Optical coupler for use in an optical touch sensitive device
First Claim
1. An optical touch-sensitive device comprising:
- a planar optical waveguide extending over a surface of a display, the waveguide having a top surface and a bottom surface;
emitters and detectors arranged along a periphery of the display and below the bottom surface of the waveguide;
an optical coupler assembly positioned along the periphery of the display coupled below the bottom surface of the waveguide, the optical coupler assembly coupling optical beams produced by the emitters into the waveguide and out of the waveguide to the detectors, the optical beams propagating through the waveguide via total internal reflection (TIR) off of the top and bottom surfaces of the waveguide wherein touches on the top surface of the waveguide disturb the optical beams, the touch-sensitive device determining touch events based on the disturbances, the optical coupler assembly comprising;
an upper surface and a lower surface, both formed parallel to the bottom surface of the waveguide, the upper surface forming an interface at which light enters from or exits to the waveguide,a diagonal surface joining both the upper and lower surfaces and formed at an acute angle to the lower surface and an obtuse angle to the upper surface, measured within the optical coupler assembly, andwherein one of the diagonal surface and the lower surface forms an interface at which light enters from or exits to an emitter or a detector, the other one of the diagonal surface and the lower surface being a surface upon which TIR of light occurs within the optical coupler assembly.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An optical touch-sensitive device is able to determine the locations of multiple simultaneous touch events. The optical touch-sensitive device includes multiple emitters and detectors coupled with an optical coupler assembly through a waveguide on the surface on the optical-touch sensitive device. The coupler may be side coupled or edge coupled to the waveguide. For both the side coupled or edge coupled cases, the coupler may also be configured to reorient beams to accommodate any orientation of emitters and detectors with respect to the waveguide. The coupler may also be configured to translate beams laterally or vertically to accommodate any position of emitters and detectors. The coupler, and touch-sensitive device more generally, are also configured to prevent ambient light entering the waveguide from hitting the emitters and detectors. Each emitter produces optical beams which are received by the detectors. Touch events disturb the optical beams.
96 Citations
14 Claims
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1. An optical touch-sensitive device comprising:
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a planar optical waveguide extending over a surface of a display, the waveguide having a top surface and a bottom surface; emitters and detectors arranged along a periphery of the display and below the bottom surface of the waveguide; an optical coupler assembly positioned along the periphery of the display coupled below the bottom surface of the waveguide, the optical coupler assembly coupling optical beams produced by the emitters into the waveguide and out of the waveguide to the detectors, the optical beams propagating through the waveguide via total internal reflection (TIR) off of the top and bottom surfaces of the waveguide wherein touches on the top surface of the waveguide disturb the optical beams, the touch-sensitive device determining touch events based on the disturbances, the optical coupler assembly comprising; an upper surface and a lower surface, both formed parallel to the bottom surface of the waveguide, the upper surface forming an interface at which light enters from or exits to the waveguide, a diagonal surface joining both the upper and lower surfaces and formed at an acute angle to the lower surface and an obtuse angle to the upper surface, measured within the optical coupler assembly, and wherein one of the diagonal surface and the lower surface forms an interface at which light enters from or exits to an emitter or a detector, the other one of the diagonal surface and the lower surface being a surface upon which TIR of light occurs within the optical coupler assembly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification