Flexible Multi-touch Screen

• US 20080180399A1
• Filed: 01/31/2007
• Published: 07/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tung Wan Cheng
• Original Assignee: Tung Wan Cheng
• Inventors: Cheng, Tung Wan
• Application Number:
  US11/669,170
• Publication Number:
  US 20080180399A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04102 Flexible digitiser, i.e. constructional details for allowing the whole digitising part of a device to be flexed or rolled like a sheet of paper
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04104 Multi-touch detection in digitiser, i.e. details about the simultaneous detection of a plurality of touching locations, e.g. multiple fingers or pen and finger
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and system of flexible multi-touch touch are provided. The invention comprising: a flexible layer; and one or more sensors configured to detect a plurality of simultaneous touching positions at distinct locations of the layer and to generate distinct signals representative of the locations for each of the touches. And a method for flexible touch panel comprising: driving one or more sensors; and detecting a plurality of simultaneous touching positions at distinct locations of a touch panel, wherein the touch panel comprising a flexible property. The invention is also directed towards a flexible multi-touch screen device, comprising: a display as user interface; and a multi-touch panel with flexible property to combine with the display configured to detect a plurality of simultaneous touching positions at distinct locations of the multi-touch panel.

Claims

1. A touch panel, with a flexible property, comprises:

a) A flexible panel layer; and

b) One or more sensors configured to have capability of detecting a plurality of simultaneous touching positions at distinct locations of the layer and to generate corresponding signal(s) representing the location for each of the touches.

2. A touch panel according to claim 1, wherein further comprises a multi-touch screen controller for recognizing coordinates of the plural touching positions.

3. A touch panel according to claim 1, wherein further comprises a display as an output interface.

4. A touch panel according to claim 1, wherein further comprises the sensor(s) configured to detect a singular touching position at distinct location of the flexible touch panel.

5. A touch panel according to claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a flexible property.

6. A touch panel according to claim 1, wherein the layer comprises:

a plurality of flexible and isolated sensors and flexible conductive leads;

each of said sensors is placed at different place within the flexible touch panel, and has its own lead coupling to monitor.

7. A touch panel according to claim 1, wherein the layer comprises:

a plurality of flexible and isolated conductive lines; and

further comprises a second flexible layer spatially separated from the first layer and a plurality of flexible isolated conductive lines that are formed transverse to the conductive lines of first layer;

the intersection of transverse lines are set at different places within the touch panel as the sensors and each of the conductive lines is coupled to monitoring controller.

8. A method for flexible touch panel comprises:

a) Driving one or more sensors; and

b) Detecting a plurality of simultaneous touching positions at distinct locations of a touch panel, wherein the touch panel has a flexible property.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein further comprises the recognition of the plural touching area.

10. A method according to claim 8, wherein further comprises the recognition of the touching travel speed or the touching travel acceleration/deceleration.

11. A method according to claim 8, wherein further comprises the recognition of the touching travel direction or the change of touching travel direction.

12. A method according to claim 8, wherein further comprises the detection of a singular touching position at distinct location of the flexible touch panel.

13. A flexible multi-touch screen device comprises:

a) A display as user interface; and

b) A multi-touch panel with flexible property to combine with the display configured to have capability of detecting a plurality of simultaneous touching positions at distinct locations of the multi-touch panel.

14. A flexible multi-touch screen device according to claim 13, wherein the touch panel may be positioned in front of, in the rear of, adjacent to or within of the display.

15. A flexible multi-touch screen device according to claim 13, wherein further comprises a communication module for communication.

16. A flexible multi-touch screen device according to claim 13, wherein the display comprises a flexible property.

17. A flexible multi-touch screen device according to claim 13, wherein further comprises a display controller for controlling the display.

18. A flexible multi-touch screen device according to claim 13, wherein the display comprises a 3D display functionality.

19. A flexible multi-touch screen device according to claim 13, wherein further comprises a processor for calculation.

20. A flexible multi-touch screen device according to claim 13, wherein further comprises a memory for data storage.

21. A flexible multi-touch screen device according to claim 13, wherein further comprises a storage media for data storage.

22. A flexible multi-touch screen device according to claim 13, wherein further comprises a substrate with a flexible property.

23. A flexible multi-touch screen device according to claim 13, wherein further comprises a positioning module for detecting position of the device.