Patent · US Active

Optical coupling in touch-sensing systems using diffusively transmitting element

US9857916B2 · kind B2 · utility

10Cited by
13References
23Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 22, 2013
Grant dateJan 2, 2018
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 30, 2033

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F2203/04109
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A touch-sensitive apparatus operates by light frustration and comprises a light transmissive panel with a front surface and a rear surface. Light emitters and light detectors optically face the rear surface along a perimeter of a touch-sensitive region on the panel. At least one non-imaging, diffusively transmitting optical element is arranged on the rear surface along the perimeter of the touch-sensitive region. The light emitters are arranged to emit a respective beam of light onto the non-imaging optical element so as to generate, by diffuse transmission, propagating light that propagates by total internal reflection inside the panel across the touch-sensitive region, and the light detectors are arranged to receive detection light generated, by diffuse transmission, as the propagating light impinges on the non-imaging optical element, so as to define a grid of propagation paths across the touch-sensitive region between pairs of light emitters and light detectors.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.