Acoustic multi-touch sensor panel

• US 8,743,091 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2008
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Bernstein, Jeffrey Traer
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu, Amare
• Assistant Examiner(s): XAVIER, ANTONIO J
• Application Number:
  US12/184,232
• Publication Number:
  US 20100026667A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,133 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/173, 345/177
• US Class Current: 345/177
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0436 in which generating transducers and detecting transducers are attached to a single acoustic waves transmission substrate

Abstract

Sensing of multiple touches on a surface of a material is provided. A beamed acoustic wave traveling in a substantially linear path along the surface of the material is formed by a plurality of transducers, e.g., a phased array, coupled to the surface. One or more echoes of the acoustic wave caused by a corresponding one or more touches on the path are detected with a detector. The detector may include, for example, one or more of the transducers in the plurality of transducers. The surface can be scanned with a plurality of beamed acoustic waves using a variety of configurations, such as parallel beams, radially emanating beams, etc.

Claims

1. A method of sensing multiple touches on a surface of a material, the method comprising:

forming, with a first plurality of transducers coupled to the surface, a first beamed acoustic wave that travels in a substantially linear first path along the surface of the material wherein the first plurality of transducers consists of a phased array along a first axis of the surface; and

detecting, with a first detector, one or more echoes of the first acoustic wave caused by a corresponding one or more touches on the first path wherein the first detector and any other detector configured to detect echoes is located along the first axis of the surface; and

resolving a position of a touch event on the surface of the material in a plurality of directions based only on the one or more echoes of the first acoustic wave formed by the first plurality of transducers.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first detector includes one of the transducers in the first plurality of transducers.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first detector includes a transducer that is not included in the first plurality of transducers.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first detector includes a plurality of transducers.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

forming a second beamed acoustic wave that travels along the surface in a substantially linear second path that is different from the first path; and

detecting, with a second detector, one or more echoes of the second acoustic wave caused by a corresponding one or more touches on the second path.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first detector includes a first transducer and the second detector includes a second transducer that is different from the first transducer.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first path and the second path are substantially parallel to each other.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the first detector consists of one or more transducers, and the second detector consists of the one or more transducers of the first detector.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein a line colinear with the first path and a line colinear with the second path intersect approximately at the one or more transducers of the first and second detectors.

10. An apparatus for sensing multiple touches on a surface, the apparatus comprising:

a material having a surface for receiving touches;

a single transmitter configured for forming a plurality of beamed acoustic waves traveling in substantially linear directions along the surface, wherein the transmitter consists of a plurality of transducers forming a phased array along a first axis of the surface plane; and

one or more receivers configured for detecting echoes caused by multiple touches impinging on one or more of the beamed acoustic waves, wherein the one or more receivers and any other receivers configured for detecting echoes are located along the first axis of the surface plane, and wherein the echoes can be used to resolve a position of a touch event on the surface of the material in a plurality of detection axes.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the one or more receivers include a transducer that is not included in the plurality of transducers of the transmitter.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the one or more receivers include a plurality of transducers.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the one or more receivers is a plurality of receivers, each receiver for detecting echoes corresponding to one of the beamed acoustic waves.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the directions of travel of the beamed acoustic waves are substantially parallel to each other.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein lines colinear with the directions of travel of the beamed acoustic waves intersect approximately at the one or more receivers.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, the apparatus formed within a computing system.

17. A mobile telephone including an apparatus for sensing multiple touches on a surface, the apparatus comprising:

a material having a surface for receiving touches;

a single transmitter configured for forming a plurality of beamed acoustic waves traveling in substantially linear directions along the surface, wherein the transmitter consists of a plurality of transducers forming a phased array along a first axis of the surface plane; and

one or more receivers configured for detecting echoes caused by multiple touches impinging on one or more of the beamed acoustic waves, wherein the one or more receivers and any other receivers configured for detecting echoes are located along the first axis of the surface plane, and wherein the echoes can be used to resolve a position of a touch event on the surface of the material in a plurality of detection axes.

18. A digital media player including an apparatus for sensing multiple touches on a surface, the apparatus comprising:

a material having a surface for receiving touches;

a single transmitter configured for forming a plurality of beamed acoustic waves traveling in substantially linear directions along the surface, wherein the transmitter consists of a plurality of transducers forming a phased array along a first axis of the surface plane; and

one or more receivers configured for detecting echoes caused by multiple touches impinging on one or more of the beamed acoustic waves, wherein the one or more receivers and any other receivers configured for detecting echoes are located along the first axis of the surface plane, and wherein the echoes can be used to resolve a position of a touch event on the surface of the material in a plurality of detection axes.