Abstract: A projected capacitive touch screen is provided that comprises a substrate and electrodes. The substrate defines an active touch zone surrounded by edges. The active touch zone includes a central active zone and an acceleration zone that is located proximate to, and extends along, at least one of the edges. The electrodes are provided on the substrate and are organized into first and second sets of electrodes that are contained within a common plane on the substrate. The first set of electrodes is interlaced with the second set of electrodes in a non-overlapping pattern on the substrate. At least a subset of the electrodes each has an apex and a base and a non-uniform triangular shape that extends along a longitudinal axis between the apex and the base. The subset of the electrodes is located such that at least a portion of the non-uniform triangular shape is located within the acceleration zone.

Abstract: A method for detecting a touch event on a touch panel comprises obtaining at least first and second signals from at least two sensors where the at least first and second signals are responsive to a touch event. A first amplitude magnitude associated with the first signal is calculated and a second amplitude magnitude associated with the second signal is calculated. A magnitude ratio is determined between the first and second amplitude magnitudes, and a touch location is identified based on the magnitude ratio.

Abstract: A method of detecting a touch event on an acoustic fingerprint based touch system comprises digitizing at least two signals to form first and second sets of digitized signals. The at least two signals are received from at least two sensors on a touch panel. A frequency transform is performed upon the first and second sets of digitized signals to form first and second frequency transform data sets of frequency components. At least first and second live fingerprints are constructed wherein at least one of the first and second live fingerprints is based on the first and second frequency transform data sets. A touch location is identified based on the at least first and second live fingerprints.

Abstract: A touchscreen system comprises a touch area. At least one transmitter is positioned proximate to outer edges of the touch area for transmitting first beams in a first direction. At least one beam splitter is positioned proximate to the outer edges of the touch area for splitting the first beams into at least second and third beams that travel through the touch area in at least second and third directions, respectively. The at least one beam splitter comprises a plurality of deflecting elements. Receivers are positioned proximate to the outer edges of the touch area for receiving the at least second and third beams.

Abstract: The present invention provides a way to measure and track non-linear corrections in touchscreens. Some or all of the relevant non-linear corrections may be determined automatically. Production floor test equipment may make electronic measurements, compute parameters, and load the parameters in non-volatile memory of the controller electronics. Alternatively, the controller electronics can make the electronic measurements and determine non-linear parameters. The latter embodiment of the invention permits the determination of non-linear parameters in the field, dynamically tracking changes in the non-linear characteristics of installed touchscreens that occur over time or due to environmental conditions.

Abstract: The present invention provides a way to measure and track non-linear corrections in touchscreens. Some or all of the relevant non-linear corrections may be determined automatically. Production floor test equipment may make electronic measurements, compute parameters, and load the parameters in non-volatile memory of the controller electronics. Alternatively, the controller electronics can make the electronic measurements and determine non-linear parameters. The latter embodiment of the invention permits the determination of non-linear parameters in the field, dynamically tracking changes in the non-linear characteristics of installed touchscreens that occur over time or due to environmental conditions.

Abstract: A touch sensor includes a substrate with a touch region, and a series resistor chain for creating electrical fields across the touch region. The resistor chain comprises a plurality of conductive electrodes that to form overlap resistors therebetween. The electrodes have inner portions that are separated by junctions. The touch sensor also includes insulating regions between the touch region and the resistor chain. The insulating regions are separated by gaps to provide a plurality of conductive pathways to the touch region, thereby minimizing non-linear ripple along the sourcing sides of the substrate. Some of the gaps are junction gaps that are formed between the touch region and junctions. Electrically conductive islands are placed within the junction gaps to provide an electrical node within each junction gap, thereby preventing bunching of equipotential lines within the junction, and minimizing non-linear ripple along the non-sourcing sides of the substrate.

Abstract: An acoustic touchscreen (1a) has transmitting transducers (23a, 23b) for generating acoustic signals which are deflected across a touch-sensitive area (2) by an array 13 of partially acoustically reflective elements 14. A touch on the touch-sensitive area causes a perturbation in the acoustic signals. After traversing the touch-sensitive area, the acoustic signals are redirected by another array 13 of partially acoustically reflective elements 14, towards receiving transducers (26a, 26b), where the signals (and any perturbations) are sensed. To accommodate touchscreens having narrow border regions (15a), the acoustic signals are propagated across the border regions using acoustic waveguides (18). The waveguide confines the acoustic signals to traveling along a narrow path width, but yet permit them to be deflected across the touch-sensitive area. In this manner, the transducers and reflective elements can in turn be of narrower construction and can fit within narrow border regions.

Abstract: A resistive or capacitive position touchscreen includes a glass substrate having a uniform resistive coating and series resistive chains of overlapping discrete electrodes adjacent to the peripheral edges of the substrate. Gaps in an otherwise insulating linear discontinuity running parallel to each chain form resistive current paths across the touch area. There are at least two gaps for each electrode so that multiple current paths connect to each electrode. Each gap produces a local ripple in the voltage field which decays away with distance from the gap. Since the ripple decay length is determined by the distance between current paths, the magnitude of the ripple near the electrodes is reduced exponentially by a factor corresponding to the number of gaps per electrode.

Abstract: A position touch sensor having a substrate and a resistive layer disposed on the substrate. At least one pair of electrodes is positioned on the resistive layer. A portion of one electrode is spaced from a portion of another electrode to produce an overlapped resistive region between the spaced portions of the electrodes. An insulating region extends into and terminates in the overlapped resistive region from a resistive region of the resistive layer outside the overlapped resistive region. A method for controlling the flow of current through a resistive layer for converting physical position information on the resistive layer into electrical signals. The method includes determining a dimension of a length of a generally continuous resistive section which is to be located in the resistive layer. The dimension of the length is determined through the use of electrical excitation in the resistive layer.