Touch-sensitive input device and fault detection device for a touch-sensitive input device, in particular for medico-technical devices

• US 7,561,144 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2004
• Issued: 07/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sorin Group Deutschland GmBh (LivaNova Plc)
• Original Assignee: Sorin Group Deutschland GmBh (LivaNova Plc)
• Inventors: Ziegler, Thomas, Kobler, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): LEWIS, DAVID LEE
• Application Number:
  US10/580,587
• Publication Number:
  US 20070126706A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,695 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-178, 178 1801- 1811
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0418 for error correction or compensation, e.g. based on parallax, calibration or alignment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact

Abstract

The invention relates to a resistive touch-sensitive device for detecting a short-term or long-term dysfunction by means of measuring devices (32,33), a monitoring device (34) and a memory (35) in such a way that a timely signaling is carried out.

Claims

1. Touch-sensitive input device with

a. a first plate with a first conductive coating on which are provided opposing first and second bus conductors and

b. a second plate with a second conductive coating on which are provided opposing third and fourth bus conductors,

c. whereby the plates are arranged on top of each other at a distance from each other in such a way that the conductive coatings are facing each other,

d. a first measuring device which applies a reference signal to the bus conductors of the first plate and determines a first measured value resulting from the first conductive coating,

e. a second measuring device, which applies a reference signal to the bus conductors of the second plate and determines a second measured value resulting from the second conductive coating second measured value, and

f. a monitoring device,

i. to which the measuring devices transmit the first and the second measured value,

ii. which stores the transmitted measured values in a memory,

iii. compares the measured values with each other, and

iv. which, on the basis of deviations determined from the comparison, determines and signals a malfunction of the input device.

2. Touch-sensitive input device according to claim 1, wherein the plates are arranged in such a way that the first and second bus conductors are arranged in a first coordinate direction (X) and the third and fourth bus conductors are arranged in a second coordinate direction (Y) and that an evaluation device is provided to determine a point of contact in the areas defined by conductive coatings which is connected via connecting leads which is connected to the first to fourth bus conductors respectively in order to determine a point of contact in the area defined by conducting coatings.

3. Touch-sensitive input device according to claim 1, wherein on the second plate, fifth and sixth bus conductors are arranged in a first coordinate direction (X) and the third and fourth bus conductors are arranged in a second coordinate direction (Y) and that an evaluation device is provided for the determination of a point of contact in the area defined by conductive coatings, which is connected via connecting leads to the third to sixth and with the first or second bus conductor respectively.

4. Device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second measuring device are combined to form one measuring device which alternatively performs the measurement at the conductive coating of the first or the second plate.

5. Device according to claim 1, wherein the first or second measuring device are integrated in the monitoring device.

6. Device according to claim 2, wherein the monitoring device is integrated in the evaluation device.

7. Device according to claim 1, wherein the first and/or second measuring device applies as a reference signal a voltage to the first and second or the third and fourth bus conductors and determines the current established as a measured value.

8. Device according to claim 1, wherein the first and/or second measuring device stores as a reference signal a current in the first and second or the third and fourth bus conductors and determines the voltage established as a measured value.

9. Device according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring device accesses measured values stored a short period ago in order to detect short-term malfunctions and/or accesses measured values stored a longer period ago in order to identify long-term malfunctions.

10. Device according to claim 1, wherein monitoring device deletes measured values stored before a predetermined time from the memory in order to release the corresponding memory area for the storage of new measured values and/or overwrites measured values of this type with new measured values.

11. Device according to claim 2, wherein correction device is provided to which are fed an output signal from the evaluation device and an output signal from the monitoring device signaling a malfunction and which, on the basis of measured values stored in the memory, corrects the output signal from the evaluation device and outputs a corrected output signal.

12. Device according to claim 2, wherein the measuring devices emit a signal at an output which is fed to the evaluation device and which causes the evaluation device to interrupt the determination of the point of contact in the area defined by conductive coatings.

13. Device according to claim 1, wherein the memory is a non-volatile memory.

14. Fault detection device for a touch-sensitive input device with a first plate with a first conductive coating on which are provided opposing first and second bus conductors and a second plate with a second conductive coating on which are provided opposing third and fourth bus conductors, whereby the plates are arranged on top of each other at a distance in such a way that the conductive coatings are facing each other, with

a. a first measuring device which is configured for the application of a reference signal to the bus conductors on the first plate and for the determination of a first measuring value resulting from the first conductive coating,

b. a second measuring device which is configured for the application of a reference signal to the bus conductors on the second plate and for the determination of a second measuring value resulting from the second conductive coating, and

c. a monitoring device,

i. to which the measuring devices transmit the first and the second measured value,

ii. which stores the transmitted measured values in a memory,

iii. compares the measured values with each other, and

iv. which, on the basis of deviations determined from the comparison, determines and signals a malfunction of the input device.

15. Fault detection device according to claim 14, wherein the first and the second measuring device are combined to form one measuring device which alternatively performs the measurement at the conductive coating of the first or the second plate.

16. Fault detection device according to claim 14 wherein the first or second measuring device are integrated in the monitoring device.

17. Fault detection device according to claim 14, wherein the monitoring device is integrated in an evaluation device.

18. Fault detection device according to claim 14, wherein the first and/or second measuring device applies as a reference signal a voltage to the first and second or the third and fourth bus conductors and determines the current established as a measured value.

19. Fault detection device according to claim 14, wherein the first and/or second measuring device stores as a reference signal a current in the first and second or the third and fourth bus conductors and determines the voltage established as a measured value.

20. Fault detection device according to claim 14, wherein the monitoring device accesses measured values stored a short period ago in order to detect short-term malfunctions and/or accesses measured values stored a longer period ago in order to identify long-term malfunctions.

21. Fault detection device according to claim 14, wherein the monitoring device deletes measured values stored before a predetermined time from the memory in order to release the corresponding memory area for the storage of new measured values and/or overwrites measured values of this type with new measured values.

22. Fault detection according to claim 17, wherein a correction device is provided to which are fed an output signal from the evaluation device and an output signal from the monitoring device signaling a malfunction and which, on the basis of measured values stored in the memory, corrects the output signal from the evaluation device and outputs a corrected output signal.

23. Fault detection device according to claim 17, wherein the measuring devices emit a signal at an output which is fed to the evaluation device and which causes the evaluation device to interrupt the determination of the point of contact in the area defined by conductive coatings.

24. Fault detection device according to claim 14, wherein the memory is a non-volatile memory.