DETERMINING THE LOCATION OF ONE OR MORE OBJECTS ON A TOUTH SURFACE
First Claim
1. An apparatus for determining a location of at least one object on a touch surface, said apparatus comprising:
- a panel defining the touch surface and an opposite surface;
an illumination arrangement adapted to introduce at least two beams of radiation into the panel for propagation by internal reflection between the touch surface and the opposite surface, and to sweep each beam along the touch surface within a sensing area, whereby an object that touches the touch surface within the sensing area causes said at least two beams to be temporarily attenuated;
a detection arrangement for coupling the beams out of the panel as they are swept along one or more elongate outcoupling sites on the panel downstream of the sensing area, said detection arrangement comprising at least one light sensor which is optically coupled to said one or more outcoupling sites and adapted to measure the received energy of the respective beam within said one or more outcoupling sites; and
a data processor connected to the detection arrangement and configured to obtain output signals indicative of the received energy of the respective beam within said one or more outcoupling sites as a function of time and to identify the location of the object based on the output signals.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus is operated to determine a location of at least one object on a touch surface of a light transmissive panel. An illumination arrangement in the apparatus is operated to introduce beams of radiation into the panel for propagation by internal reflection between the touch surface and the opposite surface, and to sweep each beam along the touch surface within a sensing area. Thereby, the sensing area is illuminated such that an object that touches the touch surface within the sensing area causes at least two beams to be temporarily attenuated. The illumination arrangement is arranged such that each beam, downstream of the sensing area, is swept along one or more elongate outcoupling sites on the panel. At least one light sensor, which is optically coupled to the outcoupling site, is operated to measure the received energy of the beam within the outcoupling site. A data processor is operated to obtain, from the light sensor, an output signal indicative of the received energy of the beam within the outcoupling site as a function of time, and to identify, based on the output signals for the different beams, the location of the object.
178 Citations
48 Claims
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1. An apparatus for determining a location of at least one object on a touch surface, said apparatus comprising:
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a panel defining the touch surface and an opposite surface; an illumination arrangement adapted to introduce at least two beams of radiation into the panel for propagation by internal reflection between the touch surface and the opposite surface, and to sweep each beam along the touch surface within a sensing area, whereby an object that touches the touch surface within the sensing area causes said at least two beams to be temporarily attenuated; a detection arrangement for coupling the beams out of the panel as they are swept along one or more elongate outcoupling sites on the panel downstream of the sensing area, said detection arrangement comprising at least one light sensor which is optically coupled to said one or more outcoupling sites and adapted to measure the received energy of the respective beam within said one or more outcoupling sites; and a data processor connected to the detection arrangement and configured to obtain output signals indicative of the received energy of the respective beam within said one or more outcoupling sites as a function of time and to identify the location of the object based on the output signals. - 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, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. (canceled)
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46. A method of determining a location of at least one object on a touch surface, said touch surface being part of a panel that defines the touch surface and an opposite surface, said method comprising the steps of:
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introducing at least two beams of radiation into the panel for propagation by internal reflection between the touch surface and the opposite surface, while sweeping each beam along the touch surface within a sensing area, whereby an object that touches the touch surface within the sensing area causes said at least two beams to be temporarily attenuated; coupling the beams out of the panel as they are swept along one or more elongate outcoupling sites on the panel downstream of the sensing area; measuring the received energy of the respective beam within said one or more outcoupling sites; obtaining output signals indicative of the received energy of the respective beam within said one or more outcoupling sites as a function of time; and identifying the location of the object based on the output signals.
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47. A method of operating an apparatus for determining a location of at least one object on a touch surface, said touch surface being part of a panel that defines the touch surface and an opposite surface, said method comprising the steps of:
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operating an illumination arrangement to introduce at least two beams of radiation into the panel for propagation by internal reflection between the touch surface and the opposite surface, and to sweep each beam along the touch surface within a sensing area, whereby an object that touches the touch surface within the sensing area causes said at least two beams to be temporarily attenuated, and whereby each beam is swept along one or more elongate outcoupling sites on the panel downstream of the sensing area; operating at least one light sensor, which is optically coupled to said one or more outcoupling sites, to measure the received energy of the respective beam within said one or more outcoupling sites; obtaining, from said at least one light sensor, output signals indicative of the received energy of the respective beam within said one or more outcoupling sites as a function of time; and identifying, based on the output signals, the location of the object. - View Dependent Claims (48)
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Specification