MULTI-TOUCH SENSING DISPLAY THROUGH FRUSTRATED TOTAL INTERNAL REFLECTION
First Claim
1. A multi-touch sensing display, comprising:
- an optical waveguide adapted to receive light and adapted to cause at least some of the received light to undergo total internal reflection within the optical waveguide, the optical waveguide adapted to allow the total internal reflection to be frustrated upon occurrence of a physical phenomena, the optical waveguide adapted to allow some of the light undergoing total internal reflection to escape when the total internal reflection is frustrated; and
an imaging sensor adapted to detect light escaping the optical waveguide.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
High-resolution, scalable multi-touch sensing display systems and processes based on frustrated total internal reflection employ an optical waveguide that receives light, such as infrared light, that undergoes total internal reflection and an imaging sensor that detects light that escapes the optical waveguide caused by frustration of the total internal reflection due to contact by a user. The optical waveguide may be fitted with a compliant surface overlay to greatly improve sensing performance, minimize the affect of contaminants on and damage to the contact surface, to generally extend system life and to provide other benefits. The systems and processes provide true multi-touch (multi-input) and high-spatial and temporal resolution capability due to the continuous imaging of the frustrated total internal reflection that escapes the entire optical waveguide. Among other features and benefits, the systems and processes are scalable to large installations and are well suited for use with rear-projection and other display devices.
-
Citations
84 Claims
-
1. A multi-touch sensing display, comprising:
-
an optical waveguide adapted to receive light and adapted to cause at least some of the received light to undergo total internal reflection within the optical waveguide, the optical waveguide adapted to allow the total internal reflection to be frustrated upon occurrence of a physical phenomena, the optical waveguide adapted to allow some of the light undergoing total internal reflection to escape when the total internal reflection is frustrated; and
an imaging sensor adapted to detect light escaping the optical waveguide. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 42)
-
-
26. A multi-touch sensing display, comprising:
-
an optical waveguide adapted to receive light and adapted to cause some of the received light to undergo total internal reflection within the optical waveguide;
a compliant surface overlay disposed sufficiently close to the optical waveguide to enable depression of the compliant surface overlay by an external force to cause the compliant surface overlay to contact the optical waveguide, the optical waveguide and the compliant surface overlay adapted to cause the total internal reflection within the optical waveguide to be frustrated upon contact of the optical waveguide by the compliant surface overlay, the optical waveguide adapted to allow some of the light undergoing total internal reflection to escape when the total internal reflection is frustrated; and
an imaging sensor adapted to detect light escaping the optical waveguide. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
-
-
43. A method of multi-touch sensing, comprising the steps of:
-
receiving light within an optical waveguide;
internally reflecting the received light within the optical waveguide;
frustrating the internally reflected light within the optical waveguide to cause some of the reflected light to escape the optical waveguide; and
imaging the escaped light. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67)
-
-
68. A method of multi-touch sensing, comprising the steps of:
-
receiving light within an optical waveguide;
internally reflecting the received light within the optical waveguide;
depressing a compliant surface overlay disposed adjacent to the optical waveguide;
contacting the optical waveguide by the compliant surface overlay upon depressing the compliant surface overlay;
frustrating the internally reflected light within the optical waveguide upon contacting optical waveguide by the compliant surface overlay to cause some of the internally reflected light to escape the optical waveguide; and
imaging the escaped light. - View Dependent Claims (69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84)
-
Specification