With Alignment Or Calibration Capability (i.e., Parallax Problem) Patents (Class 345/178)
  • Patent number: 7999795
    Abstract: A multi-touch sensor panel can be created using a substrate with column and row traces formed on either side. Metal traces running along the border of the substrate can be used to bring the row traces to the same edge as the column traces. A single flex circuit can be fabricated to connect to the rows and columns on directly opposing sides. Flex printed circuits can be bonded to directly opposing attachment areas of a substrate by cooling one side of the substrate while bonding the other. In addition, “coverlay” material extending over right-angled traces on the flex circuit ensure that those traces do not get shorted should conductive bonding material get squeezed out during bonding. Furthermore, a spacer is placed at the distal end of the flex circuit to apply even bonding pressure over the entire flex circuit attachment area during bonding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Arthur Hamblin, Steve Porter Hotelling
  • Patent number: 7995037
    Abstract: A hidden touch pad structure adapted for an electronic product includes a touch pad and a plate covering the touch pad. The plate includes a pad-recognizing portion corresponding to the touch pad. A circuit board is electronically connected to the touch pad for receiving a pressure signal when pressing the pad-recognizing portion of the plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: First International Computer, Inc.
    Inventors: Ying-Ta Lu, Wan-Chen Chuang
  • Patent number: 7990368
    Abstract: A method for calibrating coordinates of a touch screen includes the steps of: providing a display panel, which includes display coordinates along a first axis and a first axis display coordinate; providing a capacitive sensor, which includes sensing electrodes disposed along the first axis and respectively corresponding to sensing coordinates, wherein capacitive sensor has a maximum sensing coordinate; detecting digital values corresponding to the sensing electrodes when the capacitive sensor is touched; multiplying the digital values by the sensing coordinates corresponding to the sensing electrodes to obtain a weighting value; dividing the weighting value by the maximum sensing coordinate to obtain an interpolated value; and multiplying the interpolated value by the first axis display coordinate to obtain a calibrated coordinate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Elan Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventors: Chia-Yi Lee, Wen-Kai Lee
  • Publication number: 20110157099
    Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel, comprising: a plurality of scan lines, data lines and sense lines, display cells and sensor elements. Each sensor element includes a first bottom electrode, a thin film transistor (TFT), a second bottom electrode, and a switch. When the switch is pressed down, the first bottom electrode is electrically connected to the second bottom electrode. The present invention also provides an inspection method for touching the above-mentioned LCD panel, comprising: opening one of the scan lines; electrically connecting the pixel electrode with an inspection circuit; comparing the input voltage to the threshold voltage, while the inspection circuit sends a control signal, representing that the display cell has been pressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicants: AU OPTRONICS (SUZHOU) CORP., LTD., AU OPTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Xiao-Lin WANG
  • Publication number: 20110134069
    Abstract: A linear compensation method of a touch panel is utilized to a touch control computer system. According to the method, a compensation reference table, including reference temperatures and reference surface resistances at pre-determined reference points having known coordinates at the reference temperatures, is obtained at first. Then, a set of user calibration resistance at the pre-determined reference points is obtained through a user calibration process, so as to obtain ratios of the user calibration resistances to interpolation surface resistances as correction weights. Under different temperature, interpolation surface resistances corrected by utilizing the correction weight to derive the current correction surface resistances that are corrected and nearly identical to actual surface resistances. Therefore, relatively precise coordinates are obtained through resistance-coordinate conversion process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2009
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: GETAC TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Chang-Han Shen
  • Patent number: 7958447
    Abstract: A method for providing navigational control of paginated electronic information, includes: loading paginated information into an electronic device capable of displaying paginated information in response to a user's selection; determining the total number of pages in the paginated information, and the number and page lengths of chapters, indexes, appendices, and prefaces; calibrating one or more page navigation controls based on the determined total number of pages in paginated document, and number and page length of chapters, indexes, appendices, prefaces; setting detents and resistance points on the navigation controls based on the calibration; changing displayed paginated content in response to the user's positional touch of the one or more navigation controls; wherein the detents and resistance points are implemented virtually in navigational software, or physically with a series of elevations or ridges that interface with the navigational software; and the level of resistance varies in response to the pag
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy A. Meserth, Mark E. Molander, Thomas J. Sluchak, Jeffrey J. Smith, David T. Wendell
  • Patent number: 7948747
    Abstract: A rail apparatus includes first plate formed of a synthetic material having a first face and a second face opposite the first face, the first plate having a plurality of rows of spaced apart rail protrusions in a first pattern protruding from the second face of the first plate. A second metal plate includes a first face and a second face opposite the first face, the second plate having a plurality of rows of spaced apart slots in a second pattern matching the first pattern and extending through the first and second faces of the second plate. The second face of the first plate abutting the second face of the second plate, whereby the rows of rail protrusions extend through the slots and extend from the first face of the second plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: David M. Ajo, Anthony Sanchez, David W. Williams
  • Patent number: 7948648
