Light-based touch screen
First Claim
1. A light-based touch surface for an electronic device, comprising:
- a housing that exposes an upper surface of an encased component that enables user input to an electronic device;
a plurality of infra-red light emitting diodes (LEDs), situated inside said housing below the upper surface of the encased component, for generating light beams;
at least one LED selector, fastened on said housing and connected with said LEDs, for controllably selecting and deselecting one or more of said LEDs;
a plurality of photodiode (PD) receivers, situated inside said housing below the upper surface of the encased component, for generating output currents in accordance with received light beam intensities;
at least one PD selector, fastened on said housing and connected with said PD receivers, for controllably selecting and deselecting one or more of said PD receivers;
a first lens, fastened on said housing and in contact with the upper surface of the encased component, for projecting and distributing light beams generated by said LEDs above and across the upper surface at a plurality of heights above the upper surface;
a second lens, fastened on said housing and in contact with the upper surface of the encased component, for collecting and directing the light beams projected and distributed by said first lens onto said PD receivers; and
a controller, fastened on said housing and coupled with said at least one LED selector, with said at least one PD selector and with said PD receivers, (i) for controlling said at least one LED selector, (ii) for controlling said at least one PD selector, and (iii) for detecting position of an object by measuring light intensities at various heights above the upper surface of the encased component, based on the resulting output currents of said PD receivers.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A light-based touch screen, including a housing for a display screen, a plurality of infra-red light emitting diodes (LEDs), fastened on the housing, for generating light beams, at least one LED selector, fastened on the housing and connected with the plurality of LEDs, for controllably selecting and deselecting one or more of the plurality of LEDs, a plurality of photodiode (PD) receivers, fastened on the housing, for measuring light intensity, at least one PD selector, fastened on the housing and connected with the plurality of PD receivers, for controllably selecting and deselecting one or more of the plurality of PD receivers, an optical assembly, fastened on the housing, for projecting light beams emitted by the plurality of LEDs in substantially parallel planes over the housing, and a controller, fastened on the housing and coupled with the plurality of PD receivers, (i) for controlling the at least one LED selector, (ii) for controlling the at least one PD selector, and (iii) for determining therefrom position and velocity of an object crossing at least one of the substantially parallel planes, based on output currents of the plurality of PD receivers.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. A light-based touch surface for an electronic device, comprising:
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a housing that exposes an upper surface of an encased component that enables user input to an electronic device; a plurality of infra-red light emitting diodes (LEDs), situated inside said housing below the upper surface of the encased component, for generating light beams; at least one LED selector, fastened on said housing and connected with said LEDs, for controllably selecting and deselecting one or more of said LEDs; a plurality of photodiode (PD) receivers, situated inside said housing below the upper surface of the encased component, for generating output currents in accordance with received light beam intensities; at least one PD selector, fastened on said housing and connected with said PD receivers, for controllably selecting and deselecting one or more of said PD receivers; a first lens, fastened on said housing and in contact with the upper surface of the encased component, for projecting and distributing light beams generated by said LEDs above and across the upper surface at a plurality of heights above the upper surface; a second lens, fastened on said housing and in contact with the upper surface of the encased component, for collecting and directing the light beams projected and distributed by said first lens onto said PD receivers; and a controller, fastened on said housing and coupled with said at least one LED selector, with said at least one PD selector and with said PD receivers, (i) for controlling said at least one LED selector, (ii) for controlling said at least one PD selector, and (iii) for detecting position of an object by measuring light intensities at various heights above the upper surface of the encased component, based on the resulting output currents of said PD receivers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 31, 32, 33)
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11. A light-based method for providing user input to an electronic device, comprising:
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providing a user interface component encased in an electronic device and having an exposed upper surface; controlling a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) situated inside the electronic device below the upper surface of the encased component, to select and deselect at least one of the LEDs, whereby a selected LED emits infra-red light beams into a first lens in contact with the upper surface, and whereby the first lens projects and distributes light beams emitted by the selected LED above and across the upper surface at a plurality of heights above the upper surface; controlling a plurality of photodiode (PD) receivers situated inside the electronic device below the upper surface of the encased component, to select and deselect at least one of the PD receivers, whereby at least a portion of the light beams projected and distributed by the first lens are collected and directed onto a selected PD by a second lens in contact with the upper surface, and whereby the selected PD generates output currents in accordance with a light intensity of the light beams collected and directed by the second lens; and determining position of an object by measuring light intensities at various heights above the upper surface of the encased component, based on the resulting output currents of the selected PD receiver. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A light-based touch surface for an electronic device, comprising:
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a housing that exposes an upper surface of an encased component that enables user input to an electronic device; a plurality of infra-red light emitting diodes (LEDs), situated inside said housing alongside the encased component, for generating light beams; at least one LED selector, fastened on said housing and connected with said LEDs, for controllably selecting and deselecting one or more of said LEDs; a plurality of photodiode (PD) receivers, situated inside said housing alongside the encased component, for generating output currents in accordance with received light beam intensities; at least one PD selector, fastened on said housing and connected with said PD receivers, for controllably selecting and deselecting one or more of said PD receivers; a first lens fastened on said housing and in contact with the upper surface of the encased component, for projecting and distributing light beams generated by said LEDs above and across the upper surface at a plurality of heights above the upper surface; a second lens fastened on said housing and in contact with the upper surface of the encased component, for collecting and directing the light beams projected and distributed by said first lens onto said PD receivers; and a controller, fastened on said housing and coupled with said at least one LED selector, with said at least one PD selector and with said PD receivers, (i) for controlling said at least one LED selector, (ii) for controlling said at least one PD selector, and (iii) for detecting position of an object by measuring light intensities at various heights above the upper surface of the encased component, based on the resulting output currents of said PD receivers. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39)
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Specification