Touch screen device with coating and flexible printed circuit

Abstract

In one embodiment, a touch sensor comprises a beamsplitter operable to reflect a first portion of light incident on the beamsplitter and transmit a second portion of light incident on the beamsplitter, a substrate, and one or more lines of conductive material disposed on the substrate, the lines of conductive material disposed between the first substrate and the beamsplitter.

1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a display;   a first touch-sensor layer comprising a first plurality of conductive electrodes;   a second touch-sensor layer comprising a second plurality of conductive electrodes;   a dielectric coating operable to reflect a first portion of light incident on the coating and transmit a second portion of light incident on the coating;   wherein the coating is disposed above the first touch sensor layer;   wherein the coating is on a side of the first touch sensor layer opposite the display;   a touch-sensor controller configured to detect and process the change in capacitance at one or more touch-sensor nodes to determine the presence and location of a touch-sensor input, and further configured to communicate information about the touch-sensor input to one or more components of the apparatus; and   a flexible printed circuit electrically connected to the touch-sensor controller.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of conductive electrodes and the second plurality of conductive electrodes are configured to capacitively couple across the dielectric coating. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a layer of anti-reflective coating is disposed above the first touch-sensor layer. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein refractive indices of the coating, the first substrate, and the anti-reflective coating are substantially similar to each other. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second plurality of conductive electrodes is disposed on a second substrate. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second plurality of conductive electrodes is disposed on the opposite side of the first substrate. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the coating is adjacently disposed on the first touch sensor layer. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a third substrate is disposed between the coating and the first touch sensor layer. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein refractive indices of the coating and the first substrate are substantially similar to each other. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the coating comprises a half-mirror coating having one or more coating layers disposed above the first plurality of conductive electrodes to reduce display issues caused by light reflecting off the first plurality of conductive electrodes. 
     
     
         11 . A touch sensor device comprising:
 a coating operable to reflect a first portion of light incident on the coating and transmit a second portion of light incident on the coating;   a first substrate; and   one or more lines of conductive material disposed on the substrate, the lines of conductive material disposed between the first substrate and the coating;   a touch-sensor controller configured to detect and process the change in capacitance at one or more touch-sensor nodes in response to a touch-sensor input, and further configured to output information about the touch-sensor input; and   a flexible printed circuit electrically connected to the touch-sensor controller.   
     
     
         12 . The touch sensor device of  claim 11 , wherein the conductive material is selected from the group consisting of: metal, indium tin oxide, or carbon nanotubes. 
     
     
         13 . The touch sensor device of  claim 11 , wherein the first portion of light is in the range of 50% to 75%, and the second portion of light is in the range of 25% to 50%. 
     
     
         14 . The touch sensor device of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more lines of conductive material comprises a first set of lines of conductive material and a second set of lines of conductive material, the first set of lines disposed above the substrate, the second set of lines disposed below the substrate. 
     
     
         15 . The touch sensor device of  claim 11 , further comprising an anti-reflective coating disposed between the coating and the one or more lines. 
     
     
         16 . The touch sensor device of  claim 15 , further comprising a substrate disposed between the coating and the anti-reflective coating. 
     
     
         17 . The touch sensor device of  claim 16 , wherein refractive indices of the coating, the substrate, and the anti-reflective coating are substantially similar to each other. 
     
     
         18 . A touch screen device comprising:
 a coating operable to reflect a first portion of incident light and transmit a second portion of incident light incident;   a touch sensor comprising one or more lines of conductive material disposed between the display and the coating;   a touch-sensor controller operable to apply a voltage to at least a portion of the conductive material; and   a flexible printed circuit electrically connected to the touch-sensor controller.   
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 an anti-reflective coating disposed between the coating and the one or more lines.   
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 a substrate disposed between the coating and the anti-reflective coating; wherein refractive indices of the coating, the substrate, and the anti-reflective coating are substantially similar to each other.