Transparent Substrate Having Light Entrapment Capability (i.e., Waveguides) Patents (Class 345/176)
  • Patent number: 8907928
    Abstract: An image display unit and a method of detecting an object which are capable of reliably detecting an object with a simple structure irrespective of use conditions are provided. Invisible light is emitted from a screen of a display portion. The invisible light reflected from a target object which comes in contact with or close to the screen is received on the screen. On the basis of the received invisible light, the target object is detected. Thus, the target object can be reliably detected without influence of the display state of the display portion, and influence of use conditions such as surrounding circumstances (the case where it is bright or dark). Moreover, for example, it is not necessary to separately arrange a component such as a touch panel, so the image display unit can be achieved with a simple structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Japan Display West Inc.
    Inventors: Kazunori Yamaguchi, Hirotoshi Fujisawa, Tsutomu Harada, Mitsuru Tateuchi
  • Patent number: 8907923
    Abstract: The present invention provides a photo sensor, a method of forming the photo sensor, and a related optical touch device. The photo sensor includes a first electrode, a second electrode, a first silicon-rich dielectric layer and a second silicon-rich dielectric layer. The first silicon-rich dielectric layer is disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode for sensing infrared rays, and the second silicon-rich dielectric layer is disposed between the first silicon-rich dielectric layer and the second electrode for sensing visible light beams. The multi-layer structure including the first silicon-rich dielectric layer and the second silicon-rich dielectric layer enables the single photo sensor to effectively detect both infrared rays and visible light beams. Moreover, the single photo sensor is easily integrated into an optical touch device to form optical touch panel integrated on glass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: AU Optronics Corp.
    Inventors: An-Thung Cho, Chia-Tien Peng, Hung-Wei Tseng, Cheng-Chiu Pai, Yu-Hsuan Li, Chun-Hsiun Chen, Wei-Ming Huang
  • Patent number: 8904057
    Abstract: During a period from a time when an input coordinate is interrupted to a time when an interruption compensation period, which is set on the basis of a moving speed of the input coordinate, elapses, an example information processing apparatus determines that an operator continues an input operation, and performs coordinate complementation. Specifically, as the moving speed of the input coordinate increases, the interruption compensation period increases. Then, when the interruption compensation period elapses, the information processing apparatus determines that the operator has ended the input operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Keizo Ohta
  • Patent number: 8904304
    Abstract: Disclosed are several methods, apparatus, and a system to create, expose, and hide embedded secondary content data relevant to a primary content page of an electronic book generated by a content generating device. The method, system, and apparatus is enabled through a Y-axis slide apart gesture that is applied to a notification region of the primary content page such that the secondary content data is made visible when the Y-axis slide apart gesture is applied to the notification region. The method, system, and apparatus is also enabled through a Y-axis pinch close gesture that is applied to a boundary of an exposed pane that is appearing in the primary content page such that the Y-axis pinch close gesture collapses the exposed pane in which the secondary content data is made visible. In one embodiment, the system comprises an association server, an electronic book distribution server, and a content rendering device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: barnesandnoble.com llc
    Inventor: Peter Farago
  • Patent number: 8896547
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a pointer detection apparatus, including: a conductor pattern including a plurality of first conductors disposed in a first direction and a plurality of second conductors disposed in a second direction; a multi-frequency signal production circuit configured to produce a plurality of signals of different frequencies; a first conductor selection circuit configured to selectively supply the signals of different frequencies to those first conductors, between which N ones of the first conductors are interposed, N being a predetermined integer equal to or greater than 0; a second conductor selection circuit configured to selectively receive detection signals from the second conductors; and a signal detection circuit configured to obtain signals of individual frequencies, corresponding to the signals of different frequencies produced by the multi-frequency signal production circuit, which are representative of coupling states at cross points between the first conductors and the second conductors
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Wacom Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuo Oda, Yoshihisa Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 8896574
    Abstract: The invention provides an optical touch apparatus. The optical touch apparatus includes at least one optical path unit and at least one light sensing unit. The at least one optical path unit is located on a first side of a display unit of the optical touch apparatus and used to receive at least one directional incident light, the at least one directional incident light is focused to form an image in an imaging region through at least one refraction in the at least one optical path unit. The at least one light sensing unit is located at a relative position of the at least one optical path unit, and used to generate a sensing result according to the image in the imaging region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Raydium Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Long Hsu, Meng-Shin Yen, William Wang, Chung-Cheng Chou
  • Patent number: 8890850
    Abstract: A display device includes a waveguide with a light propagating therein, and a panel including a first organic light-emitting device in a sub-pixel region and a second organic light-emitting device in a sensing region adjacent to the sub-pixel region, the first organic light-emitting device for displaying a data on the panel, and the second light-emitting device responsive to a scattering of the light from the waveguide for outputting a signal indicative of a contact on the waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: In Jae Chung, In Ho Ahn, Seong Ho Baik, Sang Hyuck Bae
  • Patent number: 8890851
    Abstract: A detection target space of an optical position detection device is divided into a detection target space due to a light emitting/receiving unit and a light emitting/receiving unit and a detection target space due to a light emitting/receiving unit and a light emitting/receiving unit. The light emitting/receiving units overlap each other in a Z-axis direction, and a light receiving element of the light emitting/receiving unit and a light receiving element of the light emitting/receiving unit are disposed so as to overlap each other in the Z-axis direction with light receiving surfaces facing to respective directions different from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuki Yoshida, Kanechika Kiyose
  • Patent number: 8890838
    Abstract: A touch panel includes X electrodes which extend in a same direction, and Y electrodes which extend in a direction different from the direction of the X electrodes. The X electrodes and the Y electrodes respectively include intersection portions each formed where the X electrodes and the Y electrodes overlap each other, and electrode portions each formed between the intersection portions, wherein the electrode portions of one of the X electrodes is smaller in area than the electrode portions of one of the Y electrodes, and wherein dummy electrodes are formed close to the electrode portion of one of the X electrode or the Y electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignees: Japan Display Inc., Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kouichi Anno
  • Patent number: 8890821
    Abstract: A method and device for dual-differential sensing is disclosed. The sensing information can be generated from signals provided by a sensing device with a plurality of sensors. Each value of the sensing information corresponds to signals of three sensors, respectively. The sensing device is flexible and configured on a display. The noise effect of the display on the signal of each sensor corresponds to the distance between the display and the sensor. Besides, the noise effect of the display on each value of the sensing information corresponds to the distances between the display and the three sensors, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Egalax—Empia Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Chin-Fu Chang, Cheng-Han Lee, Chi-Hao Tang, Shun-Lung Ho
  • Patent number: 8884914
    Abstract: A method and device for signal detection is disclosed. At least one detection period is predefined for detecting a signal of a signal source, a differential signal of a pair of signal sources, or a dual-differential signal of three signal sources during at least one clock cycle, wherein the detection evades the period of a predictable noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Egalax—Empia Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Chin-Fu Chang, Cheng-Han Lee, Chi-Hao Tang, Shun-Lung Ho, Guang-Huei Lin
  • Patent number: 8878820
    Abstract: An optical touch module includes a transparent substrate and two light processing units. The transparent substrate includes a touch surface, a sub-surface parallel to the touch surface, and a surrounding side surface connected to the touch surface and the sub-surface. The two light processing units are positioned on two neighboring corners of the transparent substrate, and each of the two light processing units includes a light source and a detector. The light source and the detector respectively have a light emitting surface and a light entry surface, the light emitting surface of the light source and the light entry surface of the detector both face the surrounding side surface, and the two light processing units are positioned beneath the touch surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignees: Wintek Corporation, Wintek (China) Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Wen-Chun Wang, Jyh-Yeuan Ma, Chong-Yang Fang, Tsung-Yen Hsieh
  • Patent number: 8872761
    Abstract: The invention relates to a pointing device and a method for processing signals from such a pointing device, said device comprising a base and an actuator movable with respect to the base, and a detector, said detector adapted for providing at least first and second positional signals indicating a position of the actuator with respect to the base along corresponding first and second axes, wherein said signal processing method comprises the steps of converting the at least two positional signals into a polar coordinate signal comprising a magnitude signal, and thresholding the magnitude signal of the polar coordinate signal to provide a thresholded magnitude signal. In an embodiment the method further comprising the step of applying a conversion curve to the thresholded magnitude signal to produce a velocity magnitude signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: NXP, B.V.
    Inventor: Kim Le Phan
  • Patent number: 8860696
    Abstract: An integrated touch-sensing display is operated to detect the location of one or more objects on a touch surface. The integrated touch-sensing display defines a display area. A light guide (14) is arranged over the display area to define the touch surface (16). The light guide (14) is illuminated internally such that an object (20) contacting the touch surface (16) causes part of the illuminating light to be scattered towards the display area. An array of light sensors (6) is integrated within the display area to detect the scattered light. Based on output signals from the light sensors (6), a processing element obtains image data that represents the light that impinges on the display area excluding ambient light, and determines the location of the object (20) on the touch surface (16). Ambient light may be suppressed by a spectral passband filter in front of each light sensor (6), and/or by electronic filtering of the output signals from the sensors (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Flatfrog Laboratories AB
    Inventors: Ola Wassvik, Tomas Christiansson
  • Patent number: 8860686
    Abstract: The exemplary devices and processing techniques allow multiple measurement devices or chips to work together to sample a screen that is larger than one measurement device might sample, by allowing sharing X or drive lines amongst the measurements devices. Particular implementations of the subject matter described in this specification can be implemented so as to realize one or more of the following optional advantages. The sharing of the drive lines may allow for a screen sized or otherwise configured to have more measurement nodes than would be produced by the sum of the nodes that could be measured by the individual devices. For a screen that requires multiple measurement devices, the drive line sharing thus may allow use of a smaller number of measuring devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Martin John Simmons, Dan Thomas Edward Pickett, Richard Paul Collins
  • Patent number: 8860694
    Abstract: A light sensing assembly includes a first light guide plate (“LGP”), a light-emitting diode (“LED”) part, an infrared LED part, a second LGP and a first sensor array. The LED part is at a side portion of the first LGP and emits white lights of a displayed image. The infrared LED part emits infrared lights of a detected touch. The second LGP is below the first LGP. The second LGP guides a path of the infrared lights of the detected touch inputted in accordance with a touch operation. The first sensor array is at a side portion of the second LGP and senses the reflected infrared lights which are guided by the second LGP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seong-Mo Hwang, Moon-Gyu Lee, Hyeon-Yong Jang, Jae-Jin Pyun, Il-Ho Lee, Moon-Jung Baek
  • Patent number: 8854336
    Abstract: A light guide module is applied in an optical touch module. A focusing component of the light guide module focuses the light emitted from a light guide component of the light guide module, so that all the light emitted from the light guide component can be convergently distributed in a touch area of the optical touch module. In this way, the light provided by a lighting component of the optical touch module can be effectively utilized, and the signal to noise ratio of the received signal of a sensor of the optical touch module increases. Therefore, the optical touch module can determines the location of the finger or the contacting object more correctly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: PixArt Imaging Inc.
    Inventors: Hung-Ching Lai, Chiang-Yuan Chuang, Hui-Hsuan Chen
  • Patent number: 8847894
    Abstract: A method, system, and medium are provided for providing tactile feedback in association with contact to a touchscreen display of a mobile device. One embodiment of the method includes receiving a touch input to a touchscreen display area provided by a user of the mobile device. The touch input selects a predetermined region within the touchscreen display area. Incident to the touch input of the predetermined region, a mechanical indicator on the rear of the mobile device is physically manipulated to provide an indication to the user that the predetermined region was selected by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Woojae Lee, Sanjay K. Sharma, Peter S. Syromiatnikov, Cesar Perez
  • Patent number: 8847925
    Abstract: Arrangement (202) for a user input device, such as a touchscreen or a touchpad, comprising a substrate (206), such as an optically substantially transparent flex film or a multilayer film, said substrate comprising support electronics (212) for providing power, control and/or communications connection to further electronic components (210), a number of emitters and detectors (210) arranged to said substrate into contact with the support electronics, for emitting and detecting light, respectively, and a lightguide (208) provided, such as laminated, onto the substrate such that said emitters and detectors are optically coupled to the lightguide material, the properties of the lightguide including the refractive index of the lightguide material being selected and the emitters and detectors being configured so as to enable, when in use, total internal reflection (TIR) -type propagation of light within the lightguide between the emitters and detectors, and recognition of a touch on the basis of a drop in the TIR p
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Teknologian Tutkimuskeskus VTT
    Inventors: Kari Rönkä, Antti Keränen, Janne Aikio
  • Patent number: 8847924
    Abstract: Embodiments of reflecting light off surfaces are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Michael M. Blythe, Gregory W. Blythe, Daniel T. Pinard, Terrill D. Snyder
  • Patent number: 8847882
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for recognizing the position of an indicating object. An apparatus for recognizing the position of an indicating object of the present invention comprises: first reflecting means installed along the left, right, and bottom edges of a screen so as to reflect a laser beam emitted from object-detecting means back to the object-detecting means; said object-detecting means, formed as a pair, for analyzing a change in the amount of light in the reflected laser beam over time, and detecting position coordinates of the indicating object on the planar surface of the screen; and fixing means including a housing and a fixing member fixedly installed on an upper portion of the screen and coupled to the housing so as to fix the housing to the upper portion of the screen, the fixing means being intended for facilitating the installation of the object-detecting means on the upper portion of the screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Smart Sense Technology Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Seung-tae Jeong, Bong-hwan Kim
  • Patent number: 8836665
    Abstract: A handheld electronic device includes a reduced QWERTY keyboard and is enabled with disambiguation software. The device provides output in the form of a default output and a number of variants. The output is based largely upon the frequency, i.e., the likelihood that a user is likely to have intended a particular output, but various features of the device provide additional variants that are not based solely on frequency and rather are provided by various logic structures resident on the device. The device provides a learning function that allows the disambiguation function to adapt to provide a customized experience for the user. The learning function is disabled, however, when the relevant words are found to be in a special category for which frequency learning, i.e., frequency revision, is not employed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventor: Vadim Fux
  • Patent number: 8836662
    Abstract: A method and device for key-press judgment based on a touch screen are disclosed. The method involves: detecting a press operation; when the press operation is detected, acquiring position information of current pressed point and extended information corresponding to the position information, until the end of this press operation is detected; judging a pressed key corresponding to this press operation according to the position information and the extended information of pressed points in this operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Tencent Technology (Shenzhen) Company Limited
    Inventor: Tingchao Liu
  • Patent number: 8836657
    Abstract: A positional information correction device includes a positional information acquisition unit configured to acquire positional information showing a position of an operation body, which is detected by a position detection unit, from a touch sensor that includes a plurality of first electrodes wired along a first direction, a plurality of second electrodes wired along a second direction, and the position detection unit that detects the position of the operation body that approaches the first and second electrodes, based on capacitance on the first and second electrodes, a capacitance value acquisition unit configured to acquire a capacitance value showing a value of the capacitance on the first and second electrodes from the touch sensor, and a positional information correction unit configured to correct the positional information by using a first correction function that includes a first periodic function and a second correction function that includes a second periodic function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Yamamoto, Takuro Noda, Ikuo Yamano
  • Patent number: 8830189
    Abstract: A monitoring unit is presented for use in monitoring a behavior of at least a part of a physical object. The monitoring unit comprises: a data input module configured for receiving measured data indicative of a behavior of at least a part of the physical object in a certain coordinate system associated with a predetermined sensing surface; and a digital signal processor configured and operable to be responsive to said measured data for transforming the measured data into an approximate representation of said at least portion of the physical object into a virtual coordinate system such that the transformation maintains a positional relationship between virtual points and corresponding portions within said at least part of the physical object. This technique enables further formatting of said approximate representation into a predetermined data input format of a certain electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: ZRRO Technologies (2009) Ltd.
    Inventors: Ori Rimon, Rafi Zachut, Vered Cohen Sharvit
  • Patent number: 8823684
    Abstract: Disclosed are: a position detection system having improved flexibility in selection of line sensors; and others. In the position detection system (PM) of the present invention, a phosphor (11) which can excite invisible light (UV light) that is light emitted from an LED (23) is arranged on an optical path between the LED (23) and a light receiving element (26).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsuhito Murai, Takehiro Murao, Seishi Kosegawa, Yukihiko Nishiyama, Hideki Kitagawa
  • Patent number: 8822835
    Abstract: A capacitive touch panel sensor in which waviness generated in a film furnished with a transparent electrode pattern can be small. The touch panel sensor according to the present invention includes a first film, a first transparent electrode pattern formed on the first film, a first adhesive layer laminated on the first film so as to cover the first transparent electrode pattern, a second film laminated on the first adhesive layer, a second adhesive layer laminated on the second film, a third film laminated on the second adhesive layer, and a second transparent electrode pattern formed on the third film, wherein Da/Db is 0.5 to 0.9 where a total thickness of the second film and the second adhesive layer is Da, and a distance between the first transparent electrode pattern and the second transparent electrode pattern is Db.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Mizue Nagata, Tomotake Nashiki
  • Patent number: 8810526
    Abstract: A touch apparatus includes a touch panel, voltage storage elements, a voltage supply unit, and a processing unit. The touch panel has electrodes respectively coupled to the voltage storage elements. When the voltage supply unit does not provide the voltage to the voltage storage element, the voltage storage element achieves a voltage balance within an energy storage time and stores a voltage of the corresponding electrode. The energy storage times of a part of the voltage storage elements at least partially overlap. The energy storage times of two the voltage storage elements respectively coupled to two adjacent electrodes do not overlap with each other. The processing unit is coupled to the electrodes and the voltage storage elements and adopts voltages stored in the voltage storage elements when the voltage balance is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Innolux Corporation
    Inventors: Po-Sheng Shih, Po-Yang Chen
  • Publication number: 20140225871
    Abstract: A display device is provided. The display device includes a display layer, a display unit that includes a retardation and polarization layer provided on top of the display layer, and a touch detector that is located around the retardation and polarization layer and that includes at least one opaque metal electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2014
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Min-Uk KIM, Dong-Sub KIM, Hak-Yeol KIM, Song-Hee JUNG
  • Patent number: 8803847
    Abstract: A touch display device includes a display panel, a light guide plate, at least an invisible light emitting device, and a first light path converting device. The light guide plate includes a plurality of microstructures to reflect an invisible light generated by the invisible light emitting device such that the invisible light passes through the display panel, reaching the first light path converting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: AU Optronics Corp.
    Inventors: Fu-Cheng Fan, Tzu-Ling Niu, Yu-Ping Wu, Hsing-Jung Chuang
  • Patent number: 8803830
    Abstract: A touch panel includes a first substrate having a first conductive layer on one surface; a second substrate having a second conductive layer on a surface on a side facing the first conductive layer; a plurality of first electrodes extending from the first conductive layer; and a plurality of second electrodes extending from the second conductive layer. The first conductive layer is formed of a plurality of parallel strips; and the plurality of first electrodes are formed of a straight portion extending in a predetermined direction, and an inclined portion coupled to the straight portion by being inclined by a predetermined angle with respect to a direction orthogonal to the straight portion. Fading, thickness variation and the like at the time of printing can be prevented and fine patterning can be easily carried out, so that an inexpensive touch panel in which overall miniaturization is achieved can be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Nakanishi, Nobuhiro Yamaue, Toshiharu Fukui
  • Patent number: 8803848
    Abstract: A touch screen in the form of a panel is capable of conducting signals and a tomograph including signal flow ports is positioned adjacent the panel with the signal flow ports arrayed around the border of the panel at discrete locations. Signals are introduced into the panel to pass from each discrete border location to a plurality of other discrete border locations for being detected and tomographically processed to determine if any change occurred to signals due to the panel being touched during signal passage through the panel, and therefrom determine any local area on the panel where a change occurred. The tomograph computes and outputs a signal indicative of a panel touch and location, which can be shown on a display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Inventor: Victor Manuel Suarez Rovere
  • Patent number: 8797283
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing a task at a handheld device. The method includes detecting a first gesture at a handheld device, monitoring for a second gesture in response to detecting the first gesture, detecting the second gesture at the handheld device, determining whether the second gesture corresponds to a task and performing the task when it is determined that the second gesture corresponds to the task.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC
    Inventor: Erich Peter Waas
  • Patent number: 8797275
    Abstract: An HPF eliminates an image of an object which is not to be detected from a captured image, thereby obtaining an HPF image. A binarizing unit performs a binarizing process on the HPF image, thereby generating a binary image. A peak detector extracts, using the binary image as a mask, an image of a region corresponding to an opening of the mask from the captured image. From the image, a peak value and the position of a peak pixel are detected. A determining unit determines whether an object to be detected is in contact with the display surface or not on the basis of the relation between the difference and the threshold. Using the detection result and the determination result in the determining unit, a position deriving unit derives the position on the display surface, of the object to be detected which is in contact with the display surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Japan Display West Inc.
    Inventors: Ryoichi Tsuzaki, Tsutomu Harada, Kazunori Yamaguchi, Mitsuru Tateuchi
  • Patent number: 8797298
    Abstract: Embodiments of a finger navigation device are described. In one embodiment, the finger navigation device includes a light guide film (LGF), a light source, a sensor, and a navigation engine. At least a portion of the LGF exhibits total internal reflection (TIR) and the light source is in optical communication with the LGF and configured to inject light into the LGF. The sensor is configured to detect light that exits from the LGF after being reflected from a finger that is proximate the LGF and the navigation engine is configured to generate lateral movement information, which is indicative of lateral movement of the finger relative to the sensor, in response to light that is reflected from the finger and detected by the sensor. Other embodiments of the finger navigation device are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Michael J. Brosnan, Gary R. Trott, Timothy James Orsley
  • Patent number: 8797292
    Abstract: A touch sensor device is provided that uses a flexible circuit substrate to provide an improved input device. Specifically, the present invention uses a touch sensor controller affixed to the flexible circuit substrate, which is coupled to a sensor component to provide a flexible, reliable and cost effective touch sensor suitable for a wide variety of applications. In one embodiment the touch sensor uses a flexible circuit substrate that provides relatively high temperature resistance. This allows the touch sensor controller to be affixed using reliable techniques, such as various types of soldering. The sensor component can comprise a relatively low-temperature-resistant substrate that can provide a cost effective solution. Taken together, this embodiment of the touch sensor provides reliability and flexibility at relatively low cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
    Inventors: Joseph Kurth Reynolds, Shawn P. Day
  • Patent number: 8797271
    Abstract: The aggregation of multiple inputs in a touch-sensitive input device is disclosed. For example, one disclosed embodiment comprises receiving multiple inputs related to a virtual object, aggregating the inputs into an aggregated output, and providing the aggregated output to an application that controls the virtual object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Doug Kramer, Kevin Kennedy, Maxim Mazeev, Sundaram Ramani, Robert Levy
  • Patent number: 8791923
    Abstract: The disclosure describes a touch device including a touching area having a first edge and a second edge; two reflective lens arrays and two laser source modules which are all disposed at the first edge and the second edge respectively, wherein each laser source module includes a laser diode and a diffractive optical element assembled in front of the laser diode for separating a laser beam projected from the laser diode to a plurality of laser beams with equal magnitude, the laser beams are distributed in a parallel arrangement over the touching area by the reflective lens array; and two receiving devices disposed at the corresponding edges of the first edge and the second edge respectively. The receiving device includes a plurality of sensing units, wherein each sensing unit receives one of the laser beams respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: TPK Touch Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Heng-Yao Chang, Sheng-Pin Su
  • Patent number: 8786557
    Abstract: A common electrode 43 for display, which is originally provided in a liquid crystal display element, is also used as one (drive electrode) of a pair of electrodes for a touch sensor, and the other (detection-electrode-for-the-sensor 44) of the pair of electrodes is newly formed. An existing common drive signal Vcom as a drive signal for display is used in common for a drive signal for the touch sensor. A capacitance is formed between the common electrode 43 and the detection-electrode-for-the-sensor 44, and touch detection is performed by utilizing a change of this capacitance caused by a finger touch of a user. Thus, a display device with a touch sensor is also applicable to a mobile device in which electric potential of the user is inconstant in many cases. The newly-provided electrode is only the detection-electrode-for-the-sensor 44, and it is unnecessary to newly prepare a drive signal for the touch sensor. Therefore, the configuration is simple.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Japan Display West Inc.
    Inventors: Koji Noguchi, Daisuke Takama, Yoshitoshi Kida
  • Patent number: 8780057
    Abstract: Provided is an information processing apparatus including an operation display unit for displaying a display screen and detecting an operation location on the display screen based upon a user operation on the display screen, a pressure detecting unit including a plurality of pressure sensors for detecting a pressure value according to the user operation on the operation display unit for each of the plurality of pressure sensors, an operation type determining unit for determining a type of the user operation, a deriving unit for selectively deriving a barycentric location on the display screen based upon detection results from the plurality of pressure sensors, based upon a determination result from the operation type determining unit, and an estimating unit for estimating a pressure value on the operation location, based upon a derivation result from the deriving unit and upon information of barycentric location candidates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Fuminori Homma, Tatsushi Nashida
  • Patent number: 8780083
    Abstract: A plurality of sensors for receiving arrival light detect the change ranges of light amount distributions generated upon the pointing operation of a pointer on a coordinate input region. Coordinate values corresponding to the change ranges are calculated on the basis of the number of change ranges in the respective sensors and the number of pen-down signals obtained from the pointer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Atsushi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8780066
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Flatfrog Laboratories AB
    Inventors: Tomas Christiansson, Peter Juhlin
  • Patent number: 8780076
    Abstract: Disclosed is a mobile terminal and a method for controlling the same. The mobile terminal includes a body having a wireless communication module, a display unit disposed on one surface of the body, displaying one or more icons thereon, and configured to have a touch input thereon, and a controller configured to compensate for a control command corresponding to a touch, based on at least one of a touch duration, a touch point and a change of the touch point, when the touch on the display unit is detected during a change of a position or a shape of the icon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Prasanna Banavara Ramarao, Jonghwan Kim
  • Patent number: 8773400
    Abstract: A touch screen in the form of a panel is capable of conducting signals and a tomograph including signal flow ports is positioned adjacent the panel with the signal flow ports arrayed around the border of the panel at discrete locations. Signals are introduced into the panel to pass from each discrete border location to a plurality of other discrete border locations for being detected and tomographically processed to determine if any change occurred to signals due to the panel being touched during signal passage through the panel, and therefrom determine any local area on the panel where a change occurred. The tomograph computes and outputs a signal indicative of a panel touch and location, which can be shown on a display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Inventor: Victor Manuel Suarez Rovere
  • Patent number: 8773399
    Abstract: A touch display device includes a display panel, a touch panel, a plurality of first light sources, a plurality of light sensors and at least one second light source. The display panel has a display surface. The touch panel is disposed above the display panel and includes a transparent part, a plurality of light guide parts configured to protrude from the surface of the transparent part thereby corporately forming a touch region on the surface. The first light sources and first light source is reflected by the light guide parts so as to emit above the touch region and be received by the light sensors. The second light source is configured to emit visible light beams, which is emitted out via the touch panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: AU Optronics Corp.
    Inventors: Tzu-Ling Niu, Fu-Cheng Fan
  • Publication number: 20140176506
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a touch sensor, including: a window; a transparent substrate having a first electrode part formed on one surface thereof; and a first adhesive layer allowing the window and one surface of the transparent substrate to adhere to each other, wherein a first protrusion part is formed on an edge of one surface of the transparent substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRO-MECHANICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hee Jin PARK, Ji Hyuk Lim, Seung Mi Lee, Suk Jin Ham
  • Patent number: 8754859
    Abstract: An electro-optic display comprises, in order, a light-transmissive electrically-conductive layer; a layer of a solid electro-optic material; and a backplane (162) bearing a plurality of pixel electrodes. A peripheral portion of the backplane extends outwardly beyond the layer of solid electro-optic material and bears a plurality of radiation generators (166) and a plurality of radiation detectors (168), the radiation generators and detectors together being arranged to act as a touch screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: E Ink Corporation
    Inventors: Holly G. Gates, Robert W. Zehner, Russell J. Wilcox, Matthew J. Aprea
  • Patent number: 8749522
    Abstract: An optical sensor for measuring a force distribution includes a substrate, one or more light emitting sources, and one or more detectors provided on the substrate, with the detectors responsive to the light emitted by the sources. A deformable opto-mechanical layer is also provided on the substrate with light responsive properties depending on a deformation of the opto-mechanical layer. The design of the sensor and particularly the use of optical components in a deformable layer make it possible to measure the contact force accurately, including in some embodiments, the direction of the contact force. The sensor is scalable and adaptable to complex shapes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Nederlandse Organisatie Voor Toegepast-Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek Tno
    Inventors: Andreas Heinrich Dietzel, Harmannus Franciscus Maria Schoo, Marinus Marc Koetse
  • Patent number: 8749516
    Abstract: A mobile device with a touch panel and a touch-lock operating method thereof are provided. The mobile device preferably includes an RF communication unit for supporting communication services; a touch panel for sensing input touches; a display unit for displaying a screen, where the screen includes at least one of a preset image, text, and map; and a controller for setting a touch-lock in the touch panel according to a preset condition. The controller also controls the display unit to display at least one of a text and image or at least one particular icon corresponding to the information reception event that occurs, based on the RF communication unit, in the touch-lock state. A portion of the display screen can be locked, or only certain predetermined touch functions permitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tae Yeon Kim, Sung Sik Lee, Il Geun Bok, Hyun Kyung Shin
  • Patent number: 8749527
    Abstract: An input device includes a transparent display panel configured to display a graphical interface, an input plate disposed above the display panel and composed of a material that transmits the graphical interface and allows infrared light to propagate through the input plate, an infrared-emitting unit disposed in contact with the input plate and configured to emit the infrared light into the input plate via a contact surface of the input plate, and an infrared detection unit disposed below the input plate and configured to detect diffused light of the infrared light which is generated at the input plate when the input plate is touched.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignees: University of Tsukuba, CYBERDYNE Inc.
    Inventors: Damien Douxchamps, Takeshi Fujimori, Yoshiyuki Sankai