PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-10073569-B2
Application Number: US-201414166817-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Integrated polarizer and conductive material

Abstract:
A polarizer integrated with conductive material and a process for forming a polarizer integrated with conductive material are disclosed. A polarizer can be integrated with conductive material to form a portion of a touch sensor panel. In one example, a layer of conductive film forming either the row or column traces can be patterned on a surface of a substrate in the polarizer. In another example, the layer of conductive film can be patterned on a viewing angle compensation film of the polarizer. One or more of the polarizer&#39;s polarizing layer, protective substrates or viewing angle compensation film can act as a dielectric between the conductive material forming the rows and column traces in the stack-up. As a result, the clear polymer spacer acting as a dielectric in touch panels can be removed, reducing the thickness of the touch screen stack-up.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A polarizer stack-up comprising:
 a first substrate and a second substrate; 
 a polarizing layer disposed between the first substrate and second substrate; 
 a first layer of conductive material patterned on a first surface of the first substrate; and 
 a second layer of conductive material patterned on the second substrate; 
 wherein the first layer of conductive material forms at least a first electrode of a capacitive touch sensor panel, the second layer of conductive material forms at least a second electrode of the capacitive touch sensor panel, and the polarizing layer forms at least a part of a dielectric layer of the capacitive touch sensor panel, 
 wherein the polarizing layer is disposed between the first layer of conductive material and the second layer of conductive material. 
 
     
     
       2. The polarizer stack-up of  claim 1 , wherein the second layer of conductive material is patterned on a second surface of the second substrate. 
     
     
       3. The polarizer stack-up of  claim 1 , wherein the polarizer stack-up is coupled to a display stack-up. 
     
     
       4. The polarizer stack-up of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first or second layers of conductive material are located in a display stack-up. 
     
     
       5. A method of forming a polarizer, the method comprising:
 disposing a polarizing layer between a first substrate and a second substrate; 
 patterning a first layer of conductive material on a first surface of the first substrate; and 
 patterning a second layer of conductive material on the second substrate; 
 wherein the first layer of conductive material forms at least a first electrode of a capacitive touch sensor panel, 
 the second layer of conductive material forms at least a second electrode of the capacitive touch sensor panel, and 
 the polarizing layer forms at least a part of a dielectric layer of the capacitive touch sensor panel, 
 wherein the polarizing layer is further located between the first layer of conductive material and the second layer of conductive material. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the second layer of conductive material is patterned on-a second surface of the second substrate. 
     
     
       7. A touch screen comprising:
 a polarizer integrated with a second layer of conductive material forming an electrode of a capacitive touch sensor panel, the polarizer stack-up comprising:
 a first substrate and a second substrate; 
 a polarizing layer disposed between the first substrate and second substrate; and 
 a first layer of conductive material patterned on a first surface of the first substrate; 
 
 a third substrate; and 
 the second layer of conductive material patterned on-the second substrate, or a first surface of the third substrate; 
 wherein the first layer of conductive material forms at least a first electrode of the capacitive touch sensor panel, the second layer of conductive material forms at least a second electrode of the capacitive touch sensor panel, and the polarizing layer forms at least a part of a dielectric layer of the capacitive touch sensor panel, 
 wherein the polarizing layer is disposed between the first layer of conductive material and the second layer of conductive material. 
 
     
     
       8. The touch screen of  claim 7 , wherein the second layer of conductive material is patterned on the third substrate, and wherein the dielectric layer of the capacitive touch sensor panel comprises the third substrate. 
     
     
       9. The touch screen of  claim 7 , wherein the second layer of conductive material is patterned on the third substrate, and wherein the dielectric layer of the capacitive touch sensor panel comprises the first substrate, the second substrate and the third substrate. 
     
     
       10. The touch screen of  claim 7 , wherein the third substrate is a color filter layer. 
     
     
       11. The touch screen of  claim 7 , wherein the second layer of conductive material is patterned on the first surface of the second substrate, and wherein the dielectric layer of the capacitive touch sensor panel comprises at least one of the first or second substrates and the polarizing layer. 
     
     
       12. The polarizer stack-up of  claim 1 , wherein the second layer of conductive material is configured to drive a liquid crystal layer of a display. 
     
     
       13. The polarizer stack-up of  claim 2 , wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are disposed between the first layer of conductive material and the second layer of conductive material. 
     
     
       14. The polarizer stack-up of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 an adhesive located between the first layer of conductive material and the second layer of conductive material. 
 
