TOUCH SENSOR
First Claim
1. A touch sensor comprising:
- a sheet defining a surface and enclosing a set of channels, each channel in the set of channels isolated from other channels in the set of channels and defining a variable width;
a set of distinct volumes of electrically-conductive fluid contained within the set of channels;
a set of electrodes electrically coupled to the set of distinct volumes of electrically-conductive fluid; and
a controller electrically coupled to the set of electrodes, applying a voltage to a subset of the set of distinct volumes of electrically-conductive fluid contained in a subset of channels in the set of channels via a subset of the set of electrodes; and
approximating a position of an input over the surface based on a change in voltage.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A touch sensor including a sheet defining a surface and enclosing a set of channels, each channel in the set of channels isolated from other channels in the set of channels and defining a variable width; a set of distinct volumes of electrically-conductive fluid contained within the set of channels; a set of electrodes electrically coupled to the set of distinct volumes of electrically-conductive fluid; and a controller electrically coupled to the set of electrodes, applying a voltage to a subset of the set of distinct volumes of electrically-conductive fluid contained in a subset of channels in the set of channels via a subset of the set of electrodes; and approximating a position of an input over the surface based on a change in voltage.
14 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A touch sensor comprising:
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a sheet defining a surface and enclosing a set of channels, each channel in the set of channels isolated from other channels in the set of channels and defining a variable width; a set of distinct volumes of electrically-conductive fluid contained within the set of channels; a set of electrodes electrically coupled to the set of distinct volumes of electrically-conductive fluid; and a controller electrically coupled to the set of electrodes, applying a voltage to a subset of the set of distinct volumes of electrically-conductive fluid contained in a subset of channels in the set of channels via a subset of the set of electrodes; and
approximating a position of an input over the surface based on a change in voltage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A touch sensor comprising:
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a sheet defining a surface and enclosing a set of channels, each channel in the set of channels distinct from other channels in the set of channels and comprising a series of cavities of first width interposed between neck sections of a second width less than the first width, a projection of a first subset of channels in the set of channels onto the surface intersecting a projection of a second subset of channels in the set of channels onto the surface; a set of distinct volumes of electrically-conductive fluid contained within the set of channels, fluid contained within a cavity of a channel in the first subset of channels capacitively coupled to fluid contained within a cavity of a channel in the second subset of channels; and a set of electrodes, an electrode in the set of electrodes electrically coupled a distinct volume of electrically-conductive fluid in the set of distinct volumes of electrically-conductive fluid. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A touch sensor comprising:
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a sheet defining a surface, a first array of channels; and
a second array of channels, the sheet enclosing channels in the first array of channels at a first depth below the surface, the sheet enclosing channels in the second array of channels at a second depth from the surface greater than the first depth, a projection of the first array of channels onto the surface intersecting a projection of the second array of channels onto the surface;a first set of discrete volumes of electrically-conductive fluid, a discrete volume of electrically-conductive fluid in the first set of volumes of electrically-conductive fluid contained within a channel in the first array of channels; a second set of discrete volumes of electrically-conductive fluid, a discrete volume of electrically-conductive fluid in the second set of volumes of electrically-conductive fluid contained within a channel in the second array of channels; a first set of electrodes, an electrode in the first set of electrodes electrically coupled to a discrete volume of electrically-conductive fluid in the first set of volumes of electrically-conductive fluid, the first set of electrodes communicating electrical current into the first set of discrete volumes of electrically-conductive fluid; a second set of electrodes, an electrode in the second set of electrodes electrically coupled to a discrete volume of electrically-conductive fluid in the second set of volumes of electrically-conductive fluid, the second set of electrodes communicating electrical current into the second set of discrete volumes of electrically-conductive fluid, the first set of discrete volumes of electrically-conductive fluid capacitively coupled to the second set of discrete volumes of electrically-conductive fluid.
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Specification