Curvilinear linearization device for touch systems
First Claim
1. An edge linearization device which comprises:
- a surface having a substantially uniform resistivity and defining a substantially rectangular area with four sides and four corners;
a plurality of first conductive segments on each side of said surface, wherein said first conductive segments are located on and electrically connected to said surface and wherein said first conductive segments follow a path that is inwardly disposed into the area of said surface from the sides;
a generally T-shaped conductive segment on each side of said surface, wherein said T-shaped segment is located substantially at the midpoint of each side, wherein said first conductive segments to the left of said T-shaped segment on each side are generally z-shaped, having a center, a top bar portion and a bottom bar portion, and said first conductive segments to the left of said T-shaped segment are located so that at least a portion of the top bar of each said first conductive segments overlaps at least a portion of the bottom bar of the adjacent one of said first conductive segments, and wherein said first conductive segments to the right of said T-shaped segment on each side are generally of an inverted z-shape and have a center, a top bar portion and a bottom bar portion, and said first conductive segments to the right of the T-shaped segment are located so that at least a portion of the top bar of each said first conductive segments, overlaps at least a portion of the bottom bar of the adjacent one of said first conductive segments;
a plurality of conductive corner connectors located on and electrically connected to said resistive surface, wherein said corner connectors form corners between adjoining sides; and
wherein the resistivity of said surface in the spaces between said corner connectors and said first conductive segments, and between said first conductive segments and said T-shaped segment defines resistances therebetween such that, when a voltage is applied across said surface, the voltage is substantially linear across an active area of said surface.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A contact input system with conductive segments made of a conductive ink and formed to follow a selected pattern that are located on a rectangular resistive surface. The conductive segments to the left of a T-shaped segment at the midpoint of each side are generally Z-shaped and those to the right of the midpoint are shaped like an inverted Z. The segments are disposed in a generally parabolic shape curving towards the center of the active surface area. The top bar of each segment overlaps at least a portion of the bottom bar of the adjacent conductive segment. The system thus has only two overlapping lines of conductive segments. The segments linearize electric fields in the resistive surface in order to provide greater accuracy in determining the location of a contact point on the surface.
60 Citations
23 Claims
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1. An edge linearization device which comprises:
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a surface having a substantially uniform resistivity and defining a substantially rectangular area with four sides and four corners; a plurality of first conductive segments on each side of said surface, wherein said first conductive segments are located on and electrically connected to said surface and wherein said first conductive segments follow a path that is inwardly disposed into the area of said surface from the sides; a generally T-shaped conductive segment on each side of said surface, wherein said T-shaped segment is located substantially at the midpoint of each side, wherein said first conductive segments to the left of said T-shaped segment on each side are generally z-shaped, having a center, a top bar portion and a bottom bar portion, and said first conductive segments to the left of said T-shaped segment are located so that at least a portion of the top bar of each said first conductive segments overlaps at least a portion of the bottom bar of the adjacent one of said first conductive segments, and wherein said first conductive segments to the right of said T-shaped segment on each side are generally of an inverted z-shape and have a center, a top bar portion and a bottom bar portion, and said first conductive segments to the right of the T-shaped segment are located so that at least a portion of the top bar of each said first conductive segments, overlaps at least a portion of the bottom bar of the adjacent one of said first conductive segments; a plurality of conductive corner connectors located on and electrically connected to said resistive surface, wherein said corner connectors form corners between adjoining sides; and wherein the resistivity of said surface in the spaces between said corner connectors and said first conductive segments, and between said first conductive segments and said T-shaped segment defines resistances therebetween such that, when a voltage is applied across said surface, the voltage is substantially linear across an active area of said surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A contact input system comprising:
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a surface having a substantially uniform resistivity and defining a substantially rectangular area with four sides and four corners; a plurality of first conductive segments on each side of said surface, wherein said first conductive segments are located on and electrically connected to said surface and wherein said first conductive segments follow a path that is inwardly disposed into the area of said surface from the sides; a generally T-shaped conductive segment on each side of said surface, wherein said T-shaped segment is located substantially at the midpoint of each side, wherein said first conductive segments to the left of said T-shaped segment on each side are generally Z-shaped, having a center, a top bar portion and a bottom bar portion, and said first conductive segments to the left of said T-shaped segment are located so that at least a portion of the top bar of each said first conductive segments overlaps at least a portion of the bottom bar of the adjacent one of said first conductive segments, and wherein said first conductive segments to the right of said T-shaped segment on each side are generally of an inverted Z-shape and have a center, a top bar portion and a bottom bar portion, and said first conductive segments to the right of the T-shaped segment are located so that at least a portion of the top bar of each said first conductive segments overlaps at least a portion of the bottom bar of the adjacent one of said first conductive segments; a plurality of conductive corner segments located on each side at the ends of the path defined by said first conductive segments; a plurality of conductive corner connectors located on and electrically connected to said resistive surface, wherein said corner connectors form corners between the corner segments of two sides; wherein said first conductive segments follow a generally parabolic path and each of said T-shaped segments is located at the vertex of the parabolic path of said first conductive segments, and wherein the resistivity of said surface in the spaces between said corner connectors and said first conductive segments, between said first conductive segments, and between said adjacent first segments and said T-shaped segment defines resistances therebetween such that, when a voltage is applied across said surface, the voltage is substantially linear across an active area of said surface; means attached to said corner connectors for selectively applying voltages to said surface; and means attached to said corner connectors for measuring the voltage at the point where a contact occurs on said surface. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An edge linearization device which comprises:
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a surface having a substantially uniform resistivity and defining a substantially rectangular area with four sides and four corners; a plurality of first conductive segments on each side of said surface, wherein said first conductive segments are located on and electrically connected to said surface and wherein said first conductive segments follow a path that is generally parabolic and is inwardly disposed into the area of said surface from the sides; a generally T-shaped conductive segment on each side of said surface, wherein said T-shaped segment is located substantially at the midpoint of each side and the vertex of the parabolic path of said first conductive segments, wherein said first conductive segments to the left of said T-shaped segment on each side are generally z-shaped, having a center, a top bar portion and a bottom bar portion, and said first conductive segments to the left of said T-shaped segment are located so that at least a portion of the top bar of each said first conductive segments overlaps at least a portion of the bottom bar of the adjacent one of said first conductive segments, and wherein said first conductive segments to the right of said T-shaped segment on each side are generally of an inverted z-shape and have a center, a top bar portion and a bottom bar portion, and said first conductive segments to the right of the T-shaped segment are located so that at least a portion of the top bar of each said first conductive segments overlaps at least a portion of the bottom bar of the adjacent one of said first conductive segments; a plurality of conductive corner connectors located on and electrically connected to said resistive surface, wherein said corner connectors form corners between adjoining sides; and wherein the resistivity of said surface in the spaces between said corner connectors and said first conductive segments, and between said first conductive segments and said T-shaped segments defines resistances therebetween such that, when a voltage is applied across said surface, the voltage is substantially linear across an active area of said surface. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification