Touch-sensitive device
First Claim
1. A touch-sensitive device, comprising:
- a light source for emitting light into a touch-sensitive waveguide,the touch-sensitive waveguide comprising side parts and a touch-sensitive surface extending between the side parts of the touch-sensitive waveguide, the touch-sensitive waveguide being configured for guiding light from the light source towards the touch-sensitive surface of the touch-sensitive waveguide in such a way that at least part of the guided light may be disturbed by an object at a contact point where the object contacts the touch-sensitive surface,a detector array configured for detecting intensity distribution of light having propagated from the light source through the touch-sensitive waveguide for position encoding the contact point between the object and the touch-sensitive surface, anda first light redirecting member included in at least one of the side parts of the touch-sensitive waveguide, the first light redirecting member being configured forredirecting light having propagated from the light source through the touch-sensitive waveguide and to the first light redirecting member towards the detector array, such that the redirection of light involves changing the direction of propagation in a plane parallel to the touch-sensitive surface after having propagated under the touch-sensitive surface inside the touch-sensitive waveguide,wherein at least a part of the light propagating towards a specific point of the detector array is prevented from being incident upon the specific point of the detector array when the object contacts the touch-sensitive surface at a corresponding specific contact point.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to an optical touch-sensitive device and a method of determining a position and determining a position change of an object contacting an optical touch sensitive device. In particular, the present invention relates to an optical touch pad and a method of determining a position and determining a position change of an object contacting an optical touch pad. A touch-sensitive device, according to the present invention may comprise a light source, a touch-sensitive waveguide, a detector array, and a first light redirecting member, wherein at least a part of the light propagating towards a specific point of the detector array is prevented from being incident upon the specific point of the detector array when an object contacts a touch-sensitive surface of the touch-sensitive waveguide at a corresponding specific contact point.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. A touch-sensitive device, comprising:
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a light source for emitting light into a touch-sensitive waveguide, the touch-sensitive waveguide comprising side parts and a touch-sensitive surface extending between the side parts of the touch-sensitive waveguide, the touch-sensitive waveguide being configured for guiding light from the light source towards the touch-sensitive surface of the touch-sensitive waveguide in such a way that at least part of the guided light may be disturbed by an object at a contact point where the object contacts the touch-sensitive surface, a detector array configured for detecting intensity distribution of light having propagated from the light source through the touch-sensitive waveguide for position encoding the contact point between the object and the touch-sensitive surface, and a first light redirecting member included in at least one of the side parts of the touch-sensitive waveguide, the first light redirecting member being configured for redirecting light having propagated from the light source through the touch-sensitive waveguide and to the first light redirecting member towards the detector array, such that the redirection of light involves changing the direction of propagation in a plane parallel to the touch-sensitive surface after having propagated under the touch-sensitive surface inside the touch-sensitive waveguide, wherein at least a part of the light propagating towards a specific point of the detector array is prevented from being incident upon the specific point of the detector array when the object contacts the touch-sensitive surface at a corresponding specific contact point. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 38, 39)
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37. A method of position encoding an object contacting a touch-sensitive surface, the method comprising:
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emitting light from a light source into a touch-sensitive waveguide comprising side parts and the touch-sensitive surface extending between the side parts of the touch-sensitive waveguide, guiding light from the light source towards the touch-sensitive surface of the touch-sensitive waveguide, using the touch-sensitive waveguide, in such a way that at least part of the guided light may be disturbed by the object at a contact point where the object contacts the touch-sensitive surface, detecting, using a detector array, intensity distribution of light having propagated from the light source through the touch-sensitive waveguide for position encoding the contact point between the object and the touch-sensitive surface, and redirecting light having propagated from the light source through the touch-sensitive waveguide and to the first light redirecting member included in the at least one of the side parts of the touch-sensitive waveguide towards the detector array using the first light redirecting member, such that the redirected light changes the direction of propagation in a plane parallel to the touch-sensitive surface after having propagated under the touch-sensitive surface inside the touch-sensitive waveguide wherein at least a part of the light propagating towards a specific point of the detector array is prevented from being incident upon the specific point of the detector array when the object contacts the touch-sensitive surface at a corresponding specific contact point and with a redirecting member configured so that at least part of the guided light after having been redirected by a redirecting member changes between being prevented from being disturbed and being disturbed by the object at a contact point.
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Specification