    Abstract: An electronic pen for interacting with a substrate having coded data disposed thereon. The pen comprises: an image sensor for sensing the coded data when the pen is used to interact with the surface; a cartridge having a nib for contacting the surface; a retraction mechanism for slidably moving the cartridge between a retracted position and an extended position; a force sensor cooperating with the retraction mechanism; and a processor configured to generate indicating data indicative of the interaction with the substrate. The image sensor is configured to sense the coded data only when the force sensor detects that the nib is in contact with the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Paul Lapstun, Jacqueline Anne Lapstun
  • Patent number: 7948479
    Abstract: The invention provides a system for distinguishing multiple touch points. The system comprises a panel, a first image capturing unit, a second image capturing unit, at least one third image capturing unit, and a processing unit. N touch points are indicated on the panel. A first image and a second image related to the N touch points are captured by the first image capturing unit and the second image capturing unit. At least one third image related to the N touch points is captured by the at least one third image capturing unit. N sets of coordinates corresponding to the N touch points are calculated by the processing unit according to the first image and the second image. And, a set of real coordinates corresponding to the N touch points is determined from the N sets of coordinates according to the at least one third image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Quanta Computer Inc.
    Inventors: Yun-Cheng Liu, Chin-Kang Chang, Ching-Chun Chiang
  • Publication number: 20110115743
    Abstract: Stimulus regions are defined based on the traces of a capacitive touch panel. A first signal is applied to a first trace in a first direction under a second signal applied to a second trace in a second direction to stimulate the second trace, to sense a stimulus region for an ADC value thereof. Calibration parameters for the traces are determined according to the ADC values of the traces without being touched, and are stored for later sensing the traces for position calculation and multi-finger calculation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2010
    Publication date: May 19, 2011
    Applicant: ELAN MICROELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: TSUN-MIN WANG, CHUN-CHUNG HUANG
  • Publication number: 20110109594
    Abstract: A touch target array overlay that can be associated with a surface of a touch screen of a mobile or fixed device is provided. The touch target array may be translucent transparent or opaque and may have tactile features. The touch target array may include a base member and a plurality of touchable array elements. The base member may be coupled to the surface of the touch screen of the mobile device. Further, the plurality of touchable array elements may be disposed on the base member. The plurality of touchable array elements may facilitate a user to input information in the mobile device. Moreover, the plurality of touchable array elements may align with virtual keys of a virtual keypad of the mobile device, or other features.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2010
    Publication date: May 12, 2011
    Inventor: Beth Marcus
  • Patent number: 7936341
    Abstract: The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for recognizing selection regions from multiple simultaneous inputs. Input selection regions are calculated from simultaneous contacts on a multi-touch input display surface. Computer system users can use natural and/or more intuitive hand gestures to select items on an input/display surface. Selection regions can be dynamically adjusted to in response to detected changes in contact at different locations on a surface. For example, selection region changes can be updated in essentially real-time as fingers are added and moved on the multi-touch input display surface. The calculation of selection regions can vary based on an application and/or operating system context.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: John Guido Atkins Weiss
  • Patent number: 7920128
    Abstract: According to an embodiment of the present invention, a display device may include a display panel, a plurality of pixels disposed on the display panel, a plurality of first sensing units disposed on the display panel and generating first sensing signals in response to a touch exerted on the display panel, and a sensing signal processor configured to process the first sensing signals and generate second sensing signals for a plurality of frames, the sensing signal processor determining whether a touch occurs based on the second sensing signals for the plurality of frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jong-Woung Park, Young-Ok Cha, Man-Seung Cho, Kee-Han Uh, Joo-Hyung Lee
  • Patent number: 7920134
    Abstract: The automatic calibration of a sensor panel is disclosed by varying the amplitude of an input stimulus Vstim to simulate a full-touch condition and calibrating each pixel of the sensor panel in accordance with the difference between the simulated full-touch condition and a baseline full-touch condition. To accomplish this, a baseline full scale output FS_targ_cal can be measured at during pre-delivery calibration for each pixel using a test fixture capable of applying a no-touch to full-touch condition given a nominal Vstim. A full-touch condition can then be emulated for each pixel by lowering Vstim until the current full scale output FS_targ_current equals FS_targ_cal, and determining the Vstim value Vstim_cal at that point. During field calibration, Vstim_cal can be applied to each pixel to simulate a full-touch condition, and FS_targ_current can be obtained and compared against FS_targ_cal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Christoph Horst Krah
  • Publication number: 20110069040
    Abstract: An image control system controls an image displayed on a display screen of a display section based on a detection value output from a detection section, the detection section outputting the detection value corresponding to a first position when an operation state of a touch operation performed on an operation surface is a first operation state in which a first touch operation is performed at the first position on the operation surface, and outputting the detection value corresponding to a midpoint between the first position and a second position when the operation state is a second operation state in which a second touch operation is performed at the second position on the operation surface in addition to the first touch operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2010
    Publication date: March 24, 2011
    Applicant: NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc.
    Inventors: Maya Ito, Masanobu Suzui
  • Publication number: 20110063258
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a handwriting input processing device and method. The method comprises: determining time efficiency and space efficiency for sampling coordinate points on a touch screen according to the prestored configuration parameters; determining a time interval between strokes and a time interval between words of user writing according to the configuration parameters, and sampling and identifying user operations on the touch screen according to the determined time interval between strokes, time interval between words, time efficiency, and space efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2008
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Applicant: ZTE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Xiaoyong Zhang
  • Patent number: 7903096
    Abstract: A display panel includes an array substrate and an opposite substrate. The array substrate includes a plurality of data lines, a plurality of gate lines, a plurality of first signal lines, a plurality of second signal lines and a plurality of pixels. Each of the pixels includes a pixel electrode and a common electrode insulated from the pixel electrode. The opposite substrate includes a plurality of connecting members. At least one of the connecting members is electrically connected to at least one of the first signal lines and the second signal lines by an externally provided pressure. Thus, when an externally provided pressure is applied to the display panel in order to perform a touch screen function, an alignment of the liquid crystal molecules disposed on the array substrate may not be substantially changed, and a display quality may be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jin Jeon, Hyung-Guel Kim
  • Publication number: 20110037735
    Abstract: Normalization of regions of a sensor panel capable of detecting multi-touch events, or a sensor panel capable of detecting multi-hover events, is disclosed to enable each sensor in the sensor panel to trigger a virtual button in a similar manner, given the same amount of touch or hover. Each sensor produces an output value proportional to the level or amount of touch or hover. However, due to processing, manufacturing and physical design differences, the sensor output values can vary from region to region or panel to panel for a given amount of touch or hover. To normalize the sensor output values across regions, gain and offset information can be obtained in advance, stored in nonvolatile memory, and later used to normalize the sensor output values so that all regions in the sensor panel can trigger virtual buttons similarly, providing a uniform “response function” at any location on the sensor panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2010
    Publication date: February 17, 2011
    Inventors: Brian Richards LAND, Steve Porter Hotelling, Richard Wei Kwang Lim
  • Patent number: 7884805
    Abstract: A device may comprise a display and a processor. The processor may obtain a first set of one or more touches on a remote surface of a remote device based on a signal received on a communication link between the device and the remote device. receive information associated with the first set of one or more touches through the signal. detect a gesture on the display, and determine whether the information is to be used to obtain content based on the gesture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB
    Inventor: Ola Karl Thorn
  • Publication number: 20110025650
    Abstract: There is disclosed a method for establishing calibration in an interactive display system comprising an interactive display surface and a projector for projecting images onto the interactive display surface, the system being adapted for connection to a computer to receive display data from the computer for display on the interactive display surface via the projector, the method comprising the steps of: a. determining the display parameters of the interactive display system; b. accessing stored calibration data; c. determining if any stored calibration data is associated with display parameters matching the determined display parameters of the interactive system; and d. in dependence on a match, retrieving and applying the calibration data to thereby calibrate the computer with the interactive display system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Applicant: PROMETHEAN LTD
    Inventor: Ian JOSCELYNE
  • Patent number: 7876288
    Abstract: A device with a touchscreen with a light modulator is disclosed herein. The device transitions from a netbook mode to a touchscreen mode. The device comprises a main unit and a touchscreen unit with a transparent display. The touchscreen unit is preferably separated from the main unit when in a netbook mode, and the touchscreen unit communicates wirelessly with the main unit. The touchscreen unit preferably has an outer screen display surface and an inner screen display surface on each side of a light modulating unit. The main unit preferably has a main unit display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Chumby Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew Shane Huang
  • Publication number: 20110012869
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a touch sensing apparatus for a mobile device, a mobile device and a method for touch operation sensing to reliably sense an applied force. The touch sensing apparatus comprises a touch sensing section for sensing a force experienced in a touch sensing direction of said touch sensing section and outputting a signal corresponding to said force; an acceleration obtaining section for obtaining an acceleration of said touch sensing apparatus in said touch sensing direction; and a signal correction section for correcting said signal corresponding to said sensed force using said obtained acceleration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2009
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Applicant: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB
    Inventor: Gunnar Klinghult
  • Publication number: 20110007034
    Abstract: Smoothing of touch input is provided. One example method of smoothing touch input may include calculating an expected window of touch event positions for a current raw touch event position using previous raw touch event positions, and determining if the current raw touch event position is within the expected window of touch event positions. The method may further include, if the current raw touch event position is within the expected window of touch event positions, returning a distance-agnostic smoothed position. The method may also include, if the current raw touch event position is outside the expected window of touch event positions for longer than a tolerated duration, returning a distance-influenced smoothed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2009
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Eric Jorgensen
  • Patent number: 7864165
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for detecting position, and a touch panel using the same are provided. The apparatus for detecting position includes a frame, a plurality of first signal sources, a plurality of first signal receivers, a plurality of second signal sources, a plurality of second signal receivers, and a processor. The frame is comprised of a first portion, a second portion, a third portion, and a fourth portion. The plurality of first signal sources are disposed along the first and the second portions to emit the signals configured to detect a coordinate in a first direction. The plurality of first signal receivers are disposed along the third and the fourth portions, corresponding to the plurality of first signal sources, to receive the signals from the plurality of first signal sources respectively. The plurality of second signal sources are disposed along the first and the fourth portions to emit the signals configured to detect a coordinate in a second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Egalax Empia Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Shang Tai Weh, Teng-Wei Hsieh
  • Publication number: 20100302212
    Abstract: A computing device includes a touch display, a collection module, a characterization module, and an adjustment module. The collection module is configured to identify one or more touch attributes of an input tool interacting with the touch display. Each such touch attribute represents an interaction characteristic of the input tool with the display. The characterization module is configured to generate a touch map based on the one or more touch attributes. The adjustment module is configured to set one or more input-receiving parameters of an interface displayed on the touch display based on the touch map.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2009
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Karon Weber, Jeffrey Ort
  • Patent number: 7843440
    Abstract: A scrolling electronic whiteboard is provided, including a thin-film antenna board, at least an electromagnetic signal transmitter, a main control board, and a scrolling mechanism cassette. The scrolling mechanism cassette is for providing the housing of the thin-film antenna board to scroll and extend by pulling. The thin-film antenna board can be entirely scrolled and housed inside the scrolling mechanism cassette. The electromagnetic signal transmitter includes a resonant circuit for transmitting an electromagnetic signal of a specific frequency to determine the length of the thin-film antenna board being pulled outside of the scrolling mechanism cassette. The main control board is for receiving the antenna loop signals of the thin-film antenna board, and the electromagnetic signals of each electromagnetic signal transmitters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: WALTOP International Corp.
