Focusing-shaped reflector arrays for acoustic touchscreens
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A touchscreen, comprising:
- A substrate capable of propagating acoustic waves, the substrate having a touch-sensitive area; and
an array of acoustically reflective elements lying in or on the substrate, the array having an axis, the reflective array elements positioned at an angle relative to the array axis to transmit or receive acoustic signals into or out of the touch-sensitive area, the reflective array elements having a focusing shape that serves to focus acoustic wave energy passing through the elements to an area proximate a center line of the array axis, at least one reflective array element having at least one of (a) a varying width dimension with a maximum width proximate its center and (b) a varying height dimension with a maximum height proximate its center.
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Abstract
An acoustic touchscreen having a substrate capable of propagating acoustic waves, the substrate having a touch-sensitive area, and an array of acoustically reflective elements lying in or on the substrate are positioned to transmit or receive acoustic signals into or out of the touch-sensitive area, the elements having a focusing shape that provides waveguide functionality, i.e., focusing the acoustic wave energy to a narrow area along a center line of the array axis, without requiring a further waveguide core structure.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A touchscreen, comprising:
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A substrate capable of propagating acoustic waves, the substrate having a touch-sensitive area; and an array of acoustically reflective elements lying in or on the substrate, the array having an axis, the reflective array elements positioned at an angle relative to the array axis to transmit or receive acoustic signals into or out of the touch-sensitive area, the reflective array elements having a focusing shape that serves to focus acoustic wave energy passing through the elements to an area proximate a center line of the array axis, at least one reflective array element having at least one of (a) a varying width dimension with a maximum width proximate its center and (b) a varying height dimension with a maximum height proximate its center. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A touchscreen, comprising:
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a substrate capable of propagating acoustic waves, the substrate having a touch-sensitive area; a first array of acoustically reflective elements lying in or on the substrate, the first array having an axis and the reflective array elements of the first array being positioned at an angle relative to the first array axis and positioned to transmit acoustic signals into the touch-sensitive area; and a second array of acoustically reflective elements lying in or on the substrate, the second array having an axis and the reflective array elements of the second array being positioned at an angle relative to the second array axis and positioned to receive acoustic signals transmitted by the first array after the acoustic signals have traveled across the touch-sensitive area, at least one of the first and second reflective array elements having a focusing shape that serves to focus acoustic wave energy passing through the elements to an area proximate a center line of the array axis, and the at least one of the first and second reflective array elements having at least one of (a) a varying width dimension with a maximum width proximate its center and (b) a varying height dimension with a maximum height proximate its center. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A touchscreen, comprising:
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a substrate capable of propagating acoustic waves, the substrate having a touch-sensitive area and a border region adjacent the touch-sensitive area; a first array of acoustically reflective elements lying in or on the substrate and positioned in a first portion of the border region for transmitting acoustic signals into the touch-sensitive area, the first array having a first array axis, and the reflective array elements of the first array being positioned at an angle relative to the first array axis; and a second array of acoustically reflective elements lying in or on the substrate and positioned in a second portion of the border region to receive acoustic signals transmitted by the first array after the acoustic signals have traveled across the touch-sensitive area, the second array having a second array axis, and the reflective array elements of the second array being positioned at an angle relative to the second array axis, the first and second reflective array elements having a focusing shape that serves to focus acoustic wave energy passing through the elements to an area proximate a center line of the first and second array axis, respectively, at least one of the first and second reflective array elements having at least one of (a) a varying width dimension with a maximum width proximate its center and (b) a varying height dimension with a maximum height proximate its center. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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Specification