Integrated touch sensor and light apparatus

• US 20040238726A1
• Filed: 05/20/2004
• Published: 12/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Touchsensor Technologies LLC (Methode Electronics Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Touchsensor Technologies LLC (Methode Electronics Incorporated)
• Inventors: Caldwell, David W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,098,414 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/221
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 57/00 Cabinets, racks or shelf units, characterised by features for adjusting shelves or partitions shelf units with stackable uprights A47B87/00; details of cabinets, racks or shelf units in general A47B96/00; brackets adjustable in themselves A47B96/07
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/025 Shelves with moving elements, e.g. movable extensions or link elements cabinets, racks or shelf units enabling enlargement in height, length or depth A47B45/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/06 with movable or removable shelves or receptacles A47F3/0486 takes precedence; display racks with movable parts A47F5/0081
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/0043 Show shelves shelves in general A47B96/02; brackets or similar shelf-supporting means A47B96/06; advertising or price indication G09F
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2325/022 Shelves made of glass or ceramic
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2331/803 Bottles
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/204 specially adapted to be attached to a shelf or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/30 in which the desired character or characters are formed by combining individual elements panels comprising a number of electrodes in a single cell controlling light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. electro-optical or magneto-optical cell, G02F1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/96 Touch switches specially adapted for electronic time-pieces with no moving parts G04G21/08
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2017/9634 using organic light emitting devices, e.g. light emitting polymer [OEP] or OLED
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960785 with illumination
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960795 using organic light emitting devices, e.g. light emitting polymer [OEP] or OLED

Abstract

A touch sensor is physically integrated with a light emitting device to provide a switching device with built-in backlighting. In some embodiments, the touch sensor and the light emitting device share electrical components.

Claims

1-6. -6. (Canceled).

7. A selectively illuminated touch sensor, comprising:

a substrate;

a touch sensor disposed on said substrate;

an insulating layer, wherein at least a portion of said insulating layer is disposed on said touch sensor;

a light emitting device, wherein at least a portion of said light emitting device is disposed on said insulating layer.

8. The selectively illuminated touch sensor as claimed in claim 7, wherein at least a portion of said substrate is substantially translucent.

9. The selectively illuminated touch sensor as claimed in claim 7, wherein at least a portion of said substrate is substantially transparent.

10. The selectively illuminated touch sensor as claimed in claim 7, wherein at least a portion of said insulating layer is substantially translucent.

11. The selectively illuminated touch sensor as claimed in claim 7, wherein at least a portion of said insulating layer is substantially transparent.

12. The selectively illuminated touch sensor as claimed in claim 7, wherein said substrate is substantially rigid.

13. The selectively illuminated touch sensor as claimed in claim 7, wherein said substrate is substantially flexible.

14. The selectively illuminated touch sensor as claimed in claim 7, wherein said touch sensor comprises a first electrode disposed on said substrate and said light emitting device substantially overlies said first electrode.

15. The selectively illuminated touch sensor as claimed in claim 14, wherein at least a portion of said first electrode is substantially translucent.

16. The selectively illuminated touch sensor as claimed in claim 14, wherein at least a portion of said first electrode is substantially transparent.

17. The selectively illuminated touch sensor as claimed in claim 14, further comprising an integrated control circuit disposed on said substrate and electrically coupled to said first electrode.

18. The selectively illuminated touch sensor as claimed in claim 17, wherein said integrated control circuit includes a peak detector.

19. The selectively illuminated touch sensor as claimed in claim 17, wherein said integrated control circuit includes a latch.

20. The selectively illuminated touch sensor as claimed in claim 14, wherein said touch sensor comprises a second electrode, said second electrode disposed on said substrate in a spaced, coplanar and substantially surrounding relationship to said first electrode.

21. The selectively illuminated touch sensor as claimed in claim 20, further comprising an active device disposed on said substrate and electrically coupled to said first electrode and said second electrode.

22. The selectively illuminated touch sensor as claimed in claim 21, wherein said active device is a transistor.

23. The selectively illuminated touch sensor as claimed in claim 20, further comprising an integrated control circuit disposed on said substrate and electrically coupled to said first electrode and said second electrode.

24. The selectively illuminated touch sensor as claimed in claim 23, wherein said integrated control circuit includes a peak detector.

25. The selectively illuminated touch sensor as claimed in claim 23, wherein said integrated control circuit includes a latch.

26. The selectively illuminated touch sensor as claimed in claim 7, where said touch sensor is selected from the group consisting of a capacitive touch sensor, an infrared touch sensor, an acoustic touch sensor and an electromagnetic touch sensor.

27. The selectively illuminated touch sensor as claimed in claim 7, where said light emitting device is selected from the group consisting of a light emitting diode, a light emitting polymer, an organic light emitting diode, and a polymer light emitting diode.