Acoustic touch sensor
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A touch sensor comprising:
- a substrate capable of propagating acoustic waves, the substrate including a first surface having a touch sensitive region and including a first sidewall intersecting the first surface at a first edge; and
a transmitter, provided on the first sidewall of the substrate, for generating acoustic waves that propagate directly from the first sidewall through at least a portion of the touch sensitive region, said acoustic wave (i) comprising a shear wave and (ii) forming an acute angle with the first sidewall, and said transmitter comprising (i) a piezoelectric transducer comprising a first conductive layer provided on the first sidewall, a piezoelectric material applied over the first conductive layer, and a second conductive layer provided as a continuous covering over the piezoelectric material, the piezoelectric material having been thermally cured after application to the first conductive layer, and (ii) a periodic modulation layer.
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Abstract
A touch sensor comprises a substrate capable of propagating acoustic waves. The substrate includes a first surface having a touch sensitive region and a first sidewall intersecting the first surface at a first edge. A transmitter is provided on the first sidewall of the substrate. The transmitter generates acoustic waves that propagate directly from the first sidewall through at least a portion of the touch sensitive region.
118 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A touch sensor comprising:
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a substrate capable of propagating acoustic waves, the substrate including a first surface having a touch sensitive region and including a first sidewall intersecting the first surface at a first edge; and a transmitter, provided on the first sidewall of the substrate, for generating acoustic waves that propagate directly from the first sidewall through at least a portion of the touch sensitive region, said acoustic wave (i) comprising a shear wave and (ii) forming an acute angle with the first sidewall, and said transmitter comprising (i) a piezoelectric transducer comprising a first conductive layer provided on the first sidewall, a piezoelectric material applied over the first conductive layer, and a second conductive layer provided as a continuous covering over the piezoelectric material, the piezoelectric material having been thermally cured after application to the first conductive layer, and (ii) a periodic modulation layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for detecting a touch on a touch sensitive region of a substrate capable of propagating acoustic waves, the substrate including a first surface having the touch sensitive region, the substrate having first and second sidewalls intersecting the first surface, the method comprising:
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generating an acoustic wave proximate the first sidewall of the substrate by means of a transmitter, said acoustic wave(i) comprising a shear wave and (ii) forming an acute angle with the first sidewall, and said transmitter comprising (i) a piezoelectric transducer comprising a first conductive layer provided on the first sidewall, a piezoelectric material applied over the first conductive layer, and a second conductive layer provided as a continuous covering over the piezoelectric material, the piezoelectric material having been thermally cured after application to the first conductive layer, and (ii) a periodic modulation layer; directing the acoustic wave through a portion of the first sidewall of the substrate into the substrate and across at least a portion of the touch sensitive region; and detecting the acoustic wave proximate the second sidewall of the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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Specification