     
     
       15. The polarizer stack-up of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a color filter array located between the first layer of conductive material and the second layer of conductive material. 
 
     
     
       16. The polarizer stack-up of  claim 2 , wherein the first layer of conductive material and the second layer of conductive material are disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. 
     
     
       17. The polarizer stack-up of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 an adhesive located between the first substrate and the second substrate. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 5 , wherein disposing the polarizing layer between the first substrate and the second substrate includes laminating the polarizing layer to the first substrate and the second substrate using an adhesive. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 5 , where disposing the polarizing layer between the first substrate and the second substrate includes laminating the polarizing layer to the first layer of conductive material and the second layer of conductive material using an adhesive. 
     
     
       20. The touch screen of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a display, wherein the second layer of conductive material is configured to drive a liquid crystal layer of the display. 
 
     
     
       21. The touch screen of  claim 7 , wherein the first substrate and the second substrate of the polarizer stack-up are disposed between the first layer of conductive material and the second layer of conductive material. 
     
     
       22. The touch screen of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 an adhesive located between the first layer of conductive material and the second layer of conductive material of the polarizer stack-up. 
 
     
     
       23. The touch screen of  claim 7 , wherein the first layer of conductive material and the second layer of conductive material of the polarizer stack-up are disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate of the polarizer stack-up. 
     
     
       24. The touch screen of  claim 7 , wherein the first layer of conductive material and the second layer of conductive material of the polarizer stack-up are disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate.

Description:
FIELD 
     This relates generally to touch sensor panels, and more particularly, to capacitive touch sensor patterns and stack-ups in which a touch sensor panel can be integrated at least partially within a polarizer stack-up. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Many types of input devices are presently available for performing operations in a computing system, such as buttons or keys, mice, trackballs, touch panels, joysticks, touch screens and the like. Touch screens, in particular, are becoming increasingly popular because of their ease and versatility of operation as well as their declining price. Touch screens can include a touch panel, which can be a clear panel with a touch-sensitive surface. The touch panel can be positioned in front of a display screen so that the touch-sensitive surface covers the viewable area of the display screen. Touch screens can allow a user to make selections and move a cursor by simply touching the display screen via a finger or stylus. In general, the touch screen can recognize the touch and position of the touch on the display screen, and the computing system can interpret the touch and thereafter perform an action based on the touch event. 
     Touch panels can include an array of touch sensors capable of detecting touch events (the touching of fingers or other objects upon a touch-sensitive surface). Some touch panels can detect multiple touches (the touching of fingers or other objects upon a touch-sensitive surface at distinct locations at about the same time) and near touches (fingers or other objects within the near-field detection capabilities of the touch sensors), and identify and track their locations. 
     In some examples, capacitive touch sensor panels can be formed from rows and columns of traces on opposite sides of a dielectric. At the “intersections” of the traces, where the traces pass above and below each other (but do not make direct electrical contact with each other), the traces essentially form two electrodes. Touch panels for use over display devices can utilize a top layer of glass upon which transparent column traces of indium tin oxide (ITO) or antimony tin oxide (ATO) have been etched, and a bottom layer of glass upon which row traces of ITO have been etched. The top and bottom glass layers can be separated by a clear polymer spacer that acts as a dielectric between the row and column traces. 
     SUMMARY 
     This relates to minimizing the thickness of a touch screen stack-up. A polarizer can be integrated with conductive material to form a portion of a touch sensor panel. In one example, a layer of conductive film forming either the row or column traces can be patterned on a surface of a substrate in the polarizer. In another example, the layer of conductive film can be patterned on a viewing angle compensation film of the polarizer. The polarizer&#39;s polarizing layer, protective substrates or viewing angle compensation film can act as a dielectric between the conductive material forming the rows and column traces in the stack-up. As a result, the clear polymer spacer acting as a dielectric in touch panels can be removed, reducing the thickness of the touch screen stack-up. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary touch screen stack-up that can be used in a touch sensitive device. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates an exemplary polarizer stack-up. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates an exemplary polarizer with integrated touch sensor panel that can be formed according to some disclosed examples. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates an exemplary polarizer with integrated touch sensor panel that can be formed according to some disclosed examples. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates an exemplary polarizer with integrated touch sensor panel that can be formed according to some disclosed examples. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates an exemplary touch screen stack-up according to some disclosed examples with one layer of conductive material integrated into a polarizer and a second layer of conductive material integrated into a display. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates an exemplary touch screen stack-up according to some disclosed examples with one layer of conductive material integrated with a polarizer within a display. 
         FIG. 8  illustrates an exemplary polarizer with integrated touch sensor panel that can be formed according to some disclosed examples using a viewing angle compensation film. 
         FIG. 9A  illustrates an example mobile telephone that includes a touch screen with integrated polarizer according to some disclosed examples. 
         FIG. 9B  illustrates an example digital media player that includes a touch screen with integrated polarizer according to some disclosed examples. 
         FIG. 9C  illustrates an example personal computer that includes a touch screen with integrated polarizer according to some disclosed examples. 
         FIG. 9D  illustrates an example tablet computing device that includes a touch screen with integrated polarizer according to some disclosed examples. 
         FIG. 10  is a block diagram of an example computing system that illustrates one implementation of an example touch screen  1020  with an integrated polarizer described above with conductive material according to examples of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the following description of examples, reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which it is shown by way of illustration specific examples that can be practiced. It is to be understood that other examples can be used and structural changes can be made without departing from the scope of the various examples. 
     This relates to minimizing the thickness of a touch screen stack-up. A polarizer can be integrated with conductive material to form a portion of the touch sensor panel. In one example, a layer of conductive film forming either the row or column traces can be patterned on a surface of a substrate in the polarizer. In another example, the layer of conductive film can be patterned on a viewing angle compensation film of the polarizer. The polarizer&#39;s polarizing layer, protective substrates or viewing angle compensation film can act as a dielectric between the conductive material forming the rows and column traces in the stack-up. As a result, the clear polymer spacer acting as a dielectric in touch panels can be removed, reducing the thickness of the touch screen stack-up. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary touch screen stack-up that can be used in a touch sensitive device, such as a mobile phone, tablet, touchpad, portable computer, portable media player, or the like. Touch screen  100  can include a display  102 , a polarizer  104 , a touch sensor panel  120  and a cover lens  108 . Display  102  can generate an image on the touch screen. As described in more detail below, polarizer  104  can be used to control the brightness of light emitted from the display  102 . Cover lens  108  can be used as the outermost layer of the touch screen to protect the touch screen stack-up. Touch sensor panel  120  can be formed from rows and columns of transparent conductive material  112  patterned on opposite sides of a dielectric, such as transparent plastic substrate  106 . The transparent plastic substrate  106  can act as a dielectric layer between the rows and columns of transparent conducting material  112 . The crossing points between rows and columns of conductive material, separated by the dielectric, can form sensing regions or nodes. The transparent plastic substrate can be made from different materials such as cylco olefin polymer (COP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polycarbonate (PC) or the like. The transparent conducting material can be indium tin oxide (ITO) or silver nano-wire (AgNW), for example. Display  102 , polarizer  104 , touch sensor panel  120  and cover lens  108  can be coupled by adhesive  110 . 
       FIG. 2  illustrates an exemplary polarizer stack-up. Polarizer  200  can include a polarizing layer, such as a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) film  202  doped with iodine. Although examples in the disclosure refer to PVA film doped with iodine, it should be understood that polarizing layer is not limited to PVA film doped with iodine, and any suitable polarizing material can be used. The polarizer PVA film  202  can be disposed between two substrate layers  204 ,  206  to protect the PVA film  202 . The protective substrate layers can be made from materials including COP, PC, acrylic, triacetyl cellulose (TAC) or the like. The PVA film  202  and substrate layers  204 ,  206  can be coupled using an adhesive and a lamination process. The PVA film  202  can be 5-35 μm and the protective substrate layers can be between 20-80 μm. 
     The touch sensor panel  120  or a portion of thereof can be integrated with polarizer  104 ,  200  as discussed below. Integrating the touch sensor panel  120  with the polarizer  104 ,  200  can reduce the thickness of the touch screen stack-up because transparent plastic substrate  106  can be eliminated from the stack-up. Reducing the thickness of the touch screen also provides the added benefit of reducing the weight of the device. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates an exemplary polarizer with integrated touch sensor panel  300  that can be formed according to some disclosed examples. Transparent conductive material  308 , such as ITO, can be patterned on the lower surface of substrate  304 . Transparent conductive material  310  can be patterned on the upper surface of substrate  304 . The two layers of transparent conductive material  308 ,  310  separated by substrate  304  form the electrodes of the touch sensor panel  320 . Substrate  304  acts as the dielectric material between the layers of transparent conductive material  308 ,  310 . The electrodes can be connected to circuitry and other components using a flex circuit (not shown) to drive and sense the electrodes and to detect touch and hover events. The polarizer can be formed by laminating the PVA film  302  to substrate  306  and touch sensor panel  320  using adhesive. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates an exemplary polarizer with integrated touch sensor panel  400  that can be formed according to some disclosed examples. Transparent conductive material  408  can be patterned on the lower surface of substrate  404 . Transparent conductive material  410  can be patterned on the upper surface of substrate  406 . The polarizer can be formed by laminating the PVA film  402  to substrates  404 ,  406  using adhesive. The two layers of transparent conductive material  408 ,  410  separated by substrates  404 ,  406  can form the electrodes of the touch sensor panel  420 . Substrates  404 ,  406  and PVA film  402  act as the dielectric material between the transparent conductive material  408 ,  410 . The electrodes can be connected to circuitry and other components using a flex circuit (not shown) to drive and sense the electrodes and to detect touch and hover events. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates an exemplary polarizer with integrated touch sensor panel  500  that can be formed according to some disclosed examples. Transparent conductive material  508  can be patterned on the upper surface of substrate  504 . Transparent conductive material  510  can be patterned on the lower surface of substrate  506 . The polarizer can be formed by laminating the PVA film  502  to transparent conductive material  508 ,  510  using adhesive. The two layers of transparent conductive material  508 ,  510  separated by PVA film  502  can form the electrodes of the touch sensor panel  520 . PVA film  502  act as the dielectric material between the transparent conductive material  508 ,  510 . The electrodes can be connected to circuitry and other components using a flex circuit (not shown) to drive and sense the electrodes and to detect touch and hover events. 
     As shown in the examples of  FIGS. 3-5 , the two layers of transparent conductive material can be patterned on any surfaces of the two substrates as long as they are separated by either the PVA film or one or more of the substrates in order to form a pair of electrodes separated by a dielectric material. External touch sensing circuitry can be calibrated to take into account the different touch sensor panel properties resulting from differences in the geometry and dielectric material of the touch sensor panel. 