    Inventors: Chin-Yen Chen, Chia-Jui Yeh
  • Patent number: 7812831
    Abstract: A lenticular lens is provided in front of a liquid crystal panel composed of a plurality of pixels. In this case, the lenticular lens is arranged so that one cylindrical lens corresponds to two pixels adjacent to each other. Then, light rays outgoing from two pixels are refracted by this one cylindrical lens and intersect with each other at a point positioned on the surface of a tablet, and then reach the right eye and the left eye of a user, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: NEC LCD Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoyasu Ikeda, Shin-ichi Uehara, Nobuaki Takanashi
  • Patent number: 7800592
    Abstract: Hand held devices with multiple touch sensing devices are disclosed. The touch sensing devices may for example be selected from touch panels, touch screens or touch sensitive housings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Duncan R. Kerr, Steve Hotelling, Brian Q. Huppi
  • Publication number: 20100231556
    Abstract: A device, system, and computer-readable medium for an interactive whiteboard including an interface which receives a first control signal from a touch-sensitive display surface and a second control signal from a codec, the first control signal identifying a position on the touch-sensitive display surface, and the second control signal identifying a codec setting of the codec; and a processor which calculates, based on the first control signal and the second control signal, a corresponding position on a display screen of a computing device to the position on the touch-sensitive display surface, and which sends the corresponding position to the computing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2010
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Applicant: TANDBERG TELECOM AS
    Inventors: Anthony Mines, Stephen Bretherton
  • Patent number: 7772960
    Abstract: A force sensing resistor (FSR) includes a substrate having separated electrically conductive traces and another substrate having a resistive layer in which the substrates are subjected to a biasing force such that the substrates contact one another with the resistive layer electrically connecting the traces with a resistance inversely dependent on the biasing force. Upon an external force applied towards a substrate, the substrates contact one another with a total force which is the sum of the forces with the resistive layer electrically connecting the traces with a resistance inversely dependent on the total force. An FSR output which is a function of the resistance is measured. Whether a change in magnitude of the FSR output during a time interval is greater than a threshold is determined. A touch applied on the FSR is detected during the time interval if the change is greater than the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Interlink Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey R. Baker
  • Publication number: 20100188371
    Abstract: A handheld electronic device having a touchscreen and a method of using a touchscreen of a handheld electronic device are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2009
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Robert J. Lowles, ZhongMing Ma, Kuo-Feng Tong
  • Patent number: 7762672
    Abstract: A data presentation apparatus having a function to generate a pointer image pointing a position in a presentation image is provided and includes: an image transmission section that transmits an image data of the presentation image to a terminal; a receiver that receives a control signal to determine a display position of the pointer image in the presentation image, the control signal being transmitted from the terminal; and an image generation section that generates an image data of a composite image based on the control signal, the composite image including the presentation image and the pointer image displayed in the presentation image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Fujinon Corporation
    Inventors: Junichi Yokoyama, Naoki Yamaguchi
  • Publication number: 20100141608
    Abstract: Index matching for touch screens is provided. An index matching stackup for a touch screen can be formed including a substantially transparent substrate, a substantially transparent conductive layer disposed in a pattern, and an index matching layer for improving an optical uniformity of the touch screen. The index matching layer can also be designed to operate as a dual-function layer. In one dual-function design, the index matching layer design performs both index matching and passivating the conductive layer. In another dual-function design, the index matching layer performs both index matching and adhesion of layers. The index matching layer can also be designed to serve all three functions of index matching, passivating, and adhering.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2008
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Inventors: Lili HUANG, Shih Chang Chang, Neal Oldham, Steve Porter Hotelling, John Z. Zhong, Chun-Hao Tung
  • Patent number: 7728818
    Abstract: A method of controlling an electronic device including a touch sensitive display the method including displaying a plurality of graphical items on the touch sensitive display where each graphical item has an identity; detecting a coupling, formed by a user, of at least two graphical items, the coupling including, a trace on the touch sensitive display between the at least two graphical items; and, performing an action dependent upon the identity of the coupled graphical items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventors: Kun Yu, Kong Qiao Wang, Jari Kangas
  • Patent number: 7724243
    Abstract: The present invention provides touch sensors that incorporate electrodes that are capacitively coupled through a dielectric layer to one or more resistive touch sensing layers, for example for linearizing the electric field across the resistive layer of an analog capacitive touch screen or for addressing the conductive elements of a matrix type capacitive touch screen. Such a construction allows for new manufacturing methods and new ways of constructing touch sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Bernard O. Geaghan
  • Patent number: 7724241
