LAMINATED OPTICAL ELEMENT FOR TOUCH-SENSING SYSTEMS
First Claim
1. A laminated optical element for a touch-sensitive apparatus, comprising:
- a light-transmissive panel that defines a front surface and an opposite, rear surface;
a light-coupling mechanism for light input to and output from the panel, arranged along a perimeter of a touch-sensitive region of the optical element;
a shielding element applied at the front surface over the light-coupling mechanism;
a light-transmissive sheet disposed overlapping the shielding element and covering the front surface of the panel within the shielding element,wherein a lower surface of the light-transmissive sheet is in optical contact with the front surface of the panel, so as to allow light within a predetermined wavelength range to propagate between at least first and second positions of the light-coupling mechanism by total internal reflection in an upper surface of the light-transmissive sheet.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A laminated optical element is provided for a touch-sensitive apparatus which operates by light frustration (FTIR), and comprises: a light-transmissive panel (1) that defines a front surface (5) and an opposite, rear surface (6); a light-coupling mechanism for light input to and output from the panel, arranged along a perimeter of a touch-sensitive region (4) of the optical element; a shielding element (70) applied at the front surface (5) over the light-coupling mechanism; and a light-transmissive sheet (60) disposed overlapping the shielding element and covering the front surface of the panel within the shielding element, wherein a lower surface of the light-transmissive sheet is in optical contact with the front surface of the panel, so as to allow light within a predetermined wavelength range to propagate between at least first and second positions of the light-coupling mechanism by total internal reflection in an upper surface of the light-transmissive sheet.
65 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A laminated optical element for a touch-sensitive apparatus, comprising:
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a light-transmissive panel that defines a front surface and an opposite, rear surface; a light-coupling mechanism for light input to and output from the panel, arranged along a perimeter of a touch-sensitive region of the optical element; a shielding element applied at the front surface over the light-coupling mechanism; a light-transmissive sheet disposed overlapping the shielding element and covering the front surface of the panel within the shielding element, wherein a lower surface of the light-transmissive sheet is in optical contact with the front surface of the panel, so as to allow light within a predetermined wavelength range to propagate between at least first and second positions of the light-coupling mechanism by total internal reflection in an upper surface of the light-transmissive sheet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A touch-sensitive apparatus, comprising:
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a light-transmissive panel that defines a front surface and an opposite, rear surface; a plurality of light emitters for light input to, and a plurality of light detectors for output from, the panel via a light-coupling mechanism arranged along a perimeter of a touch-sensitive region of the apparatus, so as to define a grid of propagation paths across the touch-sensitive region between pairs of light emitters and light detectors; a shielding element, opaque to light within said predetermined wavelength range and visible light, applied at the front surface over the light-coupling mechanism; a light-transmissive sheet disposed overlapping the shielding element and covering the front surface there within, wherein a lower surface of the light-transmissive sheet is in optical contact with the front surface of the panel, so as to allow light within a predetermined wavelength range to propagate in said grid by total internal reflection in the upper surface of the light-transmissive sheet. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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Specification