Single layer touch sensor

Abstract

Embodiments for constructing capacitance sensing devices include, but are not limited to, forming a plurality of electrodes on a central portion of a substrate, the substrate comprising a central portion and an outer portion, forming a first plurality of conductors on the substrate, each of the first plurality of conductors being connected to and extending from at least one of the plurality of electrodes, and forming an insulating material on the outer portion of the substrate and at least partially over some of the first plurality of conductors. The constructing also includes forming a second plurality of conductors on the insulating material, wherein the second plurality of conductors and the insulating material are configured such that each of the second plurality of conductors is electrically connected to at least some of the first plurality of conductors and is insulated from the others of the first plurality of conductors.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A single-layer touchscreen sensor comprising:
 a plurality of electrodes disposed on a central portion of a substrate;   a first plurality of conductors disposed on central portion of the substrate and extending from the central portion of the substrate to an outer portion of the substrate, each of the first plurality of conductors coupled to at least one of the plurality of electrodes;   an insulating material disposed on the outer portion of the substrate and not extending into the central portion of the substrate, wherein the insulating material comprises a plurality of openings over a portion of the first plurality of conductors; and   a second plurality of conductors disposed on the outer portion of the substrate, each of the second plurality of conductors coupled to at least one of the first plurality of conductors through one of the plurality of openings.   
     
     
         2 . The single-layer touchscreen sensor of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the plurality of electrodes and the first plurality of conductors are formed from indium tin oxide (ITO); and   the plurality of electrodes comprises a plurality of transmit (TX) electrodes and a plurality of receive (RX) electrodes.   
     
     
         3 . The single-layer touchscreen sensor of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of TX electrodes and the plurality of receive electrodes are inter-digitated along one axis such that capacitance coupling between the TX electrodes and the RX electrodes is maximized. 
     
     
         4 . The single-layer touchscreen sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of conductors is formed from carbon ink, silver ink, copper ink, ITO, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The single-layer touchscreen sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the insulating material comprises a resist ink, an acrylic resin, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The single-layer touchscreen sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the second plurality of conductors comprises silver, ITO, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The single-layer touchscreen of  claim 1 , wherein plurality of electrodes and the first plurality of conductors each comprise ITO, a silver nano-particle film, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The single-layer touchscreen of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises glass, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . A substantially transparent capacitance sensing device comprising
 a plurality of transmit (TX) electrodes disposed on an active area of a substrate;   a plurality of receive (RX) electrodes disposed on the active area of the substrate;   a plurality of traces disposed on visible area of the substrate and extending from the visible are of the substrate to a bezel area of the substrate, each of the plurality of traces coupled to at least one of the pluralities of TX or RX electrodes;   an insulating material disposed on the bezel area of the substrate and not extending into the active of the substrate, wherein the insulating material comprises a plurality of openings over a portion of the plurality of traces; and   a plurality of conductors disposed on the bezel area of the substrate, each of the plurality of conductors coupled to at least one of the plurality of traces through one of the plurality of openings.   
     
     
         10 . The substantially transparent capacitance sensing device of  claim 9 , wherein the first plurality of conductors is formed from carbon ink, silver ink, copper ink, ITO, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The substantially transparent capacitance sensing device of  claim 9 , wherein the insulating material comprises a resist ink, an acrylic resin, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The substantially transparent capacitance sensing device of  claim 9 , wherein the second plurality of conductors comprises silver, ITO, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The substantially transparent capacitance sensing device of  claim 9 , wherein plurality of electrodes and the first plurality of conductors each comprise ITO, a silver nano-particle film, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The substantially transparent capacitance sensing device of  claim 9 , wherein the substrate comprises glass, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         15 . A method for determining a position of a conductive object on a touchscreen, the method comprising:
 driving a signal on a plurality of substantially transparent transmit (TX) electrodes disposed on a central portion of a substrate;   receiving a signal on a plurality of substantially transparent receive (RX) electrodes disposed on a central portion of a substrate; and   calculating a position of a conductive object proximate to the substantially transparent touchscreen based on the received signal,
 wherein the pluralities of substantially transparent TX and RX electrodes are each coupled to a plurality of conductors disposed on an outer portion of the substrate by a plurality of traces, the plurality of traces extending from the central portion of the substrate to the outer portion of the substrate,
 wherein the conductors and the traces are each coupled through at least one of a plurality of openings in an insulating layer disposed over the plurality of conductors, the insulating layer not extending into the central portion of the substrate. 
 
   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first plurality of conductors is formed from carbon ink, silver ink, copper ink, ITO, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the insulating material comprises a resist ink, an acrylic resin, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the second plurality of conductors comprises silver, ITO, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein plurality of electrodes and the first plurality of conductors each comprise ITO, a silver nano-particle film, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the substrate comprises glass, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), or a combination thereof.