(a) is a diagram illustrating a first basic shape of a vertical electrode included as a variation in the touch panel, and (b) is a diagram illustrating an arrangement of vertical electrodes according to the variation.
(a) is a diagram illustrating a second basic shape of a horizontal electrode included as a variation in the touch panel, and (b) is a diagram illustrating an arrangement of horizontal electrodes according to the variation.
(a) is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a first basic shape of a vertical electrode according to the variation, the first basic shape being filled with a transparent electrode material, and (b) is a diagram illustrating vertical electrodes according to the variation, the vertical electrodes being filled with the transparent electrode material.
(a) is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a second basic shape of a horizontal electrode according to the variation, the second basic shape being filled with a transparent electrode material, and (b) is a diagram illustrating horizontal electrodes according to the variation, the horizontal electrodes being filled with the transparent electrode material.
(a) is a diagram illustrating an arrangement of the vertical electrodes according to the variation, the vertical electrodes being connected to respective address lines, (b) is a diagram illustrating an arrangement of the horizontal electrodes according to the variation, the horizontal electrodes being connected to respective address lines, and (c) is a diagram illustrating a grid including the vertical electrodes connected to the respective address lines and the horizontal electrodes connected to the respective address lines.
(a) is a diagram illustrating a first basic shape of a vertical electrode included in a touch panel of Embodiment 2, and (b) is a diagram illustrating an arrangement of vertical electrodes.
(a) is a diagram illustrating a second basic shape of a horizontal electrode included in the touch panel of Embodiment 2, and (b) is a diagram illustrating an arrangement of horizontal electrodes.
(a) is a diagram illustrating a first basic shape of a vertical electrode included in a touch panel of Embodiment 3, and (b) is a diagram illustrating an arrangement of vertical electrodes.
(a) is a diagram illustrating a second basic shape of a horizontal electrode included in the touch panel of Embodiment 3, and (b) is a diagram illustrating an arrangement of horizontal electrodes.
(a) is a diagram illustrating a first basic shape of a vertical electrode included in a touch panel of Embodiment 4, and (b) is a diagram illustrating an arrangement of vertical electrodes.
(a) is a diagram illustrating a second basic shape of a horizontal electrode included in the touch panel of Embodiment 4, and (b) is a diagram illustrating an arrangement of horizontal electrodes.
(a) is a diagram illustrating a first basic shape of a vertical electrode included in a touch panel of Embodiment 5, and (b) is a diagram illustrating an arrangement of vertical electrodes.
(a) is a diagram illustrating a second basic shape of a horizontal electrode included in the touch panel of Embodiment 5, and (b) is a diagram illustrating an arrangement of horizontal electrodes.
(a) is a diagram illustrating a first basic shape of another vertical electrode included in the touch panel of Embodiment 5, and (b) is a diagram illustrating an arrangement of such other vertical electrodes.
(a) is a diagram illustrating a second basic shape of another horizontal electrode included in the touch panel of Embodiment 5, and (b) is a diagram illustrating an arrangement of such other horizontal electrodes.
(a) is a diagram illustrating a first basic shape of a vertical electrode included as a variation in the touch panel, and (b) is a diagram illustrating a second basic shape of a horizontal electrode included as a variation in the touch panel.
(a) is a diagram illustrating a first basic shape of a vertical electrode included as another variation in the touch panel, and (b) is a diagram illustrating a second basic shape of a horizontal electrode included as another variation in the touch panel.
(a) is a diagram illustrating an arrangement of vertical electrodes in yet another conventional capacitive touch sensor panel, and (b) is a diagram illustrating an arrangement of horizontal electrodes in that capacitive touch sensor panel.
(a) is a diagram illustrating an arrangement of vertical electrodes in still another conventional capacitive touch sensor panel, and (b) is a diagram illustrating an arrangement of horizontal electrodes in that capacitive touch sensor panel.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTSAn embodiment for a capacitive touch sensor panel 2 of the present invention is described below with reference to
The description below deals first with an overall arrangement of a touch sensor system including the capacitive touch sensor panel 2, and then with an arrangement of the touch sensor panel 2 itself.
(Overall Arrangement of Touch Sensor System 1)
The horizontal electrodes 7 are connected to respective address lines HL1 to HLM, whereas the vertical electrodes 6 are connected to respective address lines VL1 to VLM.
