High transparency integrated enclosure touch screen assembly for a portable hand held device

• US 8,134,534 B1
• Filed: 03/01/2005
• Issued: 03/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Gettemy, Shawn R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar, Srilakshmi K
• Application Number:
  US11/070,689
• Time in Patent Office: 2,569 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-176, 385 12- 14, 349/158, 361/681, 361/729
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen

Abstract

An integrated enclosure/touch screen assembly. A touch screen assembly consisting of a display mechanism and optical sensor mechanism are enclosed within a single piece cover. The optical sensor mechanism consists of lens structure and optical sensor couple to the lens structure. The single piece cover includes a transparent top surface and the lens structure is embedded within the transparent top surface. The transparent top surface of the single piece cover provides an enclosure that is both dust free and waterproof.

The lens structure of the single piece cover functions by columnating light across the transparent surface. The optical touch sensor is coupled to the lens structure to register contact with the transparent surface via the lens structure by detecting disturbances in the columnated light. In one embodiment, the single piece cover is constructed by embedding the lens structure directly into the transparent surface. This process forms the single piece cover and also may be used to provide various shapes for the outer edges of the cover. The single piece cover eliminates exposed seams of the touch screen assembly. Additionally, the transparent surface is disposed directly above the display without any intervening layers, thereby improving the transmission of light to the display.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device comprising:

a display; and

a housing enclosing said display on at least four sides, wherein said housing further comprises;

a transparent top surface for viewing said display disposed directly above said display;

a light source;

a lens structure for transmitting light from said light source parallel to said transparent surface; and

an optical sensor operable to detect a portion of said light transmitted parallel to said transparent surface, and to detect a set of coordinates of an object located in proximity to said transparent surface based upon an interference with a portion of said light by said object, wherein said optical sensor is integrated into said housing;

wherein the light source, the lens structure and the optical sensor are enclosed within a single piece cover of the housing, the single piece cover including the transparent top surface, the lens structure embedded within the transparent top surface.

2. The portable electronic device of claim 1 further comprising:

a light source disposed within said housing, said light source operable to generate said light.

3. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein said object is selected from a group consisting of a stylus and a finger.

4. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the transparent top surface of said single-piece cover is free of steps or indentations.

5. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein said lens structure is further operable to transmit said light across said transparent surface in a plurality of columns.

6. The portable electronic device of claim 5, wherein said plurality of columns comprise a first plurality of columns and a second plurality of columns, and wherein said first plurality of columns intersect said second plurality of columns.

7. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein said housing further comprises at least one waveguide for directing said light from a light source to said lens structure.

8. A portable electronic device comprising:

a housing comprising a transparent top surface and at least one lens structure, wherein said at least one lens structure is integrated into said housing;

a display device disposed within said housing directly below said transparent surface and viewable through said transparent surface;

a light source disposed within said housing and for generating light; and

an optical sensor integrated into said housing and for detecting an object in proximity to said transparent surface based upon interference with said light by said object, and for detecting a set of coordinates of said object based upon said interference;

wherein the light source, the at least one lens structure and the optical sensor are enclosed within a single piece cover of the housing, the single piece cover including the transparent top surface, the lens structure embedded within the transparent top surface.

9. The portable electronic device of claim 8, wherein said at least one lens structure comprises:

a first lens structure for interfacing with said light source; and

a second lens structure for interfacing with said optical sensor.

10. The portable electronic device of claim 9, wherein said housing further comprises:

a first waveguide for directing said light from said light source to said first lens structure; and

a second waveguide for directing a portion of said light from said second lens structure to said optical sensor.

11. The portable electronic device of claim 9, wherein said first lens structure is further operable to transmit said light across said transparent surface in a plurality of columns.

12. The portable electronic device of claim 11, wherein said plurality of columns comprise a first plurality of columns and a second plurality of columns, and wherein said first plurality of columns intersect said second plurality of columns.

13. The portable electronic device of claim 8, wherein said object is selected from a group consisting of a stylus and a finger.

14. The portable electronic device of claim 8, wherein the transparent top surface of said single-piece cover is free of steps or indentations.

15. A housing for a portable electronic device, said housing comprising:

a single piece cover including a transparent top surface disposed directly above a display;

a first integrated lens structure for interfacing with a light source, said first integrated lens structure further for directing light from said light source parallel to said transparent surface, said first integrated lens structure further for enabling interference between said light and an object located in proximity to said transparent surface; and

a second integrated lens structure for interfacing with an optical sensor integrated into said housing, said second integrated lens structure further for receiving a portion of said light and for detecting a position of said object with respect to said transparent surface based upon said interference, and

wherein the display, the light source and the optical sensor are enclosed within the single piece cover, and the first and second integrated lens structures are embedded within the transparent top surface.

16. The housing of claim 15, wherein said first integrated lens structure is further operable to transmit said light across said transparent surface in a plurality of columns.

17. The housing of claim 16, wherein said plurality of columns comprise a first plurality of columns and a second plurality of columns, and wherein said first plurality of columns intersect said second plurality of columns.

18. The housing of claim 15, wherein said object is selected from a group consisting of a stylus and a finger.

19. The housing of claim 15, wherein the transparent top surface of said single-piece cover is free of steps or indentations.

20. The housing of claim 15 further comprising:

a first waveguide for directing said light from said light source to said first integrated lens structure; and

a second waveguide for directing said portion of said light from said second integrated lens structure to said optical sensor.