Transparent Substrate Having Light Entrapment Capability (i.e., Waveguides) Patents (Class 345/176)
  • Patent number: 8564573
    Abstract: Present day, technology allows flexible screens to be produced, particularly the OLED screen technology. The invention relates to a device equipped with a flexible screen emitting light. Part of the light rays emitted by the optical cells is imprisoned between the substrate layers and reflecting from one layer to the other exit at the side of the screen. Photoelectric detectors are arranged on the side of the screen in order to capture the incident light. Depending on the position of the cells emitting the light and the values supplied by the detectors, the central processing unit determines the areas of flexion applied to the screen. Hence, it is possible to introduce commands by exerting flexions on certain areas of the screen. The invention also relates to a device having a flexible screen and flexion sensors capable of executing the method for the introduction of commands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Christopher Prat, Nadine Patry, Philippe Le Roy
  • Patent number: 8558807
    Abstract: A transparent touch panel comprises a first axis sensing layer, a second axis sensing layer and an insulating layer between the first axis sensing layer and the second axis sensing layer; the first axis sensing layer and second axis sensing layer being transparent conductive films, and the insulating layer being transparent insulated film. In each of the first axis sensing layer and second axis sensing layer, first insulating wires serve to delimit a plurality of electrode areas and a plurality of waste etching areas; and signal conductive wires serve to delimit a dummy pattern in the waste etching areas; the electrodes areas include a plurality of sensing electrodes and/or a plurality of signal conductive wires and the dummy pattern includes a plurality of small sub-areas which are disconnected to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Inventor: Teh-Zheng Lin
  • Patent number: 8553014
    Abstract: A touch screen, including a layer of light-transmissive material having an upper surface that is exposed for touch by one or more objects, a plurality of light emitters underneath the upper surface, a first lens assembly for directing light beams emitted by the light emitters into the layer at an angle such that the light beams, when entering the layer, remain confined to the layer by total internal reflection when the light beams are not absorbed by any of the objects touching the upper surface, a plurality of light detectors for detecting light beams and for generating outputs indicating the amounts of light detected, a second lens assembly for directing light beams at a surface of the layer towards the light detectors, and a calculating unit for determining respective one or more locations of the one or more objects touching the upper surface, based on outputs of the light detectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Neonode Inc.
    Inventors: Stefan Holmgren, Lars Sparf, Remo Behdasht, Thomas Eriksson, Michael Lawrence Elyan, Joseph Shain, Anders Jansson, Robert Pettersson, John Karlsson
  • Patent number: 8553235
    Abstract: A cursor maneuvering device comprises a cavity containing a plurality of colored lights and an image sensor and covered with a light mixing plate. The colored lights are located in the cavity in an as largely departed as possible manner and illuminate a pointing device contacting the surface of the light mixing plate. The image sensor detects a hue of light illuminating the pointing device and controls a cursor depending upon the hue. Changes in the hue of a moving pointing device are translated into movement of the cursor on the display of an electronic device. The pointing device may be anything touching the light mixing plate, for instance a finger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Inventor: Wen-Chieh Geoffrey Lee
  • Patent number: 8546741
    Abstract: An optical finger navigation device includes an image sensor, a tracking surface, and an optical element. The image sensor generates an image representative of light detected at a pixel array that has a pixel pitch which at least partially defines a surface area of a pixel. The tracking surface is approximately parallel to the image sensor. A first distance between and substantially orthogonal to planes of the tracking surface and the image sensor is insufficient under a set of illumination constraints to produce at the image sensor a speckle size above a threshold. The threshold is approximately one order of magnitude less than the pixel pitch. The optical element is interposed between the tracking surface and the image sensor. The optical element includes at least one optical redirection surface to redirect light along an optical path of a second distance between the tracking surface and the image sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventor: Omid Momtahan
  • Patent number: 8547244
    Abstract: A touch-sensitive input device provides improved visual feedback at (or near) the point and time of contact. As the user touches a touch-sensitive screen or pad, a portion of the screen or pad changes in visual appearance to indicate that the input has been received. In one embodiment, the change in visual appearance is localized to an area proximate to the point of contact. In one embodiment, the change in visual appearance is accomplished by illuminating an area proximate to and centered around the point of contact. In another embodiment, the change in visual appearance is accomplished by illuminating one or more illuminable elements, such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs) on the touch-sensitive pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Palm, Inc.
    Inventors: Matias Gonzalo Duarte, Daniel Marc Gatan Shiplacoff, Jeremy Godfrey Lyon, Peter Skillman, Dianne Parry Dominguez, Richard R. Dellinger
  • Patent number: 8548528
    Abstract: A mobile terminal including a touch pad; a first display unit including a transparent display; a second display unit including a non-transparent display disposed below the transparent display; and a controller configured to selectively control the first and second display units to operate in a dual-operation mode by controlling at least a portion of the first display unit to be transparent and not display information and controlling the second display unit to display information that can be viewed through the at least the portion of the first display unit that is transparent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Jonghwan Kim, Byunghee Hwang
  • Patent number: 8545305
    Abstract: Gaming devices, gaming systems, methods of conducting a wagering game, and computer programs for initiating a wagering game are presented herein. A gaming device is presented that includes a wager input device for receiving wagers from players to play a wagering game, and a display for displaying outcomes of the wagering game. The gaming device also includes a multi-layer composite lighting assembly with a first light-emitting layer, a second light-emitting layer, and a spacer. The first light-emitting layer emits light of a first color in a first direction, whereas the second light-emitting layer emits light of a second color in a second direction. The spacer, which is interposed between the first and second light-emitting layers, diffuses and focuses light emitted by the second light-emitting layer through the light emitted by the first light-emitting layer to thereby create a three-dimensional simulation of a component of the wagering game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: WMS Gaming Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth M. Ross, Emilio D. Perez, Norma C. Rodriguez, Sean E. Hayes, Vito M. Caporusso
  • Patent number: 8540400
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an encoding device, such as an optical position encoder, for encoding input from an object, and a method for encoding input from an object, for determining a position of an object that interferes with light of the device. The encoding device comprises a light source, a waveguide, a number of redirecting structures, and a detector. By means of the waveguide and the number of redirecting structures, light from the light source is guided towards the detector along a path that includes traversing an area in a space next to the planar waveguide. An object may be positioned in the area in the space and may interfere with the light, which interference may be encoded into a position or activation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: O-Net Wavetouch Limited
    Inventors: Michael Linde Jakobsen, Vagn Steen Gruner Hanson, Henrik Chresten Pedersen
  • Patent number: 8534897
    Abstract: An optical waveguide device is provided which is capable of distributing light beams from a light source equally to long and short sides of a rectangular panel and which does not require a high degree of accuracy for alignment between the light source and a core. The optical waveguide device includes the light source provided on an edgewise extending frame part of a rectangular panel, and an optical waveguide provided on the frame part and including the branched core having a common portion closer to the light source, the branched core being divided from the common portion into a first core portion and a second core portion orthogonal to each other. The common portion is disposed at a corner of the frame part. The second core portion has a width greater than the width of the first core portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Akiko Nagafuji, Noriyuki Juni
  • Patent number: 8537138
    Abstract: An optical touch apparatus includes a light source capable of emitting a beam, a light guide unit disposed in a transmission path of the beam, and an optical detector. The light guide unit includes a light guide body having a first surface, a second surface, a third surface, a fourth surface, and a scattering structure disposed on at least one of the second surface, the third surface, and the fourth surface. The beam is capable of entering the light guide body, being scattered to the first surface by the scattering structure, and then being transmitted to a sensing space. The scattering structure includes separated scattering patterns including a resin composition and scattering particles dispersed in the resin composition. The ratio of the weight percentage of the scattering particles to the weight percentage of the resin composition is equal to or greater than 0.1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Coretronic Corporation
    Inventors: Chih-Jen Tsang, Kuo-Nang Lin, Cheng-Yi Lien
  • Patent number: 8537140
    Abstract: An illuminated touch sensitive surface module and an illuminated device are disclosed. The illuminated touch sensitive surface module includes a cosmetic layer, a sensor, a controller and an illuminated device. The cosmetic layer permits light beams to pass through and objects to touch or hover thereon. The controller connects to the sensor and drives an illuminated mode of the illuminated device according to the position information. The illuminated device has many regions and at least one light guild film in which the light beams enter from the side and emit out of a top of individual light guide film. Further, each light guide film has a bottom on which micro members are formed for changing path of the entering light beams and block members for defining the regions. In the illuminated mode, the touched or hovered regions of the illuminated device are illuminated while the other regions are dark.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Elan Microelectronics Corporation
    Inventors: Ming-Chieh Tsai, Hsin-Fu Hsu, Chien-Hao Chen
  • Patent number: 8531413
    Abstract: A touch display panel and a touch panel therein are provided. The touch panel includes a first transparent supporter plate, a second transparent supporter plate, and a touch module. The second transparent supporter plate and the touch module are disposed over the first transparent supporter plate. The first transparent supporter plate and the second transparent supporter plate have optical anisotropy. The first transparent supporter plate has a first fast axis and a first slow axis, and the second transparent supporter plate has a second fast axis and a second slow axis. A direction of the second fast axis is substantially perpendicular to a direction of the first fast axis, and a direction of the second slow axis is substantially perpendicular to a direction of the first slow axis. The touch panel of the present invention is helpful to improve display quality of the touch display panel having the touch panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Wintek Corporation
    Inventors: Chien-Chung Kuo, Chun-Chi Chi, Yu-Chen Liu
  • Patent number: 8527011
    Abstract: In some implementations, a computer-implemented method of displaying alert information with a mobile communication device includes displaying device status indicators to a user of a mobile device in a status area; receiving information from an application to display an alert in the status area; displaying in the status area a first level of information for the alert and a user-selectable control; and displaying, in response to a selection of the user-selectable control, a second level of information for the alert that provides greater detail than the first level of information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: German W. Bauer, Michael A. Cleron
  • Patent number: 8518277
    Abstract: A method of removing portions of a conductive layer comprising a transparent conductive material and/or a metallic material disposed on a plastic substrate used for capacitive touchscreen devices includes providing a plastic substrate having a conductive layer disposed on a surface thereof and removing portions of the conductive layer at the surface of the plastic substrate to establish a pattern of electrically isolated conductive portions on the surface of the plastic substrate. The conductive portions or traces are electrically connected to a touchscreen controller, which is operable to determine a location of a touch or proximity of an object at or near the surface of the plastic substrate responsive to a detected change in capacitance. The removal process may comprise etching or laser ablating portions of the conductive layer at the surface of the plastic substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: TPK Touch Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Yang Yun, Ryan T. Gerlach
  • Patent number: 8519986
    Abstract: An input device for effective navigation, a user interface device and a user interface method, and a computer-readable recording medium having embodied thereon a computer program to perform the method, the user interface device including a display unit, a rotatable input unit used to instruct a movement and a selection of a highlighted item in the display unit, and a control unit to control the device to perform a function corresponding to the received signal when a movement signal or a rotation signal is received from the input unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wan-je Park, Hyun-kook Jang, Joon-hwan Kim, Heui-jin Kwon, Sang-gon Song
  • Patent number: 8514204
    Abstract: A capacitive touch panel has a plurality of traces including a boundary trace, and a virtual trace is defined outward of the boundary trace and assigned with a virtual coordinate and a virtual capacitance for interpolation to position a touch point around the boundary of the capacitive touch panel, thereby eliminating the non-addressable region of the capacitive touch panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Elan Microelectronics Corporation
    Inventors: Hung Nien, Yi-Hsin Tao, Chih-Hsien Teng, Hsin-Shieh Tsai, Chun-Chung Huang, Chia-Hsing Lin
  • Publication number: 20130187894
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a first housing component coupled to a second housing component, a first touch-sensitive display mounted in the first housing component, the first touch-sensitive display in electrical communication with a processor, and a second touch-sensitive display mounted in the second housing component, the second touch-sensitive display in electrical communication with the processor, wherein the second housing component is movable to a second position in which the second housing component is stacked above the first housing component and a gap is provided between the first touch-sensitive display and the second touch-sensitive display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2012
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Norman Miner LADOUCEUR, Jason Tyler GRIFFIN, Steven Henry FYKE
  • Patent number: 8493364
    Abstract: A dual sided transparent display module and an electronic device incorporating the same are provided. The dual sided transparent display module includes a primary transparent display having a first surface side and a second surface side. The transparent display module further includes a first side touch sensor array and a second side touch sensor array respectively located at the first surface side and the second surface side of the primary transparent display. The transparent display module still further includes a shutter element located at one of the first surface side and the second surface side of the primary transparent display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC
    Inventors: Michael L Charlier, Thomas E Gitzinger, Jeong J Ma, Tom R Schirtzinger
  • Patent number: 8493365
    Abstract: An optical touch display apparatus includes the following. A light distribution adjustment device is disposed in a transmission path of a visible beam emitted by a visible light emitting device. A non-visible light guide module includes a light guide unit and a dichroic unit. A light guide unit is disposed in the transmission path of the visible beam from the light distribution adjustment device. The dichroic unit is disposed on a surface of the light guide unit. A non-visible light emitting device is disposed beside a side surface of the light guide unit. A display panel is disposed beside the light distribution adjustment device. A sensing space is located in front of the display panel, and the display panel is disposed between the light distribution adjustment device and the sensing space. An optical detector is disposed outside the display panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Coretronic Corporation
    Inventors: Yu-Lun Jhu, Chen-Lung Chen, Chwen-Tay Hwang
  • Patent number: 8493366
    Abstract: A dynamic projected user interface device is disclosed, that includes a projector, a projection controller, and an imaging sensor. The projection controller is configured to receive instructions from a computing device, and to provide display images via the projector onto display surfaces. The display images are indicative of a first set of input controls when the computing device is in a first operating context, and a second set of input controls when the computing device is in a second operating context. The imaging sensor is configured to optically detect physical contacts with the one or more display surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Steven N. Bathiche, Andrew D. Wilson
  • Patent number: 8488038
    Abstract: This image display apparatus includes a display unit 5 that displays at least an image, an operation input unit 3 that is divided into a plurality of areas, predetermined operations being assigned to the respective areas, and a control unit 1 that displays an operation manual screen 101 on the display unit 5 for a predetermined time when a full-screen display process starts, that presents content of the operations assigned to the respective areas 101a to 101c of the operation input unit 3 by the screen 101, and that performs control to perform, when one of the areas is pressed, the operation assigned to the area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yasufumi Suzuki, Hisayuki Nakashima, Toru Furukawa
  • Patent number: 8488071
    Abstract: A display device includes a first substrate, a second substrate, pads, and first and second flexible circuit boards. The first substrate includes a first insulating substrate, a first resistance layer formed on the first insulating substrate, and first and second signal lines formed on the first insulating substrate. The second substrate faces the first substrate and includes a second insulating substrate, a second resistance layer formed on the second insulating substrate, and third and fourth signal lines formed on the second insulating substrate. The pads comprise a first pad connected to the first signal line, a second pad connected to the second signal line, a third pad connected to the third signal line, and a fourth pad connected to the fourth signal line. The first flexible circuit board is connected to two of the pads and the second flexible circuit board is connected to the other two pads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seong-ho Kim, Dong-jin Jeong
  • Patent number: 8487914
    Abstract: An optical finger navigation device. Embodiments of the optical finger navigation device include a light guide film (LGF) including a finger interface surface, a light source in optical communication with the LGF to provide light from the light source to the finger interface surface, a sensor, and a navigation engine. At least a portion of the LGF exhibits total internal reflection (TIR). The sensor detects light from the LGF in response to contact between a finger and the finger interface surface which modifies reflection of light out of the LGF to the sensor. The light detected by the sensor is changed over at least a portion of the sensor in response to the contact between the finger and the finger interface surface. The navigation engine is configured to generate lateral movement information indicative of lateral movement of the finger relative to the sensor, in response to the detected light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventor: Gary R. Trott
  • Publication number: 20130169598
    Abstract: A display system according to the present invention is provided with a display unit, a display control unit, a touch panel, and a detection unit for detecting contact with respect to the touch panel. In the case of a first operation mode, the display control unit performs predetermined display when there has been contact at the location of a predetermined image on the touch panel. In the case of a second operation mode, the display control unit implements a display system for performing predetermined display when there has been contact on the touch panel, regardless of whether or not the predetermined image is present and regardless of the location of said contact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2011
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yutaka Kitamori, Hisaharu Nakashima
  • Patent number: 8477102
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of extending the life of conductive polymer in a device comprising providing conductive polymer, passing direct current through said polymer, and reversing the voltage gradient in the organic polymer conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Todd M. Spath
  • Patent number: 8471832
    Abstract: A keypad assembly having a light leakage prevention structure includes a switch board having at least one switch; a light guide panel mounted on the switch board, light propagating inside the light guide panel; and a first light blocking member stacked on a lateral surface of the light guide panel, the first light blocking member extending to the switch board and reflecting or absorbing incident light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Joo-Hoon Lee
  • Patent number: 8466891
    Abstract: Disclosed is a touch panel 100, which includes a transparent substrate 110 that includes a base part 120 and a projection part 130 projected from the base part 120, a transparent electrode 140 that is formed on the base part 120, signal wirings 150 that are formed on the transparent substrate, having one end connected to the transparent electrode 140 and the other end extended to the projection part 130, and a controller 160 that is disposed on the projection part 130 and is directly connected to the other end of the signal wiring 150. The touch panel directly connects the signal wirings 150 to the controller 160 by adopting the projection part 130 to the transparent electrode 140, thereby making it possible to omit the flexible printing cable requiring manual work, and thus allows the roll to roll (R2R) process, thereby making it possible to automate the entire manufacturing process of the touch panel 100.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Woon Chun Kim, Yong Soo Oh, Jong Young Lee
  • Patent number: 8456424
    Abstract: An input display device comprises an operation panel including a first display operation area that enables operation screens to be switched hierarchically based on a selected operation key and to display a fixed-arrangement of operation keys in respective layers, and a second display operation area that displays an operation history indicating that the operation key has been selected; a selected key use determination unit configured to determine which of the operation keys has been selected when the operation key is selected from one of the first display operation area and the second display operation area; a storage processing unit configured to successively store results determined by the selected key use determination unit into a storage device as operation history information; and a selected key use history display control unit configured to display the operation history information stored in the storage device into the second display operation area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Yukiko Katsura
  • Patent number: 8456320
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for providing feedback for a page turn requested on a device is provided. The device may be an electronic book (e-book) device or another device that is configured to display electronic documents. A movement on the display of the device is detected. The method determines that a page turn of the document is being requested based on the movement on the display. The method determines a light-based feedback to indicate that a page turn is being processed. The computing time to process a page turn and display a new page may be slow as perceived by the user. Accordingly, the light-based feedback is used to indicate to the user that the page turn has been received. A plurality of light sources are used to provide the light-based feedback based on a location of the movement. For example, as a user swipes a finger across a display, light sources that follow the motion of the finger are illuminated to simulate a page turn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Tadamasa Kitsukawa
  • Patent number: 8451248
    Abstract: Disclosed is a display device that provides a user with tactile feedback using a tactile user interface. The display device includes a touch sensitive display unit to display an object, a tactile feedback unit to generate tactile feedback, and a controller. The controller detects a first touch that is in contact with a region of a first object displayed on the display unit, detects a second touch controlling the first object that is consecutive to the first touch, controls the first object in response to the second touch, generates first tactile feedback according to properties of the first object in response to the second touch, detects a third touch controlling the first object that is consecutive to the second touch, the third touch being detected in a region of a second object displayed on the display unit, and generates the first tactile feedback in response to the third touch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Jihwan Kim
  • Patent number: 8451241
    Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid crystal display device to realize soft touch and sense touch regardless of illumination of external light or reflected light. The liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal panel including a first substrate and a second substrate facing each other, wherein a liquid crystal layer is interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, an infrared sensor arranged on the first substrate, an infrared filter arranged corresponding to the infrared sensor arranged on the second substrate facing the first substrate, a first polarizing plate adhered to the back surface of the first substrate, a second polarizing plate adhered to the back surface of the second substrate, a light guiding plate arranged under the first polarizing plate, a first light source arranged on one side of the light guiding plate to emit white light, and a second light source arranged on the other side of the light guiding plate to emit infrared light to the light guiding plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Cheol-Se Kim, Ji-Hyun Jung, Min-Jae Lee
  • Patent number: 8446391
    Abstract: An optical touch display includes a display panel, a light source module, and a sensing module. The display panel has a first edge, a second edge, a third edge and a fourth edge. The light source module is disposed beside the first edge and the second edge of the display panel. The light source module is configure for providing a first parallel light and a second parallel light passing through above a display surface of the display panel. The first parallel light passes from the first edge of the display panel through the third edge of the display panel, and the second parallel light passes from the second edge of the display panel through the fourth edge of the display panel. The sensing module is disposed beside the third edge and the fourth edge of the display panel for sensing the first parallel light and the second parallel light. The optical touch display has advantageous of high reliability and low cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Pixart Imaging Inc.
    Inventors: Yi-Hsien Ko, Cho-Yi Lin
  • Patent number: 8443302
    Abstract: A contactless display system enables a user to interact with a displayed image by moving a finger, or pointer, toward a selected portion of the image. Images can be enlarged, or translated dynamically in response to detected movement. Operational methodology can be manually switched between contact-type and contactless operation to enhance flexibility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Rui Zhang, Yingfei Wu, Thomas A. Plocher
  • Patent number: 8442366
    Abstract: Provided are an optical waveguide for a touch panel which has high light-gathering power on a light-emitting side and which may materialize a touch panel having excellent position detection performance, and a touch panel using the optical waveguide. The optical waveguide for a touch panel includes: cores; and an over cladding layer covers the cores, the cores including light-emitting cores each formed as a lens portion having a shape in plan view including a tapered portion whose width gradually increases toward an end surface on the light-emitting side and an elliptical arc portion which bulges outwardly a tip side of the tapered portion having the gradually-increasing width so as to be in a shape of an elliptical arc, the elliptical arc portion having a major axis direction aligned in a longitudinal direction of the tapered portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventor: Naoki Shibata
  • Patent number: 8441467
    Abstract: High-resolution, scalable multi-touch sensing display systems and processes based on frustrated total internal reflection employ an optical waveguide that receives light, such as infrared light, that undergoes total internal reflection and an imaging sensor that detects light that escapes the optical waveguide caused by frustration of the total internal reflection due to contact by a user. The optical waveguide may be fitted with a compliant surface overlay to greatly improve sensing performance, minimize the affect of contaminants on and damage to the contact surface, to generally extend system life and to provide other benefits. The systems and processes provide true multi-touch (multi-input) and high-spatial and temporal resolution capability due to the continuous imaging of the frustrated total internal reflection that escapes the entire optical waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Perceptive Pixel Inc.
    Inventor: Jefferson Y. Han
  • Patent number: 8432362
    Abstract: An integrated keyboard includes a touch pad and a dynamic keyboard embedded in an area of the touch pad. The touch pad, which may provide a transparent surface to allow the keyboard to be visible, provides motion tracking in areas around the periphery of the keyboard and may be configured into many operating modes. For example, virtual touchable buttons may be configured in the periphery of the keyboard. The keyboard may be provided as a dynamic keyboard with various layouts. A keyboard protector may be provided for each layout, with printed symbols for the keys under the layout. The integrated keyboard may also include a mini-projector to allow projection of a large image on a surface and a virtual Human Interface Device (HID) system to facilitate data input. With the input capabilities of the touch pad and the keyboard, the projector may be controlled in many additional ways not available in conventional projectors that are controlled by a few buttons. The virtual HID may provide motion tracking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: ICE Computer, Inc.
    Inventors: Shang-Che Cheng, Chia-Ming Lin
  • Patent number: 8432374
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a position detector and a touch sensing device of using same with SNR enhancement. In one embodiment, the position detector has (P+1) inputs, each input for receiving an input signal associated with a position, P being a positive integer, and P operational amplifiers, each operational amplifier having a non-inverting input and an inverting input, where the inverting input of the j-th operational amplifier is electrically connected to the non-inverting input of the (j+1)-th operational amplifier, and the non-inverting input and the inverting input of the j-th operational amplifier are electrically connected to the j-th input port and the (j+1)-th input port, respectively, j=1, 2, 3, . . . , (P?1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: AU Optronics Corporation
    Inventors: Chun-Wei Yang, Chia-Feng Yang, Yu-Min Hsu, Yung-Tse Cheng
  • Patent number: 8421747
    Abstract: Object detection and user setting techniques are described. In an implementation, an object placed on a surface of the client is detected by the client. A determination is made as to which of a plurality of users correspond to the detected object. One or more user settings are located that correspond to the determined user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Nadav M. Neufeld, Gionata Mettifogo, Charles J. Migos, Afshan A. Kleinhanzl
  • Patent number: 8421765
    Abstract: A touch sensing device capable of accurately detecting a touched position on a touch panel includes a touch panel, a conversion unit and a calculation unit. The touch panel having a plurality of horizontal sensing lines and vertical sensing lines generates a plurality of horizontal sensing signals and vertical sensing signals in response to a touch on the touch panel. The conversion unit generates a plurality of two-dimensional (2D) sensing signals according to the horizontal and vertical sensing signals. The calculation unit determines a touched position on the touch panel according to the 2D sensing signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: MStar Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Chi Kang Liu, Guo-Kiang Hung
  • Patent number: 8421776
    Abstract: A touch input system, comprising a surface, adapted to receive at least one simultaneous touch inputs from human fingers; a sensor adapted to detect the at least one touch inputs and produce at least one signal representing a unique position for the at least one touch input; and a processor, adapted to receive the at least one signal and produce an output representing a touch detection and a mapping of a coordinate position on the surface for each of the simultaneous touch inputs. The system may detect, for example, two touch inputs simultaneously. The surface may be non-planar and distinct from a small solid angle section of a sphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Elo Touch Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Joel Kent
  • Patent number: 8412281
    Abstract: A mobile phone of the present invention includes a first cabinet; a second cabinet that is slidable along an upper surface of the first cabinet; a first touch sensor that enables input by touching the upper surface; a projection that projects from the second cabinet toward the upper surface; a second touch sensor that detects a position of contact of the projection with the upper surface; and a CPU that controls input by the first touch sensor in accordance with output from the second touch sensor. The CPU enables input by the first touch sensor when the second cabinet is in a first position or OP position where the second case exposes a detection area of the first touch sensor to the outside, and disables input by the first touch sensor when the second cabinet is out of the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: KYOCERA Corporation
    Inventors: Tadashi Higashiyama, Masaki Nakao
  • Patent number: 8411065
    Abstract: The present invention provides a touchpad with a double-layer printed circuit board structure. The touchpad comprises an upper layer, a bottom layer, a first conductor; and a second conductor; wherein the upper layer is configured to act as a touch-sensitive zone, and comprises a plurality of first conductive units, a first conductive wire and a plurality of second conductive units; the bottom layer comprises a wire connecting zone and a component zone, wherein the wire connecting zone further includes a second conductive wire and a connecting line configured to be electrically coupled to the component zone; and the first conductor and the second conductor are configured to connect the upper layer to the bottom layer; wherein the first and the second conductive units are each serially-connected to form a first touch-sensitive line and a second touch-sensitive line, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: BYD Company Ltd.
