Multi-sensing touch panel and display apparatus using the same

• US 8,587,561 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2010
• Issued: 11/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Woon-bae, Kwon, Jong-oh, Lee, Seung-wan, Park, Du-sik, Choi, Min-seog, Choi, Chang-kyu
• Primary Examiner(s): OSORIO, RICARDO
• Application Number:
  US12/688,494
• Publication Number:
  US 20100283763A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,404 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-175, 178 1801- 1807
• US Class Current: 345/175
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04109 FTIR in optical digitiser, i.e. touch detection by frustrating the total internal reflection within an optical waveguide due to changes of optical properties or deformation at the touch location
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0425 using a single imaging device like a video camera for tracking the absolute position of a single or a plurality of objects with respect to an imaged reference surface, e.g. video camera imaging a display or a projection screen, a table or a wall surface, on which a computer generated image is displayed or projected tracking a projected light spot to determine a position on a display surface G06F3/0386

Abstract

A multi-sensing touch panel and a display apparatus using the same are provided. The multi-sensing touch panel includes: a touch pad including an input surface; at least one infrared ray source which irradiates infrared rays to the touch pad; and a camera array including a plurality of infrared ray cameras which are disposed below the touch pad and inclined with respect to a plane of the input surface.

Claims

1. A touch panel comprising:

a touch pad comprising an input surface to which a user'"'"'s touch is input;

at least one infrared ray source which irradiates infrared rays to the touch pad; and

a camera array comprising a plurality of infrared ray cameras which are disposed below the touch pad and inclined with respect to a plane of the input surface,

wherein the plurality of infrared ray cameras comprise a first camera which is inclined at a first angle with respect to the plane of the input surface, and a second camera which is inclined at a second angle with respect to the plane of the input surface.

2. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the first angle and the second angle are equal and opposite to each other.

3. The touch panel of claim 2, wherein the first camera is disposed adjacent to the second camera and the plurality of infrared ray cameras further comprises a third camera which is inclined at the first angle with respect to the plane of the input surface, and the second camera is disposed between the first camera and the third camera.

4. The touch panel of claim 1, further comprising at least one mount which is disposed below the touch pad and comprises a first surface which is inclined with respect to the plane of the input surface at an angle θ

and a second surface which is inclined with respect to the plane of the input surface at an angle −

θ

, wherein a first camera and a second camera of the plurality of infrared ray cameras are disposed on the first surface and the second surface, respectively.

5. The touch panel of claim 4, wherein the at least one mount further comprises a third surface on which the at least one infrared ray source is disposed, and

wherein the third surface is substantially parallel to the input surface, and the third surface is disposed between the first surface and the second surface.

6. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the plurality of infrared ray cameras are disposed below the input surface and outside of an outer edge of the input surface.

7. The touch panel of claim 6, wherein the plurality of infrared ray cameras comprise:

a first infrared ray camera, a second infrared camera, and a third infrared camera;

wherein the outer edge of the input surface comprises a first side edge and a second side edge which is opposite the first side edge; and

wherein the first infrared camera is disposed at an upper portion of the first side edge, the second infrared ray camera is disposed at a lower portion of the first side edge, and the third infrared camera is disposed at a center portion of the second side edge.

8. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the at least one infrared ray source is disposed below the touch pad.

9. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the at least one infrared ray source is disposed at a side of the touch pad so that the infrared rays incident on the touch pad are totally internally reflected inside the touch pad.

10. The touch panel of claim 9, further comprising a shield film disposed on a portion of the input surface on which infrared rays are incident at an angle that is less than a critical angle.

11. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the touch pad comprises a display panel which forms an image by modulating incident light, and the display panel comprises a display surface on which the image is displayed and the display surface corresponds to the input surface.

12. A display apparatus comprising:

a display panel which forms an image by modulating incident light, the display panel comprising a display surface on which the image is displayed, and the display surface being configured as an input surface to which a user'"'"'s touch is input;

at least one infrared ray source which irradiates infrared rays to the display surface; and

a camera array comprising a plurality of infrared ray cameras which are disposed below the display panel and inclined with respect to a plane of the input surface,

wherein the plurality of infrared ray cameras comprises a first camera which is inclined at a first angle with respect to the plane of the input surface and a second camera which is inclined at a second angle with respect to the plane of the input surface.

13. The display apparatus of claim 12, further comprising at least one mount disposed below the display panel, the mount comprising a first surface which is inclined with respect to the plane of the display surface at an angle θ

and a second surface which is inclined with respect to the plane of the display surface at an angle −

θ

, wherein a first camera and a second camera of the plurality of infrared ray cameras are disposed on the first surface and the second surface, respectively.

14. The display apparatus of claim 13, wherein the at least one mount further comprises a third surface on which the at least one infrared ray source is disposed, and

wherein the third surface is substantially parallel to the display surface and the third surface is disposed between the first surface and the second surface.

15. The display apparatus of claim 12, wherein the plurality of infrared ray cameras are disposed below the display surface and outside of an outer edge of the display surface.

16. The display apparatus of claim 15, wherein the plurality of infrared ray cameras comprise:

a first infrared ray camera, a second infrared camera, and a third infrared camera;

wherein the outer edge of the display surface comprises a first side edge and a second side edge that is opposite the first side edge; and

wherein the first infrared camera is disposed at an upper portion of the first side edge, the second infrared ray camera is disposed at a lower portion of the first side edge, and the third infrared camera is disposed at a center portion of the second side edge.

17. The display apparatus of claim 12, wherein the display panel comprises a liquid crystal panel,

the display apparatus further comprising a backlight unit which provides light to the liquid crystal panel.

18. The display apparatus of claim 17, wherein a transparent substrate which is included in the liquid crystal panel is the display surface, and

wherein the at least one infrared ray source is disposed at a side of the transparent substrate so that infrared rays incident on the display surface are totally internally reflected inside the transparent substrate.

19. The display apparatus of claim 17, wherein the backlight unit comprises a reflection plate and a plurality of light sources disposed on the reflection plate, and

wherein the camera array comprising the plurality of infrared ray cameras is disposed on the reflection plate.

20. The display apparatus of claim 19, wherein the at least one infrared ray source is disposed on the reflection plate.

21. The display apparatus of claim 17, wherein the backlight unit comprises a light source and a light guide plate, and wherein the camera array is disposed below the light guide plate.

22. The display apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first angle and the second angle are equal and opposite to each other.

23. The display apparatus of claim 22, wherein the first camera is disposed adjacent to the second camera and the plurality of infrared ray cameras further comprises a third camera which is inclined at the first angle with respect to the plane of the input surface, and the second camera is disposed between the first camera and the third camera.