Optical Touch Sensing Apparatus

• US 20100194711A1
• Filed: 06/01/2009
• Published: 08/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quanta Computer
• Original Assignee: Quanta Computer
• Inventors: Yan, Bo-Ren, Tsai, Wen-Ji, Chang, Jung-Wen
• Granted Patent: US 8,294,692 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/175
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen

Abstract

The invention discloses an optical touch sensing apparatus applied to a panel. The optical touch sensing apparatus comprises an frame, a first image capturing module, a second image capturing module, and a processing module. The first image capturing module is set at a first position for capturing a first image corresponding to a touch point on the panel; the second image capturing module is set at a second position for capturing a second image corresponding to the touch point. The processing module is used for determining a coordinate of the touch point according to the first image and the second image.

Claims

1. An optical touch sensing apparatus applied to a panel, the optical touch sensing apparatus comprising:

a frame for covering the panel, the outer garment frame comprising a first position and a second position;

a first image capturing module, located on the first position, for capturing a first image corresponding to a touch point on the panel;

a second image capturing module, located on the second position, for capturing a second image corresponding to the touch point on the panel; and

a processing module coupled to the first image capturing module and the second image capturing module for determining a coordinate of the touch point according to the first image and the second image.

2. The optical touch sensing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first position and the second position are located on the upper left side and the upper right side of the frame respectively.

3. The optical touch sensing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the frame comprises:

a first cable hole located near the first position for providing a space for receive a portion of a first cable of the first image capturing module; and

a second cable hole located near the second position for providing a space for receive a portion a second cable of the second image capturing module.

4. The optical touch sensing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the frame is formed by a first metal member, a second metal member, a third metal member, and a fourth metal member, the first metal member, the second metal member, the third metal member and the fourth metal member are located on the upper side, lower side, left side and right side of the frame respectively.

5. The optical touch sensing apparatus of claim 4, wherein a passage is provided on the inner side of the first metal member, the passage is located between the first position and the second position, and the passage is used for hiding the processing module and a cable, the processing module is coupled to the first image capturing module and the second image capturing module via the cable.

6. The optical touch sensing apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first image capturing module comprises a first image sensor and a first circuit board, the second image capturing module comprises a second image sensor and a second circuit board, the first circuit board and the second circuit board are located in the passage.

7. The optical touch sensing apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first image sensor is electrically connected with the first circuit board through a first cable, the second image sensor is electrically connected with the second circuit board through a second cable.

8. The optical touch sensing apparatus of claim 4, wherein a lower side strip is located on the inner side of the second metal member, the lower side strip is formed by a single spectrum light-transmitting material, a light-mixing material, or a retro-reflective material.

9. The optical touch sensing apparatus of claim 4, wherein a left side strip is located on the inner side of the third metal member, the left side strip is formed by a single spectrum light-transmitting material, a light-mixing material, or a retro-reflective material.

10. The optical touch sensing apparatus of claim 4, wherein a right side strip is located on the inner side of the fourth metal member, the right side strip is formed by a single spectrum light-transmitting material, a light-mixing material, or a retro-reflective material.

11. The optical touch sensing apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first metal member comprises:

a first lateral supporting structure for laterally supporting the panel; and

a first normal supporting structure for normally supporting the panel.

12. The optical touch sensing apparatus of claim 4, wherein the second metal member comprises:

a second lateral supporting structure for laterally supporting the panel; and

a second normal supporting structure for normally supports the panel.

13. The optical touch sensing apparatus of claim 4, wherein the second metal member further comprises:

a step structure for assisting the second lateral supporting structure and the second normal supporting structure to limit the lateral shift and the normal shift of the panel.

14. The optical touch sensing apparatus of claim 4, wherein the third metal member and the fourth metal member are engaged into the side wall of the panel to directly limit the lateral movement of the panel.

15. The optical touch sensing apparatus of claim 4, wherein a left side 8-shaped hole is located upon the third metal member, the left side 8-shaped hole comprises a first left side hole and a second left side hole, a right side 8-shaped hole is located upon the fourth metal member, the right side 8-shaped hole comprises a first right side hole and a second right side hole.

16. The optical touch sensing apparatus of claim 6, wherein both the first image sensor and the second image sensor are selected from the group consisting of a CCD sensor and a CMOS sensor.

17. The optical touch sensing apparatus of claim 7, wherein both the first cable and the second cable comprise a flexible flat cable (FFC).

18. The optical touch sensing apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first left side hole of the left side 8-shaped hole corresponds to the first right side hole of the right side 8-shaped hole, the second left side hole of the left side 8-shaped hole corresponds to the second right side hole of the right side 8-shaped hole.

19. The optical touch sensing apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

a glass member, located on the inside of the frame, wherein when the frame covers the panel, the glass member being located on the outside of the panel to protect the panel, at this time, the panel being locked on the second left hole and the second right hole.

20. The optical touch sensing apparatus of claim 19, wherein a cushion is located between the panel and the glass member.