Optical touch apparatus and drive method to control an average brightness of LEDs

• US 8,830,210 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2010
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Coretronic Corporation
• Original Assignee: Coretronic Corporation
• Inventors: Liao, Chun-Chien, Tsang, Chih-Jen, Jhu, Yu-Lun, Hwang, Chwen-Tay, Wu, Hai-Yuan
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ritchie, Darlene M
• Application Number:
  US12/886,500
• Publication Number:
  US 20110102377A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,450 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-183, 178 1801- 2004, 385/146, 250/221, 250/208.6, 250/205, 250/206.1
• US Class Current: 345/175
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0068 Arrangements of plural sources, e.g. multi-colour light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0428 by sensing at the edges of the touch surface the interruption of optical paths, e.g. an illumination plane, parallel to the touch surface which may be virtual sensing beam interruptions in a planar beam grid of an optical touch-screen G06F3/0421

Abstract

An optical touch apparatus including a first light emitting device, a second light emitting device, a third light emitting device, a fourth light emitting device, a first image detector, a second image detector, and a control unit is provided. The control unit controls the average brightness of the third light emitting device less than each of the average brightness of the second light emitting device and the fourth light emitting device when the control unit controls the first image detector to detect an image. The control unit controls the average brightness of the second light emitting device less than each of the average brightness of the first light emitting device and the third light emitting device when the control unit controls the second image detector to detect an image. A driving method is also provided.

Claims

1. An optical touch apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of light emitting devices comprising a first light emitting device, a second light emitting device, a third light emitting device, and a fourth light emitting device respectively disposed beside a display area and capable of respectively emitting a first beam, a second beam, a third beam, and a fourth beam;

a first image detector disposed beside the display area;

a second image detector disposed beside the display area;

a first light guiding unit disposed beside the display area, located within a detecting range of the second image detector, and located in a transmission path of the first beam;

a second light guiding unit disposed beside the display area, located within a detecting range of the first image detector and a detecting range of the second image detector, and located in transmission paths of the second beam and the third beam, wherein the second light emitting device and the third light emitting device are respectively located at two opposite sides of the second light guiding unit;

a third light guiding unit disposed beside the display area, located within the detecting range of the first image detector, and located in a transmission path of the fourth beam, wherein the second light emitting device is nearer to the first light guiding unit than the third light emitting device is, and the third light emitting device is nearer to the third light guiding unit than the second light emitting device is; and

a control unit electrically connected to the first light emitting device, the second light emitting device, the third light emitting device, the fourth light emitting device, the first image detector, and the second image detector, wherein the control unit controls an average brightness of the second light emitting device, an average brightness of the third light emitting device, and an average brightness of the fourth light emitting device respectively to be a first average brightness, a second average brightness, and a third average brightness when the control unit controls the first image detector to detect a first image, the second average brightness of the third light emitting device is less than the first average brightness of the second light emitting device, and the second average brightness of the third light emitting device is less than the third average brightness of the fourth light emitting device, and the control unit controls the average brightness of the first light emitting device, the average brightness of the second light emitting device, and the average brightness of the third light emitting device respectively to be a fourth average brightness, a fifth average brightness, and a sixth average brightness when the control unit controls the second image detector to detect a second image, and the fifth average brightness of the second light emitting device is less than the fourth average brightness of the first light emitting device, and the fifth average brightness of the second light emitting device is less than the sixth average brightness of the third light emitting device, wherein the second average brightness is less than the sixth average brightness, and the fifth average brightness is less than the first average brightness.

2. The optical touch apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the third average brightness is substantially equal to the fourth average brightness.

3. The optical touch apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the first light emitting device not to emit the first beam when the control unit controls the first image detector to detect the first image, and the control unit controls the fourth light emitting device not to emit the fourth beam when the control unit controls the second image detector to detect the second image.

4. The optical touch apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit is capable of alternately controlling the first image detector and the second image detector to detect the first image and the second image respectively.

5. The optical touch apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit respectively provides a first pulse driving signal, a second pulse driving signal, and a third pulse driving signal to the second light emitting device, the third light emitting device, and the fourth light emitting device when the control unit controls the first image detector to detect the first image, and the control unit respectively provides a fourth pulse driving signal, a fifth pulse driving signal, and a sixth pulse driving signal to the first light emitting device, the second light emitting device, and the third light emitting device when the control unit controls the second image detector to detect the second image, wherein an amplitude of the second pulse driving signal is less than an amplitude of the first pulse driving signal and less than an amplitude of the third pulse driving signal, and an amplitude of the fifth pulse driving signal is less than an amplitude of the fourth pulse driving signal and less than an amplitude of the sixth pulse driving signal.

6. The optical touch apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the amplitude of the second pulse driving signal is less than the amplitude of the sixth pulse driving signal, and the amplitude of the fifth pulse driving signal is less than the amplitude of the first pulse driving signal.