    Abstract: The invention relates to touch panels for use in a variety of electronic apparatuses, and designed to prevent separation of a lower substrate and an antireflection layer, and to ensure reliable operation. An undercoat layer (9) made of any of silicon oxide and a compound having a principal ingredient of silicon oxide is disposed between the antireflection layer (5) and the lower substrate (2) made of glass having the same principal ingredient of silicon oxide, to improve strength of adhesion between the lower substrate (2) and the antireflection layer (5), thereby preventing separation of the antireflection layer (5) from the lower substrate (5), and providing the touch panel with reliable operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiharu Fukui, Nobuhiro Yamaue, Kenichi Takabatake
  • Publication number: 20100123686
    Abstract: A device may include a substrate including an input device on a substrate and at least one piezoresistive sensor formed on the substrate outside the area of the input device. A device may include a display formed on a substrate, at least one piezoresistive sensor formed on the substrate, and a processor to calculate an applied force and activate a force response based on the calculated applied force. A method may include monitoring resistance associated with one or more piezoresistive sensors to detect changes in a force applied to a display device, detecting a change in resistance associated with the one or more piezoresistive sensors, calculate a force applied to the display device based on the detected change in resistance, activating a force response in proportion to the change in resistance detected, and displaying a result of the force response via the display device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2009
    Publication date: May 20, 2010
    Applicant: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB
    Inventors: Gunnar Klinghult, Mats Kleverman
  • Publication number: 20100123677
    Abstract: Apparatus comprising one or more inputs configured to receive a configurable control signal from a configurable signal generator; and a non-calibrated touch input signal from a touch sensor. Said non-calibrated touch input signal generated by detecting both internal and external forces applied to the touch sensor. The apparatus also comprises a calibrator configured to process the non-calibrated touch input signal and the configurable control signal to remove the contribution of the internal forces from the non-calibrated signal to generate a calibrated signal, the calibrated signal for use in the detection of an external force applied to the touch sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2008
    Publication date: May 20, 2010
    Inventors: Murray Brown, Simon Cox, Graham Clay
  • Patent number: 7719522
    Abstract: An input device and system are described that acquires (measures) raw track pad sensor data and transmits this data to a host computer where it is analyzed by an application executing on one or more host computer central processing units. The resulting input processing architecture provides a track pad input device that is both lower in cost to manufacture and more flexible than prior art track pad input devices. Lower costs may be realized by eliminating the prior art's dedicated track pad hardware for processing sensor data (e.g., a processor and associated firmware memory). Increased flexibility may be realized by providing feature set functionality via software that executes on the host computer. In this architecture, track pad functionality may be modified, updated and enhanced through software upgrade procedures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Lyon, Stephanie Cinereski, Chad Bronstein, Steven P. Hotelling
  • Patent number: 7710402
    Abstract: An information display device (1A) comprises a touch panel (TP), an information display panel (LCD) located under the touch panel (TP) and four strip-like piezoelectric elements (E), which are caused to be vibrated and displaced by a pressing force generated when the touch panel (TP) is pressed, being disposed at the outer peripheral portion of the touch panel (TP), wherein both end portions of each strip-like piezoelectric element (E) are supported by surface-like holders (112A, 112B) with twist resilient deformation structures and a rotary shaft (113) so that each strip-like piezoelectric element (E) may not be disturbed from being vibrated and displaced. In this touch panel type information device, both end portions of a plurality of strip-like piezoelectric elements are supported by the supporting member having the holders with the twist resilient deformation structure which do not disturb both end portions of the strip-like piezoelectric elements from being vibrated and displaced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Mikio Takenaka, Shigeaki Maruyama
  • Publication number: 20100097355
    Abstract: A touch sensing device and a method for correcting an output thereof are disclosed. The touch sensing device includes a touch sensor array including a plurality of touch sensors, a plurality of integrated circuits (ICs) that converts an output of the touch sensor array into digital data and generates raw data, and a data correction unit that generates correction values using differential values between adjacent raw data in the raw data generated by the ICs and removes successive correction values equal to or greater than a predetermined critical value from the correction values when a number of successive correction values equal to or greater than the predetermined critical value is less than a predetermined reference value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2009
    Publication date: April 22, 2010
    Inventors: Suhyuk Jang, Hwanjoo Lee
  • Patent number: 7692637
    Abstract: A user input device for controlling the movement of a cursor in a graphical user interface (GUI) includes a touch sensitive surface arranged to provide a pre-defined number of touch sensitive surface areas substantially continuous with one another each of which is associated with a corresponding pre-defined functionality. Touching contact with the given surface area causes the cursor to move in the corresponding direction or to stop. The speed of the cursor is controlled by the touching contact which may be a sliding, tapping, pressure or other suitable contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventor: Scott Davis
  • Patent number: 7692638