The capacitance value distribution detecting circuit 22 includes a driver 16. The driver 16 applies voltages to the respective horizontal electrodes 7 through the respective address lines HL1 to HLM on the basis of a code sequence to drive the individual capacitances. The capacitance value distribution detecting circuit 22 further includes a sense amplifier 17. The sense amplifier 17 reads out, through the respective vertical electrodes 6 and the respective address lines VL1 to VLM, linear sums of electric charge corresponding to the individual capacitances driven by the driver 16, and supplies the linear sums to an AD converter 19. The AD converter 19 carries out an AD conversion of the linear sums, having been read out through the respective address lines VL1 to VLM, of electric charge corresponding to the individual capacitances, and supplies a resulting signal to a capacitance distribution calculating section 20.
The present embodiment of the present invention describes an example of (i) applying voltages to the respective horizontal electrodes to drive them and (ii) reading out voltage signals from the respective vertical electrodes. The present invention is, however, not limited to such an arrangement. The present embodiment may alternatively be arranged to (i) apply voltages to the respective vertical electrodes to drive them and (ii) read out voltage signals from the respective horizontal electrodes.
The capacitance distribution calculating section 20 calculates a capacitance distribution over the touch panel 2 on the basis of (i) the linear sums, having been supplied from the AD converter 19, of electric charge corresponding to the individual capacitances and (ii) the code sequence, and thus supplies a result of the calculation to a touch recognizing section 21. The touch recognizing section 21, on the basis of the capacitance distribution supplied from the capacitance distribution calculating section 20, recognizes the position on a surface of the touch panel 2 at which position the touch panel 2 has been touched.
The capacitance value distribution detecting circuit 22 further includes a timing generator 18. The timing generator 18 generates (i) a signal that regulates the operation of the driver 16, (ii) a signal that regulates the operation of the sense amplifier 17, and (iii) a signal that regulates the operation of the AD converter 19. The timing generator 18 thus supplies such respective signals to the driver 16, the sense amplifier 17, and the AD converter 19.
(Configuration of Touch Sensor Panel 2)
The substrate 3 is an insulating dielectric substrate. The substrate 3 is disposed between the vertical electrodes 6 and the horizontal electrodes 7 to insulate the vertical electrodes 6 from the horizontal electrodes 7. The substrate 3 is provided with, on the side of the vertical electrodes 6, a transparent adhesive 13 that covers the vertical electrodes 6. The transparent adhesive 13 is provided with a cover film 15 adhered to a surface thereof. The substrate 3 is provided with, on the side of the horizontal electrodes 7, a transparent adhesive 14 that covers the horizontal electrodes 7. To the transparent adhesive 14 is attached a display 12.
(Arrangement of Vertical Electrodes 6)
(a) of
The vertical electrodes 6 are, as mentioned above with reference to
Such inclined fine wires forming each first basic shape 8 do not block pixels included in a liquid crystal display 12 on which the touch panel 2 is placed This arrangement thus prevents moire from occurring.
(Arrangement of Horizontal Electrodes 7)
(a) of
The horizontal electrodes 7 are, as mentioned above with reference to
The vertical electrodes 6 and the horizontal electrodes 7 are each formed by, for example, etching a metal thin film or printing a pattern with an ink including electrically conductive nanoparticles. Such electrically conductive nanoparticles include silver, gold, platinum, palladium, copper, carbon, or a mixture of any of the above.
(Arrangement of Grid)
The basic shapes 8 constituting the vertical electrodes 6 and the basic shapes 9 constituting the horizontal electrodes 7 each have line symmetry. The vertical electrodes 6 and the horizontal electrodes 7 form a grid 10, which has no gap. This arrangement solves the problem caused in, for example, the conventional arrangement illustrated in
The arrangement illustrated in
In contrast, the arrangement of Embodiment 1 illustrated in
The arrangement illustrated in (a) of
The arrangement illustrated in (b) of
As described above, an embodiment of the present invention includes a repeat of basic shapes connected to one another in the vertical or horizontal direction. This arrangement facilitates design of a vertical electrode and a horizontal electrode, and makes it possible to carry out, for example, an automatic creation and an automatic correction of an electrode. The above arrangement further allows a photolithographic mask for use in production of a touch panel and touch panel products to be inspected by a repeated image processing. The above arrangement thus also facilitates the production of a touch panel.
The arrangement illustrated in
The touch panel 2 of Embodiment 1 can be produced by either forming vertical electrodes 6 and horizontal electrodes 7 on respective surfaces of a single sheet (substrate 3) as illustrated in
(Variation)
(a) of
(a) of
The respective arrangements of the vertical electrodes 6a, the horizontal electrodes 7a, and the grid 10a illustrated in
(a) of
In the case where the vertical electrodes 6a, each including the first basic shapes 8a, are filled with the transparent electrode material 23 to its contour as illustrated in
The above arrangement can further reduce the width of the fine wires, and thus reduce visibility of the fine wires. In the case where the fine wires each have a width of, for example, 0.5 mm or larger, a viewer, when close to a screen of a display device including the touch panel, visibly recognizes the fine wires.
(a) of
The grid 10a, which includes the vertical electrodes 6a and the horizontal electrodes 7a, has a rectangular outline and no zigzag shape as in the grid 10. This arrangement thus makes it possible to (i) easily join, directly to the horizontal electrodes 7a, the respective address lines HL1 to HLM for driving the horizontal electrodes 7a, and (ii) easily join, directly to the vertical electrodes 6a, the respective address lines VL1 to VLM for reading out signals from the vertical electrodes 6a.
Embodiment 2 Configuration of Vertical Electrodes 6b(a) of
(Configuration of Horizontal Electrodes 7b)
(a) of
(a) of
(Configuration of Horizontal Electrodes 7c)
(a) of
(Advantage Achieved by Symmetry of Vertical Electrodes and Horizontal Electrodes)
The conventional arrangement illustrated in
In contrast, vertical electrodes or horizontal electrodes having line symmetry or point symmetry allow a similar symmetry to occur in a capacitance change caused by an object, such as a pen, that has a small touch area. Utilizing this symmetry in a capacitance change allows a symmetric position correction to be carried out during a touch-position detection, and thus increases the position detection precision.
As described above, to solve the problem with the position detection precision, an embodiment of the present invention includes an arrangement of diamond shapes each formed by fine lines and having symmetry. This arrangement allows a large capacitive touch sensor having a size of 30 inches or larger to highly precisely carry out a position detection involving use of an object, such as a pen, that has a small touch area.
Embodiment 4 Arrangement of Vertical Electrodes 6d(a) of
(a) of
(a) of
Each first basic shape 8e is so arranged that (i) the wiring path for fine wires in the upper half is connected to the wiring path for fine wires in the lower half not at a point narrowed to the width of a single fine wire and that (ii) the fine wires in the upper half are instead connected in the vertical direction to the fine wires in the lower half at two or more points along any horizontal line.
(Arrangement of Horizontal Electrodes 7e)
(a) of
Each second basic shape 9e is so arranged that (i) the wiring path for fine wires in a left portion is connected to the wiring path for fine wires in a right portion not at a point narrowed to the width of a single fine wire and that (ii) the fine wires in the left portion are instead connected in the horizontal direction to the fine wires in the right portion at two or more points along any vertical line.
(Configuration of Grid 10e)
(Arrangement of Vertical Electrodes 6f)
(a) of
As in the basic shapes 8e, each first basic shape 8f is so arranged that (i) the wiring path for fine wires in the upper half is connected to the wiring path for fine wires in the lower half not at a point narrowed to the width of a single fine wire and that (ii) the fine wires in the upper half are instead connected in the vertical direction to the fine wires in the lower half at two or more points along any horizontal line.
(Arrangement of Horizontal Electrodes 7f)
(a) of
As in the basic shapes 9e, each second basic shape 9f is so arranged that (i) the wiring path for fine wires in a left portion is connected to the wiring path for fine wires in a right portion not at a point narrowed to the width of a single fine wire and that (ii) the fine wires in the left portion are instead connected in the horizontal direction to the fine wires in the right portion at two or more points along any vertical line.
The arrangement illustrated in
In contrast, an embodiment of the present invention is so arranged that (i) none of the first basic shapes 8e and 8f and the second basic shapes 9e and 9f includes a point at which a wiring path is connected to another, the point being narrowed to the width of a single fine wire and that (ii) fine wires are instead connected to each other at two or more points along any vertical or horizontal line. Thus, even if one fine wire is broken during production, the remaining fine wire maintains connection. This arrangement can advantageously prevent disconnection in the vertical electrodes 6e and 6f and the horizontal electrodes 7e and 7f.
(Configurations of First Basic Shape 8g and Second Basic Shape 9g as Variation)
(a) of
Each first basic shape 8g is so arranged that (i) the wiring path for fine wires in the upper half is connected to the wiring path for fine wires in the lower half not at a point narrowed to the width of a single fine wire and that (ii) the fine wires in the upper half are instead connected in the vertical direction to the fine wires in the lower half at two or more points along any horizontal line. Each first basic shape 8g has point symmetry with respect to a center point P.
Each second basic shape 9g is so arranged that (i) the wiring path for fine wires in a left portion is connected to the wiring path for fine wires in a right portion not at a point narrowed to the width of a single fine wire and that (ii) the fine wires in the left portion are instead connected in the horizontal direction to the fine wires in the right portion at two or more points along any vertical line. Each second basic shape 9g has point symmetry with respect to the center point P.
(Configurations of First Basic Shape 8h and Second Basic Shape 9h as Another Variation)
(a) of
Each first basic shape 8h is so arranged that (i) the wiring path for fine wires in the upper half is connected to the wiring path for fine wires in the lower half not at a point narrowed to the width of a single fine wire and that (ii) the fine wires in the upper half are instead connected in the vertical direction to the fine wires in the lower half at two or more points along any horizontal line. Each first basic shape 8h has line symmetry with respect to a vertical center line C1 and a horizontal center line C2.
Each second basic shape 9h is so arranged that (i) the wiring path for fine wires in a left portion is connected to the wiring path for fine wires in a right portion not at a point narrowed to the width of a single fine wire and that (ii) the fine wires in the left portion are instead connected in the horizontal direction to the fine wires in the right portion at two or more points along any vertical line. Each second basic shape 9h has line symmetry with respect to the vertical center line C1 and the horizontal center line C2.
Embodiment 6 Configuration of Electronic Blackboard 50The capacitive touch sensor panel of the present embodiment may preferably be arranged such that the fine wire included in the first basic shapes and the fine wire included in the second basic shapes each extend in an oblique direction.
According to the above arrangement, the fine wire included in the first basic shapes and the fine wire included in the second basic shapes are each inclined with respect to a black matrix of the display. The above arrangement thus reduces the possibility of moire occurring.
The capacitive touch sensor panel of the present embodiment may preferably be arranged such that the grid has a rectangular outline.
According to the above arrangement, the vertical electrodes and the horizontal electrodes form a grid having a rectangular outline as viewed in the direction perpendicular to the vertical electrode surface. The above arrangement thus makes it possible to easily join, directly to respective portions corresponding to sides of the rectangular outline of the uniform grid having no gap, (i) address lines for driving the horizontal electrodes or the vertical electrodes and (ii) address lines for reading out signals from the vertical electrodes or the horizontal electrodes.
The capacitive touch sensor panel of the present embodiment may preferably be arranged such that the first basic shapes and the second basic shapes each have line symmetry with respect to a vertical center line extending in the vertical direction.
With the above arrangement, the first basic shapes and the second basic shapes each have a symmetric shape. The above arrangement can thus improve accuracy of reading coordinates on the basis of a change to a capacitance distribution which change is caused by a touch input involving use of a pen.
The capacitive touch sensor panel of the present embodiment may preferably be arranged such that the first basic shapes and the second basic shapes each have point symmetry.
With the above arrangement, the first basic shapes and the second basic shapes each have a symmetric shape. The above arrangement can thus improve accuracy of reading coordinates on the basis of a change to a capacitance distribution which change is caused by a touch input involving use of a pen.
The capacitive touch sensor panel of the present embodiment may preferably be arranged such that the first basic shapes and the second basic shapes each have line symmetry with respect to (i) a vertical center line extending in the vertical direction and (ii) a horizontal center line extending in the horizontal direction.
With the above arrangement, the first basic shapes and the second basic shapes each have a symmetric shape. The above arrangement can thus improve accuracy of reading coordinates on the basis of a change to a capacitance distribution which change is caused by a touch input involving use of a pen.
The capacitive touch sensor panel of the present embodiment may preferably be arranged such that the first basic shapes are each internally connected in the vertical direction at two or more fine-wire points; and the second basic shapes are each internally connected in the horizontal direction at two or more fine-wire points.
