Touch panel having reduced number of interconnects and touch input/output apparatus having the same

Abstract

A touch panel includes first and second normally spaced apart substrates. The first substrate includes first spaced apart touch electrodes extended in a first direction and each having a first width (W). The second substrate includes second spaced apart touch electrodes extended in a different second direction and each having a second width (W) which is substantially narrower than the first width. One of the substrates can be flexed so that momentary shorting contact is established between corresponding first and second touch electrodes at positions where pressing touch is provided. A combination of interconnect wirings and interrogation circuits are provided for automatically determining where and when the temporary shorting contacts were made, even if plural ones are simultaneously made. The disclosed embodiments include ones where the number of interconnect wirings are reduced.