     In addition to the examples described above, in some examples one of the two layers of transparent conductive material can be integrated with the polarizer, and the second layer of transparent conductive material can be located elsewhere in the stack-up. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates an exemplary touch screen stack-up according to some disclosed examples with one layer of conductive material integrated into a polarizer and a second layer of conductive material integrated into a display. Touch screen  600  can contain a polarizer  610  integrated with a portion of the touch sensor panel  620  and a display  630 , such as LCD display. Backlight  634  can provide white light that can be directed towards the aperture of the stack-up. The backlight can supply the rest of the display stack-up with light that can be oriented in a particular orientation based on the needs of the rest of the stack-up. In order to control the brightness of the light, the white light produced by the backlight  634  can be fed into a polarizer  636  that can impart polarity to the light. The polarized light coming out of polarizer  636  can be fed through bottom cover  638  into a liquid crystal layer  642  that can be sandwiched between an ITO layer  644  and a Thin Film Transistor (TFT) layer  640 . TFT substrate layer  640  can contain the electrical components necessary to create the electric field, in conjunction with ITO layer  644 , that drives the liquid crystal layer  642 . More specifically, TFT substrate  640  can include various different layers that can include display elements such as data lines, gate lines, TFTs, common and pixel electrodes, etc. These components can help create a controlled electric field that orients liquid crystals located in liquid crystal layer  642  into a particular orientation, based on the desired color to be displayed at any particular pixel. The orientation of a liquid crystal element in liquid crystal layer  642  can alter the orientation of the polarized light that is passed through it from backlight  634 . The altered light from liquid crystal layer  642  can then be passed through color filter layer  646 . The polarizer  610  can interact with the polarized light coming from liquid crystal layer  642 , whose orientation can be altered depending on the electric field applied across the liquid crystal layer. The amount of light allowed to pass through polarizer  610  into cover glass  650  can be determined by the orientation of the light as determined by the orientation of the liquid crystal layer  642 . Although various glass layers  638 ,  648 ,  650  are described as being made of glass, any type of transparent cover can be used including plastic, for example. By polarizing the white light coming out of backlight  634 , changing the orientation of the light in liquid crystal layer  642 , and then passing the light through a polarizer  610 , the brightness of light can be controlled on a per pixel basis. Color filter layer  646  also can contain a plurality of color filters that can change the light passed through it into red, green and blue. By controlling the brightness and color of light on a per pixel basis, a desired image can be rendered on the display. 
     As mentioned above, one layer of conductive material, ITO layer  644 , can be integrated into display  630 . A second layer of conductive material can be integrated into polarizer  610 . Transparent conductive material  608  can be patterned on the lower surface of substrate  604 . The polarizer can be formed by laminating the PVA film  602  to substrates  604 ,  606  using adhesive. The two layers of transparent conductive material  608 ,  644  can form the electrodes of the touch sensor panel  620 . The intermediate layers, in this example the color filter layer  646  and top glass  648 , act as the dielectric material between the transparent conductive material  608 ,  644 . The electrodes can be connected to circuitry and other components using a flex circuit (not shown) to drive and sense the electrodes and to detect touch and hover events. 
     Although the second layer of conductive material  608  is shown patterned on the lower surface of substrate  604 , it should be understood that the second layer of conductive material can be patterned on any surface of the two substrates to form a pair of electrodes separated by a dielectric material. External touch sensing circuitry can be calibrated to take into account the different touch sensor panel properties resulting from differences in the geometry and dielectric material of the touch sensor panel. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates an exemplary touch screen stack-up according to some disclosed examples with one layer of conductive material integrated with a polarizer within a display. Touch screen  700  can contain a polarizer  710  integrated with a portion of the touch sensor panel  720  and a display  730 , such as LCD display. Backlight  734  can provide white light that can be directed towards the aperture of the stack-up. The backlight can supply the rest of the display stack-up with light that can be oriented in a particular orientation based on the needs of the rest of the stack-up. In order to control the brightness of the light, the white light produced by the backlight  734  can be fed into a polarizer  736  that can impart polarity to the light. The polarized light coming out of polarizer  736  can be fed through bottom cover  738  into a liquid crystal layer  742  that can be sandwiched between an ITO layer  744  and a TFT layer  740 . TFT substrate layer  740  can contain the electrical components necessary to create the electric field, in conjunction with ITO layer  744 , that drives the liquid crystal layer  742 . More specifically, TFT substrate  740  can include various different layers that can include display elements such as data lines, gate lines, TFTs, common and pixel electrodes, etc. These components can help create a controlled electric field that orients liquid crystals located in liquid crystal layer  742  into a particular orientation, based on the desired color to be displayed at any particular pixel. The orientation of a liquid crystal element in liquid crystal layer  742  can alter the orientation of the polarized light that is passed through it from backlight  734 . The altered light from liquid crystal layer  742  can then be passed through color filter and polarizer layer  746 . Color filter and polarizer layer  745  can contain a color filter layer  746  and a polarizer  710 . The polarizer  710  in color filter and polarizer layer  745  can interact with the polarized light coming from liquid crystal layer  742 , whose orientation can be altered depending on the electric field applied across the liquid crystal layer. The amount of light allowed to pass through color filter layer  746  into top cover  748  can be determined by the orientation of the light as determined by the orientation of the liquid crystal layer  742 . Although various glass layers  738 ,  748 , are described as being made of glass, any type of transparent cover can be used including plastic for example. By polarizing the white light coming out of backlight  734 , changing the orientation of the light in liquid crystal layer  742 , and then passing the light through a polarizer  710  in color filter and polarizer layer  745 , the brightness of light can be controlled on a per pixel basis. Color filter layer  746  also can contain a plurality of color filters that can change the light passed through it into red, green and blue. By controlling the brightness and color of light on a per pixel basis, a desired image can be rendered on the display. 
