Information input device

• US 8,427,423 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2006
• Issued: 04/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Touch Panel Systems KK (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Original Assignee: Touch Panel Systems KK (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Tsumura, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu, Amare
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rodriguez, Joseph G
• Application Number:
  US11/795,349
• Publication Number:
  US 20080100594A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,657 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/177, 345/173
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0436 in which generating transducers and detecting transducers are attached to a single acoustic waves transmission substrate
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

An information input device (1) includes a touch panel (2), an image display (6), and a sensor section (12) for detecting touched contact positions on the touch panel (2). A detection region of the touch panel (2), surrounded by the sensor section (12), is divided into a rectangular main region (10) and at least one sub region (14), which has a smaller area than the main region (10), is separated from the main region (10), and extends along at least one edge thereof. Images are displayed by the image display (6) and contact positions are detected in the main region (10). Only the presence or absence of contact is detected in the at least one sub region (14).

Claims

1. An information input device, comprising:

a touch panel comprising a sensor section configured to detect contact positions on the touch panel, the sensor section being divided into a rectangular main region and at least one sub region, wherein the touch panel is an acoustic type touch panel and the sensor section comprises a plurality of reflective arrays arranged along the perimeter of the sensor section, the plurality of reflective arrays comprising a first reflective array along the main region and a second reflective array along the at least one sub region wherein the first reflective array and the second reflective array are co-linear but separated from each other by a first gap, the first gap representing a first separation between the main region and the at least one sub region, wherein first portions of surface acoustic waves are reflected by the first reflective array across the main region and second portions of the surface acoustic waves pass through the first gap and are reflected by the second reflective array across the at least one sub region;

a receiving transducer configured to receive the first portions of the surface acoustic waves and the second portions of the surface acoustic waves; and

an image display visible through the main region of the touch panel;

wherein the at least one sub region has a smaller area than the main region, is separated from the main region, extends along at least one edge of the main region, and has a switching function;

wherein images are displayed by the image display and contact positions are detected in the main region; and

wherein only the presence or absence of contact is detected in the at least one sub region.

2. An information input device as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one sub region comprises:

a first sub region, which is separated from, adjacent to, and extends along a first edge of the main region;

a second sub region, which is separated from, adjacent to, and extends along a second edge of the main region perpendicular to the first edge; and

a third sub region, which is positioned at an intersection of the directions in which the first edge and the second edge extend, and separated from the first sub region and the second sub region.

3. An information input device as defined in claim 2, wherein:

the plurality of reflective arrays further comprises a third reflective array along the main region and a fourth reflective array along the second sub region, the third and fourth reflective arrays being co-linear but separated from each other by a second gap representing the first separation between the main region and the at least one sub region, wherein acoustic waves that pass through the second gap continue to propagate to the fourth reflective array.

4. An information input device as defined in claim 3, wherein:

the first and second reflective arrays are parallel to the third and fourth reflective arrays.

5. An information input device as defined in claim 2, wherein:

the plurality of reflective arrays further comprises a fifth reflective array along the main region and a sixth reflective array along the second sub region, the fifth and sixth reflective arrays being co-linear but separated from each other by a third gap representing a second separation between the main region and at least one sub region, wherein acoustic waves that pass through the third gap continue to propagate to the sixth reflective array.

6. An information input device as defined in claim 5, wherein:

the plurality of reflective arrays further comprises a seventh reflective array along the main region and an eighth reflective array along the third sub region, the seventh and eighth reflective arrays being co-linear but separated from each other by a fourth gap representing the second separation, wherein acoustic waves that pass through the fourth gap continue to propagate to the seventh reflective array.

7. An information input device as defined in claim 1, wherein:

the switching function allotted to any particular sub region comprises one of;

a right click function, a shift key function, a control key function, a booting function, a brightness adjustment function, a vertically inverted display function, or displaying an onscreen display (OSD) menu.

8. An information input device as defined in claim 2, wherein:

the switching function allotted to any particular sub region comprises one of;

a right click function, a shift key function, a control key function, a booting function, a brightness adjustment function, a vertically inverted display function, or displaying an onscreen display (OSD) menu.

9. An information input device as defined in claim 6, wherein:

the switching function allotted to any particular sub region comprises one of;

a right click function, a shift key function, a control key function, a booting function, a brightness adjustment function, a vertically inverted display function, or displaying an onscreen display (OSD) menu.