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Publication Number
US-12474801-B1
Publication Date
2025-11-18
Expiration Date
Abstract
Electrodes configurable for capacitive touch sensing or inductive sensing are disclosed. The electrodes are formed from a plurality of tiled (connected) sense pixels, each sense pixel including two or four conductive elements. The conductive elements within the plurality of sense pixels of an electrode are connected to form conductive pathways within the electrode. These conductive pathways enable each electrode to be configured as a touch electrode for single-ended or differential capacitive touch sensing, or into one or two loops for inductive sensing. In pixels with four conductive elements, two conductive elements are formed with a comb shape for maximizing current conduction during inductive sensing and maximizing capacitive coupling during touch sensing, and two conductive elements are formed as bypasses. In electrodes formed from sense pixels with four conductive elements, each conductive pathway within the electrode is formed as an alternating series of comb-shaped conductive elements and bypasses.
Core Innovation
The disclosed invention describes an apparatus usable with an inductive stylus detection system in which a tiled conductive sense pixel panel forms electrodes configurable for either capacitive touch sensing or inductive sensing. The electrodes include conductive sense pixels disposed on a substrate and oriented in a first direction, where the first electrodes are configurable to be connected in a plurality of loops for inductive sensing.
The invention further specifies conductive elements that are connected to define conductive pathways for selectable sensing operation. In an implementation with four conductive elements, comb-shaped conductive parts and bypass elements are connected to form conductive pathways, with connections configured to optimize current conduction for inductive sensing and capacitive coupling for touch sensing.
The document also describes implementation variants for forming touch electrodes and inductive loops from tiled conductive elements, including comb-and-bypass tiling with bridges between adjacent conductive elements, conductive bar electrode configurations with loop arrangements, row/column electrode arrays, and on-cell touch (OCT) layer integration. A multi-layer configuration with isolated loop-forming elements is discussed to minimize eddy-current-inducing conductive parts while maintaining loop-forming isolation.
The system is described as supporting stylus interaction modes using resonant tank circuits and resonant capacitors, including active transmit stylus, active receive stylus, and passive stylus configurations. The controller reconfigures electrode connectivity to switch between capacitive touch sensing connections and inductive loop connections.
Claims Coverage
Two independent claims are identified. Each independent claim defines a reconfigurable conductive-electrode arrangement that supports both capacitive touch sensing and inductive sensing by selectively connecting conductive elements into loops under control of a controller.
Reconfigurable capacitive touch and inductive loop electrodes
An apparatus comprising a substrate and a plurality of sense pixels of conductive material disposed on the substrate and configured to form a plurality of first electrodes oriented in a first direction, wherein each first electrode is configurable for capacitive touch sensing and inductive sensing, wherein the first electrodes are configurable to be connected in a plurality of loops for inductive sensing, and wherein one or more of the plurality of loops is formed by connecting a first portion of the first electrodes to a second portion of the first electrodes.
Grouped conductive elements for touch electrodes and inductive loops controlled by a controller
An apparatus comprising a first layer comprising a plurality of groups of first conductive elements oriented in a first direction, wherein each group includes a first plurality of first conductive elements configured as a touch electrode, a second plurality of first conductive elements configured as a loop; and a controller connected to the plurality of groups of first conductive elements, wherein the controller is configured to connect the first plurality of first conductive elements within one or more groups for capacitive touch sensing in the first direction, and connect the second plurality of first conductive elements within one or more groups for inductive sensing in the first direction.
The claim set centers on electrode structures that are reconfigurable between capacitive touch sensing and inductive sensing by connecting conductive elements into loops, with the loop formation and touch-electrode/loop grouping organized by layered, oriented conductive elements under controller control.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Inductive stylus detection using selectable capacitive touch sensing and inductive sensing loop configurations.
Active transmit stylus interaction using resonant tank circuits and resonant capacitors with inductive sensing via eddy-current/load effects.
Active receive stylus interaction using resonant tank circuits and resonant capacitors with inductive sensing via eddy-current/load effects.
Passive stylus interaction using resonant tank circuits and resonant capacitors with inductive sensing via eddy-current/load effects.
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