Coordinate input apparatus

• US 4,775,765 A
• Filed: 11/26/1986
• Issued: 10/04/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Inoue, Masataka, Kimura, Masahiro, Takahashi, Hidenobu, Hayashi, Seiichi, Hirose, Etsurou
• Primary Examiner(s): SCHREYER, STAFFORD
• Application Number:
  US06/935,334
• Time in Patent Office: 678 Days
• Field of Search: 178/18, 178/19, 178/20, 340/706, 340/712, 340/718, 340/724, 340/784, 338/99, 338/114
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04144 using an array of force sensing means position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells G06F3/0447

Abstract

A coordinate input apparatus including transparent upper and lower strip electrodes arranged to confront each other intersectionally with a transparent press-conductive member being placed between the upper and lower electrodes. The electrode arrangement formed on a transparent substrate is fitted on a display screen, allowing the operator to press the coordinate surface by the finger tip while viewing the display. An upper and lower strip electrodes become conductive by being pressed, generating a signal which represents the pressed position on the coordinates.

Claims

1. A coordinate input apparatus comprising a coordinate input element for detecting a coordinate position and a coordinate display element for displaying a pixel at a position corresponding to the coordinates detected by said coordinate input element, said coordinate input element being constructed such that transparent lower coordinate detecting electrodes are fitted on the upper surface of a lower transparent substrate, transparent upper coordinate detecting electrodes are fitted on the lower surface of an upper transparent substrate, said upper transparent substrate having resiliency is disposed above said lower transparent substrate so that said lower coordinate detecting electrodes and upper coordinate detecting electrodes confront each other with a spacing provided therebetween and in an intersectional arrangement, a transparent press-conductive resilient member is filled in the space between the upper surface of said lower transparent substrate including said lower coordinate detecting electrodes and the lower surface of said upper transparent substrate including said upper coordinate detecting electrodes, so that a coordinate input position is detected by the switching action between said upper and lower coordinate detecting electrodes accompanied by a resilient deformation of said press-conductive member, said upper transparent substrate and said upper coordinate detecting electrodes.

2. A coordinate input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said lower coordinate detecting electrodes and upper coordinate detecting electrodes are formed as thin films on said lower transparent substrate and upper transparent substrate, respectively, by vapor deposition.

3. A coordinate input apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said lower coordinate detecting electrodes and upper coordinate detecting elecrodes are made of indium oxide tin.

4. A coordinate input apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said lower coordinate detecting electrodes and upper coordinate detecting electrodes are multiple in number.

5. A coordinate input apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said lower coordinate detecting electrodes and upper coordinate detecting electrodes have a thickness of a few micrometers.

6. A coordinate input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said lower transparent substrate comprises a glass plate.

7. A coordinate input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said press-conductive resilient member is formed of silicon rubber intermixed with conductive metallic particles, said member being coated by spraying on the upper surface of said lower transparent substrate in a constant thickness.

8. A coordinate input apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said lower transparent substrate comprises a glass plate, said press-conductive resilient member being sprayed to cover the edge and a portion of the lower surface of said glass plate, a spacing being provided between the upper surface of said coordinate display element and the lower surface of said glass plate.

9. A coordinate input apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said upper transparent substrate is made of silicon rubber.

10. A coordinate input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said coordinate display element comprises a cathode ray tube system.

11. A coordinate input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said coordinate display element comprises a liquid crystal system.

12. A coordinate input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said press-conductive resilient member is glued integrally on the entire surfaces of said lower transparent substrate and said upper transparent substrate located above and below said member.

21. A coordinate input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said transparent press-conductive resilient member is a rubber member.

22. A coordinate input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said transparent press-conductive resilient member is sufficiently thin to be transparent but yet present an electrical resistance greater than one megaohm, the switching action between said upper and lower coordinate detecting electrodes and the accompanying deformation of said transparent press-conductive resilient member effecting a reduction of electrical resistance in a localized region to a few ohms.

