Elastic touch input surface
First Claim
1. A touch input device, comprising:
- a housing;
an elastic layer at which depression by an object causes a local indentation in the elastic layer, the geometry of the local indentation being in accordance with the object'"'"'s force of depression;
one or more light emitters mounted in said housing;
one or more light detectors mounted in said housing;
a light guide positioned between said emitters and said elastic layer, that directs light beams from said emitters into said elastic layer at an angle such that the light beams, after entering said elastic layer, remain confined to said elastic layer by total internal reflection;
a light guide positioned between said detectors and said elastic layer, that directs light beams exiting said elastic layer onto said detectors, each detector having a reference output value corresponding to an expected amount of light detection when said emitters are activated and no object is touching said elastic layer; and
a processor, mounted in said housing and connected to said light detectors, determining the object'"'"'s force of depression based on the geometry of the local indentation in the elastic layer, as calibrated by a deviation between actual and reference output values for one of said detectors;
wherein said processor further determines a depth of the local indentation.
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Abstract
A device including an elastic layer that, when depressed by an object, causes a local indentation in the layer, the geometry of the local indentation being in accordance with a force of depression, light emitters, light detectors, a light guide between the emitters and the layer directing light beams from the emitters into the layer at an angle such that the light beams, after entering the layer, remain confined to the layer by total internal reflection, a light guide between the detectors and the layer that directs light beams exiting the layer onto the detectors, each detector having a reference output value corresponding to expected light detection when no object is touching the layer, and a processor determining the object'"'"'s force of depression based on the geometry of the local indentation in the layer, as calibrated by a deviation between actual and reference output values for one of the detectors.
69 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A touch input device, comprising:
- a housing;
an elastic layer at which depression by an object causes a local indentation in the elastic layer, the geometry of the local indentation being in accordance with the object'"'"'s force of depression;
one or more light emitters mounted in said housing;
one or more light detectors mounted in said housing;
a light guide positioned between said emitters and said elastic layer, that directs light beams from said emitters into said elastic layer at an angle such that the light beams, after entering said elastic layer, remain confined to said elastic layer by total internal reflection;
a light guide positioned between said detectors and said elastic layer, that directs light beams exiting said elastic layer onto said detectors, each detector having a reference output value corresponding to an expected amount of light detection when said emitters are activated and no object is touching said elastic layer; and
a processor, mounted in said housing and connected to said light detectors, determining the object'"'"'s force of depression based on the geometry of the local indentation in the elastic layer, as calibrated by a deviation between actual and reference output values for one of said detectors;
wherein said processor further determines a depth of the local indentation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 16)
- a housing;
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9. A method for providing touch input to an electronic device, comprising:
- providing an elastic layer at which depression by an object causes a local indentation in the elastic layer, the geometry of the local indentation being in accordance with the object'"'"'s force of depression;
directing light beams into the elastic layer at one or more locations along edges of the elastic layer at an angle such that the light beams, after entering the elastic layer, remain confined to the elastic layer by total internal reflection, and exit the layer at exit locations along edges of the elastic layer;
detecting light beams that exit the elastic layer at one or more exit locations, each exit location having a reference output value corresponding to an expected amount of light detection when no object is touching the elastic layer; and
determining the object'"'"'s force of depression based on the geometry of the local indentation in the elastic layer, as calibrated by a deviation between an actual detected amount of light and a corresponding reference amount of light at one of the exit locations; and
determining a depth of the local indentation in the elastic layer. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17)
- providing an elastic layer at which depression by an object causes a local indentation in the elastic layer, the geometry of the local indentation being in accordance with the object'"'"'s force of depression;
Specification