Touch sensing

• US 9,323,396 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2010
• Issued: 04/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Perceptive Pixel Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Han, Jefferson Y., Kollin, Joel S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Awad, Amr
• Assistant Examiner(s): MATTHEWS, ANDRE L
• Application Number:
  US12/791,663
• Publication Number:
  US 20100302196A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,156 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0016 Grooves, prisms, gratings, scattering particles or rough surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/34 utilising prism or grating G02B6/293 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4204 the coupling comprising intermediate optical elements, e.g. lenses, holograms encapsulated active devices H01S5/02208, H01L33/52
• 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 3/0425 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 touch-screen device includes an imaging waveguide, in which the imaging waveguide has a radiation receiving surface and an imaging surface different than the radiation receiving surface. The imaging waveguide is configured to receive, at the radiation receiving surface, radiation emitted by a contact receiving structure, and transmit the received radiation from a position on the radiation receiving surface to a position and/or angle of incidence on the imaging surface as a function of the position on the radiation receiving surface at which the transmitted radiation was received. An imaging sensor coupled to the imaging surface of the imaging optical waveguide is configured to detect radiation incident upon the imaging surface of the imaging optical waveguide. A processing device coupled to the imaging sensor is configured to determine contact points on the exposed contact surface of a contact receiving structure based on radiation detected by the imaging sensor.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a contact receiving structure having a surface for receiving contact by an input mechanism, the contact receiving structure configured to emit radiation as a consequence of contact with the surface by the input mechanism at a contact point, the contact receiving structure comprising;

a waveguide layer;

a cladding layer positioned on top of a pliable frustrating layer and formed of a material that has a refractive index lower than or equal to the waveguide layer, the cladding layer having films including an anti-glare layer, an infrared filter, and a non-wetting layer, the films bonded together using an optical adhesive, the

pliable frustrating layer spaced by a gap from the waveguide layer by a plurality of protrusions of the pliable frustrating layer or waveguide layer and flexible so as to enable the pliable frustrating layer to contact the waveguide layer when the pliable frustrating layer is physically deformed by the input mechanism at the contact point, the pliable frustrating layer being configured to;

cause frustration of radiation propagating within the waveguide by total internal reflection when the pliable frustrating layer is physically deformed to contact the waveguide layer such that some of the radiation escapes from the contact receiving structure;

an imaging waveguide having a radiation receiving surface and an imaging surface different from the radiation receiving surface, wherein the radiation receiving surface comprises an anti-reflection layer, wherein the anti-reflection layer comprises a plurality of alternating high refractive index and low refractive index layers and an array of protrusions, each protrusion having a height and width smaller than a wavelength associated with the radiation emitted by the contact receiving surface, the imaging waveguide being configured to;

receive, at the radiation receiving surface, radiation emitted by the contact receiving structure, and

transmit received radiation from a position on the radiation receiving surface to a position and with an angle of incidence onto the imaging surface that are each a function of the position on the radiation receiving surface at which the transmitted radiation was received;

a display device;

an imaging sensor that is optically coupled to the imaging surface of the imaging optical waveguide; and

a processing device configured to determine contact points on the surface of the contact receiving structure based on radiation detected by the imaging sensor.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the imaging waveguide is configured to transmit the received radiation by total internal reflection.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the imaging waveguide comprises a first side and a second side, the second side having a length that extends in a direction substantially orthogonal to a direction extended by a length of the first side, the length of the second side being shorter than the length of the first side, wherein the first side comprises the radiation receiving surface and the second side comprises the imaging surface.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the imaging waveguide is formed to have a tapered shape.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the imaging waveguide is configured to transmit the received radiation by total internal reflection, and

wherein the emitted radiation is emitted by a region of the contact receiving structure that corresponds to the contact point.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the imaging waveguide comprises a diffractive optical element.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein the diffractive optical element comprises a thin hologram structure.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein the thin hologram structure comprises a blazed grating.

9. The device of claim 6 wherein the diffractive optical element comprises a thick hologram structure.

10. The device of claim 6 wherein the diffractive optical element is located adjacent to the radiation receiving surface.

11. The device of claim 6 wherein the diffractive optical element is located adjacent to a surface of the imaging waveguide opposite to the radiation receiving surface.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein the imaging waveguide comprises a refractive optical element.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein the refractive optical element comprises Fresnel prisms.

14. The device of claim 12 wherein the refractive optical element comprises Fresnel lenses.

15. The device of claim 12 wherein the refractive optical element is located adjacent to the radiation receiving surface.

16. The device of claim 12 wherein the refractive optical element is located adjacent to a surface of the imaging waveguide opposite to the radiation receiving surface.

17. The device of claim 1 wherein the imaging waveguide comprises a reflective layer opposite the radiation receiving surface.

18. The device of claim 1 further comprising a lens between the imaging sensor and the imaging surface of the imaging waveguide.

