Iterative method for determining touch location

• US 7,499,039 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2005
• Issued: 03/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Roberts, Jerry B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; My-Chau T
• Application Number:
  US11/032,572
• Publication Number:
  US 20060152499A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,513 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/173, 345/177, 178/18.01, 178/18.03, 178/18.04
• US Class Current: 345/177
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0436 in which generating transducers and detecting transducers are attached to a single acoustic waves transmission substrate

Abstract

A touch sensitive device uses an iterative method for determining the location of a touch on a touch sensitive surface. The touch sensitive device includes a touch plate and a plurality of sensors configured to sense vibrations propagating in the touch plate. Signals responsive to the vibrations caused by the touch are generated. The touch location is approximated and the signals are adjusted using the approximate touch location. The touch location is determined using the adjusted signals.

Claims

1. A method for detecting a touch location on a touch sensitive device having a touch plate and a plurality of vibration sensors configured to sense vibrations propagating in the touch plate, the method comprising:

generating signals responsive to the vibrations, the vibrations caused by a touch to the touch plate; and

determining the touch location, comprising;

defining an array of initial touch locations, the array sized to cover a portion of an active area of the touch plate;

adjusting the signals using each of the initial touch locations;

approximating the touch locations as one of the initial touch locations based on the signals adjusted using the initial touch locations;

defining one or more additional arrays sized to cover a smaller portion of the active area;

adjusting the signals using the approximate touch location; and

determining the touch location using the signals adjusted using the approximate touch location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the touch location comprises iteratively determining the touch location.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein iteratively determining the touch location comprises iteratively determining the touch location to a predetermined touch location accuracy.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein defining the one or more additional arrays comprises defining the one or more additional arrays based on an initial touch location associated with a more accurate adjusted signal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

defining the array of initial touch locations comprises defining a plurality of touch regions; and

adjusting the signals using approximate touch locations comprising adjusting the signals based on at least one point within of each of the touch regions.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the array of initial touch locations is sized to cover the active area of the touch plate.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein approximating the touch location comprises approximating the touch location based on arrival times of the vibrations at each of the vibration sensors.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

adjusting the signals comprises adjusting a phase of the signals at a selected frequency; and

determining the touch location comprises determining the touch location using the phase-adjusted signals.

4. A method for detecting a touch location on a touch sensitive device having a touch plate and a plurality of vibration sensors configured to sense vibrations propagating in the touch plate, the method comprising:

generating signals responsive to the vibrations, the vibrations caused by a touch to the touch plate; and

iteratively determining the touch location, comprising;

approximating the touch location;

adjusting the signals toward an exact reconstruction using the approximate touch location; and

determining the touch location using the adjusted signals.

8. A method for detecting a touch location on a touch sensitive device having a touch plate and a plurality of vibration sensors configured to sense vibrations propagating in the touch plate, the method comprising:

generating signals responsive to the vibrations, the vibrations caused by a touch to the touch plate;

defining a plurality of touch regions;

adjusting the signals based on at least one point within each of the touch regions; and

determining the touch location based on adjusted signals that provide a location within a predetermined distance of an associated touch region and based on a measure of probable accuracies of the adjusted signals.

11. A method for detecting a touch location on a touch sensitive device having a touch plate and a plurality of vibration sensors configured to sense vibrations propagating in the touch plate, the method comprising:

generating signals responsive to the vibrations, the vibrations caused by a touch to the touch plate;

approximating the touch location;

adjusting the signals using the approximate touch location including adjusting a phase of the signals at a selected frequency; and

determining the touch location using the adjusted signals, wherein the selected frequency is phase-adjusted with respect to a center frequency of a frequency passband.

12. A method for detecting a touch location on a touch sensitive device having a touch plate and a plurality of vibration sensors configured to sense vibrations propagating in the touch plate, the method comprising:

generating signals responsive to the vibrations, the vibrations caused by a touch to the touch plate;

approximating the touch location;

adjusting the signals using the approximate touch location including adjusting a phase of the signals at a selected frequency; and

determining the touch location using the adjusted signals, wherein the selected frequency is phase-adjusted with respect to a frequency associated with a peak signal energy.

13. A touch sensing device, comprising:

a touch plate;

a plurality of touch sensors coupled to the touch plate, the touch sensors configured to generate signals responsive to vibrations caused by a touch on the touch plate; and

a touch location processor coupled to the plurality of sensors and configured to define an array of initial touch locations, the array sized to cover a portion of an active area of the touch plate, define one or more additional arrays sized to cover a smaller portion of the active area, adjust the signals using each of the initial touch locations, approximate the touch location as one of the initial touch locations using the adjusted signals, adjust the signals using the approximate touch location, and determine the touch location using the signals adjusted using the approximate touch location.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein:

the touch plate comprises a frequency dispersive medium; and

the touch location processor is configured to correct the signals for frequency dispersion.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein the plurality of touch sensors comprises a plurality of piezoelectric sensors.

16. The device of claim 13, wherein the touch location processor is configured to iteratively define approximate touch locations and adjust the signals based on the approximate touch locations to determine the touch location.

17. The device of claim 13, wherein the initial array is sized to cover the active area of the touch plate.

18. The device of claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to determine the touch location based on a measure of probable accuracies of the adjusted signals.

19. The device of claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to adjust a phase of the signals at a selected frequency and determine the touch location using the phase-adjusted signals.

20. The device of claim 13, further comprising a display coupled to the touch sensitive device.

21. The device of claim 13, further comprising:

a display coupled to the touch sensitive device; and

a host processor coupled to the display and the touch sensitive device.