7. The optical touch apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the amplitude of the third pulse driving signal is substantially equal to the amplitude of the fourth pulse driving signal.

8. The optical touch apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit respectively provides a first pulse driving signal, a second pulse driving signal, and a third pulse driving signal to the second light emitting device, the third light emitting device, and the fourth light emitting device when the control unit controls the first image detector to detect the first image, and the control unit respectively provides a fourth pulse driving signal, a fifth pulse driving signal, and a sixth pulse driving signal to the first light emitting device, the second light emitting device, and the third light emitting device when the control unit controls the second image detector to detect the second image, wherein a pulse width of the second pulse driving signal is less than a pulse width of the first pulse driving signal and less than a pulse width of the third pulse driving signal, and a pulse width of the fifth pulse driving signal is less than a pulse width of the fourth pulse driving signal and less than a pulse width of the sixth pulse driving signal.

9. The optical touch apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the pulse width of the second pulse driving signal is less than the pulse width of the sixth pulse driving signal, and the pulse width of the fifth pulse driving signal is less than the pulse width of the first pulse driving signal.

10. The optical touch apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the pulse width of the third pulse driving signal is substantially equal to the pulse width of the fourth pulse driving signal.

11. The optical touch apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit comprises:

a main control circuit electrically connected to the first image detector and the second image detector;

a first current control circuit electrically connected to the main control circuit;

a second current control circuit electrically connected to the main control circuit;

a first current driving circuit electrically connected to the main control circuit and the first light emitting device;

a second current driving circuit electrically connected to the main control circuit and the second light emitting device;

a third current driving circuit electrically connected to the main control circuit and the third light emitting device; and

a fourth current driving circuit electrically connected to the main control circuit and the fourth light emitting device,

wherein the main control circuit is capable of generating a first clock signal to the first current driving circuit, the first current control circuit, and the second current control circuit, wherein the main control circuit is capable of generating a second clock signal to the first current control circuit, the second current control circuit, and the fourth current driving circuit, wherein the first current driving circuit and the fourth current driving circuit are capable of respectively outputting driving currents to the first light emitting device and the fourth light emitting device according to the first clock signal and the second clock signal, and wherein the first current control circuit and the second current control circuit are capable of respectively modulating driving currents outputted to the second light emitting device and the third light emitting device by the second current driving circuit and the third current driving circuit according to the first clock signal and the second clock signal.

12. The optical touch apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first current driving circuit controls the average brightness of the first light emitting device to be a high average brightness when the first clock signal received by the first current driving circuit stays at a first voltage level, and the second clock signal received by the first current driving circuit stays at a third voltage level when the first clock signal received by the first current driving circuit stays at the first voltage level, the second current driving circuit controls the average brightness of the second light emitting device to be a low average brightness, and the low average brightness is less than the high average brightness, the second current driving circuit controls the average brightness of the second light emitting device to be the high average brightness when the first clock signal received by the first current driving circuit stays at a second voltage level, and the second clock signal received by the first current driving circuit stays at a fourth voltage level, the third current driving circuit controls the average brightness of the third light emitting device to be the high average brightness when the first clock signal received by the second current driving circuit stays at the first voltage level, and the second clock signal received by the second current driving circuit stays at the third voltage level, the third current driving circuit controls the average brightness of the third light emitting device to be the low average brightness when the first clock signal received by the second current control circuit stays at the second voltage level, and the second clock signal received by the second current control circuit stays at the fourth voltage level, and the fourth current driving circuit controls the average brightness of the fourth light emitting device to be the high average brightness when the second clock signal received by the fourth current driving circuit stays at the fourth voltage level.

13. The optical touch apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first current driving circuit controls the first light emitting device not to emit the first beam when the first clock signal received by the first current driving circuit stays at the second voltage level, and the fourth current driving circuit controls the fourth light emitting device not to emit the fourth beam when the second clock signal received by the fourth current driving circuit stays at the third voltage level.

14. The optical touch apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first image detector and the second image detector are respectively disposed at two neighboring corners of the display area, the first light guiding unit and the third light guiding unit are respectively disposed at two opposite sides of the display area, the first light guiding unit and the second light guiding unit are respectively disposed at two neighboring sides of the display area, the second light guiding unit and the third light guiding unit are respectively disposed at two neighboring sides of the display area, and the second light guiding unit is opposite to the first image detector and the second image detector.

15. The optical touch apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the first light guiding unit is located between the first light emitting device and the first image detector, and the third light guiding unit is located between the fourth light emitting device and the second image detector.

