Acoustic condition sensor employing a plurality of mutually non-orthogonal waves
First Claim
1. A method of determining information relating to a contact on a contact sensitive device comprising:
- providing a member capable of supporting mechanical propagation of a vibration having a vibration frequency and at least one sensor adapted for producing a signal at the vibration frequency representing vibrations in the member;
applying a contact to the member at a location which perturbs the mechanical propagation of the vibration;
producing the signal using the at least one sensor, representing the perturbed mechanical vibration at the vibration frequency, while preserving phase information therein; and
digitally processing the signal at an oversampled rate with respect to the vibration frequency, to calculate the location of the contact based on at least a phase of the sensed signal representing the perturbed mechanical vibration.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A contact sensitive device and method of operation, comprising a member capable of supporting propagation of vibrations; at least one sensor mounted on the member for measuring vibrations in the member, wherein the at least one sensor transduces a vibration into an oscillating electrical waveform representing the vibration while preserving phase information represented therein; and a processor responsive to the oscillating electrical waveforms of the at least one sensor and analyzing at least the preserved phase information from the oscillating electrical waveform, to determine the location of the contact on the member. In this manner, for example, superposed signals can be distinguished and non-attenuating perturbations of the signal detected.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of determining information relating to a contact on a contact sensitive device comprising:
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providing a member capable of supporting mechanical propagation of a vibration having a vibration frequency and at least one sensor adapted for producing a signal at the vibration frequency representing vibrations in the member; applying a contact to the member at a location which perturbs the mechanical propagation of the vibration; producing the signal using the at least one sensor, representing the perturbed mechanical vibration at the vibration frequency, while preserving phase information therein; and digitally processing the signal at an oversampled rate with respect to the vibration frequency, to calculate the location of the contact based on at least a phase of the sensed signal representing the perturbed mechanical vibration. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A physical computer readable medium for storing a set of instructions readable by a programmable processor, for determining information relating to a contact on a contact sensitive device comprising, performing the steps of:
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transducing an oscillating signal at an oscillating frequency representing vibrations within the contact sensitive device which is perturbed by the contact, into a digital signal oversampled with respect to the oscillating frequency, while preserving oscillation phase information; calculating the location of the contact based at least a phase of the transduced oscillating signal represented in the digital signal; and producing an output dependent on the calculated location. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A contact sensitive device comprising:
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a member capable of supporting propagation of vibrations having a vibration frequency; at least one sensor mounted on the member for measuring vibrations in the member, wherein the at least one sensor transduces a vibration into an oscillating electrical waveform preserving the oscillations of the vibration at the vibration frequency while preserving phase information represented therein; and a processor responsive to the oscillating electrical waveform of the at least one sensor and analyzing at least the preserved phase information at the vibration frequency from the oscillating electrical waveform, to determine the location of the contact on the member. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification