Acoustic touch sensor

• US 9,310,939 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2011
• Issued: 04/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elo Touch Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Elo Touch Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Kent, Joel C., Gomes, Paulo I.
• Primary Examiner(s): MA, CALVIN
• Application Number:
  US13/037,107
• Publication Number:
  US 20110254812A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,870 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/177, 178/18.01, 178/18.02, 178/18.03, 178/18.04, 178/18.05
• 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

A touch sensor comprises a substrate capable of propagating acoustic waves. The substrate includes a first surface having a touch sensitive region. A transducer is formed on the substrate. The transducer comprises a piezoelectric element which is thermally cured after being formed on the substrate. The transducer is configured for at least one of generating acoustic waves and detecting acoustic waves. Alternatively, the transducer may include a strip comprising the piezoelectric element.

Claims

1. A touch sensor comprising:

a substrate capable of propagating acoustic waves,

the substrate including a first surface having a touch sensitive region, a second surface opposite the first surface, a first sidewall having a front surface intersecting at 90 degrees the first surface at a first edge and intersecting at 90 degrees the second surface at a second edge;

a transmitter, provided on the front surface of the first sidewall of the substrate, for generating acoustic shear waves propagating from the first sidewall through at least a portion of the touch sensitive region at an acute angle with the first sidewall,

the transmitter comprising a transducer attached to the substrate,

wherein the transducer includes a strip of piezoelectric material disposed parallel to the first sidewall and running along the entire length of the touch sensitive region, and

wherein the transducer further includes a first electrode and a second electrode, the first electrode and the second electrode comprising interdigital fingers configured for coherently generating or receiving acoustic waves in a plurality of directions, the interdigital fingers limited to the length of the touch sensitive region.

2. The touch sensor of claim 1, wherein the strip further comprises at least two layers of conductive material, the piezoelectric material comprising a polymer piezoelectric material formed between the at least two layers of conductive material.

3. The touch sensor of claim 1, wherein the transmitter includes an electrode having spaced apart fingers, the fingers oriented along the height of the sidewall, wherein the fingers are spaced apart to tune the acute angle of the acoustic wave directed across the touch sensitive region.

4. The touch sensor of claim 1, further comprising a detector provided on a second sidewall of the substrate, the detector detecting the acoustic shear waves that traversed at least the portion of the touch sensitive region.

5. A touch sensor system comprising:

a substrate capable of propagating acoustic shear waves, the substrate including a first surface having a touch sensitive region, a second surface opposite the first surface, and first and second sidewalls, each having a front surface intersecting at 90 degrees the first surface and second surface;

a transmitter, provided on the front surface of the first sidewall of the substrate, for generating acoustic shear waves that propagate directly from the first sidewall, the acoustic waves propagating at an acute angle from the first sidewall across at least a portion of the touch sensitive region,

the transmitter comprising a transducer attached to the substrate,

wherein the transducer includes a strip of piezoelectric material disposed parallel to the first sidewall and running along the entire length of the touch sensitive region, and

wherein the transducer further includes a first electrode and a second electrode, the first electrode and the second electrode comprising interdigital fingers configured for coherently generating or receiving acoustic waves in a plurality of direction, the interdigital fingers limited to the length of the touch sensitive region s; and

a detector, provided on the front surface of the second sidewall of the substrate, for detecting the acoustic shear waves that traversed at least the portion of the touch sensitive region.

6. A touch sensor comprising:

a substrate capable of propagating acoustic waves, the substrate including a first surface having a touch sensitive region, a second surface opposite the first surface, and including a first sidewall having a front surface intersecting at 90 degrees the first surface at a first edge and intersecting at 90 degrees the second surface at a second edge; and

a transmitter, provided on the front surface of the first sidewall of the substrate, for generating acoustic waves that propagate from the first sidewall through at least a portion of the touch sensitive region,

wherein the first sidewall comprises a length having a first end and a second end, and the transmitter is positioned at the first end, and further comprising

a waveguide directed on and along the length of the sidewall and running along the entire length of the touch sensitive region, a first electrode and a second electrode, the first electrode and the second electrode comprising interdigital fingers configured for coherently generating or receiving acoustic waves in a plurality of directions, the interdigital fingers limited to the length of the touch sensitive region, and a reflective array positioned on and along the length proximate the first edge, the transmitter configured to direct the acoustic waves along the waveguide for reflection by the reflective array such that surface acoustic waves propagate across the touch sensitive region.

7. The touch sensor of claim 6, wherein the waveguide is formed having a curve along the length such that the waveguide is positioned further from the reflective array at the first end and closer to the reflective array at the second end.

8. The touch sensor of claim 7, wherein the acoustic waves comprise acoustic shear waves.

9. The touch sensor of claim 6, wherein the waveguide is formed with its core reduces along the length from the first end toward the second end.

10. The touch sensor of claim 9, wherein the acoustic waves comprise acoustic shear waves.

11. The touch sensor of claim 6, further comprising a detector provided on a second sidewall of the substrate, the detector detecting the acoustic waves after traversing at least a portion of the touch sensitive region.

12. The touch sensor system of claim 6, wherein the waveguide comprises one of a strip bonded to the first sidewall or a groove formed by removing material from the first sidewall.