Optical touch panel

• US 6,836,367 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2003
• Issued: 12/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Japan Aviation Electronics Industry Limited
• Original Assignee: Japan Aviation Electronics Industry Limited
• Inventors: Seino, Takeshi, Katahira, Akihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Epps, Georgia
• Assistant Examiner(s): Harrington, Alicia M.
• Application Number:
  US10/372,728
• Publication Number:
  US 20030156332A1
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 359/618, 359/626, 359/627, 359/628, 359/629, 345/173, 345/175-177
• US Class Current: 359/618
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen

Abstract

An optical touch panel is provided which includes a plurality of light-emitting elements, reflectors for reflecting the emitted light, and a plurality of light-receiving elements for receiving the reflected light. The plurality of light-emitting elements and the plurality of light-receiving elements are arranged alternately along each of first and second adjacent sides of a rectangular position-detecting surface, and the reflectors are arranged along each of third and fourth adjacent sides of the position-detecting surface. A drive controller causes the plurality of light emitting elements to light in a predetermined order to thereby cause respective ones of the light-receiving elements arranged on opposite sides of each of the plurality of light-emitting elements to receive the light reflected by the reflectors. Hollow cylinders opposed to the respective light-receiving elements inhibit light other than the light reflected by the reflectors from being incident on the plurality of light-receiving elements.

Claims

1. An optical touch panel comprising:

a plurality of light-emitting means for emitting light,

reflector means for reflecting the light emitted by said plurality of light-emitting means,

a plurality of light-receiving means for receiving the light reflected by said reflector means,

said plurality of light-emitting means and said plurality of light-receiving means being arranged alternately along each of first and second adjacent sides of a rectangular position-detecting surface,

said reflector means being arranged along each of third and fourth adjacent sides of said position-detecting surface,

control means for causing said plurality of light-emitting means to light in a predetermined order to thereby cause respective ones of said plurality of light-receiving means arranged on opposite sides of each of said plurality of light-emitting means to receive the light reflected by said reflector means, and

blocking means for inhibiting all light other than the light reflected by said reflector means from being incident on said plurality of light-receiving means.

2. An optical touch panel according to claim 1, wherein said blocking means comprises plates formed with a plurality of through holes opposed to light-receiving surfaces of respective corresponding ones of said plurality of light-receiving means.

3. An optical touch panel according to claim 2, further comprising a plurality of condensing lenses each for condensing light emitted from a corresponding one of said plurality of light-emitting means such that the condensed light is directed in a predetermined direction.

4. An optical touch panel according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of condensing lenses each for condensing light emitted from a corresponding one of said plurality of light-emitting means such that the condensed light is directed in a predetermined direction.

5. An optical touch panel according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined order comprises one of:

(i) sequentially lighting said plurality of light-emitting means one by one, and (ii) simultaneously lighting alternate ones of said plurality of light-emitting means.