Multi-transducer waveguide arrays

• US 9,170,686 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2013
• Issued: 10/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elo Touch Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Elo Touch Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Scharff, Daniel H., Kent, Joel C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Leiby, Christopher E
• Application Number:
  US13/738,697
• Publication Number:
  US 20140192026A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,020 Days
• Field of Search: 345/177
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0436 in which generating transducers and detecting transducers are attached to a single acoustic waves transmission substrate

Abstract

Systems and related methods providing for touch sensors having segmented reflective arrays including waveguide cores are discussed herein. A touch sensor may include a substrate configured to propagate surface acoustic waves. The substrate may include two or more segmented reflective arrays. A segmented reflective array may include a major reflective array configured to propagate surface acoustic waves and a waveguide core configured to concentrate acoustic energy of the surface acoustic waves. Two segmented reflective arrays may further include adjacent portions that define an overlap region of the substrate. In some embodiments, the segmented reflective array may further include a beam dump configured to decrease intensity of surface acoustic wave propagation past the end of the segmented reflective array.

Claims

1. An acoustic touch apparatus, comprising:

a substrate configured to propagate surface acoustic waves, the substrate having;

a first segmented reflective array, comprising;

a first major reflective array configured to propagate a first portion of surface acoustic waves in a first direction defining a first beginning and a first end of the first major reflective array; and

a first waveguide core configured to concentrate acoustic energy of the first portion of surface acoustic waves;

a second segmented reflective array, comprising;

a second major reflective array configured to propagate a second portion of surface acoustic waves in a second direction defining a second beginning and a second end of the second major reflective array; and

a second waveguide core configured to concentrate acoustic energy of the second portion of surface acoustic waves, wherein;

the first end of the first major reflective array extends beyond the second end of the second major reflective array, thereby defining a first directly adjacent portion of the first major reflective array;

the second end of the second major reflective array extends beyond the first end of the first major reflective array, thereby defining a second directly adjacent portion of the second major reflective array;

the first directly adjacent portion and the second directly adjacent portion define an overlap region of the substrate; and

the first direction is antiparallel to the second direction.

2. The acoustic touch apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the first directly adjacent portion includes the first waveguide core; and

the second directly adjacent portion includes the second waveguide core.

3. The acoustic touch apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a beam dump disposed at the first end of the first major reflective array configured to decrease intensity of surface acoustic wave propagation in the first direction past the first end of the first major reflective array.

4. The acoustic touch apparatus of claim 3, wherein the beam dump comprises a solid waveguide core deflector configured to redirect surface acoustic waves away from a transducer.

5. The acoustic touch apparatus of claim 3, wherein the beam dump comprises a reflector grating configured to dampen surface acoustic waves propagating in the first direction.

6. The acoustic touch apparatus of claim 3, wherein the beam dump comprises an acoustically absorptive layer.

7. The acoustic touch apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first waveguide core is defined at least partially by a solid core waveguide in the first directly adjacent portion.

8. The acoustic touch apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first waveguide core is defined at least partially by waveguide reflector elements.

9. The acoustic touch apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the first major reflective array defines a first non-adjacent portion of the first major reflective array having a major width dimension;

the first directly adjacent portion defines an adjacent width dimension smaller than the major width dimension; and

the first major reflective array defines a first transition portion between the first non-adjacent portion and the first directly adjacent portion having a transition width dimension that tapers from the major width dimension to the adjacent width dimension in the first direction along the first major reflective array.

10. The acoustic touch apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first waveguide core comprises a solid core waveguide in the first transition portion and the first directly adjacent portion.

11. The acoustic touch apparatus of claim 10, wherein:

the solid core waveguide defines a first waveguide width dimension in the first directly adjacent portion and a second waveguide width dimension in the first transition portion; and

the first waveguide width dimension is larger than the second waveguide width dimension.

12. The acoustic touch apparatus of claim 11, wherein the second waveguide width dimension increases in the first direction within the first transition portion.

13. The acoustic touch apparatus of claim 10, wherein:

the solid core waveguide defines a waveguide centerline; and

the solid core waveguide is positioned relative to the first major reflective array such that the waveguide centerline is within a center third of the transition width dimension.

14. The acoustic touch apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

the first major reflective array includes reflector elements each having a reflector angle; and

a reflector angle of a first reflector element in the first transition portion is different from a reflector angle of a second reflector element in the first directly adjacent portion.

15. The acoustic touch apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

the second major reflective array defines a second non-adjacent portion of the second major reflective array having the major width dimension;

the second directly adjacent portion defines the adjacent width dimension; and

the second major reflective array defines a second transition portion between the second non-adjacent portion and the second directly adjacent portion having a second transition width dimension that tapers from the major width dimension to the adjacent width dimension in the second direction along the second major reflective array.

16. The acoustic touch apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first directly adjacent portion and the second directly adjacent portion collectively define a collective adjacent width dimension that is the same as or smaller than the major width dimension.

17. An acoustic touch apparatus, comprising:

a substrate configured to propagate surface acoustic waves, the substrate having;

at least eight acoustic wave transducers; and

at least eight segmented reflective arrays, each segmented reflective array including;

a major reflective array configured to propagate surface acoustic waves, and

a waveguide core configured to concentrate acoustic energy of the surface acoustic waves; and

wherein one end of each major reflective array extends beyond an end of another major reflective array, thereby defining a directly adjacent portion of overlap between two major reflective arrays, and direction of propagation of the surface acoustic waves is antiparallel between the two major reflective arrays having the directly adjacent portion of overlap.

18. An acoustic touch apparatus, comprising:

a substrate configured to propagate surface acoustic waves, the substrate having;

at least six acoustic wave transducers; and

at least six reflective arrays, wherein at least four of the at least six reflective arrays are segmented reflective arrays that each includes;

a major reflective array configured to propagate surface acoustic waves, and

a waveguide core configured to concentrate acoustic energy of the surface acoustic waves; and

wherein one end of each major reflective array extends beyond an end of another major reflective array, thereby defining a directly adjacent portion of overlap between two major reflective arrays, and direction of propagation of the surface acoustic waves is antiparallel between the two major reflective arrays having the directly adjacent portion of overlap.