     As mentioned above, one layer of conductive material, ITO layer  744 , can be integrated into display  730 . A second layer of conductive material can be integrated into polarizer  710 . Transparent conductive material  708  can be patterned on the upper surface of substrate  706 . The polarizer can be formed by laminating the PVA film  702  to substrates  704 ,  706  using adhesive. The two layers of transparent conductive material  708 ,  744  can form the electrodes of the touch sensor panel  720 . The intermediate layers, in this example the color filter layer  646 , substrates  704 ,  706  and PVA film  702  act as the dielectric material between the transparent conductive material  708 ,  744 . The electrodes can be connected to circuitry and other components using a flex circuit (not shown) to drive and sense the electrodes and to detect touch and hover events. 
     Although the second layer of conductive material  708  is shown patterned on the upper surface of substrate  706 , it should be understood that the second layer of conductive material can be patterned on any surface of the two substrates to form a pair of electrodes separated by a dielectric material. External touch sensing circuitry can be calibrated to take into account the different touch sensor panel properties resulting from differences in the geometry and dielectric material of the touch sensor panel. 
       FIG. 8  illustrates an exemplary polarizer with integrated touch sensor panel  800  that can be formed according to some disclosed examples using a viewing angle compensation film  830 . A polarizer can have a viewing angle compensation film  830 . The viewing angle compensation film  830  can be made from different materials such as COP. Transparent conductive material  808  can be patterned on the lower surface of viewing angle compensation film  830 . Transparent conductive material  810  can be patterned on the upper surface of substrate  806 . The polarizer can be formed by laminating the various layers—PVA film  802 , substrates  804 ,  806  and viewing angle compensation film  830 —using adhesive. The two layers of transparent conductive material  808 ,  810  separated by substrates  804 ,  806  and viewing angle compensation film  830 , can form the electrodes of the touch sensor panel  820 . Substrates  804 ,  806 , viewing angle compensation film  830  and PVA film  802  act as the dielectric material between the transparent conductive material  808 ,  810 . The electrodes can be connected to circuitry and other components using a flex circuit (not shown) to drive and sense the electrodes and to detect touch and hover events. 
     Although the layers of conductive material  808 ,  810  are shown patterned on the upper surface of substrate  806  and the lower surface of viewing angle compensation film  830 , it should be understood that the layers of conductive material can be patterned on any surface of the two substrates  804 ,  806  or the viewing angle compensation film  830  to form the touch sensor panel as long as the two layers of conductive material are separated by either the PVA film  802 , viewing angle compensation film  830 , or one or more of the substrates  804 ,  806  in order to form an electrode including two conductors and a dielectric material between the two conductors. External touch sensing circuitry can be calibrated to take into account the different touch sensor panel properties resulting from differences in the geometry and dielectric material of the touch sensor panel. Additionally, in some examples one of the two layers of transparent conductive material can be integrated with the polarizer and the second layer of transparent conductive material can be located elsewhere in the stack-up. 
       FIGS. 9A-9D  show example systems in which polarizers integrated with conductive material of a touch screen according to examples of the disclosure can be implemented.  FIG. 9A  illustrates an example mobile telephone  936  that includes a touch screen  924  with integrated polarizer.  FIG. 9B  illustrates an example digital media player  940  that includes a touch screen  926  with integrated polarizer.  FIG. 9C  illustrates an example personal computer  944  that includes a touch screen  928  with integrated polarizer.  FIG. 9D  illustrates an example tablet computing device  948  that includes a touch screen  930  with integrated polarizer. Touch screens  924 ,  926 ,  928  and  930  can include numerous layers that are stacked on top of each other and bonded together to form the touch screen. 
       FIG. 10  is a block diagram of an example computing system  1000  that illustrates one implementation of an example touch screen  1020  with an integrated polarizer described above with conductive material according to examples of the disclosure. Computing system  1000  could be included in, for example, mobile telephone  936 , digital media player  940 , personal computer  944 , or any mobile or non-mobile computing device that includes a touch screen. Computing system  1000  can include a touch sensing system including one or more touch processors  1002 , peripherals  1004 , a touch controller  1006 , and touch sensing circuitry. Peripherals  1004  can include, but are not limited to, random access memory (RAM) or other types of memory or storage, watchdog timers and the like. Touch controller  1006  can include, but is not limited to, one or more sense channels  1008 , channel scan logic  1010  and driver logic  1014 . Channel scan logic  1010  can access RAM  1012 , autonomously read data from the sense channels and provide control for the sense channels. In addition, channel scan logic  1010  can control driver logic  1014  to generate stimulation signals  1016  at various frequencies and phases that can be selectively applied to drive regions of the touch sensing circuitry of touch screen  1020 , as described in more detail below. In some examples, touch controller  1006 , touch processor  102  and peripherals  1004  can be integrated into a single application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). 
