Resilient light-based touch surface
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A light-based touch sensitive device, comprising:
- a housing;
a surface encased in said housing;
a layer of elastic material above said surface;
a plurality of light pulse emitters mounted in said housing, that transmit light pulses through said layer;
a plurality of light pulse receivers mounted in said housing, that receive the light pulses transmitted through said layer;
an air gap between said surface and said layer;
at least one light guide in said housing, that guides light pulses over and across said surface traveling within said layer, and that guides light pulses over and across said surface traveling within said air gap; and
a calculating unit, mounted in said housing and connected to said receivers, that determines a location of a pointer that touches said layer and creates an impression in said layer, based on outputs of said receivers.
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Abstract
A light-based touch sensitive device, including a housing, a surface encased in the housing, a layer of elastic material above the surface, a plurality of light pulse emitters mounted in the housing, that transmit light pulses through the layer, a plurality of light pulse receivers mounted in the housing, that receive the light pulses transmitted through the layer, and a calculating unit, mounted in the housing and connected to the receivers, that determines a location of a pointer that touches the layer and creates an impression in the layer, based on outputs of the receivers.
51 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A light-based touch sensitive device, comprising:
- a housing;
a surface encased in said housing;
a layer of elastic material above said surface;
a plurality of light pulse emitters mounted in said housing, that transmit light pulses through said layer;
a plurality of light pulse receivers mounted in said housing, that receive the light pulses transmitted through said layer;
an air gap between said surface and said layer;
at least one light guide in said housing, that guides light pulses over and across said surface traveling within said layer, and that guides light pulses over and across said surface traveling within said air gap; and
a calculating unit, mounted in said housing and connected to said receivers, that determines a location of a pointer that touches said layer and creates an impression in said layer, based on outputs of said receivers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
- a housing;
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7. A light-based touch sensitive device comprising:
- a housing;
a surface encased in said housing;
a layer of elastic material above said surface and forming an air gap between said surface and said layer, said layer being removable;
a plurality of light pulse emitters mounted in said housing, that transmit light pulses over and across said surface traveling within the air gap;
a plurality of light pulse receivers mounted in said housing, that receive the light pulses; and
a calculating unit, mounted in said housing and connected to said receivers, that determines a location of a pointer that touches said layer and creates an impression in said layer, based on outputs of said receivers. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
- a housing;
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15. A light-based touch sensitive device, comprising:
- a housing;
a surface encased in said housing;
a layer of elastic material above said surface;
a plurality of light pulse emitters mounted in said housing, that transmit light pulses traveling within said layer;
a plurality of light pulse receivers mounted in said housing, that receive the light pulses transmitted through said layer;
at least one light guide in said housing, that guides the light pulses from said emitters into said layer, and from said layer into said receivers, wherein an upper surface of said layer is coplanar with an upper edge of said at least one light guide, and wherein said at least one light guide and said layer are formed together by an overmolding process; and
a calculating unit, mounted in said housing and connected to said receivers, that determines a location of a pointer that touches said layer and creates an impression in said layer, based on outputs of said receivers. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
- a housing;
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19. A light-based touch sensitive device comprising:
- a housing;
a surface encased in said housing;
a layer of elastic material above said surface and forming an air gap between said surface and said layer;
a plurality of light pulse emitters mounted in said housing, that transmit light pulses over and across said surface traveling within the air gap;
a plurality of light pulse receivers mounted in said housing, that receive the light pulses;
at least one light guide in said housing, that guides the light pulses from said emitters into the air gap, and from the air gap into said receivers, wherein an upper surface of said layer is coplanar with an upper edge of said at least one light guide, and wherein said at least one light guide and said layer are formed together by an overmolding process; and
a calculating unit, mounted in said housing and connected to said receivers, that determines a location of a pointer that touches said layer and creates an impression in said layer, based on outputs of said receivers. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
- a housing;
Specification