Protected touch panel display system

• US 20020118177A1
• Filed: 03/22/2001
• Published: 08/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smart Technologies ULC (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Next Holdings Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Newton, John
• Granted Patent: US 6,864,882 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen

Abstract

A display screen is positioned relative to the interior side of a protective barrier. Also positioned relative to the interior side of the protective barrier are emitters adapted for emitting energy beams and detectors adapted for detecting the energy beams. Emission guides positioned relative to the exterior side of the protective barrier are adapted to receive the energy beams and to channel the energy beams across the exterior side of the protective barrier and through to the interior side of the protective barrier for detection. The display screen, the emitters and the detectors may not be accessible from the exterior side of the protective barrier. A touch on the exterior side of the protective barrier will interrupt at least two energy beams. The location of the touch on the exterior side of the protective barrier may be calculated based on the interrupted energy beams.

Claims

1. A protected touch panel display screen comprising:

a protective barrier through which light and energy can be emitted, the protective barrier having an interior side and an exterior side;

a display screen for displaying information, the display screen positioned relative to the interior side of the protective barrier;

a plurality of emitters positioned relative to the interior side of the protective barrier, each of the emitters adapted for emitting energy beams;

at least one detector positioned relative to the interior side of the protective barrier and adapted to detect the energy beams emitted by at least one of the emitters; and

at least one emission guide positioned relative to the exterior side of the protective barrier and adapted to receive the energy beams emitted by at least one of the plurality of emitters and to channel the received energy beams across the exterior side of the protective barrier and through to the interior side of the protective barrier for detection by the at least one detector.

2. The protected touch panel display screen of claim 1, wherein the display screen, the emitters and the at least one detector are not accessible from the exterior side of the protective barrier.

3. The protected touch panel display screen of claim 1, wherein the plurality of emitters are positioned such that the energy beams channelled across the exterior side of the protective barrier substantially cover the display screen.

4. The protected touch panel display screen of claim 1, wherein signage is displayed on the interior side of the protective barrier so as to be visible from the exterior side of the protective barrier;

and

wherein the plurality of emitters are positioned such that the energy beams channelled across the exterior side of the protective barrier substantially cover the display screen and the signage.

5. The protected touch panel display screen of claim 1, wherein the energy beams are selected from the group consisting of infrared energy beams, visible light energy beams, microwave energy beams and acoustic wave energy beams.

6. The protected touch panel display screen of claim 1, wherein said at least one detector is adapted to detect energy beams selected from the group consisting of infrared energy beams, visible light energy beams, microwave energy beams and acoustic wave energy beams.

7. The protected touch panel display screen of claim 1, wherein the information displayed on the display screen comprises a dynamically changeable image.

8. The protected touch panel display screen of claim 1, wherein the information displayed on the display screen comprises a static image.

9. The protected touch panel display screen of claim 1, wherein a user may touch the exterior side of the protective barrier to interact with the information displayed by the display screen;

and

wherein a touch on the exterior side of the protective barrier will interrupt at least two of the energy beams and will cause the at least one detector to not detect the at least two interrupted energy beams.

10. The protected touch panel display screen of claim 9, wherein location of the touch on the exterior side of the protective barrier is calculated based on the at least two interrupted energy beams.

11. The protected touch panel display screen of claim 1, wherein said at least one detector is capable of detecting the energy beams over a range of angles.

12. The protected touch panel display screen of claim 1, wherein the emission guide is adapted to change the direction of travel of the received energy beams.

13. The protected touch panel display screen of claim 1, wherein the emission guide is constructed from material having a different refractive index from that of the protective barrier.

14. The protected touch panel display screen of claim 1, further comprising at least one interior emission guide positioned relative to the interior side of the protective barrier, the at least one interior emission guide adapted to receive the energy beams from at least one of the emitters and channel the energy beams through to the exterior side of the protective barrier.

15. The protected touch panel display screen of claim 1, further comprising at least one interior emission guide positioned relative to the interior side of the protective barrier, the at least one interior emission guide adapted to receive the energy beams channelled through the protective barrier by the at least one emission guide and channel the energy beams to the at least one detector.

16. The protected touch panel display screen of claim 1, wherein the protective barrier comprises a layer of glass.

17. The protected touch panel display screen of claim 16, wherein the layer of glass comprises a window.

19. The protected touch panel display system of claim 18, wherein the processor executes further computer executable instructions for comparing a current detection map with a previously stored detection map, a difference between the current detection map and the previously stored detection map indicating the absence of the expected detection signals.

20. The protected touch panel display system of claim 18, wherein the processor executes further computer executable instructions for controlling activation of the emitters.

21. The protected touch panel display system of claim 20, wherein controlling activation of the emitters comprises controlling the emitters to emit the energy beams in a cycle such that each emitter is activated and deactivated according to a sequence.

22. The protected touch panel display system of claim 21, wherein the cycle is rapid enough to substantially ensure that a plurality of the energy beams will be interrupted by a touch of the protective barrier, each of the interrupted energy beams being emitted by different ones of the emitters at different times.

23. The protected touch panel display system of claim 20, wherein controlling activation of the emitters comprises controlling the duty cycle of the emitters.

24. The protected touch panel display system of claim 23, wherein the at least one detector is adapted for automatic gain control for adjusting the sensitivity of the detector in response to a change in the duty cycle of the emitters.

25. The protected touch panel display system of claim 20, wherein the duty cycle of the emitters is changed depending on ambient light levels.

26. The protected touch panel display system of claim 18, wherein the at least one detector is capable of detecting the energy beams transmitted by the emitters over a range of angles.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the display screen, the emitters and the at least one detector are not accessible from the exterior side of the protective barrier.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the plurality of emitters are positioned such that the energy beams channelled across the exterior side of the protective barrier substantially cover the display screen.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein signage is displayed on the interior side of the protective barrier so as to be visible from the exterior side of the protective barrier;

and

wherein the plurality of emitters are positioned such that the energy beams channelled across the exterior side of the protective barrier substantially cover the display screen and the signage.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein a touch of the protective barrier will interrupt at least two of the energy beams and will cause the at least one detector to not detect the at least two interrupted energy beams.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising determining a location of the touch on the protective barrier based on the interrupted energy beams.

33. The method of claim 27, further comprising controlling an activation cycle of the emitters such that each emitter is activated and deactivated according to a sequence.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the activation cycle of the emitters is rapid enough to substantially ensure that a plurality of the energy beams will be interrupted by a touch of the protective barrier, each of the interrupted energy beams being emitted by different ones of the emitters at different times.

35. The method of claim 27, further comprising positioning at least one interior emission guide relative to the interior side of the protective barrier, the at least one interior emission guide adapted to receive the energy beams from at least one of the emitters and channel the energy beams through to the exterior side of the protective barrier.

36. The method of claim 27, further comprising positioning at least one interior emission guide relative to the interior side of the protective barrier, the at least one interior emission guide adapted to receive the energy beams channelled through the protective barrier by the at least one emission guide and channel the energy beams to the at least one detector.

37. The method of claim 27, further comprising changing a duty cycle of the emitters depending on ambient light levels.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising adapting the at least one detector for automatic gain control for adjusting the sensitivity of the detector in response to a change in the duty cycle of the emitters.

39. The method of claim 27, wherein the at least one detector is capable of detecting the energy beams transmitted by the emitters over a range of angles.

40. The method of claim 27, wherein the protective barrier comprises a layer of glass.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the layer of glass comprises a window.

18. A protected touch panel display system comprising:

a protective barrier through which light and energy can be emitted, the protective barrier having an interior side and an exterior side;

a display screen for displaying information, the display screen positioned relative to the interior side of the protective barrier;

a plurality of emitters positioned relative to the interior side of the protective barrier, each of the emitters adapted for emitting energy beams;

at least one detector positioned relative to the interior side of the protective barrier and adapted to a generate a detection signal upon detecting any one of the energy beams;

at least one emission guide positioned relative to the exterior side of the protective barrier and adapted to receive the energy beams emitted by at least one of the emitters and to channel the received energy beams across the exterior side of the protective barrier and through to the interior side of the protective barrier for detection by the at least one detector; and

a processor for executing computer-executable instructions for;

based on an absence of expected detection signals from the at least one detector, determining that at least two of the energy beams have been interrupted by a touch of the protective barrier, and

based on the at least two interrupted energy beam, determining the location of the touch on the protective barrier.

27. A method for implementing a protected touch panel display screen comprising:

providing a protective barrier through which light and energy can be emitted, the protective barrier having an interior side and an exterior side;

positioning a display screen relative to the interior side of the protective barrier, the display screen adapted for displaying information;

positioning a plurality of emitters relative to the interior side of the protective barrier, each of the emitters adapted for emitting energy beams;

positioning at least one detector relative to the interior side of the protective barrier, the at least one detector adapted to a generate a detection signal upon detecting any one of the energy beams; and

positioning at least one emission guide relative to the exterior side of the protective barrier, the at least one emission guide adapted to receive the energy beams emitted by at least one of the emitters and to channel the received energy beams across the exterior side of the protective barrier and through to the interior side of the protective barrier for detection by the at least one detector.