With the above arrangement, adjacent ones of the first basic shapes are connected to each other at two or more fine-wire points, while adjacent ones of the second basic shapes are also connected to each other at two or more fine-wire points. Thus, even if one fine wire is broken during production, the remaining fine wire can prevent total disconnection.
The present invention is not limited to the description of the embodiments above, but may be altered in various ways by a skilled person within the scope of the claims. Any embodiment based on a proper combination of technical means disclosed in different embodiments is also encompassed in the technical scope of the present invention.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITYThe present invention is applicable to a capacitive touch sensor panel including (i) a plurality of vertical electrodes provided on a vertical electrode surface and arranged at predetermined intervals in a horizontal direction, (ii) a plurality of horizontal electrodes provided on a horizontal electrode surface, which is parallel to the vertical electrode surface, and arranged at predetermined intervals in a vertical direction, and (iii) an insulator provided between the vertical electrode surface and the horizontal electrode surface to insulate the vertical electrodes from the horizontal electrodes. The present invention is further applicable to a capacitive touch sensor system including the above capacitive touch sensor panel and to an information input-output device.
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST
-
- 1 touch sensor system (capacitive touch sensor system)
- 2 touch panel (capacitive touch sensor panel)
- 3 substrate (insulator)
- 4 surface (vertical electrode surface)
- 5 surface (horizontal electrode surface)
- 6 vertical electrode
- 7 horizontal electrode
- 8 basic shape (first basic shape)
- 9 basic shape (second basic shape)
- 10 grid
- 12 display
- 13, 14 transparent adhesive
- 15 cover film
- 16 driver
- 17 sense amplifier
- 18 timing generator
- 19 AD converter
- 20 capacitance distribution calculating section
- 21 touch recognizing section
- 22 capacitance value distribution detecting circuit
- 50 electronic blackboard (information input-output device)
- C1 vertical center line
- C2 horizontal center line
- P center point
Claims
1-9. (canceled)
10. A capacitive touch sensor panel comprising:
- a plurality of vertical electrodes (i) each including a repeat of first basic shapes connected to one another in a vertical direction, the first basic shapes each including a fine wire, (ii) provided on a vertical electrode surface, and (iii) arranged at a predetermined interval in a horizontal direction;
- a plurality of horizontal electrodes (i) each including a repeat of second basic shapes connected to one another in the horizontal direction, the second basic shapes each including a fine wire, (ii) provided on a horizontal electrode surface parallel to the vertical electrode surface, and (iii) arranged at a predetermined interval in the vertical direction; and
- an insulator provided between the vertical electrode surface and the horizontal electrode surface so as to insulate the plurality of vertical electrodes and the plurality of horizontal electrodes from each other,
- the plurality of vertical electrodes and the plurality of horizontal electrodes (i) being disposed so that, as viewed in a direction perpendicular to the vertical electrode surface, the plurality of vertical electrodes include no segment coincident with the plurality of horizontal electrodes and (ii) forming a uniform grid having no gap,
- the fine wire included in the first basic shapes and the fine wire included in the second basic shapes each extend in an oblique direction.
11. The capacitive touch sensor panel according to claim 10,
- wherein:
- the grid has a rectangular outline.
12. The capacitive touch sensor panel according to claim 10,
- wherein:
- the first basic shapes and the second basic shapes each have line symmetry with respect to a vertical center line extending in the vertical direction.
13. The capacitive touch sensor panel according to claim 10,
- wherein:
- the first basic shapes and the second basic shapes each have point symmetry.
14. The capacitive touch sensor panel according to claim 10,
- wherein:
- the first basic shapes and the second basic shapes each have line symmetry with respect to (i) a vertical center line extending in the vertical direction and (ii) a horizontal center line extending in the horizontal direction.
15. The capacitive touch sensor panel according to claim 10,
- wherein:
- the first basic shapes are each internally connected in the vertical direction at two or more fine-wire points; and
- the second basic shapes are each internally connected in the horizontal direction at two or more fine-wire points.
16. A capacitive touch sensor system comprising:
- the touch sensor panel according to claim 10.
17. An information input-output device comprising:
- the touch sensor system according to claim 16.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 4, 2012
Publication Date: Aug 7, 2014
Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA (Osaka-shi, Osaka)
Inventor: Masayuki Miyamoto (Osaka-shi)
Application Number: 14/343,207
International Classification: G06F 3/044 (20060101);