19. The device of claim 1 wherein the display device comprises a liquid crystal device.

20. The device of claim 1 wherein the display device comprises a light emitting diode device.

21. The device of claim 20 wherein the light emitting diode device comprises an organic light emitting diode device.

22. A device comprising:

a contact receiving structure having a surface for receiving contact by an input mechanism, the contact receiving structure configured to emit radiation as a consequence of contact with the surface by the input mechanism at a contact point, the contact receiving structure comprising;

a waveguide layer;

a cladding layer positioned on top of a pliable frustrating layer and formed of a material that has a refractive index lower than or equal to the waveguide layer, the cladding layer having films including an anti-glare layer, an infrared filter, and a non-wetting layer, the films bonded together using an optical adhesive, the

pliable frustrating layer spaced by a gap from the waveguide layer by a plurality of protrusions of the pliable frustrating layer or waveguide layer and flexible so as to enable the pliable frustrating layer to contact the waveguide layer when the pliable frustrating layer is physically deformed by the input mechanism at the contact point, the pliable frustrating layer being configured to;

cause frustration of radiation propagating within the waveguide by total internal reflection when the pliable frustrating layer is physically deformed to contact the waveguide layer such that some of the radiation escapes from the contact receiving structure;

a radiation steering structure, having a radiation receiving surface, wherein the radiation receiving surface comprises an anti-reflection layer, wherein the anti-reflection layer comprises a plurality of alternating high refractive index and low refractive index layers and an array of protrusions each protrusion having a height and width smaller than a wavelength associated with the radiation emitted by the contact receiving surface, the imaging waveguide being configured to;

receive the emitted radiation from the contact receiving structure at a first position and re-direct the received radiation at an angle that is a function of the first

re-direct the received radiation at an angle that is a function of the first position, and

a display device.

23. The device of claim 22 further comprising:

an imaging sensor configured to detect the re-directed radiation; and

a processing device configured to determine contact points on the surface of the contact receiving structure based on the re-directed radiation detected by the imaging sensor.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein the radiation steering structure is further configured to re-direct the received radiation to a position on a detection surface of the imaging sensor, the position on the detection surface being a function of the first position.

25. The device of claim 22, wherein the radiation steering structure comprises a diffractive optical element.

26. The device of claim 25, wherein the diffractive optical element comprises a thin hologram structure.

27. The device of claim 25, wherein the diffractive optical element comprises a thick hologram structure.

28. The device of claim 22, wherein the radiation steering structure comprises a refractive optical element, and

wherein the radiation receiving surface comprises an anti-reflection layer, the anti-reflection layer having a plurality of alternating high refractive index and low refractive index layers and an array of protrusions formed, together with the pliable frustrating layer, from a single contiguous material, each protrusion having a height and width smaller than a wavelength associated with radiation emitted by the contact receiving surface.

29. The device of claim 22, wherein the radiation steering structure is further configured to transmit the received radiation through the radiation steering structure.

30. The device of claim 22, wherein the radiation steering structure is further configured to reflect the received radiation from the radiation steering structure.

31. The device of claim 22, wherein the radiation steering structure comprises a reflective structure.

32. The device of claim 29, wherein the reflective structure comprises a single mirror.

33. The device of claim 29, wherein the reflective structure comprises a plurality of mirrors.

34. The device of claim 22, wherein the display device comprises a liquid crystal device.

35. The device of claim 22, wherein the display device comprises a light emitting diode device.

36. The device of claim 35, wherein the light emitting diode device comprises an organic light emitting diode device.

37. A device comprising:

a contact receiving structure having a surface for receiving contact by an input mechanism, the contact receiving structure configured to emit radiation as a consequence of contact with the surface by the input mechanism at a contact point, the contact receiving structure comprising;

a pliable waveguide layer;

a cladding layer positioned on top of the pliable waveguide layer and formed of a material that has a refractive index lower than or equal to the pliable waveguide layer, the cladding layer having films including an anti-glare layer, an infrared filter, and a non-wetting layer, the films bonded together using an optical adhesive;

a frustrating layer spaced by a gap from the waveguide layer by a plurality of protrusions of the pliable frustrating layer or waveguide layer and flexible so as to enable the frustrating layer to contact the pliable waveguide layer when the pliable waveguide layer is physically deformed by the input mechanism at the contact point, the frustrating layer being configured to;

cause frustration of radiation propagating within the pliable waveguide by total internal reflection when the pliable frustrating layer is physically deformed to contact the waveguide layer, such that some of the radiation escapes from the contact receiving structure;

a radiation steering structure, having a radiation receiving surface, wherein the radiation receiving surface comprises an anti-reflection layer, wherein the anti-reflection layer comprises a plurality of alternating high refractive index and low refractive index layers and an array of protrusions, each protrusion having a height and width smaller than a wavelength associated with the radiation emitted by the contact receiving surface, and being configured to;

receive the emitted radiation from the contact receiving structure at a first position and

re-direct the received radiation at an angle that is a function of the first position, and

a display device.