     Computing system  1000  can also include a host processor  1028  for receiving outputs from touch processor  1002  and performing actions based on the outputs. For example, host processor  1028  can be connected to program storage  1032  and a display controller, such as an LCD driver  1034 . Host processor  1028  can use LCD driver  1034  to generate an image on touch screen  1020 , such as an image of a user interface (UI), and can use touch processor  1002  and touch controller  1006  to detect a touch on or near touch screen  1020 , such a touch input to the displayed UI. The touch input can be used by computer programs stored in program storage  1032  to perform actions that can include, but are not limited to, moving an object such as a cursor or pointer, scrolling or panning, adjusting control settings, opening a file or document, viewing a menu, making a selection, executing instructions, operating a peripheral device connected to the host device, answering a telephone call, placing a telephone call, terminating a telephone call, changing the volume or audio settings, storing information related to telephone communications such as addresses, frequently dialed numbers, received calls, missed calls, logging onto a computer or a computer network, permitting authorized individuals access to restricted areas of the computer or computer network, loading a user profile associated with a user&#39;s preferred arrangement of the computer desktop, permitting access to web content, launching a particular program, encrypting or decoding a message, and/or the like. Host processor  1028  can also perform additional functions that may not be related to touch processing. 
     Integrated display and touch screen  1020  can include touch sensing circuitry that can include a capacitive sensing medium having a plurality of drive lines  1022  and a plurality of sense lines  1023 . It should be noted that the term “lines” is sometimes used herein to mean simply conductive pathways, as one skilled in the art will readily understand, and is not limited to elements that are strictly linear, but includes pathways that change direction, and includes pathways of different size, shape, materials, etc. Drive lines  1022  can be driven by stimulation signals  1016  from driver logic  1014  through a drive interface  1024 , and resulting sense signals  1017  generated in sense lines  1723  can be transmitted through a sense interface  1025  to sense channels  1008  (also referred to as an event detection and demodulation circuit) in touch controller  1006 . In this way, drive lines and sense lines can be part of the touch sensing circuitry that can interact to form capacitive sensing nodes, which can be thought of as touch picture elements (touch pixels), such as touch pixels  1026  and  1027 . This way of understanding can be particularly useful when touch screen  1020  is viewed as capturing an “image” of touch. In other words, after touch controller  1006  has determined whether a touch has been detected at each touch pixel in the touch screen, the pattern of touch pixels in the touch screen at which a touch occurred can be thought of as an “image” of touch (e.g. a pattern of fingers touching the touch screen). 
     In some examples, touch screen  1020  can be an integrated touch screen in which touch sensing circuit elements of the touch sensing system can be integrated into the display pixels stack-ups of a display as discussed above. 
     Therefore, according to the above, some examples of the disclosure are directed to a polarizer stack-up comprising: a first substrate and a second substrate; a polarizing layer that can be disposed between the first substrate and second substrate; and a first layer of conductive material that can be patterned on a first surface of either the first substrate or the second substrate. The first layer of conductive material can form an electrode of a capacitive touch sensor panel and at least one of the first or second substrates can form a part of a dielectric layer of the capacitive touch sensor panel. Additionally or alternatively to one or more examples disclosed above, the polarizer stack-up further comprising a second layer of conductive material that can be patterned on a second surface of either the first substrate or the second substrate. The first and second layers of conductive material can form a pair of electrodes of the capacitive touch sensor panel. Additionally or alternatively to one or more examples disclosed above, the dielectric layer of the capacitive touch sensor panel can comprise at least one of the first or second substrates and the polarizing layer. Additionally or alternatively to one or more examples disclosed above, a second layer of conductive material can be patterned on a surface within a display. The first and second layers of conductive material can form a pair of electrodes of the capacitive touch sensor panel. Additionally or alternatively to one or more examples disclosed above, the first and second layers of conductive material can be located in the display. 
     Other examples of the disclosure are directed to a polarizer stack-up comprising: a first substrate; a viewing angle compensation film that can be disposed below the first substrate; a polarizing layer that can be disposed above the first substrate; and a first layer of conductive material that can be patterned on a first surface of the viewing angle compensation film. Additionally or alternatively to one or more examples disclosed above, the first layer of conductive material can form an electrode of a capacitive touch sensor panel. Additionally or alternatively to one or more examples disclosed above, the stack-up further comprising a second substrate and a second layer of conductive material that can be patterned on a second surface of either the first substrate, the second substrate or the viewing angle compensation film. The first and second layers of conductive material can form a pair of electrodes of the capacitive touch sensor panel. Additionally or alternatively to one or more examples disclosed above, a second layer of conductive material can be patterned on a surface within a display. The first and second layers of conductive material can form a pair of electrodes of the capacitive touch sensor panel. Additionally or alternatively to one or more examples disclosed above, the first and second layers of conductive material can be located in the display. 
