Touch-type input apparatus

• US 7,138,986 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2003
• Issued: 11/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SMK Corporation
• Original Assignee: SMK Corporation
• Inventors: Ohtsuka, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Henry N.
• Application Number:
  US10/373,921
• Publication Number:
  US 20030227446A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,364 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/175, 178 1809- 18, 310/328, 310/365
• US Class Current: 345/175
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0433 in which the acoustic waves are either generated by a movable member and propagated within a surface layer or propagated within a surface layer and captured by a movable member
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/785 characterised by the material of the contacts, e.g. conductive polymers
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/807 characterised by the spatial arrangement of the contact sites, e.g. superimposed sites
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2201/036 Variable resistance
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/002 sealed
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2225/002 superimposed
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/022 with opto-electronic switch

Abstract

A touch-type input apparatus which is used for operating equipment such as electric home appliances, is durable and well-designed, and prevents malfunction is disclosed. The touch-type input apparatus includes a translucent touch operation panel, touch detection means, light detection means, a light reception unit, and input determination means. The touch detection means detects a touch on the touch operation panel. The light detection means includes a light emission unit and a light reception unit. The light emission unit is provided on the rear surface side of the touch operation panel and transmits a unique light signal through the touch operation panel. The light reception unit detects a reflected unique light signal which is transmitted from the light emission unit and is reflected on a front surface side of the touch operation panel. The input determination means determines the intended input operation based on detection signals supplied from the touch detection means and the light detection means.

Claims

1. A touch-type input apparatus comprising:

a touch operation panel;

a touch detection unit operable to detect a load on said touch operation panel, said touch detection unit comprising a piezoelectric element;

a light detection unit comprising;

a light emission unit operable to transmit a unique frequency light signal through said touch operation panel, said light emission unit provided on a rear surface side of said touch operation panel; and

a light reception unit operable to detect said unique frequency light signal transmitted from said light emission unit and subsequently reflected on a front surface side of said touch operation panel; and

an input determination unit operable to perform an input operation determination from detection signals supplied from said touch detection unit and said light detection unit.

2. The touch-type input apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the input determination unit determines an input operation only when the input determination unit simultaneously receives the detection signal supplied by the touch detection unit and the detection signal by the light detection unit.

3. The touch-type input apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a translucent liquid crystal display interposed between the rear surface side of said touch operation panel and said light detection unit.

4. The touch-type input apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the input determination unit is further operable to determine the location of an input based upon the detection signal supplied by the light detection unit.

5. A touch-type input apparatus comprising:

a touch operation panel;

a touch detection unit operable to detect a load on the touch operation panel;

a light detection unit comprising;

a plurality of light emission units, each light emission unit operable to transmit a respective unique light signal through the touch operation panel; and

a plurality of light reception units, each light reception unit operable to detect the respective unique light signal reflected off an operation body; and

an input determination unit operable to determine an input operation only when the input determination unit simultaneously receives a load detection signal from the touch detection unit and an input detection signal from a respective light detection unit.

6. The touch-type input apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein the touch detection unit comprises a piezoelectric element.

7. The touch-type input apparatus as set forth in claim 5, further comprising a translucent liquid crystal display interposed between a rear surface side of said touch operation panel and said light detection unit.

8. The touch-type input apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein the input determination unit is further operable to determine the location of an input based upon the input detection signal transmitted by the light detection unit.

14. The touch-type input apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of light emission units is operable to transmit a respective unique light signal having a unique frequency.

9. A touch-type input apparatus comprising:

a touch operation panel;

a touch detection unit operable to detect a load on the touch operation panel and further operable to transmit a load detection signal;

a plurality of light detection units operable to transmit an input detection signal, each light detection unit comprising;

a respective light emission unit operable to transmit a respective unique light signal through said touch operation panel; and

a respective light reception unit operable to detect the respective unique light signal reflected off an operation body; and

an input determination unit operable to determine an input operation only when the input determination unit simultaneously receives the load detection signal from the touch detection unit and the input detection signal from a respective light detection unit.

10. The touch-type input apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein each light emission unit is operable to transmit a respective unique light signal having a unique frequency.

11. The touch-type input apparatus as set forth in claim 9, further comprising a translucent liquid crystal display interposed between a rear surface side of said touch operation panel and the plurality of light detection units.

12. The touch-type input apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein the input determination unit is further operable to determine the location of an input based upon the input detection signal transmitted from the respective light detection unit.

13. The touch-type input apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein the touch detection unit comprises a piezoelectric element.