Abstract: An assembly for holding and controlling curvature of a glass plate for an optical touch sensitive system is described. The assembly comprising a first frame element extending in a first plane and configured to extend at least partially around a panel; at least one second frame element extending in a second plane and forming a support portion for the plate, and at least one spacing element positioned at least partially between the support portion and the first frame element. The spacing element us configured to control a curvature of the first frame element and wherein the at least one second frame element is configured to engage the plate at the support portion, is attached to the first frame element, and is tiltable, by controlling the curvature of the first frame element with said spacing element, to control a curvature of the plate.

Abstract: A touch-sensitive apparatus includes a light-transmissive panel having a front surface, an opposite rear surface, and a side edge connecting the front and rear surfaces, and a light-transmissive sheet laminated over the front surface of the light-transmissive panel. The light-transmissive sheet has a portion extending beyond the side edge of the light-transmissive panel to cover a light emitter and detector. The touch-sensitive apparatus further includes a shielding element on a lower surface of the light-transmissive sheet, the shielding element covering at least said light emitter and detector, and the shielding element blocking light having a wavelength range in which the light emitter outputs light. The lower surface of the light-transmissive sheet is in optical contact with the front surface of the light-transmissive panel.

Abstract: A touch-sensitive apparatus comprises a first subset of components on a first end of the touch surface, and a second subset of components on a second end which is opposite to and parallel with the first end. The components include emitters and detectors, each emitter being operable for propagating a diverging energy beam (e.g. radiation) across the touch surface inside the panel, and each detector being operable for detecting transmitted energy from at least two emitters. The components in at least one of the first and second subsets are systematically arranged in spatially separate groups along at least one of the first and second ends, so as to achieve a reduced spacing and/or an increased uniformity of the transmission paths along a center line between the first and second ends compared to an equidistant arrangement of all components.

Abstract: A device implements a method for detecting contamination of an FTIR-based panel. The apparatus generates projection signals representing detection lines that have propagated on a plurality of propagation paths by total internal reflection (TIR) inside a transmissive panel such that contamination on the panel surface causes attenuation (frustration) of at least one of the projection signals. The device generates a transmission value for each detection line in the transmissive panel, and determines the presence of contamination on the surface of the panel by comparing the transmission values according to at least one of the presented comparison techniques.

Abstract: A touch-sensitive apparatus comprises a light transmissive panel (1), an illumination arrangement and a detection arrangement. The illumination arrangement is configured to couple light into the panel (1) via an incoupling site (5B) such that the light propagates by total internal reflection (TIR) in opposite top and bottom surfaces (4, 5) of the panel and such that an object touching the top or bottom surface (4, 5) causes a change in the propagating light. The detection arrangement comprises a light detector arranged to detect the change in the propagating light. A compact and robust incoupling site (5B) is defined by a sheet-like micro-structured surface portion (22) which is fixedly arranged on one of the top and bottom surfaces (4, 5) and configured to transmit light having an angle of incidence that enables light propagation by TIR inside the panel (1).

Abstract: A touch-sensitive apparatus comprising a panel defining a touch surface; a first set of opposite and essentially parallel rows of components, and a second set of opposite and essentially parallel rows of components. The second set of opposite and parallel rows being essentially orthogonal to the first set of opposite and parallel rows. The components include emitters and detectors, each emitter being operable for propagating an energy beam across the touch surface inside the panel, and each detector being operable for detecting transmitted energy from at least one emitter. Two of the rows of the first and second set are interleaved rows each having an interleaved distribution of emitters and detectors, and the further two rows of the first and second set are base rows each having a distribution of components comprising at least 70% emitters or detectors.

Abstract: A touch-sensitive apparatus operates by light frustration (FTIR) and comprises a light transmissive panel that defines a front surface and a rear surface, a light emitter optically connected to the panel so as to generate light that propagates by total internal reflection inside the panel, and a light detector optically connected to the panel to receive propagating light from the emitter. The emitter is a VCSEL array including a number of VCSELs driven to collectively form one light emitter, and a light coupling mechanism connecting the emitter to the panel is configured to give light from a plurality of the VCSELs in the VCSEL array substantially the same spread in the panel.

