TOUCH-SENSITIVE DEVICE AND METHOD

• US 20100289772A1
• Filed: 05/18/2009
• Published: 11/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC (Allied Inventors Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC (Allied Inventors Management, LLC)
• Inventors: Miller, Seth Adrian
• Granted Patent: US 8,786,575 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/175
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14546 for measuring analytes not otherwise provided for, e.g. ions, cytochromes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6898 Portable consumer electronic devices, e.g. music players, telephones, tablet computers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/3144 for oxymetry
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/6419 Excitation at two or more wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/13 Sensors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1341 Sensing with light passing through the finger
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/14 Vascular patterns

Abstract

Techniques are generally described for touch-sensitive devices with biometric information determination capabilities. The touch-sensitive device may include one or more of a transmitter, a receiver, and a processor. The transmitter may be configured to emit light towards a surface of the touch-sensitive device and the receiver may be configured to receive reflected light from a touch to the touch-sensitive device. The processor may be arranged to receive signals from the receiver and determines biometric information, and in some examples location of touch, based on the signals.

Claims

1. A touch sensitive device comprising:

a touch sensitive component including a touch panel, the touch sensitive component being arranged to generate a signal responsive to a touch event;

a spectroscopy component;

a transmitter included in one or more of the touch sensitive component and the spectroscopy component, the transmitter being operable to transmit optical energy at a first wavelength to the touch panel;

a receiver operable to receive reflected optical energy at the first wavelength, the reflected optical energy being reflected responsive to the touch event; and

a processor coupled to the receiver and arranged to analyze the reflected optical energy to determine, at least, biometric information based on the reflected optical energy.

2. The touch sensitive device of claim 1, wherein the receiver is common to the touch sensitive component and the spectroscopy component.

3. The touch sensitive device of claim 1, wherein the receiver comprises a charge-coupled device.

4. The touch sensitive device of claim 1, wherein the receiver is operable to split the received optical energy into a first portion and a second portion and wherein the processor is configured to determine a location on the touch panel associated the touch event with the first portion and configured to determine biometric information with the second portion.

5. The touch sensitive device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is common to the touch sensitive component and the spectroscopy component.

6. The touch sensitive device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is configured to emit optical energy in the range of approximately 800 nanometers to approximately 2500 nanometers.

7. The touch sensitive device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter comprises one or more light emitting diodes.

8. The touch sensitive device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is further configured to emit light at a second wavelength.

9. The touch sensitive device of claim 8, further comprising a second receiver operable to receive reflected optical energy at the second wavelength wherein the processor may determine other biometric information from reflected energy at the second wavelength.

10. The touch sensitive device of claim 1, wherein the touch sensitive device comprises a portable hand held device.

11. The touch sensitive device of claim 1, wherein the biometric information relates to glucose level of a user creating the touch event.

12. The touch sensitive device of claim 1, wherein the biometric information comprises biometric identification information.

13. The touch sensitive device of claim 1, wherein the touch sensitive component includes a display.

14. The touch sensitive device of claim 13, wherein the display is viewable through the touch panel.

15. The touch sensitive device of claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to transmit the determined biometric information to the display, where the display is configured for presenting the biometric information.

16. The touch sensitive device of claim 1, wherein the touch panel is infrared transparent.

17. A method for determining biometric information comprising:

transmitting optical energy having a first wavelength to a touch panel;

receiving optical energy at the first wavelength responsive to a touch event;

using the received optical energy to provide location information about the touch event; and

determining biometric information based at least on the received optical energy.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein transmitting the optical energy illuminates the touch panel.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the first wavelength is between approximately 900 nm and approximately 2500 nm.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising generating an infrared absorbance spectra for an analyte of interest, wherein the first wavelength is based on the infrared absorbence spectra, and wherein the biometric information includes the analyte of interest.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein determining biometric information includes applying chemometric algorithms to the received optical energy.

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising providing a visual display of the determined biometric information.

23. The method of claim 17, further comprising storing the determined biometric information.

24. A computer accessible medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions for performing a procedure for determining biometric information, the procedure comprising:

transmitting optical energy having a first wavelength to a touch panel capable of receiving a touch event;

receiving optical energy at the first wavelength responsive to the touch event;

using the received optical energy to provide location information about the touch event; and

determining biometric information based at least on the received optical energy.