13. A coordinate input apparatus comprising a coordinate input element for detecting a coordinate input position and a coordinate display element for displaying a pixel at a position corresponding to the coordinates detected by said coordinate input element, said coordinate input element being constructed such that a plurality of transparent lower coordinate detecting electrodes are formed as thin films by vapor deposition on the upper surface of a lower transparent glass plate, a lower carbon electrode is formed by vapor deposition on the upper surface of said lower transparent glass plate so as to connect together one end of said lower coordinate detecting electrodes, a plurality of transparent upper coordinate detecting electrodes are formed as thin films by vapor deposition on the lower surface of an upper transparent substrate, an upper carbon electrode is formed by vapor deposition on the lower surface of said upper transparent substrate so as to connect together one end of said upper coordinate detecting electrodes, said lower carbon electrode and upper carbon electrode are connected at their both ends through respective lead wires to a terminal provided at the corner of a board, said upper transparent substrate is disposed above said lower transparent glass plate so that said lower coordinate detecting electrodes and upper coordinate detecting electrodes confront each other with a spacing provided therebetween and in an intersectional arrangement, and a transparent press-conductive resilient member is filled in the space between the upper surface of said lower transparent glass plate including said lower coordinate detecting electrodes, lower carbon electrode and associated lead wires and the lower surface of said upper transparent substrate including said upper coordinate detecting electrodes, upper carbon electrode and associated lead wires, so that a coordinate input position is detected by the switching action between upper and lower coordinate detecting electrodes accompanied by a resilient deformation of said press-conductive member, said upper transparent substrate and said upper coordinate detecting electrodes.

14. A coordinate input apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said terminal is provided in proximity to the corner of said board close to said lower and upper carbon electrodes.

24. A coordinate input apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said lower coordinate detecting electrodes have a thickness of several micrometers.

15. A coordinate input apparatus comprising a coordinate input element for detecting a coordinate input position and a coordinate display element for displaying a pixel at a position corresponding to the coordinates detected by said coordinate input element, said coordinate input element being constructed such that transparent lower coordinate detecting electrodes are provided, upper coordinate detecting electrodes are fitted on the lower surface of an upper transparent substrate, and said upper transparent substrate having resiliency is disposed so that said lower coordinate detecting electrodes and said upper coordinate detecting electrodes confront each other with a spacing provided therebetween and in an intersectional arrangement, so that a coordinate input position is deteacted by the switching action between said upper and lower coordinate detecting electrodes accompanied by a resilent deformation of said upper transparent substrate and said upper coordinate detecting electrodes, said lower coordinate detecting electrodes being fitted on the upper surface of a transparent member which constitutes part of said coordinate display element, and wherein said upper coordinate detecting electrodes and lower coordinate detecting electrodes are interleaved by a press-conductive rubber.

16. A coordinate input apparatus comprising a coordinate input element including transparent lower coordinate detecting electrodes and transparent upper coordinate detecting electrodes disposed to confront each other with a spacing provided therebetween and in an intersectional arrangement so that a coordinate input position is detected by a switching action between said upper and lower coordinate detecting electrodes accompanied by a resilient deformation of said upper coordinate detecting electrodes, and a coordinate display element operating to display a pixel at a position corresponding to the coordinates detected by said coordinate input element, said lower coordinate detecting electrodes being fitted on the upper surface of a transparent plate which constitutes part of said coordinate display element, an upper polarizing plate which constitutes part of said coordinate display element being provided with flexibility, said upper coordinate detecting electrodes being fitted on the lower surface of said upper polarizing plate.

17. A coordinate input apparatus according to claim 16, wherein aid upper coordinate detecting electrodes and lower coordinate detecting electrodes are interleaved by a press-conductive rubber.

18. A coordinate input apparatus comprising a coordinate input element including transparent lower coordinate detecting electrodes fitted on the upper surface of a transparent substrate and upper coordinate detecting electrodes disposed over said lower coordinate detecting electrodes in an intersectionally, confronting fashion so that a coordinate input position is detected by a switching action between said upper and lower coordinate detecting electrodes, and a coordinate display element which displays a pixel at a position corresponding to the coordinates detected by said coordinate input element, a transparent intermediary being partly provided in the spacing at each intersectional portion between said upper and lower coordinate detecting electrodes, said upper and lower coordinate detecting electrodes being exposed to the outside.

19. A coordinate input apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said lower coordinate detecting electrodes are formed by vapor deposition on the upper surface of said transparent substrate and said upper coordinate detecting electrodes are formed by vapor deposition on the upper surface of said transparent substrate over said intermediary.

20. A coordinate input apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said intermediary has a lateral width slightly larger than the lateral width of said lower coordinate detecting electrodes.

23. A coordinate input apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said lower coordinate detecting electrodes have a thickness of several micrometers.

25. A coordinate input apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said lower coordinate detecting electrodes are coated as thin films on said transparent substrate by vapor deposition.

26. A coordinate input apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said lower and upper coordinate detecting electrodes are made of indium oxide tin.

27. A coordinate input apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said lower coordinate detecting electrodes have a thickness of several micrometers.