Position detecting sensor, position detecting device, and information processing system

Abstract

A position detecting sensor for use with an active stylus includes first electrodes arranged in a first direction, and second electrodes arranged in a second direction intersecting the first direction. The first electrodes and the electrodes are both formed in a mesh form. The first electrodes are located closer to an operating surface with which the active stylus comes into contact than the second electrodes. A width of each of the first electrodes in an arrangement direction of the first electrodes is different from a width of each of the second electrodes in an arrangement direction of the second electrodes. A signal transmitted from the active stylus and received by one of the second electrodes is less shielded by the first electrodes than in a case that the width of each of the first electrodes is same as the width of each of the second electrodes.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A position detecting sensor for use with an active stylus, the position detecting sensor comprising:
 a plurality of first electrodes arranged in a first direction; and   a plurality of second electrodes arranged in a second direction intersecting the first direction,   wherein the plurality of first electrodes and the plurality of second electrodes are both formed in a mesh form,   wherein the plurality of first electrodes is located closer to an operating surface with which the active stylus comes into contact than the plurality of second electrodes, and   wherein a width of each of the plurality of first electrodes in an arrangement direction of the plurality of first electrodes is different from a width of each of the plurality of second electrodes in an arrangement direction of the plurality of second electrodes, and   wherein a signal transmitted from the active stylus and received by one of the plurality of second electrodes is less shielded by the plurality of first electrodes than in a case that the width of each of the plurality of first electrodes is same as the width of each of the plurality of second electrodes.   
     
     
         2 . The position detecting sensor according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the width of each of the plurality of first electrodes in the arrangement direction of the plurality of first electrodes is narrower than the width of each of the plurality of second electrodes in the arrangement direction of the plurality of second electrodes.   
     
     
         3 . The position detecting sensor according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the width of each of the plurality of first electrodes in the arrangement direction of the plurality of first electrodes is equal to the width of each of the plurality of second electrodes in the arrangement direction of the plurality of second electrodes.   
     
     
         4 . The position detecting sensor according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 a mesh density of each of the plurality of first electrodes is equal to a mesh density of each of the plurality of second electrodes.   
     
     
         5 . The position detecting sensor according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 a mesh density of each of the plurality of first electrodes is less than a mesh density of each of the plurality of second electrodes.   
     
     
         6 . The position detecting sensor according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the position detecting sensor is configured to detect one or both of: (i) a position indicated by a passive type of indicator that does not transmit a signal to the position detecting sensor, and (ii) a position indicated by an active type of indicator that transmits a signal to the position detecting sensor.   
     
     
         7 . The position detecting sensor according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a driving signal supply circuit which, in operation, sequentially supplies a driving signal to each of the plurality of first electrodes;   a signal level detecting circuit which, in operation, sequentially receives a signal from each of the plurality of second electrodes, and detects a signal level of the received signal induced by the driving signal supplied to each of the plurality of first electrodes; and   a touch position detecting circuit which, in operation, detects a touch position of a passive indicator based on one of the plurality of first electrodes supplied with the driving signal and one of the plurality of second electrodes in which the signal level detected by the signal level detecting circuit is decreased.   
     
     
         8 . A position detecting sensor for use with an active stylus, the position detecting sensor comprising:
 a plurality of first electrodes arranged in a first direction; and   a plurality of second electrodes arranged in a second direction intersecting the first direction,   wherein the plurality of first electrodes and the plurality of second electrodes are both formed in a mesh form,   wherein the plurality of first electrodes is located closer to an operating surface with which the active stylus comes into contact than the plurality of second electrodes, and   wherein a mesh density of each of the plurality of first electrodes is less than a mesh density of each of the plurality of second electrodes; and   wherein a signal transmitted from the active stylus and received by one of the plurality of second electrodes is less shielded by the plurality of first electrodes than if the mesh density of each of the first electrodes is same as the mesh density of each of the plurality of second electrodes.   
     
     
         9 . The position detecting sensor according to  claim 8 , wherein:
 a width of each of the plurality of first electrodes in the arrangement direction of the plurality of first electrodes is narrower than a width of each of the plurality of second electrodes in the arrangement direction of the plurality of second electrodes.   
     
     
         10 . The position detecting sensor according to  claim 8 , wherein:
 a width of each of the plurality of first electrodes in the arrangement direction of the plurality of first electrodes is equal to a width of each of the plurality of second electrodes in the arrangement direction of the plurality of second electrodes.   
     
     
         11 . The position detecting sensor according to  claim 8 , wherein:
 the position detecting sensor is configured to detect one or both of: (i) a position indicated by a passive type of indicator that does not transmit a signal to the position detecting sensor, and (ii) a position indicated by an active type of indicator that transmits a signal to the position detecting sensor.   
     
     
         12 . The position detecting sensor according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a driving signal supply circuit which, in operation, sequentially supplies a driving signal to each of the plurality of first electrodes;   a signal level detecting circuit which, in operation, sequentially receives a signal from each of the plurality of second electrodes, and detects a signal level of the received signal induced by the driving signal supplied to each of the plurality of first electrodes; and   a touch position detecting circuit which, in operation, detects a touch position of a passive indicator based on one of the plurality of first electrodes supplied with the driving signal and one of the plurality of second electrodes in which the signal level detected by the signal level detecting circuit is decreased.