Abstract: A touch-sensitive apparatus operates by light frustration (FTIR) and comprises a light transmissive panel that defines a front surface and a rear surface, light emitters optically connected to the panel so as to generate light that propagates by total internal reflection inside the panel, and light detectors optically connected to the panel so as to define a grid of propagation paths inside the panel between pairs of light emitters and light detectors. Each of said light emitters is a VCSEL array, each said VCSEL array including a plurality of VCSELs driven in parallel to collectively form one light emitter. Preferably, each light detector is optically connected to the panel via an angular filter, tailored to pass light to the detector in an angular range in which the emitters operate.

Abstract: A device implements a method for estimating the application force of a touching object onto a touch surface in an FTIR-based projection-type touch-sensing apparatus. The apparatus generates projection signals representing radiation that has propagated on a plurality of propagation paths by total internal reflection (TIR) inside a transmissive panel beneath a touch surface of the transmissive panel such that a touching object on the touch surface causes attenuation (frustration) of at least one of the projection signals. The device generates a time series of force values, which represent the application force, based on a time series of magnitude values, which represent a magnitude of a peak in two-dimensional interaction patterns generated by image reconstruction processing of the projection signals, the peak corresponding to the touching object on the touch surface. The force estimation may involve one or more corrections.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention provides a touch sensing apparatus, comprising: a light transmissive element (10) that defines a touch surface; a set of emitters (30a) arranged around the periphery of the touch surface to emit beams of light into the light transmissive element, wherein a first portion of the beams (50) of light propagate inside the light transmissive element while illuminating the touch surface such that an object touching the touch surface causes an attenuation of the propagating light, and wherein a second portion of the beams (90) of light pass out of the light transmissive element and are reflected to travel above the touch surface, a set of light detectors (30b) arranged around the periphery of the touch surface to receive light from the set of emitters from the transmissive element and from above the touch surface, wherein each light detector is arranged to receive light from more than one emitter.

Abstract: A touch-sensitive apparatus comprises a panel configured to conduct signals from a plurality of peripheral incoupling points to a plurality of peripheral outcoupling points. Actual detection lines are defined between pairs of incoupling and outcoupling points to extend across a surface portion of the panel. The signals may be in the form of light, and objects touching the surface portion may affect the light via frustrated total internal reflection (FTIR). A signal generator is coupled to the incoupling points to generate the signals, and a signal detector is coupled to the outcoupling points to generate an output signal. A data processor operates on the output signal to enable identification of touching objects. The output signal is processed (40) to generate a set of data samples, which are indicative of detected energy for at least a subset of the actual detection lines.

Abstract: A touch sensing apparatus includes a group of emitters arranged to emit light to illuminate at least part of the touch surface, a light detector arranged to receive light from the group of emitters, and a processing element. Each emitter is controlled to transmit a code by way of the emitted light such that the code identifies the respective emitter. The codes may at least partly be transmitted concurrently. The codes may be selected such that a value of an autocorrelation of each code is significantly higher than a value of a cross-correlation between any two codes of different emitters. The processing element processes an output signal from the light detector to separate the light received from the individual emitters based on the transmitted codes, and to determine the position of the object/objects based on the light received from the individual emitters.

Abstract: Touch sensitivity is enabled using a touch system that comprises a panel configured to conduct signals along detection lines across a touch surface. A signal processor obtains observed values for the detection lines, and identifies an interaction pattern on the touch surface as a solution to a function that comprises an aggregation of differences, for each detection line, between the observed value and a projected value, which is given by a projection function that defines a functional relation between the interaction pattern and the projected value for each detection line. The signal processor implements a normalization to ensure that the interaction pattern indicates weak touches even in the presence of strong touches.

