Acoustical (e.g., Vibration, Ultrasonic, Etc.) Patents (Class 178/18.04)
  • Patent number: 7760194
    Abstract: An ultrasonic coordinate input apparatus includes: a transmitter that transmits ultrasonic wave; and a receiver that has a function of detecting a position indicated by the transmitter, based on an ultrasonic signal received from the transmitter, while synchronizing with the transmitter. In this ultrasonic coordinate input apparatus, the transmitter is connected to the receiver with a communication line that enables bi-directional communication between the transmitter and the receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Fujtisu Component Limited
    Inventor: Satoshi Sakurai
  • Publication number: 20100141607
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for recognizing multi touch points. When touch input units are touched at the same time by a plurality of touch units, a plurality of sensors sense vibration signals generated from each touch point and measures intersection points from distance information of signals combined according to an input sequence to recognize positions of each touch point. The present invention can accurately recognize the coordinates of the touch points using a simple structure that the sensors are disposed at the edges of the touch input devices and thus, achieves a rapid response. In addition, with the present invention, it can recognize the coordinates of the touch points without limiting the size of the touch panel and when the touch points are generated at the same time, can accurately and rapidly recognize all the plurality of touch points.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2009
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Applicant: ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Dongwan RYOO, Changseok BAE, Jintae KIM
  • Patent number: 7728822
    Abstract: A touch-panel input device having a function for providing vibrations includes a touch panel receiving an operation on an operation item on a display panel, a vibration-controlling unit vibrating the touch panel, an operation detector detecting an operation on the touch panel, and an operation-mode controlling unit setting an operation mode of the touch panel to an input operation mode for vibrating the touch panel upon detecting a touch on the touch panel, or either a speaker mode for vibrating the touch panel to produce sounds or a microphone mode for allowing voice input by transmitting vibrations generated on the touch panel when the operator speaks to the touch panel. The operation-mode controlling unit changes the operation mode to the input operation mode when the operation mode is set to the speaker mode or the microphone mode upon detecting an operation on the touch panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Alpine Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Masayoshi Shiga
  • Publication number: 20100116563
    Abstract: Surface impacts are located and characterized based on an acoustic signal produced by the impact despite the presence of signal dispersion. Acoustic signals from the surface may be compared to acoustic signals detected external to the surface in order to eliminate spurious impact sensing due to external sounds. Low-frequency acoustic signals may be sensed and identified as explicit hard “bangs” which are of limited utility for pointing and tracking applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2010
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Applicant: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Joseph A. Paradiso, Che King Leo, Nisha Checka
  • Patent number: 7705836
    Abstract: A plurality of excitation elements are disposed on two facing sides of a quadrilateral detection range in a non-piezoelectric substrate, and a plurality of receiving elements are disposed on the other two sides of the detection range so as to face the excitation elements respectively. Surface acoustic waves are transmitted from the respective plurality of excitation elements in two diagonal directions of the detection range respectively, and the surface acoustic waves from the two diagonal directions are received by the respective receiving elements, so that a position of an object in contact with the substrate is detected based on received results in the receiving elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Fumihiko Nakazawa, Satoshi Sano, Yoshio Satoh, Takashi Matsuda
  • Patent number: 7667694
    Abstract: A burst wave is applied to an excitation element of a touch panel main body from an oscillation section so as to excite surface acoustic waves, and the excited surface acoustic waves are received by a receiving element of the touch panel main body. The received signals are A/D converted by a receiving section, and a control section calculates the contact position and the contact width of the object in contact with the touch panel main body, based on time-series changes in the received strength. Based on the received strength of surface acoustic waves, the control section controls the wave number of the burst wave to be applied to the excitation element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Yuji Takahashi, Fumihiko Nakazawa, Satoshi Sano, Takashi Katsuki
  • Patent number: 7663612
