Touch activated controller for generating X-Y output information
First Claim
1. In a touch activated controller for generating signals representative of displacement of a person'"'"'s finger movement thereon along each of two axes and adapted to control apparatus responsive to said generated signals, said controller comprising a supporting layer of insulating material, a first series of elongate conductive sense elements distributed in closely spaced relation across said layer, means forming leads coupled to said elements for carrying signals thereon representative of movement of a person'"'"'s finger across said elements, a second series of elongate conductive sense elements distributed across said layer and disposed between adjacent pairs of said first series, the elements of said second series being divided into a series of increments distributed lengthwise thereof, and means forming conductors coupled to adjacent increments from pairs of said second series of elements for carrying signals thereon representative of movement of a person'"'"'s finger along said elements of said second series.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A touch activated control unit and system provides control information representative of, and in response to, movement of a person'"'"'s finger along each of two axes defined on the unit. The control system includes a touch pad as part of the control unit. Elements of the touch pad define a plurality of axes and are responsive to the proximate presence of a person'"'"'s finger to provide an input in response to touching and representative of the location of the finger on each of the two axes. In this manner a touch activated controller for generating X-Y output information includes touchable traces carried on a common side of a PC board and extending in mutually normal directions. A speed scaling circuit provides improved resolution.
135 Citations
6 Claims
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1. In a touch activated controller for generating signals representative of displacement of a person'"'"'s finger movement thereon along each of two axes and adapted to control apparatus responsive to said generated signals, said controller comprising a supporting layer of insulating material, a first series of elongate conductive sense elements distributed in closely spaced relation across said layer, means forming leads coupled to said elements for carrying signals thereon representative of movement of a person'"'"'s finger across said elements, a second series of elongate conductive sense elements distributed across said layer and disposed between adjacent pairs of said first series, the elements of said second series being divided into a series of increments distributed lengthwise thereof, and means forming conductors coupled to adjacent increments from pairs of said second series of elements for carrying signals thereon representative of movement of a person'"'"'s finger along said elements of said second series.
- 2. In the method of generating X-Y output information from a touch activated controller having a sensor board assembly across which a person can move an activator to be sensed along each of two axes to supply input information, the method serving to modify the resolution of the output information with respect to the movement of the activator, the method including the steps of determining the speed of movement of an activator along a given axis of said sensor board, establishing a series of various speed ranges, associating different factors with respect to each speed range, comparing the first named speed with said ranges, and multiplying said first named speed by the factor associated with that one of said ranges which includes said speed.
- 4. In a touch activated controller for generating signals representative of displacement of a person'"'"'s finger movement thereon along each of two axes and adapted to control apparatus responsive thereto, said controller comprising a supporting substrate of insulating material, a first series of elongate conductive elements distributed in closely spaced relation across one face of said substrate, means forming first conductors coupled to said elements for carrying signals thereon responsive to movement of a person'"'"'s finger thereacross, a second series of elongate conductive elements distributed across said substrate and disposed to include portions lying between adjacent pairs of said first series and on the same face thereof, and means forming conductors coupled to adjacent portions taken from pairs of said second series of elements for carrying signals thereon responsive to movement of a person'"'"'s finger along said elements of said second series.
Specification