Acoustic wave touch actuated switch
First Claim
1. An acoustic wave switch comprising:
- a substrate with at least one acoustic cavity formed therein such that the mass per unit area of the acoustic cavity is greater than the mass per unit area of the substrate adjacent the cavity and a surface of the acoustic cavity forming a touch surface for actuating the switch; and
an acoustic wave transducer mounted on the acoustic wave cavity, the transducer generating an acoustic wave that is substantially trapped in the acoustic cavity, wherein a touch on the touch surface of the cavity produces a detectable change in the impedance of the transducer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An acoustic wave switch includes a substrate with an acoustic wave cavity formed therein such that the mass per unit area of the acoustic cavity is greater than the mass per unit area of the substrate adjacent the cavity. A transducer is mounted on the acoustic cavity for generating an acoustic wave that is substantially trapped in the cavity. A touch on the touch surface of the acoustic wave cavity absorbs acoustic wave energy and produces a detectable change in the impedance of the transducer. The acoustic wave switch has a high Q so as to enable a touch to be detected by extremely simple, low-cost circuitry. The acoustic wave switch of the present invention is rugged, explosion proof, operates in the presence of liquids and other contaminants, has a low power consumption and can be incorporated and integrally formed in a wall of a housing for a device.
43 Citations
119 Claims
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1. An acoustic wave switch comprising:
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a substrate with at least one acoustic cavity formed therein such that the mass per unit area of the acoustic cavity is greater than the mass per unit area of the substrate adjacent the cavity and a surface of the acoustic cavity forming a touch surface for actuating the switch; and an acoustic wave transducer mounted on the acoustic wave cavity, the transducer generating an acoustic wave that is substantially trapped in the acoustic cavity, wherein a touch on the touch surface of the cavity produces a detectable change in the impedance of the transducer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 42, 43)
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20. An acoustic wave switch comprising:
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a substrate with a raised surface defining an acoustic cavity such that a thickness of the cavity is greater than a thickness of the substrate in an area adjacent the cavity; an acoustic wave transducer mounted on a surface of the acoustic cavity, the transducer generating an acoustic wave in the substrate tat is substantially trapped in the acoustic cavity and wherein the surface area of the raised surface is greater than the surface area of the transducer; a circuit coupled to the transducer and responsive to a change in a characteristic thereof to detect a touch on a touch surface of the acoustic cavity. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 44)
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45. An acoustic wave switch comprising:
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a substrate; a mesa formed on the substrate, said mesa defining an acoustic cavity formed of the mesa and the portion of the substrate below the mesa; a transducer mounted on a surface of the acoustic cavity, the transducer generating an acoustic wave that is substantially trapped in the acoustic cavity and wherein the surface area of the mesa is greater than the surface area of the transducer; a circuit coupled to the transducer to detect a touch on a surface of the acoustic cavity. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70)
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71. An acoustic wave switch comprising:
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a substrate with at least one acoustic cavity formed therein such that the mass per unit area of the acoustic cavity is greater than the mass per unit area of the substrate adjacent the cavity and a surface of the acoustic cavity forming a touch surface for actuating the switch; an acoustic wave transducer mounted on the acoustic wave cavity, the transducer generating an acoustic wave that is substantially trapped in the acoustic cavity; and a circuit coupled to the transducer and responsive to a change in an impedance of the transducer of at least a predetermined amount to generate a signal indicating an actuation of the acoustic switch. - View Dependent Claims (72)
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73. An acoustic wave switch panel comprising:
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a substrate with a plurality of acoustic wave cavities formed therein, each acoustic wave cavity forming a portion of an individual switch and each acoustic cavity having a mass per unit area that is greater than the mass per unit area of the substrate adjacent the cavity and having a touch surface for actuating the respective switch; and a plurality of acoustic wave transducers, each acoustic wave cavity having an acoustic wave transducer mounted thereon to generate an acoustic wave that is substantially trapped in the acoustic cavity, wherein a touch on a touch surface of an acoustic wave cavity produces a detectable change in the impedance of the transducer. - View Dependent Claims (74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85)
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86. An acoustic wave switch panel comprising:
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a substrate; a plurality of mesas formed on the substrate, each of said mesas being associated with an individual switch and defining an acoustic cavity formed of the mesa and the portion of the substrate below the mesa; a plurality of transducers each mounted on a surface of a respective acoustic cavity that is substantially trapped in the acoustic cavity wherein a touch on a touch surface of an acoustic cavity produces a detectable change in the impedance of the transducer and the surface area of the mesas is greater than the surface area of the respective transducers. - View Dependent Claims (87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108)
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109. An acoustic wave switch panel comprising:
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a substrate; a plurality of mesas formed on the substrate, each of said mesas being associated with an individual switch and defining an acoustic cavity formed of the mesa and the portion of the substrate below the mesa; a plurality of shear wave transducers, each transducer being mounted along a center line of a respective acoustic cavity on a surface thereof that is opposite a touch surface of the acoustic cavity wherein a touch on a touch surface of an acoustic cavity produces a detectable change in the impedance of the transducer and the surface area of the mesa is greater than the surface area of the transducer.
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110. An acoustic wave switch comprising:
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a substrate; a mesa formed on the substrate; a shear wave transducer mounted on the mesa or a surface of the substrate opposite the mesa wherein a touch on a touch surface of the substrate opposite the transducer produces a detectable change in the impedance of the transducer and the surface area of the mesa is greater than the surface area of the transducer.
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111. An acoustic wave switch comprising:
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a substrate; a mesa formed on the substrate defining an acoustic wave cavity; and a transducer mounted on a surface of the acoustic wave cavity, the transducer generating an acoustic wave in the acoustic wave cavity wherein a touch on a touch surface of the acoustic wave cavity produces a detectable change in the acoustic wave in the cavity and the surface area of the mesa is greater than the surface area of the transducer.
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112. An acoustic wave switch comprising:
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a substrate; a moat formed in the substrate defining a mesa surrounded by the moat, the mesa defining an acoustic wave cavity; and a transducer mounted on a surface of the acoustic wave cavity, the transducer generating an acoustic wave in the acoustic wave cavity wherein a touch on a touch surface of the acoustic wave cavity produces a detectable change in the acoustic wave in the cavity and the surface area of the mesa is greater than the surface area of the transducer.
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113. An acoustic wave switch comprising:
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a substrate; a circular mesa formed on the substrate defining an acoustic wave cavity; and a transducer mounted on a surface of the acoustic wave cavity, the transducer generating an acoustic wave in the acoustic wave cavity wherein a touch on a touch surface of the acoustic wave cavity produces a detectable change in the acoustic wave in the cavity and the surface area of the mesa is greater than the surface area of the transducer. - View Dependent Claims (114, 115, 116)
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117. An acoustic wave switch comprising:
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a substrate; a dome shaped mesa formed on the substrate defining an acoustic wave cavity; and a transducer mounted on a surface of the acoustic wave cavity, the transducer generating an acoustic wave in the acoustic wave cavity wherein a touch on a touch surface of the acoustic wave cavity produces a detectable change in the acoustic wave in the cavity and the surface area of the mesa is greater than the surface area of the transducer. - View Dependent Claims (118, 119)
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Specification