Converter for resistive touchscreens

• US 6,373,475 B1
• Filed: 01/21/2000
• Issued: 04/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Elo Touch Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tyco Electronics UK Limited (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Inventors: Challis, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): LESPERANCE, JEAN E
• Application Number:
  US09/403,563
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• Field of Search: 345/174, 345/175, 345/176, 345/173, 178/18.01, 178/18.02, 178/18.03, 178/18.04, 178/18.05, 178/18.06, 178/18.07
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact

Abstract

A converter for connection between an electrographic sensor and an electrographic controller, and comprising:

(a) a first set of contacts for connection to the sensor;

(b) a second set of contacts for connection to the controller; and

(c) an emulator for emulating at the second set of contacts:

(i) a four-wire sensor when the first set of contacts is connected to a five-wire sensor and a second set of contacts is connected to a four-wire controller; and/or

(ii) a five-wire sensor when the first set of contacts is connected to a four-wire sensor and a second set of contacts is connected to a five-wire controller.

Claims

1. A converter for connection between an electrographic sensor and an electrographic controller, and comprising:

(a) a first set of contacts for connection to the sensor;

(b) a second set of contacts for connection to the controller; and

one of;

(c) an emulator for emulating at the second set of contacts;

(i) a four-wire sensor when the first set of contacts is connected to a five-wire sensor and a second set of contacts is connected to a four-wire controller; and

/or

(ii) a five-wire sensor when the first set of contacts is connected to a four-wire sensor and a second set of contacts is connected to a five-wire controller; and

(d) an emulator for emulating at the first set of contacts;

(i) a five-wire sensor when the first set of contacts is connected to a four-wire sensor and a second set of contacts is connected to a five-wire controller; and

/or

(ii) a four-wire sensor when the first set of contacts is connected to a five-wire sensor and a second set of contacts is connected to a four-wire controller.

2. A converter according to claim 1, for connection between a resistive touchscreen and a controller for a resistive touchscreen.

3. A converter according to claim 1, in which the emulator can additionally emulate at the second set of contacts:

(iii) a five-wire sensor when the first set of contacts is connected to a five-wire sensor and the second set of contacts is connected to a five-wire controller; and

/or

(iv) a four-wire sensor when the first set of contacts is connected to a four-wire sensor and the second set of contacts is connected to a four-wire controller.

4. A converter according to claim 1, which additionally comprises:

(d) a first device that can determine which of a four and five-wire sensor is connected to the first set of contacts and/or which of a four and five-wire controller is connected to the second set of contacts; and

which can, at least in part from such determination, cause the emulator to effect an appropriate emulation.

5. A converter according to claim 1, in which the emulation consists in forming appropriate interconnections between the first set of contacts and the second set of contacts.

6. A converter according to claim 1, in which the emulation consists in reading a signal at a contact of one of the first and second sets, and writing an appropriate signal to a contact of the other of the first and second sets.

7. A converter according to claim 1, in which the emulator has first, second and third states, in which it emulates the sensor in ways appropriate to respectively the controller'"'"'s:

(i) state for touch detection;

(ii) state for measurement of an X-co-ordinate; and

(iii) state for measurement of a Y-co-ordinate.

8. A converter according to claim 7, in which the emulator is caused to switch between its states by signals from the controller at the second set of contacts.

9. A converter according to claim 4, which can receive from the controller at the second set of contacts power necessary for the emulator to effect an appropriate emulation.

10. A converter according to claim 7, in which the emulator has switches whose states determine the mode of the emulator, the normal states of those switches corresponding to the first state of the emulator.

11. A converter according to claim 1, which additionally comprises:

(e) a second device that can determine which of a sensor and a controller is connected to one of the sets of contacts; and

which can, at least in part from such determination, cause the emulator to effect an appropriate emulation.

12. A converter according to claim 11, in which the second sensor detects whether a voltage exists between contacts of that set, and determines that a controller is connected if a voltage is detected.

13. A converter according to claim 4, in which the first sensor detects which of a four-wire and five-wire screen is connected to a set of contacts by determining the resistance between pairs of said contacts.

14. A converter according to claim 4, in which the first sensor detects which of a four-wire and five-wire controller is connected to a set of contacts by determining voltages between pairs of said contacts.

15. A converter according to claim 1 which, on connection of a sensor to one set of contacts thereof and a controller to another set of contacts thereof:

(i) determines to which of said sets is connected the sensor and to which of said sets is connected the controller;

(ii) determines whether the sensor is a four-wire sensor or a five-wire sensor;

(iii) determines whether the controller is a four-wire controller or a five-wire controller;

(iv) causes the emulator to adopt first, second and third states appropriate to the type of sensor and type of controller connected, and according to the state from time-to-time adopted by the controller.

16. A converter according to claim 1, pre-connected to a sensor.

17. A connector according to claim 1, pre-connected to a controller.

18. A converter according to claim 8, which can receive from the controller at the second set of contacts power necessary for the switching.