Touch location determination using vibration wave packet dispersion

• US 20060139339A1
• Filed: 12/29/2004
• Published: 06/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Geaghan, Bernard O., Roberts, Jerry B., Pechman, Robert J.
• Application Number:
  US11/025,389
• Publication Number:
  US 20060139339A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/177
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/043 using propagating acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0436 in which generating transducers and detecting transducers are attached to a single acoustic waves transmission substrate

Abstract

Methods and devices provide for determination of the location of a touch on a touch plate by sensing dispersive vibrations at each of a number of vibration sensors coupled to a touch plate, the vibrations caused by the touch on the touch plate. An amount of dispersion in the dispersive vibrations sensed at each of the vibration sensors is determined. A distance between the touch and each of the vibration sensors corresponding to the amount of dispersion in the dispersive vibrations sensed at each of the vibration sensors is calculated. The touch location is determined using some or all of the calculated distances.

Claims

1. A method for determining a location of a touch on a touch sensitive device having a touch plate and a plurality of vibration sensors configured to sense vibrations propagating in the touch plate, the method comprising:

sensing dispersive vibrations at each of the vibration sensors, the vibrations caused by the touch on the touch plate;

determining an amount of dispersion in the dispersive vibrations sensed at each of the vibration sensors;

calculating a distance between the touch and each of the vibration sensors corresponding to the amount of dispersion in the dispersive vibrations sensed at each of the vibration sensors; and

determining the touch location using at least some of the calculated distances.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein calculating the distance between the touch and each of the vibration sensors comprises correlating the amount of dispersion at each of the vibration sensors with a distance representing how far the touch is from each of the vibration sensors.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the touch location comprises determining the touch location using all of the calculated distances.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein sensing the dispersive vibrations comprises sensing for predetermined content in the dispersive vibrations sensed at each of the vibration sensors, and the amount of dispersion in the dispersive vibrations is determined based on the predetermined content.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein sensing the dispersive vibrations comprises sensing for content in the dispersive vibrations associated with each of a plurality of frequencies, and the amount of dispersion in the dispersive vibrations is determined based on the content associated with each of the plurality of frequencies.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein sensing the dispersive vibrations comprises sensing for content in the dispersive vibrations associated with each of a plurality of frequency bands, and the amount of dispersion in the dispersive vibrations is determined based on the content associated with each of the plurality of frequency bands.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein sensing the dispersive vibrations comprises sensing for content in the dispersive vibrations having predetermined frequency and amplitude characteristics, and the amount of dispersion in the dispersive vibrations is determined based on the predetermined frequency and amplitude characteristics.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the dispersive vibrations sensed at each of the vibration sensors comprise first arriving energy of the vibrations caused by the touch on the touch plate.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the touch location comprises determining intersections of circular arcs computed using the at least some of the calculated distances.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the touch location comprises determining the touch location using less than all of the calculated distances.

11. A touch sensing device, comprising:

a touch panel;

a plurality of sensors coupled to the touch panel, the plurality of sensors configured to sense dispersive vibrations in the touch panel and generate a sense signal responsive to the sensed dispersive vibrations; and

a controller coupled to the plurality of sensors and configured to calculate a distance between a touch on the touch panel and each of the sensors based on an amount of dispersion present in the sense signal generated by each of the sensors, the controller configured to determine a location of the touch on the touch panel using at least some of the calculated distances.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the controller determines the touch location using all of the calculated distances.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the controller determines the amount of dispersion present in the sense signals based on predetermined content in the sense signals.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein the controller determines the amount of dispersion present in the sense signals based on content in the sense signals associated with each of a plurality of frequencies.

15. The device of claim 11, wherein the controller determines the amount of dispersion present in the sense signals based on content in the sense signals associated with each of a plurality of frequency bands.

16. The device of claim 11, wherein the controller determines the amount of dispersion present in the sense signals based on predetermined frequency and amplitude characteristics of the sense signals.

17. The device of claim 11, wherein the controller determines the touch location by determining intersections of circular arcs computed using the at least some of the calculated distances.

18. The device of claim 11, wherein the controller determines the touch location using less than all of the calculated distances.

19. A device for determining a location of a touch on a touch sensitive plate, the device comprising:

means for sensing dispersive vibrations caused by the touch on the touch plate at each of a plurality of locations of the touch sensitive plate;

means for determining an amount of dispersion in the dispersive vibrations sensed at each of the touch sensitive plate locations;

means for calculating a distance between the touch and each of the touch sensitive plate locations based on the amount of dispersion in the dispersive vibrations sensed at each of the touch sensitive plate locations; and

means for determining the touch location using at least some of the calculated distances.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the means for determining the amount of dispersion comprises means for determining the amount of dispersion based on one or both of predetermined frequency and amplitude characteristics of the dispersive vibrations sensed at each of the touch sensitive plate locations.