    Abstract: Normalization of the built-in DC offset error in each analog channel is disclosed to reduce image distortion in multi-event (multi-touch or multi-hover) sensor panels. By eliminating the component-dependent offset error from each analog channel, each analog channel will generate approximately the same output value for a given dynamic input signal. Normalization can include “phantom row” compensation, which involves measuring the static output value of each analog channel when no stimulus is applied to any row of a multi-event sensor panel, and subtracting this value out of any subsequent output value generated by the analog channel. Normalization can also include DAC offset compensation, which involves setting the offset compensation voltage of each analog channel to some fraction of its normal value, measuring the output of the analog channel over temperature, determining a temperature coefficient, and adjusting any subsequent output value generated by the analog channel to account for this drift.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Richards Land, Steve Porter Hotelling
  • Publication number: 20100079412
    Abstract: A calibrating apparatus for an image processing apparatus is disclosed. The calibrating apparatus comprises a first operating module and a second operating module. The first operating module determines a third indicating point and a fourth indicating point according to a first indicating point, a second indicating point, and a specific point, and determines a calibration point (i.e. the predetermined position of a sensor) according to a first line through the first indicating point and third indicating point and a second line through the second indicating point and fourth indicating point. The second operating module forms reference lines according to reference points and the calibration point, forms reference angles according to the reference lines and a parallel line, generates reference coordinates of the reference points in an image and generates a calibration function according to the reference coordinates of the reference points and the reference angles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2009
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Inventors: Ching-Chun Chiang, Yi-Ming Huang, Yun-Cheng Liu, Chin-Kang Chang
  • Publication number: 20100045635
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of making and using and apparatus for providing touch screen capability using an LCD screen without an extra touch screen layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2009
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Inventor: David Soo
  • Patent number: 7657117
    Abstract: In accordance with one aspect of the present exemplary embodiments, a calibration arrangement is configured to assist in calibration of a surface scanning system where the calibration arrangement includes a preconfigured physical object which may embody dimensional information wherein the dimensional information is used to calibrate a surface of the scanning system. In an alternative embodiment, the preconfigured physical object is configured to obtain data for use in calibration of the surface of a pan/tilt surface scanning system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: Eric Saund, Bryan Pendleton, Kimon Roufas, Hadar Shemtov
  • Publication number: 20100013800
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for normalizing the effects of the changes to the parasitic capacitive coupling that can occur in touch sensor panels so as to reduce or eliminate the appearance of erroneous touch events. In some embodiments, at some time prior to regular device use (e.g. during factory calibration), a conductive sheet is initially positioned so as to entirely cover a touch surface of a touch sensor panel. A set of sensed signals may be determined upon driving the drive lines and sensing the sense lines of the panel. Correctional coefficients may then be calculated based in part upon the difference between a sensed signal and an expected signal. The correctional coefficients may then be stored in the device and used to determine signal corrections for a set of measured signals during normal operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2008
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Inventors: John G. ELIAS, Steve Porter Hotelling
  • Patent number: 7649525
    Abstract: Display systems with multifunctional digitizer module board. A shield film is integrated on a digitizer sensor board to form a multifunctional digitizer module board with lower thickness and weight. In the multifunctional digitizer module, a digitizer sensor board senses position of a position pointer or finger contact on a surface and a shield film is integrated on one surface of the digitizer sensor board by semiconductor process to screen out external noise. A display panel is disposed above the multifunctional digitizer module board and coupled thereto, displaying images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: TPO Displays Corp.
    Inventors: Din-Guo Chen, Ying-Chih Lee
  • Patent number: 7649523
    Abstract: A method of estimating a position of a point on a writing implement relative to an optical sensor mounted on the writing implement is provided. The method comprises the steps of: (a) placing the point in contact with a coded surface; (b) capturing, using the sensor, at least two images of the coded surface at different rotations of the writing implement relative to the surface; (c) determining, from a perspective distortion of the coded surface in each image, an estimated rotation and viewing distance for each image; and (d) estimating, from the estimated rotations and viewing distances, the position of the point relative to the optical sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Paul Lapstun, Kia Silverbrook, Tobin Allen King
  • Patent number: 7649524
    Abstract: A digitizer apparatus for digitizing user interactions, for example detecting locations of physical objects, comprises: sensing elements, spread across a sensing area, configured for sensing the user interactions, say involving a stylus or like object, and a controller, associated with the sensing elements, configured to dynamically select a tracking window for the interaction, the tracking window comprising a subset of the sensing elements which are activated for sensing the object. The window is selected to center on the interaction based on e.g. last known location data, and thereby save processing resources by sampling only the minimum number of sensing elements necessary at any time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: N-trig Ltd.
    Inventors: Alon Haim, Ori Rimon