Apparatus and method for generating a lamina of light
First Claim
1. An apparatus, comprising;
- an optically transparent member, the optically transparent member having;
an input configured to receive light; and
one or more facets formed in the optically transparent member, the one or more facets being configured to reflect light received at the input of the optically transparent member, the reflected light creating a lamina of light adjacent the optically transparent member,wherein the one or more facets have an optically reflective surface, andwherein the one or more facets have a surface that extends from the optically reflective surface to a light emitting surface on the optically transparent member, the height of the surface varying to reduce the amount of light blocked by first facet and received by a subsequent facet.
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for generating a lamina of light. The apparatus includes an optically transparent member having an input configured to receive light and one or more facets formed in the optically transparent member. As light enters and travels through the member, a lamina of light is created by the light reflecting off the facets. In one application, the lamina of light is provided in the free space adjacent a touch screen display. When the lamina is interrupted during a data entry operation to the screen, an optical position detection device is used to determine the data input based on the location of the interrupt in the lamina. In various other embodiments, the position and uniformity of the lamina may be controlled by selecting the angle, depth and tilt of a reflective surface of the facets in the optically transparent member.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. An apparatus, comprising;
an optically transparent member, the optically transparent member having; an input configured to receive light; and one or more facets formed in the optically transparent member, the one or more facets being configured to reflect light received at the input of the optically transparent member, the reflected light creating a lamina of light adjacent the optically transparent member, wherein the one or more facets have an optically reflective surface, and wherein the one or more facets have a surface that extends from the optically reflective surface to a light emitting surface on the optically transparent member, the height of the surface varying to reduce the amount of light blocked by first facet and received by a subsequent facet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
Specification