     Other examples of the disclosure are directed to a method of forming a polarizer, the method comprising: locating a polarizing layer between a first substrate and a second substrate; and patterning a first layer of conductive material on a first surface of either the first substrate or the second substrate. The first layer of conductive material can form an electrode of a capacitive touch sensor panel and at least one of the first or second substrates can form a part of a dielectric layer of the capacitive touch sensor panel. Additionally or alternatively to one or more examples disclosed above, the dielectric layer of the capacitive touch sensor panel can comprise at least one of the first or second substrates and the polarizing layer. Additionally or alternatively to one or more examples disclosed above, the method further comprising patterning a second layer of conductive material on a second surface of either the first substrate or the second substrate. The first and second layers of conductive material can form a pair of electrodes of the capacitive touch sensor panel. 
     Other examples of the disclosure are directed to a method of forming a polarizer, the method comprising: locating a polarizing layer above a first substrate; locating a viewing angle compensation film below a first substrate; and patterning a first layer of conductive material on a first surface of either the first substrate or the viewing angle compensation film. Additionally or alternatively to one or more examples disclosed above, the method further comprising patterning a second layer of conductive material on a second surface of either the first substrate or the viewing angle compensation film. The first and second layers of conductive material can form a pair of electrodes of the capacitive touch sensor panel. Additionally or alternatively to one or more examples disclosed above, the method further comprising locating a second substrate above the polarizing layer and patterning a second layer of conductive material on a second surface of either the first substrate, the second substrate or the viewing angle compensation film. The first and second layers of conductive material can form a pair of electrodes of the capacitive touch sensor panel. 
     Other examples of the disclosure are directed to a polarizer integrated with a layer of conductive material forming an electrode of a touch sensor panel, the polarizer stack-up comprising: a first substrate and a second substrate; a polarizing layer that can be disposed between the first substrate and second substrate; and a first layer of conductive material that can be patterned on a first surface of either the first substrate or the second substrate. At least one of the first or second substrates forms a part of a dielectric layer of the capacitive touch sensor panel. Additionally or alternatively to one or more examples disclosed above, the polarizer stack-up further comprising a second layer of conductive material that can be patterned on a second surface of either the first substrate or the second substrate. The first and second layers of conductive material can form a pair of electrodes of the capacitive touch sensor panel. Additionally or alternatively to one or more examples disclosed above, the second layer of conductive material can be patterned on a surface within a display. The first and second layers of conductive material can form a pair of electrodes of the capacitive touch sensor panel. Additionally or alternatively to one or more examples disclosed above, the first and second layers of conductive material can be located in the display. Additionally or alternatively to one or more examples disclosed above, the dielectric layer of the capacitive touch sensor panel can comprise at least one of the first or second substrates and the polarizing layer. 
     Other examples of the disclosure are directed to a polarizer integrated with a layer of conductive material forming an electrode of a touch sensor panel, the polarizer stack-up comprising: a first substrate; a viewing angle compensation film that can be disposed below the first substrate; a polarizing layer that can be disposed above the first substrate; and a first layer of conductive material that can be patterned on a first surface of the viewing angle compensation film. Additionally or alternatively to one or more examples disclosed above, the stack-up further comprising a second substrate and a second layer of conductive material that can be patterned on a second surface of either the first substrate, the second substrate or the viewing angle compensation film. The first and second layers of conductive material can form a pair of electrodes of the capacitive touch sensor panel. Additionally or alternatively to one or more examples disclosed above, a second layer of conductive material can be patterned on a surface within a display. The first and second layers of conductive material can form a pair of electrodes of the capacitive touch sensor panel. Additionally or alternatively to one or more examples disclosed above, the first and second layers of conductive material can be located in the display. 
     Although examples have been fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be noted that various changes and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are to be understood as being included within the scope of the various examples as defined by the appended claims.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20140128
Publication Date: 20180911
Grant Date: 20180911
Priority Date: 20140128
Inventors: CHEN, CHENG
KUWABARA, MASATO
KANG, SUNGGU
ZHONG, JOHN Z.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "G06F2203/04111", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/044", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/0412", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02B5/3033", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F2203/04103", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/0412", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/0445", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F2203/04103", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02B5/3033", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/0445", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F2203/04111", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/0412", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02B5/3033", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 53679011