    Abstract: A metal structure (1) has a display region being a second region and being integrate with another region being a first region which is a display region. The metal structure may constitute a monolithic structure of an information display unit, for example, a front panel of an electronic device. The display region is formed by providing a cluster of small non-through-going cavities (5) in the metal structure, leaving a very small thickness of material, the thickness being translucent (6). In addition to being a display unit when arranging a light source behind the translucent region (6), touch sensitive or non-touch sensitive input devices, optionally connected to acoustical input and registration devices, may also be provided. These input devices may advantageously be arranged in, or adjacent, the cavities in the metal structure, whereby when the front of the metal structure is viewed an indication of display or input options is visible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Bang & Olufsen A/S
    Inventor: Henrik Henriksen Bladt
  • Patent number: 7646379
    Abstract: A stylus input device, a stylus input device with display, and a method for entering input into a computer system are provided. The stylus is preferably used as a pointer that points to a particular region on an electronic display, and one or more buttons on the stylus can be used to scroll, modify or select that region. The buttons can be programmed in various ways to perform different functions, or one button can be programmed to perform a sequence of functions. The tip of the stylus need not contact the display surface to either render the stylus position or to select the region of the display shown by the stylus cursor. The input device and system thereby operates in a contactless and wireless environment to leave the display area unencumbered to viewers of the display screen, and to allow more than one stylus to concurrently operate upon the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: Motion Computing, Inc.
    Inventors: Offie Lee Drennan, Tram Q. Le, Grace Lanni
  • Patent number: 7643015
    Abstract: Surface impacts are located and characterized based on an acoustic signal produced by the impact despite the presence of signal dispersion. Acoustic signals from the surface may be compared to acoustic signals detected external to the surface in order to eliminate spurious impact sensing due to external sounds. Low-frequency acoustic signals may be sensed and identified as explicit hard “bangs” which are of limited utility for pointing and tracking applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Joseph A. Paradiso, Che King Leo, Nisha Checka
  • Patent number: 7643016
    Abstract: The coordinate input pen according to the present invention is a coordinate input pen for specifying a current position of the coordinate input pen by emitting an ultrasonic wave, including: an ultrasonic wave oscillating section for oscillating the ultrasonic wave for specifying coordinates of the current position; an ultrasonic wave emitting outlet for emitting, to an outside, the ultrasonic wave oscillated by the ultrasonic wave oscillating section; and an ultrasonic wave propagation route which has a fixed length and extends from the ultrasonic wave oscillating section to the ultrasonic wave emitting outlet and is used to propagate the ultrasonic wave to the ultrasonic wave emitting outlet. As a result, it is possible to maintain the output level of the ultrasonic wave oscillated by the ultrasonic wave oscillating section constant regardless of how large a stroke pressure applied on the coordinate input pen is.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasunori Ake
  • Patent number: 7629969
    Abstract: A system and method for processing input from a touchscreen having a substrate and a touch surface thereof, adapted for manual interaction with a human hand, having an electronic sensor associated with the substrate adapted to detect a pressure sensitive response to at least two concurrent touches on the touch surface, having a control which receives at least one signal representing the at least two concurrent touches on the touch surface; processes the at least one signal in a manner adapted to maintain a distinction between the at least two concurrent touches; determines a respective difference of at least one coordinate between the at least two concurrent touches; and responds by selectively producing a response at least in dependence on a relationship of the coordinate of the at least two concurrent touches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Joel Kent
  • Patent number: 7626579
    Abstract: A touch panel system that sanitizes a touch panel surface includes a substrate coupled to the touch panel surface. The system further includes an impedance interface coupled to the touch panel surface and a vibration source coupled to the impedance interface. The vibration source vibrates the substrate to generate pressure waves which destroy contaminants on the touch panel surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Immersion Corporation
    Inventors: Richard David Hague, Mark Bolt, Chris Jason Ullrich, Munibe M. Bakircioglu
  • Patent number: 7602383
    Abstract: A preferred embodiment of the touch sensing apparatus includes one or more touch sensing units, a detector, and a signal processing unit. Each touch sensing unit comprises: a differential signal source for generating two signals which have a same frequency but reverse phases; and two sensors for receiving a touch signal of a user's finger. One sensor is connected to an anode of the differential signal source, and the other sensor is connected to a cathode of the differential signal source. The detector is for converting the received signal into a digital signal. An input terminal of the detector is connected to the sensors of each touch sensing unit. The signal processing unit is for determining which sensor is touched according to the frequency and phase of the signal output from the detector. The signal processing unit is connected to an output terminal of the detector. The touch sensing unit may further include a reference signal circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (Shen Zhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kuan-Hong Hsieh, Shi-Quan Lin, Han-Che Wang, Xiao-Guang Li
  • Patent number: 7593005
    Abstract: A touch detection using wavelet algorithm for detecting touches on a surface by receiving acoustic waves generated by the touch and performing signal analysis on these acoustic waves using wavelet transformation where the storage requirement for reference signal is reduced. The inventive device includes a substrate that can be any material which is capable of propagating acoustic waves, transducers that detect the acoustic waves generated by the touch on the screen, a controller that implements the wavelet algorithm and software that incorporates wavelet algorithm. The substrate can be built from any material that is capable of propagating acoustic waves. The size of the substrate is not limited to a certain size. The sensitivity of the controller is determined and adjusted by the algorithm based on the size of the substrate. This is an adaptive sensitivity control determined by the size of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: AWR Consulting Inc.
    Inventor: Gokalp Bayramoglu
  • Patent number: 7580910
    Abstract: A text processing method is provided that includes the following steps. First, an abstract mathematical vector space is generated based on a collection of documents. Respective documents in the collection of documents have a representation in the abstract mathematical vector space and respective terms contained in the collection of documents have a representation in the abstract mathematical vector space. Then, the abstract mathematical vector space is perturbed to produce a perturbed abstract mathematical vector space that is stored in an electronic format accessible to a user. Perturbing the abstract mathematical vector space may include modifying the representation of a document with a newly computed representation for that document, or modifying the representation of a term with a newly computed representation for that term.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: Content Analyst Company, LLC
    Inventor: Robert Jenson Price
  • Patent number: 7573466
    Abstract: A touch screen for LCDs which uses a plurality of shockwave detectors disposed around the periphery of the viewing area to detect the location of a touch or tap which is the point of origin of an expanding shockwave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Vincent P. Marzen, Albert N. Stuppi, Gary D. Bishop, Birendra Bahadur, Michael R. Jones
  • Patent number: 7573467
    Abstract: A Graphic Input Device comprises a pen-shaped pointing device moving about a writing surface and using ultrasonic (US) waves propagating in the air to measure displacement. Can be used in either a 2D or 3D mode. Uses displacement measuring means for two directions in space, each parallel to the writing surface, and comprising means to establish an US waves path between an US transmitter and an US receiver; means to measure changes in the phase of the received signal, and for computing the displacement. Means for measuring displacement in a third dimension are optionally provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Inventors: Marc Zuta, Idan Zuta
  • Patent number: 7570252
    Abstract: When a display panel is in contact with the pen tip of an input pen, an infrared receiver and at least two ultrasonic receivers, provided on the display panel, receive respectively an infrared signal and an ultrasonic signal simultaneously transmitted from an infrared transmitter and an ultrasonic transmitter, and computes the contact position of the pen tip on the display panel from a result, containing a time delay, of the ultrasonic receiver receiving the ultrasonic signal with reference to a time when infrared signal is received. The input pen includes a piezoelectric element sensing pen pressure when the pen tip is in contact with the display panel and a microcomputer controlling a infrared transmitter to transmit an infrared signal which changes in accordance with the pen pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koji Fujiwara, Naoto Inoue, Yasunori Ake
  • Publication number: 20090166098
    Abstract: This relates to electronic devices that include a multi-touch user interface component. More specifically, this relates to portable media devices that enable a user to listen to music, facilitate telephone conversations, send and receive electronic messages, and utilize a multi-touch input panel in an eyes-free manner. A user may use a multi-touch user input component to navigate a menu system absent a functioning display screen, virtual buttons or any other visual cues or prompts. Audio cues, portions of prerecorded songs, and any other type of audio information may help the user to mentally map and quickly navigate the device's menu system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2007
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Ashwin Sunder
  • Patent number: 7525050
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for determining the location of a pointing device in the vicinity of a set of receivers able to receive one or more locating signals transmitted through a medium. The method includes receiving at a receiver a signal that includes a locating signal and an interfering signal, determining an estimated interference signal indicative of the interfering signal included in the signal received, determining a signal indicative of the difference between the received signal and the estimated interference signal, and using the signal indicative of the difference to compute the location of the pointing device on a surface near the set of receivers. One version uses a separate receiver from which to determine the estimated interference signal, while another version uses the received signal at a time when there is expected to be no locating signal present in order to determine the estimated interference signal. An adaptive filter computes the estimated interference signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: Luidia, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip A. Weaver, Xiang Zhu
  • Patent number: 7522157
    Abstract: A Graphic Input Device comprises a pen-shaped pointing device moving about a writing surface and using ultrasonic (US) waves propagating in the air to measure displacement. Can be used in either a 2D or 3D mode. Uses displacement measuring means for two directions in space, each parallel to the writing surface, and comprising means to establish an US waves path between an US transmitter and an US receiver; means to measure changes in the phase of the received signal, and for computing the displacement. Means for measuring displacement in a third dimension are optionally provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Inventors: Marc Zuta, Idan Zuta
  • Patent number: 7515138
    Abstract: The present invention discloses systems and methods for use with vibration sensing touch input devices that distinguish signals derived from vibrations on a touch plate due to a touch input from signals derives from electromagnetic interference. In the present invention, the phase response of the signals due to electromagnetic interference can be inverted relative to the phase response of the signals due to vibrations in at least one signal transmission channel so that pair wise cross-correlation of the various signal channels reveals the signals caused by electromagnetic interference. Once electromagnetic interference is identified, it can be ignored or otherwise appropriately taken into account by the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Darius M. Sullivan
  • Publication number: 20090084612
    Abstract: Techniques for providing a common input for multiple users are disclosed. Two separate input detection systems can be provided. One input detection system detects the identity of user while the other detects the location of input for processing. The information provided by the two detection systems is effectively reconciled to determine whether a particular user identified by the first system has provided input in a particular location indicated by the second system. Information can be reconciled, for example, at least partially based on the timing information provided by the two systems (e.g., whether the times indicated by the two systems are within an acceptable range). The first input detection can be provided as a Radio Frequency (RF) system that detects a change in RF energy received by a RF receiver provided in the proximity of a user when the user touches a touchscreen. The second input detection can include an APR (Acoustic Pulse Recognition) or capacitive touchscreen (or multi-touch screen).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2007
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: Harold E. Mattice, Christian E. Gadda, Chauncey W. Griswold, James W. Stockdale, Richard L. Wilder
  • Patent number: 7502015
    Abstract: A transducer for excitation including two electrode, and at least one of the two electrodes is a comb-like electrode including a plurality of comb-like electrode fingers and a linear bus electrode to which one end of each of the plural comb-like electrode finger is connected. When dividing the transducer into two areas in the length direction of the bus electrode, at least one connection portion for one of the two electrodes is disposed in one of the two areas, while at least one connection portion for the other electrode is disposed in the other area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Takashi Katsuki, Satoshi Sano, Yuji Takahashi, Fumihiko Nakazawa
  • Patent number: 7499039
    Abstract: A touch sensitive device uses an iterative method for determining the location of a touch on a touch sensitive surface. The touch sensitive device includes a touch plate and a plurality of sensors configured to sense vibrations propagating in the touch plate. Signals responsive to the vibrations caused by the touch are generated. The touch location is approximated and the signals are adjusted using the approximate touch location. The touch location is determined using the adjusted signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Jerry B. Roberts
  • Patent number: 7489308
    Abstract: An electronic stylus system includes an electronic stylus and base receiving unit. The electronic stylus includes a first ultrasonic transmitter, a second ultrasonic transmitter, an electromagnetic transmitter, and a writing tip. The base receiver unit includes a first ultrasonic receiver, a second ultrasonic receiver, and an electromagnetic receiver. The ultrasonic receivers of the base unit are operable to receive signals transmitted by the ultrasonic transmitters of the electronic stylus. Similarly, the electromagnetic receiver of the base unit is operable to receive signals transmitted by the electromagnetic transmitter of the stylus. The location of the tip of the electronic stylus relative to a given reference point is determined using the locations of two ultrasonic transmitters relative to the two ultrasonic receivers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew Blake, Lyndsay Williams, James Srinivasan, William Vablais
  • Patent number: 7486281
    Abstract: Position coordinates in a space defined by the first to third axes of a coordinate input pointing tool are calculated. A coordinate output form includes at least an absolute coordinate output form in which calculated coordinate values are directly output, and a relative coordinate output form in which the differential values between the calculated coordinate values and predetermined coordinate values are output. The value of the first axis of the calculated coordinate values is compared with a predetermined value. It is determined whether the coordinate values of the second and third axes of the calculated coordinate values fall within a predetermined range. The calculated coordinate values are output in a coordinate output form determined on the basis of the comparison result and determination result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsuyuki Kobayashi, Yuichiro Yoshimura, Hajime Sato
  • Patent number: 7463248
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the transmitters and detectors for an integrated optical touch panel (OTP) are mounted at right angles to the surface of the OTP. The transmitters and detectors are contained on a substrate which is an extension of the substrate containing the touch panel display itself. The sides of the substrate containing the transmitters and detectors are folded upward so that the transmitters and detectors are positioned above the plane of the substrate containing the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: Avago Technologies ECBU IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Yee Pak Hong, Ng Peng Yam, Tan Wee Sin, Tan Soon Lee, Chen Deng Peng, Rani Saravanan
  • Publication number: 20080284755
    Abstract: A touch pad (101) includes transducers (201-204) for receiving acoustic signals resulting from touch events, such as the continuous movement of a fingertip across the surface (105) of the touch pad. The acoustic signals are acquired at different transducer locations in the surface. Signals from different transducers are combined, preferably in antiphase, to improve signal characteristics. The transducer signals are supplied to a stereo analogue to digital converter (407). Phase differences (706) are obtained and compared (703) with phase difference profiles (607) of known location, in order to identify the location of the touch event. An index (606) is used to identify candidate locations to reduce the amount of processing. Interpolation (705) is used to locate the touch event between profile locations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2008
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Applicant: SOUNDTOUCH LIMITED
    Inventor: Anthony Richard Hardie-Bick
  • Patent number: 7443387
    Abstract: A signal change range, which is generated due to a pointing operation of a pointer on a coordinate input region, with respect to an initial detection signal distribution of a detection unit in an initial state in which no pointing operation is made on the coordinate input region, is specified. End portion information of the specified signal change range is detected. Coordinates of the pointed position of the pointer are calculated using at least one of a plurality of pieces of detected end portion information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Tanaka, Yuichiro Yoshimura, Katsuyuki Kobayashi, Kiwamu Kobayashi, Hajime Sato, Masahide Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 7436393
    Abstract: A touch panel for a display device integrates functionality provided by resistive-type and EM-type touch panels. The touch panel is integrated with the display device and includes a resisitve-type touch panel arranged above the display device and an EM-type touch panel arranged below the display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hee Jung Hong, Nam Yong Kong, Tae Ho You, Hee Jeong Park, Cheon Suck Lee
  • Patent number: 7432914
    Abstract: Angle information corresponding to a specified point is calculated on the basis of a change in light amount distribution obtained from at least two sensor units which are arranged on the corner portions of a coordinate input region and receive incoming light. The coordinates of a pointed position on the coordinate input region are calculated on the basis of the calculated angle information. Each of the at least two sensor units includes two light-receiving units being first and second light-receiving units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsuyuki Kobayashi, Yuichiro Yoshimura, Atsushi Tanaka, Kiwamu Kobayashi, Hajime Sato, Masahide Hasegawa
  • Publication number: 20080231612
    Abstract: A touch sensitive apparatus includes a touch plate to which several pickup sensors and at least one excitation transducer are coupled. Each of the sensors is configured to sense bending waves in the touch plate, and the excitation transducer is configured to induce bending waves in the touch plate. The apparatus may further include active buffer circuits, wherein each of the active buffer circuits is coupled to one of the sensors. A controller is coupled to the sensors via the active buffer circuits and to the excitation transducer via a non-actively buffered connection. The controller is configured to compute a location of a contact on the touch plate responsive to sense signals received from the sensors. The apparatus may be used to perform a variety of calibrations, including touch plate and sensor calibrations. Changes in touch sensing apparatus calibration and performance may be detected and tracked over time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventors: Nicholas P.R. Hill, Darius M. Sullivan
  • Patent number: 7411581
    Abstract: A touch pad (101) includes transducers (201-204) for receiving acoustic signals resulting from touch events, such as the continuous movement of a fingertip across the surface (105) of the touch pad. The acoustic signals are acquired at different transducer locations in the surface. Signals from different transducers are combined, preferably in antiphase, to improve signal characteristics. The transducer signals are supplied to a stereo analogue to digital converter (407). Phase differences (706) are obtained and compared (703) with phase difference profiles (607) of known location, in order to identify the location of the touch event. An index (606) is used to identify candidate locations to reduce the amount of processing. Interpolation (705) is used to locate the touch event between profile locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: SoundTouch Limited
    Inventor: Anthony Richard Hardie-Bick
  • Patent number: 7411584
    Abstract: A touch sensitive apparatus includes a touch plate to which several pickup sensors and at least one excitation transducer are coupled. Each of the sensors is configured to sense bending waves in the touch plate, and the excitation transducer is configured to induce bending waves in the touch plate. The apparatus may further include active buffer circuits, wherein each of the active buffer circuits is coupled to one of the sensors. A controller is coupled to the sensors via the active buffer circuits and to the excitation transducer via a non-actively buffered connection. The controller is configured to compute a location of a contact on the touch plate responsive to sense signals received from the sensors. The apparatus may be used to perform a variety of calibrations, including touch plate and sensor calibrations. Changes in touch sensing apparatus calibration and performance may be detected and tracked over time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Nicholas P. R. Hill, Darius M. Sullivan
  • Patent number: 7400319
    Abstract: A pair of piezoelectric substrates, the length of which is shorter than the length of one side in the longitudinal direction of the operation panel or the supporting board, is respectively fixed to one side from the diagonal position along the longitudinal direction. At the time of detecting an inputting operation, a drive voltage is applied and the entire operation panel or the supporting board is vibrated. Even when the four corners of the operation panel or the supporting board are supported by the housing for accommodating the tablet apparatus or supported by the display device so that the vibration of the four corners is restricted, since either of the pair of piezoelectric substrates, which becomes a vibration source, a feeling of inputting operation can be transmitted to an operator by the vibration, the amplitude of which is not less than a predetermined value, irrespective of the inputting operation position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: SMK Corporation
    Inventors: Naomi Nakayama, Kazuo Imai, Yoshiaki Yamaguchi, Isamu Saito
  • Publication number: 20080128181
    Abstract: A touch panel with improved touching precision is provided. The touch panel includes a substrate having a first side, a second side, a third side, and a fourth side, each having two ends and together defining a surface; an X-axis transmitting transducer located near one end of the first side on the surface; an X-axis receiving transducer located near the other end of the first side on the surface; a Y-axis transmitting transducer located near one end of the second side on the surface; and a Y-axis receiving transducer located near the other end of the second side on the surface. The substrate includes a third patterned surface provided to the third side for reducing a back wave generated from a signal transmitted by the X-axis transmitting transducer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2007
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Applicant: EGALAX_EMPIA TECHNOLOGY INC.
    Inventor: Shang Tai Yeh
  • Patent number: 7342350
    Abstract: A handheld stylus having an elongated housing, a writing and drawing implement disposed within the housing and including a tip extending through an opening at an end of the housing where ultrasonic waves radiate therefrom and are used for determining a position of the stylus; and at least one ultrasonic transducer disposed within the housing. The transducer may be a cylindrical piezoelectric transducer having a holder and a cylindrical piezoelectric film spanning between at least two spaced apart cylindrical surfaces of the holder, or a flat transducer having a diaphragm, and a piezoelectric material disposed on a surface of the diaphragm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Measurement Specialties, Inc.
    Inventor: Minoru Toda
  • Publication number: 20080030483
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a touch screen panel, a method of manufacturing the touch screen panel, and a display having the touch screen panel. Ultrasonic excitation and detection transducers are attached to the front surface of the image display unit of a display, thereby implementing the touch screen panel. The substrate of the display, that is, the upper surface of the image display unit is used as a surface acoustic wave propagation medium, so that it is not required to manufacture the touch screen panel in a separate substrate and to attach the substrate, in which the touch screen panel is manufactured, to the image display unit of the display, thereby not only preventing degradation of image quality but also not increasing the thickness and size thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2007
    Publication date: February 7, 2008
    Inventors: Dae Ho Choo, Yang Suk Ahn, Yeon Hee Yu
  • Patent number: 7315300
    Abstract: A touch sensitive apparatus includes a touch plate and a number of sensors coupled to the touch plate. Each of the sensors is configured to sense bending waves in the touch plate and, in response to a touch to the touch plate, generate sensor signals. A controller is coupled to the sensors. The controller corrects for dispersion in the sensor signals and determines a location of the touch using the dispersion corrected signals. The controller performs impulse reconstruction, by which impulses representative of impulses generated by the touch to the touch sensitive device are produced. Using the reconstructed impulses, the controller confirms the location of the touch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Nicholas P. R. Hill, Darius M. Sullivan
  • Publication number: 20070295541
    Abstract: A surface acoustic wave (SAW) touch panel for automatically adjusting the strength of the received signal is provided. The issue of different decay levels between the SAW signals caused by panels of different vendors or materials is solved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2007
    Publication date: December 27, 2007
    Applicant: EGALAX_EMPIA TECHNOLOGY INC.
    Inventor: Shang Tai Yeh
  • Patent number: 7307627
    Abstract: An individual acoustic wave switch includes a body with a top section having an acoustic wave cavity formed therein and a base section extending downwardly from the top section. An acoustic wave transducer is mounted adjacent to a surface of the acoustic wave cavity opposite the touch surface thereof so as to generate an acoustic wave in the acoustic wave cavity and to pick up a signal representing the acoustic wave energy in the cavity. The acoustic wave switch is readily mounted in an aperture of a substrate through which the base of the switch extends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Terence J. Knowles, Charles F. Bremigan, III
  • Patent number: 7292227
    Abstract: An electronic device drives an oscillatory actuator to cause generation of vibration when it is detected that an operation input to a touch panel or operation key has been received. The electronic device causes, by this vibration, the touch panel and operation key to vibrate in a direction perpendicular to their respective front surfaces. Alternatively, the housing of the electronic device is made to vibrate. Further, the oscillatory actuator has a weight, a support member for supporting the weight to allow it to reciprocate, and connected to the touch panel or housing or other vibratory member of the electronic device, or vibratory member of the base member of the oscillatory actuator in contact with the vibratory member, and a mechanism for imparting a magnetic force or electrostatic force to cause reciprocal movement of the weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: NTT DoCoMo, Inc.
    Inventors: Masaaki Fukumoto, Toshiaki Sugimura
  • Patent number: 7277087
    Abstract: A touch sensing device includes a plurality of sensors and an emitting transducer coupled to a touch panel. The transducer induces bending waves in the touch panel. The sensors sense bending waves in the touch panel and generate a bending wave signal responsive to the sensed bending waves. A controller identifies an untouched condition signal responsive to the induced bending waves. The controller compares the untouched condition signal to the bending wave signal, and detects a touch on the touch panel based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Nicholas P. R. Hill, Darius M. Sullivan
  • Patent number: 7274358
    Abstract: An acoustic touchscreen having a substrate capable of propagating acoustic waves, the substrate having a touch-sensitive area, and an array of acoustically reflective elements lying in or on the substrate are positioned to transmit or receive acoustic signals into or out of the touch-sensitive area, the elements having a focusing shape that provides waveguide functionality, i.e., focusing the acoustic wave energy to a narrow area along a center line of the array axis, without requiring a further waveguide core structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2007
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Joel Christopher Kent
  • Patent number: 7265750
    Abstract: A force feedback interface and method including an actuator in a non-primary axis or degree of freedom. The force feedback interface device is connected to a host computer that implements a host application program or graphical environment. The interface device includes a user manipulatable object, a sensor for detecting movement of the user object, and an actuator to apply output forces to the user object. The actuator outputs a linear force on the user object in non-primary linear axis or degree of freedom that is not used to control a graphical object or entity implemented by the host computer, and movement in the non-primary degree of freedom is preferably not sensed by sensors. The axis extends through the user object, and there are preferably no other actuators in the device, thus allowing the force feedback device to be very cost effective. Force sensations such as a jolt, vibration, a constant force, and a texture force can be output on the user object with the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: Immersion Corporation
    Inventor: Louis B. Rosenberg
  • Patent number: 7250939
    Abstract: Navigating on a display includes tracking coordinate information of an input tool on a display and moving a visible portion of a page of information on the display a distance equal to a change in the coordinate information of the input tool multiplied by a multiplier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2007
    Assignee: AOL LLC
    Inventor: Luigi Lira
  • Patent number: 7248251
    Abstract: A wireless coordinate input system for a display system includes a stylus that transmits ultrasonic energy to a plurality of ultrasonic receiving stations in a projection plane. In an embodiment, the stylus may include one ultrasonic transmitter used for determination of three-dimensional coordinates of the stylus relative to the projection plane. The stylus may also include a second ultrasonic transmitter controlled by a pressure-activated switch. When the stylus is pressed against the projection plane, the second transmitter turns on and is used for determination of two-dimensional coordinates of the stylus in the projection plane. The stylus may also include a higher frequency burst transmitter used to generate a time reference. One or more of the ultrasonic receiving stations may also include an ultrasonic transmitter for calibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Jianping Xu, Stephen H. Hunt
  • Patent number: 7230609
    Abstract: A touch position coordinate detecting system is provided that is based on surface acoustic waves and includes arrays of reflective patterns between a touch region of a touch panel. An initial burst that includes two frequency components is sent on the panel. The reflective arrays include two sub-arrays centered respectively at the two frequencies. A touch on the panel involves an absorption of the acoustic waves traveling in the region of the panel, and provides a localized damping in a time output signal. A time localized damping is detected for each reflected frequency components, thereby enhancing the signal-to-noise ratio of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: GeneralTouch Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Zhong De Chao, Ao Yong, Deng Wei
  • Patent number: 7230612
    Abstract: Surface acoustic waves are propagated in a lower-left oblique direction and a lower-right oblique direction from an excitation element located on the upper side of a non-piezoelectric substrate and then received by receiving elements located on the left side and the right side, while surface acoustic waves are propagated in an upper-left oblique direction and an upper-right oblique direction from an excitation element located on the lower side of the non-piezoelectric substrate and then received by the receiving elements located on the left side and the right side. Based on the received results at the two receiving elements, a position of an object in contact with the non-piezoelectric substrate is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Satoshi Sano, Takashi Katsuki, Yuji Takahashi, Fumihiko Nakazawa