Touch sensitive control panel
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A touch sensitive control apparatus comprising, in combination:
- an oscillator producing an oscillation output signal;
a plurality of touch-responsive sensors coupled in circuit with said oscillator and producing respective analog signals associated with touch-dependent modifications of the oscillation output signal produced by said oscillator;
an analog-to-digital converter which converts analog signals produced by said sensors into respective digital signals representative thereof; and
a digital computer which processes said respective digital signals and generates an output associated with a selected one of said sensors on the basis of a prescribed relationship among the analog signals produced by plural ones of said sensors.
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Abstract
A control panel having a series of touch sensitive sensors mounted under a protective cover. The outputs of the sensors are effected by the presence of a human finger on the surface of the cover due to the capacitance of the human body with the earth. A microcomputer is used to distinguish intentional touching of the sensors from incidential contact with the panel, thereby making the control panel useful for controlling multiple functions from a single location.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A touch sensitive control apparatus comprising, in combination:
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an oscillator producing an oscillation output signal; a plurality of touch-responsive sensors coupled in circuit with said oscillator and producing respective analog signals associated with touch-dependent modifications of the oscillation output signal produced by said oscillator; an analog-to-digital converter which converts analog signals produced by said sensors into respective digital signals representative thereof; and a digital computer which processes said respective digital signals and generates an output associated with a selected one of said sensors on the basis of a prescribed relationship among the analog signals produced by plural ones of said sensors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A touch sensitive control apparatus comprising, in combination:
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an oscillator which produces a reference oscillation signal; a plurality of touch-responsive circuit devices, each of which is coupled in circuit with said oscillator and produces a respective signal representative with a touch-dependent modification of the reference oscillation signal produced by said oscillator; and means, coupled to said plurality of touch-responsive circuit devices, for processing respective signals produced thereby and generating an output associated with a selected one of said touch-responsive circuit devices on the basis of a prescribed relationship among the signals produced by plural ones of said touch-responsive circuit devices. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification