Multi-surface touch sensitive apparatus and method

• US 8,599,158 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2011
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Punke, Martin, Niemela, Ilkka Juhani, Franke, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheng, Joe H
• Application Number:
  US13/172,000
• Publication Number:
  US 20130002566A1
• Time in Patent Office: 888 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345173-176, 178/18.01, 977/742, 200/512, 200/514, 340/407.1
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1647 including at least an additional display G06F1/1692 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1634 Integrated protective display lid, e.g. for touch-sensitive display in handheld computer

Abstract

In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus comprises a first side, second side and touch sensitive layer, the touch sensitive layer coupled with the apparatus and comprising a wiring pattern for receiving a touch signal, the touch sensitive layer having a first portion opposing the first side and a second portion opposing the second side.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a housing including a first side, and a different second side;

a driver located in said housing; and

a touch sensitive layer connected to said driver, said touch sensitive layer comprising a wiring pattern for receiving a touch signal, said touch sensitive layer having a first portion opposing said first side and a second portion opposing said second side.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said housing comprises a first display, and said first portion at least partially opposes said first display.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said housing comprises a second display, and said second portion at least partially opposes said second display.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said touch sensitive layer is at least partially flexible.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and second sides is at least partially flat.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and second sides is at least partially curved.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first side is substantially orthogonal to said second side.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least part of said touch sensitive layer is optically transparent.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said touch sensitive layer comprises at least one of indium tin oxide sensors, Fine Line Metal sensors, Graphene sensors and carbon nanotube sensors.

10. An apparatus according to claim 1, where said apparatus is at least one of a communications device and computing device.

11. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus further comprises a third side and wherein said touch sensitive layer comprises a third portion opposing said third side.

12. An apparatus, comprising:

a housing comprising a first side and a different second side;

first and second touch sensitive layers having at least one wiring pattern, said first touch sensitive layer coupled with said second touch sensitive layer; and

a device for driving said at least one wiring pattern, said device being located in said housing, said second touch sensitive layer being coupled to said device,

said first touch sensitive layer opposing said first side and said second touch sensitive layer opposing said second side.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein at least one of said first and second touch sensitive layers is substantially flexible.

14. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein at least one of said first and second sides is at least partially flat.

15. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein at least one of said first and second sides is at least partially curved.

16. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said first side is substantially orthogonal to said second side.

17. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein at least part of at least one of said first and second touch sensitive layers is optically transparent.

18. An apparatus according to claim 12, where said apparatus is at least one of a communications device and computing device.

19. An apparatus according to claim 12, where said housing comprises a first display, and said first portion at least partially opposes said first display.

20. A method, comprising:

providing a housing of an apparatus, said housing including a first side and a different second side;

connecting a touch sensitive layer to said housing; and

coupling said touch sensitive layer with a driver, where said driver is located in said housing,

said touch sensitive layer having a first portion opposing said first side and a second portion opposing said different second side.