Switch/display units
First Claim
1. A combined switch and display unit comprising:
- a transparent dielectric panel having front and rear sides;
a first electrode means formed from transparent conductive material on the rear side of said dielectric panel;
a display medium disposed on the opposie side of said first electrode means to said dielectric panel;
a second electrode means disposed on the opposite side of said display medium to said first electrode means;
a third electrode means formed from transparent conductive material on the rear side of said dielectric panel adjacent said first electrode means, said first and third electrode means providing a switching function and at least said first and second electrode means providing a display function;
an electrically floating transparent conductive layer formed in front of said dielectric panel and overlying said first and third electrode means for capacitive coupling therebetween, changes in the capacitive coupling provided by said conductive layer providing the switching function between said first and third electrode means; and
means for connecting at least said first and second electrode means to means for providing display pulses whereby said display medium provides a display in response to an electric field display medium caused by said display pulses on at least said first electrode means and said second electrode means;
wherein, for a single switch of said unit, said first electrode means comprises a first set of elongate electrodes, said second electrode means comprises a second set of elongate electrodes, said second set of electrodes overlapping at least said first set of electrodes to form a dot matrix, and the display being provided in response to the electric field caused by said display pulses on selectively energized overlapping ones of said first and said second sets of electrodes such that the display on the switch can be varied by selective application of said display pulses to said electrodes forming said dot matrix.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A switch/display unit comprises a dot matrix display, having two sets of elongate electrodes, one set being inclined to the other, these sets being applied to opposite sides of a display medium. A transparent dielectric panel is superimposed in front of the display, so that the first set of electrodes, which are formed from a transparent conductive material abut the rear surface of the dielectric panel. A transparent conductive layer is formed in front of the dielectric panel, so that it will capacitively couple electrodes of the first set of electrodes with other electrodes of the first set of electrodes or other electrodes on the rear surface of the dielectric panel. This capacitive coupling may be varied by touching or moving the conductive layer. By applying read pulses to one of the sets of electrodes that are capacitively coupled via the conductive coating and sensing the pulses transmitted to the other electrodes, actuation of the switch can be detected. Circuitry is also provided to apply display control pulses to the first and second sets of the elongate electrodes, so as to provide a display which may change in response to actuation of the switch. Several such switch/display units may be combined into an array, utilizing a common dielectric panel and other components.
84 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A combined switch and display unit comprising:
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a transparent dielectric panel having front and rear sides; a first electrode means formed from transparent conductive material on the rear side of said dielectric panel; a display medium disposed on the opposie side of said first electrode means to said dielectric panel; a second electrode means disposed on the opposite side of said display medium to said first electrode means; a third electrode means formed from transparent conductive material on the rear side of said dielectric panel adjacent said first electrode means, said first and third electrode means providing a switching function and at least said first and second electrode means providing a display function; an electrically floating transparent conductive layer formed in front of said dielectric panel and overlying said first and third electrode means for capacitive coupling therebetween, changes in the capacitive coupling provided by said conductive layer providing the switching function between said first and third electrode means; and means for connecting at least said first and second electrode means to means for providing display pulses whereby said display medium provides a display in response to an electric field display medium caused by said display pulses on at least said first electrode means and said second electrode means; wherein, for a single switch of said unit, said first electrode means comprises a first set of elongate electrodes, said second electrode means comprises a second set of elongate electrodes, said second set of electrodes overlapping at least said first set of electrodes to form a dot matrix, and the display being provided in response to the electric field caused by said display pulses on selectively energized overlapping ones of said first and said second sets of electrodes such that the display on the switch can be varied by selective application of said display pulses to said electrodes forming said dot matrix. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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11. An array of combined switch and display units, each unit comprising:
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a transparent dielectric panel having front and rear sides; a first electrode means formed from transparent conductive material on the rear side of said dielectric panel; a display medium disposed on the opposite side of said first electrode means to said dielectric panel; a second electrode means disposed on the opposite side of said display medium to said first electrode means; a third electrode means formed from transparent conductive material on the rear side of said dielectric; an electrically floating transparent conductive layer formed in front of said dielectric panel and overlying said first and third electrode means for capacitive coupling therebetween, changes in the capacitive coupling provided by said conductive layer providing the switching function between said first and third electrode means; and means for connecting at least said first and second electrode means to means for providing display pulses whereby said display medium provides a display in response to an electric field caused by said display pulses on at least said first electrode means and said second electrode means; wherein, for a single switch of said array, said first electrode means comprises a first set of elongate electrodes, said second electrode means comprises a second set of elongate electrodes, said second set of electrodes overlapping at least said first set of electrodes to form a dot matrix, and the display being provided in response to the electric field caused by said display pulses on selectively energized overlapping ones of said first and said second sets of electrodes such that the display on each switch can be varied by selective application of said display pulses to said electrodes forming said dot matrix, and wherein all of said units are formed in spaced relationships, on a common transparent dielectric panel. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A combined switch and display unit assembly comprising:
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a combined switch and display unit having a transparent dielectric panel with front and rear sides; a first electrode means formed from transparent conductive material on the rear site of said dielectric panel; a display medium disposed on the opposite side of said first electrode means to said dielectric panel; a second electrode means disposed on the opposite side of said display medium to said first electrode means; a third electrode means formed from transparent conductive material on the rear side of said dielectric panel adjacent said first electrode means, asid first and third electrode means providing a switching function and at least said first and second electrode means providing a display function; an electrically floating transparent conductive layer formed in front of said dielectric panel and overlying said first and third electrode means for capacitive coupling therebetween, changes in the capacitive coupling provided by said conductive layer providing the switching function between said first and third electrode means; and means for connecting at least said first and third electrode means to means for providing display pulses whereby said display medium provides a display in response to an electric field caused by said display pulses on at least said first electrode means and said second electrode means; wherein, for a single switch of said unit, said first electrode means comprises a first set of elongate electrodes, said second electrode means comprises a second set of elongate electrodes, said second set of electrodes overlapping at least said first set of electrodes to form a dot matrix, and the display being provided in response to the electric field caused by said display pulses on selectively energized overlapping ones of said first and said second sets of electrodes such that the display on the switch can be varied by selective application of said display pulses to said electrodes forming said dot matrix; means for applying read pulses to said first set of electrodes; and means for sensing pulses transmitted capacitively from said first set of electrodes via the conductive layer to said third electrode means. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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Specification