Method and apparatus for tomographic tough imaging and interactive system using same

• US 9,836,149 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 12/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Victor Manuel Suarez Rovere
• Original Assignee: Victor Manuel Suarez Rovere
• Inventors: Suarez Rovere, Victor Manuel
• Primary Examiner(s): Tung, David
• Application Number:
  US13/836,136
• Publication Number:
  US 20130201142A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,726 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-178
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04104 Multi-touch detection in digitiser, i.e. details about the simultaneous detection of a plurality of touching locations, e.g. multiple fingers or pen and finger
• 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 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0428 by sensing at the edges of the touch surface the interruption of optical paths, e.g. an illumination plane, parallel to the touch surface which may be virtual sensing beam interruptions in a planar beam grid of an optical touch-screen G06F3/0421
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A touch screen in the form of a panel is capable of conducting signals and a tomograph including signal flow ports is positioned adjacent the panel with the signal flow ports arrayed around the border of the panel at discrete locations. Signals are introduced into the panel to pass from each discrete border location to a plurality of other discrete border locations for being detected and tomographically processed to determine if any change occurred to signals due to the panel being touched during signal passage through the panel, and therefrom determine any local area on the panel where a change occurred. The tomograph computes and outputs a signal indicative of a panel touch and location, which can be shown on a display.

Claims

1. A method for determining touch on a screen comprising steps of:

establishing a panel capable of conducting signals which is transparent;

associating a tomograph having signal flow ports adjacent the panel;

arraying the signal flow ports around the border of the panel at discrete locations, introducing signals into the panel via the signal flow ports to pass from each discrete border location to a plurality of other discrete border locations, detecting and tomographically processing signals passed through said panel to determine if any change occurred in the panel by being touched during signal passage through the panel, and therefrom determining any local area on the panel where a change occurred, and outputting a signal indicative of panel touch and location; and

locating a display of a computer system behind the panel visible through the panel and controlling the display responsive to said output signals indicative of all Panel touches;

wherein a tomographic reconstruction algorithm is of the form Ax=b where A is a system matrix, x is a reconstructed tomogram and b is an unreconstructed tomogram.