Abstract: A device obtains a signal representative of objects on a touch surface of a multi-touch sensing apparatus and executes a method for extracting touch data from the signal. The method operates in a sequence of detection frames. Each detection frame comprises the steps of: obtaining the signal; processing the signal for identifying touches; determining a set of identified touches and touch data for the set of identified touches; and outputting the touch data. At least one of the steps of processing and determining includes a prioritization that actively favors certain touches to be identified and included in the set of identified touches, respectively.

Abstract: A touch-sensitive apparatus comprises a first subset of components on a first end of the touch surface, and a second subset of components on a second end which is opposite to and parallel with the first end. The components include emitters and detectors, each emitter being operable for propagating a diverging energy beam (e.g. radiation) across the touch surface inside the panel, and each detector being operable for detecting transmitted energy from at least two emitters. The components in at least one of the first and second subsets are systematically arranged in spatially separate groups along at least one of the first and second ends, so as to achieve a reduced spacing and/or an increased uniformity of the transmission paths along a center line between the first and second ends compared to an equidistant arrangement of all components.

Abstract: A touch-sensitive apparatus comprises a panel configured to conduct signals from a plurality of peripheral incoupling points to a plurality of peripheral outcoupling points. Actual detection lines are defined between pairs of incoupling and outcoupling points to extend across a surface portion of the panel. The signals may be in the form of light, and objects touching the surface portion may affect the light via frustrated total internal reflection (FTIR). A signal generator is coupled to the incoupling points to generate the signals, and a signal detector is coupled to the outcoupling points to generate an output signal. A data processor operates on the output signal to enable identification of touching objects. The output signal is processed (40) to generate a set of data samples, which are indicative of detected energy for at least a subset of the actual detection lines.

Abstract: A touch-sensitive apparatus includes an touch sensing part which operates a touch sensor arrangement to provide signal data representing a touch within a touch-sensing region on a front surface of a light transmissive panel; The touch-sensitive apparatus further includes a computer vision system part which operates a camera system to image a scene located externally of the touch-sensitive apparatus, and operates a computer vision controller to detect, based on image data generated by the camera system, at least one object within the scene. The touch-sensitive apparatus enables user interaction by touch control, gesture control and hover control.

Abstract: A device implements a method of tracking objects on a touch surface of an FTIR based touch-sensitive apparatus. An interaction map is generated that indicates local changes in interaction on the touch surface. The interaction map is processed for identification of positive and negative peaks that represent a locally increased and decreased interaction in the interaction map, respectively. To suppress the impact of interferences, a dedicated first heuristic and/or second heuristic is applied to identify potentially false peaks among the positive peaks. The first heuristic designates a positive peak as a potentially false peak when the positive peak is deemed to be associated with one or more of the negative peaks. The second heuristic designates a positive peak as a potentially false peak when the positive peak is deemed to be located along one of the movement trajectories.

Abstract: A method, gesture interpretation unit and touch sensing device receiving touch input data indicating touch inputs on a touch surface of the touch sensing device, wherein the touch input data comprises positioning data and pressure data for each touch input, and determining from the touch input data: first, second and third touch input from a first, a second and a third object on the touch surface, and wherein the first, second and third objects are present on the touch surface during overlapping time periods; and while continuous contact of the first, second and third objects with the touch surface is maintained: calculating a geometric center of mass, and a pressure center of mass, for the first, second and third touch inputs; comparing the GCM with the determining a movement vector based on the result of the comparison; and moving the graphical interactive object in relation to the movement vector.

Abstract: The invention provides an optical component for transferring light between an opto-electronic device and a light transmissive panel which defines two opposing boundary surfaces, the optical component having a shape formed from a geometric shape having a base surface, a lateral front surface and an axis, wherein the geometric shape is truncated by a plane intersecting the front surface, the base surface, and the axis, forming a back surface. The base surface is configured for mounting the optical component to the light transmissive panel and for coupling light into the light transmissive panel. The front surface being configured for coupling light from the front surface, through the base surface, and into the light transmissive panel for the light to propagate by total internal reflection within the light transmissive panel.