    Inventors: Jianbo Yang, Bangjun He, Yun Yang, Wei Feng
  • Patent number: 8405640
    Abstract: The invention relates to an optical-signal based control surface for a data processing system, the surface being designed as a planar optical fiber, on which photoelectric sensors are provided, the measured signals of which are used to deduce the position of a light signal striking the control surface and the position being associated with a processing mark in the data processing system. A layer having photoluminescent properties is in contact with at least one layer of the planar optical fiber. The light of the light beam shining on the control surface is converted into longer-wave light by way of photoluminescence, the light being coupled into the waveguide, diffusing therein, and being measured by the photoelectric sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Isiqiri Interface Technologies GmbH
    Inventors: Richard Ebner, Robert Koeppe
  • Patent number: 8400430
    Abstract: A touch panel is integrated into a flat panel display device having a visual display surface with a front polarizer layer, particularly a liquid crystal display device. The touch panel comprises a flexible transparent membrane containing the front polarizer layer and having a first transparent conductive layer on a lower surface of the flexible transparent membrane and a rigid base comprising the flat panel display device and having a second transparent conductive layer on an upper surface of the rigid base. At least one spacer separates the flexible transparent membrane from the rigid base, keeping the first and second transparent conductive layers in spaced-apart facing relationship. A bus bar and tail communicate a signal from the touch panel to the flat panel display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: American Panel Corporation
    Inventors: William R. Dunn, Daniel E. Molnar, Michael LeCave
  • Patent number: 8395601
    Abstract: A touch sensing system which senses a touch position on a screen, including a light source to emit light; a light deflection unit to deflect the light emitted from the light source, a light guide plate which is arranged opposite to the screen and guides the light deflected by the light deflection unit to different positions on the screen according to an incident position, a light detector to receive at least part of the light reflected in a touch position on the screen, and a controller to calculate the touch position on the screen based on a point of time when the light detector detects the light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jeong-ho Nho, Yong-dok Cha
  • Patent number: 8395888
    Abstract: A laptop computer includes: a substantially rectangular first chassis accommodating a display section; a substantially rectangular second chassis accommodating an operation control section; and a hinge mechanism coupling one side of the second chassis and one side of the first chassis. Another side parallel to the one side of the first chassis is configured so that only its widthwise central portion in parallel to the one side lays side-by-side to form a substantially flat face with another side of the second chassis when the chassis are closed together. The other side of the first chassis is configured, in a planar view, so that the more it departs from the central portion toward an edge portion in the widthwise direction, the more it comes closer to the one side of the first chassis than to the other side of the second chassis when the chassis are closed together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuya Kawamoto, Akira Iwamoto, Masaru Furujiku, Hitoshi Nakatani, Shintaro Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8390589
    Abstract: Touch screen displays comprising at least one nanostructure-film, and fabrication methods thereof, are discussed. Nanostructure-films may comprise, for example, a network(s) of nanotubes, nanowires, nanoparticles and/or graphene flakes. Such films are preferably at least semi-transparent and relatively flexible, making them well-suited for use in a variety of touch screen applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Liangbing Hu, George Gruner
  • Patent number: 8390594
    Abstract: Human-computer interface devices are described in the present disclosure. In one embodiment, among several embodiments, a human-computer interface includes a display device configured to visually display images to a user and a touch sensitive device configured to sense contact with the user. Furthermore, the human-computer interface includes a composite piezoelectric layer positioned between the display device and the touch sensitive device. The composite piezoelectric layer is configured to provide haptic feedback to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Immersion Corporation
    Inventors: Ali Modarres, Juan Manuel Cruz-Hernandez, Danny A. Grant, Christophe Ramstein
  • Publication number: 20130050150
    Abstract: A handheld electronic device includes a casing, a transparent display panel and a transparent touch panel. The transparent display panel is disposed on the casing and has a viewing side and a non-viewing side opposite to the viewing side. The transparent touch panel is disposed on the casing and on the non-viewing side of the transparent display panel. When a user holds the handheld electronic device by a hand, the user can view the hand, which performs touch action on the transparent touch panel, through the transparent display panel and the transparent touch panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Inventors: Yao-Tsung Chang, Chia-Hsien Li