US-12625572-B2 - Sensor panel

US12625572B2US 12625572 B2US12625572 B2US 12625572B2US-12625572-B2

Abstract

A sensor panel is overlaid on a display apparatus and connected to an integrated circuit that detects a position of an active pen in an active region of the display apparatus. The sensor panel includes first electrodes that extend in a first direction. The sensor panel also includes second electrodes that extend in a second direction. The first electrodes include first and second outer electrodes that are located at the outermost edges of the first electrodes and first inner electrodes disposed between the first and second outer electrodes. A width of at least one of the first and second outer electrodes in the second direction is smaller than a width of each of the first inner electrodes in the second direction.

Inventors

Jun Kadowaki

Assignees

WACOM CO., LTD.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20241122
Priority Date: 20180226

Claims (3)

1 . An integrated circuit for an electronic device that includes a sensor panel overlaid on a display device and, the integrated circuit comprising: a processor and a memory storing a program that, when executed by the processor, causes the integrated circuit to determine a position of an active pen at least within an active area of the display device based on a signal from the active pen, wherein the sensor panel includes: a plurality of first electrodes each extending in a first direction and arranged side by side in a second direction different from the first direction, wherein the first electrodes, in operation, are connected to the integrated circuit by different first routing lines; and a plurality of second electrodes each extending in the second direction and arranged side by side in the first direction, wherein the second electrodes, in operation, are connected to the integrated circuit by different second routing lines; wherein the first electrodes include a first outer electrode and a second outer electrode positioned at opposite ends of the electronic device and arranged at positions covering an outer periphery of the active area of the display device, and a plurality of first inner electrodes between the first outer electrode and the second outer electrode, wherein at least one of the first outer electrode or the second outer electrode is arranged so that a center position thereof in the second direction overlaps with the outer periphery or is located outside the outer periphery, wherein a width in the second direction of at least one of the first outer electrode or the second outer electrode is smaller than a width in the second direction of each of the plurality of first inner electrodes, wherein the program, when executed by the processor, causes the integrated circuit to determine the position of the active pen based on a reception strength of the signal from the active pen at the first outer electrode, wherein the program, when executed by the processor, causes the integrated circuit to determine the position of the active pen based on both the reception strength of the signal from the active pen at a first one of the plurality of first inner electrodes that is adjacent to the first outer electrode and the reception strength of the signal from the active pen at the first outer electrode, and wherein, when the first one of the plurality of first inner electrodes has a maximum reception strength of the signal from the active pen among the plurality of first electrodes, the program, when executed by the processor, causes the integrated circuit to determine the position of the active pen based on a ratio between the reception strength of the signal from the active pen at a second one of the plurality of first inner electrodes that is adjacent to the first one of the plurality of first inner electrodes on an opposite side of the first outer electrode, and the reception strength of the signal from the active pen at the first outer electrode.
2 . The integrated circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the program, when executed by the processor, causes the integrated circuit to determine the position of the active pen based on both a reception strength of the signal from the active pen at one or more of the plurality of first inner electrodes and the reception strength of the signal from the active pen at the first outer electrode.
3 . The integrated circuit according to claim 1 , wherein, when the first outer electrode has a maximum reception strength of the signal from the active pen among the plurality of first electrodes, the program, when executed by the processor, causes the integrated circuit to determine the position of the active pen based on the reception strength of the signal from the active pen at the first one of the plurality of first electrodes.

Description

BACKGROUND Technical Field The present technology relates to a sensor panel and particularly to a sensor panel overlaid on a display apparatus for use. Background Art In tablet electronic equipment with a function to detect finger and stylus positions, a sensor panel is placed over a display panel. The sensor panel has a plurality of linear electrodes. The linear electrodes include, in a region overlapping an active region (display region) of the display panel, a plurality of x electrodes that extend in a y direction and that are arranged at regular intervals in an x direction and a plurality of y electrodes that extend in the x direction and that are arranged at regular intervals in the y direction. These electrodes are connected to an integrated circuit (sensor controller) that detects fingers and styluses via a plurality of wires and a plurality of FPC (Flexible Printed Circuits) connection terminals provided in a region overlapping a bezel region of the display panel. An active pen is known as a type of stylus. An active pen is a stylus that includes a power supply section and a signal processing circuit and that is configured to be able to send a pen signal by supplying charge proportional to a signal generated by the signal processing circuit to an electrode provided near a pen tip (pen electrode). During detection of the active pen, of the plurality of linear electrodes provided in the sensor panel, the one near the pen tip detects a pen signal and supplies the pen signal to the sensor controller via the above FPC connection terminal. The sensor controller determines an X coordinate of the active pen on the basis of the reception level of the pen signal in each x electrode and a y coordinate of the active pen on the basis of the reception level of the pen signal in each y electrode, thereby detecting the active pen position in a touch surface. Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2014-063249 discloses a position detector capable of detecting both fingers and active pens. However, in the case where the sensor panel is overlaid on the display apparatus as described above, the area of the portion of the sensor panel provided outside the active region may increase. This hinders bezel slimming, an ongoing trend in recent years, which is the reason why improvement may be needed. BRIEF SUMMARY It is desirable to provide a sensor panel that realizes bezel slimming in tablet electronic equipment. A sensor panel according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure is a sensor panel overlaid on a display apparatus and connected to an integrated circuit that detects a position of an active pen in an active region of the display apparatus. The sensor panel includes a plurality of first electrodes that extend in a first direction, wherein the first electrodes are arranged side by side in a second direction different from the first direction, and are connected to the integrated circuit by a plurality first routing wires that are different from each other. The sensor panel also includes a plurality of second electrodes that extend in the second direction, wherein the second electrodes are arranged side by side in the first direction, and that are connected to the integrated circuit by a plurality second routing wires that are different from each other. The plurality of first electrodes include first and second outer electrodes that are located at outermost edges of the first electrodes and a plurality of first inner electrodes disposed between the first and second outer electrodes. A width of at least one of the first and second outer electrodes in the second direction is smaller than a width of each of the first inner electrodes in the second direction. A sensor panel according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure is a sensor panel overlaid on a display apparatus and connected to an integrated circuit that detects the position of an active pen in an active region of the display apparatus. The sensor panel includes a plurality of first electrodes that extend in a first direction, wherein the first electrodes are arranged side by side in a second direction different from the first direction, and are connected to the integrated circuit by a plurality first routing wires that are different from each other. The sensor panel also includes a plurality of second electrodes that extend in the second direction, wherein the second electrodes are arranged side by side in the first direction, and are connected to the integrated circuit by a plurality second routing wires that are different from each other. At least one of first and second outer electrodes that are located at the outermost edges of the first electrodes includes a first cover section that covers at least one of the second routing wires. A sensor panel according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure is a sensor panel overlaid on a display apparatus for use and at least connected to an integrated circuit that detects the position of an active pe