Touch sensor array systems and display systems incorporating such
US5270711A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 30, 1990 |
| Grant date | Dec 14, 1993 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 30, 2010 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F3/0445
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A touch sensor array system comprises an array of sensor elements (12) each actively addressable by means of a switch device (16), for example two terminal devices such as diodes or MIMs, or TFTs, controlled by a driver circuit (22) to load a predetermined charge into a capacitor (14) of the element. Touching a sensor element dissipates this charge which is detected during a subsequent addressing stage by sensing particular charging characteristics with a monitoring circuit (24). With a row and column array, the elements (12) are addressed one row at a time at regular intervals using a row conductor (18) common to a row of elements. Each column of elements shares a column conductor (20) connected to the monitoring circuit. Various schemes are described enabling wired or isolated styli or a finger to be used as position designating means. The array is fabricated using thin film deposition techniques and high resolution arrays are easily achieved. The system can be used as a display overlay.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.