DIGITIZER

• US 20130093714A1
• Filed: 04/06/2012
• Published: 04/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Topaz Systems Inc
• Original Assignee: Topaz Systems Inc
• Inventors: Zank, Anthony E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,952,926 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A system for receiving, storing, and displaying biometric input has a touchpad and a digitizer. The digitizer comprises a substantially transparent touch activatable overlay placed over the touchscreen and a plurality of sensors supported by the overlay to detect input to the overlay. The digitizer includes a data outlet for transferring the detected input as overlay data so the touchpad can visually display the detected input on its touchscreen. The digitizer has sufficient sensors that the overlay data contains more information than the touchpad data would if the touchscreen were contacted directly without the digitizer present.

Claims

1. A system for receiving, storing, and displaying biometric input comprising:

a. a touchpad having a touchscreen adapted for receiving input by contact with the touchscreen, detecting the input, storing the input as touchpad data in memory, and visually displaying the input on the touchscreen; and

b. a digitizer comprising;

i. a substantially transparent touch activatable overlay placed over the touchscreen;

ii. a plurality of sensors supported by the overlay to detect input to the overlay; and

iii. a data outlet for transferring the detected input as overlay data so the touchpad can visually display the detected input on its touchscreen,

wherein the digitizer has sufficient sensors that the overlay data contains more information than the touchpad data would if the touchscreen were contacted directly without the digitizer present.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the digitizer is spaced apart from the touchscreen.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the data outlet is selected from one or more of the group consisting of an outlet port and a wireless outlet.

13. The system of claim 1, comprising a plurality of data outlets.

14. The system of claim 1, 2, 3, or 6, wherein the data outlet transfers the detected input as overlay data for storage in the touchpad memory.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the digitizer comprises overlay memory for storing the detected data.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the digitizer is incapable of visually displaying the input.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the digitizer comprises a bracket holding the overlay co-planar and secure to the touchscreen.

18. The system of claim 1, 3, or 6, wherein the digitizer has a higher sampling rate than the touchpad sampling rate.

23. The device of claim 14 wherein the overlay data contains more information than the touchpad data would if the capacitive touchscreen were contacted directly without the device present.

2. A system for receiving, storing, and displaying biometric input comprising:

a. a touchpad having a touchscreen adapted for receiving input by contact with the touchscreen, detecting the input, storing the input as touchpad data in memory, and visually displaying the input on the touchscreen; and

b. a digitizer comprising;

i. a substantially transparent touch activatable overlay placed over the touchscreen;

ii. a plurality of sensors supported by the overlay to detect input to the overlay; and

iii. a data outlet for transferring the detected input as overlay data so the touchpad can visually display the detected input on its touchscreen,

wherein the digitizer has a higher sampling rate than the touchpad sampling rate.

19. The system of claim 2, 3, or 6, wherein there are sufficient sensors that the overlay data contains more information than the touchpad data would if the touchscreen were contacted directly without the digitizer present.

3. A system for receiving, storing, and displaying biometric input comprising:

a. a touchpad having a touchscreen adapted for receiving input by contact with the touchscreen, detecting the input, storing the input as touchpad data in memory, and visually displaying the input on the touchscreen; and

b. a digitizer comprising;

i. a substantially transparent touch activatable overlay placed over the touchscreen;

ii. a plurality of sensors supported by the overlay to detect input to the overlay;

iii. at least one detectable element supported by the overlay for detection by the touchscreen so the touchscreen can determine the presence and position of the digitizer; and

iv. a data outlet for transferring the detected input as overlay data so the touchpad can visually display the detected input on its touchscreen.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the detectable element comprises a spacer.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the spacer is hemi-spherical in shape and electrically conductive.

6. A system for receiving, storing, and displaying biometric input comprising:

a. a touchpad having a capacitive touchscreen adapted for receiving input by contact with the touchscreen, detecting the input, storing the input as touchpad data in memory, and visually displaying the input on the touchscreen; and

b. a digitizer comprising;

i. a substantially transparent touch activatable overlay for placement over the capacitive touchscreen;

ii. a plurality of sensors supported by the overlay to detect the input to the overlay; and

iii. a plurality of communicative elements supported by the overlay for transferring the detected input as overlay data directly to the capacitive touchscreen so the touchpad can visually display the detected input on its touchscreen.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the overlay has an inner surface proximate to the capacitive touchscreen, and the communicative elements are supported by the inner surface.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the communicative elements can transfer the detected input to the capacitive touchscreen by directly contacting the capacitive touchscreen.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the communicative elements are electrically capacitive and can transfer the detected input to the capacitive touchscreen without contacting the touchpad touchscreen.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the communicative elements comprise a plurality of electrically conductive dots.

20. A device for use with a touchpad having a touchscreen adapted for receiving input by contact with the touchscreen, detecting the input, storing the input as touchpad data in touchpad memory, and visually displaying the input, the device comprising:

a. a substantially transparent touch activatable overlay for placement over the touchscreen;

b. a plurality of sensors supported by the overlay to detect the input to the overlay; and

c. a data outlet for transferring the detected input as overlay data so the touchpad can visually display the detected input on its touchscreen,

wherein there are sufficient sensors that the overlay data contains more information than the touchpad data would if the touchscreen were contacted directly without the device present.

24. A method for receiving, storing, and displaying biometric input comprising the steps of:

a. placing the device of claim 20, 21, or 22 over the touchscreen of a touchpad; and

b. receiving biometric input to the device, wherein the device converts the biometric input to overlay data, transfers the overlay data from the overlay to the touchpad for display on the touchscreen, and displays the biometric input on the touchscreen.

21. A device for use with a touchpad having a touchscreen adapted for receiving input by contact with the touchscreen, detecting the input, storing the input as touchpad data in memory, and visually displaying the input, the device comprising:

a. a substantially transparent touch activatable overlay for placement over the touchscreen;

b. a plurality of sensors supported by the overlay to detect input to the overlay;

c. at least one detectable element supported by the overlay for detection by the touchscreen so the touchscreen can determine the presence and position of the device; and

d. a data outlet for transferring the detected input as overlay data so the touchpad can visually display the detected input on its touchscreen.

22. A device for use with a touchpad having a capacitive touchscreen adapted for receiving input by contact with the capacitive touchscreen, detecting the input, storing the input as touchpad data in touchpad memory, and visually displaying the input, the device comprising:

a. a substantially transparent touch activatable overlay for placement over the capacitive touchscreen;

b. a plurality of sensors supported by the overlay to detect the input to the overlay; and

c. a plurality of communicative elements supported by the overlay for transferring the detected input as overlay data directly to the capacitive touchscreen so the touchpad can visually display the detected input on its touchscreen.