Method and apparatus for an optical laser keypad
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An optical laser numeric keypad configured to provide an electrical signal indicative of which of a plurality of key locations is selected, the optical laser numeric keypad comprising:
- a plurality of optical sensors each configured to respond to a change in a received light quantity and to provide an electrical signal in response to selecting of a key at a key location, the received light quantity of at least one of the plurality of optical sensors being changeable by selection of a key location; and
a key location indentifier configured to provide a binary number having a bit for each of the row optical sensors and further having a bit for each of the column optical sensors.
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Abstract
An optical laser numeric keypad (100) provides a digital signal indicative of which of a plurality of key locations is selected. The optical laser numeric keypad (100) comprises a plurality of optical sensors (132 and 134) each configured to respond to a change in a received light quantity and to provide an electrical signal in response to a selection of a key at a key location. The received light quantity of at least one of the plurality of optical sensors (132 and 134) is changeable by selection of a key location.
52 Citations
16 Claims
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1. An optical laser numeric keypad configured to provide an electrical signal indicative of which of a plurality of key locations is selected, the optical laser numeric keypad comprising:
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a plurality of optical sensors each configured to respond to a change in a received light quantity and to provide an electrical signal in response to selecting of a key at a key location, the received light quantity of at least one of the plurality of optical sensors being changeable by selection of a key location; and
a key location indentifier configured to provide a binary number having a bit for each of the row optical sensors and further having a bit for each of the column optical sensors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An apparatus for interfacing with a telephone system, the apparatus comprising:
an optical laser numeric keypad configured to provide an electrical signal indicative of which of a plurality of key locations is selected, the optical laser numeric keypad comprising an optical source and a plurality of optical sensors each configured to respond to a change in a received light quantity and to provide an electrical signal in response to selecting of a key at a key location, the received light quantity of at least one of the plurality of optical sensors being changeable by selection of a key location, wherein a light beam from the optical source passes through an optical liquid crystal element within a cavity at each of the plurality of key locations, the light beam being selectably interruptible at each of the plurality of key locations by the application of an electrical potential across the optical liquid crystal element within the cavity sufficient to polarize the optical liquid crystal element orthogonally to the light beam. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An apparatus for interfacing with a telephone system, the apparatus comprising:
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an optical laser numeric keypad configured to provide an electrical signal indicative of which of a plurality of key locations is selected, the optical laser numeric keypad comprising an optical source and a plurality of optical sensors each configured to respond to a change in a received light quantity and to provide an electrical signal in response to selecting of a key at a key location, the received light quantity of at least one of the plurality of optical sensors being changeable by selection of a key location, wherein the optical source is configured to provide a light beam having a plurality of frequencies, at least one frequency for each of the rows and at least one frequency for each of the columns; and
an optical diverter including a hologram having spectral dispersion elements to divert a portion of the light to each of the plurality of columns and a portion of the light to each of a plurality of rows, such that each of the plurality of rows and each of the plurality of columns receives a different frequency.
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Specification