16. A driving method, adapted to drive an optical touch apparatus, the driving method comprising:

controlling a first image detector of the optical touch apparatus to detect a first image, and controlling an average brightness of the second light emitting device, an average brightness of the third light emitting device, and an average brightness of the fourth light emitting device respectively to be a first average brightness, a second average brightness, and a third average brightness in a first unit time, wherein the second average brightness of a third light emitting device of the optical touch apparatus is less than the first average brightness of a second light emitting device of the optical touch apparatus and the second average brightness of a third light emitting device of the optical touch apparatus is less than the third average brightness of a fourth light emitting device of the optical touch apparatus, wherein the first image detector is capable of detecting beams emitted by the second light emitting device, the third light emitting device, and the fourth light emitting device, and the second light emitting device is nearer to the first image detector than the third light emitting device; and

controlling a second image detector of the optical touch apparatus to detect a second image, and controlling the average brightness of the first light emitting device, the average brightness of the second light emitting device, and the average brightness of the third light emitting device respectively to be a fourth average brightness, a fifth average brightness, and a sixth average brightness in a second unit time, wherein the fifth average brightness of the second light emitting device of the optical touch apparatus is less than the fourth average brightness of the first light emitting device of the optical touch apparatus and the fifth average brightness of the second light emitting device of the optical touch apparatus is less than the sixth average brightness of the third light emitting device of the optical touch apparatus, wherein the second image detector is capable of detecting beams emitted by the first light emitting device, the second light emitting device, and the third light emitting device, and the third light emitting device is nearer to the second image detector than the second light emitting device is, wherein the second average brightness is less than the sixth average brightness, and the fifth average brightness is less than the first average brightness.

17. The driving method as claimed in claim 16, wherein in the first unit time, a first light emitting device of the optical touch apparatus is further controlled not to emit light when the first image detector of the optical touch apparatus is controlled to detect the first image.

18. The driving method as claimed in claim 16, wherein in the second unit time, the fourth light emitting device of the optical touch apparatus is further controlled not to emit light when the second image detector of the optical touch apparatus is controlled to detect the second image.

19. The driving method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the third average brightness is substantially equal to the fourth average brightness.

20. The driving method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising repeating the first unit time and the second unit time alternately.

21. The driving method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising:

respectively providing a first pulse driving signal, a second pulse driving signal, and a third pulse driving signal to the second light emitting device, the third light emitting device, and the fourth light emitting device in the first unit time; and

respectively providing a fourth pulse driving signal, a fifth pulse driving signal, and a sixth pulse driving signal to the first light emitting device, the second light emitting device, and the third light emitting device in the second unit time, wherein an amplitude of the second pulse driving signal is less than an amplitude of the first pulse driving signal and less than an amplitude of the third pulse driving signal, and an amplitude of the fifth pulse driving signal is less than an amplitude of the fourth pulse driving signal and less than an amplitude of the sixth pulse driving signal.

22. The driving method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the amplitude of the second pulse driving signal is less than the amplitude of the sixth pulse driving signal, and the amplitude of the fifth pulse driving signal is less than the amplitude of the first pulse driving signal.

23. The driving method as claimed in claim 22, wherein the amplitude of the third pulse driving signal is substantially equal to the amplitude of the fourth pulse driving signal.

24. The driving method as claimed in claim 17, further comprising:

respectively providing a first pulse driving signal, a second pulse driving signal, and a third pulse driving signal to the second light emitting device, the third light emitting device, and the fourth light emitting device in the first unit time; and

respectively providing a fourth pulse driving signal, a fifth pulse driving signal, and a sixth pulse driving signal to the first light emitting device, the second light emitting device, and the third light emitting device in the second unit time, wherein a pulse width of the second pulse driving signal is less than a pulse width of the first pulse driving signal and less than a pulse width of the third pulse driving signal, and a pulse width of the fifth pulse driving signal is less than a pulse width of the fourth pulse driving signal and less than a pulse width of the sixth pulse driving signal.

25. The driving method as claimed in claim 24, wherein the pulse width of the second pulse driving signal is less than the pulse width of the sixth pulse driving signal, and the pulse width of the fifth pulse driving signal is less than the pulse width of the first pulse driving signal.

26. The driving method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the pulse width of the third pulse driving signal is substantially equal to the pulse width of the fourth pulse driving signal.

27. The driving method as claimed in claim 16, wherein a first light guiding unit is disposed beside the first light emitting device, a second light guiding unit is disposed between the second light emitting device and the third light emitting device, a third light guiding unit is disposed beside the fourth light emitting device, the first light guiding unit and the second light guiding unit are located within a detecting range of the second image detector, and the second light guiding unit and the first light guiding unit are located within a detecting range of the first image detector.

28. The driving method as claimed in claim 27, wherein the first image detector and the second image detector are respectively disposed at two neighboring corners of the display area, the first light guiding unit and the third light guiding unit are respectively disposed at two opposite sides of the display area, the first light guiding unit and the second light guiding unit are respectively disposed at two neighboring sides of the display area, the second light guiding unit and the third light guiding unit are respectively disposed at two neighboring sides of the display area, and the second light guiding unit is opposite to the first image detector and the second image detector.

29. The driving method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the first light guiding unit is located between the first light emitting device and the first image detector, and the third light guiding unit is located between the fourth light emitting device and the second image detector.