Simplified touch tablet data device

• US 4,570,149 A
• Filed: 03/15/1983
• Issued: 02/11/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/1983
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: MicroTouch Systems, Inc. (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: Koala Technologies Corp. (Tank Holding Corp.)
• Inventors: Thornburg, David D., White, George M. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Leung, Philip W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sears, C. N.
• Application Number:
  US06/475,419
• Time in Patent Office: 1,064 Days
• Field of Search: 338/114, 338/115, 338/89-91, 338/99-102, 178/18, 178/19, 178/20, 33/1 M
• US Class Current: 338/114
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/205 using distributed sensing elements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact

Abstract

A touch tablet is provided containing two sheets of insulating material each of which contains a plurality of spaced apart conductive lines. A resistive strip on each sheet contacts and connects electrically one end of each of the plurality of conductive lines on that sheet. Each resistive strip functions as a potentiometer. Mounted between the two sheets and spaced apart therefrom is a conductive middle sheet. The first and second sheets are mounted such that the first and second sets of a plurality of conductive lines on these sheets are orthogonal to each other. A user presses on one of the two sheets to bring all three sheets into contact. The impedence of each potentiometer is a function of the contact point. The potentiometer is used as part of an RC circuit to provide a variable time constant representative of the coordinate of the contact point.

Claims

1. Data entry structure comprising

a first sheet of insulating material having a first surface and a second surface;

a second sheet of insulating material having a first surface and a second surface;

a first plurality of conductive strips formed on the first surface of said first sheet of insulating material;

a first resistive strip formed in contact with, and so as to connect, one end of each of said first plurality of conductive strips on said first surface of said first sheet of insulating material;

a second plurality of conductive strips formed on the first surface of said second sheet of insulating material;

a second resistive strip formed in contact with, and so as to connect, one end of each of said second plurality of conductive strips on said first surface of said second sheet of insulating material;

a conductive layer formed on said second surface of said second sheet of insulating material;

a third sheet of conductive material;

means for orienting said first sheet of insulating material, said second sheet of insulating material and said third sheet of conductive material such that each sheet is spaced apart from each other and the first plurality of conductive strips formed on said first surface of said first sheet of insulating material face the the conductive layer formed on the second surface of said second sheet of insulating material, said second plurality of conductive strips face said third sheet of conductive material, such that by pressing a selected point on said structure, a selected one or two of said first plurality of conductive strips come into contact with the conductive layer formed on said second surface of said second sheet of insulating material and a selected one or two of said second plurality of conductive strips come into contact with the third sheet of conductive material, thereby to determine a first coordinate of the point of contact and a second coordinate orthogonal to said first coordinate of said point of contact.

2. Structure as in claim 1 where

said first strip of resistive material comprises a first potentiometer;

said second strip of resistive material comprises a second potentiometer; and

including

means for determining the current through said first strip of resistive material and the current through said second strip of resistive material, thereby to determine the first coordinate of said point of contact and the second coordinate orthogonal to said first coordinate of said point of contact.