Apparatus and method for making flexible waveguide substrates for use with light based touch screens
First Claim
1. An apparatus, comprising;
- a flexible base material;
a first optical layer formed on the flexible base material, the first optically transparent layer having a first index of refraction value;
a second optical layer formed on the first optical layer, the second optical layer being patterned to form a plurality of optical elements and waveguides respectively, the second optical layer having a second index of refraction value higher than the first index of refraction value;
a third optical layer formed on the second optical layer, the third optical layer having a third index of refraction value lower than the second index of refraction value,the base material and first, second and third optical layers forming a flexible waveguide substrate, andthe apparatus further comprising a light based touch screen having the flexible waveguide substrate formed substantially around the perimeter of the touch screen, a first sub-set of the plurality of optical elements of the flexible waveguide substrate being configured to provide light adjacent to the light based touch screen and a second sub-set of optical elements of the flexible waveguide substrate configured to detect data inputs made to the light based touch screen.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Flexible optical waveguide substrates that can be used with touch screen displays. The waveguide substrates include a flexible base material. A first optical layer having a first index of refraction value is formed on the flexible base material. A second optical layer is then formed on the first optical layer, the second optical layer being patterned to form a plurality of optical elements and waveguides respectively. The second optical layer also has a second index of refraction value higher than the first index of refraction value. Lastly, a third optical layer is formed on the second optical layer. The third optical layer has a third index of refraction value lower than the second index of refraction value. The high N second layer is therefore sandwiched between the lower N first and third layers, creating an internally reflective surface wherever the high N and low N materials are in contact. The base material and first, second and third optical layers thus form a flexible waveguide substrate.
37 Citations
22 Claims
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1. An apparatus, comprising;
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a flexible base material; a first optical layer formed on the flexible base material, the first optically transparent layer having a first index of refraction value; a second optical layer formed on the first optical layer, the second optical layer being patterned to form a plurality of optical elements and waveguides respectively, the second optical layer having a second index of refraction value higher than the first index of refraction value; a third optical layer formed on the second optical layer, the third optical layer having a third index of refraction value lower than the second index of refraction value, the base material and first, second and third optical layers forming a flexible waveguide substrate, and the apparatus further comprising a light based touch screen having the flexible waveguide substrate formed substantially around the perimeter of the touch screen, a first sub-set of the plurality of optical elements of the flexible waveguide substrate being configured to provide light adjacent to the light based touch screen and a second sub-set of optical elements of the flexible waveguide substrate configured to detect data inputs made to the light based touch screen. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus, comprising
a flexible base material, the flexible base material having a plurality of flexible waveguide substrates formed thereon, each of the flexible waveguide substrates comprising: -
a first optical layer formed on the flexible base material, the first optically transparent layer having a first index of refraction value; a second optical layer formed on the first optical layer, the second optical layer being patterned to form a plurality of optical elements and waveguides respectively, the second optical layer having a second index of refraction value higher than the first index of refraction value; a third optical layer formed on the second optical layer, the third optical layer having a third index of refraction value lower than the second index of refraction value, and the apparatus further comprising a light based touch screen having the plurality of flexible waveguide substrates formed in a pattern substantially around the perimeter of the touch screen, a first sub-set of the plurality of optical elements of the flexible waveguide substrate being configured to provide light adjacent to the light based touch screen and a second sub-set of optical elements of the flexible waveguide substrate configured to detect data inputs made to the light based touch screen. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method comprising:
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providing a first optical material over a flexible base material, the first optical material having a first index of refraction value; providing a second optical layer on the first optical layer, the second optical layer having a second index of refraction value higher than the first index of refraction value;
patterning the second optical layer to form a plurality of optical elements and waveguides respectively;providing a third optical layer formed on the second optical layer, the third optical layer having a third index of refraction value lower than the second index of refraction value, the base material and first, second and third optical layers forming a flexible waveguide substrate, and forming the plurality of flexible waveguide substrates in a pattern substantially around the perimeter of a light based touch screen, a first sub-set of the plurality of optical elements of the flexible waveguide substrate being configured to provide light adjacent to the light based touch screen and a second sub-set of optical elements of the flexible waveguide substrate configured to detect data inputs made to the light based touch screen. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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Specification