Touch Sensing
First Claim
1. A touch-screen device comprising:
- a radiation source;
a pliable waveguide configured to receive radiation emitted by the radiation source and to cause at least some of the received radiation to undergo total internal reflection within the pliable waveguide;
a frustrating layer disposed relative to the pliable waveguide so as to enable the frustrating layer to contact the pliable waveguide when the pliable waveguide is physically deformed, the frustrating layer being configured to;
cause frustration of the total internal reflection of the received radiation within the pliable waveguide at a contact point between the frustrating layer and the pliable waveguide when the pliable waveguide is physically deformed to contact the frustrating layer such that some of the received radiation undergoing total internal reflection within the pliable waveguide escapes from the pliable waveguide at the contact point; and
an imaging sensor configured to detect at least some of the radiation that escapes from the pliable waveguide.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A touch-screen device includes a radiation source, a pliable waveguide configured to receive radiation emitted by the radiation source and to cause some of the received radiation to undergo total internal reflection within the pliable waveguide, a frustrating layer disposed relative to the pliable waveguide so as to enable the frustrating layer to contact the pliable waveguide when the pliable waveguide is physically deformed, the frustrating layer being configured to cause frustration of the total internal reflection of the received radiation within the pliable waveguide at a contact point between the frustrating layer and the pliable waveguide when the pliable waveguide is physically deformed to contact the frustrating layer such that some of the received radiation undergoing total internal reflection within the pliable waveguide escapes from the pliable waveguide at the contact point, and an imaging sensor configured to detect some of the radiation that escapes from the optical waveguide.
136 Citations
55 Claims
-
1. A touch-screen device comprising:
-
a radiation source; a pliable waveguide configured to receive radiation emitted by the radiation source and to cause at least some of the received radiation to undergo total internal reflection within the pliable waveguide; a frustrating layer disposed relative to the pliable waveguide so as to enable the frustrating layer to contact the pliable waveguide when the pliable waveguide is physically deformed, the frustrating layer being configured to; cause frustration of the total internal reflection of the received radiation within the pliable waveguide at a contact point between the frustrating layer and the pliable waveguide when the pliable waveguide is physically deformed to contact the frustrating layer such that some of the received radiation undergoing total internal reflection within the pliable waveguide escapes from the pliable waveguide at the contact point; and an imaging sensor configured to detect at least some of the radiation that escapes from the pliable 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, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
-
-
37. A touch-screen device comprising:
-
a radiation source; a pliable waveguide configured to receive radiation emitted by the radiation source and to cause at least some of the received radiation to undergo total internal reflection within the pliable waveguide; a frustrating layer disposed relative to the pliable waveguide so as to enable a top surface of frustrating layer to contact the pliable waveguide when the pliable waveguide is physically deformed, the frustrating layer being configured to; cause frustration of the total internal reflection of the received radiation within the pliable waveguide at a contact point between the top surface of the frustrating layer and the pliable waveguide when the pliable waveguide is physically deformed to contact the top surface of the frustrating layer such that some of the received radiation undergoing total internal reflection within the pliable waveguide escapes from the pliable waveguide at the contact point; an image generating layer disposed adjacent to a bottom surface of the frustrating layer that is opposite to the top surface of the frustrating layer, the image generating layer having a top surface facing the bottom surface of the frustrating layer and a bottom surface that is opposite from the top surface of the image generating layer and the image generating layer being configured to emit output images towards the frustrating layer and the pliable waveguide and to be transmissive to radiation emitted by the radiation source; an imaging sensor configured to detect at least some of the radiation that escapes from the pliable waveguide; and a light-steering structure disposed adjacent to the bottom surface of the image generating layer, the light-steering structure being configured to steer at least a portion of the radiation that escapes from the pliable waveguide toward the imaging sensor. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
-
Specification