MULTI-TOUCH SENSING APPARATUS USING REAR VIEW CAMERA OF ARRAY TYPE

• US 20100315381A1
• Filed: 06/16/2010
• Published: 12/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kwon, Jong Oh, Kim, Woon Bae, Han, Jae Joon, Park, Du-Sik, YI, Kwon Ju, Choi, Chang Kyu
• Granted Patent: US 9,098,146 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/175
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04106 Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041661 using detection at multiple resolutions, e.g. coarse and fine scanning; using detection within a limited area, e.g. object tracking window
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0425 using a single imaging device like a video camera for tracking the absolute position of a single or a plurality of objects with respect to an imaged reference surface, e.g. video camera imaging a display or a projection screen, a table or a wall surface, on which a computer generated image is displayed or projected tracking a projected light spot to determine a position on a display surface G06F3/0386

Abstract

A multi-touch sensing apparatus using a rear view camera of an array type is provided. The multi-touch sensing apparatus may include a display panel to display an image, a sensing light source to emit light to sense a touch image which is generated by an object and displayed on a back side of the display panel, and a camera to divide and sense the touch image. The camera may be arranged in an edge of a lower side of the multi-touch sensing apparatus, or a mirror to reflect the touch image may be included in the multi-touch sensing apparatus.

Claims

1. A multi-touch sensing apparatus, comprising:

a display panel on an upper side of the multi-touch sensing apparatus, and to display an image;

a sensing light source to emit a light to sense a touch image which is generated by an object and displayed on a back side of the display panel, the object being located on the display panel; and

a camera to divide and sense the touch image,

wherein the camera is arranged in an edge of a lower side of the multi-touch sensing apparatus.

2. The multi-touch sensing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensing light source is arranged adjacent to the camera, and emits the light to a sensing area of the camera, and the camera senses the touch image reflected by the object.

3. The multi-touch sensing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensing light source is arranged to emit the light to an inside of a transparent layer, and the transparent layer is located on an upper side of the display panel, and generates a total internal reflection of the light emitted from the sensing light source.

4. The multi-touch sensing apparatus of claim 3, wherein the camera identifies a location where the total internal reflection of the light, emitted from the sensing light source, is frustrated by the object, and senses the touch image corresponding to the identified location.

5. The multi-touch sensing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a diffuser, wherein the sensing light source is arranged below the diffuser, and emits the light to the object, and the camera senses the light reflected by the object, the diffuser being located in the lower side of the multi-touch sensing apparatus.

6. The multi-touch sensing apparatus of claim 5, wherein the sensing light source is arranged in an edge of the diffuser, and emits the light to the display panel.

7. The multi-touch sensing apparatus of claim 5, wherein the sensing light source is arranged below the diffuser, and emits the light to the display panel vertically relative to a surface of the diffuser.

8. The multi-touch sensing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the display panel is inclined by a predetermined angle with respect to a surface of the lower side of the multi-touch sensing apparatus.

9. The multi-touch sensing apparatus of claim 8, wherein the sensing light source emits the light to the inclined display panel, and the camera senses the light reflected by the object.

20. The multi-touch sensing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a distortion correction apparatus to correct a distortion of the touch image, the distortion being generated by a thickness of the multi-touch sensing apparatus or an incline angle of the camera.

10. A multi-touch sensing apparatus, comprising:

a display panel on an upper side of the multi-touch sensing apparatus and to display an image;

an optical shutter on a lower side of the display panel and to change an optical transmission according to electric switching;

a sensing light source to emit a light to sense a touch image which is generated by an object and displayed on a back side of the display panel, the object being located on the display panel; and

an image sensor to be arranged on an edge of a lower side of the multi-touch sensing apparatus, and to divide and sense the touch image,

wherein the optical shutter shuts or passes the light, emitted by the sensing light source to the display panel, by changing the optical transmission.

11. The multi-touch sensing apparatus of claim 10, wherein the image sensor is arranged below the display panel.

12. The multi-touch sensing apparatus of claim 10, wherein the image sensor is an optical sensor array.

13. The multi-touch sensing apparatus of claim 10, wherein the optical shutter impedes the light emitted from the sensing light source when the optical transmission of the optical shutter is translucent, and passes the light emitted from the sensing light source when the optical transmission of the optical shutter is transparent.

14. The multi-touch sensing apparatus of claim 10, wherein the sensing light source is arranged adjacent to the image sensor, and is arranged in an edge of the lower side or the lower side of the multi-touch sensing apparatus.

15. A multi-touch sensing apparatus, comprising:

a display panel arranged on an upper side of the multi-touch sensing apparatus and to display an image;

a sensing light source to emit a light to sense a touch image which is generated by an object and displayed on a back side of the display panel, the object being located on the display panel;

a mirror on an edge of a lower side of the multi-touch sensing apparatus and to reflect the touch image; and

a camera to divide the touch image reflected by the mirror and to sense the touch image,

wherein the camera is arranged below the display panel.

16. The multi-touch sensing apparatus of claim 15, wherein the mirror is inclined by a predetermined angle with respect to the edge of the lower side of the multi-touch sensing apparatus.

17. The multi-touch sensing apparatus of claim 16, wherein the mirror is any one of a plane mirror, a concave mirror, and a convex mirror.

18. The multi-touch sensing apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a transparent layer on an upper side of the display panel, wherein the sensing light source is arranged to emit the light to an inside of a transparent layer, and the transparent layer generates a total internal reflection of the light reflected from the sensing light source.

19. The multi-touch sensing apparatus of claim 18, wherein the camera identifies a location where the total internal reflection of the light, emitted from the sensing light source, is frustrated by the object, and senses the touch image corresponding to the identified location.